Terms & Conditions, the TL;DR version
Please read these carefully before booking your pilgrimage with Seinoza. They’re here to protect both you and us, and to ensure the smooth running of your journey.
Acceptance & Payment
To confirm your place on the walk, you’ll need to:
Submit your registration form
Complete an interview with one of our facilitators
Meet our Essential Eligibility Criteria
Receive confirmation that a space is available
Pay a non-refundable deposit of US$500 within 7 days of acceptance
The interview is an important part of the process — it helps ensure the group is a good fit for you, and that you’re a good fit for the group, so the journey is enriching for everyone.
Once accepted, the remaining balance is due within 30 days. If we don’t receive full payment by then, we may need to release your place to someone else.
Cancellations –
More than 120 days before start: full refund (minus processing fees).
60–119 days: refund minus deposit.
Less than 60 days: no refund.
Travel insurance is strongly recommended.
Transfers – You can transfer to another available trip more than 60 days before departure. Transfer fees may apply.
Weather & Conditions – Pilgrimages run in most weather. If we cancel for reasons within our control, you can choose a refund or transfer. If we cancel for reasons outside our control (e.g., severe weather, natural disasters, park closures), refunds may not be possible — this is where travel insurance matters.
Your Readiness – These walks require a reasonable level of fitness and preparation. We’ll guide you in preparing, but you must follow equipment lists and safety instructions.
Conduct – Respect for the group, guides, and local communities is essential. We reserve the right to remove participants whose behaviour creates safety risks or significantly impacts others’ experience.
Medical & Insurance – You must disclose any relevant medical conditions and have travel insurance that covers medical emergencies, evacuation, and trip cancellation.
Dietary Needs – We’ll do our best to accommodate dietary requirements but can’t guarantee an allergen-free environment.
Full Terms & Conditions can be read here:
These will be provided before your booking is confirmed, and must be agreed to before your place is confirmed.
Eligibility Criteria for Pilgrimages
Health, safety, and group harmony are central to Seinoza pilgrimages.
Our walks take place in varied environments — from gentle rural paths to steeper, uneven mountain trails — and involve hours of daily walking in all kinds of weather. To help ensure your safety, and the safety and enjoyment of the group, all participants must meet these Eligibility Criteria.
To join a Seinoza pilgrimage, you’ll need to be able to:
Engage and communicate effectively
Understand and follow verbal instructions in English.
Communicate your needs clearly to guides and other participants.
Work collaboratively within the group, especially in situations where people might be hungry, tired, or feeling emotionally vulnerable.
Stay aware and follow safety protocols
Remain attentive to your surroundings and take care where warranted.
Follow guide instructions.
Walk and navigate varied terrain
Walk comfortably on uneven paths, including gravel, cobblestones, steps, steep ascents and descents, and potentially muddy or slippery surfaces.
Safely navigate trails with occasional obstacles such as low branches, loose stones, and narrow sections.
Manage daily walking distances and elevation
Walk the daily distances listed for your pilgrimage (typically 9.5 - 12.5 m / 15–20 km per day), sometimes with significant elevation changes (up to 3600 ft / 1100 m)
Be prepared to walk for 4 - 5 hours, with breaks, on typical days, with some longer days of up to 7 hours.
Carry and manage your own gear
Carry a daypack with personal items, water, snacks, and weather protection.
Adapt to changing weather
Be comfortable walking in a variety of temperatures and conditions — from cool, damp mornings to warm, sunny afternoons, and the possibility of rain, wind, or humidity.
Manage your own health and well-being
Maintain your own medication schedule without assistance.
Monitor your physical and emotional state, and share concerns with guides as needed.
Support group well-being
Show respect for cultural norms, local communities, and the group’s shared experience.
Maintain a spirit of cooperation and kindness, even when tired or challenged.
Adapt to the accomodation on offer — while everyone will have their own futon or bed, you may be sharing a room with 1 to 5 other people, in line with Japanese norms.
Support a comfortable day’s walking by rising early, being ready to leave on time, and walking at the group’s general pace.