Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Vacation to Japan Rejuvenates Body, Mind

Aired April 06, 2001 - 09:51   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: Pack your bags, it's Friday again; and on today's travel segment our goal is rejuvenation, which means exploring a country's spiritual past and present. It can be an eye- opening experience.

CNN travel correspondent Stephanie Oswald joining us this morning with more on all of this.

Stephanie, welcome back.

STEPHANIE OSWALD, CNN TRAVEL CORRESPONDENT: Thank you.

And that's right: This week on "CNN TRAVEL NOW" our focus is vacations to stimulate the mind, body and spirit. We'll have plenty of options for getting away from it all.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OSWALD (voice-over): For travelers headed to Japan, one destination often on the must-see list is Mount Fuji, but a firsthand look is not easy to achieve. Notoriously reclusive, Mount Fuji is usually shrouded in clouds.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had a gorgeous, clear view of Mount Fuji today, which made it very wonderful.

OSWALD: For those lucky enough to see this volcanic cone in all its majesty, Mount Fuji's spiritual importance becomes clear.

RIE MATSUI, TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER: Of course, its shape is extremely beautiful. And in Japan, it is said that high mountains -- some spiritual things live in the mountain. So I think the mountain purified minds of our Japanese people.

OSWALD: Two of the most significant religions in Japan are Buddhism and Shintoism. Many Japanese practice both; and with more than 80 temples and shrines, the town of Kamikura is one of the best places to learn about that part of Japanese culture. A busy crosswalk near downtown is overshadowed by a torii, the symbolic gateway to Hachiman-gu.

This Shinto shrine is dedicated to Hachiman, the god of war, but most visitors are here on peaceful pursuits. Shinto is the indigenous religion of Japan. It translates as "the way of the gods," and these gods, or "Kami," inhabit all natural phenomena. In fact, the earliest Shinto shrines were not buildings, but trees, rocks and mountains, such as Mount Fuji.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OSWALD: Japan is just one of the destinations we'll travel to tomorrow. We'll also visit Vietnam and a spa in southern California.

FRAZIER: You know, for a spiritual vacation, climbing Mount Fuji sounds like an awful lot of work.

OSWALD: It is a lot of work, but if you're a type A personality, even when you're on vacation you really need something -- a goal. And so even when you're on vacation, you want to have some kind of a stimulus to give you that refreshment.

FRAZIER: Now, to qualify for this kind of rejuvenator vacation, as you call them this time around, do you have to be completely stressed out?

OSWALD: Well, you don't have to be completely stressed out, and you can -- it's a choice of taking a big trip, like going to Japan or just going to a spa in your own backyard or in your own hometown.

FRAZIER: Well, we want to let people know they should tune in tomorrow, Stephanie -- all about ways to replenish your spirit, energize your body and mind. Tomorrow at 6:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m. Eastern time.

OSWALD: Right; thank you.

FRAZIER: Stephanie, thanks for joining us.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com