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Historic Japan
14 Days/13 Nights - Gateway: Tokyo
Standard Tour: from £1723pp
Superior Tour:from £2203pp
Rail & car upgrades also available.
Prices valid for 2009. Peak supplements may apply.
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| From the calm of Kyoto’s ancient temples to the samurai castles and historic back streets, Japan certainly has a colourful and dramatic past to explore. On this trip you will be able to see the many sides to Japan’s history and learn more about Japan before the bright lights, high-tech gadgets and high-speed trains took over. |
Day 1: Arrive in Tokyo
On arrival at Tokyo Narita Airport you will be met by one of our representatives at the arrivals gate who will escort you to your seat-sharing taxi for the drive to your hotel in the Asakusa district of Tokyo. As Tokyo’s most traditional area, Asakusa is a great place to start your adventures into historic Japan; a fascinating area full of life at the centre of which lies Senso-ji, Tokyo’s oldest temple. Here you can wander through the backstreets and mix with the locals to get a real feel for what the Tokyo of yesteryear was like.
Accommodation: Asakusa Sunroute - Reliable and well located business hotel. |
Day 2: Full day guiding in Tokyo
To get your trip off to the best possible start, today we will organise for a full day’s private guiding round the metropolis. Your guide will have some recommendations but you can choose where to go and what to see with an expert with you every step of the way as you investigate this remarkable city. |
Day 3: Full day Tokyo
Today you are free to explore Tokyo on your own. Perhaps you will get up early to visit the famous Tsukiji Fish Market, take a stroll around the Imperial Palace gardens or investigate the array of gadgets and gizmos which fill the shelves of Akihabara electronics district. Whatever your interests, Tokyo has something to capture the imagination of every visitor. |
Day 4: Travel to Kyoto
The Shinkansen ‘Bullet Train’ will whisk you to the ancient capital of Kyoto in under three hours. A must-see on any visit to Japan, Kyoto is the true heart of Japanese history and culture. The city is filled to the brim with gorgeous temples, shrines and interesting museums to give you an insight into the religious and Imperial past of this former capital. With accommodation at a beautiful tradi-
tional ryokan, your Kyoto stay will be a wonderful Japanese experience.
Accommodation: Izuyasu - Charming 100 year old ryokan with great food and even better service. |
Day 5: Full day guiding in Kyoto
With so much to see and do having a guide in Kyoto is invaluable and today you will have a full eight hours of private guiding round the city. As in Tokyo, you can choose where to go or ask your guide for recommendations. |
Day 6: Full day in Kyoto / Nara excursion
You have another day to explore Kyoto, this time independently. Alternatively you have the option to use your Japan Rail Pass to make a day trip to the nearby town of Nara. Another of the ancient capitals of Japan, Nara has a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere and can be fully explored on foot. The highlight is definitely the big Buddha who has been sat in his meditative state for over 1000 years and of course, the cheeky sacred deer who roam freely through the park. |
Day 7: Travel to Himeji
From Kyoto you will continue your journey by Shinkansen one hour south to Himeji. Here you can relive the samurai history of Japan by visiting the stunning Himeji-jo, one of Japan’s few remain ing original castles; a real insight into the lives and battles of these fearsome, highly skilled warriors. Himeji also boasts some stunning gardens and a short bus ride away, the ancient temple complex where parts of “The Last Samurai” were filmed.
Accommodation: Clare Higasa - Quality hotel with views of the castle. |
Day 8: Travel to Hiroshima
One hour on the ‘Bullet Train’ and you will be in Hiroshima. The city’s fame stems of course from the dropping of the first atomic bomb at the end of the Second World War. However, despite its tragic past, Hiroshima is now a bustling and vibrant city which has truly risen from the ashes. The peace museum and park are a poignant reminder of Hiroshima’s painful past and everyone should spend at least an afternoon visiting this area of town.
Accommodation: Sunroute - 3 star business hotel opposite the peace park and war museum. |
Day 9: Full day Hiroshima / trip to Miyajima
Today you can spend some more time exploring the city but a highly recommended excursion would be to the nearby island of Miyajima. The view from the island is held up as one of the three most beautiful views in Japan, with the famous ‘floating’ tori gate framing the scene. This is a wonderful place to meander through the forests, feed the wild deer and take in some more of Japan’s fantastic historical shrines and buildings in a beautiful setting. |
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Day 10: Travel to Matsuyama
From mainland Honshu you will travel by Jet Foil Ferry over to the smallest of the four main islands, Shikoku, and the town of Matsuyama. Most famous for its hot spring area called Dogo Onsen, the water source here is the oldest recorded in Japan, mentioned in the ancient text “Nihon Shoki”. The top of the main bath house building is decorated with the legendary white heron, a reminder of the injured bird who discovered the spring and was healed by the waters. A large drum is beaten at 6:30 every morning to announce the bath opening. You can bathe with the locals or just dip your feet in the outdoor foot onsen to relax those feet after a long day of sightseeing.
Accommodation: Dogokan - Classic ryokan next door to the famous bath house |
Day 11: Travel to Kurashiki
From Matsuyama you will take the train back over to Honshu and to the small, historic trading town of Kurashiki where the restored ware houses, many of which have been converted into museums, will give you a look into the trade and industry of Japan’s past. The warehouse buildings were originally used in the feudal era to store rice paid as tax and brought by boat from the surrounding farmlands. Along the canals and waterways one can now find galleries such as the Ohara Art Museum, the Folkcraft Museum and the Archaeological Museum as well as houses with their white walls and black tiles that tell the history of old Kurashiki.
Accommodation: Kokusai Hotel - International hotel close to the station and the sights |
Day 12: Full day in Kurashiki / Okayama trip
You have another day to explore the town or maybe you would prefer to make an excursion to Okayama, a large city which boasts one of Japan’s top three landscape gardens, Korakuen. The garden, which was built in the 17th century by the local feudal lord, contains ponds, teahouses, pavilions, woods, an artificial hill, several small shrines and wide lawns. Okayama Castle stands just next to Korakuen and is also worth a visit. |
Day 13: Travel to Tokyo
Your final full day in Japan will see you whisked four hours by Shinkansen back east to Tokyo. This will be your final opportunity to see anything you might have missed at the beginning of the trip or do some last minute shopping for friends back home! With accommodation in the heart of Shinjuku, Tokyo’s busiest and most modern district, your trip will end in spectacular fashion.
Accommodation: Kadoya - Classy small business hotel in the heart of Shinjuku. |
Day 14: Departure
Sadly today marks the end of your adventures in Japan. Just over one hour on the Narita Express and you will be back at the airport ready for your flight home. |
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13 night tour includes breakfast, 3 evening meals, transport, meet and greet, airport transfers, f ull day private guiding in Tokyo, full day private guiding in Kyoto and complimentary info pack. All prices are based on twin share (excluding international flights, entrance fees, local transport & baggage handling). |
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