Luxury Japan, Spring 2009
Wednesday April 1st to Tuesday April 14th
14 day tour to experience Japan's most spectacular locations
Detailed itinerary description
| Day | Schedule |
|---|---|
Wednesday 1st April Arrival in Japan |
You'll be met on arrival in Japan and assisted with your transfer to Kyoto and then on to your hotel |
Thursday 2nd April Kyoto: |
On our first morning in Kyoto, we visit Gion with its traditional wooden buildings, cobbled streets and renowned Geisha. You may even be lucky enough to see them, shuffling along in their kimono and clogs. From Gion, a short walk takes us to Maruyama Park and its complex of temples, in the foothills of the mountains east of Kyoto. This is a good opportunity to take part in some temple traditions like throwing a coin and ringing the bell at the temple entrance. The gods will welcome you inside - as long as you take your shoes off! We stroll from temple to shrine, pausing for lunch on the way, then head uphill gradually to another Kyoto icon - Kiyomizu. The main temple rests against the hill slope with 20 metre high wooden stilts supporting it. From here, there are fantastic views over the whole city and you can try the 'love walk' - finding a path from one ancient boulder to another with eyes closed. Superstition states that if you make it, you will be lucky in love but if you don't, there are always plenty of good luck charms to buy instead! As the day comes to an end, we walk back to the hotel or take a taxi for comfort. |
Friday 3rd April Kyoto: |
We start the day in the northwest of Kyoto and the world famous Golden Pavilion and Ryoanji temples. As with Christianity, Buddhism has many denominations and each famous temple is often the seat of one particular sect. More religious Japanese people may consider it a personal pilgrimage to visit such temples. The glittering Kinkaku-ji Temple is a three-storey structure overlaid with gold leaf, which was restored in 1988. The stone garden at Ryoan-ji Temple represents Zen philosophy, consisting of fifteen stones of different sizes placed in white sand representing an image of islands and an expanding sea. The simple beauty of Zen inspired rock gardens is intended to give people a blank space in which to imagine their own landscape. The garden is also referred to as 'The Crossing of Tiger Cubs' as it resembles a mother tiger carrying her cubs across dangerous river torrents. After lunch, we enjoy the seasonal performance of 'Miyako Odori'. This is a special celebration of spring in Kyoto which has been held since 1872, supposedly to maintain the city's pride after the capital moved to Tokyo. It is performed by twenty Maiko and Geiko (the real name of Geisha in Kyoto!) on a set adorned with cherry blossom. The eight dances are characterized by the bent shuffling legs of the artists which gives them the appearance of floating across the stage. After the performance, you will have some free time to rest or explore the town centre. |
Saturday 4th April Nara |
We take the hour-long train journey to Nara following an ancient route through the countryside between Japan's two former capitals. When we arrive at Nara we visit the huge Deer Park which, in addition to the more popular temples and giant buddhas, has many quieter areas of natural beauty. There are also opportunities to try Japanese snacks from traditional food stalls, watch turtles in the ponds and walk in the hills for views over the parkland. As the name suggests, the park is home to many deer - visitors need to be brave to feed them as they are likely to be buffeted from all sides by the greedier ones! For your own meal, you can choose from a traditional bento (lunch box) in the park or a restaurant lunch. We finally make our way back to the station via the main mall.
Even if shopping is not your idea of fun, it is well worth wandering
through shopping areas to see how Japanese people live day to day
- it is quite different from the average Stateside way of shopping. We arrive
back at the hotel in Kyoto in time to rest before dinner. |
Sunday 5th April Shinkansen to Kyushu |
We experience the shinkansen on its fastest stretch, travelling west from Kyoto and on to Beppu. We enjoy a bento lunch on the train, reaching Beppu in the early afternoon. The city was founded on 1st April 1924 and is famous for its thousands of sacred onsen (hot springs). Beppu is Japan's onsen capital, containing nine major pools sometimes referred to as the ‘Nine Hells of Beppu’. It is a beautiful setting - the sea to one side and mountains on the other with onsen always evident by their columns of rising steam. Most people walking around Beppu wear traditional yukata (kimono-style cotton robes) provided by their Ryokan (Japanese Inn). It is very comfortable and makes a picturesque scene as people wander through the town trying the different baths. We guide you to the various hot baths and the ‘devils pools’ to see bubbling, boiling mud. For the really ambitious there is usually time to try the hot sand baths at Takegawara Spa. After arriving at the ryokan we leave you to relax and sample the outdoor baths, before we try some elaborate traditional cuisine in our ryokan (Japanese inn). Staying at a Ryokan allows you to enjoy the very best of Japanese hospitality from a tradition that has hardly changed in the last century. As you enter your room, the distinctive scent of tatami floors and paper and wood doors set the scene. The yukata (kimono-style cotton robes) are neatly folded, ready for you to change and head to the onsen as soon as you arrive. In the evening, enjoy sumptuous Japanese cuisine with around twenty tiny dishes brought to you in stages by your hostess. You may struggle to recognize most of them but you should certainly try them all. With meticulous attention to esthetics and detail, this is just as much a feast for the eyes as the stomach. |
Monday 6th April Mount Aso |
We enjoy a traditional ryokan breakfast before visiting the active volcano, Mount Aso. Soon after leaving Beppu, you get a sense of the volcano's crater as the coach climbs up to the valley that enters from the east side. As the view opens out before you, the scale is immediately clear as the towering volcano stands in the centre of a vast caldera. The coach winds to the top of Mount Aso and we make two stops to take in the views and walk up to the boiling mud cauldron. The volcano was so powerful that the gases here are noxious and constantly monitored to protect visitors. After lunch, we travel back down into the crater and up one side
to enjoy more panoramic views. The floor of the crater is almost
perfectly flat and very fertile, making it ideal for the rice fields
and other crops which give it a stunning patchwork appearance. |
Tuesday 7th April Hiroshima: |
We enjoy another traditional breakfast before traveling east by train towards Hiroshima. We arrive late morning and as Hiroshima is famous for its Okonomiyaki, a dish somewhere between a pancake and an omelet, we head straight for lunch. We then spend the afternoon visiting the Atomic Dome and Peace Park. The Heiwa Kinen Shiryokan (Peace Memorial Museum) documents the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on 6th August 1945 and its aftermath, with exhibits demonstrating the tragic destruction of the city and its people and the events leading up to it. |
Wednesday 8th April Miyajima |
We reach Miyajima island by ferry from Hiroshima. The temple on the shoreline and the red torii (temple gate) at high and low tides deserves a full day on any schedule. The inland sea swells around the temple stilts at high tide and the torii appears to float magically on the water. At low tide you can stroll across the sand to the huge gate. The village has lots of interesting shops and the park surrounding
the area is populated by placid deer patiently waiting for food.
We then take the cable car to the island summit for great views
or, for the more energetic, there is time for a gentle hike if you
don't mind being joined by a few of the local monkeys! |
Thursday 9th April Okayama |
A short journey by Shinkansen takes us to Okayama where we see one of Japan's three famous walking gardens, Korakuen. Completed in the 17th century, the name means "Garden of Pleasure After", referring to a Confucian quote stating that a wise ruler must attend to his subjects' needs first and only then attend to his own. The first impression may be that of a giant lawn, crisscrossed with wide paths and the occasional teahouse but as you explore you find waterfalls, tiny shrines, miniature maple forests, a lotus pond, and traditional red bridges creating many different but very Japanese landscapes. After lunch, we travel on to Hakone and our first views of Mount Fuji. |
Friday 10th April Hakone |
The Hakone checkpoint on the historic Tokaido (east sea) road marks the edge of the Kanto region. While Hakone has its fair share of hot springs and health resorts, the main attractions are the views of Mount Fuji and Lake Ashinoko. Closer inspection reveals that ‘Fuji-san’ is not quite as perfect as it appears as there are several volcanic craters on its slopes. The area known as Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is still volcanically active and its Great Boiling Valley is full of sulphurous springs. We spend a day enjoying the Mount Fuji including a cable car ride, a cruise on the lake and a visit to Hakone Shrine. Those who enjoy Japanese art will be thrilled by the Narukawa Museum which houses one of Japan`s best collections of traditional paintings and drawings. |
Saturday 11th April Kamakura |
Kamakura, surrounded by mountains and the open water of Sagami Bay, is a natural fortress. Consequently, during the Heian period, it was the chief city of the Kanto region and from 12th to 14th centuries, the Minamoto Shoguns ruled Japan from here. Kamakura is now famous for its temples and shrines. A tsunami destroyed the temple housing the Great Buddha in the 15th century but the statue survived and has weathered the elements ever since. Kamakura's other sites include the Tsuruoka Hachiman Shrine. This was moved by the famed Minamoto Yorimoto, the first shogun of the Kamakura regime in the late 13th century, from a nearby site as a tribute to the Minamoto family. |
Sunday 12th April Tokyo: |
We start the day with a visit to the Imperial Palace Gardens, home of the Japanese royal family. They are more protected and detached from mainstream society than most European monarchies and it is likely to be many years before it is possible to enter the Palace proper. From tradtional Tokyo we move to Akihabara, one of the mesmerizing shopping districts. This could be considered sightseeing in itself and it is certainly fun to marvel at the flashing lights and electronic gadgets on display in Akihabara known as 'Electric Town'. The more serious shopper will have a chance to continue bargain hunting the following day. It is a short journey to Asakusa to visit the Asakusa Kannon Temple. This is the oldest in Tokyo and you may recognize the colossal lantern at the entrance. There is also an avenue leading up to Senso-ji temple, lined with traditional souvenir stalls. We return to the Hotel via Sumida River sea bus and a stroll through the Hamarikkyu Gardens. It is traditional on our Luxury Tours to offer you the chance to see Kabuki at one of Tokyo's traditional theaters. Please advise us at the start of the tour if you would like us to prepare tickets for you. |
Monday 13th April Tokyo: |
We make an early start, before breakfast, to visit Tsukiji Fish Market. With an area approximately the size of 30 football pitches and 15,000 people working there, it is not hard to believe that this one of the world's largest markets. After breakfast, we visit Shibuya, a visually amazing district and one of the centers of Japan's youth fashion. After lunch you are free to make the most of the many bargains available in Japan. The electronics on offer can be particularly good value and many new items will not be on sale for another six months in the rest of the world! We will gladly take you to other areas of interest or leave you explore. |
Tuesday 14th April Return to US |
After breakfast at the hotel, we escort you to Narita Airport and assist with check-in for the flight back to the States. |