JAPAN HOLIDAYS "EXCLUSIVE JAPAN" TOUR

21^st May: Arrive Narita International Airport. Meet with English Speaking Guide and transfer to your Hotel in Tokyo by chartered bus.

 Accommodation: Shinjuku Washington Hotel TOKYO

 22^nd May: Breakfast and then meet with our English speaking guide and enjoy a full day tour of Tokyo by chartered coach. We will visit Tokyo Tower (333m or 1093 feet high), Meiji Shrine which was first completed in 1920  and rebuilt in 1958. Drive by the Akasaka Guest House and the National Diet Building. Visit the Imperial Palace East Garden and drive through the Ginza Shopping District prior to lunch.

After lunch visit the Edo Tokyo Museum which illustrates the history of Tokyo as it grew from the small village of Edo, to the castle town of the shoguns, to the bustling 19^th century city and finally to the 20^th and 21^st century capital of Japan. Onto Asakusa and the Sensoji Temple (Asakusa Kennon Temple) which is Tokyo’s most venerable temple founded on a legend in A.B.628 to enshrine a golden image of Kannon. Drive through Odaiba and over the Rainbow Bridge back to our Hotel.(B/L

23^rd May: At Leisure. (Optional tours available and recommended to prebook prior to departure Australia. Sushi Making / Mt.Fuji-Hakone Day Tour / Nikko Day Tour etc)(B)

24^th May: Our luggage will be transferred through to Takayama so please only have hand luggage for our overnight in Nagoya. Transfer to Tokyo Station to board the Shinkansen bound for Nagoya. Depart Tokyo at 9:30am and arrive into Nagoya at 11:15am. Our English speaking guide will meet with us at Nagoya Station.  Lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch we will visit the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology and Nagoya Castle. Early evening we will board the boat to watch the 1300 year old tradition of cormorant fishing. Dinner on board the boat and then transfer by coach back to our Hotel. (B/L/D)

Accommodation: Sunroute Hotel NAGOYA

25^th May: This morning after breakfast we will depart on our coach with English speaking guide and travel to Takayama in the Japan Alps. On arrival we will visit Hida-No-Sato (Hida Folk Village) where you will find restorations of more than 30 typical old houses relocated here from various places around the Hida area. After lunch onto the Yatai Kaikan Hall which displays four of the 11 parade floats used in the famous Takayama Matsuri Festivals. Our last stop for the day is the Kusakabe Folk Museum which brings together many of the various characteristic features of merchant houses of the Edo period. (B/L/D)

Accommodation: Oyado Yamakyu Ryokan TAKAYAMA

26^th May: Breakfast at the Ryokan and a free day to explore this enchanting town. Both your Australian and Japanese/English speaking guides will be available to help with any suggestions. The Takayama Morning markets are recommended along with the Sakurayama Nikko Kan which exhibits an exact 1/10- scale replica of Nikko’s famous Toshogu Shrine. The Takayama Jinja (Historical Government House) is another place of interest to visit. It served as the Government’s administrative office for the Hida area during the Edo period. It is the only remaining government office from that period in Japan. The Old Private Houses lie at the centre of Takayama and are a must to visit. The streets are lined with shops selling traditional crafts, sake breweries, antique shops and more. (B/D)

Accommodation: Oyado Yamakyu Ryokan TAKAYAMA

27^th May: After breakfast this morning, we depart by our coach to the World Hertiage Listed secluded mountain village of Shirakawa-go. This village retains its historic landscape with some 150 traditional vernacular farm-house style houses called Gassho-zukuri. To withstand the weight of heavy snow the angle of the roof is sharp and the shape of such a roof is like that of two hands in prayer to God or Buddha and the act is called Gassho in Japanese. Lunch and then we travel to Gokayama which is also on the World Heritage List. Here we will enjoy the experience of making Japanese paper (washi paper). Onto Kanazawa for our two night stay. (B/L)

Accommodation: Hotel Kanazawa KANAZAWA

28^th May: Breakfast and then depart on our coach to the famous Kenrokuen Gardens (one of the 3 most famous in Japan).  It was originally built in the 1670’s by the fifth lord

of the Maeda family and the garden as it stands today was completed in 1837 by the 12^th Lord. In the gardens is the Seison-kaku which is a magnificient residence built in 1863 by the 13^th Lord of the Maeda Family for his mother. Onto the Kaga Yuzen Museum and experience the dyeing of a handerchief. Also here is a magnificient display of silk kimono.

Lunch at a local restaurant and onto Nagamachi Buke-yashiki where in the days of the samurai many high ranking samurai resided in this area.

Omi-machi Market is Kanazawa’s kitchen. About 200 small shops are here selling mostly food products. Our last stop on our day tour is Higashi-chaya Street (east teahouse street). This was established in 1820 and is designated as an important architectural preservation district of Japan. (B/L)

29^th May: Breakfast at the Hotel then we depart at 9:00am by coach to Kyoto. Lunch at a local restaurant in Kyoto and afternoon at leisure. Your Australian Tour Escort will be available for suggestions. (B/L)

Accommodation: CITADINES KYOTO

30^th May: After breakfast this morning we depart for our full day sightseeing of Kyoto by coach. Firstly we visit the famous Ryoanji Temple founded in 1473 by a powerful Kyoto feudal lord (Katsumoto Hosokawa) and whose grave is in the Temple grounds. The rock garden dates from the late 15^th century and consists of only rocks and pebbles.  Onto Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion)  originally constructed in 1397 by the third Ashikaga Shogun Yoshimitsu who spent the latter part of his life here in retirement. Tragically repeated fires and arson in July 1950 saw the loss of the precious Golden Pavilion itself.  An exact reproduction was erected in the same spot in October 1955. Nijojo Castle built in 1603 as a residence for the first Tokugawa Shogun. The corridor of the first building is designed to squeak like a nightingale when it is walked upon. It is said that this was an alarm device designed to prevent assassins from penetrating to the inner halls.

After lunch we proceed to the Path of Philosophy which is a 1.2km walkway along the small creek from Ginkakuji Temple to the Nyakuoji Jinja Shrine.

It is lined with cherry, willow and maple trees and is completely traffic free. All through Japanese history, famous priests and philosophers have wandered along this quiet path, lost in contemplation. Thence to Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) built in 1482.

The garden is one of Kyoto’s most attractive. The path to Kiyomizu-dera Temple is lined with old wooden buildings and is a good example of a typical backstreet of the ancient capital. Kiyomizu-dera Temple was erected in 798 and the present structures were rebuilt in 1633. Across the front of the main hall one can enjoy a panoramic view of Kyoto and its surroundings. A walk through the Gion (Geisha District) completes our day. (B/L)

Accommodation: CITADINES KYOTO

31^st May: Breakfast this morning and meet with our guide and coach to travel to the ancient capital of Nara. Here we will visit Kasuga Taisha Shrine where the approach to the shrine is lined with stone lanterns of various sizes and shapes. Altogether there are about 3,000 lanterns along the approach.  To Todaiji Temple and the Daibutsuden Hall (Hall of the Great Buddha, National Treasure) is located here. The hall is the largest wooden structure in the world however the original constructed in 752 was 1.5 times larger than the present hall. The Image of the Great Buddha stands 16m (53 foot) tall. Time to stroll Nara Park and feed the deer before returning to Kyoto with remainder of the day free at leisure. (B/L)

Accommodation: CITADINES KYOTO

1^st June: Breakfast and day at leisure. Your Australian Tour Escort will be available to assist with suggestions. Maybe return to Kiyomisu-dera and walk down the old area of the Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka Slopes – visit Nishijin Textile Factory  or Arashiyama .(B)

Accommodation: CITADINES KYOTO

2^nd June: Breakfast and free time until departure. The Hotel will mind your luggage until it is time to depart for Kansai International Airport by our coach. (B)

End of Tour “Sayonara”