Mt. Fuji from the train
	Japanese artistry
	Carving tuna, Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo
	Old pier, Sea of Japan Kanazawa
	Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa
	Hida house, Takayama
	Shirakawa-go, en route from Kanazawa to Takayama
	Shirakawa-go, en route from Kanazawa to Takayama
	Kyoto's beautiful pagodas
	Kyoto's beautiful pagodas
	Kyoto's beautiful pagodas
	View from the Miho Museum
	Geishas in Kyoto
	Ground Zero, Hiroshima

Tentative Itinerary
April 10 to 25, 2015

Friday, April 10

• Depart from USA for Tokyo, Japan

Saturday, April 11

• Arrive in Tokyo at Narita Airport
• Greeted outside customs by guide
• Transfer to our hotel via coach
• Casual dinner hosted by Don and Gail in hotel coffee shop
• Overnight at the Conrad Hotel near Ginza

Sunday, April 12

Morning

• Day of sightseeing, including the Imperial Palace East Gardens and Harajuku's lovely wooded grounds surrounding the Meiji Shrine, a perfect example of pure Shinto architecture.
• Lunch included

Afternoon

• Stroll through Harajuku with its trendy shops and pop culture on display.
• Visit the Tokyo National Museum or the Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art (woodblock museum)
• Return to hotel for time to rest
• Opening dinner included at a local restaurant
• Overnight at the Conrad Hotel

Monday, April 13

Morning

• Depart for Tsukiji Fish Market, the largest and busiest wholesale fish market in the world, with stalls of fresh fish for sale to restaurants and shops all over Japan.
• If time permits, walk through Hanu Rikyu Teien Garden, which was once the family garden of the Tokugawa Shogun.
• Depart for business visits, including U.S. Embassy
• Lunch included
• Return to hotel in the late afternoon, with the rest of the day at your leisure
• Dinner on your own
• Overnight at the Conrad Hotel

Tuesday, April 14

Morning

• Depart for full day excursion by private coach to the World Heritage area of Nikko, with its many ornate shrines, mausoleums and temples, set in the Nikko National Park's forests of giant 400 year old cedar trees.
• Visit Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Waterfall.

Afternoon

• Return to Tokyo by private coach
• Dinner on your own
• Overnight at the Conrad Hotel

Wednesday, April 15

Morning

• Depart for the Ginza District, the most celebrated shopping area in Japan, in time for the ceremonial department store opening of Mitsukoshi and a visit to the store, particularly the food hall.
• Transfer to Tokyo Station for bullet train to Kanazawa, on the Sea of Japan
• Box lunch included

Afternoon

• Arrive in Kanazawa, located on the west side of the Japanese Alps, where it was more isolated and independent from the Kyoto and Tokyo (Edo) influences of the shogun and emperors. It was ruled by the Maeda family for centuries. Much of its history is preserved in the buildings and gardens, which escaped bombing in World War II.
• Walk to the Chaya Ryokan and experience an elegant traditional Japanese inn, bath and special Japanese dinner. (Our luggage will be transported from Tokyo by chartered van.)
• Dinner included at the ryokan

Thursday, April 16

• Day of sightseeing in Kanazawa, including the Myoryuji Temple/Ninja Temple, Nagamachi Samurai District and Nomura Residence (old samurai house), Kenrokuen Garden, considered one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan, Gyokusen Garden and Kanazawa Castle Park
• Lunch included
• Return to ryokan in the late afternoon to rest and enjoy the relaxing baths
• Dinner on your own
• Overnight at the Chaya Ryokan

Friday, April 17

Morning

• Leave Kanazawa by chartered bus for Takayama (Denver's sister city in Japan), a lovely traditional town in the Japanese Alps, visiting Shirakawa-go, a World Heritage site famous for its gassho-sukuri (traditionally constructed farmhouses) and Gokoyama, known for traditional Japanese paper-making, on the way.
• Lunch included

Afternoon

• Arrive at our ryokan in Takayama, the Takayama Hoshokaku
• This evening we will wear yukatas, the traditional cotton robe, and enjoy a delicious dinner, included at the ryokan, featuring famous Hida beef among other specialties.

Saturday, April 18

Morning

• Visit the Takayama Morning Market, Kamisannomachi (Takayama's old town center) and the Hida Folk Village, an open air museum of preserved and reconstructed country-style houses dating to the 1600's.
• Lunch included
• Afternoon free to walk the beautiful Higashiyama walking course (approximately 2 miles), through a forest, enjoying scenes of rural Japanese village life, or to relax or shop
• Dinner on your own
• Overnight at the Takayama Hoshokaku

Sunday, April 19

• Depart by private coach for Tsumago and two of the most beautifully preserved post towns in Japan. (Luggage will be transferred to our Kyoto hotel by chartered van, so bring an overnight bag with you for our stay in Kisoji)
• Lunch included

Afternoon

• Hike the Nakasendo Trail, which connected Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo) during the Edo period and was the route taken by the shogun when he traveled from Kyoto to Tokyo (Edo). Post towns along the way were built to support the entourage. These post towns are memorialized by many of the famous Japanese wood block artists.
• Those who do not want to hike will be transported to our hotel in Kisoji by bus
• Hike ends in Tsumago, one of the post towns. Transfer by bus to our hotel in Kisoji.
• Dinner included in the hotel
• Overnight at the Hotel Kisoji

Monday, April 20

Morning

• Transfer from Kisoji to Nakatsugawa Station by private coach.
• Depart for Kyoto via Nagoya by train
• Lunch included upon arrival in Kyoto at a local restaurant

Afternoon

• Begin our sightseeing in Kyoto, Japan's 5th largest city, which defines traditional Japan. It is home to 17 United Nations World Heritage sites. For 1100 years, until 1868, Kyoto was the emperor's home.
• This afternoon, visit the Ginkakuji Temple (Silver Pavilion), the Philosopher's Path, and Fushimi Inari Taisha (Kyoto's famous gate)
• Transfer to our hotel by private bus
• Dinner included at a local restaurant
• Overnight at the Hotel Brighton

Tuesday, April 21

Morning

• Tour of Kyoto, including Kinkakuji Temple (the Golden Pavilion), Ryoanji Temple with the most famous Zen rock garden in the world, Kiyomizu Temple and Nijo Castle, built in 1569 and residence of the shogun
• Lunch included
• Return to hotel for afternoon at your leisure
• Dinner on your own
• Overnight at the Hotel Brighton

Wednesday, April 22

Morning

• Visit the Miho Museum, outside of Kyoto, designed by I.M. Pei, and housing a stunning collection of art held by the Shumei family, one of the crown jewels in Japan's art collection. The grounds of the museum are in a national park. The structure is an architectural gem, not to be missed.
• Lunch included at the Museum

Afternoon

• Return to Kyoto
• Rest of afternoon at your leisure
• Dinner on your own
• Overnight at the Hotel Brighton

Thursday, April 23

Morning

• Take bullet train to Hiroshima for tour of the Peace Park, with its museum displaying relics and photos of the atomic bomb devastation, and Ground Zero, where the first atomic bomb was dropped on Japan in 1945. En route, visit Himeji Castle, considered Japan's most spectacular castle and a UNESCO World Heritage site
• Lunch included

Afternoon

• Return to Kyoto by bullet train
• Dinner included
• Overnight at the Hotel Brighton

Friday, April 24

Morning

• Visit Arashiyama, with its beautiful temples and the most beautiful villa in Japan, the Bamboo Forest, the Tenryu-ji Temple, founded in 1339, Adashino Nembutsu-ji (Buddhist cemetery), Daitokuji, considered to be Kyoto's most historically significant temple where the tea ceremony was developed.
• Lunch included

Afternoon

• Enjoy traditional tea ceremony and stroll through Gion, the Geisha District
• Return to Hotel Brighton
• Closing dinner included

Saturday, April 25

Morning

• Free time until departure for Osaka's Kansai International Airport for flights back to USA

Services End

Cost of the trip:

The ground cost for the trip per person (based upon double occupancy and not including international airfare) will be:
10 travelers or more (not including us)                  $12,400
9 travelers or less (not including us)                       $13,200

The single supplement for our Japan trip is $1690.

The trip price includes 5-star, or the best available, hotels, most meals, ground transportation, guides, admissions, transfers, and tips. Not included are international air fare between the U.S. and Japan, alcoholic beverages, excess baggage charges, independent airport transfers, incidentals (such as internet access, laundry, phone and fax calls), passport and visa fees, travel insurance, and medical expenses. We will have our own private guides and busses or vans exclusively for our group.

Please note that we may change the itinerary based on changes in train schedules, natural disaster, availability of hotels, or other circumstances requiring such changes.

Refund Policy

We reserve the right to adjust the cost of the trip if exchange rates negatively affect the value of the dollar against the local currencies, thereby increasing our costs significantly.

Currency Fluctuation Policy

We reserve the right to adjust the cost of the trip if exchange rates negatively affect the value of the dollar against the local currencies, thereby increasing our costs significantly

Trip cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel the trip if we do not have at least 6 people participating or if circumstances beyond our control (i.e., war, quarantine, etc.) require it. In the case of cancellation by us, we will refund your entire payment.

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