8 Days Takayama Festival | Hidden Village - Cherry Blossom Seasonal Tour

Welcome to Japan! We will have transportation services to take you to your hotel. Please refer to your tour handbook for more information.
Rest at the hotel and be ready to start your exciting tour tomorrow.

**INFORMATION**
From KIX Airport to downtown hotel in Osaka - about 70 mins (Bus)
From ITM Airport to downtown hotel in Osaka - about 30 mins (Bus)

Our day begins with a visit to Arashiyama to walk through the Bamboo Groove Forest. The morning's sunlight passing through the bamboo makes for a perfect morning sight. We will also enjoy a spirited rickshaw ride through Arashiyama. Guests can enjoy seeing many of the traditional-style shops and temples during the ride.

Following our time in Arashiyama, we will head to the Golden Pavilion, or Kinkakuji Temple, a Japan’s must see attraction where the two upper floors are covered in gold leaf. The reflection of the golden temple on the lake adds to the stunning sight. After we take our photos, we head out to the ancient streets of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka. These two streets are filled with shops and souvenir stands as well as a great place for photos and to see what Japan looked like many years ago.

Keeping with the traditional feel, we included a tea-ceremony to help you relax before going back to the hotel. In the evening, we will head to the Gion Geisha District, Japan’s most famous geisha district. This area is filled with shops, restaurants, and tea houses and the area in Japan that you are most likely to run into real geisha and maiko on their way to perform at the Gion Geisha Center.

We begin our morning with a visit to Fushimi Inari Shrine, one of Kyoto's many can't miss destinations that features hundreds of red tori gates. The path is perfect for photos or just to calm your mind. Then, we move to Nara to see Todaiji Temple. Todaiji Temple holds the World Guinness Record as the largest wooden building. Inside the temple, you will behold the largest Buddha statue in Japan. Just outside the temple is the Nara Deer Park, where you will be greeted by numerous deer that roam around freely. The deer here at the park are known to be friendly and may even bow at you for a little treat.

After our time taking photos in Kyoto and Nara, we move over to Hikone to explore the Genkyuen Garden. This Japanese garden took inspiration from the Eight Views of Lake Biwa and the Eight Views of Xiaoxiang in China. Enjoy the scenery as we explore this beautiful garden close to the Hikone Castle!

No Japan tour would be complete without a long relaxing soak in the onsen, hot spring, to rejuvenate you for tomorrow’s adventure. Yukata, a Japanese robe, will be provided for you. The onsen is located in our own ryokan, a Japanese style hotel, which includes a traditional Japanese food.

We begin our day with a trip the beautiful Kenrokuen Garden, known as one of the three most beautiful landscape gardens of Japan. A stroll along this beautiful garden featuring streams, hills, and everything nature has to offer is sure to calm your soul. After our garden visit, we will spend the afternoon at the Gassho Village in Shirakawago, a small farming community of the city. It is declared an UNESCO world heritage site where the old traditional farm homes, gassho-zukuri, are preserved to maintain the beauty of the scenery. We will also be visiting the Nagase house, a former house-turned-museum filled with tools and trinkets.

Following the sound of drums, we will reach our destination to Takayama just in time to witness the festival in full swing. Takayama Festival is considered to be one of the best festivals in Japan. Their huge floats will light up the night’s sky with many arrays of color paper lanterns. Be sure to try Gohei-mochi, dango, beef buns, or some of the other great specialties found in Takayama during the stunning festival!

Takayama, or as some people call it “little Kyoto,” has many areas where homes and shops are more than 300 years old and well preserved. The morning market is one of these areas we will explore. Enjoy some time to to roam around to buy souvenirs, take pictures, or visit other important sight see spots through this market filled with vendors and activities. There is also Takayama's Old Town, a district is filled with many well-preserved buildings and houses from the Edo Period (1600-1868), back when the city thrived as a wealthy town of merchants.

While exploring the city, we recommend the Takayama Jinya, which served as the local government office of the old town. Open to the public as a museum, visitors can enjoy browsing through the various rooms for administrative purposes, offices, kitchens, toilets, bath rooms, residential space, a court room and storehouses. We may have some time to see the Takayama floats in the day time to see a puppet performance from the floats. The portable shrines are also stages to mechanical puppets that people control inside the floats called karakuri.

After our time in Takayama, we will venture to the Azumino Wasabi Farm to get a better understanding about the famous sushi garnish. The Japanese horseradish grown here is used for the popular sushi condiment, as well as other dishes. Before we proceed to the hotel, we will visit the beautiful Mastumoto Castle. The castle's tower, a 5-story, 6-layer tower built in the Bunroku Period (1593-1594) is Japan's oldest existing castle tower and is designated as a national treasure. Thanks to the unique black color of the castle, it has been dubbed Karasu-jo, the Crow Castle.

While many people want to climb Mt. Fuji, unfortunately the climb is only accessible three months out of the year. However, to visit Japan and not see Mt. Fuji is a real shame, so we make sure to take you to one of the best spots to enjoy Mt. Fuji's beauty. Be sure to take a picture with the mountain for a great memento of your trip.

From there, it's off to enjoy the fine works of art at the Kubota Art Museum. Itchiku Kubota was a textile artist who devoted his life to recreating the forgotten 15th century Tsujigahana fabric dyeing technique. Many of his work is on display at this museum. We will then stop for Hoto, a noodle dish served in the Yamanashi region that is quite popular among our guests. We then proceed to the hotel.

Today will be devoted to exploring the multi-cultural spots of Tokyo. Our tour will first start in Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market for a sushi breakfast. Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market is the former home of the world-famous tuna auction, best known for bringing in crowds at 3AM to watch restaurants auction for delicious blue fin tuna. Browse through the freshest flavors at this market that serves over thousands of businesses and local families daily before we explore the sights on Tokyo! From there, it's off to the Fukagawa Edo Museum where you can get acquainted with the history of Tokyo. This charming museum is designed to replicate what life looked like during the old days of Edo. Walk through the city and enjoy walking into houses that recreate life during Japan's traditional period.

We will then delve in the old town district of Asakusa for some gift shopping at the Nakamise area. We will also be visiting the Sensoji Temple, one of Tokyo's most popular temples. This is the perfect place to appreciate Japanese culture and take some spectacular shots of the famous Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate). For lunch, we will enjoy authentic Teppan-Yaki before we head to Harajuku to do some shopping and to admire the scenery. Enjoy shopping in the trendy districts home to the world-renowned Harajuku Fashion, or visit one of the local restaurants and sample Harajuku Crepes or other extra kawaii deserts!

Returning to our hotel, the tour bus will be passing by the famous Shibuya Crosswalk to be part of the thousands who cross daily, and to see the Hachiko Statue close to the station. The statue is based on the story of Hachiko, the dog who would come back to the station every day to see his owner.
(note: Cherry Blossoms may not be in bloom during your tour)

Your pleasant and memorable Japan tour ends today. The tour will disband after breakfast.
Fly home with cherished memories or enjoy your extended stay in Japan.

**INFORMATION**
From downtown hotel in Tokyo to Narita Airport - about 90 mins(Bus)
From downtown hotel in Tokyo to Haneda Airport - about 30 mins(Bus)