Guided Japan Tour 2020 | Takayama Festival 13 Day Package | Cherry Blossom Holiday

Day 1	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)	Sheraton Miyako Osaka Hotel or similar
Day 2	We will begin today by heading to Himeji-jo, or Himeji Castle. Himeji-jo is a UNESCO distinguished site, representing Japanese castle architecture at its highest with almost all of the castle structure still intact from its original construction in the early 1600’s, having survived all wars, earthquakes and natural disasters. From there, it's off to Shimane Prefecture to visit the Adachi Museum of Art. The museum is known for its great collection of artwork and amazing Japanese gardens. The gardens have been named the best garden in Japan annually since 2003 by the Journal of Japanese Gardening and has been awarded the top rating of three stars in Michelin Green Guide Japan. Enjoy this scenic area before we make our way to our hotel.	TBA or similar	Breakfast Dinner
Day 3	Today our Japan tour begins with a visit to Hiroshima. One of the main highlights here in Hiroshima is the A-Bomb Dome, the only surviving building from the aftermath, and the Peace Park Memorial where you can see and read about the relic of the war. The A-Bomb Dome has been preserved to be a reminder of the tragedy for future generations and to symbolize its wishes for everlasting peace. Stroll along the park to see famous attractions like that of Sadako’s statue and the freedom bell. Here you can see and read about the relic of the war. After our visit, it's off to the the iconic Itsukushima Shrine. Located off the main shore on the island of Miyajima, the iconic gate that floats is a must see. During high tide, the torii gate looks as though it is floating in water, creating a unique sight, considered one of Japan’s three most beautiful sights. Miyajima is also known for its momiji manju (maple leaf shaped cake with red beans) and oysters which you can enjoy during your time on the island.	Crowne Plaza ANA Kumamoto New Sky or similar	Breakfast
Day 4	Our day begins in Kumamoto to see Kumamoto Castle. Kumamoto Castle is considered one of the three premier castles in Japan, along with Himeji Castle and Matsumoto Castle. Thirteen structures in the castle complex are designated Important Cultural Property. Several ancillary wooden buildings remain of the original castle. While we won't be going inside the castle due to reconstruction, enjoy the many views and scenery of this famous Japanese castle. While by the castle grounds, our Japan tour will visit the Johsaien. Johsaien is a shopping arcade by Kumamoto Caslte filled with over 20 shops and the Wakuwaku-za museum featuring the history and culture of Kumamoto. Then we proceed to Takachiho. Legend states, when Susanoo, god of storm, terrorized Amaterasu, his sister and sun goddess, she hid in a cave plunging the world into darkness. The cave is called Ama-no-Iwato, the heavenly rock cave, exists in Takachiho.	Beppu Kamenoi Hotel or similar	Breakfast Dinner
Day 5	Our morning begins in the hot spring town of Beppu, where we are going for an exciting Tour of Hell. From the eight famous spots, we will visit three: the Sea Hell made up of bright cobalt blue hot water, the Blood Pond Hell where hot water containing red melted clay gushes out, and the Tornado Hell, a fiery geyser that erupts every 20 minutes. After lunch, we will take a boat ride to Matsuyama, a castle city. Following the pattern of hot springs, we will visit one of the oldest hot springs in the world, Dogo Onsen, which is said to have over 3,000 years of history. The onsen is also widely known for welcoming the imperial family as guests and has a room called Yushinden on reserve exclusively for their use. Dogo Onsen's impressive wooden structure served as a model for the famous film Spirited Away. Enjoy an optional Rickshaw ride through the city grounds or Taiko show at night (additional fee's may apply).	Daiwa Roynet Hotel Matsuyama or similar	Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 6	To change things up, this tour through Southern Japan will either go to the Kagawa Prefecture to explore the famous art island of Naoshima or spend the day in Tokushima's Iya Valley. For tour participants interetsed in Naoshima, enjoy a day exploring the island dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Home to multiple museums, many of which were built by the Benesse Corporation and designed by architect Ando Tadao, Naoshima is filled with stunning works of art. Enjoy popular art museums include the Chichu Art Museum, Benesse House, and more. For those interested in Tokushima, your Japan tour holiday will venture off into the southern island of Shikoku to cross the ancient vine bridge of Iya Valley. Rebuilt every three years and made of vines suspended over the Yoshino River. Be sure to take a selfie or photos to share on Facebook and Insta of this epic bridge. Before our day in Tokushima ends, we also have a pleasurable boat ride along Oboke Gorge to further enjoy the untouched beauties of Japan's southern region.	TBA or similar	Breakfast Dinner
Day 7	Our day will begin heading towards Osaka. Traveling East, we will visit one of the most beautiful gardens in Japan that overlooks Mt. Shiun, Ritsurin Garden. Michelin Green Guide graded the garden three stars and is a great place to take photos, especially from the highest point that overlooks the entire garden. While making our way through Tokushima, we will stop at the Awa-odori Museum, a museum dedicated to the prefectural dance of Tokushima. During the annual Awa-Odori festival, thousands of spectators flock to Japan to watch the traditional dance. Enjoy learning some steps and history of Awa-odori at this great museum. Our last stop before hitting Osaka is Naruto, a small town off the coast. Here in Naruto, many hope to observe the large Naruto whirlpools that can be seen under very ideal conditions. (*The whirlpool can only be seen at certain times of the day and thus we cannot guarantee seeing the whirlpool in action.)	Sheraton Miyako Osaka Hotel or similar	Breakfast Lunch
Day 8	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.	Vischio Kyoto Hotel By GRANVIA or similar	Breakfast Lunch
Day 9	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.	Yamashiro Onsen Rurikoh or similar	Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 10	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!	Hotel Kuretakeso Takayama Ekimae or similar	Breakfast Lunch
Day 11	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. 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.	Shirakaba Resorts Ikenotaira Hotel or similar	Breakfast Lunch
Day 12	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.	Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba or similar	Breakfast Lunch
Day 13	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)	Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba or similar	Breakfast Lunch
Day 14	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)		Breakfast