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Aoi Festival with moss phlox 8 days

Time travel to the era of ancient capital Kyoto Aoi Festival - Procession of court aristcrats

Touching modern & traditional features of Japan
Visiting big cities & mountainous townscape

Aoi Festival

Aoi festival has been conducted since Heian Preido (794-1192) and about 500 people wearing erabolate and traditional costumes of ancient times walk from the former site of Imperial Palace to Shimogamo and Kamigamo shrines. You may feel as if you were in time warp experience by seeing the festival.

Throughout this tour, you will see contrast of Japan.
Tokyo Sky Tree built with highly technology and traditional thatched roof houses in mountainous region.
City life with neons and local life blessed with water flows.

Please enjoy finding and experiencing CONTRAST of Japan!
Wifi is available in the bus. wifi

Itinerary & Price Details

Start Date(Day 1 of the Itinerary): May 10, 2017
Nights: 8 days 7 nights
Price: USD 2,380
Single room supplement: USD 500

PLEASE NOTE

All prices are per person, based on double or triple occupancy.
International flights are not included on our tours - this allows you the flexibility to choose your own departure and get the best value for your money!

TOUR COST INCLUDES

6 nights Western style and 1 nights Japanese style accommodation
Meet and greet upon arrival at Narita Airport
Airport transfers on arrival and departure
Private coach transfers between destinations in Japan
Comprehensive escorted with TC tour professional English speaking tour guide
Meals described as in the itinerary
Admission fees and activities
Entry fees to sites, gardens, and museums listed in the itinerary

TOUR COST DOES NOT INCLUDE

International Airfares
Meals that are not included in the itinerary
Travel Insurance
Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks
Personal expenses such as telephone and laundry bills
Gratuities

ADDITION INFORMATION

Transport : Travel by air conditioned, private coach, baggage handling free
Arrival/Departure Airports : This tour starts in Tokyo and ends in Osaka. For arrivals at Narita Airport (NRT)and departures at Kansai Airport (KIX)
Meal Requests : Vegetarian, halal or special meals can be arranged
Meet and Greet : Please note that the meet and greet and airport transfer to the first hotel is ONLY available on the first day of the tour after 15 PM. If you plan to stay extra nights before the start of the tour, please arrange your own hotel transfer

PLEASE NOTE
*Tour schedule and prices subject to change without notice.
*The schedule of flowering of cherry blossoms is based on avarage announced by local tourist associations. However, flowering date may be delay or faster due to weather condition.

MAP

Map of Sakura Tour

Tokyo

Ueno Park Imperial Palace Akihabara

Sensoji temple (Asakusa)
Imperial Palace
Akihabara


Workshop of paper lantern or folding fan Workshop of paper lantern or folding fan Tokyo Sky Tree
Workshop of Japanese paper lantern or folding fan
OYAKATA(master) of Japanese paper lantern or folding fan
Tokyo Sky Tree


Mt. Fuji Area

 Owakudani Oshinohakkai

Lake Ashi
Owakudani (volcanic valley)
Oshino Hakkai


Suwa / Matsumoto

Matsumoto Catsle Onsen (hot spring) 

Matsumoto Castle

Ryokan with hotspring in private room (image)

Takayama / Shirakawago

 Takayama Jinya Shirakawago

Townscape of old town street (Takayama)
Takayama Jinya (only remaining samurai office)

Traditional thatched roof houses (Shirakawago, World Heritage)

Gujohachiman

Gujohachiman  

Beautiful town scape with water flows throughout the town


Kyoto

Gion  

Gion (District where Geisha and Maiko work)
Kiyomizu Temple


Nishijin Kinkakuji Gekkeikan Sake Brewery
Kimono Show (Nishijin)
Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion)
Gekkeikan Sake Brewery


Nara

Todaiji

Todaiji Temple


Osaka

Osaka Castle Dotonbori 

Osaka Castle
Dotonbori (Neons & Food district)


Day1

NARITA-TOKYO

Welcome to Tokyo! You will be greeted by an English-speaking assistant at the airport. The assistant will get you in the bus to your hotel.

【Meals】 B(breakfast)=×, L(lunch)=×, D(dinner)=×

Day2
Asakusa

TOKYO

Full-day sightseeing in the Big City – Tokyo- Capital of Japan.
Edo Tokyo museum where take visitors a journey through the 400-year history of Edo-Tokyo since Tokugawa Ieyasu entered Edo. Then we proceed to Asakusa Sensoji Temple, the Five Storied Pagoda and the traditional Nakamise shopping arcade.
Of course, we stop for photo at Tokyo Sky Tree (about 1,900ft), is a broadcasting, restaurant, and observation tower.
Visiting Akihabara, world famous mecca of Japanese Manga and game culture, is also exciting.The character of Akihabara has constantly changed over the decades and continues to do so. In the last decade Akihabara has emerged as a center of Japanese otaku and anime culture, and dozens of stores specializing in anime, manga, retro video games, figurines, card games and other collectibles have filled the spaces between the electronics retailers.
We head out to the Imperial palace and drive around it. The Imperial palaceis the primary residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo and contains buildings including the main palace, the private residences of the Imperial Family, an archive, museums and administrative offices. It is built on the site of the old Edo Castle. Then we drive by the Diet building.




Sky Tree

【About accomodation】
Hotel Grand Pacific Le Daiba or The Prince Park Tower Tokyo (WiFi=○)
DAIBA station on the Yurikamome line is facing the hotel entrance. It is 15 minutes from Shimbashi station linked with JR lines.There are DiverCity Tokyo Plaza(shopping mall) or Amusement park(Palette-Town) around the Hotel.

【Meals】
B(breakfast)=○, L(lunch)=○, D(dinner)=×

Day3
Chusonji

TOKYO - LAKE ASHI - MT. FUJI - SUWA

We will drive from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji area. First, we will do boat cruise at Lake Ashi. Lake Ashi was formed in the caldera of Mount Hakone after the volcano's last eruption 3000 years ago. When sky is clear, you may see beautiful perfectly cone-shaped Mt. Fuji.
You may see why Japanese people love, respect and pray for Mt. Fuji that give us "Gift" such as beautiful nature scene and water.

Then we head out to the Lake Motosuko, Fuji Shibazakura Festival, the base on Mt.Fuji. We can see about 800,000 Shibazakura or "moss phlox" more than any where else in the Greater Tokyo region. From April to May, it blooms in small blossoms of around 1.5 cm diameter, in red, pink, white, or purple. Native to North America, it is also known as “Moss Phlox” Noted for the resemblance of its flowers to cherry blossoms, it is a creeper plant, covering the ground like a lawn, and thus it is called “lawn cherry” (shiba-zakura) in Japanese.

As we drive to Suwa region, you may notice that Japan is mountainous country.
Having dinner at traditional Japanese house and staying at Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) will be unforgettable experience. As one of special feature of the tour, we prepare the rooms with onsen (hotspring) in each private room. Please enjoy and feel relaxed !


Saginoyu

【About accomodation】Saginoyu (WiFi=×, LAN cable only)
It is located just beside Lake Suwa. Please enjoy beautiful view and lake side walking in the morning.

【Meals】
B(breakfast)=○, L(lunch)=○, D(dinner)=○

Day4
Shirakawago

SUWA - MATSUMOTO - SHIRAKAWAGO - TAKAYAMA

Visit Matsumoto Castle (National Treasure) in the morning. The Matsumoto castel is one of the very few original castel that were kept intact and never destroyed. Also it's unipue black coloring gave its nickname karasu-jo, the Crow Castel. It's one of three must see castel in Japan and ranked on the top 100 in the world castel.
Then We head out to Shirakawago to see traditional thatched roof houses that are designated as World Heritage of UNESCO.Village and town among mountains may reminds you of nostargic feeling.

On the way to Takayama ,you will see beautiful and magnificent spectacles. In Takayama, we will take walk at tasteful black wall houses streets in old town. The streets are designated as Preservation and Utilization of Cultural Properties of Japan and gained 3 stars of Michelin. 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.

Please enjoy nostargic feature of Japan in village and town among mountains.


Takayama Green Hotel

【About accomodation】Takayama Green Hotel (WiFi=○)
It is located just beside Lake Suwa. Please enjoy beautiful view and lake side walking in the morning.

【Meals】
B(breakfast)=○, L(lunch)=○, D(dinner)=○

Day5
Gujohachiman

TAKAYAMA - GUJOHACHIMAN - GIFUHASHIMA - KYOTO

After visiting morning market in Takayama (one of three famous morning market in Japan), we will move to Gujohachiman to see water flows that running throughout the town. People in Gujohachiman live with and cherish water in their daily lives.

From Gifuhashima to Kyoto, please enjoy Shinkansen (bullet train) ride!

As soon as we arrive Kyoto, we will visit Gion where Geisha (kimono clad ladies who work for entertainment at traditional Japanese cuisine restaurants etc.)


Tokyu Hotel Kyoto

【About accomodation】Kyoto Tokyu Hotel (WiFi=○)
It is located right next to Nishi Honganji (temple, World Heritage).
It is good idea to take walk to Nishi Honganji to see peace morning atmosphere (no entrance fee).
Also, they have shuttle bus service to Kyoto station. Please enjoy having dinner aroud there.

【Meals】
B(breakfast)=○, L(lunch)=○, D(dinner)=×

Day6
Kinkakuji

KYOTO

Please enjoy your stay in ancient capital of Japan (794 - 1868).

On this day, we will watch the procession of Aoi Festival that has been handed down to generation to generation during long history of Japan. About 500 people wearing erabolate and traditional costumes of ancient times walk from the former site of Imperial Palace to Shimogamo and Kamigamo shrines.

At Nishijinori Kaikan, ladies wearing kimonos show you beautiful seasonal design and patterns of kimonos and sashes.

Kinkakuji (temple) or Golden Pavilion with beautiful garden and pond take you back to the Muromachi Period (1333 - 1537) when Kyoto flourished in its ecomony and culture.



Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

【About accomodation】Kyoto Tokyu Hotel (WiFi=○)
It is located right next to Nishi Honganji (temple, World Heritage).
It is good idea to take walk to Nishi Honganji to see peace morning atmosphere (no entrance fee).
Also, they have shuttle bus service to Kyoto station. Please enjoy having dinner aroud there.

【Meals】
B(breakfast)=○, L(lunch)=○, D(dinner)=×

Day7
Todaiji

KYOTO - NARA - OSAKA

Let's take a sip of Sake at Gekkeikan Sake Brewery in southern Kyoto. You may understand why Kyoto is blessed with and said as "the source of Japanese taradition & culture" like sake, tofu, kimono, tea ceremony etc. due to tremendous amont of underground water.

After meeting with the biggest Buddha statue in the world at Todaiji (temple), move to our final destination Osaka.


Osaka CastleFrom the top of the Osaka castle, enjoy panoramic view of the city of Osaka (2nd largest city in Japan) as if you were feudal load.
Osaka is said, "City of food". Let's take short walk through Dotonbori street to see local food and people's night life.






Shraton Osaka

【About accomodation】Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka (WiFi=○)
It is located right next to Nishi Honganji (temple, World Heritage).
It is good idea to take walk to Nishi Honganji to see peace morning atmosphere (no entrance fee).
Also, they have shuttle bus service to Kyoto station. Please enjoy having dinner aroud there.

【Meals】
B(breakfast)=○, L(lunch)=○, D(dinner)=×

Day8
Takayama Festival Day6

OSAKA, KANSAI AIRPORT

Time to get back home with unforgettable memory and lots of souvenir. Return by air.

SAYONARA (Good Bye) and please have a safe trip!

【Meals】 B(breakfast)=○, L(lunch)=×, D(dinner)=×




【Extension Plan】

IF you would like to extend your stay, you have 2 choices Hiroshima or Koyasan.
NO GUIDE FEE NEEDED, but transportation and other fees are on your own.
For more details, please see "Extension Plan".

Extension Plan (staying at the same hotel in Osaka)

Start Date:May 18, 2016
Nights: 1 day

Please select one extension plan out of 2 following ones.

1. Hiroshima
(2 World Heritage sites, A-bomb Dome, Itsukushima shrine)
Price: USD ●●●
Single room supplement: USD●●●

Todaiji

A-bomb Dome Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park Itsukushima Jinja


Hiroshima is the first city in the world experienced tragedy of atomic bomb on August 6, 1945.
We will visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, A-Bomb Dome (World Heritage)and Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Museum.
Also, visiting Itsukushima Jinja (shrine) whose huge red torii gate seems like floating on water. (World Heritage

One day round trip by Shinkansen (bullet train).


2. Koyasan (temples, World Heritage site)
Price: USD ●●●
Single room supplement: USD●●●

Todaiji

Koyasan Koyasan Koyasan


Koyasan is located 1,000m (about 3,000ft) above sea level among mountainous and forest area. It takes about 2 and half hours by train from Osaka.
There are 117 temples here in Koyasan. The place was founded by famous priest Kukai in 819. Since then, his spirit and Koyasan is considered as sacred places among feudal loads in ancient times and today's company founders such as Panasonic, Kirin Beer Brewery and so on.
Especially, when you walk under lineuped tall cedar trees, you may feel the place is so sacred and spiritual.


PLEASE NOTE

All prices are per person, based on double or triple occupancy.

TOUR COST INCLUDES

1 night Western styleaccommodation.
NO Guide fee needed.

TOUR COST DOES NOT INCLUDE

Transportation fees
Meal fees


Tokyo city tour:1-13-10, Sanshin Building 2A, Hatchobori, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan