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Japan Touring
Japan Experience
14 Days Tokyo to Kyoto from £1665, Escorted Small Group Journey.
This small group tour, with no more than 12 people, will offer you a very intimate Japanese cultural and culinary experience. With over 20 different cooking methods to sample and the best of Japan to explore, your passionate tour leader will guide you through the seemingly impenetrable complexities of Japanese customs and culture. This trip visits all the major cities and some quieter destinations. In keeping with the cultural theme your accommodation will be in traditional ryokans (inns) and you'll even stay in a Shingon monastery.
Highlights Include * Dynamic Tokyo and its enormous Tsukiji Fish Market * Discovering the rituals and history of traditional sake in Takayama * Peace and relaxation in the Buddhist monastery town of Koya-san * Japan's culinary capital, Osaka * Experience Hiroshima okonomiyaki' cooked right in front of you * Japan's fascinating former capital, Kyoto * Travel by Shinkansen the Bullet Train
Departures: Selected Saturdays Day 12: Tokyo Arrive at your leisure in the impossibly busy megalopolis of Tokyo. Make your way to the ryokan where you will meet your group before heading out for your first gourmet exploration. Next day you'll get the opportunity to make soba noodles and explore the world's biggest wholesale fish market, Tsukiji, where you can marvel at over 400 varieties of seafood. Day 34: Takayama Depart today on the world famous Shinkansen bullet train for the more sedate city of Takayama, a centre of traditional Japanese culture nestled in the Japanese Alps. Takayama is a city renowned for its craft heritage and its array of traditional inns, sake breweries and old merchants' shops. Culinary delights will include discovering the secrets of san sai ryori (a mountain vegetable), miso, locally brewed sake and world renowned Hida beef. You will also have time to wander at leisure through Takayama's delightful streets and visit some of the many art galleries, local markets and museums. Day 56: Koya-san A full day journey by train and then cable car takes you to the UNESCO listed Koya-san, or Mount Koya in translation. Koya is the centre for the Buddhist sect of Shingon and is home to a religious university and over 120 temples, all nestled amid the mountain's eight peaks. Your stay here is in a Buddhist temple offering you the chance to peacefully reflect on your travels as you learn about the history of the town's 1,200 year old monastery and the resident monks' lifestyles. Maybe even try some zazen meditation! Your culinary experience includes the region's traditional vegetarian fare, all lovingly prepared by the resident novice monks. Day 78: Osaka Osaka lies three hours by train from Koya-san and often is considered as the nation's kitchen' and the gourmet capital of Japan. Here the brave can even risk trying poisonous pufferfish at one of the city's fugu restaurants. Other delights include sampling soba noodles, the famous local takoyaki (octopus balls) and okonomiyaki (cook what you like'), a signature dish of the region. Day 910: Hiroshima A rail journey of less than two hours takes you to the city of Hiroshima, indelibly linked to, and remembered for, the violent events of the 6th of August 1945. Whilst in this infamous city you have time at leisure to explore the haunting Atomic Bomb Dome and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and museum. Despite its tragic past, Hiroshima is a modern, bustling city with a great culinary tradition. Tonight you get the chance to eat in one of the foremost establishments for serving the local special Hiroshima okonomiyaki'.
Takayama
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2 2 Tokyo
Kyoto
3 2
s
Hiroshima
Day 1114: Kyoto Your journey to Kyoto takes you via the beautiful Himeji Castle built in 1580. Once in Kyoto you will have the chance to enjoy a Japanese cooking class featuring the seasonal specialities of the region. You also have time at leisure to explore the highlights of the city such as the wooden Todai-ji and the beautiful Kiyomizu-dera temples. In the evening don't miss the Gion district known for spotting geisha.Your tour finishes in Kyoto, but you can travel on your Rail Pass back to Tokyo or Osaka for your onward flights.
Prices Include
* Accommodation in traditional inns (9 nights), hotels (2 nights), monasteries (2 nights, shared facilities) * 13 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 7 dinners * Transport and sightseeing as detailed in the itinerary * Services of an English-speaking guide
Prices Exclude
* Rail transport All travellers must arrive with a 14 day Japan Rail Pass (see page 127 for details) * Drinks, porterage and items of a personal nature * Local payment of ¥30,000 for local services, transport and hotels which cannot be paid for from abroad * International airfares
Tour Prices
Prices per person, in £'s from Japan Experience
Twin Single 01Jan09-31Dec09 1665 1665 Single passengers will share a twin room with a fellow traveller of the same sex
Takayama
Brochure prices may change. See booking conditions. 125
s
2 Osaka 2 Koya-san
1
No. of nights stayed Rail
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