19 30 APRIL 2019 SPECIAL TOUR 12 DAYS COMFORTABLE

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1 the real Escapes In association with and APRIL 2019 SPECIAL TOUR 12 DAYS COMFORTABLE Tokyo Hakone Kyoto Hiroshima Osaka With a unique and dynamic culture that effortlessly combines ultra-modern with deep tradition, Japan is one of the world's most fascinating destinations. Our itinerary is designed for travellers wishing to experience the iconic sights and rich culture of Japan. This outstanding tour includes Japan's most famous destinations, with visits to Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka, combining spectacular sights with traditional experiences, delicious cuisine and a welcoming people. Tour Highlights: Soak up the atmosphere of Tokyo s Old Town Cruise across tranquil Lake Ashi with views of magnificent Mt Fuji Experience Japanese style accommodation and a traditional onsen mineral bath Travel on the famous Shinkansen high speed bullet train Sample sake at a traditional brewery and learn the art of sushi-making Reflect at Hiroshima s Peace Memorial Park and Museum Visit to Miyajima Island with its famous Floating Torii Gate

2 WELCOME TO YOUR JAPAN HOLIDAY Japan is a fascinating country situated in northeast Asia. It is comprised of more than 4,000 islands - the main four being Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku. The Japanese name for Japan is Nippon or Nihon meaning sun origin and is often translated as Land of the Rising Sun. It is a country of contrasts; engaging a combination of futuristic cities, ancient culture and diverse scenery. We trust you will enjoy many wonderful adventures throughout your tour. In Japan many things will be different to what you may be used to. We have found that those customers who embark with a sense of humour and adventure, find their experience the most rewarding. We urge our customers to keep in mind all the rewards, as well as challenges, of travelling in a country with a history, culture and attitude so unlike your own. COMFORTABLE TOUR PACE Stuff Escapes the Real Japan is a moderate tour. Tours that require a higher level of fitness and may include standard activities and longer periods of sightseeing. Easy walking, high altitude and overnight train journeys may feature. On several days there will be sightseeing on foot for extended periods of time, often involving steps or uneven ground. Anyone with a good level of fitness should be able to complete this itinerary. Of course, our National Escort/Local Guides always endeavour to provide the highest level of service and assistance, but they cannot be expected to cater for customers who are not fit enough to complete the itinerary. ITINERARY CHANGE It is our intention to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, the order of events or sightseeing may change as we look to improve our tours or as local conditions dictate. In these circumstances we will make the best possible arrangements whilst maintaining the integrity of your trip. Your Local Guide or National Escort will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING FLIGHT DELAYS Due to unforeseen circumstances, flights can be delayed, and therefore connecting flights may be missed. If you find yourself in this situation, please contact our Japan office on (24 hours) to urgently advise your arrival details have changed. Please ensure you have your trip number, tour name (both included in your final documentation) and new arrival details (flight number and arrival time) handy to pass on to our local office in Japan. This will ensure your National Escort/Local Guide can be informed of your most up to date information and ensure someone is at the airport to meet you on arrival. If we are not advised of late changes and missed connections, Wendy Wu Tours cannot guarantee someone will be able to meet you upon arrival in Japan as our local office will have no way of knowing which flight you will be arriving on. Wendy Wu Tours will not be responsible for providing reimbursement of transportation costs from the airport to your hotel in the event that our local office was not advised of changes to arrival time. CONTACT INFORMATION WHILE YOU ARE TRAVELLING Wendy Wu Tours wish to ensure that your holiday runs as smoothly as possible and so if, during your trip you are dissatisfied with any element of your arrangements please notify your National Escort who will endeavour to resolve the issue at the time. Should you require further assistance, or in the event of an emergency, please contact us at any time on LUGGAGE All travellers are limited to two items of luggage each; a suitcase with a maximum weight of 20kg and one piece of hand luggage with a maximum weight of five kilograms. It is essential that your luggage is lockable. TIPPING POLICY In Japan tipping is generally not part of the culture. However if you feel you have received excellent service, please feel free to tip your National Escort at your discretion

3 JOINING YOUR TOUR The tour is 12 days in duration including international flights. On the day of your departure, you will have an individual check-in at the Cathay Pacific Airways check-in counter, no later than 2-3 hours prior to your departure. Paul Dymond from Wendy Wu Tours will be at the service desk on the Group departure date, 19 April 2019, if you need assistance in Auckland. On arrival in Tokyo, you will find your National Escort in the arrivals hall, holding a Stuff Escapes/Wendy Wu Tours sign. Please ensure your Wendy Wu Tours luggage tag is visible on your suitcase/hand luggage, as this may also assist your guide in identifying you. In case you are unable to locate your National Escort (name TBA), you can contact him on (number TBA). Travellers booked on Land Only arrangements should make their own way to the starting point (join the tour on Day 2 in Tokyo and end the tour on Day 12 in Osaka). OUR TRAVEL EXPERTS The tour will be accompanied by our panel of guest Japan experts from a range of backgrounds, whose unique knowledge of Japan s history and culture will turn your tour into an unforgettable experience. Nic Watt moved to Japan in 1996, and his great love of the traditions of Japanese cuisine began. Before returning to New Zealand, he gained experience in successful restaurants such as London s Park Hyatt Knightsbridge, Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant Nobu, and London s Roka, as well as others in Hong Kong and the United States. Between 2001 and 2004, he served as executive chef at Taupo s Huka Lodge. In 2013, he opened the award-winning Masu at Auckland s Sky City. Andrew McCormick - The son of All Black Fergie McCormick, Andrew (nicknamed Angus ) was educated at Christchurch Boys High School, and moved to Japan to play for Toshiba Fuchu in He was a powerful centre who had a big impact, playing 25 games for the Japan national team, which he captained during the 1999 Rugby World Cup. A hugely popular player, he began coaching at Toshiba and then became a player and technical adviser at Kamaishi Seawaves. McCormick is currently head coach of Kwansei Gakuin University s rugby club. He has spent more than two decades in Japan. Bernadette Courtney is an award-winning journalist, previously the editor of The Dominion Post in Wellington and now Stuff's Editor-in-Chief, Newsrooms. She has travelled extensively and recently went on a five-day food tour of Tokyo. She loves the dedication to, and craft around, Japanese food

4 Stuff Escapes The Real Japan APR 19-20: NEW ZEALAND TO TOKYO Fly overnight to Tokyo for a three night stay. Your National Escort will meet you at Narita Airport in the Arrivals Hall. Together with other group members who may be arriving at a similar time, you will transfer to your hotel for an early check-in. The remainder of your day is at leisure until dinner, when you will meet with your guide in the lobby to enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel. One of the world s most cutting-edge capital cities, Tokyo is a city of contrasts, famous for its neon-lit landscape, towering skyscrapers, peaceful shrines and lovingly tended gardens. Although long the political and cultural centre of Japan, Tokyo became the official capital when the Meiji Emperor moved it to Tokyo in Meals: Welcome Dinner APR 21: TOKYO After breakfast, meet your guide in the lobby for departure to the Tokyo Imperial Palace by coach. Located on the former site of Edo castle, the Imperial Palace is surrounded by moats and massive stone walls right in the heart of Tokyo. As it is home to Japan s Imperial Family, the inner grounds are generally not open to the public with the exception of December 23, the Emperor s birthday. Visit the the Tokyo Skytree, a new television broadcasting tower and landmark of Tokyo. With a height of 634 meters (634 can be read as "Musashi", a historic name of the Tokyo Region), it is the tallest building in Japan and the second tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion. (Visit includes the Tembo Deck on floor 350.) After enjoying lunch at a local restaurant, your guide will take you to Asakusa, Tokyo s old town where you can soak up the atmosphere of what Tokyo must have been like hundreds of years ago. Visit Sensoji Temple, an ancient Buddhist temple and the oldest in Tokyo (also known as Asakusa Kannon). The temple is adorned with an image of the Buddhist Goddess Kannon, who was said to have been rescued by two fishermen from the Sumida River in Tokyo. The Broadway leading up to the Temple is called Nakamise and this shopping street has been providing temple visitors with a variety of traditional, local snacks and souvenirs for centuries. Tonight you will board a Tokyo Bay Dinner Cruise and enjoy delicious dishes while cruising around Tokyo Bay. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner APR 22: TOKYO After breakfast, meet in the lobby for a Tokyo sightseeing tour by coach. First you will visit the Tsukiji Market, Tokyo s "Food Town," where you ll find all kinds of Japanese traditional foods. A mixture of wholesale and retail shops along with numerous restaurants line the streets and new culinary trends are born here. Take part in a Sushi Making Class and learn how to make various types of sushi. For lunch you ll enjoy the sushi you have made yourself! After lunch, visit the famous Shibuya district, Tokyo s main center for youth fashion and culture, whose streets are the birthplace to many of Japan's fashion and entertainment trends. It is also home to the famous Shibuya 5 way scramble crossing. Your last stop of the day will be the Meiji Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deified spirit of Emperor Meiji and his wife Empress Shoken. and a popular place for traditional Japanese weddings. This evening enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner APR 23: TOKYO - HAKONE After breakfast, meet your guide in the lobby ready to check out of the hotel and depart for the town of Hakone by coach. PLEASE NOTE: Your luggage will be transferred separately to the hotel in Kyoto and you

5 will need to prepare an overnight bag to take for your 1 night stay in Hakone. Throughout the day you will have a chance to get a glimpse of Mt Fuji, however please keep in mind that she is a notoriously shy mountain and it needs to be a clear day. First stop in Hakone will be the Hakone shrine. This shinto shrine was very popular among Samurai during the twelfth century and is hidden away in a dense forest. In fact the shrine is so well hidden that it would be easy to miss were it not for its maginificant torii gates. Next stop will be Hakonemachi where you will board a Pirate Boat taking you to Togendai. Both are ports on the shores of Lake Ashi, which is in fact an enormous volcanic crater created by an eruption 3,000 years ago. (Departure is subject to weather conditions. In case of bad weather, Pirate Boat departure may be rescheduled or cancelled.) Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before continuing your journey via Rope Way heading towards Owakudani. The first thing you will notice when arriving in Owakudani is the smell of sulfur coming from this active volcano. There are walking trails around Owakudani that lead to steam vents and bubbling pools. The eggs they sell in Owakudani are boiled in the volcano s natural hot springs and are said to prolong life by seven years! (Owakudani is generally accessible by ropeway, however as this area is an active volcanic zone, hiking trails may be closed due to volcanic gasses. People with respiratory problems should consult their physician before visiting the area.) Tonight, you will be staying in a Japanese style room with delicious meals and access to onsen; baths that use mineral water from the naturally heated springs. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner APR 24: HAKONE - KYOTO After breakfast, check out of the hotel and transfer to Odawara Station by coach. Today you will board the famous Shinkansen bullet train, which reaches speeds of up to 300 km/hr, taking us to the city of Kyoto (duration 3 hours). An enchanting city, Kyoto was capital for a thousand years; today it is the legacy of ancient Japan, full of tranquil temples, silk-clad geisha and sublime gardens. Upon arriving at Kyoto station, you will lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, travel by coach to Fushimi Inari Shrine, which was used in the movie Memoirs of a Geisha. It is home to over 10,000 red tori gates, which form a path up the mountain behind the temple. After visiting the shrine, quench your thirst at a sake brewery. During a tour of the brewery you will learn about the traditional brewing process, and then sample the different types of sake. This evening enjoy a special Japanese style dinner with a Maiko entertainer at a local restaurant. A Maiko is an apprentice geisha in Kyoto and Western Japan. They perform songs, dances, and play the shamisen or other traditional Japanese instruments for visitors. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Maiko Dinner APR 25: KYOTO After breakfast, meet with you guide in the lobby to depart for Nijo Castle by coach. Nijo Castle was built by the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate as the Kyoto residence of the Shogun and is surrounded by stunning gardens. The ornamental building was completed in 1603 and is well-known for its Momoyama architecture, decorated sliding doors, and chirping nightingale floors. From Nijo castle the coach will take you to Kinkakuji Temple. Kinkakuji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, was originally built as a retirement villa for the Shogun. After the death of Shogun Yoshimitsu it became a Buddhist Temple at his request, and is now one of Kyoto s most famous temples, with its top two floors completely covered in gold-leaf. You will then drive to the nearby town of Arashiyama to visit Tenryuji temple. Ranked among Kyoto's five great Zen temples, Tenryuji is the largest and most impressive temple in Arashiyama. Founded in 1339 at the start of the Muromachi Period, the temple is now considered an important cultural property and ranked

6 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. In addition to its temple buildings, there are beautiful gardens with walking paths. Next you will stop at Arashiyama s famous bamboo groves, which are unlike any other place in Japan. The bamboo has been used to manufacture various products, such as baskets, cups, boxes and mats at local workshops for centuries. The coach will then continue on to Nonomiya shrine - a Shinto shrine where in ancient times, unmarried imperial princesses stayed for a year or more to purify themselves. The shrine is referenced in numerous works of literature, most notably in the world s first novel; The Tale of Genji. Head back to your hotel and meet for dinner at a local restaurant. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner APR 26: KYOTO After breakfast, meet with your guide in the lobby and depart on a Kyoto sightseeing tour by coach. First stop will be a visit to the Kodaiji Temple. Kodaiji is an outstanding temple in Kyoto's Higashiyama District. It was established in 1606 in memory of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan's greatest historical figures, by Hideyoshi's wife Nene who is also enshrined at the temple. Enjoy a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. A tea master will demonstrate how to prepare for a tea ceremony, how to conduct as a host and of course how to make a bowl of green tea. APR 27: KYOTO - HIROSHIMA After breakfast meet your guide in the lobby ready to check out of the hotel and depart for the Kyoto Station by coach. PLEASE NOTE: Your luggage will be transferred separately to the hotel in Osaka and you will need to prepare an overnight bag to take for your 1 night stay in Hiroshima. Board a bullet train bound for Hiroshima (duration 1.5 hours) and upon arriving at Hiroshima station, enjoy lunch at a local resturant. After lunch, a coach will take you to Hiroshima s Peace Memorial Park. Located in the centre of the city, Peace Memorial Park takes up over 120,000 square metres and is dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in history to suffer a nuclear attack. Before the atomic bomb, the area where the Peace Park now stands used to be the political and commercial heart of the city, and for this reason it was chosen as the pilot's target during World War II. It was decided that the area was not to be redeveloped, but instead devoted to peace memorial facilities. The park's main attraction is the Peace Memorial Museum. The museum covers the history of Hiroshima and the advent of the nuclear bomb. It provides visitors an opportunity to hear eyewitness testimonies and learn about the devastating effects the A-bomb had on the city of Hiroshima and its people. (The museum s Main Building will be closed until Spring 2019 for major renovations. The East Building will remain accessible during this time.) Head back and enjoy some free time until dinner at your hotel. After lunch at a local restaurant, your guide will take you to the Gion district. Gion is the famous geisha district, where you might be lucky and see a geisha hurrying to her first appointment of the evening. Head back and enjoy some free time until dinner at your hotel. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner APR 28: HIROSHIMA - OSAKA After breakfast, meet with your guide for a departure to Miyajima Guchi Port by coach where you will board a ferry to Miyajima, a small island located in the Inland Sea, less than an hour outside of Hiroshima. While officially named Itsukushima, the island is more commonly referred to as Miyajima, Japanese for 'Shrine Island'. This is because the island is well-known for its main attraction, Itsukushima Shrine, a giant torii

7 gate, which at high tide seems to float on the water. The island has been a holy place of Shintoism since the earliest times, and has now been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before the coach takes you back to Hiroshima Station. Board a high-speed bullet train bound for the city of Osaka (duration 1.5 hours). APR 29: OSAKA After breakfast, enjoy a whole day free to explore Osaka at your leisure. Meet with your guide in the lobby of your hotel and enjoy dinner at the hotel restaurant. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner At Shin-Osaka Station in Osaka, a coach will be waiting to take you to your hotel. Relax until dinner at your hotel. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner APR 30: OSAKA - NEW ZEALAND After an early breakfast, transfer to Kansai International Airport for your flight back to New Zealand, arriving home the following morning. Meals: Breakfast

8 Stuff Escapes The Real Japan Travel Information VISAS Passports must be valid for six months beyond the length of stay. Visas are not required for New Zealand passport holders for entry into Japan for stays of up to 90 days. INSURANCE We strongly encourage all customers to take a copy of their travel insurance documents (especially relevant international contact numbers) with them while on tour. We advise that you check the inclusions and procedures for lodging claims prior to your departure. These documents should be stored separately from the originals. EATING IN JAPAN Japanese cuisine is delicious, colourful and healthy. Meals are usually served with a bowl of rice and a bowl of miso soup and consist usually of fish, pickled vegetables and meat. Japan s other main staple is noodles, most famous being Udon and Soba. All meals (excluding drinks) are included in our fully inclusive group tours from the groups arrival until the day of departure. Our schedule of meals is designed so that you can experience the local dishes, their individual flavours as well as the different ways they are prepared and cooked throughout Japan. Food is an important element of Japanese culture. It is a time for families and friends to come together and much of family life revolves around the dinner table. Most food is eaten with chopsticks so best get practicing as cutlery is not always available at restaurants. Breakfast will be buffet style. Lunches are mostly pre-set options as is custom in many local restaurants. Dinner is usually buffet-style, featuring a wide selection of high quality Japanese and Western dishes. We usually find this style of dining suits the wide and varied tastes of our customers on tour. These are also pre-booked in advance prior to your arrival by your guides. This will provide greater flexibility and allow you to sample a broad range of local cuisines and dishes. All beverages will be at your own expense and are readily available. On some days where many sights are covered, dinner times may be early and your tour group may head directly to the restaurant after sightseeing without stopping at your hotel to freshen up. ACCOMMODATION Your accommodation is selected for convenience of location, comfort or character, and can range from a business hotel in one city to a family run guesthouse in a smaller town. In more remote areas, accommodation may be of a lower standard and may not have all western amenities. In Hakone, hotels tend to be more traditional in style and culture. In this area, you may be asked to take your shoes off at the door and store them in a secure locker this is very traditional Japanese culture. Hotels are generally rated as local three to four star standard, but please note that there is no international classification system for hotels and differences in facilities and quality do exist between New Zealand and Japan. Please note that in Japan hotel rooms are renowned for being small and rooms booked for single use are usually smaller than a standard double or twin room, contain one small double bed (or one single bed), and are designed for one person to use. All group tour hotels have private western bathroom facilities, air conditioning, TV and telephone. Hotels in Japan often do not have porters and you will be required to carry your own luggage. If you experience any difficulty, please speak to your National Escort/local guide. Rest assure that all hotels used by Wendy Wu Tours are regularly inspected by our staff and our partners to ensure that standards meet your needs. Please note double bed requests can be made at time of booking but cannot be guaranteed. Plumbing and electricity supplies can be erratic and quite often the power in hotel rooms is turned off while guests are out of the room. If you experience any difficulty please speak to your National Escort. Tea and coffee facilities are not always available in hotels in Japan, so bring your own supply of coffee and tea bags. TRANSPORT Coaches: Coaches with air conditioning are used on our group tours for city sightseeing, short excursions to the countryside and longer transfers where necessary. Roads in Japan are extremely well maintained and are comparatively smooth with the rest of Asia

9 Please note that seatbelts are not compulsory by law in Japan and therefore the local people largely choose not to wear them. For this reason, some vehicles may not be fitted with seatbelts or they may be hidden underneath protective seat covers. It is recommended that where seatbelts are available customers must use them and remain seated at all times while the vehicle is moving. If you have any concerns, please notify your National Escort/Local Guides. Trains: Japan s transport system is well known for being efficient, clean and convenient. We like to make sure that you get the opportunity to travel with the locals, making use of the city s world-renowned bullet trains that will whizz you from city to city in no time. When taking the bullet train (Shinkansen) your main luggage will be transported separately due to limited space on the train. We recommend you pack a small overnight bag to take with you on the bullet train, which includes a change of clothes and other necessary items including any medication that is required. DEVELOPMENT IN JAPAN Japan is a developed country and as such matches the west in modernity and technological advances. Japan is an extremely safe country and takes great responsibility in maintaining high safety standards. RESPONSIBLIITY & SECURITY Wendy Wu Tours strongly urges all passengers to maintain a high level of personal security and responsibility at all times. Whilst travelling, please ensure that your personal possessions and documents are with you and never left unattended. SOUVENIRS We want to be able to give you an opportunity to buy souvenirs so we include some stops at museums or exhibitions which demonstrates a craft or product unique to that region with pieces available to buy. We understand that souvenir hunting is not for everyone so we aim to take you to places, which hold local interest. We trust you will enjoy these opportunities to learn about local arts and crafts and understand their historical and cultural importance. PACKING LIST AND CLIMATE You will find a complete packing list and a helpful climate chart in the Suggested Packing List, which will be included in the pre-departure information link sent within your deposit documentation. Seasonal weather patterns can be quite unpredictable. Up to the minute information on worldwide weather can be found on EXCHANGING CASH It is highly recommended that extra care and attention is paid when exchanging money when travelling to cities outside of Tokyo. US Dollars and New Zealand Dollars can be exchanged at Narita Airport and in some hotels, provided the New Zealand currency is new and undamaged. We suggest exchanging your money before travelling to smaller towns, as exchange facilities can be very limited. Your National Escort will remind you to do this before departure. PERSONAL EXPENSES & OPTIONAL TOURS Personal Expenses - You will need to take some extra money to cover drinks, laundry and souvenirs, plus any additional sightseeing that may be offered to you. Based on the advice of previous customers an approximate amount of NZD per week, per person should be sufficient; however for those that cannot resist a bargain, consider allocating a higher amount. Optional tours may be offered in each city you visit during your tour at an additional cost. These are not included in the standard itinerary and will only be available if time permits. Each option will be arranged locally by your National Escort/Local Guide

10 CLIMBING STEPS Sightseeing at nearly all of the palaces, fortresses and some temples involves climbing quite a number of steps. These palaces were built to provide defence against potential invaders so nearly all of them stand on top of a hill, while the interiors have layers of narrow hallways and steps to slow down the advance of enemies once they were inside. The steps tend to be quite large, not level and sometimes without handrails. Buddhist temples or pagodas also tend to be built at an elevation, as this is the most auspicious position according to ancient beliefs. This means you sometimes need to walk from the bus park to the entrance, and/or need to climb some steps inside. People with knee or hip injuries, who have poor balance or are otherwise unable to complete these activities independently should consider the suitability of this itinerary carefully. CULTURAL DIFFERENCES & APPROPRIATE DRESS Japanese society and culture is built on intricate social etiquette and customs. As foreigners, we are not expected to be knowledgeable about all etiquette, but it will make your time in Japan more enjoyable if you are respectful of local customs. Some examples of scenarios you may encounter include removing your shoes and hats when entering a temple or house (some restaurants as well). You may be supplied with slippers at some places, but please come prepared with plenty of spare socks, and shoes that are easy to take off for the fairly regular occasions when they must be removed. Your National Escort will advise you of some of these other customs at the beginning of your tour. VACCINATIONS AND YOUR HEALTH We recommend that you contact either your GP or Travel Doctor ( ) for advice on vaccinations and travel health. Travel Doctor has a comprehensive website that you may also find useful BEFORE YOU LEAVE We strongly recommend registering your travel plans with as in the event of an emergency, New Zealand Consular assistance will be more readily available. You can also access the New Zealand Government s travel advisory service for up to date information about your destination on the same website. AFTER YOUR BOOKING Once you have booked with Wendy Wu Tours, you will receive a confirmation invoice with deposit documentation via . This includes important information and links to access the visa application form and instructions sheet online (if applicable). Your final documentation pack will be sent to you approximately four weeks prior to departure