26 March April 2017 Japan Cherry Blossoms, Geishas & Temples

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1 26 March April 2017 Japan Cherry Blossoms, Geishas & Temples Escorted by Jess McGilvray Discover Japan's contrasts, from its sleek, modern cities to ancient towns and traditional customs. Wander Tokyo's dazzling streets and hurtle along on the bullet train. Enjoy the beauty of the cherry blossoms, bathe in a serene onsen near Mount Fuji in Hakone, eat your way through the thriving food scene in Hiroshima and experience the elegant Geisha culture in Kyoto. $7,550 per person twin share excl international flights

2 TOUR OVERVIEW Japan comes to life in springtime, as the landscape is host to a spectacular array of pink colours that appear across the entire country, which are nothing short of enchanting. Japan attracts visitors all year round; one of the most exceptional times is in spring to enjoy the stunningly beautiful cherry blossom. A place full of historical architecture housing a wealth of temples and shrines, and the rare snow monkeys found in Nagano. Japan is also renowned for its sumptuous creation of foods, including the unforgettable Maiko Dinner and the spectacular dance performance, Miyako Odori, all included in this itinerary. WHAT S INCLUDED? Tour escorted by Jess McGilvray, services of local English speaking guide Ryokans & traditional Minshuku stays Local transport: bus, train, ferry, shinkansen including 14 day JR rail pass Meals as specified including Maiko (Geisha) dinner valued at $330 Entry fees to included locations. Miyako Odori show (Maiko/ Geisha performance) Price: $AUD7,550 (international flights not included). Single supplement $1200

3 DAY TO DAY ITINERARY Day 1- March 26- ARRIVE TOKYO Welcome to Tokyo, Japan, home to the worlds most sophisticated railway system, an impressive limitless selection of gastronomic foods, and impeccable service. A country and city that has a culture like no other. After settling into your hotel and before heading out to explore the nightlife of Tokyo, we will have a welcome meeting with dinner and drinks. You may enjoy some interesting street food. A popular choice is seafood or other local delicacies in a Japanese style restaurant where removing your shoes and sitting crossed legged on the floor is the norm. Day 2- March 27- TOKYO Today s city tour of Japan s bustling capital is a mix of the ultramodern and the traditional, from neon-lit skyscrapers and anime shops to cherry trees and temples. Starting with an eye-opening walk around Shibuya, the birthplace to many of Japan s fashion and entertainment trends. This is an action packed area for shoppers and diners, and a popular photo and movie filming spot. Shibuya is heavily decorated by neon advertisements and giant video screens, with locals flooding the area at all times of the day and night. It is also an opportunity for your first glimpse of Mount Fuji from one of the city s highest skyscrapers. We also visit Ueno Park, established in 1873 on lands formerly belonging to the temple of Kanei-ji. Ueno Park houses a number of museums, including the national museum, and the park is renowned in spring for celebrating its cherry blossoms. In recent times the park and its attractions have drawn over ten million visitors a year, making it Japan's most popular city park. Day 3- March 28- TOKYO/ KAMAKURA Today we visit Kamakura, sometimes called the Kyoto of Eastern Japan offers numerous temples, shrines, hiking trails and the Great Buddha of Kamakura, a monumental outdoor bronze statue standing more than 13 metres high, which was completed in It was preceded by a giant wooden Buddha, which after ten years of continuous labour and destructive storm damage was replaced with the current replica. Another reflection of Japanese Buddhist architecture and history is Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. The shrine is at the geographical and cultural centre of the city of Kamakura. This is also the venue of many festivals and hosts two museums. Day 4- March 29- NAGANO Today s destination is the Snow Monkey Park at Yudanaka at the edge of Nagano. The park was established in 1964 when the two groups of monkeys were attracted to the hot rising springs. The area is a paradise for a couple of hundred of monkeys that live there and go about their daily routine ignoring their human visitors. Nagano is a picturesque place, which evolved as a temple town around Xenkoji, one of Japan s most popular temples. In 1998, the city hosted the Winter Olympic Games, and some former Olympic facilities still exist. In the forested mountains northwest of the city centre, lies the Togakushi area, the legendary home of the Togakure Ninja School and exquisite temples. A local dinner is prepared tonight at your accommodation at the Japanese style Inn. Also an opportunity to try the Sake, a Japanese alcoholic drink made of fermented rice. In Japanese, the word sake also means alcoholic beverages in general.

4 Day 5- March 30- HAKONE Today we board our train bound for Hakone, which is part of the Fuji Hakone-Izu National Park, famous for its hot springs, natural beauty and the magnificent views of Mt Fuji. As it is less than 100 kilometres from Tokyo, it is a well-visited place by locals. Day 6- March 31- HAKONE A walk around the stunning Lake Ashinoko, an area formed in the caldera of Mount Hakone after the volcano s last eruption 3000 years ago. The lake s shores are mostly undeveloped except for small towns in the east and the north. The views across the water and on the lake are breath taking and there is an option of taking a cable car over Owakudani, the area around the crater, which is a direct result of the eruption. At the base of the cable car you can purchase eggs, coo ked in the naturally hot water. The eggshells are blackened by the sulphur and are said to prolong one s life by seven years. Day 7- April 1- HIROSHIMA We take the train to Hiroshima, the principle city of the Chugoku Region, and home to over a million people. On route we visit Himeji Castle, regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture, comprising a network of 83 buildings with advanced defensive systems from the feudal period. The castle is frequently known as Hakuro-jō (White Egret Castle) or Shirasagi-jō (White Heron Castle) because of its brilliant white exterior and supposed resemblance to a bird taking flight. Day 8- April 2- HIROSHIMA When the first atomic bomb was dropped over Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, the city became known worldwide for this unenviable distinction. The destructive power of the bomb was tremendous and obliterated nearly everything within a two kilometre radius. After the war, great efforts were taken to rebuild the city. Predictions that the city would be uninhabitable proved false. Destroyed monuments of Hiroshima's historical heritage were reconstructed, and in the centre of the city a large park was built and given a name that would reflect the aspirations of the re-born city: We visit Peace Memorial Park, the A-bomb dome and Hiroshima Castle, all teary reminders of the devastating past. Some free time in the afternoon to explore the local foods. Hiroshima is also renowned for its oysters and momiji manju, a treat filled with sweet bean paste.

5 Day 9- April 3- HIROSHIMA/ MIYAJIMA Today we visit the floating shrine. The beauty of Itsukushima Shinto Shrine on the island of Miyajima is striking. The shrine complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Japanese government has designated several buildings and possessions as National Treasures. Despite being destroyed several times, the present shrine dates back to the mid-16th century, and is believed to follow an earlier design from the 12th century, when funds were provided by the warlord Taira no Kiyomori. Miyajima has a famous dish, the Okonomiyaki, a Japanese savoury pancake, containing a variety of ingredients. The name is derived from the word okonomi, meaning, "what you like" or "what you want", and yaki meaning "grilled" or "cooked". Both are delicious. Day 10- April 4- KYOTO We make our way to Kyoto, once the capital of Japan, a refined city on the island of Honsh with thousands of classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses. It s also known for formal traditions such as kaiseki dining consisting of multiple courses of precise dishes, and geisha, female entertainers often found in the Gion district. We will tour the district at our leisure and sample the local delicacies. Day 11- April 5- KYOTO A visit to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, the torii tunnels of Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine and Kinkaku-ji Temple, it s one of the most photographed sights in the city. But no picture can capture the feeling of standing in the midst of this sprawling bamboo grove, which has been crowned one of the most beautiful places on earth. The entire forest has a palpable sense of otherness that is quite unlike anywhere on earth. You have some spare time to take a rickshaw through the bamboo forest, and your local leader can assist with other optional activities as requested. Evening show Miyako Odori. Each spring the geisha community of Gion in Kyoto puts on a spectacular dance known as the Miyako Odori. Senior geishas play their shamisen at the side stages and young geishas act the play of the year. Geiko are women trained in dance and music, with an emphasis on grace, beauty and dignity. (Kyoto geisha prefer to be called geiko meaning arts child, rather than geisha, which means arts person.) Geiko communities are very traditional, and are governed by strict rules, and the Gion Kobu community is perhaps the most conservative of all. Geiko begin their careers as apprentices called maiko, usually aged fifteen. Timed to coincide with the arrival of spring, the ceremony is an absolute must see!

6 Day 12- April 6- KYOTO A day to explore Kiyomizu-dera, officially known as Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera an independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage site. Also Fushimi Inari Shrine, an important Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto. It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings. The trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari, which stands at 233 meters and belongs to the shrine grounds. Fushimi Inari is the most important of several thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Foxes are thought to be Inari's messengers, resulting in many fox statues across the shrine grounds. Fushimi Inari Shrine has ancient origins, predating the capital's move to Kyoto in 794. Day 13- April 7- KYOTO Visits to the Golden Pavilion, the Silver Pavilion and the Ryoanji Temple. The Golden Pavilion (Kitayama) is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. Formally known as Rokuonji, the temple was the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and according to his will it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect after his death in Kinkakuji was the inspiration for the similarly named Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), built by Yoshimitsu's grandson, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, on the other side of the city a few decades later. The Silver Pavilion is a Zen temple along Kyoto's eastern mountains (Higashiyama). In 1482, shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa built his retirement villa on the grounds of today's temple, modelling it after Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), his grandfather's retirement villa at the base of Kyoto's northern mountains (Kitayama). The villa was converted into a Zen temple after Yoshimasa's death in Ryoanji Temple is the site of Japan's most famous rock garden, which attracts hundreds of visitors every day. Originally an aristocrat's villa during the Heian Period, the site was converted into a Zentemple in 1450 and belongs to the Myoshinji school of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism, whose head temple stands just a kilometre to the south. Maiko Dinner: We take this rare opportunity to enjoy the famous Maiko experience, the celebrated entertainment of Japan past. These professionals of traditional enkai banquets will add an extra touch of grace and splendour to your visit to Japan. Day 14- April 8- KYOTO The journey concludes after breakfast this morning. You may wish to spend some extra time to visit Osaka or Nara.

7 Price: $AUD7,550 (international flights not included). Single supplement $1200 WHAT S INCLUDED? Tour escorted by Jess McGilvray, services of local English speaking guide Ryokans & traditional Minshuku stays Local transport: bus, train, ferry, shinkansen including 14 day JR rail pass Meals as specified including Maiko (Geisha) dinner valued at $330 Entry fees to included locations. Miyako Odori show (Maiko/ Geisha performance) WHAT S NOT INCLUDED? International flights (please enquire with Jess for more information), visas, insurance, meals not listed including most lunches, any optional tours and activities during free time, excess baggage charges, tips or gratuities, and items of a personal nature. Travel insurance is compulsory please contact the Peregrine Travel Centre WA for a quote. ACCOMMODATION: The accommodation is a combination of Ryokans (Japanese Inns), Minshuku stays (local Guest Houses), and in the larger cities conveniently located modern hotels. CLIMATE: While we are going in spring, which is perfect timing to view the cherry blossoms, we cannot guarantee that the trees will be blossoming at each specific location. The weather at this time is pleasantly mild. Tokyo and Kyoto will have some cooler nights around 5 degrees with day time temperatures ranging between degrees while Hiroshima is usually a bit warmer with a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 18 degrees. HEALTH/MOBILITY/DIET No special fitness is required but there will be some walking on cobbled streets; there will be some short hikes along trails; some hotels do not have lifts; temples tend to be up some stone steps; we will eat in some restaurants where you sit on the floor; shoe removal before entering temples and restaurants is usual; Japanese hotel rooms are small; single rooms can be very compact. We eat a variety of mainly Japanese food, often including seafood. Enquire if you have any specific concerns.

8 TOUR LEADER: JESS MCGILVRAY A love for travelling and adventure led Jess to a career in the travel industry and here to the Peregrine Travel Centre WA. Not shy about roughing it while travelling, and getting into the local way, she has travelled extensively through Asia. Jess was originally destined to star in the florist industry having twice won the Australian Florist of the Future award. But Jess s real love was adventure travel and she made the switch in 2014 to join us at the Peregrine Travel Centre WA. Jess has made two trips to Japan now; her first trip with Peregrine was Sushi to Sake in June Jess also managed to attend the Asia Cup floral competition and got a climb in on Mt Fuji. She has also snowboarded in Hokkaido; the northern island of Japan and visited the cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and was particularly moved by her visit to Hiroshima. Jess favourite place in Japan though is Okinawa where she snorkelled the coral reefs and hired stand up paddle boards. For booking information please contact Jess: The Peregrine Travel Centre Perth on jess@peregrinewa.com.au or on (08) More information can be found on our website at