Fall School Break Kanto Explorer #2 October 6 th -14 th, 2018 7nts/9days fr: $2695 dbl/tpl $3295 single Book by April 30 th save $50 per person Join us on this fun filled Fall Break Kanto Explorer tour as we travel to Japan s Kanto region. We begin in Tokyo, a city that prides itself on constant renewal and reinvention; it seriously never gets old. Tokyo has everything you can ask of a city, and has it in spades: a rich, cosmopolitan dining scene, more cafes, and bars than you could visit in a lifetime, fantastic public transport, and grassy parks plus it's clean and safe. Really, what's not to love? Yet, this is just the beginning as we have included day trip Kamakura to visit the Great Buddha, the Cup Noodle Museum in Yokohama, one day each at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Sea, a complete full day of shopping in Ikebukuro and newly added, a visit to the Samurai Museum Itinerary/Details Day 1 October 6 th, Saturday Depart from Honolulu Delta Airlines #181 Departs Honolulu 10:11 am Arrive Narita 2:00 pm +1 International check-in begins 3 hours prior to the flight departure time. Please meet your Panda Travel representative at the Delta Airlines check-in counters, Main Terminal. Day 2 October 7 th, Sunday Narita-Tokyo After clearing Passport Control & Customs, meet our local English speaking guide at the exit. The drive time to our Tokyo hale for the next five nights, Sunshine City Prince Ikebukuro is approximately 60-minutes. The lobby of the hotel connects to a huge shopping and entertainment mecca with four towers, including a 240- meter-high skyscraper with an observation deck on the top. Sunshine City is typically open from 10 am to 8 pm seven days a week. We are also less than a 10-minute walk from the Ikebukuro JR Station. There is 24-hour Family Mart convenience store right off the lobby in case you would like to pick up food, snacks, or beverages. Within a 5-minute walk there is also a 24-hour super market, Seiyu, in case all you want is a light dinner bento to bring back to the room. With our afternoon arrival, after check-in, meet your guide in the lobby as we will venture out and show you all this is available for shopping, sightseeing, and dining steps from the hotel. The remainder of the evening is free.
Accommodations: Sunshine City Prince Hotel Newly remodeled Sunshine City Prince Hotel & lobby Family Mart in hotel lobby Day 3 October 8 th, Monday Tokyo (B/L) After breakfast, please meet your guide by 9:30am as we are yet another fun filled day! Our morning begins with a visit to the Edo Tokyo Museum where you will have the opportunity to experience Tokyo s history and culture spanning from premodern times to the present. The permanent exhibitions begin with a bang as you cross the life-sized partial replica of the original Nihombashi bridge and gaze down on facades of a kabuki theatre and Meiji-era bank. Enjoy time to explore the city s history chronicling Tokyo's architectural transformation as well as recreation of Japanese life through the centuries. Walk through Tokyo's humble origins in the early Edo Period to the Meiji Restoration, the period where Japan transitioned from a traditional to a more modern society, influenced by western principles. In addition to models of all shapes and sizes, the museum also features historical and cultural relics visitors can observe up close, including traditional kimono gowns and woodblock prints. From here, off to enjoy a buffet lunch at a local restaurant. This afternoon we are off to Ueno and Ameyoko Shopping Street, famous throughout Japan for its wide variety of products. The name "Ameyoko" is a short form for "Ameya Yokocho" (candy store alley), as candies were traditionally sold there. Alternatively, "Ame" also stands for "America", because a lot of American products used to be available there when the street was the site of a black market in the years following WWII. You can get just about EVERYTHING here, clothes, bags, cosmetics, fresh fish, dried squid, and spices are sold along Ameyoko. It is quite the scene to just walk around through the very crowded and narrow streets. An awesome place to sightsee, shop and eat! Enjoy some free time here to explore on your own.
Ameyoko- best spot to find omiyage items Next, a visit to Asakusa, the traditional, low-rise, down, and dirty Tokyo of yesteryear. Although on the surface it s ye olde Japan, this was the first part of the capital to have significant western influence. It was even the site of Japan s first cinema. Attractions in the area include one of Tokyo s most historic temples Sensoji, and the impressive Kaminarimon Gate that marks the entranceway to the temple. Also, you can t miss Phillip Stark s Golden Poo on the roof of the nearby Asahi Breweries headquarters. Sensoji Temple dates to 645, but with the original destroyed in the air raids of 1945, today s building is a 1958 reconstruction. At the top of the steps, as a mark of respect, clap twice and bow your head. It s also customary to make a small offering by tossing coins into the wooden rack. The Five Storied Pagoda was built in 1973 and amongst others; it stands in honor of comedians! Standing 54 meters high, reinforced with concrete and steel, and like all pagodas, running down the center is a giant pillar of Japanese Cypress tree wood. Once through the gate you ll be in Nakamise Shopping Arcade. The street is lined with colorful, lively stalls selling traditional knick- knacks, festival foods, and rice crackers. There are over 50 shops along this shopping street. We will remain here for 1.5 hrs. to allow you time to enjoy the area as well as shop. From here we make our way back to our hotel, arrival by 5:15 pm and the remainder of the afternoon and evening is free. Join your Panda Travel representative for a walk around the Ikebukuro area so that you can make the most of this free time. Asakusa and Nakamise Shopping Arcade
Accommodations: Sunshine City Prince Hotel Day 4 October 9 th, Tuesday Tokyo (B/L) Please meet your guide in the lobby by 9:00am as we are off on another full day of touring. The morning begins with a stop at Tsukiji Fish Market which has the distinct honor of being the world's largest seafood market. Japan's kitchen moves at a frenetic pace as thousands upon thousands of fish are processed, purchased, and carted off to different corners of the country. The infamous tuna auction starts at 5am and peters out by 8am, when the day's catch has been purchased. By 11am the crowds have dwindled and the sprinkler trucks plough through to prep the empty market for tomorrow's sale. If you re a foodie, love markets, enjoy photography or simply like visiting unique places then you ll probably love Tsukiji. Little has changed at Tsukiji in its nearly 80 years. The indoor auction was scheduled to be relocated as part of a modernization plan prior to the 2020 Olympics; however, it has been postponed indefinitely. We will remain here for 1.5 hr. so that you have ample time to walk around and enjoy the outer market, visit knife-making artisan shops, tasting candies, nuts, and spices, and learning more about seasonal produce in Tokyo. After a good stroll around the market, there s nothing like a sushi breakfast to complete the experience. There are plenty of sushi shops make sure to choose one where you see locals dining. If you don t feel like sushi, there are other options including ramen, donburi and more. If you finish early we encourage you to visit Tsukiji Hongan-ji Temple, less than one block away. With an Indian-style exterior, was built in 1617 near Asakusa, but was burnt down in a huge fire that swept through Edo (Tokyo) in 1657. The Temple was then rebuilt on the present site, but destroyed again by the Great Tokyo Earthquake of 1923. The current main building was built in 1934.The main building possesses a distinctive ambience not found in other Japanese temples, due to its variety of architectural styles. From here we are off to lunch at a local restaurant. Tsukiji Fish Market This afternoon, a visit to the Samurai Museum in the Shinjuku section of the city. The samurai has been an iconic symbol of courage, power, and masculinity for over 700 years of Japanese warfare history. Finally, the gripping soul of the samurai can be felt at the Samurai Museum.
Their belief, Reputation grudged shows that samurai is not a simple soldier; they highly valued honor above life. The beauty of samurai spirit is shown in Japanese swords and their costumes. The museum, on two floors, provides a near-authentic ambience of historical Japan during the Sengoku period. The museum's founder, Tetsuro Koyano, spent over five years painstakingly gathering a wide array of samurai costumes, head gear, guns, swords, and other related equipment, with a mission to not only impart a comprehensive knowledge of Japanese historical warfare to both locals and foreigners, but also to revive the soul of the samurai. Displayed under dramatic lighting are more than 70 examples of samurai armor, kabuto helmets and weapons gathered here from Japanese and foreign collections. Detailed descriptions for each display are given in English. The highlight is a chance to have yourself photographed in a samurai costume of your choice. Next, we are off to Harajuku, the area around Tokyo's Harajuku Station. It is the center of Japan's most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles while also offering some historic sites and shopping for adults. The focal point is Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street) and its side streets, which are lined by many trendy shops, fashion boutiques, used clothes stores, crepe stands, and fast food outlets geared towards the fashion and trend conscious teens. Enjoy some free time to stroll around and enjoy the area. The crepes are wonderful as a snack, do try one! We now make our way back to our hotel, arriving approximately 5:15pm. The remainder of the evening is free. Accommodations: Sunshine City Prince Hotel Day 5 October 10 th, Wednesday Tokyo-Kamakura-Yokohama-Tokyo (B) After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 9:00am as we are off on a full day of touring to Kamakura and Yokohama. The drive time is approximately 1 hour. Kamakura became the political center of Japan, when Minamoto Yoritomo chose the city as the seat for his new military government in 1192. The Kamakura government continued to rule Japan for over a century. It remained the center of Eastern Japan for some time before losing its position to other cities. Today, Kamakura is a very popular tourist destination. Sometimes called the Kyoto of Eastern Japan, Kamakura offers numerous temples, shrines, and other historical monuments. Once here we will be visiting the Great Buddha of Kamakura, a bronze statue of Amida Buddha, which stands on the grounds of Kotokuin Temple. With a height of 13.35 meters, it is the second tallest bronze Buddha statue in Japan. The statue was cast in 1252 and originally located inside a large temple hall. However, the temple buildings were destroyed multiple times by typhoons and a tidal wave in the 14th and 15th centuries. So, since 1495, the Buddha has been standing in the open air. The Great Buddha rises serenely from its base, with gorgeously draped garments that you can hardly believe are forged from bronze. The serene expression is so evident; you feel the peace the artists intended to convey.
The Great Buddha of Kotoku-in is an iconic image that represents Japanese culture. It is not just big, but beautiful. This Great Buddha or Daibutsu as is commonly called is a National Treasure and one of the centerpieces of the city's cultural heritages. For a small donation, you are permitted enter the Buddha and see from the inside how it was cast. Take a few moments to enjoy this unique experience. Just steps away is Komachi dori shopping street where you will have free time to walk around, shop for souvenirs and enjoy some delicious snacks and foods. This is a good spot for lunch on your own. One must stop here is at Kamakura s famous cookie store for a sample. These dove-shaped butter cookies make for a great Kamakura souvenir and omiyage gift. The dove motif was inspired by the plaque above the main prayer hall at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine, where the character for "Hachi" is shaped to look like a dove. Kotokuin Temple Great Buddha of Kamakura Komachi dori shopping street From here we make our way to Yokohama, with a stop at the always favorite, Cup Noodle Museum. The museum shows the history of instant ramen noodles using a combination of exhibits and hands-on workshops. It was opened by the Nissin Food Company, whose founder invented instant ramen noodles in 1958 as a fast and convenient food. Enjoy time to walk around, a short film introducing the history of instant noodles, together with unconventional exhibits such as a replica of the shed where instant noodles were invented and a visual timeline of instant noodle products from around the world. A small collection of modern art pieces is also on display. No visit here is complete without experiencing the hand-on workshop where you can create your own original cup noodle by mixing and matching a variety of soup flavors and toppings as well as designing your own cup. Feeling a little hungry, drop by the Noodles Bazaar Food Court, designed to look like an Asian night market complete with the sounds hawkers and traffic. The noodles bazaar serves eight different noodle dishes and canned drinks from around the world. The small portions cost 300 yen and are a fun way to sample a variety of flavors.
Cup Noodle Museum Noodles Bazaar Food Court From here, back to Tokyo and our hotel. Arrival will be by 5:15 pm and the remainder of the afternoon and evening is free. Accommodations: Sunshine City Prince Hotel Day 6 October 11 th, Thursday Tokyo- (B) After breakfast, enjoy a complete free day in Tokyo to do whatever you please. There is still much to enjoy and quite a bit to do right at your door step. Ikebukuro offers plenty of entertainment, shopping, and dining opportunities. It is the battle ground between the Tobu and Seibu conglomerates which operate large department stores on each side of the station. Recently it has also seen fierce competition from two of Japan's largest electronic retailers, Bic Camera and Yamada Denki. Enjoy time at Sunshine City, a huge shopping mall connected to our hotel. It has four towers including a 240- meter-high skyscraper with an observation deck on the top. The main tower is actually the second highest building in Tokyo. The Sunshine City Prince Hotel is housed in one of the smaller towers at the complex. The lower levels of Sunshine City are a monstrous maze of shops and tourist attractions, as well as a theatre. The tower s elevator is an attraction in its self, being the fastest in the world it takes only thirty-five seconds to reach the top. The highlight of the ride would have to be the illuminated dolphins and unicorns, ambient music and beautifully dressed lift operators making the trip to the top an interesting journey. The center opened in 1978 and is Tokyo s oldest City within a City. It sits on land that was once occupied by Sugamo Prison. The Sunshine International Aquarium is a popular attraction where there are plenty of great underwater exhibits to entertain the whole family. There are the usual sharks, stingrays, tropical fish and sea life, but the most popular exhibits are the penguins, seals and sea otters which are well worth the entry fee. The aquarium sits on the 10th Floor, which gives it the title of the world s highest aquarium. There are feedings at the aquarium every hour and one of the largest tanks holds over 120 tons of water. The seals do performances during the day. Another great family attraction is the planetarium, where you can learn about the solar system and the universe. The Cosmic Safari takes visitors on a journey to see the wonders in outer-space.
The Bunka Kaikan building is home to the Ancient Orient Museum which has an amazing collection of artifacts and is well worth a look. The Sunshine City complex is also home to the Namco Namja Town. Namja Town is a collection of food theme parks and other interesting dining establishments. The centre has a series of kittens as mascots and there are plenty of them to choose from in the gift shop. Some of the food parks include Ice Cream City and the Tokyo Dessert Republic. Then for the Gyoza lover, there is Ikebukuro Gyoza stadium, the list goes on with dozens of tasty attractions. There is a small fee to enter the complex and then the fun begins. There are various carnival amusements at Namja town too, like a haunted house, merry-go-round and video shooting games. Make sure you go hungry as there is so much to try across the two jammed packed floors of food and adventure. One store no visitor to Japan should miss is Tokyu Hands, a shop that can only be described as a cross between a hardware store and a hobby shop. It is a great place for gift shopping, as many of the items for sale can t be found outside Japan. This store is one of their largest. Accommodations: Sunshine Prince Hotel Day 7 October 12 th, Friday Tokyo-Disney (B) After breakfast, please meet your guide by 8:30am as we bid Ikebukuro and our hotel good-bye and travel to Tokyo Disneyland. We will first stop by our hotel for the final two nights on tour, Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay to drop off our bags. From here our local guide will show us how easy it is to get over to Tokyo Disney and Tokyo Disney Sea on your own. The hotel is a 5-minute walk to and from the Bayside Station where you can take the Disney Resort Monorail to either Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo Disney Sea. Once here, the remainder of the day and evening are on your own. Our tour package includes a two-day Disney Resort Line Ticket. With this 2-day pass, you can enjoy Tokyo Disneyland today and Tokyo Disney Sea tomorrow Accommodations: Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel Day 8 October 14 th, Saturday Disney (B) After breakfast, a complete free day for you to enjoy the 2 nd day of your pass and visit Tokyo Disney Sea. Accommodations: Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel
Day 9 October 15 th, Sunday Disney-Narita (B) It s our last day in Japan, but we will be making the best of each minute until our arrival at the Narita Airport in the late afternoon. Please meet your guide in the lobby by 9:30am. The morning begins with a visit to the Miraikan National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation. Miraikan means hall of the future and exhibits here present science and technology that will shape the future. Enjoy learning about advanced science, including earth environment, robots, space, and life science, through hands-on exhibitions and interaction with a science communicator. Remember to catch the robot demonstration, Asimo at 11:00am. The humanoid robot Asimo seems almost real and for sure you do not want to miss out. From here we are off to Divercity Shopping Center where you can enjoy time for shopping and lunch on your own. Don t forget to take a moment and get a photo in front of the Gundam Statue. This new Unicorn Gundam is 24 meters in height whereas the original was only 18 meters. We now make our way to the Narita Airport to being checking in for our flight this evening. Delta Airlines #180 Departs Narita 7:00 pm Arrive Honolulu 7:45 am