A Balancing Act Tours Japan Cultural Tour to Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka 7 Nights 9 Days ITINERARY SUMMARY Days 1 & 2 Day 3 Overnight Flights to Tokyo Welcome to Tokyo! Tour Guide will greet you at the airport & escort you to the hotel Private Coach Transportation from airport to Hotel Meals: On Board flight meals / Dinner on own time at hotel complex Meals: On Board flight meals/dinner on own time at hotel complex Transportation: Private Coach airport to Hotel Accommodations: Central Tokyo Hotel 4 nights (such as Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa) Nikko Sightseeing by Private Coach Nikko is a town at the entrance to Nikko National Park. Nikko had been a center of Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship for many centuries before Toshogu was built in the 1600s, and Nikko National Park continues to offer scenic, mountainous landscapes, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs, wild monkeys and hiking trails. Take in the scenic view of Irohazaka Winding Road. This famous road connects Lake Chuzenji with the town of Nikko down in the valley. It ascends more than 400 meters and is named "Iroha Slope" because its original 48 turns (now there are only 30) was equal to the number of characters in the Japanese syllabary, formerly referred to as "iroha". Lake Chuzenji - a scenic lake in the mountains above the town of Nikko. It is located at the foot of Mount Nantai, Nikko's sacred volcano, whose eruption blocked the valley below, thereby creating Lake Chuzenji about 20,000 years ago. Chuzenjiko' shores are mostly undeveloped and forested except at the lake's eastern end where the small hot spring town of Chuzenjiko Onsen was built. The town is also the site of Kegon Waterfall, the most famous of several waterfalls in Nikko National Park. The almost 100 meter tall Kegon Waterfall is the most famous of Nikko's many beautiful waterfalls. After your Japanese Set Lunch at Nikko Castella, we will stop to visit the Toshogu Shrine and the Futarasan Shrine at Rinnoji Temple Toshogu Shrine - The Toshogu is the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. The shrine is dedicated to the spirits of Ieyasu and two other of Japan's most influential historical personalities, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Minamoto Yoritomo. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen Shinto and Buddhist buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan, where simplicity has been traditionally stressed in shrine architecture. Rinnoji Temple - Rinnoji is Nikko's most important temple. It was founded by Shodo Shonin, the Buddhist monk who introduced Buddhism to Nikko in the 8th century. The temple's main building, the Sanbutsudo, houses large, gold lacquered, wooden statues of Amida, Senju-Kannon ("Kannon with a thousand arms") and Bato-Kannon ("Kannon with a horse head"). The three deities are regarded as Buddhist manifestations of Nikko's three mountain kami ("Shinto gods") enshrined at Futarasan Shrine. Opposite Sanbutsudo stands the temple's treasure house with Buddhist and Tokugawa related exhibits. Shoyoen, a small Japanese style garden, is located next to the treasure house.
This evening, enjoy a Sukiyaki Dinner at Momo Paradise Shinjuku. Day 4 Meals: Breakfast Buffet / Japanese Set Lunch / Sukiyaki Dinner Entrance Fees: Nikko National Park, Toshogu Shrine, Rinnoji Temple Tokyo Sightseeing (Private Coach, Cruise) Imperial Palace - The current Imperial Palace is located on the former site of Edo Castle, a large park area surrounded by moats and massive stone walls in the center of Tokyo. Edo Castle used to be the seat of the Tokugawa shogun who ruled Japan from 1603 until 1867. It is now the residence of Japan's Imperial Family. Hamarukyu Garden - is a large, attractive landscape garden in central Tokyo, alongside Tokyo Bay. Features seawater ponds which change level with the tides, and a teahouse on an island where visitors can rest and enjoy the scenery. It was originally built as a feudal lord's Tokyo residence and duck hunting grounds during the Edo Period (1603-1867), but later served as a strolling garden and as an imperial detached palace before eventually being opened to the public in its current form. Sumida River Cruise This Water Bus runs from Asakusa to Hama Rikyu garden (45 minutes) along the Sumida River, one of the city's most famous rivers. Travelling by suijo-bus (water bus) down the Sumida River not only gets you a faceful of fresh air, but brings you closer to Tokyo s riverborne heritage. When you re hemmed in by concrete and glass, it s easy to forget that Tokyo s vibrant river systems are the arteries through which its commerce has traditionally flowed, from the Edo period to the present day. After your Japanese Set lunch at Sakanaya Mohei Asakusa, we will visit another temple and then have some time to shop in the Nakamise Shopping street. Asakusa Kannon Temple Sensoji (Asakusa Kannon) Temple, is a Buddhist temple located in Asakusa. It is one of Tokyo's most colorful and popular temples. The legend says that in the year 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River, and even though they put the statue back into the river, it always returned to them. Consequently, Sensoji was built nearby for the goddess of Kannon. The temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo's oldest temple. Nakamise Shopping District - A shopping street of over 200 meters, called Nakamise, leads from the outer gate to the temple's second gate, the Hozomon. Alongside typical Japanese souvenirs such as yukata and folding fans, various traditional local snacks from the Asakusa area are sold along the Nakamise. The shopping street has a history of several centuries. The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo - This huge, city-owned showpiece opened in 1995 on reclaimed swampland in a distant part of Tokyo. The Museum houses a collection of around 3,800 works tracing the history of contemporary art. The museums definition of modern art is post-1945 fine art produced by new creative activities reflecting international trends. The collection includes avant-garde works from Japan and other nations. These help visitors understand contemporary art in an international perspective. The permanent exhibition includes over one hundred pieces from the collection, including works by Andy Warhol and Tadanori Yokoo, to help visitors appreciate trends in contemporary art. This evening, enjoy an you can eat BBQ Dinner Meals: Breakfast Buffet / Japanese Set Lunch / All you can eat BBQ Dinner
Entrance Fees: Imperial Palace, Hamarukyu Garden, Sumida River Cruise, Asakusa Kannon Temple, The Museum of Contemporary Art Day 5 Tokyo Sightseeing by Private Coach Sumo Stable - The origins of sumo date back 2000 years and is based on strict rituals and traditions. This tour takes you to a real traditional Sumo Stable (Beya) where you are able to witness a real sumo wrestler training section. Meiji Shrine - is a shrine dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken. Meiji Shrine and the adjacent Yoyogi Park make up a large forested area within the densely built-up city. The shrine was completed and dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and the Empress Shoken in 1920, eight years after the passing of the emperor and six years after the passing of the empress. Harajuku - is the center of Japan's most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles, but also offers shopping for adults and some historic sights. The focal point of Harajuku's teenage culture 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. After your Japanese set lunch at Ichiniisan Shiodome, we will visit several Art Museums after which you will have some free time in Roppongi Hills for shopping and dinner. National Art Centre Tokyo - Opened in early 2007, the National Art Center Tokyo (Kokuritsu Shin- Bijutsukan) is Japan's largest art museum. Instead of maintaining a permanent collection, it makes the most of a total of 14,000 square meters of exhibition space, one of the largest in Japan, and focuses on serving as a venue for various art exhibitions. Mori Art Museum - Also located on Mori Tower's top floors is the Mori Art Museum, a modern art museum with a focus on new artistic ideas from all over the world. Roppongi Hills is one of the best examples of a city within the city. Opened in 2003 in the heart of Tokyo's Roppongi district, the building complex features offices, apartments, shops, restaurants, a hotel, art museum, observation deck and more. At the center of Roppongi Hills stands the 238 meter Mori Tower, one of the tallest buildings in the city at 54-stories. Roppongi Hills Observation Deck is located at the top of the Mori Tower. The Tokyo City View observation deck has high ceiling and glass walls that extend all the way around the building, giving visitors views of the entire city. Meals: Buffet Breakfast, Japanese Set Lunch Entrance Fees: Sumo Stable, Meiji Shrine, National Art Centre, Mori Art Museum, Roppongi Hills Observation Deck
Day 6 Tokyo to Kyoto/Uji/Nara (walk/ train/private Coach) After breakfast, transfer from Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen Bullet Train Kyoto is one of the most culturally rich cities in Asia. Home to 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, over 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines, this ancient city showcases the heart and soul of traditional Japan. Kyoto boasts an array of world class gardens, majestic festivals and delicate cuisine, all of which make much of the rhythms of nature and the changing of the seasons. Fushimi Inari Shrine - Fushimi Inari Taisha is 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. Fushimi Inari Shrine has ancient origins, predating the capital's move to Kyoto in 794. At the shrine's entrance stands the Romon Gate, which was donated in 1589 by the famous leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi. After your Japanese Set lunch at Sumo Chaya Ikoro, we will embark to Uji and Nara before taking you back to Kyoto Station where you will have some free time for shopping and dinner on your own. Uji is one of the oldest cities in Japan. Located between the two ancient capitals of Nara and Kyoto, its roots reach almost as deep into Japanese history as those of its two famous neighbors. The city has also been celebrated for its tea for almost a thousand years. Being the tea capital of Japan, Uji is the perfect place to try a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Chado or Sado (referred to as "tea ceremony" and/or "the way of tea") is a traditional ritual influenced by Zen Buddhism. Powdered green tea (matcha) is ceremonially prepared by adding hot water and mixing it with a bamboo whisk. Then it is served in a stylized manner by a kimono-clad woman in a Japanese tea room. Nara, meaning "level land" occupies the great basin of what was Yamoto, or the Land of Great Peace. Here was the centre of the half-real, half mythical kingdom of Japan before it became a nation. Jimmu Tenno, the first emperor of Japan, was purportedly buried at Nara. The Imperial Japan, the oldest existing dynasty in the world, established its first permanent court within the city in 710. Arts, culture, and literature also bloomed in this fertile valley. Todaiji Temple - "Great Eastern Temple" is one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of Nara. The temple was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan and grew so powerful that the capital was moved from Nara to Nagaoka in 784 in order to lower the temple's influence on government affairs. Todaiji's main hall, the Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall) is the world's largest wooden building, despite the fact that the present reconstruction of 1692 is only two thirds of the original temple hall's size. The massive building houses one of Japan's largest bronze statues of Buddha (Daibutsu). The 15 meters tall, seated Buddha represents Vairocana and is flanked by two Bodhisattvas. Nara Park Adjacent to the Temple, the park is home to hundreds of freely roaming deer. Considered in Shinto to be messengers of the gods, Nara's nearly 1200 deer have become a symbol of the city and have been designated a natural treasure. Meals: Breakfast / Japanese Set lunch
Day 7 Transportation: Bullet Train to Kyoto, Private Coach transfers to all activities in Kyoto Entrance Fees: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Japanese Tea Ceremony, Todaiji Temple, Nara Park Accommodations: Central Kyoto Hotel 2 nights (such as Kyoto Tokyu Hotel) Kyoto Sightseeing by Private Coach Kiyomizu Temple - "Pure Water Temple" is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. It was founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto, and derives its name from the fall's pure waters. In 1994, the temple was added to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites. Kiyomizudera is best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 meters above the hillside below. Behind Kiyomizudera's main hall stands Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. The Otowa Waterfall is located at the base of Kiyomizudera's main hall. Its waters are divided into three separate streams, and visitors use cups attached to long poles to drink from them. Each stream's water is said to have a different benefit, namely to cause longevity, success at school and a fortunate love life. Nijo Castle - was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867). His grandson Iemitsu completed the castle's palace buildings 23 years later and further expanded the castle by adding a five story castle keep. Its palace buildings are arguably the best surviving examples of castle palace architecture of Japan's feudal era, and the castle was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1994. After your Japanese Set Lunch at Nishijin Onomiyasu, you will have an opportunity to learn how to do your own Japanese Calligraphy, and attend a Traditional Performing Arts Show this evening after your dinner. Calligraphy Lesson - getting a unique opportunity to practice calligraphy techniques with a professional calligraphy teacher. The lesson is about 1 hour with the teacher spending about 30 minutes to explain how Kanji (Chinese characters) came to Japan and how the three kinds of characters (Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana) in use in Japan evolved. Then you will have about 30 minutes to practice and create a Japanese character for yourself to take back home with advice/support of the calligraphy instructor. Shabu-shubu Group Dinner at Gyuzen Traditional Performing Arts Show - Gion Corner is a place where you can take in seven kinds of Japan's traditional performing arts all on one stage: Kyo-Mai Dance, Flower Arrangement, Tea Ceremony, Gagaku Court Music, Kyogen Theatre & Bunraku Puppet Theatre. Meals: Breakfast Buffet / Japanese Set lunch / Shabu-shubu Dinner Entrance Fees: Kiyomizu Temple, Nijo Castle, Calligraphy Lesson, Gion Corner Traditional Performing Arts Show
Day 8 Osaka Sightseeing by Private Coach With a population of 2.5 million, Osaka is Japan's third largest and second most important city. It has been the economic powerhouse of the Kansai region for many centuries. Osaka was formerly known as Naniwa. Before the Nara Period, when the capital used to be moved with the reign of each new emperor, Naniwa was once Japan's capital city, the first one ever known. Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine - "Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine" is one of Japan's oldest shrines. Founded in the 3rd century before the introduction of Buddhism, it displays a unique style of shrine architecture, called Sumiyoshi-zukuri, which is free of influence from the Asian mainland. Sumiyoshi-zukuri is characterized by straight roofs (as opposed to the curved roofs commonly built in later centuries) which are decorated by two sets of forked finials (chigi) and five horizontal billets (katsuogi). Leading to the entrance of the main shrine grounds is the beautiful Sorihashi Bridge, which creates a uniquely high arch over a pond. Osaka Kaiyukan Aquarium - Within the Tempozan Harbor Village at the center of the Bay Area you will find, housed in a structure of remarkable design, the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, one of the largest aquariums in the world. Consisting of 15 water tanks centered on a single huge tank holding 5,400 tons of water, it is home to 580 species and 30,000 marine animals from the Pacific Rim everything from strangely delightful jellyfish, to playfully chortling sea otters, to dolphins, penguins, and even a pair of majestic giant whale sharks, the largest fish on earth. Lunch on your own at Naniwa Food Theme Park Naniwa Kuishinbo is a food theme park, located inside the Tempozan Marketplace shopping mall. Its stalls showcase Osaka's variety of native dishes and specialties, such as takoyaki and okonomiyaki, all set in a fun, old-style atmosphere. Osaka Castle - The construction of Osaka Castle started in 1583 on the former site of the Ishiyama Honganji Temple, which had been destroyed by Oda Nobunaga thirteen years earlier. Toyotomi Hideyoshi intended the castle to become the center of a new, unified Japan under Toyotomi rule. It was the largest castle at the time. The castle tower is surrounded by secondary citadels, gates, turrets, impressive stone walls and moats. The Nishinomaru Garden, encompassing the former "western citadel", is a lawn garden with 600 cherry trees, a tea house, the former Osaka Guest House and nice views of the castle tower from below. Dinner and free time for shopping on your own at Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade - Shinsaibashi Suji is one of Osaka's oldest and busiest shopping destinations which runs about 600 meters in length. Shinsaibashi Suji's collection of brand name shops, chain stores, independent boutiques and variety of restaurants makes it popular with nearly every kind of shopper. Meals: Breakfast Buffet Transportation: Private Coach to Osaka & transfers to all activities Entrance Fees: Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Osaka Kaiyukan Aquarium, Osaka Castle Accommodations: Osaka Airport Hotel 1 night (such as Toyoko Inn Osaka Airport)
Day 9 Osaka (Shuttle Bus) After breakfast, transfer to Osaka Itami Airport for your return flight home. Return flight home from Osaka Meals: Breakfast Transportation: Private Coach or Shuttle to Osaka Airport, Return flight home