AN INTENSIVE JAPAN EXPERIENCE FOR ALL AGES PROVIDED BY ARTISAN PACIFIC TRAVEL www.artisanpacifictravel.com T: 1-415-580-1118 (USA) T: +81(0)50-3482-1253 (Japan) tourinfo@artisanpacifictravel.com Copyright 2015 Artisan Pacific Travel LLC. All rights reserved.
AN INTENSIVE JAPAN EXPERIENCE FOR ALL AGES TRIP HIGHLIGHTS 13 days, 12 nights accommodation Bi-lingual guides/coordinators for each day All Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 7 Dinners Kamakura, Nikko and Japan Alps hiking, Takayama autumn festival, Shirokawa-go rural village, Kyoto, hands-on pottery tour, local coastal village stay, private sushi class and lunch, sake lecture and tasting, and much more.
DAY 1 Oct 5 TOKYO Arrival. You ll be met at the airport by your own driver who will take you to your hotel in downtown Tokyo. On the way, you ll glimpse a few sights of Tokyo, including the SkyTree the Tokyo Tower, and get a sense of the scale and size of the megalopolis that is Tokyo. [Dinner (D) included] Royal Park Hotel The Shiodome 3:20pm ~4:15pm ~6:00pm ~6:30pm Flight Arrives Narita Exit Customs and meet driver and tour coordinator Arrive Hotel, Check-in Light Dinner, quick orientation and preview of the upcoming tour. Receive portfolio of remaining information and materials.
DAY 2 Oct 6 TOKYO Taking advantage of your jet lag, we ll be up early to visit the Tsukiji Fish market. From there we ll view the Hamarikyu gardens before taking a Tokyo Bay cruise into the Sumida-gawa river to the oldest temple in Tokyo, Senso-ji in Asakusa. We ll stroll the temple grounds en route to a local meal you re unlikely to experience anywhere else. From there, it s onto the kitchen wares district of Kappabashi and if time permits we will likely visit the Edo Tokyo museum. We ll leave you with plenty of restaurant recommendations (including if you like a Sumo-style chanko-nabe meal) for your independent dinner. [L] Royal Park Hotel The Shiodome 8:30am 9:00am ~10:30am ~12:00noon ~1:00pm ~3:30pm ~6:00pm Meet your local Tokyo guide in hotel lobby Tsukiji Fish Market, Inner and Outer Market Hamarikyu Gardens, Water Taxi Sumidawa River and Tokyo Bay Asakusa, Sensoji Temple Lunch at local Kappabashi Kitchen Wares district restaurant Edo Tokyo Museum Independent dinner (recommendations provided)
DAYS 3 Oct 7 TOKYO We get out of Tokyo proper and get very local with a sushi making lesson and more importantly, a great sushi meal down the Shonan coast about an hour south of Tokyo by train. Following that, we ll spend the afternoon in the historic and exceptionally interesting town of Kamakura, a former capital of Japan. We ll traverse temples and paths along with shops and a dinner along with a specially arranged sake lecture and tasting. [L, D] Royal Park Hotel The Shiodome 8:30am 10:00am ~3:30pm ~6:00pm ~8:30pm Meet your tour coordinator in your hotel lobby. Tokkaido Line Train to Chigasaki and the Shonan Coast Sushi Lesson and Lunch Meander to Kamakura, meet your local guide and explore Kamakura with its temples, shrines and shops Sake Lecture and Dinner in Kamakura Return to hotel via train
DAYS 4 Oct 8 NIKKO, YUUZAWA NIIGATA We ll start touring Japan in earnest today, heading north to experience the splendors of Nikko. In the afternoon we ll continue north and west into the mountains of Niigata prefecture and the local village and ski-town of Yuzuwa. Niigata is renowned for its rice and sake, so we may stop to taste and apply newfound knowledge of sake from the previous days lecture. We ll stay and dine in style at a mountain auberge that marries Japanese and European cuisine and culture. [D] [Transport: Private Van] Mountain auberge 8:30am ~10:30am ~4:30pm ~6pm ~6:30pm Meet your lead guide and your driver in your hotel lobby. Check out. Forward your luggage to the Hotakaso Ryokan, keeping an overnight bag for your auberge stay tonight. Nikko Yuzawa and Niigata Check-in to your accommodations Dinner
DAYS 5 Oct 9 NAGANO, OBUSE, TAKAYAMA FESTIVAL We ll wind through the mountains and on to Obuse and Nagano, scenic towns known for local produce and as the heart of Japan s up and coming wine scene. Time permitting we may stop in Matsumoto to view the historic castle on our way to a traditional Japanese-style ryokan (inn) near Takayama. We won t want to be late to Takayama to experience one of the prettiest night matsuri (festivals) in Japan, the Takayama Autumn Matsuri.(**See our notes on the festival at the end of this presentation.) [Transport: Private Van] HotaKaso Sangonoyu Ryokan 8:30am ~10:00am ~12 noon ~4:00pm 9:00pm Checkout Obuse and Nagano Lunch, Matsumoto Takayama Autumn Matsuri (Festival) and dinner Ryokan Check-in
DAYS 6 Oct 10 KAMIKOCHI JAPAN ALPS Today we ll make the short journey into the majestic heart of the Japan Alps, and spend the day hiking the exceptionally scenic trails and environs in and around Kamikochi. [D] [Transport: Kamikochi Bus] HotaKaso Sangonoyu Ryokan 9:30am ~10:30am ~ 4:30pm ~5:00pm ~ 6:30pm Meet in Ryokan Lobby, take bus to Kamikochi Kamikochi Hiking and Lunch Return to Ryokan Onsen and Refresh Dinner at Ryokan
DAY 7 Oct 11 HIDA Wagyu BEEF, SHIRAKAWAGO WORLD HERITAGE, KANAZAWA, and KYOTO We continue touring by private van through the rural countryside of Japan first stopping in Hida, a rural area famous for its beef, which we ll sample at lunch. We ll continue on to a real treat, the Unesco World Heritage site area of Shirakawago and Gokayama where you can see 400 year-old thatched roof huts and villages. Then onto the beautiful town of Kanazawa, located on the Sea of Japan and also knowns as little Kyoto for its scenic streets and history. We ll take a special train strait from Kanazawa to Kyoto, abundant with Unesco World Heritage sites which we ll explore over the next 2 days. [L] [Transport: Private Van, Express Train] Kyoto Royal Hotel & Spa 8:30am ~12noon ~2:30pm 5:56pm ~8:30 Checkout and forward luggage to Kyoto, keeping an overnight bag for your stay this evening. Touring of Hida, Gokayama/Shirakawago, including a Hidagyu (Hida beef) lunch Kanazawa Thunderbird Ltd Exp Kanazawa to Kyoto Hotel Check-in
DAYS 8--9 Oct 12-13 KYOTO, POTTERY, TEA CEREMONY, KAISEKI Day 8 AM, Day 6:00pm You ll tour some of the cultural gems and UNESCO World Heritage sites of Kyoto, including a visit to Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion), which was originally built as a retirement villa for the Shogun, and the Kiyomizudera area. Time permitting, we may see Nijo Castle or the Kyoto National Museum. You will be guided you through part of Kyoto s Gion district where you ll learn about the geisha s world past, present and future. In then evening you ll experience a sumptuous Kaiseki, meal, for which Kyoto is world-renowned. [D] Free for you to determine with your guide Kaiseki Dinner Kyoto Royal Hotel & Spa Day 9 AM, Day Today, is all about exploring Kyoto sites and scenes, experiencing a tea ceremony, and visiting a well known pottery studio and trying your hand at one of Japan s most admired crafts. [L] Free for you to determine with your guide
DAY 10 Oct 14 KYOTO, IZU PENINSULA AND COASTLINE We ll forward your luggage to the Royal Park Hotel in Tokyo, keeping an overnight bag for your destination and then depart Kyoto in style, riding the Shinkansen towards a small coastal village near the Izu Peninsula to experience the more common day-to-day life and pace of living in an island nation that has learned to live in harmony with the sea. We ll experience a bit of the town and have a local meal, that quite rightly will highlight the ocean s bounty. [D] Private Club Stay 10:00am 8:56am ~13:30 ~16:30 ~18:00 Hotel Checkout, forward luggage to Royal Park Hotel SHINKANSEN HIKARI Kyoto to Atami Transit to local village Yachting around Izu coast to Island Island walkabout Dinner
DAY 11 Oct 15 IZU PENINSULA, TOKYO We ll return to Tokyo by Shinkansen where we ll view the Imperial Palace grounds and enjoy a Tempura lunch you won t soon forget. The afternoon is set for a Kabuki matinee and exploring Ginza before an independent dinner. [L] Royal Park Hotel The Shiodome 9:00am ~9:40aam 11:02am 12:15pm ~3:00pm ~5:00pm Hotel Checkout Ferry to Atami Port SHINKANSEN to Tokyo Tempura Lunch Ginza/Kabuki Hotel Check-in, Independent Dinner
DAYS 12-13 Oct 16-17 TOKYO and SAYANORA BACK TO SAN FRANCISCO Day 12 AM, Day 18:00 Your final full day in Tokyo will be mostly up to you and your guide, but we highly recommend exploring the treelined boulevard of Omotesando, the surrounding maze of alleyways, and the tranquil oasis of the Meiji Jingu shrine right in the middle of the city. We ll end with a celebratory feast. [D] Open, for you to decide with your guide and coordinator Celebratory Dinner Royal Park Hotel The Shiodome Final Day Morning 12:45pm ~2:30pm 5:10pm Your departure day is up to you to see some sights or buy some last minute gifts. take you from your hotel to the airport for your flight home. Open, for you to decide with your guide and coordinator Hotel Checkout, Private Van to Narita Arrive Narita ANA Flight (NH008) to SFO (arrive ~10:35am PST 10/17) In the afternoon, your driver will
Notes on Takayama Autumn Matsuri (FestivaL) The Takayama Autumn Festival is a float festival that has been held for 350 years. It features eleven tall floats that weigh several tons and contain old mechanical dolls that give performances on the days of the festival. The highlight of the festival occurs on the first night when the tall floats are lit up with chochin lanterns and paraded through town for several hours starting in the area in front of Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine. This is the most lively night of the event with the townspeople and visitors alike in a festive mood. The following day features several events. The floats are put on display in the streets and the mechanical puppets perform for the crowds. These puppets are essentially 19th century Japanese robots. The floats are antiques and are not permitted to get wet. They are stored in small storehouses around town. In the event of rain, performances are shifted to these storehouses and the lantern parade is cancelled. Early October is a somewhat rainy time of year in Japan but usually the festival is able to go ahead as planned. This festival is regarded as one of the three most beautiful festivals in Japan. The predominant reason for this is that the main attractions of the Takayama Festival are the magnificent floats, which are equal in splendor to the Yomeimon Gate of Nikko Toshogu Shrine. All floats are beautifully decorated with carvings, dolls, elaborately woven thick curtains, lacquerware, and bamboo blinds. These exquisite decorations are found not only on the outside where they are seen by the crowds, but also on the inside, such as under the roof and behind the doors, where elaborate carvings can be found. There are many small rivers flowing through the town of Takayama. Traversing these rivers are numerous small vermillion-colored bridges, and along the river sides are planted pine and cherry trees. The lightgreen pine leaves and pink cherry blossoms swaying in the Spring breeze are reflected on the surface of the rivers. The floats intertwining colors of green, vermillion, pink, and gold are a sight to behold : like seeing an enlarged picture scroll of the Dynastic Era. The sight is magnificent and fascinating.
Notes on Shirakawago and Gokayama UNESCO World Heritage Sites The Shirakawa-go and neighboring Gokayama regions line the Shogawa River Valley in the remote mountains that span from Gifu to Toyama Prefectures. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site, they are famous for their traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. Gassho-zukuri means "constructed like hands in prayer", as the farmhouses' steep thatched roofs resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer. The architectural style developed over many generations and is designed to withstand the large amounts of heavy snow that falls in the region during winter. The roofs, made without nails, provided a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms. Gokayama is a place of precipitous mountains and deep valleys located in the southeastern part of Toyama. It is believed that Gokayama, which means five valleys, was so named because there was a village among five valleys: Akao-dani, Kami-Nashi-dani, Shimo-Nashi-dani, Otani, and Toga-dani along the Sho-gawa River. The houses in the area are built in the style called 'gassho-zukuri' and have three or four floors. The steep roofs are at 60 degrees to prevent snow building up on them, and no nails are used in the construction of these houses. This mountain village, which has a group of gassho-zukuri houses, received worldwide attention when the village and the Shirakawa-go of Gifu were designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in December 1995. Specifically, the gassho villages of Ainokura in the Taira area and Suganuma in the Kami-Taira area were recognized as valuable cultural assets to be preserved for later generations, and became Japan's sixth World Cultural Heritage Site. In the Toga area, the World Drama Festival is held every summer, and theater troupes from various countries around the world gather there to perform their plays.