Kansai Summer Break Explorer 2019 June 2 nd -9 th, 2019 6nts/8days from: $2795 double/triple & $3295 single Reserve by December 15 th -Save $50 per person Famous Blade Runner Neon Shinsaibashi Shopping Dotonbori Street Our tour begins in Kyoto which served as Japan's capital and the emperor s residence from 794 until1868. It is one of the country's ten largest cities with a population of 1.5 million people and a modern face. Kyoto is old Japan, robed monks shuffle between temple buildings, prayer chants resonate through stunning Zen gardens, and the faithful meditate on tatami-mat floors. Even as the modern city buzzes and shifts all around, a waft of burning incense, or the sight of a bright vermillion torii gate marking a shrine entrance, are regular reminders that Kyoto remains the spiritual heart of Japan. And then there is Osaka, Japan s third-largest city, a place where things have always moved a bit faster, where people are a bit brasher and interactions are peppered with playful jabs and locals take pride in this. Above all, Osaka is a city that loves to eat: its unofficial slogan is kuidaore ('eat until you drop'). It really shines in the evening, when it seems that everyone is out for a good meal and a good time. And yet there is so much more, including a full day at Universal Studios, an overnight visit Hiroshima and Miyajima along with two bullet train rides. Yes, we have time so that you can enjoy the very best of Omiyage shopping these cities have to offer. Come, join along as you really couldn t ask for a more perfectly balanced tour. Itinerary/Details Day 1 June 2 nd, 2019- Sunday Departure from Honolulu Hawaiian Airlines #449 Departs Honolulu 2:25 pm Arrive Kansai 6:45 pm +1 Please meet your Panda Travel representative at the Hawaiian Airlines International check-in counters, Terminal 1, formally known as the Hawaiian Airlines Terminal, Lobby 3, Makai side a minimum of 3 hours prior to the flight departure time. Kindly check in with him.
Hawaiian Airlines international counters are quite busy during this time of day and as well the TSA security check line. Please keep this in mind and allow plenty of time for check-in. Day 2 June 3 rd, 2019- Monday Kansai Kyoto (D) On arrival in Osaka, please make your way to the baggage claim area and then proceed to customs clearing. On exiting customs, we will be met by our local English-speaking guide. A short walk to our charter bus and then off to Kyoto. The travel time will be approximately 1.5 hours. A dinner bento will be provided on the bus for you to enjoy on the ride. Accommodations for our two nights in Kyoto is at The New Miyako Hotel, ideally located, right across the street from the JR Kyoto Station and just around the corner from the AEON Mall. You are steps away from so many shopping and dining options. A 24/7 7-Eleven convenience store is right across the street in case you need any snacks or beverages for the evening. Accommodations: Hotel New Miyako Kyoto Day 3 June 4 th, 2019- Tuesday Kyoto (B) After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 8:30am as we are off on a full day of touring. The day begins with a visit to Kyoto s famed Golden Pavilion. Be it capped by snow in winter or set against a lush green background in summer, nothing is as symbolic of Kyoto as Kinkaku-ji's golden reflection shimmering across the rippled surface of the pond before it. Kinkaku-ji is one of Japan's best-known sights. The original building was built in 1397 as a retirement villa for Shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. His son converted it into a temple. In 1950, a young monk consummated his obsession with the temple by burning it to the ground. The monk's story was fictionalized in Mishima Yukio's The Golden Pavilion. In 1955, a full reconstruction was completed that exactly followed the original design, but the gold-foil covering was extended to the lower floors. The temple is set in three stories. The 1st floor is Shinden-zukuri, the palace style. It is named Ho-sui-in. The 2nd floor is Buke-zukuri, the style of the samurai house and is called Cho-on-do. The 3rd floor is Karayo style or Zen temple style. It is called Kukkyo-cho. Both the 2nd and 3rd floors are covered with gold-leaf on Japanese lacquer. The roof, upon which the Chinese phoenix settles, is thatched with shingles. The entire temple is surrounded by a beautiful garden with a pond in the front called the Mirror Pond. The stones in the pond give a representation of the Buddhist era.
Golden Temple & grounds From here we are off to Heianjungu Shrine, a relatively recent addition to Kyoto's collection of sacred places but still a very impressive shrine featuring elegant, richly-colored buildings surrounded by large gardens in the four cardinal directions. Its architecture has a distinctive Chinese influence noticeable throughout Built in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Heian Kyo (Kyoto), and dedicated to the Emperors Kammu and Komei, the first and last Emperors to rule Kyoto, the buildings are a partial replica of the Imperial Palace of the Heian Period. The vermillion-lacquered Otenmon Gate and Daigoku-den (main hall) are especially beautiful. The gardens which we will be visiting are representative of Meiji Period garden design and have a rich variety of flowers that change with the four seasons. We will be entering through the grand Ōtenmon Gate into the outer sanctuary, a sprawling open space surrounded by look-out towers with a large ritual hall directly ahead. The torii gate leading up to the Heian Shrine is one of the largest in the country, towering overhead at a height of about 24 meters. The Shin en Garden took two decades to create and was designed by Ogawa Jihei, the seventh-generation head of the Ogawa gardening tradition, who was also known by the professional name of Ueji. Hailed as the forerunner of the modern Japanese garden, he incorporated occidental style into the more traditional Japanese gardening world and created gardens that skillfully blended water and stone with the use of wide space. Finished in the early 1900s, this strolling-style garden is famous for its cherry blossoms in spring, irises in summer, and gorgeous pond views from the roofed Taihei-kaku (Bridge of Peace). From here we are off to the Festival of Ages Building (Tonitoni), a new cultural shopping area in Kyoto s Okazaki district. It is on the grounds of Heian Jingu Shrine which we will be visiting this afternoon. The Festival of the Ages is held on October 22nd to commemorate the founding of Kyoto over 1000 years ago. When this date is written in Japanese, it looks as though it could be read as 'tonitoni', hence the unique name of the shopping center. The distinct interior was put together by up-and-coming artists so that you could enjoy a simulation of Kyoto's famous Festival of the Ages any time of year! Everything from quality food and sweets to alcohol to sundries; Tonitoni boasts over 30 stores and is the talk of the town! Enjoy time here to shop and have lunch on your own. From here, off to enjoy a hands-on experience, handkerchief painting at the Kodai Yuzen and Gallery, founded by the long-established kimono store "Kodai Yuzen Co., Ltd.", to show the public, the beauty and tradition of Kyoto Yuzen dyed garments which also includes an exhibit featuring an array of kimonos. Our last stop on tour today is a visit to Sanjusangendo Temple, originally built by Taira no Kiyamori for retired emperor Go-Shirakawa in 1164 and dedicated to the Bodhisattva Kannon. The temple features a huge hall containing 1,001 figures of Kannon carved in the 12th and 13th centuries. The original temple building was lost in a fire but reconstructed in 1266. That structure has remained unchanged for 700 years since then with four great renovations during that time. The long temple hall, which is about 120 meters long, is made in the Wayo (Japanese) style. As there are 33 spaces between the columns, the temple came to be called Sanjusangen-do (a hall with 33 spaces between columns). The highlight of Sanjusangendo Temple is the 1001 statues of the Buddhist bodhisattva Juichimen-senju-sengen Kanzeon (eleven-headed, thousand-armed, thousand-eyed Kannon), usually simply called Kannon. One thousand standing statues of Kannon (Important Cultural Properties) and one gigantic seated statue (National Treasure) placed in the center are housed in the temple hall. The images are made of Japanese cypress. Among the standing statues, 124 were carved in the 12th century when the temple was founded, and the remaining 876 were made in the 13th century when the temple was renovated. Our touring day complete, back to our hotel, arrival by 4:30pm. The remainder of the afternoon and evening is.
Accommodations: Hotel New Miyako Kyoto Day 4 June 5 th, 2019- Wednesday Kyoto-Nara-Osaka (B/L) After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 8:30am as we are off on a full day of touring. Our bags will be sent separately by truck and meet up with us later this afternoon at our hotel in Osaka. The day begins with a short drive to Nara, the ancient capital city in the Kansai region of Japan. Throughout 2010 the city celebrated its 1300th anniversary. Centuries before anyone had heard of Delhi or Shanghai or London or Paris and long before anywhere called Kyoto (let alone Tokyo) existed Nara was the first permanent capital of Japan, and the place where the country began to establish itself as a Buddhist kingdom. If you think of Japan as a land of bullet trains and J-pop in Shinjuku storefronts, come to Nara a city filled with rolling hills, ancient temples, and 1,200 entitled deer roaming its old streets. Once here we will be visiting Nara Deer Park, Todaiji Temple, and Kasuga Shrine. Nara Park: Nara Park (Nara Koen) is a large park in central Nara. The park is home to hundreds of ly 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. You can purchase deer biscuits to feed them. The deer bow immediately when they see you have food. Nara Park and Todaiji Temple Nara's premier attraction is Todaiji Temple and its Great Buddha (Daibutsu), Japan's largest bronze Buddha. When Emperor Shomu ordered construction of both the temple and Daibutsu in the mid-700s, he intended to make Todaiji the headquarters of all Buddhist temples in the land. As part of his plans for a Buddhist utopia, he commissioned work for this huge bronze statue of Buddha. It took eight castings to complete this remarkable work of art. At a height of more than 15m (50 ft.), the Daibutsu is made of 437 tons of bronze, 286 pounds of pure gold, 165 pounds of mercury, and 7 tons of vegetable wax. However, thanks to Japan's frequent natural calamities, the Buddha of today isn't quite what it used to be. In 855, in what must have been a whopper of an earthquake, the statue lost its head. It was repaired in 861, but alas, the huge wooden building housing the Buddha was burned twice during wars, melting the Buddha's head. The present head dates from 1692. Be sure to walk in a circle around the Great Buddha to see it from all angles. Behind the statue is a model of how the Daibutsuden used to look, flanked by two massive pagodas. Behind the Great Buddha to the right is a huge wooden column with a small hole in it near the ground. According to popular belief, if you can manage to crawl through this opening, you'll be sure to reach enlightenment. You can also get your English-language fortune for 200 by shaking a bamboo canister until a wooden stick with a number comes out; the number corresponds to a piece of paper.
The wooden structure housing the Great Buddha, called Daibutsuden, was also destroyed several times through the centuries; the present structure dates from 1709. It is the largest wooden structure in the world, but only two-thirds its original size. Todaiji Temple with Great Buddha: Now, lunch time and we will enjoy a Japanese style lunch at a local restaurant. This afternoon we make our way to Osaka, Japan's third-largest city. Ultra-urban, hard-working Osaka is an unabashed antidote to the fashion-forward frenzy of Tokyo and the prim propriety of Kyoto. This longtime capital of commerce is filled with down-to-earth citizens speaking colorful Kansai-ben (Kansai dialect) and neon-clad streetscapes bursting with over-the-top 3D signage. Osaka's real treasures are in the bustling street life in its arcades, markets, and byways. And Osaka really comes into its own at night, when locals come out for delicious eats and good times. Guaranteed, our hotel is right in the heat of everything you would want to experience of Osaka. We are literally right around the corner from the Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade. Once here, we will be visiting the Shin-sekai district of Osaka as well as Tsutenkaku Tower. Shinsekai is the place to experience the Osaka of old, and Tsutenkaku Tower is the defining landmark of the area. The 100-meter steel tower may not appear particularly tall by modern-day standards, but it has carved out its own place in local history as a symbol of progress and innovation. Let s head to the top to get a pleasant view of the city, where you can also see exhibits and artifacts showing the vibrant history of the area. Shinsekai was designed as an entertainment district in the early 20th century, and originally modelled after the cities of New York and Paris. Opened in 1912, Shinsekai literally means New World and because of its modern image the area quickly became a popular tourist attraction. At the heart of this district was the Luna Park amusement park which was modelled on the original Luna Park in New York s Coney Island. The park, which featured mechanical rides, an amusement arcade, a music hall, and a hot spring spa, was only open for 11 years. Nevertheless, these funfair origins have left a deep impression on the Shinsekai area which still has a somewhat run-down carnival atmosphere. Today rickshaw runners give tours of the area, a new Spa World hot spring theme park attracts tourists to the south, and around Tustenkaku Tower the bright and gaudy signage of countless restaurants creates a lively scene. Shinsekai s biggest attraction has always been the Tsutenkaku Tower. The original tower built in 1912 was designed to resemble the Parisian Eiffel Tower on top and the Arc de Triomphe at its base. The name Tsutenkaku can be translated as Sky Route Tower and at 64 meters high it was the 2nd biggest structure in Asia at the time. It became a symbol of pride for Osaka and people flocked to see it. Visitors were also able to take cable-car rides on an aerial ropeway that linked the tower with the Luna Park fairground. This first tower was badly damaged by a fire in 1943 and disassembled shortly afterwards. In the post-war years however, local people campaigned for a new tower to replace it and the current tower was built in 1956. Standing at 103 meters tall it was designed by the architect Tachu Naito, who also designed Tokyo Tower. Today, the tower has many souvenir shops and amusements. There are two observation decks, on the 4th and 5th floors. The tower also features a Kinnikuman Museum on its 2nd floor which is dedicated to a popular manga character.
Enjoy time here to explore. From here, off to our hotel, Karaksa Hotel Osaka Namba, ideally situated, five minutes on foot from to the Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi-suji shopping streets. Opened in November of 2017, this hotel is perfectly situated to enjoy your time in Osaka. Our arrival will be by 4:30pm and the remainder of the afternoon and evening is. Accommodations: Karaksa Hotel Osaka Namba Day 5 June 6 th, 2019- Thursday Osaka-Universal Studios Japan-Osaka (B) After breakfast, please meet your guide by 8:30am as we are off for a full day at Universal Studios Japan. The park currently has eight sections: Hollywood, New York, San Francisco, Jurassic Park, Waterworld, Amity Village, Universal Wonderland and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Enjoy the many amusement rides, ranging from child-friendly carousels to thrilling roller coasters and simulators based on popular movies such as Spiderman, Back to the Future, Terminator 2 and Jurassic Park. In addition to rides, the theme park offers many opportunities to take pictures with popular characters' mascots such as Snoopy, Hello Kitty and the puppets of Sesame Street. There are also various shows throughout the day. Just outside the park's gates is Universal Citywalk Osaka, a shopping mall with a variety of restaurants and shops, including stores selling Universal Studios merchandise and Osaka souvenirs. The Osaka Takoyaki Museum, which is essentially a collection of several popular vendors of the local dish gathered under one roof, is located on the mall's fourth floor. Our scheduled departure time from the park is at 5:00pm, arriving back at our hotel by 5:30pm. Once back, the remainder of the evening is. Accommodations: Karaksa Hotel Osaka Namba Day 6 June 7 th, 2019- Friday Osaka-Hiroshima (B/D) After breakfast, please meet your guide by 8:00am as we journey to Hiroshima via the bullet train. After a bus transfer to the Shin Osaka Station, we will be boarding our bullet train, Nozomi 5, departing at 9:05am. Please pack a small overnight bag as our bags will remain behind. We will return to Osaka tomorrow afternoon. Arrival in Hiroshima will be at 10:31am and once here our bus will take us to the ferry station for the short 10- minute ride to Miyajima Island, one of the most scenic spots in Japan. It has long been regarded as an Island of Gods on the beautiful Seto Inland Sea. It is a romantic and historical island where Itsukushima Shrine, a World Heritage site, is located, along with the Virgin Forest of Mt. Misen, and numerous preserved shrines, temples, and historical monuments. Its star attraction is the oft-photographed vermilion torii (shrine gate) of Itsukushima-jinja, which seems to float on the waves at high tide a scene that has traditionally been ranked as one of the three best views in Japan. From the ferry station, we will walk along Omote-Sando, the main street from the port to Itsukushima Shrine. There are many souvenir shops on both sides of the street. You will have time to enjoy souvenir shopping for a Shamoji (a rice scoop) or the well-known Momiji manju, a bun with a bean-jam filling made from maple leaves as well and other crafts. We will now visit the cultural heritage site, called the "Itsukushima Shinto Shrine" that is dedicated to the God protecting people from sea disasters and wars. It is said that this shrine was constructed around 593; however, after
the warlord Taira no Kiyomori (1118-1181) rebuilt it in 1168, it became the magnificent vermilion-lacquered building it is today. The most interesting feature of this shrine is the Torii (a kind of gate symbolizing a shrine) and the Shaden (shrine pavilion) in the sea, which are both submerged at full tide, but at low tide the sea water recedes completely, and it is possible to walk out to the gate. After lunch on your own and some shopping time we will ferry back to Hiroshima. With six beautiful rivers flowing through it, Hiroshima is called the City of Water. The origins of the city date back to 1589 when Mori Terumoto, a feudal lord, built Hiroshima Castle at the large delta of the Ota-gawa River. Because the delta resembled a large island, the area was called "Hiroshima", or 'wide island' in Japanese. Ferry to Miyajima vermilion torii in the water Itsukushima Shinto Shrine & approach Although many only know it for the horrific split second on August 6, 1945, when it became the site of the world's first atomic bomb attack, it is now a modern, cosmopolitan city with excellent cuisine and a bustling nightlife. Our first stop will be at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, located in the center of Hiroshima City. It is difficult to imagine that this triangle shaped piece of land bordered by two rivers was once a busy commercial and residential downtown area. The atomic bomb eliminated everything in the town. After World War II, a group led by a Japanese architect Kenzo Tange designed the park to turn the land into the Peace Memorial Park It was completed in 1954. There are many buildings and monuments which commemorate people who lost their lives at that time and represent the people's prayers for peace, such as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, the Memorial Cenotaph and the Statue of the A-Bomb Children, etc. By imagining the contrast between the misery of the atomic bomb attack and the beauty and tranquility in the park while visiting spots in the park, you will be moved to appreciate how precious peace is. Our next stop is at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, located in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. By standing on the Peace Boulevard side, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, the Memorial Cenotaph, the Peace Flame, and the A-Bomb Dome can be seen along a straight line. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which opened in 1955, gives people an opportunity to learn of the outcome of the bomb attack and consider what peace really means through many reference materials. The East Wing exhibits photographs, panels, videos, and panorama models showing the actual history of Hiroshima before and after the bomb attack. The main building exhibits victims' belongings and references which show the misery of the bomb attack. You will see a burnt lunch box, a tricycle which a 3-year-old boy was riding, etc., which reflects the instantaneous destruction and strike right at the heart of visitors. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum was designed by a group headed by Kenzo Tange, who also designed the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The strength of humanity rising from the ruins is expressed in the piloti-style space under the main building. The last stop today will be at A-Bomb Dome, a symbol of peace which most people have at least seen at one time in a picture. The building, which was designed by a Czech architect in 1915, had been used as the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. Hiroshima citizens back then loved so much European modern-style buildings of the time. In 1912, the National Confectionery Exposition was held in this place. From that exposition, Baumkuchen, which represented German cake, was manufactured, and sold in Japan for the first time. Since the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall was located only around 160 meters from the hypocenter, the building was blown up, and all those inside the building died. However, the building was not destroyed completely because the blast of the atomic bomb, which was vaporized in the air, prevented it from totally collapsing. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996 and has been representing people's prayers for a lasting peace.
A-Bomb Dome Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park Arrival at our hotel will be approximately 6:30pm. After a short break to freshen up, please meet your guide as we are off to dinner, just a minute from our hotel. Accommodations tonight are at The Hiroshima New Hiroden Hotel, just 5 minutes from Hiroshima Station. Our dinner this evening is okonomiyaki, a popular pan-fried food that consists of batter and cabbage. Selected toppings and ingredients are added which can vary greatly (anything from meat and seafood to wasabi and cheese). This variability is reflected in the dish's name; "okonomi" literally means "to one's liking". The dish is available all over Japan, but is most popular in the west, particularly the cities of Hiroshima and Osaka. Okonomiyaki is sometimes translated into English as "As-you-like-it Pancake". However, this may be misleading. Though it does consist of batter cooked on a griddle, okonomiyaki has nothing of the sweetness or fluffiness of pancakes, not to mention that it is usually filled with octopus, shrimp, pork, yam, or kimchi. A more accurate comparison, which is also made, is between okonomiyaki and pizza. Enjoy watching the steps of your okonomiyaki being created in front of you After dinner, we will walk back to our hotel, but if you are up for a walk, the Hiroshima JR Station is close by and some shops may still be open. Accommodations: Hiroshima New Hiroden Hotel Day 7 June 8 th, 2019- Saturday Hiroshima-Osaka (B/D) After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 8:30am as we make our way back to Osaka We will be walking to the Hiroshima Station, just a couple of blocks away to catch the bullet train back to Osaka. Our departure is at 8:57am on the Nozomi 10 and arrival at the Shin Osaka Station will be 10:18am. From there we will be transferring to the Namba Station via local train. From there, it s a short walk back to our hotel, arrival by 11:00am.
Once there you will have a complete afternoon and evening to shop, eat and explore. Guaranteed, anything and everything you could possibly want is steps away. It is a short walk to Kuromon Market, one of the main food markets in Osaka. With more than 190 years of history and tradition, this very popular market is known by locals as "Gastronome" and "Osaka' s Kitchen". All kinds of fresh food items are available at this market, fully satisfying the hunger of the people of Naniwa (Naniwa is the old name for this area). Eat-in shops for sushi or fresh seafood over rice, also grilled fish, shellfish, meat and other food being served in or outside of shops give off mouth-watering aromas. 600 meters long with over 170 stalls, Kuromon Market offers not only fresh fish and food items, but a complete range of household goods and yes even appliances. Another spot worth a visit is Doguyasuji (cooking tools street). This street is a unique place in Osaka dedicated to restaurant industry supplies. It s also very fun for home cooks to visit! The shopping street stretches about 100 meters in length. You will find the prices here to your liking as it primarily serves as a wholesale market to restaurant owners. It s well worth a stroll as there s something for everyone. Our hotel rooms will not be available until 3:00pm. You can return to the hotel after this time to check into your room. Accommodations: Karaksa Hotel Osaka Namba Day 8 June 9 th, 2019- Sunday Osaka-Kansai (B) After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 9:00am. It may be our last day on tour, but we still have much to see and do before our flight home later this evening. The morning begins with a visit to the Osaka Castle, one of Osaka s most popular landmark sights. This is also a popular cherry blossom viewing site. Travel back in time almost 400 years to feudal Japan on the chaos and violence of an epic conflict the final one of the samurai era. In 1614 and 1615 hundreds of thousands of samurai blasting guns, shooting arrows, and wielding swords unleashed their force on the Osaka castle, inaugurating the downfall of the Toyotomi clan and sealing Tokugawa Ieyasu's position as Japan's undisputed master. Explore the fury of samurai warfare from gory beheadings to fierce sword fights. For days Ieyasu's forces barraged the castle's walls with fire from 300 cannon, causing fear and confusion. In January 1615 Hideyori finally signed a treaty, ending what became known as the Winter Siege, or Fuyu no Jin. But the truce fell apart, and the Summer Siege, or Natsu no Jin, began. Magnificent Osaka Castle has been destroyed and restored several times, with its most extensive refurbishment completed in 1997. As you walk around you can still marvel at its massive stone walls, gold-leaf trim, copper roof, and panoramic views. There is also a fascinating on-site museum that chronicles its tumultuous history.
Osaka Castle snacks & souvenirs view from top of castle perch From here we are off to the Tempozan Marketplace and Kaiyukan Aquarium. Oaska s Kaiyukan Aquarium is a beautiful underwater world filled with dozens of species of marine life and fresh water animals waiting to be admired. Hammerhead sharks, capybaras, dolphins, sea otters, penguins and even a colossal whale shark inhabit the aquatic wonderland. Its main feature is a huge, nine-meter-deep tank filled with 5,400 tons of water in which you can see a variety of Pacific marine life swimming surprisingly peacefully alongside each other. This tank holds the aquarium s main claim to fame: their gargantuan whale sharks, the largest fish species in the world. The aquarium features marine life exclusively found in the Ring of Fire the area of the Pacific Ocean in which most of the world s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. There are more than 15 large tanks, and each recreates a different environment of the Pacific Rim, thereby giving visitors a glimpse into all aspects of life deep within the Pacific Ocean. The large variety of fish and sea life 30,000 creatures belonging to 620 species to be exact includes seals and sea lions from Monterey Bay in California; penguins from Antarctica; capybaras from Ecuador; and dolphins from the Tasmanian Sea. Adjacent to the Kaiyukan is Tempozan Marketplace, a large mall with many souvenir shops, the highlight of which is Naniwa Kuishinbo Yokocho, a food theme park. This is made up of more than 20 small, familyfriendly restaurants featuring Osakan specialities like takoyaki (octopus balls), okonomiyaki (savory pancakes), and kushikatsu (fried food on a stick) in a retro atmosphere recalling 1960s Osaka. Just beside the aquarium and marketplace (and impossible to miss) is Tempozan Ferris Wheel. The largest in Osaka, this 112.5-meter-high ferris wheel has 60 glass-walled gondolas which can hold up to eight passengers each. During the 17-minute ride you can get a fantastic view of nearby Osaka Bay, as well as downtown Osaka and beyond. Highlights include Kobe s Mt. Rokko and the famous Akashi Kaikyō Bridge which connects Kobe to Awaji Island. Now, we begin to make our way to the Kansai Airport, but no trip is ever complete without a stop at the everpopular Aeon Mall. Enjoy about one hour here for last minute shopping and do stop by the supermarket to pick up a bento to be enjoyed while waiting on our flight. Hawaiian Airlines #450 Departs Kansai 8:45 pm Arrive Honolulu 9:45 am