2019 Japan Cherry Blossom Experience

2019 CHERRY BLOSSOM TOUR OF JAPAN With Japan Extraordinaire Mr. Jan Moester TOKYO • NIKKO • KAMAKURA • HAKONE • KYOTO Optional HIROSHIMA Extension April 05 – 13 or 15, 2019

Highlights: • Travel through Japan during its most beautiful Cherry Blossom Season • Ride the famous bullet train • Attend a traditional tea ceremony in the private home of a Tea Master • Cruise on Lake Ashi • Learn the art of Sushi making • Visit several of Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites

April 5, 2019, Friday ARRIVE TOKYO, JAPAN Welcome to Japan. Ancient cultures meld into the future - blending invention, tradition and simplicity, the trademarks of this graceful country. The beauty of the Cherry Blossom season and the unique Japanese culture will impress you, and you will be captivated by this “land of the rising sun.”

On arrival at Narita Airport, clear customs and immigration, before you are met and transferred to your luxury hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure to relax after your international flight.

THE PENINSULA TOKYO April 6, Saturday TOKYO After an early breakfast, we depart the hotel and drive to a Sumo Stable for the unique opportunity to witness famed Sumo Wrestlers during their morning training. Learn about the history of this traditional sport and admire the true power of these athletes.

We begin our city tour of this fascinating and diverse cosmopolitan city with a visit to the Meiji Shrine. It is Tokyo’s most magnificent Shinto shrine, and is dedicated to the emperor who opened Japan to the West. The 40-foot-high torii gate at the entrance is made of 1,500-year-old cypress.

Here we experience a private group blessing - praying for our healthy and happy life. Next, explore the Imperial Palace Plaza, the residence of Japan’s Imperial Family. It is located on the former site of Edo Castle, in a large park area surrounded by moats and massive stone walls. We then continue to the Ginza District, a world-renowned shopping district and fascinating place offering the latest trends and the oldest traditions. We stop in a popular department store to meander the fascinating food shops, and enjoy complimentary tastes of a variety of foods - a wonderful introduction to Japanese cuisine. But save your appetite for our barbeque lunch at Chinzanso Garden Restaurant, a lush location with a beautiful 20-acre Japanese garden.

In the afternoon we explore Ueno Park, whose grounds were originally part of Kaneiji Temple, and today is one of the most popular venue for cherry blossom viewing in Tokyo. There are more than 1000 cherry trees lining its central pathway. Our last stop is the Asakusa Kannon Temple and its Nakamise Shopping Arcade. The temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo's oldest temple.

A shopping street of over 650 feet, 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. This shopping street has a history dating back several centuries.

We return to our hotel in the late afternoon.

Tonight, toast to the beginning of your Japan journey with a Welcome Dinner, and a chance to mingle with your fellow travelers.

THE PENINSULA TOKYO

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April 7, Sunday TOKYO & NIKKO Today, we venture out into the countryside on a full day excursion to Nikko National Park. The Japanese have an expression – ‘Don’t say Kekko (meaning wonderful in Japanese), until you see Nikko.’ And you will certainly be impressed with this wonderful place.

The shrines and temples of Nikko, along with their surroundings, have now been designed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for their architectural and decorative beauty. They are also closely associated with the history of the Tokugawa Shoguns. We will view the Toshogu Shrine and also stop at the Yomeimon Gate (Gate of Sunlight), an incredibly ornate structure carved by some 130,000 craftsmen.

After a delightful lunch of Rainbow Trout at Nikko Kanaya Hotel, the third oldest hotel in Japan, we continue our exploration of this scenic park with a drive to lovely Lake Chuzenji. The lake is set 4,194 feet above sea level in the Japanese Alps. In the middle of the Meiji period and early Showa period, many European embassies built vacation houses around the lake. Enjoy the region’s notable scenery and waterfalls, and view Kegon Falls, which cascades down 318 feet and creates delightful rainbow prisms on sunny days.

Arrive back at our hotel in the early evening.

THE PENINSULA TOKYO April 8, Monday TOKYO / KAMAKURA & HAKONE Enjoy a full day of sightseeing today as we travel from Tokyo to Fuji and Hakone National Park.

Enroute, we stop in Kamakura to visit the Kotokuin Temple, home to the Kamakura Daibutsu (Great Buddha). Cast in bronze, it weighs more than 850 tons, with a green patina that adds to its beauty. The statue was cast in 1252, and was originally inside a large hall. However, the temple buildings were destroyed several times by typhoons and a tidal wave in the 14th and 15th centuries, so since 1495 the Great Buddha has been sitting in the open. We also see the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and visit Komachi-Dori shopping street before arriving in Hakone in time for lunch.

After lunch at the Hakone Hotel, set on the Lake Ashi shore, we take a scenic cruise on placid Lake Ashi. If good weather prevails, this crater lake offers picture-perfect reflections of symmetrical Mt. Fuji.

Enjoy the Sky Gondola ride across Owakudari Boiling Valley.

Late afternoon arrival at our accommodations for the night, the luxury ryokan “Gora Kadan” located inside Hakone National Park. Not a hotel, but a traditional Japanese Ryokan, Gora Kadan is located on the grounds of the former summer villa of a member of the Imperial family. This evening, savor a traditional Japanese style dinner.

GORA KADAN RYOKAN April 9, Tuesday HAKONE / ODAWARA & KYOTO After breakfast, we transfer to the rail station to board the famous bullet train to Kyoto. Experience a smooth and rapid journey east in the comfort of first-class seats. (Your luggage is transferred separately, and will arrive at your Kyoto hotel in the early evening.)

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Upon arrival at the Kyoto Station, we walk to the New Miyako Hotel for lunch. Then after our meal, we are transferred to a private home to experience Japanese culture first-hand. Discover the importance of tea and its ritualistic presentation at a traditional Tea Ceremony. Then learn the tradition of wearing a Kimono and Obi. Late afternoon, we arrive at our luxury Kyoto hotel.

THE RITZ CARLTON April 10, Wednesday KYOTO Alluring Kyoto exudes the tranquility and charm of Japan's ancient culture. This 1100-year-old city is the country’s craft capital, where skills are still passed down through generations: silk weaving, embroidery, lacquer ware production, ceramics, doll making, and flower arranging. As we explore Kyoto today, take note of the beautiful cherry blossoms throughout the city and environs.

Our day begins with a private tour of the Ukiyo-E Museum. The ukiyo-e print style began in the late 17th century to describe the life of the common people. In this museum, you can see the works of great artists, such as Hokusai Katsushika, Hiroshige Utagawa and Utamaro Kitagawa.

Next, we visit a Sushi making school, where we enjoy a lesson on making this signature Japanese cuisine, followed by a sushi lunch of your own creation.

In the afternoon, our tour continues with a visit to Maruyama Park. Admire the colorful abundance of cherry trees, and enjoy a tour of the Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion). This UNESCO World heritage site has two floors completely covered in gold leaf and was the retirement villa of a shogun who left it to the Rinzai sect of Zen on his death in 1408.

Our tour ends back at our hotel by late afternoon.

THE RITZ CARLTON April 11, Thursday KYOTO Today’s full day of Kyoto sightseeing begins in the Arashiyama District, alive with cherry blossom trees. View the small temples scattered along the base of the wooded mountains, and stroll the walking paths through its extensive Bamboo Groves, thick with green bamboo stalks that seem to continue endlessly in every direction. We stop to admire the symbolic Togetsukyo Bridge.

Lunch is another unique experience - Japanese steak, served at the Matsuo Kamogawa Restaurant. After lunch, we explore the Tenryuji Temple, ranked among Kyoto’s five great Zen temples, and a world heritage site. Founded in 1236, Tenryuji is the head temple of its own school within the Rinzai Zen sect of Japanese Buddhism, and well known for its beautiful Japanese garden. Next, we visit the Nishiki Market, a narrow, five block long shopping street lined by more than one hundred shops and restaurants, and known as "Kyoto's Kitchen."

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April 12, Friday KYOTO & NARA This morning, we drive to the Shigaraki-Yaki Pottery making village located at the foot of Mt. Shigaraki. Here we see one of the oldest kilns in Japan and visit the studio of a famous local potter.

Next, we drive to drive to the site of the first permanent Japanese capital, Heijo, now known as Nara. As the Buddhist monasteries here became powerful and politically ambitious the capital was moved after just 74 years but its historic treasures remain and the ancient monuments are collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Nara Park is home to hundreds of freely roaming deer, considered to be messengers of the Shinto gods. The park is also the location of Todaiji Temple, constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples in Japan. A world heritage site, it is the world’s largest wooden building (although the currently 1692 reconstruction is only two-thirds the size of the original), and houses the Daibutsu (Great Buddha). At 49-feet tall, it is Japan’s largest bronze Buddha statue; the seated Buddha’s open hand alone is said to be as tall as a human being. Visit Kasuga Grand Shrine, established at the time of the capital and dedicated to the deity responsible for the protection of the city. Kasuga Taisha is known for the 3,000 bronze lanterns and 1,000 stone lanterns hanging from the buildings and lining walkways.

Enjoy a Western style lunch at Nara Hotel, one of the oldest hotels in Japan, before returning to our hotel by mid-afternoon.

This evening, share your memories of Japan with your fellow travelers and tour manager at a festive farewell dinner.

THE RITZ CARLTON

April 13, Saturday DEPART KYOTO This morning bid farewell to Kyoto and Japan as you are transferred to the airport for your flight home or to your next destination.

OR JOIN THE HIROSHIMA / MIYAJIMA EXTENSION

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April 13, Saturday KYOTO / HIROSHIMA This morning, Hiroshima bound travelers board the bullet train south, arriving in Hiroshima in time for lunch at our hotel, located walking distance from the rail station.

Our afternoon sightseeing begins with visits to the Atomic Bomb Dome and Museum in the International Peace Park. Located where the Motoyasu, Han, and Ota Rivers come together, this used to be the political and commercial heart of the city until it became ground zero during WWII. There are dozens of cenotaphs and monuments throughout the park, including one that holds a register of the names of victims who died because of the initial blast or exposure to radiation. There are more than 220,000 names on the register. On the shore of the Motoyasu River is the A-Bomb Dome, the burnt-out skeletal dome of the Industrial Promotion Hall.

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s the only central city building whose framework survived the explosion, ironically because the explosion took place almost above it. The Dome is the one building left in its damaged state as a reminder and to express hope for world peace.

We also tour Hiroshima Castle, the home of the daimyo (feudal lord) of the Hiroshima han (fief).

Originally constructed in the 1590s, it was destroyed during the bombing and rebuilt in 1958, now serving as a museum of Hiroshima’s history prior to World War II. Within the castle walls are two trees that survived the atomic bombing, a eucalyptus and a willow.

SHERATON GRAND HOTEL HIROSHIMA April 14, Sunday HIROSHIMA This morning, we head to Miyajima Island, best known for the floating vermillion-colored torii (gate) to the Itsukushima Shinto Shrine. At high tide, the gate appears to float in the shallow waters, and reflects stunningly in Hiroshima Bay against the green mountains. In fact, this is one of the most photographed spots in all of Japan, and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for illustrating the Japanese concept of scenic beauty, which combines nature and human creativity. The shrine is dedicated to the Shinto deity of seas and storms and brother of the great sun deity. Because the island itself has been considered sacred, commoners were not allowed to set foot on Miyajima through much of its history. Retaining the purity of the shrine is so important, that since 1878, no deaths or births have been permitted near the shrine. We explore this sacred site, as well as the 5-Story Pagoda and the Treasure house.

Tonight, share your memories of Japan with your fellow travelers and tour manager at a farewell dinner.

SHERATON GRAND HOTEL HIROSHIMA

April 15, Monday DEPART HIROSHIMA Today, you are transferred to the Hiroshima airport in time for your flight home or to your next destination.

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Prices: (2019) Double occupancy Tour Price Single Supplement

$18,950 per person $ 7,100 per person

COMMENCE ADVENTURE: END ADVENTURE:

Tokyo Kyoto

April 05, 2019 April 13, 2019

At airport At airport

Or with Hiroshima extension Double occupancy Tour Price Single Supplement

Hiroshima April 15, 2019 $21,500 per person $ 7,490 per person

At airport

INCLUDED IN THE TOUR PRICE: • Deluxe hotel accommodations • All meals on a la carte basis with dine by choice options starting with dinner April 05 and ending with breakfast on April 13 or April 15, 2019 • All transfers by private vehicles • All tours and sightseeing shown in the itinerary by private vehicle • Services of a Lakani Tour Manager • Expert local guides and entrance fees • All gratuities to drivers, guides, hotel staff • $50,000 Medical Emergency Evacuation Insurance NOT INCLUDED IN THE TOUR PRICE: • International, internal airfares and taxes • Passport, visa and health inoculation expenses • End of tour discretionary gratuity to the Lakani Tour manager.

• Personal expenses (i.e.: laundry, phone calls, alcoholic beverages) and anything not mentioned in the itinerary Country Visited: Japan A passport valid for 6 months beyond date of entry is required; a visa is not required. No specific health vaccinations are required at this time.

Please see the State department at https://travel.state.gov and the CDC https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel for full details on documentation and health requirements and conditions in each country.

For more information please contact your Frontiers Destination Specialist, Beth Kurcina at 1-800-245-1950.

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