samurai tours Adventures in Discovering Traditional Japan
Best of Shikoku, Kyushu and Western Japan 2011–2012 Information & Schedule
Rev 2011.05
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SAMURAI TOURS
Best of Shikoku, Kyushu & Western Japan
Tour Highlights
With its mild climate and tranquil gardens, famous hot springs and active volcanoes, historic castles, beautiful countryside, and warm-hearted people… this part of Japan offers a dramatic experience.
Osaka Kuromon Open-Air Market Osaka Castle Tennoji Temple Sumiyoshi Shrine Kurashiki Canal Area Museum of Folkcraft Japan Rural Toy Museum Takamatsu Ritsurin-koen including tea and Sweets in a teahouse KOTOHIRA Kompira Shrine Okayama Korakuen Garden Beppu Beppu Hells Usuki Usuki Stone Buddhas
14 Days | 12 Nights
Destinations
Osaka, Kurashiki, Takamatsu, Kotohira, Okayama, Beppu Onsen, Usuki, Aso-san, Nagasaki, Yoshinogarikoen, Miyajima Island, Hiroshima, Kyoto The rural, mountainous island of Shikoku will charm you with its natural beauty. The island of Kyushu with the largest onsen (hot springs resort) in Japan, active volcanoes and the history-filled city of Nagasaki will surprise you with its diversity. Add the must-see destinations of Osaka, Kyoto, Himeji, Miyajima Island and Okayama, and you have a tour that creates travel memories for a lifetime. You will climb to the top of a samurai castle, stroll through some of Japan’s most beautiful and serene gardens, visit a phenomenal onsen where you can take a relaxing hot sand bath on a beach covered up to your neck in warm sand, walk along the rim of an active volcano, meet a “Maiko” (geisha-in-training) face-to-face, see where the Kyoto geishas live and work, discover Japan’s religious traditions, explore history-filled Nagasaki and enjoy three gourmet Kaiseki-style dinners and much, much more!
Map of Tour Destinations
Aso-san Aso-san Nagasaki Dejima Glover Garden Miyajima Island Hiroshima Peace Park and Museum Kyoto Nijo Castle Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) Tea Ceremony Calligraphy Lesson Gion Geisha District Private Maiko Dinner Party
KURASHIKI OKAYAMA HIROSHIMA KYOTO YOSHINOGARIKOEN OSAKA NAGASAKI
BEPPU ASO-SAN
TAKAMATSU KOTOHIRA MIYAJIMA ISLAND
For more information call 1-866-316-7268 or email us at info@samuraitours.com
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Best of Shikoku, Kyushu & Western Japan - Tour Itinerary Day 1
Leave for Japan
Day 2
Arrive Osaka’s Kansai Airport, travel to Osaka
Day 3
Osaka – Kuromon Open-Air Market, Osaka Castle, Tennoji Temple, Sumiyoshi Shrine
Day 4
Osaka, Kurashiki, Takamatsu - Travel to Kurashiki, Tour Kurashiki, travel to Takamatsu
Day 5
Takamatsu, Kotohira - Ritsurin-koen, Tea and sweets in a teahouse, Travel to Kotohira, Tour Konpira Shrine, Travel to Takamatsu
Day 6
Takamatsu, Okayama, Beppu Travel to Okayama, tour Korakuen-koen Garden, travel to Beppu
Day 7
Beppu, Usuki - Tour Jigokus (Hells), Travel to Usuki, Tour Usuki Stone Buddhas, travel to Beppu
Day 8
Beppu, Aso-san, Nagasaki – Travel to Aso-san, tour Aso-san, travel to Nagasaki
Day 9
Nagasaki – Free day
Day 10 Travel to Miyajima Island Day 11 Miyajima Island – Free day Day 12 Hiroshima, Kyoto – Travel to Hiroshima, Peace Museum and Park, Travel to Kyoto Day 13 Kyoto - Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji, Tea Ceremony, Calligraphy Lesson, Gion Geisha District, “Meet a Maiko” and Sayonara Dinner Day 14 Depart for home/arrive home
Dates & Prices (Prices are per person and in US Dollars) Tour Dates
From Top to Bottom: Osaka Castle, Sumiyoshi Shrine in Osaka, Kyoto Geisha, Vine Bridge in Takamatsu
visit website for current tour status
Prices (Land Only)
Mar 5, 2011 – Mar 18, 2011
$4,994
Single Supplement $494
May 16, 2011 – May 29, 2011
$4,994
Single Supplement $494
Oct 1, 2011 – Oct 14, 2011
$4,994
Single Supplement $494
Mar 3, 2012 – Mar 16, 2012
$4,994
Single Supplement $494
May 14, 2012 – May 27, 2012
$4,994
Single Supplement $494
Sep 29, 2012 – Oct 12, 2012
$4,994
Single Supplement $494
For more information call 1-866-316-7268 or email us at info@samuraitours.com
Adventures in Adventures inDiscovering DiscoveringTraditional TraditionalJapan Japan
SAMURAI TOURS Walking Level GUide Light
0-2 miles in flat areas or 0-1 miles in hilly areas or with many stairs Medium
2-4 miles in flat areas or 1-3 miles in hilly areas or with many stairs Heavy
4-6 miles in flat areas or 3-5 miles in hilly areas or with many stairs
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Best of Shikoku, Kyushu & Western Japan - Detailed Tour Itinerary Day 1: To Japan Depart Home for Osaka’s Kansai Airport. (If you wish to fly to Tokyo’s Narita Airport instead, please let us know, and we can make the arrangements for you.) (Travel: 12 hours; Walking: Light) Day 2: Arrive Osaka You lose a day flying to Japan due to crossing the International Date Line, and gain the day back when you fly home. You are met at Osaka’s Kansai Airport by a Samurai Tours guide, who escorts you and the group to the ryokan in Osaka. After checking into the ryokan, we dine on a meal of Okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancakes), which is one of the specialties of Osaka. Dinner at a local restaurant is included. (Travel: 1-1/2 hours; Walking: Light) Day 3: Osaka After breakfast, we visit the Kuromon open-air market. Here you see many different and exotic foods as buyers for restaurants purchase daily specials. We then travel to Osaka Castle. In its day, Osaka Castle was one of the largest and most important castles in Japan. It was the home of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the son of a farmer who unified Japan after a 100-year civil war. At the top of the castle, you get an excellent bird’s-eye-view of Osaka. At the museum inside the castle, we learn about the castle’s colorful history. After lunch, we visit Tennoji Temple, first established here by Prince Shotoku, who was primarily responsible for importing Buddhism from Korea and China in the 6th century. We then travel to Sumiyoshi Shrine. It is said that this shrine was first established more than 1,800 years ago. The sea gods are enshrined at this Shinto Shrine, and in ancient Japan when sending diplomatic missions to Korea and China - the emperor of Japan would come to this place to pray for a safe journey. Here we also learn about Shinto, the indigenous religion of Japan, and how the Japanese use it in their daily lives. A local English-speaking, licensed guide joins us for the day in Osaka. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch and dinner at a local restaurant are included. (Travel: 1 hour; Walking: Heavy) Day 4: Kurashiki/Takamatsu We continue on to Takamatsu with an overnight bag only. The rest of the luggage is delivered to our ryokan in Takamatsu. On our way to Takamatsu, we stop at the city of Kurashiki. The city has a preserved canal area that dates back to the Edo Period (1603-1867), when Kurashiki served as an important rice distribution center. In fact, the name “Kurashiki” can be roughly translated as “town of storehouses”, which refers to the storehouses in which the rice was kept. Many of Kurashiki’s former storehouses have been converted into museums, boutiques and cafes. We will tour the Museum of Folkcraft which contains examples of everyday items from around Japan, including textiles, ceramics and lacquerware. We will also tour the toy museum which is located in a number of converted storehouse buildings. There are four main display rooms, which feature examples of old toys from all of Japan’s 47 prefectures. Late in the afternoon, we will continue to Takamatsu by express train. Breakfast at the ryokan, lunch and dinner at a local restaurant are all included. (Travel: 3 hours; Walking: Heavy)
From Top to Bottom: Tennoji Temple, Ritsurin Koen Teahouse
Day 5: Takamatsu/Kotohira After breakfast at the ryokan, we tour the Ritsurin Koen. This is considered to be one of the most beautiful gardens in Japan, taking more than one hundred years to create. Here we can also take a short break to enjoy green tea and sweets in a peaceful teahouse overlooking a koi-filled pond. Then we are off by streetcar to the nearby city of Kotohira. Here we will visit Konpira Shrine, one of Japan’s most famous Shinto Shrine. Kompirasan, formally known as Kotohiragu, is the main shrine of multiple Kompira shrines found around Japan that are dedicated to sailors and seafaring. Located on the wooded slope of Mount Zozu in Kotohira, the approach to Kompirasan is an arduous series of 785 stone steps. Over many centuries, Kompirasan had been revered as a mixture between Shinto shrine and Buddhist temple, until it was officially declared a shrine in the beginning of the Meiji Period during government efforts to separate the two religions. Nevertheless, the former symbiosis is still visible in Kompirasan’s architecture which displays both Shinto and Buddhist elements. We will return to Takamatsu by train. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch and dinner at a local restaurant are included. (Travel: 2 1/2 hours; Walking: Heavy)
For more information call 1-866-316-7268 or email us at info@samuraitours.com
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Day 6: Okayama/Beppu We travel by express train back to the city of Okayama with overnight bags only. The main luggage is transferred to the ryokan in Beppu. In Okayama, we tour the Korakuen-koen Garden. This garden is considered to be one of the three most exquisite gardens in Japan by the Japanese themselves. It was built in the late 17th century by one of the local warlords. After touring the garden, we continue on to the city of Beppu on the island of Kyushu. The city of Beppu is one of the largest, if not the largest onsen (hot springs resort) in Japan. There are thousands of small therapeutic baths with mineral-laden water or thermally-heated sand baths that can steam, boil or poach vitality into aching muscles and weary travelers. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch and dinner at a local restaurant included. (Travel: 4 hours; Walking: Medium) Day 7: Beppu /Asaki We start the day by touring the famous Beppu “Hells.” The boiling mud, forming concentric circles as it oozes through the ground and the colors of the ponds of this “hell-on-earth” are sure to fascinate and entertain. In the afternoon we will travel by train to the nearby city of Usuki. Here we will find 60 Buddha statues that were carved into the soft stone cliffs. These statues were carved during 12th to 14th centuries, and have been designated as National Treasures. We will return to Beppu by train. The evening is free to enjoy the hot springs, or visit the Takegawara Onsen. Built in 1879, it is Beppu’s most famous onsen and offers both sand and regular hot spring baths in an atmosphere of the past. Breakfast at the ryokan is included. (Travel: 1/2 hour; Walking: Heavy) Day 8: Beppu/Aso-san/Nagasaki We will travel by bus through a very scenic rural area to the city of Aso. Aso-San (Mt. Aso) is a huge volcanic caldera consisting of five volcanic cones, one of which is still active. After arriving at the rim of the crater by cable car, we walk around the rim of the crater to observe the many gas vents and the lake bubbling and spitting scalding steam at the bottom (weather and volcano conditions permitting). Later in the afternoon, we travel to the city of Nagasaki. Nagasaki was once the most culturally significant port in Japan. It was here most foreigners and missionaries entered Japan during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. And it was here where the only foreigners were allowed to stay from the mid 17th century to the mid 19th century. However, they were restricted to a tiny, artificial island in the harbor, and were only allowed one ship in and out per year. Nagasaki is best known, today, as one of the cities destroyed by A-Bombs at the end of World War II. Breakfast at the ryokan, lunch at a local restaurant included. (Travel: 10 hours; Walking: Light) Day 9: Nagasaki We will start the day by visiting Dejima. Dejima was a man-made island in the port of Nagasaki and was constructed in 1636. A few years later, the Dutch trading factory was moved to Dejima. The Dutch workers, the only remaining Westerners allowed in the country, were restricted to Dejima during Japan’s two centuries of isolation. Today, Dejima is not an island anymore, as the surrounding area has been reclaimed during the 20th century. However, a number of Dejima’s historical structures have been reconstructed, including various residences, warehouses, walls and gates. Many displays in these building document the daily life for the Dutch residents. Next, we will tour Glover Gardens. Glover Garden is an open air museum, exhibiting mansions of former Western residents of Nagasaki. It is located on the hill where Western merchants settled down after the end of Japan’s era of seclusion in the second half of the 19th century. You can enjoy a panorama of the city from the garden. The rest of the day will be free. Breakfast at the hotel and dinner at a local restaurant included. (Travel: 1 hour; Walking: Heavy)
From Top to Bottom: Sea Hell in Beppu, Aso-san, Floating Torii at Night
Day 10: Yoshinogarikoen Historical Park/Miyajima Island After breakfast, we will travel to Miyajima Island. On our way, we will stop at the Yoshinogarikoen Historical Park. The park contains a reconstructed village of the Yayoi Period (3rd Century BC to 3rd Century AD). Archaeological records were carefully studied to recreate the life and culture from this time. In its day, the original village was one of Japan’s largest villages. Continuing on to Hiroshima by express train and Shinkansen, we board a ferry for Miyajima Island, and check into our ryokan. Miyajima Island is said by the Japanese to be one of the top three scenic sights in Japan. The evening is free to enjoy the solitude and ambiance of the island after all of the day-trippers head back to the mainland. Breakfast at the hotel and kaiseki-style dinner at the ryokan included. (Travel: 5 hours; Walking: Heavy)
For more information call 1-866-316-7268 or email us at info@samuraitours.com
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Day 11: Miyajima Island The entire day is free to enjoy and relax in the beauty and ambiance of Miyajima Island: ride the cable car to the top of the mountain on Miyajima Island where you can visit with the local monkeys, or visit the Itsukushima-jinja shrine which was built in its present form in 1168. Or just take in the stroll around the island while enjoying grilled oysters, the island’s specialty. Breakfast and kaiseki style dinner at the ryokan included. (Travel: TBD; Walking: TBD) Day 12: Hiroshima/Travel to Kyoto After taking the ferry back to Hiroshima, we tour the Peace Memorial Museum and the Peace Memorial Park, which are both sobering testaments to the dropping of the A-Bomb on August 6, 1945. Afterwards, we are off to Kyoto via the Shinkansen. Once in Kyoto, we will pick up our luggage and check into our ryokan, where we will be staying for the remainder of the tour. The evening in Kyoto is free. Breakfast at the ryokan included. (Travel: 3 hours; Walking: Heavy) Day 13: Kyoto We start the day at Nijo Castle. Built in 1603, it was the Kyoto home of Tokugawa Ieayasu, the first Tokugawa Shogun. The ostentatious style of construction was intended as a demonstration of Ieyasu’s prestige, and to signal the demise of the emperor’s power. The finest artists of the day filled the castle with delicate transom woodcarvings and paintings by the Kano School on sliding doors. One of the castle’s most intriguing features is the so-called “nightingale” floors. To protect the Shogun from real or imagined enemies, these floorboards creak when stepped on. Next, we will visit Kinkaku-ji. Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, is one of Kyoto’s, as well as Japan’s, most recognizable attractions. The gleaming building covered in gold leaf seems to float on the aptly named Mirror Pond, especially on a sunny day. After lunch at a local noodle shop, we will participate in an authentic tea ceremony at the the tea master’s home, followed by a calligraphy lesson. The stylized and regimented Japanese tea ceremony has been performed the same way for over 400 years. Once considered standard training for Samurai, today the tea ceremony is enjoyed by the modern Japanese as a means of relaxation. The English-speaking tea master will explain the history and the concepts behind the tea ceremony. You will also be given an opportunity to make tea yourself. More than just a means of communication, Japanese calligraphy has long been practiced by aristocrats, Samurai and Buddhist monks as a means of artistic expression and mind training. You will learn the proper use of the traditional Japanese calligraphy tools and calligraphy techniques. You will be given a chance to practice these techniques and will be able to take your masterpiece home with you. Afterwards, we will tour the Gion Geisha District. Here we will see the tea houses and geisha houses where the Geisha live and work, to learn more about this mysterious world. In the evening we will have our Shabu-Shabu Sayonara Dinner. During the dinner a “Maiko” (a Maiko is a Geisha in training) will join us for a private Maiko dinner party. You will have an opportunity to meet an actual Maiko face to face, who will perform a traditional Geisha dance, pose for pictures with you, answer any of your questions and play traditional Japanese party games. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch and dinner at a local restaurant included. (Travel: 1 Hour; Walking: Heavy) Day 14: Home It’s time to say “sayonara” (goodbye). You will be escorted to the Kyoto Train Station, where you will take the express train on your own to the Kansai International Airport, just outside Osaka. Or if you prefer, you can fly out of Tokyo’s Narita Airport. (If you plan to fly out of Narita, it is best to schedule a flight after 2 p.m. as it takes four hours to travel from Kyoto to Narita Airport.) (Breakfast at the ryokan is included. (Travel: 1-1/2 hours; Walking: Light)
From Top to Bottom: Tour members with Japanese students at the Peace Memorial Park, Ginkaku-ji Temple in Kyoto, “Meet a Maiko” session
For more information call 1-866-316-7268 or email us at info@samuraitours.com
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Best Of Shikoku, Kyushu & Western Japan - TOUR Inclusions • The full-time services of a Samurai Tours guide. • Local, licensed, English-speaking, Japanese guides where indicated in the itinerary detail. • Travel Select Travel Insurance Policy from Travelex, one of the world’s largest travel insurance providers. (The insurance provided by Samurai Tours will cover the land portion only. Insurance to cover airfare is the tour member’s responsibility.) • The provided insurance coverage includes ----------
Trip Cancellation (up to trip cost) Trip Interruption (up to 150% of trip cost) Trip Delay/Missed Connection (up to $750) Medical Expense (up to $50,000) Medical Evacuation/Repatriation (up to $500,000) Lost or Stolen Baggage (up to $1,000) Baggage Delay (up to $250) Coverage for financial default of tour operator A waiver of any pre-existing medical conditions that could eventually cause you to interrupt your trip
• Airport transfer from Osaka’s Kansai Airport and airport transfer to Osaka’s Kansai Airport (Transfers to or from Osaka’s Itami Airport are not included.) • Meeting service at Osaka’s Kansai Airport and sending service to the Kyoto train station. (The meeting service will meet you at the airport and escort you to the ryokan in Osaka. The sending service will escort you to the Kyoto train station and make sure you board the correct train. The sending service will not accompany you to the airport. For those requiring meeting or sending services on other than the scheduled arrival/departure dates, there will be a $100 fee for the meeting service from the airport into Osaka or the sending service to the Kyoto train station.) • Lodging for 14 nights in Japanese-style ryokans and western-style hotels • Meals -- Japanese-style or Western-style breakfast every morning (Please Note: Some ryokans offer Japanese breakfasts only.) -- Six Japanese-style or Western-style lunches -- Eight Japanese-style or Western-style dinners (including four gourmet kaiseki dinners at the ryokans, and a shojin-ryori - traditional Buddhist vegetarian cuisine - dinner at a Buddhist temple) • 14-day Japan Rail Pass (allows unlimited train travel.) • The appropriate amount of free time to allow you to explore and discover your own personal Japan. • All transportation costs when traveling with the group. (Transportation costs during scheduled free times are the tour member’s responsibility.)
For more information call 1-866-316-7268 or email us at info@samuraitours.com
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Best of Shikoku, Kyushu & Western Japan - TOUR Inclusions
Contact Information
• Admission Fees to the following destinations and activities (itinerary specifics subject to change):
Email Us info@samuraitours.com
Osaka Kuromon Open-Air Market Osaka Castle Tennoji Temple Sumiyoshi Shrine
Usa Call us toll-free: 1-866-316- SAMURAI 1-866-316-7268 Write us: Samurai Tours 7900 East Union Ave, Suite 1100 Denver CO 80237
Kurashiki Canal Area Museum of Folkcraft Japan Rural Toy Museum Takamatsu Ritsurin-koen including tea and Sweets in a teahouse
KOTOHIRA Kompira Shrine Okayama Korakuen Garden
Write us: Samurai Tours 307 Yodokizu Fushimi Kyoto 613-0911 Japan Kyoto-ken Chijitoroku Ryokogyo 3-576/Japanese Travel Agency License: Kyoto Prefecture #3-576
Miyajima Island
Beppu Beppu Hells
Hiroshima Peace Park and Museum
Usuki Usuki Stone Buddhas
Kyoto Nijo Castle Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) Tea Ceremony Calligraphy Lesson Gion Geisha District Private Maiko Dinner Party
Aso-san Aso-san
Fax number: 303-843-9111 Japan Call us: 075-361-7303
Nagasaki Dejima Glover Garden
• Sayonara dinner at the end of the tour • Luggage delivery from Osaka to Takamatsu • Luggage delivery from Nagasaki to Kyoto • Luggage delivery from Takamatsu to Beppu • Luggage delivery from Beppu to Nagasaki • Each tour member receives a tour handbook. This handbook is full of tips and suggestions taken from our Japan travel experiences that will allow you to better plan and prepare for your trip, and therefore enjoy your trip even more. The tips and suggestions included cover everything from how to save while exchanging money, what to pack, some basic Japanese-language tips, general etiquette do’s-and-don’ts, ryokan customs, etc.
Exclusions
• Airfare is NOT included • Alcoholic beverages are NOT included - except at the dinner the first evening and the sayonara dinner
Member Better Business Bureau, National Tour Association and Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO)-approved Japan Travel Specialist
For more information call 1-866-316-7268 or email us at info@samuraitours.com