Picture: Eizan train passing my hometown, Iwakura in Kyoto
Asahidake
Ookini (thank you) for picking this up to read about my tours.
In its fifth season, I have six tours scheduled for 2017: three aesthetic tours, two walking tours and one ceramics & art tour. Key details are printed here, but visit my website: rikistoursjapan.com.au for more information.
Tour style My tours suit travellers who appreciate quality accommodation, local food, beautiful places and authentic cross-cultural experiences. The tours make use of Japan’s excellent public transport system on relaxed itineraries in a joyful and safe atmosphere. To get a feel for my tours, see my facebook page.
aesthetic tour
On this tour, I’ll show you both classic and hidden cherry blossoms sites in cities, towns, villages, islands and mountains. The Classic Sakura tour includes local festivals and the snow monkeys! This tour suits first time sakura hunters, who want to see Japan’s cherry blossoms in a small group.
14 days in / out Tokyo $5790 pp $1000 13 bfasts 4 dinners 1 festival 2 onsens snow monkeys
Miyajima
3 nights 2 nights 1 night 3 nights 2 nights 1 night 1 night
Special inclusions Sensoji Temple, Tokyo Indigo dyeing experience C14th Himeji Castle Miyajima floating red O-torii Hiroshima Peace Park & Museum Kakuzan Park Cherry Blossom Festival (Tsuyama castle ruins) Miyako Odori Spring Dance Riki’s hometown Kyoto tour Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa Shirakawago Village C7th Zenkoji Temple, Nagano Onsen snow monkeys
Hakodate
Independent itineraries - Tanuki Tours If you would like to do your own thing, but need help with ideas and arrangements, I’m here to help. I can tailor a tour that takes you to the places that interest you in the style you want.
Hirosaki Kakunodate
Matsushima
rikistoursjapan.com.au
TOKYO Gero Nara Naoshima
Onta village
Hita
$700 8 bfasts 4 dinners 2 festivals 1 onsen
Riki Inamura has National Guide Certification of Japan #EN00597, Diploma of Tourism & Cert IV in Tour Guiding (NSW TAFE)
Matsumoto
Copyright Riki’s Tours Japan Pty Ltd © 2016 Brochure design by Jason Longmore All photographs taken by Riki Inamura on tour (except Ichiogama Kiln by Kimura Hajime) Printed by Cosmoprint Marrickville
Journey to the far north: the sakura road less travelled
Osaka Mt Koya Kii Tanabe Chikatsuyu Kawayu Onsen Nachi
Kyushu to Kyoto via medieval kilns and the Benesse Art Site Naoshima
Kyoto to Sapporo via
the Japanese Alps & the Garden of the Gods
aesthetic tour
Late April is the time to see the cherry blossoms in the north of Japan. On the North Sakura tour, I’ll show you the sakura in the nature of the far north; on beautiful coasts, rural rivers and in mountain forests all the way to Hokkaido. This tour is ideal for seasoned travellers to Japan, or for those who’d like to take the sakura road less travelled.
$3890 pp
Picture: Asahidake, Hokkaido - City Lights & Alpine Trails Tour
Narai Tsumago
Imari & Arita
in Tokyo out Hakodate
Atlas Supervisor
KYOTO
Okayama Kurashiki Hiroshima Miyajima Hagi Fukuoka Karatsu
9 days
Yoshiko Hatanaka In-country Assistant
Himeji Castle
Bizen
Tokyo Sendai Oirase Gorge Hirosaki Hakodate
Daisuke Inamura In-country Assistant
Sendai
Shirakawago
19 Apr - 27 Apr
Riki Inamura Director & Tour Guide
Friendly small group tours of Japan with Riki Inamura
Yunogo Onsen
North Sakura
Thank you to all our fellow travellers past, present and future for making Riki’s Tours Japan possible.
Jason Longmore Director & Business Manager
Riki’s Tours Japan supports Devil Ark to protect Tasmanian Devils
Oirase
Yudanaka Onsen Kanazawa Nagano Kamikochi
Hotels, ryokan & minshuku I’ve carefully chosen accommodation to give you great access to transport, shopping, food and sightseeing. A mix of western and Japanese style accommodation is used, with all tours including a stay in at least one ryokan or onsen hotel. The western hotels are mostly 4 star standard, but some 3 and 3.5 star ones are also used. See website for details of each tour.
Tokyo and beyond: classic cherry blossom experience
Lake Toya
Standard inclusions The tours include all the transport, accommodation, meals, entry fees and walks as described in itineraries. They also include my service to you as the tour guide, and your airport-hotel transfers in Japan.
My focus is on personal service. I design, arrange and guide all the tours myself. This means you know who’ll be looking after you. My tours are also unique. I’ll take you to my favourite spots of great natural, historical and cultural interest. I’d like to share wonderful food, beautiful places and happy experiences with you. With small groups of no more than ten travellers, why don’t you join me?
Tokyo Hiroshima Yunogo Onsen Kyoto Kanazawa Yudanaka Onsen Tokyo
rikistoursjapan.com.au mail@rikistoursjapan.com.au [+61] 02 8188 1867 facebook.com/rikistoursjapan PO Box 3146 Marrickville Metro 2204 ABN 86606873223
Sapporo
My name is Riki Inamura. I was born and raised in Kyoto, but I’ve been calling Australia home for many years now. And it’s from here that I offer you my small group tours of Japan. They’re the result of more than fifteen years’ experience, leading Australian travellers through Japan, and Japanese travellers to all corners of the globe.
4 Apr - 17 Apr
For more detail and bookings, visit my website
2 nights 2 nights 1 night 1 night 2 nights
Special inclusions Sensoji Temple, Tokyo Matsushima Bay cruise & C17th Entsuin Temple Kakunodate day trip Towada Art Centre C17th Hirosaki Castle Cherry Blossom Festival C19th Goryokaku Fort Cherry Blossom Festival
Early summer brings long days and the country is a brilliant green. Starting in Kyoto, we’ll walk in fascinating cities and spectacular natural settings to the highest peak of Hokkaido. The City Lights & Alpine Trails tour suits travellers seeking a diversity of experiences and soft-walking opportunities in nature.
27 May - 15 Jun 20 days in Kyoto out Sapporo $7590 pp $700 19 bfasts 11 dinners 4 onsens 9 day walks
Note: From Hakodate, you can fly back to Australia, or return to Tokyo (using your JR Pass), or travel on through Hokkaido.
Kakunodate
walking tour
Kamikochi
Kyoto Miyajima Gero Onsen Kamikochi NP Tsumago Tokyo Sendai Oirase Gorge Hakodate Lake Toya Asahidake Sapporo
3 nights 1 night 1 night 2 nights 1 night 3 nights 1 night 1 night 2 nights 1 night 2 nights 1 night
Special inclusions Riki’s hometown Kyoto tour Hiroshima Peace Park & Museum Shirakawago Village C16th Matsumoto Castle Sensoji Temple, Tokyo Indigo dyeing experience Matsushima Bay cruise & C17th Entsuin Temple Towada Art Centre Day walks Mt Kurama, Kyoto (3-4km) Mt Misen, Miyajima (1-3km) Kamikochi Myojin Pond (6.5km) Nakasendo (8km) Mt Takao, Tokyo (4.5km) Oirase Gorge (9km) Onuma Lakes NP (3-4km) Mt Usu Volcanic Geopark (3-4km) Mt Asahidake (2-9km)
ceramics & art tour
Join me on my Earth & Fire tour to visit several working kilns from Kyushu to Kyoto. We’ll stop by some stunning natural areas and the Benesse Art Site of Naoshima Island. This tour suits history, art and nature lovers who have an interest in ceramics and the medieval culture of artisans in Japan.
3 Oct - 14 Oct 12 days in Fukuoka out Kyoto $4990 pp $1000 11 bfasts 5 dinners
Fukuoka Karatsu Hita Hagi Okayama Kyoto
Get closer to Japan: Koya-san, Kumano Kodo & Nakasendo walks
2 nights 1 night 1 night 2 nights 2 nights 3 nights
Special inclusions Fukuoka National Museum Benesse Art Site Naoshima Sagawa Art Museum Kyoto Arita, Imari, Karatsu, Onta, Hagi and Bizen kilns.
walking tour
Come with me on this historical walking tour in beautiful autumn landscapes along two of Japan’s most important ancient routes, the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage and the Nakasendo, both used by emporers and roaming samurai long ago. This tour is for keen walkers who’d like to experience the culture of Japan the way it used to be. 17 Oct - 30 Oct 14 days in Osaka out Tokyo $4590 pp not available 13 bfasts 8 dinners
1 onsen
1 onsen
kiln visits
6 days walks
Osaka Koya-san Kii Tanabe Chikatsuyu Kawayu Onsen Nachi Kyoto Tsumago Narai Tokyo
1 night 2 nights 1 night 1 night 1 night 1 night 3 nights 1 night 1 night 1 night
Special inclusions World heritage listed pilgrimage walk of the Kumano Kodo Walk the Nakasendo Riki’s hometown Kyoto tour C16th Matsumoto Castle Sensoji Temple, Tokyo
Day walks Koya-san Women’s Pilgrimage (7km) Kumano Kodo Takijiri to Chikatsuyu (13km) Kumono Kodo Yunomine Onsen to Hongu Taisha (14km) Northern Kyoto Mt Kurama to Kibune (4km) Nakasendo Magome to Tsumago (8km) Naksendo Yabuhara to Narai (9km)
Ichiogama kiln, Bizen
East to west golden route: with a stay on Miyajima by the floating red O-torii
Kumano Kodo
aesthetic tour
Join me for this beautiful tour of autumn colours across Japan. It has a relaxed itinerary with several two and three night stays, giving you plenty of time to enjoy Japan in your own way. It would suit travellers who like aesthetic experiences in both natural and historical sites.
17 Nov - 30 Nov 14 days in Tokyo out Kyoto $6590 pp not available 13 bfasts 6 dinners 1 onsen 2 day walks
Tokyo Gero Onsen Kanazawa Nara Kurashiki Miyajima Kyoto
3 nights 1 night 2 nights 1 night 2 nights 1 night 3 nights
Special inclusions Sensoji Temple, Tokyo Indigo dyeing experience Shirakawago Village Ninja Temple, C21st Museum, & Kenrokuen in Kanazawa Daibutsu Nara Park Ohara Art Museum, Kurashiki Hiroshima Peace Park & Museum Riki’s hometown Kyoto tour Day walks Mt Kurama, Kyoto (4km) Mt Misen, Miyajima (1-3km)
Nikko (Tokyo day trip)