Tuesday, May 10 (Day 01)
HONOLULU TO NARITA TO KOCHI
Our tour commences this morning when we assemble at the Japan Airlines lobby at the airport for check-in procedures. We will depart Honolulu on Japan Airlines for Narita International Airport. A meal and a snack will be served on board the flight. After completing entry and customs formalities, we’ll transfer by motorcoach to Haneda Airport and board a domestic flight to Kochi Airport on Shikoku Island, Japan’s third largest island.
Wednesday, May 11 (Day 02)
ARRIVE KOCHI (D)
We’ll arrive Kochi Airport in the late afternoon and transfer to our hotel in Kochi, the capital of Kochi prefecture to check-in for two nights. Dinner will be provided for you this evening.
Accommodations at TOSA ROYAL HOTEL or similar
Thursday, May 12 (Day 03)
KOCHI (B)(D)
Sakamoto Ryoma - the man who stormed through history like a hurricane - was born and raised in the castle town of Tosa (present day Kochi city) in Kochi prefecture on January 3, 1836. Often said, today’s Japan would be a different country if Sakamoto Ryoma had not existed. Who was he, the hero of troubled times who exerted such a great impact on the history of Japan. We’ll follow the footsteps of his short life in the period leading up to the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Meiji Restoration, beginning with his birthplace, Kochi City. Some of the highlights of the city include a visit to Kochi Castle, a six story structure standing on a hill in a flat field, and Katsurahama, a scenic beach with a famous statue of Sakamoto Ryoma standing near the beach. Located on a hill at Katsurahama Park overlooking the Pacific Ocean is the Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum featuring four floors of historical objects related to him, including letters, and a hanging scroll placed in the room when he was assassinated.
Accommodations at TOSA ROYAL HOTEL or similar
Friday, May 14 (Day 04)
KOCHI - TOSASHIMIZU - UWAJIMA (B)(D)
This morning, we’ll drive to the village of Nakanohama, now known as Tosashimizu City, to enjoy some sightseeing. The city is noted as the birthplace of John Manjiro (Manjiro Nakahama), the first Japanese to reach the United States. We’ll continue on to enjoy a visit to Nanraku-en Garden, a stroll garden located in Uwajima City in Ehime prefecture. This Japanese garden is one of the largest in Shikoku Island, surrounded with four zones built on the concept of “mountain”, “village”, “town”, and “sea”. Enjoy viewing colorful carp and seasonal flowers as you stroll through this beautiful garden. We will spend the evening in Uwajima. Dinner will be provided for you at the hotel.
Accommodations at HOTEL CLEMENT UWAJIMA or similar
Saturday, May 14 (Day 05)
UWAJIMA - OKAYAMA (B)(D)
This morning, we’ll transfer to the Uwajima Station to take a train to Okayama Station on Honshu Island via Matsuyama. On arrival, we’ll enjoy some sightseeing of the city, visiting Okayama Castle, nicknamed the Crow Castle due to its black exterior. Two of the watch towers that survived the bombing in 1945 are now listed by the National Agency for Cultural Affairs as Important Cultural Properties. We’ll visit Korakuen Garden, a beautiful landscape garden and Okayama’s main attraction. Along with Kanazawa’s Kenrokuen and Mito’s Kairakuen, Korakuen is noted as one of Japan’s three best landscape gardens, featuring ponds, streams, walking paths, spacious lawns, and a hill that serves as a lookout point. A borrowed scenery of Okayama Castle can be seen from the garden. We’ll spend the night in Okayama. Dinner will be provided for you at the hotel this evening.
Accommodations at HOTEL GRANVIA OKAYAMA or similar
Sunday, May 15 (Day 06)
OKAYAMA - HAKATA - NAGASAKI (B)(D)
We’ll transfer to Okayama Station and board a train to Nagasaki via transfers at Hiroshima and Hakata Stations. Nagasaki is the capital of Nagasaki prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan’s third largest island. Kameyama Shachu is Japan’s first trading firm founded by Sakamoto Ryoma and his fellow activists. On arrival in Nagasaki city, we’ll visit a museum exhibiting a number of materials and objects related to Kameyama Shachu. A steep and narrow sloping road with stone steps is where Sakamoto Ryoma and his fellow members of Kameyama Shachu went up and down and was called ‘Ryoma’s Road’ by local residents. The bronze statue of Sakamoto Ryoma’s Boots, constructed by his fan club in 1995, is located on Ryoma’s Road, commemorating the 130th anniverasary of the foundations of the Kameyama Shachu. A bronze statue of the legendary warrior Sakamoto Ryoma is situated in Kazagashira Park, a quiet attractive park situated on the top of Mount Kazagashira overlooking Nagasaki City. We will spend two nights in the city of Nagasaki.
Accommodations at HOTEL NEW NAGASAKI or similar
Monday, May 16 (Day 07)
NAGASAKI (B)(D)
Enjoy a full-day of sightseeing in the city, including a visit to Glover Garden - the former residence of British merchant Thomas Blake Glover. The mansion and other 19th century buildings are preserved on this spacious hillside garden with a breathtaking view overlooking Nagasaki Harbor. The story for Puccini’s opera “Madame Butterfly” was allegedly set here and the main character was based on Tsuru, Glover’s Japanese wife. Nagasaki became the second city to be bombed by a nuclear weapon following Hiroshima on August 9, 1945. We’ll visit the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum featuring displays, photos, relics, and documents related to the bombing. Located nearby in the Hypocentre Park, a black stone column marks the exact point where the bomb exploded above and devastated the city. The Nagasaki Heiwa-koen (Peace Park) was established near the hypocenter of the explosion. Within the park stands a huge Peace Statue, a Fountain of Peace, and several unique monuments donated from various countries from around the world.
Accommodations at HOTEL NEW NAGASAKI or similar
Tuesday, May 17 (Day 08)
NAGASAKI - KAGOSHIMA (B)(D)\
This morning, we’ll transfer by foot to the Nagasaki Station and board a train via a transfer at Hakata Station, arriving in Kagoshima, capital city of Kagoshima prefecture. Nestled on the west shore of beautiful Kinko Bay with majestic Mt. Sakurajima, Kagoshima is referred to as the “Naples of the Orient”. On arrival, we’ll board a motorcoach to enjoy some sightseeing of the city. Enjoy a stroll through Senganen, also known as Isotei-en, a beautiful Japanese style landscape garden that was once a summer villa for Lord Shimazu, overlooking magnificent Mt. Sakurajima and Kinko Bay. Adjacent to the garden is Shoko Shuseikan, a historical museum originally built as a steel factory for Lord Shimazu. Displayed in the museum are objects relating to the history of the Shimazu clan, including family heirlooms. We’ll spend the night in Kagoshima.
Accommodations at KAGOSHIMA SUN ROYAL HOTEL or similar
Wednesday, May 18 (Day 09)
KAGOSHIMA - SHIROYAMA - KIRISHIMA (B)(D)
Before departing Kagoshima, we’ll make a photo stop at Kagoshima’s Central Park to view the famous statue of Saigo Takamori, a popular local hero and leader of the Meiji Restoration. We’ll continue on to Shiroyama, known for its Culture Zone - an area of abundant history and culture, including the ruins of Tsurumaru Castle, surrounded by a moat and stone wall. Kagoshima’s prefectural historical museum - ‘Reimeiken’ - is located within the ruins and introduces Kagoshima’s history to the world. Enjoy a great view of the city and Mt. Sakurajima from Shiroyama Hill, one of the best spots to see a sweeping view of the area. We’ll travel to Kirishima, an active volcanic mountain range located on the border between Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefecture. The mountains of Kirishima play an important role in Japanese mythology and are said to be the site where the god ‘Ninigi-no-mikoto’, grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu descended from heaven to rule over the earth. We’ll visit the Kirishima Jingu, a Chinese-influenced shrine, declared an important cultural property, devoted to “Ninigi-no-mikoto”, the leader in the legend. The Monument Statues of Sakamoto Ryoma and
Accommodations at KIRISHIMA ROYAL HOTEL or similar
Thursday, May 19 (Day 10)
KIRISHIMA - HAKATA - KYOTO (B)(D)
Before departing Kirishima, we’ll visit the Ebino Plateau, basin land that belong to the Kirishima Mountain Range located in the southern part of Kyushu. The plateau is part of Kirishima-Yaku National Park and is also one of the bases to climb Mt. Kirishima. At an elevation of 540m, Ikoma Plateau offers a view of the city from its magnificent flower garden with the Kirishima Mountain Range at its back. Located in Kobayashi city, known as ‘the city of water and flowers’, Ikoma Plateau is one of the popular sightseeing spots. We’ll proceed to the shin-Yatsushiro Station to Kyoto, via transfers at Hakata Station and Shin Osaka Station. On arrival at the Kyoto Station, we’ll proceed to our hotel to check-in for two nights.
Accommodations at NEW MIYAKO HOTEL or similar
Friday, May 20 (Day 11)
KYOTO (B)(D)
Enjoy a visit to Kiyomizu-dera, an independent Buddhist temple that is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Constructed in 1633, Kiyomizu means clear or pure water and takes its name from the waterfall within the complex, which runs off the nearby hills. Beneath the main hall is the Otowa waterfall, where three channels of water fall into a pond. Drinking the water of this three streams is said to confer wisdom, health, and longevity. We’ll visit Ryozen Museum of History, established in 1970 and serves as a comprehensive information center of the Meiji Restoration. The museum displays handwritings and other articles left by the activists - Sakamoto Ryoma and his members during the upheaval just before the Meiji period. This is the only museum in Japan that displays historical materials related to the Meiji Restoration. We’ll also visit the Kyoto Ryozen Gokoku Shrine - a graveyard for 1,043 souls that devoted themselves to the Meiji Restoration, including the gravesite of Sakamoto Ryoma and Katsura Kogoro - a Choshu royalist leader in the late Edo period. We’ll stop at Ohmiya Inn - the site where Sakamoto Ryoma was assassinated on November 15, 1867 at the age of 33 by the Tokugawa watch dogs.
Accommodations at NEW MIYAKO HOTEL or similar
Saturday, May 21 (Day 12)
KYOTO - KANSAI TO HONOLULU (B)
The day is free at your leisure for independent activities until our departure to the Kansai International Airport. We’ll depart in the early afternoon to check-in for our evening flight home to Honolulu, arriving in the morning of the same day due to the crossing of the International Date Line. A light meal will be served on board the flight.