Monday, March 26 (Day 01)
HONOLULU TO NARITA
Our tour commences this morning when we assemble at the departure lobby at the airport for baggage check-in procedures for our flight to Narita International Airport. A meal and a snack will be served on board the flight.
Tuesday, March 27 (Day 02)
NARITA - TOKYO (D)
We’ll arrive at Narita Airport in the afternoon and after completing entry and customs formalities, we’ll transfer to our hotel in Tokyo by chartered motorcoach. A dinner is planned for you this evening at the hotel.
Accommodations at METROPOLITAN HOTEL IKEBUKURO or similar
Wednesday, March 28 (Day 03)
TOKYO (B)
We will embark on a full day of sightseeing in this exciting metropolitan city, including a photo stop at the Imperial Garden Palace grounds. Located in Asakusa in the center of shitamachi (old downtown) is Sensoji (Asakusa Kannon Temple). Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple, it was built for the goddess of Kannon. Adjacent to the temple is Nakamise-dori - a lively shopping arcade. Leisurely stroll through the many shops offering a wide selection of typical Japanese souvenirs and traditional local snacks. We’ll drive through the main street of Ginza, the most exclusive entertainment and shopping area in Japan with its upscale shops and restaurants. Weather permitting, we’ll stroll through Ueno Park to view beautiful sakura in bloom before proceeding to Ameyokocho. Enjoy another shopping adventure at this lively district featuring many indoor and outdoor vendors offering a variety of food products and various merchandise at discounted prices. Enjoy dinner on your own this evening.
Accommodations at METROPOLITAN HOTEL IKEBUKURO or similar
Thursday, March 29 (Day 04)
TOKYO (B)
We’ll proceed to Shibuya, the center of Japan’s IT industry. A special ward of Tokyo, it’s a leading fashion center of Japan and a major nightlife area as well. A prominent landmark of Shibuya is a large 4-way crossing intersection in front of the Shibuya Station’s Hachiko Exit. Visit Hachiko, a famous statue of a dog who possessed legendary loyalty to his owner, Professor Ueno Saburo. This intersection is heavily decorated by neon advertisements and giant video screens. Next to the famous Hachiko statue is a train museum with photographs of how the station area has evolved in the past one hundred years. The museum also prompts visitors to relax and behave as if they were in a real train. Crafters can browse and shop at Yuzawaya, a flagship store of all craft and fabric shops in Tokyo. This afternoon, we’ll stroll through the Tsukiji Fish Market, an exciting market with many omiyage shops and restaurants. Dine at one of the local shops offering delicious chirashi donburi, a dish consisting of fresh sea food or select one of the chef’s ‘omakase’ daily specials. Dinner will be on your own this evening.
Accommodations at METROPOLITAN HOTEL IKEBUKURO or similar
Friday, March 30 (Day 05)
TOKYO - HAKONE - MT. FUJI - FUJI FIVE LAKES - LAKE YAMANAKA (B)(D)
We’ll travel to Hakone - a region that is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and one of Japan’s most popular hot spring resort, famous for its volcanic hot springs and natural beauty. Weather permitting, enjoy a relaxing boat cruise on scenic Lake Ashino-ko - a beautiful crater lake formed in the caldera of Mount Hakone after the volcano’s last eruption. The lake, with a view of Mt. Fuji - Japan’s highest and most sacred mountain in the background, is the symbol of Hakone. Hakone used to be an important checkpoint for the Old Tokaido Highway - the old road that linked the ancient capital of Kyoto to Edo (now known as Tokyo) during the Edo period. We’ll visit the Mt. Fuji Visitor Center located at the entrance of the Subaru Line - the toll road leading up the slopes of Mt. Fuji. An interesting video presentation explains the formation and ecology of Mt. Fuji and the history of the Fuji Five Lakes. We’ll spend the night at an elegant hotel overlooking Lake Yamanaka, the largest of the Fuji Five Lakes, offering a breathtaking view of the mountain (weather permitting). Dinner will be provided for you this evening at the hotel.
Accommodations at HOTEL MT. FUJI or similar
Saturday, March 31 (Day 06)
LAKE YAMANAKA - MT. FUJI - SHIZUOKA - NAGOYA (B)(D)
We’ll proceed to visit Shiraito-no-Taki (White Thread Falls), a picturesque waterfall located just inside the Yamanashi border on the lower slopes of Mt. Fuji. Small streams of water trickle down from the rocks, creating a vast white cascade. The falls are particularly attractive at this time of the year as the snows of the mountain melt and strengthen the flow. We’ll continue our drive along the Pacific Coast through Shizuoka prefecture, the largest tea producing region in Japan and once home to the first Tokugawa Shogun Ieyasu. Enjoy a tour of Greenpia Makinohara, a tea factory to learn about the production of tea and to get a close-up view of the tea plants growing in the orchard. Enjoy the experience of picking and eating delicious fresh strawberries off the vines in covered greenhouses at a local orchard. As we continue on, the scenery of Shizuoka prefecture offers a view of the Southern Japan Alps, Mt. Fuji, and miles of scenic coastline as we drive along Suruga Bay and the Pacific Ocean. We’ll arrive in the castle town of Nagoya, capital of Aichi prefecture to spend the night. Dinner will be provided for you this evening at the hotel.
Accommodations at NAGOYA WESTIN HOTEL or similar
Sunday, April 1 (Day 07)
NAGOYA - BULLET TRAIN - KYOTO (B)(L)
This morning, we’ll visit Nagoya Castle, a famous landmark in Nagoya. The original castle was home to Oda Nobunaga, one of Japan’s famous warlords. The castle is a concrete replica of the original and houses an interesting museum and an observation deck. Weather permitting, cherry blossoms should be in full-bloom all around the castle grounds, providing a breathtaking sight. We’ll proceed to the Nagoya Train Station to board the shinkansen (bullet train) for an exciting ride to Kyoto, the former capital of Japan. A delicious obento (box lunch) will be provided for you to enjoy on board the train. On arrival at the Kyoto Station, we’ll transfer by foot to our hotel and check-in for two nights. Our motorcoach will meet us at the hotel to take us to visit the Nishijin Textile Center, a modern-style building where hand-weaving demonstrations and exhibits focus on the traditional Nishijin textile industry. Subject to availability, we’ll enjoy a kimono fashion show as gracious young ladies model some of the most elegant silk kimonos. We’ll continue on to enjoy a shopping adventure at the Kyoto Handicraft Center - a five story shopping complex offering a nice selection of souvenirs, handicrafts, jewelry, Japanese clothing & toys, and more. Dinner will be on your own this evening.
Accommodations at RIHGA ROYAL HOTEL KYOTO or similar
Monday, April 2 (Day 08)
KYOTO - NARA - KYOTO (B)
We’ll travel to the ancient city of Nara located at the northern end of the Yamato Plain - a fertile valley where members of the Yamato clan rose to power as the original emperors of Japan. We’ll visit the Todai-ji Temple Complex, a magnificent Buddhist temple in Nara-koen - a park that is home for many sacred deer roaming freely about. The Daibutsu-den (Hall of the Great Buddha) is considered the largest wooden structure in the world and home to the Daibutsu, an enormous bronze statue of Buddha, perhaps the most famous sight in Nara. Within the hall is a large wooden pillar with a hole at its base and local tradition has it that those who pass through the opening will find their way to an afterlife of paradise. We’ll visit Kasuga Taisha Shrine, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with hundreds of stone lanterns lining the approach-way to the shrine. In the afternoon, we’ll return to Kyoto to visit Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), an impressive Zen Buddhist temple designated as a National Special Historic Site. This magnificent golden structure overlooks a lake, providing a beautiful reflection in the calm waters.
Accommodations at RIHGA ROYAL HOTEL KYOTO or similar
Tuesday, April 3 (Day 09)
KYOTO - KOBE - OKAYAMA (B)(D)
We’ll travel to Kobe, the sixth largest city in Japan and the capital of Hyogo prefecture. On arrival, we’ll visit the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum featuring exhibits, photographs, and video presentations explaining the traditional sake brewing process. Samples of some of their delicious products will be provided for you to enjoy at the end of the tour. We’ll continue on to the city of Okayama, capital city of Okayama prefecture, famous as the setting of the Japanese fable “Momotaro”. Okayama is also noted for Koraku-en, a beautiful Japanese garden, ranked as one of Japan’s three best landscaped gardens. Enjoy a stroll through this scenic garden with its walking paths, pavilions, a large pond, a crane aviary, and groves of plum and cherry trees. We’ll spend the night in the city. Dinner will be provided for you this evening.
Accommodations at OKAYAMA GRANVIA or similar
Wednesday, April 4 (Day 10)
OKAYAMA - KURASHIKI - HIROSHIMA (B)(D)
We’ll proceed to the quaint little town of Kurashiki, with a preserved canal area that dates back to the Edo Period. Enjoy strolling through Bikan Chiku (historical area) featuring many old traditional buildings, storehouses, and shops located along the picturesque willow-lined canal. The specialty of this prefecture is kibi-dango, a delicious Japanese sweet available for purchase at many of the gift shops along the canal. We’ll proceed to the city of Hiroshima to overnight for two exciting nights. Before checking in, we’ll visit the Hiroshima Plant of the Mazda Motor Corporation to observe the fascinating process of automobile manufacturing on a guided tour. Observe as workmen and robots assemble select components to new cars on a moving assembly line. Dinner will be provided for you this evening at the hotel.
Accommodations at RIHGA ROYAL HOTEL HIROSHIMA or similar
Thursday, April 5 (Day 11)
HIROSHIMA - OSHIMA - IWAKUNI - HIROSHIMA (B)
We’ll travel through Yanai City in Yamaguchi prefecture to Oshima Island, one of the largest islands in the Seto Naikai Strait. In the town of Suo-Oshima - the sister city of Kauai - we’ll visit the Museum of Japanese Emigration to Hawaii. The museum features photographs, exhibits, and artifacts about the hardship faced by the emigrants in Hawaii, the contributions made with the fortune accumulated through their efforts, and the history of cultural exchanges between the hometown and Hawaii through the present. We’ll continue on to Iwakuni, visiting Kintai-kyo (Brocade Sash Bridge), the city’s major attraction in Yamaguchi prefecture. Its five linked wooden arches form a span across the serene Nishiki River. Weather permitting, the cherry blossoms should be in full bloom at this time of the year, providing a magnificent sight. Dinner will be on your own this evening. Our hotel is conveniently located adjacent to a large department store and a shopping mall.
Accommodations at RIHGA ROYAL HOTEL HIROSHIMA or similar
Friday, April 6 (Day 12)
HIROSHIMA - MIYAJIMA ISLAND - HIROSHIMA PEACE MEMORIAL MUSEUM & PARK - HIROSHIMA (B)
This morning, we’ll proceed to the pier at Miyajimaguchi to enjoy a short ferry ride to Miyajima Island, famed for its scenic Itsukushima-jinja, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The view of the torii gate extending in the sea, together with the island’s Mt. Misen-san as a backdrop, is classified as one of Japan’s three most beautiful sights. We’ll return to the city of Hiroshima to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Park. Exhibits within the museum relive the history of the atomic bomb and the destruction it brought on Hiroshima and its people. The most poignant memorial in the Peace Memorial Park is the Children’s Peace Memorial, inspired by leukemia victim Sadako Sasaki. Thousands of paper cranes brought by school children, various clubs and groups are displayed there. Dinner will be on your own this evening. Try some delicious Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, the specialty of Hiroshima at one of the local restaurants located near the hotel or at the Okonomiyaki Village - a narrow building with floors of okonomiyaki shops serving this special dish.
Accommodations at RIHGA ROYAL HOTEL HIROSHIMA or similar
Saturday, April 7 (Day 13)
HIROSHIMA TO HANEDA * NARITA TO HONOLULU (B)
The day is at your leisure to enjoy your own activities until our departure to the airport. We’ll depart Hiroshima to Haneda Airport, then transfer to the Narita International Airport to check-in for our flight to Honolulu. Our evening flight will arrive in the morning on the same day due to the crossing of the International Date Line. A light meal will be served on board the flight.