2024 SPRING OKINAWA & CIRCLE SHIKOKU

March 10 - 21, 2024  (12 Days & 10 Nights)

Haneda, Okinawa (4 nights), Underground Imperial Navy Headquarters, Himeyuri Peace Museum, Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum, Cornerstone of Peace, Okinawa World, Ryukyu Village, Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Okashigoten Onna, Shuri-jo, Shikoku Island, Matsuyama, Uchiko, Yokaichi Old Town, Uwajima, Kochi, Kochi Castle, Kotohira, Kompira-san, Kanamaru-za Kabuki Theater, Takamatsu, Ritsuirin Koen, Nakano Udon Gakko, Tokushima, Awaji Ningyo Joruri, Awa Odori Kaikan, Naruto, Awaji Island, Sennen-Ichi Shuzo Sake Brewery, Kobe, Osaka, Haned

$100 EARLY BOOKING DISCOUNT
(deposit of $100 per person received by 10/31/2023)

Sunday, March 10 (Day 01)
HONOLULU TO HANEDA
Our tour commences this morning when we assemble at the Honolulu Airport for baggage check-in procedures.  We will depart Honolulu for our flight aboard All Nippon Airways to Haneda International Airport.  Lunch and a snack will be served on board the flight.

Monday, March 11 (Day 02)
ARRIVE HANEDA to NAHA, OKINAWA
We’ll arrive Haneda Airport in the late afternoon and after clearing entry procedures, we’ll transfer to the domestic ticket counter to check-in for our flight to Okinawa.  On arrival at the Naha Airport, we’ll transfer to our hotel in Naha, capital city of Okinawa.  We’ll spend four exciting nights in Okinawa. 

Accommodations at HOTEL JAL CITY NAHA or similar

Tuesday, March 12 (Day 03)
SOUTHERN OKINAWA  (B)(D)
We’ll embark on a sightseeing tour in Southern Okinawa, the most populated area of Okinawa.  As you wander through the maze of corridors at the Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters, visible shrapnel damage can be seen on the walls from the grenade blasts that took the lives of many men during the closing days of the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.  We’ll visit the Himeyuri Peace Museum built on the grounds of Himeyuri-no-to, a memorial site to commemorate the hundreds of high-school students and their teachers who sacrificed their lives during the Battle of Okinawa.  They sadly committed mass suicide rather than submit to the approaching American Army.  Visitors to the museum are greeted by a large stone monument located at the entrance.  We’ll visit the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum located in the Peace Memorial Park on Mabuni Hill.  The museum is the main memorial to the Battle of Okinawa which took place during World War II.  Located within the park is the Cornerstone of Peace, a memorial featuring names of the thousands who lost their lives inscribed on the monument walls.  Share the pride of Ryukyuan culture at Okinawa World, a theme park promoting Okinawan history and culture with its main attraction, Gyokusen-do - Japan’s second longest natural cave.  The interior of the cave is well-maintained with walking paths featuring spectacular stalactites and stalagmite formations.  Stroll through old Okinawa at the Kingdom Village - a replica of a traditional Ryukyu village.  Enjoy eisa dance performances at the Traditional Performance Plaza and various workshops introducing traditional Okinawan crafts such as weaving, dyeing, paper-making, glass-blowing, and more.  Dinner will be provided for you this evening.

Accommodations at HOTEL JAL CITY NAHA or similar

Wednesday, March 13 (Day 04)
NORTHERN OKINAWA  (B)(L)(D)
We’ll travel north to visit Ryukyu Village, a small theme park providing traditional Okinawan culture in the form of a recreated village from the times of the Ryukyu Kingdom.  The village includes a traditional residence with a red-tiled roof, a shrine, and various workshops featuring Okinawan crafts.  A performance of eisa taiko drumming, dances and re-enacted historical ceremonies are held in the village.  You’ll have the opportunity to try some popular Okinawan dishes and shop for a wide range of local souvenirs.  Enjoy an intriguing world of marine life at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Japan’s largest aquarium located at the Ocean Expo Park in Motobu, the site where the International Ocean Exposition was held in 1975.  The largest fish in the world - the whale shark - and the world’s first successfully bred-in-captivity manta ray swim with ease in Kuroshio Sea, the main tank which reproduces the environment of coral reefs below the water’s surface.  In the outdoor Dolphin Theatre, enjoy an exciting show performed by trained dolphins.  We’ll spend the night in Motobu, located within walking distance of the aquarium.  Dinner will be provided for you this evening at our elegant hotel.

Accommodations at HOTEL ORION MOTOBU RESORT or similar

Thursday, March 14 (Day 05)
CENTRAL OKINAWA  (B)(D)
We’ll travel south to visit some of the major attractions in Central Okinawa.  Enroute, we’ll make a stop to visit Okashigoten Onna, an Okinawa specialty shop offering a large variety of delicious cookies and pastries.  One of the popular souvenirs to bring home from Okinawa is a boat-like pastry filled with purple sweet potato paste (beni-imo) piped in a rippled pattern called Okashigoten.  Beni-imo is an ingredient used in many desserts, including cakes, pastries, cookies and ice cream.  Subject to availability, we may be able to view the production of these delicious pastries.  Shuri Castle, currently under re-construction, is situated at the top of a small hill overlooking the city of Naha.  Almost destroyed during the Battle of Okinawa, Shuri-jo is a good place to get a sense of Ryukyuan culture - designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Shureimon, the second of Shuri-jo’s main gates that reflects strong Chinese influence alongside indigenous religious traditions.  Four Chinese characters are framed on the gate - Shu, rei, no, and kuni - which means ‘Land of Propriety’.  The structure of the gate is similar to Chinese three-bay turret gates and is covered with a red-tiled roof.  We’ll continue on to spend our last night in Naha City.  Dinner will be provided for you this evening at a local restaurant.

Accommodations at HOTEL JAL CITY NAHA or similar

Friday, March 15 (Day 06)
OKINAWA to MATSUYAMA (SHIKOKU ISLAND)  (B)(D)
This morning, we’ll transfer to the Naha Airport to check-in for our afternoon flight to Matsuyama, the largest city on Shikoku Island and capital of Ehime Prefecture.  Eight of the eighty-eight temples of the Shikoku Pilgrimage are located in Matsuyama.  Shikoku is Japan’s fourth largest island and is divided into four prefectures: Kagawa, Ehime, Kochi and Tokushima.  On arrival in Matsuyama, we’ll board our chartered motor coach and transfer to our hotel to check-in for the night.  Dinner will be provided for you this evening at the hotel.

Accommodations at ANA CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL MATSUYAMA or similar

Saturday, March 16 (Day 07)
MATSUYAMA - UCHIKO - UWAJIMA  (B)(D)
This morning, we’ll visit Mingei Iyo-Kasuri Kaikan, an interesting museum and shop devoted to mingei (folk craft), weaving with kasuri (dyed yarn).  The whole process is explained in a section of the museum featuring examples of the dyes, cloths and equipment used for the production of this material.  Subject to availability, you may be able to watch one of the staff at work on a loom.  Many of the elegant products such as scarves, bags, and clothing are also available for purchase in the shop.  We’ll travel to the traditional town of Uchiko, surrounded by natural beauty, located southwest of Matsuyama in Ehime Prefecture.  Uchiko once developed and thrived as a manufacturing center of Japanese wax and paper production.  Enjoy a stroll through the traditional street in Yokaichi Old Town, a district in the city with its preserved street of historical houses.  We’ll visit the Kamihaga Residence, one of Uchiko’s most interesting buildings, offering a glimpse of how the town prospered by its wax and paper industry.  We’ll continue on to spend the night in Uwajima, a scenic coastal city in southern Ehime Prefecture well-known for bull-fighting.  Dinner will be provided for you this evening at the hotel.

Accommodations at JR HOTEL CLEMENT UWAJIMA or similar

Sunday, March 17 (Day 08)
UWAJIMA - KOCHI  (B)(D)
Enjoy a leisure and scenic drive through the mountains and forests to Kochi, capital city of Kochi Prefecture on the southern coast of Shikoku Island.  We’ll visit Kochi Castle, a well-preserved original hilltop castle from the feudal period.  A unique feature of the castle is that its main tower was not only used for military purposes but also as a residence for the lord.  The lookout point from the top of the castle’s tower offers a nice view of downtown Kochi.  We will spend the night in Kochi.  Dinner will be provided for you this evening at the hotel.

Accommodations at THE CROWN PALAIS NEW HANKYU KOCHI HOTEL or similar

Monday, March 18 (Day 09)
KOCHI - KOTOHIRA  (B)(D)
Our travel continues along the Kochi Highway to spend the night in Kotohira, a small town in Kagawa Prefecture.  The town is best known for Kompira-san, located on the wooded slope of Mount Zozu.  Although Kompira-san has one of the most difficult shrine approaches in Japan with hundreds of steps, the site is visited by many visitors and pilgrims from across the country.  There are many souvenir and sweet shops lined along the approach-way to the shrine.   We’ll visit the historical Kanamaru-za Kabuki Theater, Japan’s oldest surviving and complete kabuki playhouse.  Kabuki performances are still held in the theater occasionally.  Explore the audience hall and the basement to see the workings of the human powered rotating stage and the trapdoors and exits, used by the stage performers.  Enjoy dinner and relax in the soothing hot springs at our onsen hotel.

Accommodations at HANANOYU KOBAITEI or similar

Tuesday, March 19 (Day 10)
KOTOHIRA - TAKAMATSU - TOKUSHIMA - NARUTO - AWAJI ISLAND  (B)(L)(D)
Our travels continue on to the city of Takamatsu in Kagawa Prefecture to enjoy a stroll through the city’s main attraction - Ritsuirin Koen.  Known as one of the famous historical landscaped gardens in Japan, this was once the summer retreat for the Lords of the Matsudaira family.  This scenic garden follows a classical Japanese design featuring pine trees winding around a series of ponds, bridges and rock formations, including the ‘borrowed scenery’ of Mount Shuin in the background.  Enjoy a fun hands-on-activity to make udon at the Nakano Udon Gakko.  Teachers there will provide you with instructions on how to roll and cut your own udon to enjoy for your lunch.  We’ll travel to Tokushima, capital city of Tokushima Prefecture to enjoy a lively dance performance of the famous Awa Odori, the pride of Tokushima at the Awa Odori Kaikan.  Learn to dance and participate with the special dancers accompanied by the sounds of shamisen (three stringed guitars), taiko (drums) and fue (flutes).  Enjoy a performance of the Awa Ningyo Joruri (Puppet Play) at the Awa Jurobe Yashiki Puppet Theatre - a theatrical art form featuring a fascinating performance of life-size puppets animated by puppeteers and accompanied by narration and music.  (Subject to confirmation), the live performers of gidayu narration and shamisen accompaniment blend together to present a dramatic performance of a tragic drama.  We’ll continue on to Naruto, the northernmost city on Shikoku Island and the starting point of the Shikoku Pilgrimage of the 88 temples associated with the famous Buddhist Monk - Kobo Daishi, founder of Shingon Buddhism.  Naruto is also known for its swirling whirlpools occurring in the waters of the Naruto Strait along the Shikoku coast beneath the Naruto Ohashi.  Whirlpools are created by the difference between the high and low tides moving between the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean according to the rhythm of the tides.  Subject to availability, we may be able to see some whirlpools as we cross the Naruto Channel on the Naruto Ohashi - the bridge that connects Shikoku Island to Awaji Island - the inland sea’s largest island where we will spend the night.  Dinner will be provided for you this evening.

Accommodations at AoAwo NARUTO RESORT or similar

Wednesday, March 20 (Day 11)
AWAJI ISLAND - KOBE - OSAKA  (B)(D)
This morning, we’ll embark on a sightseeing tour of the island, visiting the Sennenichi Sake Brewery, a small local brewery where you will have a chance to step right into the actual brewery and observe some of the brewers at work.  At the conclusion of the tour, samples of their products will be available for you to taste, including the high-grade Daiginjo.  We’ll travel on the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, a suspension bridge linking Awaji Island to the city of Kobe on the main island of Honshu, crossing the busy Akashi Strait.  We’ll continue on to spend the night in the busy industrial city of Osaka.  On arrival, we’ll explore and stroll through Dotonbori, an exciting and popular shopping, entertainment and food destination.  Located nearby is Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade, Osaka’s premier shopping center featuring department stores and trendy boutiques.  Enjoy shopping at Kuromon Ichiba Market, a lively covered market in Osaka’s Chuo Ward - nicknamed “Osaka’s Kitchen”.  Many locals and restaurant chefs purchase their supplies here.  Dinner will be provided for you this evening.

Accommodations at HOTEL GRANVIA OSAKA or similar

Thursday, March 21 (Day 12)
ITAMI (OSAKA) to HANEDA to HONOLULU  (B)
This morning, we’ll transfer to Itami Airport to check-in for our domestic flight to Haneda Airport.  Our evening flight to Honolulu will arrive in the morning on the same day due to the crossing of the International Date Line.  A meal will be served on board the flight.

Land portion based on 140 Yen = $1.00 U.S.

The tour price is based on double occupancy and a minimum group size of 20 passengers.  Fare adjustment may apply for groups of 20 or under.  The rate is based on tariffs and exchange rates effective 9/05/23.  Tour fare is subject to change according to any airfare increase, additional government taxes, additional fuel surcharges and fluctuation of the rate of exchange between U.S. and foreign currency.  In the event of revaluation, the land portion of the tour price may be adjusted prior to your final statement.

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