Tauck Value Includes:

Essence
of
Japan
Gentle, graceful images of
Japanese culture stay with
you long after your return
home, from the Golden
Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji) in
Kyoto to the traditional
costume of a Geisha
Tauck Value Includes:
• Unique cultural experience at an authentic Japanese ryokan,
featuring an overnight stay and a special dinner
• NEW for 2011! Visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial
Museum and Miyajima Island
• Private visit to a 300-year-old family home in Shirakawa-go, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site; journey aboard Japan’s famous
Bullet Train, the Shinkansen, into Fuji-Hakone National Park
• Demonstration in art of making sushi in Tokyo; special Geisha
and Maiko performance in Kyoto
• Exclusive insider look at a local home in Kyoto, enriched with
calligraphy and Origami demonstrations and a tea ceremony
• 3 nights at an exclusive Tokyo hotel set in the heart of the
city center, and 5 nights at a premier hotel, set in soothing
Japanese gardens, overlooking Kyoto
• Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
• 29 meals (12 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 8 dinners); gratuities
to local guides and drivers, service charges, admission fees,
taxes and porterage
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1. Arrive Tokyo
Tour begins: Hotel Seiyo Ginza at 6:30 PM. A transfer is included
from Tokyo Narita Airport and Haneda Airport to the Hotel Seiyo
Ginza for your three-night stay in the heart of Tokyo. Designed
to reflect the hospitality of an elegant private home, your
accommodations are ideally located in Ginza. Meet your fellow
travelers at our welcome dinner. Meals D
2. Discover
the
Sights
of
Tokyo
Tokyo is a visual feast of centuries-old traditions and modern-day
sophistication. Past meets present today as Tauck hosts you
on guided city sightseeing excursions that include the Imperial
Palace, Edo Tokyo Museum, Asakusa Kannon Temple and the
Nakamise Shopping Arcade. Get an authentic taste of life in this
dynamic city at a hands-on demonstration in the art of making
sushi, followed by lunch. Meals BL
3. Dancing
at
Meiji Shrine / Odaiba Island
No matter how fast-paced and trendy, life in Tokyo reflects a
reverence for cultural traditions than transcends generations.
You’ll experience it when you take off your shoes for a visit
inside the Meiji Shrine today, honoring the spirits of the Emperor
Meiji and his Empress Shoken with eternal serenity and tranquil
manicured gardens. You’ll hear it at a special performance
S EA OF
J APAN
sparkling Lake Ashi – weather permitting, savor a glimpse of Mt.
Fuji – and travel by gondola on the Hakone Ropeway over the
mountains, and funicular down the mountains. Continue on to your
hotel; the Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort & Spa boasts panoramic
views of historic Gora Valley and is well-known for its onsens (hot
springs). Dine at the hotel this evening. Meals BLD
J APA N
Wakura Onsen
Kanazawa
Shirakawa-go
Kyoto
Hiroshima
Matsumoto
Takayama
Tokyo
5. Drive Through
Mt. Fuji
Hakone
the
Japanese Alps
An early morning departure takes you on a drive through the
Alps of Japan, towering some 9,000 feet over the landscapes
below. Rice farms dominate the valleys, while lush forests blanket
the mountains. Visit the Itchiku Kubota Museum, showcasing
Japanese textiles and kimonos of the artist after whom the
museum is named, and tour beautiful Matsumoto Castle. Continue
on to your mountain resort in the 16th-century town of Takayama
where a multi-course regional feast awaits at dinner. Meals BLD
Osaka Nara
PACIFIC
O CEAN
Maximum Elevation: 4, 455 ft.
6. Historic Takayama
Takayama is renowned for its remarkably preserved Edo-period
merchants’ shops and houses, quaint village streets and sake. A
walking tour with a local guide visits the farmers’ morning market,
the Festival Float Museum and the historic Takayama Jinya.
There are more than 2,000 different brands of sake produced
throughout Japan – taste a representative sampling today when
you visit a local sake brewery. The remainder of the day is free;
showcasing age-old Shinto music with the ancient Kagura dance.
You’ll feel it when you visit Odaiba, an island purpose-built for
protection in the 1850s; today it boasts some fun and unusual
attractions. And you’ll taste it during tonight’s dinner at a
Japanese restaurant renowned for serving time-honored culinary
dishes and a mix of more modern fare. Meals BLD
4. Fuji-Hakone National Park
Speed into the countryside aboard Japan’s renowned Bullet Train,
the Shinkansen (one of Asia’s fastest trains), to a place where
time slows down. Your destination is the hilly hot-springs town of
Hakone in Fuji-Hakone National Park, bursting with scenic beauty
and natural treasures. Visit the Hakone Open-Air Museum to view
its harmonious collection of sculpture from the post-Rodin period
and art by Pablo Picasso, Renoir and Miro. Cruise the waters of
Your journey brings new knowledge every day, from visits to (left to right): the amazing
gassho-zukuri at Shirakawa-go; the Edo Tokyo Museum; Matsumoto Castle, Hakone
Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-468-2825
www.tauck.com
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VENERABLE JAPANESE
CUSTOMS
So much of the joy of travel is experiencing age-old cultures,
traditions and lifestyles – highlights of your travels on
Essence of Japan.
• Authentic tastes
of daily life in
Japan include tea
ceremonies; eating
with chopsticks;
sampling – and
making – seafood
delicacies like sushi;
dining at a low table
while sitting on the floor; wearing a traditional kimono;
learning the art of calligraphy and Origami; attending a
Geisha dance performance; and removing your shoes at
temples, shrines and
private homes.
• Sleep atop a futon on
the floor of a Japanese
ryokan; relax in a
communal thermal bath;
don slippers instead of
shoes; and learn the art
of bowing when greeting
new friends in Japan.
“Good balance between planned and free time to explore...
Excellent local guides... Appreciated everything being so well
planned, didn’t have to worry about anything... Our Tauck
Director was on top of everything, all details taken care of –
he gave us a unique look at Japan and felt like he truly cared
” – Excerpts from guest comment cards
about each of us.
of Ogimachi, the largest village with 59 intact gassho houses.
Continue north past picturesque fishing villages and farms to your
Japanese ryokan-style hotel, embodying both luxury and simplicity.
Become immersed in an array of Japanese customs while you are
here; soak in rejuvenating communal baths; don traditional dress
for a typical dinner and sleep atop a futon. Meals BLD
8. Garden Charm
on the
Noto Peninsula
Learn about rice farming from a local farmer when you visit his home.
Arrive in Kanazawa with its winding cobblestone streets, Samurai
residences, Geisha houses, museums, gardens, and flower-filled
open-air market – enjoy a tempura lunch. Walk it off on a stroll
through Kenroku-en Garden, ranked among the country’s top three
gardens; translated, its name means “a refined garden incorporating
six attributes: spaciousness, careful arrangement, seclusion, antiquity,
elaborate use of water and scenic charm.” Samurais have made their
homes in this village since the Edo Period; see how these Japanese
warriors lived back then when you visit the family of the Nomura
Samurai House. Leave the sea-swept Noto Peninsula behind when
you board a train for your journey to Kyoto, former capital of Japan for
1,000 years. Spend the next five nights at The Westin Miyako, Kyoto,
set amidst a tranquil garden setting overlooking the city. Meals BLD
9. Enchanting Kyoto
A full day of city sightseeing begins with a visit to Kinkakuji
Temple; this Golden Pavilion was designated a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. Explore Nijo Castle, best known for its ornate
interiors and nightingale floors; built of Japanese cypress by the
first Tokugawa shogun in 1603, it is a wonderful example of
Momoyama architecture. Have dinner on your own tonight; Kyoto
offers an abundance of fine restaurants to choose from with a
diverse array of international cuisine. Meals BL
there are wonderful museums, boutiques and antique shops to
explore, bikes to ride and hot springs to relax in. Dine as you
please for lunch and dinner. Meals B
7. Shirakawa-go / Ryokan
Journey into the mountains to Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site that is well-known for its villages of thatched
gassho-zukuri (praying hands) farmhouses. Visit a private
300-year-old family home and stroll through the historic village
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10. Spend
the
Day
at
Hiroshima
From Kyoto, travel aboard the super-fast Nozomi Super Express
(speeds up to 186 mph) for a visit to Hiroshima. A ferry takes
you to Miyajima Island (holy site of Shinto) for a walk to view the
oft-photographed Itsukushima Shrine and its “floating” torii gate.
Have lunch on the island and return by ferry to Hiroshima for a
visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, where the first
atomic bomb fell on August 6, 1945; today it is a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. Your visit is poignant, the story described in words,
Japanese gardens reflect the spiritual influence of
nature, such as the Kasuga Grand Shrine in Nara;
visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and
see the “floating” torii gate at Miyajima Island.
pictures and artifacts – and optimistic hope in the peace flame
that burns outside the museum. Return to Kyoto by train for an
evening arrival back at your hotel. Meals BLD
11. Temples
of
13 Days from $6,590 plus airfare
(12 Breakfasts, 9 Lunches & 8 Dinners)
Begins Tokyo
Tranquil Nara
Mar 25 Apr 1, 8, 15, 22 May 6, 13, 20, 27 Jun 24
Jul 8, 22 Sep 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Oct 7, 14, 21
Tour Sanjusangendo Temple, home to 1,001 wooden cyprus
statues of Kannon-Bosatsu dating back to the 13th century.
Continue on to Nara, where you’ll savor an unforgettable glimpse
of old Japan on visits to ancient temples, shrines and gardens and
during lunch at a Japanese restaurant. See the Daibutsu (Great
Buddha) at the Todai-ji Temple in Nara Park; at more than 50
feet high, the huge statue is the largest bronze Buddha in all of
Japan. Stroll the wooded grounds of the stunning vermilion-colored
Kasuga Grand Shrine, adorned with some 3,000 stone and bronze
lanterns, before returning to Kyoto for free time. Meals BL
12. Calligraphy, Origami & Tea
in
Dates in blue indicate a Small Group Departure with no more than 24 Tauck
guests, specially priced from $7890 per person double March – July; and
$7490 per person double August – October. Inquire at time of booking.
Dates in red are special departures where the single price is: Mar 25, Jun 24 –
$8478; Sep 2, Oct 21 – $7897; see General Information for details.
Go to www.tauck.com for up-to-the-minute space availability; additional
departure dates may become available as these sell out.
Price Per Person
Kyoto
Kyoto abounds with a rich legacy of ancient treasures, cultural
gems and natural beauty that spans the centuries. “Take the
plunge,” Kyoto-style, today on a visit to Kiyomizu Temple; the
expression comes from the great views you will see from the
cliff-top verandah off the main hall. Try your hand at calligraphy
and Origami, the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, when
you visit a private home for a tea ceremony with your local hosts.
The afternoon is free for you to enjoy Kyoto as you wish. Join
us for a special farewell dinner tonight featuring a memorable
Geisha and Maiko (Geisha in training) performance, reflecting the
true essence of Japanese culture. Meals BD
March – July
Single $8778
Triple $6678
Double $6590
August – October
Single $8197
Triple $6146
International Airfare is additional. Call Tauck for special rates on
international air, in coach or business, for travel originating in the U.S.
(subject to availability).
Please ask at time of booking about additional hotel nights before or after
your tour and about our comprehensive Guest Protection Product.
Fine Hotels / Great Locations
Night 1-3 Hotel Seiyo Ginza
Night 4Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort & Spa
Night 5,6 Hotel Associa Takayama Resort
Night 7
Kagaya Hotel
Night 8-12 The Westin Miyako, Kyoto
13. Journey Home
Tour ends: Osaka’s Kansai or Itami Airport. A transfer is included
for the 1½ hour trip from your hotel in Kyoto to the airports in
Osaka; allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in. Meals B
Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-468-2825
Double $6990
Tokyo
Hakone
Takayama
Wakura Onsen
Kyoto
www.tauck.com
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