From its humble beginnings as a small, 16th century castle town, Tokyo - or Edo as it was then known - soon became one of the planet's most populous cities and has since been holding high prominence in the league of the world's most significant, influential and alluring metropolitan areas. We visit the central wholesale market, which is the largest in the world, and the beautiful Imperial Palace, complete with its mazes of moats, bridges, cul-de-sacs, parks and gardens. In Kamakura, slightly south of the capital, we find grand monuments, shrines and temples nestled snugly amid wooded hillsides and it is here that we can gaze upon the bewitching spectacle of the statue of the Great Buddha, the second-largest bronze image in the country. In the evening, traditional music and dance are showcased in Kabuki, a kind of Japanese theater and come morning, we take to the tracks on the 'bullet train', bound for the forested mountains, deep glens and picturesque ravines of the Hakone region, where we can opt to enjoy stunning vistas from a cable car up Mount Fuji. Our rail experience continues on to Takayama, a region whose geographic features have resulted the unique cultural evolution of its inhabitants, and on through the scenic Hida River Valley. In Kyoto, we see the 1,001 life-size statues of the Buddhist teacher Kannon; in Nara, we get a taste of the pervading air of spirituality and mysticism that envelops the area; and in Hiroshima, we visit the Peace Memorial Park and enjoy the sights and sounds of a bustling city that overcame the devastation of five decades ago to become the most vital city of San-Yo.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Breakfast and dinner (mostly at local restaurants) are included daily.
- All transport, accommodation, sightseeing and entrance fees for sites noted as 'visited' in the detailed itinerary.
- Gratuities for restaurant staff, porters, local guides.
- Airport transfers for land / air customers arriving / departing on tour dates.
Price Excludes:
- Tour Leader gratuities, lunches, drinks, personal items (phone, laundry, etc), international (if applicable) air taxes, and any excursions referenced as 'optional'.
- Airport transfers for early / late arrivals / departures or Land Only customers.
- Optional trip cancellation insurance.
- Our post-reservation trip notes offer further guidance on shopping, not included meals.
Also see tour packages in:
Asia
Japan
Cultural Journey
Archeology/History
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