Japan2011

Bill Howe

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Japan - April 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011 to Monday, April 11, 2011
Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima

This tour is under the auspices of:

Maiko A Brower
Asia Div. | IACE TRAVEL
370 S. Crenshaw Blvd. Suite E-106, Torrance CA 90503
310-533-6450(Phone)
Email: info@iace-asia.com, website: www.iace-usa.com,

About this Tour -

The best-selling book 1,000 Places To See Before You Die lists these five places that we will see on our trip: Old Kyoto - Imperial City; Nara, Japan - Towering Temples, the Great Buddha and Roaming Deer; Mount Fuji and Cherry Blossoms of Japan

The 10 Best of Everything: An Ultimate Guide for Travelers by National Geographic lists Ginza as a major site.

Day by Day Program

Updated Jan. 9, 2011
Read updates of our trip at http://billhowe.org/BillBlog/

Friday, April 1, 2011 - Depart JFK in New York City or your home destination. Sat., April 2, 2011 - arrive in Tokyo. Monday, April 11, 2011 - Depart Osaka to return home. Arrive back to New York City or your home destination same day

Day 1 Friday April 1	Depart USA
Day 2 Saturday April 2	NARITA Arrive at Narita Airport International Airport by your flights. After clearance of immigration and customs formalities, you will be met by English Speaking Assistant at the arrival lobby. English Speaking Assistant will help you to exchange your JR pass & reserve all seats. Transfer to your hotel by Chartered coach,(1hr 30min). Arrive at your hotel. Check in Hotel: Hotel Princess Garden 2-23-7 Kamiosaki, Shinagawa, Tokyo Prefecture 141-0021, Japan Free at your leisure. Dinner is on your own.
Day 3 Sunday April 3	TOKYO (B/L/D) Breakfast at hotel. 9:00am Tokyo Full Day sightseeing tour by chartered coach with an English Speaking guide. Asakusa Kannon Temple The Asakusa Kannon Temple is the oldest temple in Tokyo. According to legend, one day in the 7th century, two local fishermen discovered a statue of Kannon, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy in their nets. The first temple is said to have been built on this site to house this statue. Since then the temple has been rebuilt and made bigger many times. It is believed that the original statue of Kannon found by the fishermen is buried beneath the gold plated shrine which is behind the main altar in the Main Hall. Akihabara Electric Town Akihabara is a major shopping area for electronic, computer, anime, and otaku goods, including new and used items. New items are mostly to be found on the main street, Chūōdōri, with many kinds of used items found in the back streets of Soto Kanda 3-chōme. First-hand parts for PC-building are readily available from a variety of stores. Tools, electrical parts, wires, microsized cameras and similar items are found in the cramped passageways of Soto Kanda 1-chōme (near the station). Foreign tourists tend to visit the big name shops like Laox or other speciality shops near the station, though there is more variety and lower prices at locales a little further away. Akihabara gained some fame through being home to one of the first stores devoted to personal robots and robotics. Lunch at local restaurant Imperial Palace The current Imperial Palace (Kokyo) is located on the former site of Edo Castle, a large park area surrounded by moats and massive stone walls in the center of Tokyo, a short walk from Tokyo Station. It is the residence of Japan's Imperial Family. Free time at Ginza. Ginza (銀座) is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi. It is known as an upscale area of Tokyo with numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses. Ginza is recognized as one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world. Many upscale fashion clothing flagship stores are located here, being also recognized as having the highest concentration of western shops in Tokyo. Prominent are Abercrombie & Fitch, Chanel, Dior, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton.^[1] Flagship electronic retail stores like the Sony showroom and the Apple Store are also here. 17:00pm Return to hotel - Hotel Princess Garden Dinner at local restaurant.
Day 4 Monday April 4	TOKYO-MT.FUJI-HAKONE-TOKYO (B/L/D) Breakfast at hotel. You will be met by a English speaking guide. 8:00am Four minutes walk to Meguro station on own. Take a JR local train to Shinagawa station and transfer to bullet train for Odawara station with guide. Arrive Odawara station. MT. Fuji- Hakoene Full Day sightseeing tour by chartered coach with guide. Mt. Fuji 5th Station or Fuji Visitor Center Lunch at local restaurant. (Japanese set menu) Owakudani valley Ropeway Ride Cruise on Lake Ashi Board Bullet Train from Odawara to Shinagawa station. Arrive at Tokyo station. Dinner at local restaurant (Buffet) Four minutes walk to your hotel from Meguro station with guide. Lake Ashi Cruise Lake Ashi (Japanese: Ashinoko) was formed in the caldera of Mount Hakone after the volcano's last eruption 3000 years ago. Today, the lake with Mount Fuji in the background is the symbol of Hakone. The best views of the lake in combination with Mount Fuji can be enjoyed from Moto-Hakone, from the Hakone Detached Palace Garden and from the sightseeing boats cruising the lake. Note however, that clouds and poor visibility often block the view of Mount Fuji, and you have to consider yourself lucky if you get a clear view of the mountain. Visibility tends to be better during the colder seasons of the year than in summer, and in the early morning and late evening hours. Two companies, Hakone Sightseeing Boats and Izuhakone Sightseeing Boats, operate boats between Moto-Hakone and Hakone-machi at the lake's southern shores and Togendai and Kojiri at the northern shores. A boat cruise from one end of the lake to the other takes roughly 30 minutes. Hakone Ropeway Blessed by its wonderful natural environment, superb scenery and an abundance of natural hot springs, Hakone is one of the leading tourist attractions in Japan. The Hakone Ropeway service operates at approximately one-minute intervals, and the 30-minute journey from Sounzan Station to Togendai Station, which nestles on the shore of Lake Ashi, allows visitors to take in such spectacular views as the crystal-clear blue waters of Lake Ashi, the rising volcanic fumes of Owakudani and the grandeur of Mount Fuji on a fine, sunny day. We are sure that you will enjoy your stroll in the sky, as you find yourself surrounded by some of the most famous sights that Japan has to offer. 18:11 Board Bullet Train from Odawara to Shinagawa station. 18:39 Arrive at Tokyo station. 19:30 Transfer to hotel by local transfer. -- Hotel Princess Garden Dinner at local restaurant (Buffet)
Day 5 Tuesday April 5	TOKYO– KAMAKURA (B/L/D) 8:30am Kamakura-Yokohama Full Day sightseeing by chartered coach. You will be met by an English speaking guide at the lobby. Transfer to Kamakura(1hr 30min) Kotoku-in (Great Buddha) Komachi Street Lunch at local restaurant. (Japanese set menu) Yokohama Land Mark Tower Observatory Deck Sankei - en Japanese Garden 17:00 Dinner at a local restaurant (Chinese set menu) (Service of our guide ends upon arrival at restaurant) Arrive at your hotel. Hotel: Hotel Princess Garden Kotoku-in (Great Buddha) The Great Buddha of Kamakura is a monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amitābha Buddha located at the Kōtoku-in Temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The bronze statue probably dates from 1252, in the Kamakura period, according to temple records. It was preceded by a giant wooden Buddha, which was completed in 1243 "after five years of continuous labor", the funds having been raised by Lady Inadano-Tsubone and the Buddhist priest Joukou of Toutoumi. That wooden statue was damaged by a storm in 1248, and the hall containing it was destroyed, so Joukou suggested making another statue of bronze, and the huge amount of money necessary for this and for a new hall was raised for the project.^[1] The sculptors were Ono Goroemaon and Tanji Hisatomo.^[2] At one time, the statue was gilded. There are still traces of gold leaf near the statue's ears.^[3] The hall was destroyed by a storm in 1334, was rebuilt, and was damaged by yet another storm in 1369, and was rebuilt yet again.^[4 Komachi Street This street represents the modern face of Kamakura. There are many restaurants, souvenir shops, coffee shops and boutiques. One can shop around for Japanese souvenirs, such as Japanese dolls, wooden crafts, and antiques. Lunch at local restaurant Yokohama Land Mark Tower Observatory Deck The tallest building and 3rd tallest structure in Japan, standing 296.3 m (972 ft) high. It is located in the Minato Mirai 21 district of Yokohama city, right next to Yokohama Museum of Art. Work on the building was finished in 1993. It has the highest observation deck in Japan. The tower also was originally the tallest building in the world on an island, but was surpassed by Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan in 2004. The building contains a five-star hotel which occupies floors 49-70, with 603 rooms in total^[1]. The lower 48 floors contain shops, restaurants, clinics, and offices. The building contains two tuned mass dampers on the (hidden) 71st floor on opposite corners of the building. On the 69th floor there is an observatory, Sky Garden, from which one can see a 360-degree view of the city, and on clear days Mount Fuji. The tower contains the world's 2nd fastest elevators, originally world's fastest, which reach speeds of 12.5 m/s (41.01 ft/s) (45.0 km/h, 28.0 mi/h). This speed allows the elevator to reach the 69th floor in approximately 40 seconds.^[2]The elevators's speed record is surpassed by elevators of Taipei 101 (60.6 km/h, 37.7 mi/h) in 2004. Sankei-en Japanese Garden Sankeien is a spacious Japanese style garden in southern Yokohama which exhibits a number of historic buildings from across Japan. There is a pond, small rivers, flowers and wonderful scrolling trails that make you think you are in Kyoto rather than Yokohama. The garden was built by Hara Sankei and opened to the public in 1904. Among the historic buildings exhibited in the park are an elegant daimyo (feudal lord) residence, several tea houses and the main hall and three storied pagoda of Kyoto's old Tomyoji Temple.
Day 6 Wednesday April 6	YOKOHAMA-OSAKA (B/L/D) Breakfast at hotel. Check Out of Hotel Baggage will be separately transported by truck from Tokyo to Osaka. Four minutes walk to Meguro station on own. Take a JR local train to Shinagawa station and transfer to Bullet Train to Shin Oasaka station. Arrive at Shin Osaka station. (NO - Escort ) Meet a English speaking guide at the platform of Shin-Osaka station. Osaka Half Day sightseeing tour by chartored coach. Osaka Castle Lunch at local restaurant (Takoyaki) Shopping in Shinsaibashi Dotonbori District Dinner at a local restaurant (Sushi) (Service of our guide ends upon arrival at restaurant) Arrive at your hotel, check in on your own. City Route Hotel 2-3-6, UTSUBOHOMMACHI, NISHI-KU, OSAKA 550-0004, JAPAN Tel: 06-6448-1000 / and, they remodeled all the guest room in February, 2010, so all the room is very nice, and clean. Osaka Castle (Takoyaki Making) Originally called Ozakajō, it is one of Japan's most famous castles, and played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Osaka Castle is situated on a plot of land roughly one kilometer square. It is built on two raised platforms of landfill supported by sheer walls of cut rock, using a technique called Burdock piling, each overlooking a moat. The central castle building is five stories on the outside and eight stories on the inside, and built atop a tall stone foundation to protect its occupants from sword-bearing attackers. The Castle grounds, which cover approximately 60,000 square meters (15 acres)^[1] contain thirteen structures which have been designated as Important Cultural Assets by the Japanese government,^[2] including: Ote-mon Gate Sakura-mon Gate Ichiban-yagura Turret Inui-yagura Turret Rokuban-yagura Turret Sengan Turret Tamon Turret Kinmeisui Well Kinzo Storehouse Enshogura Gunpowder Magazine Three sections of castle wall all located around Otemon Gate. The castle is open to the public, and is easily accessible from Osakajōkōen Station on the JR West Osaka Loop Line. It is a popular spot during festival seasons, and especially during the cherry blossom bloom (hanami), when the sprawling castle grounds are covered with food vendors and taiko drummers. The large indoor arena Osaka-jo Hall is also located within the grounds of the castle park. Shopping in Shinsaibashi Shinsaibashi* (心斎橋) is a district in the Chūō-ku ward of Osaka, Japan and the city's main shopping area. It centers around Shinsaibashi-suji, a covered shopping street, that is north of Dōtonbori and parallel and east of Mido-suji street. Associated with Shinsaibashi, and west of Mido-suji street, is Amerika-mura, an American-themed shopping area and center of Osaka's youth culture. Major stores and boutiques concentrates are found around the area. Shinsaibashi is easily accessed via the subway.
Day 7 Thursday April 7	OSAKA-HIROSHIMA (B/L/D) Breakfast at hotel. -Your main luggage will stay at the hotel in Osaka. - Please prepare overnight bag for 1 night tonight. Meet an English speaking guide at the lobby of the hotel. Two minutes walk to Tenmabashi station with guide. Take a subway to Higashi-umeda station and transfer to bullet train bound for Hiroshima station with guide. Hiroshima Half Day sightseeing tour by chartered coach & Ferry with English speaking guide. Peach Memorial Museum Atomic Bomb Dome Lunch at a local restaurant.(Okonomiyaki) Miyajima Ferry Itsukushima Shrine 17:00pm Arrive at your hotel Dinner at local restaurant inside your ryokan. Hotel: Miyajima Morinoyado (Japanese Tatami Room) 9:59am Board Bullet Train to Hiroshima station. 11:28am Arrive at Hiroshima station Hiroshima Half Day sightseeing tour by chartered coach. Lunch at local restaurant. Miyajima Ferry Miyajima has been considered a holy place for most of Japanese history. In 806 AD, the monk Kōbō Daishi ascended Mt. Misen and established the mountain as an ascetic site for the Shingon sect of Buddhism. In the years since, the island's Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines have maintained a close relationship. In the past, women were not allowed on the island and old people were shipped elsewhere to die, so that the ritual purity of the site would not be spoiled; in fact, the island's real name is Itsukushima (厳島), and Miyajima is just a popular nickname meaning "Shrine Island". These days, strict measures are taken to ensure that the island's sole town retains a classically Japanese Edo-era look. Deer wander freely through the streets and parks. There are still a few bits of concrete warren that have snuck in, but the seafront promenade is particularly attractive, especially later in the day when the rampaging tour groups head home and the stone lanterns are lit. Itsukushima Shrine (Japanese: 厳島神社, Itsukushima Jinja) is a Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima) in the city of Hatsukaichi in Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Japanese government has designated several buildings and possessions as national treasures. The shrine is dedicated to the three daughters of the Shinto deity of seas and storms Susano-o no Mikoto, brother of the great sun deity, Amaterasu (the tutelary deity of the Imperial household). The first shrine buildings were probably erected in the 6th century, and the shrine has been destroyed many times. The present shrine dates from the mid-16th century, having been rebuilt in keeping with its earlier 12th century design.^[1] 17:00pm Arrive at your hotel. Check In Hotel. Dinner in hotel restaurant.
Day 8 Friday April 8	HIROSHIMA-KOBE-OSAKA (B/L/D) Breakfast at hotel. You will be met by an English speaking guide at lobby. Check Out of Hotel Proceed to Miyajimaguchi station on foot & ferry with guide. Take a JR local train to Hiroshima station and transfer to bullet train bound for Shinkobe station with guide. Half-day sightseeing in Kobe by chartered coach with English speaking guide. Lunch at a local restaurant (Japanese set menu) Kobe Earthquake Memorial Museum Harborland District (Mosaic) Dinner at a local restaurant (Japanese set menu) (Service of our guide ends upon arrival at restaurant) Arrive at your hotel. City Route Hotel 2-3-6, UTSUBOHOMMACHI, NISHI-KU, OSAKA 550-0004, JAPAN Tel: 06-6448-1000 / Peace Memorial Museum Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is located in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, in central Hiroshima, Japan. It was established in August 1955 with the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Hall (now the International Conference Center Hiroshima). The museum exhibit presents the facts of the atomic bombing, with the aims of contributing to the abolition of nuclear weapons throughout the world, and of promoting world peace. It is the most popular of Hiroshima's destinations for school field-trips from all over Japan and for international visitors, too. The architect of the main building was Kenzo Tange. Atomic Bomb Dome. The most famous landmark in Hiroshima is the Atomic Bomb Dome ("Gembaku Domu" in Japanese) next to the Aioi river, one of five or six rivers in the city. When the bomb exploded, thousands of badly burned residents threw themselves into the rivers to ease the pain. Many of them didn't survive, so there were hundreds of corpses in the water. 11:48am Board bullet train (Hikari 556) from Hiroshima to Shin-Kobe station. Lunch Box will be served in the train. 13:07 Arrive at Shin - Kobe station & Board chartered coach for sightseeing Harbour Land adjacent to Kobe station). This is a modern shopping and dining area, developed on the edge of the Kobe Bay. Kobe Earthquake Memorial Museum. On January 17, 1995 at 5:46 am, the city of Kobe was hit by the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake, resulting in the death of more than 5000 people and the destruction of tens of thousands of homes. The Disaster Reduction Museum, part of the Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution, was opened in 2002 to commemorate the tragic event and to educate visitors about earthquakes and disaster prevention. The museum includes a large screen theater with realistic images of the earthquake's destructiveness, a documentary film about the recovery process, lots of information about the earthquake and various interactive games about disaster prevention.
Day 9 Saturday April 9	OSAKA-KYOTO-OSAKA (B/L/D) Breakfast at your hotel. You will be met by an English speaking guide at lobby. 8:30am Kyoto Full Day sightseeing tour by chartered coach. Transfer to Kyoto (1hr 30min) Golden Pavilion Nishijin Textile Center Lunch at a local restaurant (Buffet) Heian Shrine(photo stop) Kiyomizu Temple Dinner at a local restaurant (Japanese set menu) (Service of our guide ends upon arrival at restaurant.) Arrive at your hotel. City Route Hotel 2-3-6, UTSUBOHOMMACHI, NISHI-KU, OSAKA 550-0004, JAPAN Tel: 06-6448-1000 / Golden Pavilion Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺, Temple of the Golden Pavilion^?), also known as Rokuon-ji (鹿苑寺, Deer Garden Temple^?), is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan.^[2] The garden complex is an excellent example of Muromachi period garden design.^[4] It is designated as a National Special Historic Site and a National Special Landscape, and it is one of 17 World Cultural Heritage sites in Kyoto.^[5] It is also one of the most popular buildings in Japan, attracting a large number of visitors annually.^[6] Nishijin Textile Center The Nishijin Textile Center, located in Imadegawa, is a modern-style building where demonstrations and exhibits are held on the theme of the traditional Nishijin textile industry. In addition to a kimono show (6 times a day) are hand-weaving demonstrations and a display of historical materials. It is the perfect place to take in the beauty of gorgeous Nishijin textiles. Here you can also dress up as a maiko, geiko in a junihitoe (12-layer kimono). Heian Shrine (photo stop) The Heian Shrine (平安神宮, Heian jingū^?) is a Shinto shrine located in Kyoto, Japan.^[1] The torii before the main gate is one of the largest in Japan, and the main building, or shaden (社殿), is designed to imitate the Kyoto Imperial Palace on a three-fourth scale. The Heian Jingū was built in 1895 for the 1,100th anniversary of the establishment of Heiankyō (the old name of Kyoto). The shrine is dedicated to Emperor Kanmu and Emperor Kōmei. The former moved the capital to Heiankyō, and the latter was the last before Emperor Meiji, who moved the capital to Tokyo. The Heian Jingū hosts the Jidai Matsuri, one of the three most important festivals of Kyoto. The procession of this festival begins at the old Imperial palace, and includes carrying the mikoshi (portable shrines) of Emperors Kanmu and Kōmei to the Heian Jingū. Kiyomizu Temple Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺^?), officially Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera (音羽山清水寺^?) is an independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) UNESCO World Heritage site.^[1] (It should not be confused with Kiyomizu-dera in Yasugi, Shimane, which is part of the 33-temple route of the Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage through western Japan.)
Day 10 Sunday April 10	OSAKA-NARA-OSAKA (B/L/D) Breakfast at hotel. You will be met by an English speaking guide at lobby. 8:30am Nara Full Day sightseeing tour by chartered coach. Transfer to Nara (1hr) Deer Park Todaiji Temple Lunch at a local restaurant (Japanese set menu) Kasuga Taisha Shrine. (Public space only) Arrive at your hotel. (Service of our guide ends upon arrival at your hotel. ) Farewell Dinner at your hotel. (Buffet) City Route Hotel 2-3-6, UTSUBOHOMMACHI, NISHI-KU, OSAKA 550-0004, JAPAN Tel: 06-6448-1000 / Deer Park Nara Park* (奈良公園, Nara Kōen^?) is a public park located in the city of Nara, Japan, at the foot of Mount Wakakusa, established in 1880. Administratively, the park is under the control of Nara Prefecture. The park is one of the "Places of Scenic Beauty" designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The over 1,200 wild sika deer (シカ or 鹿 shika) freely roaming around in the park is also under designation of MEXT, classified as a "Natural Monument." While the official size of the park is about 502 ha, the area including the grounds of Tōdai-ji, Kōfuku-ji and Kasuga Shrine, which are either on the edge or surrounded by Nara Park, is as large as 660 ha. Todaiji Temple Tōdai-ji (東大寺, Tōdai-ji^?, Eastern Great Temple),^[1] is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall (大仏殿 Daibutsuden), the largest wooden building in the world,^[2] houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana,^[2] known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu (大仏). The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the Kegon school of Buddhism. The temple is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site as "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara", together with seven other sites including temples, shrines and places in the city of Nara. Sika deer, regarded as messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion, roam the grounds freely. Kasuga Shrine A stroll through Nara Park from Todaiji leads to one of the best Shinto shrines in Japan, the Kasuga Grand Shrine (or Kasuga Taisha). Originally the royal shrine of the powerful Fujiwara family, Kasuga Grand Shrine was founded in 768 and, according to Shinto concepts of purity, was torn down and rebuilt every 20 years in its original form until 1863. Since virtually all empresses hailed from the Fujiwara family, Kasuga Shrine enjoyed a privileged status with the imperial family. In the later half of the Heian period (794-1185), Kasuga Shrine was united with Kofukuji Temple under the new theology of Kami-Buddha Fusion. This interfaith alliance lasted until the Meiji restoration (1868-1912), when the government established Shinto as the state religion and ordered the separation of Buddhism and Shinto.
Day 11 Monday April 11	OSAKA-KIX (B) Breakfast at your hotel. Check out. Free time till departure. You will be met by English speaking assistant at the hotel lobby. Transfer to Kansai Airport by chartered motor coach. Fly for USA. [ IMPORTANT - please note for those making their own travel arrangements that the main tour group arrives at Narita Airport in Tokyo but leaves from Kansai International Airport in Osaka]