KANSAI Cherry Blossom Tour 2021 Hanami – The cherry blossom season is coming soon!

MARCH 28TH – April 4th, 2021 6nights/8days from: $2695 triple $2795 double $3295 single

Cancel for any reason up to 60 days prior-FULL REFUND! Maximum Tour size is 24 tour members! The beauty of during the Cherry Blossom Season is breathtaking.

In the mountains, parks along riverfronts and city street, in school yards…..

The search for the perfect cherry blossom has begun! Cherry blossom season is in full bloom now in the Kansai region of Japan!

The blossoming of the sakura trees reveals Japan at her most beautiful and the Kansai region offers some of the most breathtaking viewing spots in all the land.

Join us on this regional tour as we discover the best cherry blossom viewing spots along with free time for shopping and to enjoy the great cities of , Kyoto, Himeji, and Kobe. Besides a complete free day in Osaka, 2 sake breweries and a special Japanese dinner complete with a Geisha performance, Aqua Liner cherry blossom cruise, and much more.

Itinerary/Details

Day 1 – March 28th, Sunday – Depart from Honolulu

Hawaiian Airlines #449 Departs Honolulu 1:10 pm – Arrive Kansai 6:45 pm +1

Please meet your Panda Travel representative at the Hawaiian Airlines check-in counters located in Terminal 2, Lobby 4, a minimum of 3 hours prior to the flight departure time.

Day 2 – March 29th, Monday – Kansai-Osaka

On arrival at the Kansai Airport, please make your way to the baggage claim area and then proceed to customs clearing. On exiting customs, our local guide will be there to meet us for the drive to our hotel, Hotel Monterey Grasmere Osaka,

Talk about location, just 2 blocks from the heart of Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi shopping streets. This spot is perfect to feel and see the real Osaka, with limitless dining and shopping opportunities.

Welcome to Osaka, Japan’s 3rd most populous city and the working heart of Kansai. Famous for its down-to-earth citizens and the colorful Kansai-ben (Kansai dialect) they speak, it's a good counterpart to the refined atmosphere of Kyoto. Primarily, Osaka is famous for good eating: the phrase kuidaore (eat 'til you drop) was coined to describe Osakans' love for good food. Osaka is also a good place to experience a modern Japanese city. It's only surpassed by Tokyo as a showcase of the Japanese urban phenomenon

After checking in and having some time to freshen up, we are off to explore the Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade. This covered arcade shopping street has a very long history, site of some of Osaka's historical bridges. It has been around in some form for hundreds of years and is still one of the city's most popular and famous spots.

Shinsaibashi is the perfect spot for window-shopping and strolling. There's no shortage of places to shop, especially flanked by Amerika-mura and the Dotonbori, and Crysta Naghori underground, but this shopping arcade has charm. Not only does it have a wide selection of stores sure to please anyone, but the southern end of the arcade is at the Dotonbori River, a great sightseeing spot and home to that famous 'eat-til-you-burst' Osakan cuisine.

There are many choices for dinner as well as the endless streets for shopping.

Famous Blade Runner Neon Shinsaibashi Shopping Dotonbori Street

Accommodations: Hotel Monterey Grasmere Osaka free

Day 3 – March 30th, Tuesday –Osaka (B/L)

After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 8:30am as we are off to discover Osaka.

The morning begins with a visit to , the symbol of Osaka with it’s over 400 years of history. Built as a display of power by after he achieved his goal of unifying Japan. One hundred thousand workers toiled for three years to construct an 'impregnable' granite castle, finishing the job in 1583. It was destroyed 32 years later by the armies of Tokugawa Ieyasu, rebuilt within 10 years, and then suffered a further calamity when another generation of the Tokugawa clan razed it rather than let it fall to the forces of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

The present structure is a 1931 concrete reconstruction of the original, which was refurbished in 1997. The interior houses an excellent collection of displays relating to the castle, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the city of Osaka. On the 8th floor is an observation deck with 360-degree views. The castle and park are at their colorful best in the cherry-blossom and autumn- foliage seasons.

Enjoy the sight of over 4,000 cherry trees planted within the grounds and in the parks, that surround the area. Afterward we are off on a sightseeing cruise down the Okawa River (at the rear of Osaka Castle Park) and marvel at the 5,000 or so cherry blossom trees that line its banks.

Next, a special treat, a scenic one-hour cruise along the Okawa River on the Aqua-Liner. During cherry blossom season, this is a great way to enjoy the beauty of the blooms as you just sit back, relax, and take it all in.

Osaka Castle Aqua Liner Cruise

After a Japanese lunch at a local restaurant we are off to the Osaka Mint, a famous spot for cherry blossom viewing. The grounds are lines with 350 cherry trees. Many come to enjoy the side by side contrast of the beautiful architecture against the vividly colored trees. Enjoy free time to take in the beauty.

Now, back to our hotel by 3:30pm so that you can enjoy a relaxing afternoon evening exploring the area.

Accommodations: Hotel Monterey Grasmere Osaka free

Day 4 – March 31s- Wednesday –Osaka (B)

After breakfast at our hotel, enjoy a complete free day to shop til you drop, sightsee, or maybe a combination of both.

Close by is Amerikamura, also known as Amemura. With its American-style boutiques and shops, international bars, and low prices, Amemura is a popular hangout spot for trendy youths who like Western fashion and pop culture. Rather than the big-name brands found in Shinsaibashi or Midosuji, Amemura has indie boutiques and thrift stores that give it its quirky and lively reputation. Flea markets are sometimes set up on weekends and there are often street performances. This makes this a fun place to visit and hang out to experience the fusion of Japanese and Western culture.

Less than 2 blocks you will come across the two most popular streets in all of Osaka, Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori. This is the city's most famous entertainment district and offers abundant dining and shopping choices.

Shinsaibashi’s covered arcade shopping street has been Osaka’s most important shopping area for 400 years, with hundreds of shops lining this 600-meter long street. From huge department stores like Daimaru and flagship Uniqlo clothing stores to small independent boutiques, there is something for every shopper and every wallet on this street. There are also dozens of delicious restaurants and cafes hidden in the streets and the alleys leading just off it.

And then there is the Dotonbori, the lively entertainment area and Osaka’s most famous tourist destination and renowned for its gaudy neon lights, extravagant signage, and the enormous variety of restaurants and bars. This is one of the most colorful areas in Osaka and an absolute must-visit location when traveling through Kansai region.

The history of this area goes back to 1612 when a merchant by the name of Yasui Doton invested all his personal capital in an ambitious local development project. Doton’s plan was to divert and expand the Umezu River into a new waterway that would link the local canal network with the Kizugawa River. Unfortunately, Doton’s project was interrupted by war and he himself was killed during the Siege of Osaka in 1615. Later that same year, Doton’s cousins completed his work and, in his memory, the new canal was named Dotonbori or “Doton Canal”.

Also, close by is Kuromon Market, with more than 190 years of history and tradition, this popular area is known by locals as "Gastronome" and "Osaka' s Kitchen". All kinds of fresh food items are available at this market, fully satisfying the hunger of the people of Naniwa (Naniwa is the old name for this area).

Despite its sometime touristy feel, the 150 or so shops here still give you the sense of a local neighborhood market. Local folks in the area come here to so their shopping, buy their produce and fish, new clothes, shoes, and a variety of household items and gadgets. Enjoy free time here to explore.

Just about a block away is Doguyasuji Shopping Street, a 150-meter-long shopping arcade lined with specialty shops selling cookware, kitchen utensils and restaurant supplies. This arcade with its variety of appliances, tableware and cooking accessories provides an interesting counterpoint to Kuromon Market and can also be a good spot for picking up some unique souvenirs.

As you can see, there is quite a lot to see and do on this free day and the best is that it is just a walk from our hotel.

Enjoy your day!

Accommodations: Hotel Monterey Grasmere Osaka free

Day 5 – April 1st- Thursday –Osaka-Kyoto (B/D)

After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 9:00am as we bid goodbye to Osaka and make our way to Kyoto. Our bags will be sent by truck and meet up with us at the hotel. The drive time is approximately 1.5 hours.

Kyoto is a town of 1.5 million, a place beloved not for its go-all-night sleeplessness but its quiescence: In pockets of Kyoto, you can see Japan as it was centuries ago, as if modernity itself were a simple inconvenience, something to be adapted or ignored as chosen. This is, after all, where everything we think of as Japanese—its court culture, its art, its artisanry, and, oh yes, much of its spectacular cuisine—was born or perfected.

“Kyoto is arguably the most popular place for cherry blossom viewing in Japan. There are numbers of beautiful places to enjoy amazing collaboration of cherry blossoms and Kyoto’s historical sites.”

Once here, we begin the touring day with a visit to Nijo Castle, built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period. His grandson completed the castle's palace buildings 23 years later and further expanded the castle by adding a five-story castle keep.

The wide moat, massive stone walls, and heavy yet elaborate gates are still impressive, and were the only fortifications the inhabitants felt necessary, so firm was their grip on power. The grounds are large and contain several lovely gardens as well as groves of plum and cherry trees. The palace building itself is imposing, yet upon closer examination, is rich in decorative detail. Enjoy time here for cherry blossom viewing.

Inside the palace are several masterpieces of Japanese art, most notably the painted screens of the main chamber. In this room, the shoguns met the daimyo (high-ranking warlord-administrators) who sought an audience. The screens were painted by artists of the Kano school and employ rich colors and large amounts of gilt to depict flowers, trees, birds, and tigers. They were meant to impress. Also, in the palace are the famous "nightingale floors," which were designed to squeak when stepped on and thus alert guards to any intruders.

From here, off to our hotel for the next two nights, New Miyako Hotel Kyoto, ideally situated across the street from the Kyoto JR Station and around the corner from the Aeon Mall. No matter in which direction you turn, a wide variety of food and shopping opportunities are available.

We will arrive by noon, allowing free time to have lunch and shopping time on your own. Rooms will be available for check- in from 2:00pm on.

Please meet up again with your guide by 6:30pm as we are off on a special evening, a night tour followed by dinner. It will be a multi course kaiseki dinner with a Maiko performance. Witness the beauty and elegance of the lovely ‘maiko’ (apprentice geishas) during an evening of culture, entertainment, and delicious food. Learn about ancient Japanese traditions as you chat with the maiko and even take photographs together as a token of remembrance.

After dinner and show, back to our hotel, arrival by 9:00pm. Once back, the remainder of the evening is free.

Accommodations: New Miyako Hotel Kyoto free

Day 6 – April 2nd- Friday –Kyoto (B)

After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 9:00am as we are off to for a full day of touring.

The morning begins with a visit to Kyoto’s famed Golden Pavilion. Be it capped by snow in winter or set against a lush green background in summer, nothing is as symbolic of Kyoto as Kinkaku-ji's golden reflection shimmering across the rippled surface of the pond before it.

Kinkaku-ji is one of Japan's best-known sights. The original building was built in 1397 as a retirement villa for Shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. His son converted it into a temple.

In 1950 a young monk consummated his obsession with the temple by burning it to the ground. The monk's story was fictionalised in Mishima Yukio's The Golden Pavilion. In 1955 a full reconstruction was completed that exactly followed the original design, but the gold-foil covering was extended to the lower floors.

The temple is set in three stories. The 1st floor is Shinden-zukuri, the palace style. It is named Ho-sui-in. The 2nd floor is Buke-zukuri, the style of the samurai house and is called Cho-on-do. The 3rd floor is Karayo style or Zen temple style. It is called Kukkyo-cho.

Both the 2nd and 3rd floors are covered with gold-leaf on Japanese lacquer. The roof, upon which the Chinese phoenix settles, is thatched with shingles.

The entire temple is surrounded by a beautiful garden with a pond in the front called the Mirror Pond. The stones in the pond give a representation of the Buddhist era.

During this season, Golden Pavilion is a must visit for cherry blossom viewing.

Golden Temple & grounds

From here, off to Maruyama-koen Park, offering some of the finest cherry trees in all of Kyoto. It is Kyoto’s oldest park set in a kaiyushiki-style garden, different sections of the park bloom in different seasons.

This brilliant little park, complete with a duck pond and gurgling streams is famous for being one of Kyoto’s top cherry blossom viewing spots. The park has over 680, various kinds of cherry trees including Somei Yoshino and Yamazakura. The most famous of all is the iconic weeping cherry tree (Shidarezakura) which is 90 years old and stands at a height of 12 meters. This tree attracts millions of visitors as it is considered the symbol of cherry blossom in Kyoto.

Enjoy free time here to take in the colors of the season. During this period, there are many food stalls as well as three tea parlors. At these parlors, if you purchase something to eat, enjoy it in a special seating area right under the cherry trees. This park is a must visit for cherry blossom viewing.

We are now off to Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka preserved districts, two of Kyoto’s most attractive streets, sloping lanes that lead down from Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

Lined with beautifully restored traditional shophouses, this pair of pedestrian-only lanes that make for some of the most atmospheric strolling in the whole city. In fact, it’s here that you are most likely to be able to imagine what Kyoto looked like before modernity descended in full force. Enjoy free time here to shop and have lunch on your own.

Our last touring stop of the day is at Kiyomizu Temple, one of the signature World Heritage sites in Kyoto that dates back 1200 years.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple is perhaps the most popular of the temples in Kyoto and is a fixture in the minds of the Japanese people. The temple's veranda juts out of the side of a mountain supported by 13-meter-high wooden columns. The main hall with its distinctive hip-shaped roof of cypress bark rests to the rear of the veranda and houses within it a priceless statue of Kannon Bodhisattva, the goddess of mercy. From the veranda, one can appreciate fine views facing west over the city of Kyoto. This is an auspicious place to watch the sunset, which may also explain the romantic associations accorded to the temple.

Several other buildings designated as "national treasures" dot the grounds, as do waterfalls and landmarks which have entered popular lore. Thus, people come to the temple to drink water from the falls by collecting it in tin cups; the water is said to have therapeutic properties and drinking from the three different streams is said to confer health, longevity, and success in studies.

There is also a shrine Jishu-jinja Shrine on the grounds and praying there is said to help one succeed in finding an appropriate love match. People desirous of a romantic partner can be seen walking between two prominent stones with their eyes closed. If one can make the journey alone, this is taken as a sign that the pilgrim will find love. Those who need assistance in making the crossing will require an intermediary to help them find their mate.

We begin with a walk up Chawan-zaka or Kiyomizu-michi, the street leading to Kiyomizu Temple. This street is one of the most popular tourist spots in Kyoto. There are many gift shops, food stands, restaurants, and cafes on this street. The main feature of this street is Nama-Yatsuhashi. Nama-Yatsuhashi is the most popular Kyoto sweet.

Kiyomizu-dera is of Kyoto's leading cherry blossom spots, with nearly 1500 mountain cherry and Somei Yoshino trees. The view of the trees from the temple's observation platform is spectacular. Enjoy cherry blossom viewing here.

Now, back to our hotel, arrival by 4:30pm. The remainder of the afternoon and evening is free.

Accommodations: New Miyako Hotel Kyoto free

Day 7 – April 3rd- Saturday –Kyoto-Himeji (B/L)

After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 8:30am as we journey to Himeji. The drive time is approximately 2- hours and a rest stop will be made along the way.

Once in Himeji we begin with a visit to Himeji Castle, also known as White Heron Castle due to its elegant, white exterior, in resemblance to a bird taking flight. It is regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture, comprised of 83 building.

The castle is both a national treasure and a world heritage site. Unlike many other Japanese castles, it was never destroyed by war, earthquake or fire and survives to this day as one of the country's twelve original castles. Extensive renovations over several years were completed and the castle re-opened to the public in early 2015.

Himeji Castle views from the top original stone walls

The castle sits square in the center of the Himeji Town and is often touted as one of the best places for cherry blossom viewing in Japan. Himeji Castle truly is a sight to behold in the spring, during the cherry blossom festival. Enjoy time here for cherry blossom viewing.

Close by, a beautiful garden park, Kokoen Gardens, is our next visit. It is built on the former site of the west residence of Himeji Castle's daimyo lord. There are nine different gardens within Kokoen, including a Japanese water garden, a tea garden, an evergreen garden, a bamboo garden, and a flower garden. The gardens are designed to reflect the best of Japan's four seasons. Enjoy free time to take in the beauty. While cherry trees are more limited here, the scenery is quite beautiful.

Kokoen Garden

After a Japanese lunch at a local restaurant, a visit to Nadagiku Sake Brewery for a tour and tasting. Considered one of the best breweries in Himeji, it also has the rare distinction of having a female brew master.

After a tour, enjoy sake tasting and time in their gift shop. Some of the sake sold here is not available anywhere else.

Nadagiku Sake Brewery

From here, off to our hotel, Hotel Nikko Himeji, ideally located adjacent to the Himeji JR Station and less than a two-minute walk to the covered shopping arcade, Miyuki dori. This long shopping street runs all the way from Himeji Station to the square in front of the castle.

Along the way you will find plenty of shops and a plethora of cosy cafés. One that comes particularly recommended is Hamamoto coffee, an old style “kissaten” where many elderly locals, some of them somewhat eccentric, gather during the morning hours, so it is a great place for people watching. The coffee they serve deserves a mention too, as it consists of a carefully chosen selection of beans from all over the world, ground and carefully hand-dipped in the traditional way.

A must do, walk up to the viewing platform that offers incredible views of Himeji Castle in the distance.

Arrival will be by 4:00pm and the remainder of the afternoon and evening is free. Our guide will set a time to meet for those who would like to take a short walking tour.

Accommodations: Hotel Nikko Himeji free

Day 8 – April 4th, Sunday –Himeji-Kobe-Kansai (B/L)

After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 9:00am. While it may be our last day on tour, we still have much to see and experience before our flight home later this evening.

We now bid good-bye to Himeji and travel to Kobe. The drive time is less than 1-hour.

Welcome to Kobe, famous for its beef and crisp, pure sake, this Japanese port city is one of Japan’s most attractive and cosmopolitan. From Japan’s earliest days of trade with China, Kobe was a maritime gateway and home to one of the first foreign communities.

Once there, free time for shopping in Sannomiya, the main business and entertainment area of the city. Various department stores and covered shopping arcades are all steps away.

Nankinmachi (Kobe Chinatown), a popular tourist attraction and shopping and dining district is also close by. Two main streets run through the district, meeting each other at a small plaza in the center. They are packed with shops, restaurants and food stands that sell popular items such as steamed buns, ramen, tapioca drinks and various other Chinese dishes.

Today, lunch is included, Kobe beef lunch at a local restaurant.

Now, off to our second sake brewery visit, Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum, located here in Kobe’s brewery district. This brewery is inside an old sake kura. Unlike a modern museum, the interior has the unique smell and look of an old-world brewery, which the building is.

Enjoy the tour, sampling and gift shop. This brewery does offer up items you may not find elsewhere.

From here, off to the Kansai Airport, but not without some last-minute shopping at the AEON Mall, close to the airport. This is also a good opportunity to pick up a freshly made dinner bento or snacks to take along and enjoy while waiting on our flight.

Hawaiian Airlines #450 Departs Kansai 8:45 pm – Arrive Honolulu 9:25 am