GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY ESSENTIAL JAPAN

2022 YOUNG ALUMNI ADVENTURE

US DEPARTURE DATE: AUGUST 20, 2022 | LAND TOUR START DATE: AUGUST 21, 2022 RETURN DATE: AUGUST 29, 2022 START YOUR ADVENTURE.

Dear Young Alumni and Friends!

Can you think of a better way to travel than with fellow Georgia State Young Alumni?

The GSU young alumni travel program offers you this opportunity by bringing you together withindividuals in the same age range, with similar backgrounds and experiences, while enriching you on well-designed, hassle-free tours of the world.

Travel with young alumni and friends of peer institutions, ages 22 – 35. These programs provide social, cultural, and recreational activities and many opportunities for learning enrichment and enjoying a connection back to the Georgia State alumni family. They are of great quality and value, operated by a travel company with over 40 years of experience in the young professional travel market.

In this brochure you will find a detailed itinerary, travel dates and pricing. Visit our website www.aesu.com/gsu for all details on all tours and to book online.

If you have any questions about our young alumni travel program, please contact us by emailing our tour operator, AESU Alumni World Travel at [email protected] or call 800-638-7640.

Sincerely,

Renee Bazemore

Renee Bazemore Senior Director, Alumni Affairs Georgia State University Alumni Association

TRAVEL INSURANCE

We highly recommend travel insurance. (Some schools or alumni associations may offer travel insurance to you at a reduced rate.) If not, AESU also offers group travel insurance. Ask our reservations agent for details or click on this link: https://www.tripassure.com/main/? welcome=AESU3922MD

Visit our website WWW.AESU.COM/GSU for more details and to book 2 ESSENTIAL JAPAN 10 DAYS

C I T I E S V I S I T E D : TOKYO | |

W H A T ‘ S I N C L U D E D :

10-Day Land Package Transportation and Lodging • Lake Ashi cruise • Owakudani Crater cable car • 8 nights in superior tourist class hotels or better, 2-share • Sumo Wrestler training session rooms with private bath/shower • Kyoto Tea Ceremony • Shinkansen Bullet Train (ordinary class) • Fushimi Inari Shrine • All ground transportation by air-conditioned motor coach, • Kinkakuji – Golden Pavilion as per itinerary • Nijo Castle • Arrival and departure airport transfers included with • Tenryuji Zen Temple & Todaiji Temple purchased AESU group airfare • Daibutsu- Great Buddha statue • Deer Park Meals • Osaka Castle • 14 meals: 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 specialty dinners • Umeda Sky Building • Cup Noodle Museum Activities & Admissions Optional Excursions • Welcome orientation in Tokyo (not included in land package price): • Tokyo city tour with local historian • Sensoji Buddhist Temple • Samurai Kenbu Lesson • Tsukiji Outer Fish Market • Kurama Hike & Hot Springs outdoor baths • Meiji Shrine • Digital Art Museum • Hakone Open-Air Museum 3 ESSENTIAL JAPAN ITINERARY

A B O U T T H E T R I P :

Discover this timeless country, where ancient traditions seamlessly fuse with contemporary lifestyles and the landscapes transition from mystical temples and shrines to ultramodern architecture in the blink of an eye. Explore the imperial city of Tokyo and admire the ancient marvels of Kyoto, dive into the colorful pop culture and visit the famous Dotonbori district of Osaka. Ride the Shinkansen bullet train, lose yourself at the Digital Art Museum, take part in a fun Food Experience tour, see Mt. Fuji, watch sumo wrestlers and enjoy a traditional tea ceremony. This journey is packed with discoveries of a lifetime in the “Land of the Rising Sun.”

DAY 1 - TRAVEL TO JAPAN

Our adventure begins with an overnight flight to Tokyo, the futuristic, neon-lit capital of Japan and the world’s largest metropolis.

Meals: In-flight

DAY 2 - TOKYO: LAND TOUR START DATE

After arrival, transfer to your hotel. Originally a small fishing village named Edo, Tokyo became a prominent political center in 1603 and is now Japan’s top destination for contemporary art, stunning architecture, pop culture and non- stop entertainment. Take time to explore or just relax and unwind before our welcome orientation followed by a Japanese-style dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals: In-flight, Dinner

DAY 3 - TOKYO

Explore this vibrant city like a local with our expert guide. See the Imperial Palace and visit Asakusa, the city’s original Geisha district to see the oldest Buddhist temple, Sensoji, famous for the massive red lantern hanging at the entrance gate. Enjoy the colorful Tsukiji Outer Fish Market brimming with fresh fish and produce and explore the old Edo Akihabara district with time for lunch on your own amidst the labyrinth-style market aisles and food stalls. In a lush forest outside of Tokyo, we’ll visit the Shinto Meiji Shrine, dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Return to the city to check out the renowned Harajuku shopping street and visit the Digital Art Museum, a popular, immersive experience with futuristic, borderless digital art installations that make for great photo ops. Tonight, discover the one-of-a-kind charms of Tokyo’s liveliest neighborhood, the fashion and food hub of Shinjuku. Our fun Food Tour will allow us to take a deep dive into culinary traditions and taste varieties of delectable cuisine while taking in the frenetic atmosphere of other- worldly robot bars and shows or popular karaoke clubs.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

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DAY 4 - TOKYO - HAKONE - MOUNT FUJI AREA

Today we journey to the lakeside resort of Hakone, famed for its healing hot springs. In the shadow of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mt. Fuji, this scenic village is built along the shorelines of Lake Ashi. We’ll stop at the Owakudani crater that was created over 3,000 years ago when Mt. Hakone erupted. Enjoy a thrilling cable car ride for a breathtaking view of Mt. Fuji and then cruise the tranquil waters of Lake Ashi, formed in the caldera and surrounded by lush mountains. After lunch in Hakone, we visit the open-air museum with collections of art by Picasso, Henry Moore, Taro Okamoto, Yasuo Mizui, and many others, featuring over a thousand sculptures and works of art. Return to Tokyo for an evening at leisure and a seemingly endless array of diversions to choose from.

Meals: Breakfast

DAY 5 - TOKYO

Experience a centuries-old Japanese sport up close and personal by visiting a sumo stable and watching the morning training session, known as asageiko. Get a glimpse into how wrestlers build their extreme strength and agility and how their personal interactions reflect the strict system of the hierarchy so central to the fascinating world of sumo. You’re in for a treat for lunch today as we learn how to make sushi at our fun hands-on cooking class. Roll your way into making some traditional dishes, and of course, you’ll get to taste your handiwork along with other specialties at the end of the class. This evening is free for more exploration and finding your own hidden gem to dine on what you crave most, whether its yakitori, ramen, sushi, sukiyaki or other incredible edibles. Don’t forget to sample local beers, sake and matcha.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 6 - TOKYO - BULLET TRAIN - KYOTO

This morning we board the legendary Shinkansen bullet train. Passing rural villages and small tea plantations, on a clear day you get another glimpse of snow-capped Mt. Fuji. Enjoy a bento box lunch while whizzing along at speeds up to 199 miles per hour. Lush vegetation and mountains rise on the horizon as we approach ancient Kyoto in just 2.5 hours. Kyoto is where the tea ceremony was born and remains its spiritual heart. What better place to participate in an authentic tea ceremony. Our charming hosts give us an insightful introduction to the highly ritualized and precise etiquette of this age-old practice. Afterward, visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, the most revered shrine of Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Wind through the wooded mountain forest paths and stroll under thousands of orange-vermilion torii gates that mark the entrance to the sacred inner shrine. Check in to our hotel for a relaxing free evening. Try out a popular noodle bar or consider seeing a show at the Minamiza Kabuki Theater. The Gion is Kyoto’s entertainment area and the most famous geisha district. In the more modern areas the bars and restaurants come alive at dusk, and in the preserved, picturesque streets the

5 ESSENTIAL JAPAN ITINERARY lanterns are lit on the teahouses and maiko, apprentice geisha, can be seen hurrying to their appointments.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 7 - KYOTO

Kyoto served as Japan’s capital and the emperor’s residence from 794 until 1868 and escaped destruction during World War II. Countless temples, shrines and other priceless historic structures survive in the city today. On our walking tour today, our local expert shows us the Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), a graceful Zen temple overlooking a tranquil pond. The top two floors are in the Bukke style used by the samurai and are completely covered in gold leaf. Visit the majestic Nijo Castle, former residence of the shogun and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period. After visiting the impressive Zen Tenryuji Temple and gardens, we’ll have free time for lunch in the bustling Arashiyama district offering a myriad of small, cozy restaurants and shops for browsing. Free time may find you walking or biking the paths through Arashiyama’s famous bamboo groves or relaxing on a Hozu River boat ride. Your evening is at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast

DAY 8 - KYOTO – KURAMA (optional excursion)

The day’s all yours in Kyoto for further exploration, or you can consider participating in a Samurai Kenbu lesson or join our excursion to Kurama. Kurama is a rural town in the northern mountains of Kyoto City, less than one hour from the city center. Kurama is best known for its Buddhist mountain temple Kurama-dera and its hot springs. Hike picturesque trails following the river (approx. 2 hrs) past ancient hidden temple structures. After lunch we’ll relax and soak in outdoor baths called rotemburo, surrounded by forested mountains, taking in the invigorating air and beautiful vistas. If you opt for the Samurai Kenbu Lesson -- get a glimpse into the philosophies of Bushido, the way of the warrior, by learning general concepts of the world of the samurai, and learning how to wield a real katana while wearing traditional samurai clothes. Enjoy a free evening tonight for exploring and taking advantage of the unlimited dining options in Kyoto.

Meals: Breakfast

Optional activities: • Samurai Kenbu Lesson • Kurama Hike & Hot Springs outdoor baths

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DAY 9 - KYOTO - NARA - OSAKA

En route to Osaka we visit Nara, Japan’s first capital. See Todaiji Temple (another UNESCO site) and be awestruck by one of Japan’s largest bronze Buddha statues, the Daibutsu. Then we visit the Nara Deer Park, designated as a natural treasure. Hundreds of temple deer are allowed to roam freely on the grounds as deer are considered the messengers of the gods. In Osaka we see the towering Osaka Castle, one of Japan’s most famous landmarks that played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century. Then there’s free time for lunch in the Dotonbori shopping district surrounded by towering walls of neon. Take in the incredible views of downtown from the top of the Umeda Sky Building. The two 40-story towers are connected at the top by a “floating observatory” accessed via a tunnel-like escalator surrounded by glass. A fun fact is that Osaka is the birthplace of instant noodles, invented in 1958. So, of course, we have to visit the Cup Noodle Museum. This creative, interactive museum relays the important message of global inventiveness and discovery of a new food culture starting with the original “Chicken Ramen” and later, CupNoodles and Space Ramen. Check into our hotel with time to freshen up before dinner. Osaka is renowned for its food and the Japanese call it “the nation’s kitchen”. Our farewell dinner will include many local delicacies and will surely not disappoint.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 10 - OSAKA- TRAVEL HOME

After breakfast, we bid farewell or “Sayonara” to new friends, and begin to plan our next adventure.

Meals: Breakfast, In-flight

7 PROGRAM ACCOMMODATIONS

TOUR DIRECTORS

Your tour includes the services of a professional tour director throughout the land package. We are very proud of our tour directors. They are young professionals; multi-lingual and carefully selected graduates from major universities. They are eager to show the world through the eyes of an adventurer. Our tour directors know this is a trip of a lifetime and will share their knowledge as well as interesting little-known facts. Our qualified tour directors and staff of local experts mean a trouble-free journey with the added security of group travel.

HOTELS

Our hotels are superior tourist-class or better, with private bathrooms. They are centrally located and many offer great extra amenities such as pools, gyms or roof- top bars. All land package rates are based on two people sharing a room. If a single room is desired, a supplement of $985 applies. If traveling solo and not wanting to pay the single supplement, AESU will attempt to arrange a share with a same- gender traveler. If a share cannot be arranged the single supplement will apply.

ACTIVITY LEVEL: 3 (moderate to active) This is single-country trip, multi-city trip by motor coach and train. The daily pace and timing can fluctuate significantly between longer and shorter travel days. To enjoy this tour, guests should be prepared to walk longer distances, climb stairs and tolerate periods of standing, walking on uneven terrains, such as cobblestones, city hills, stairs without handrails, etc. This journey is appropriate for travelers who are physically fit, lead active lives and are comfortable participating in the itinerary activities, able to handle their own luggage and climb aboard buses or trains with high steps.

Travel to and from the tour is not factored into our activity level ratings. You should take into account your stamina when traveling long distances and/or with multiple flight changes. Also, you must be able to handle your luggage independently throughout the itinerary.

“NOT ONLY WAS THIS AN AMAZING TRIP, IT WAS A WAKE UP CALL TO SEE THE WORLD. ” - past traveler

8 BOOKING TERMS AND CONDITIONS EXCLUSIONS: These prices do not include passport and, if applicable, visa fees (Depending on your nationality, you may require visas in addition to a passport to enter certain countries. You must contact appropriate consulates for details on how to obtain on your own.); airport and government taxes; tipping of tour guide and driver (suggested $5 per day for tour director, $2-3 per day for driver); beverages with meals unless indicated otherwise; laundry; personal insurance; room service; telephone charges; all items of a personal nature; any vaccinations, pre/post trip testing/screening, airport transfers when a participant deviates from scheduled flights or travel dates; private transportation; and all items not specifically stated in the itinerary.

CANCELLATION POLICY: All cancellations must be received by AESU in writing. Date of receipt will determine penalties assessed. Cancellation from time of booking until 120 days prior to departure will result in a $300 cancellation fee. Cancellation between 119-90 days of departure will result in forfeiture of 25% of tour cost; between 89-60 days 35% of tour cost; between 59-30 days 50% of tour cost. Cancellation within 30 days of departure or a “no-show” at the time of departure will result in forfeiture of the entire cost of the trip. Processing of cancellation refunds takes approximately 6-8 weeks.

AIRFARES are highly restrictive, NON-REFUNDABLE, NON-ENDORSABLE and NON-TRANSFERABLE once ticketed. Once reservation is booked and paid for AESU reserves the right to issue tickets. Once ticketed, airfare portion is non-refundable. Cancellation of airfare reservations is subject to restrictions, regulations and additional penalties of the airlines used. Reservation changes are also subject to penalties. Travel insurance, including medical health and accident coverage, is compulsory. PLEASE SEE WEBSITE FOR POSSIBLE ADDITIONS TO CANCELLATION POLICIES LISTED ABOVE DEPENDING ON TRIP DESTINATION.

AIRPORT TRANSFERS AND BAGGAGE: All participants using AESU flights on regular group departure days and flights receive airport transfers (between airport & tour hotel) overseas. Land-Only participants (providing own flight overseas) do NOT receive airport transfers and must meet group at the first hotel after 3:00 p.m. on program start date. FLIGHT DELAYS - ALL AIRPORTS: In the event that airline schedule changes or delays force you to miss your airport transfer, just make your way to the first hotel listed on your hotel list. Many shuttle services are available as well as taxi or train options. As airline delays are beyond the control of AESU, additional expenses, if incurred, will be borne by the tour participant. (Save receipts for possible reimbursement by airline.) AESU is not responsible if an airline cancels, reschedules, or delays a flight for any reason. If you miss your departure flight, it is your responsibility to work with the airline on which you are ticketed to reach your destination. AESU is not responsible for any additional expenses you may incur prior to joining your trip. AESU is not responsible for and will not provide any refund for portions of trips missed due to canceled, rescheduled, or delayed flights. If you purchase your own airfare, book your overnight flight from the USA one day earlier than the land tour start date listed on our website. Participants should limit themselves to one checked bag per person and one carry-on per person. Check your airline’s website for any additional luggage restrictions. Liability is clearly stated on the passenger contract.

RESPONSIBILITY: The responsibility of AESU as a tour operator, their agents, and any sponsoring association is limited. They act only in the capacity of agents for the passenger in all matters pertaining to accommodations, sightseeing and transportation whether by railroad, motorboat, motorcar, steamship or plane, and as such they shall not be liable for any personal injury, death, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity which may be occasioned, whether by reason of any defect in any vehicle, or through the acts or default of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger, or in carrying out the arrangement of the tour. They can accept no responsibility for strike, war, quarantine, epidemic health risk, any force majeure event, weather and any other natural or unnatural causes. Additional expenses, if incurred under any of these circumstances, will be borne by the tour participant. By forwarding the deposit, the passenger certifies that he/she has no physical, mental or other condition or disability that would create a hazard for himself/ herself or other passengers & accepts the terms of this contract. The right is reserved to decline, accept or retain any person as a member of the tour or to cancel or alter the tour as required. If improvements in the itinerary can be made, or unforeseen conditions beyond the Operator’s control make changes necessary, they reserve the right to alter itineraries without penalty. TRAVEL INSURANCE is compulsory in the event of tour cancellation for any reason, medical expenses, personal accident, baggage and other personal items, liability and 24-hr emergency assistance. Trip insurance may be offered directly by your Alumni Association. In the event of cancellation due to insufficient number of participants, the Operator’s liability shall be limited to a refund of land payments received from applicants, except non-refundable airfare and insurance. If the change or cancellation is due to force majeure or other similar events beyond Operator’s control, a refund of land payments received from applicants will be made less reasonable expenses incurred by Operator in respect to applicant’s land booking. Baggage and personal injury are at owner’s risk entirely. The issuance or acceptance of vouchers or tickets shall be considered consent of the above conditions. The Operator reserves the right to increase the program price in the event of cost increases due to changes in airfares, currency fluctuations or fuel surcharges. The airlines concerned and their affiliates and agents are not to be held responsible for any act, omission or event during the time passengers are not on board the aircrafts. The passenger ticket in use by said airlines, when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between the airlines and the purchaser of these tickets and/ or the passenger. All services are subject to the laws of the country in which these services are rendered. No refund or allowance will be made for absence during the tour, or for activities missed, even if for causes beyond the control of the participant. For complete terms & conditions, please refer to our web site at www.aesu.com.

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