Fukuoka and Nakasaki Memorial Day Omiyage Weekender Tour 2021
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Fukuoka and Nakasaki Memorial Day Omiyage Weekender Tour 2021 Shop, Sightsee, Eat, Fun- A perfect way to spend the Memorial Day holiday weekend! May 25th-31st, 2021 5nts/7days from: $1949 double/triple $2149 single Cancel for any reason up to 60 days prior-FULL REFUND! Maximum Tour size is 24 tour members! Welcome to Fukuoka, on the northern tip of Kyushu Island, it is western Japan’s most happening city and gateway to the country. Set amid splendid natural diversity – bordered by mountains, flanked by sea, and dotted with hot springs – the metropolis is an exciting hub of modern city life. Rich with tradition and modern cultural attraction, contemporary art, architecture, shopping, and cuisine complement centuries’-old temples and shrines. And then there is Nagasaki, forever marked as a distinct destination, Today, it is vibrant and full of diverse charm, offering a modern energy that embraces the past while looking toward the future. On this Omiyage Weekender, there is so much more, the legendary pottery center, Okawauchiyama Village, Kokura Castle, an opportunity to get up and close with kangaroos and wallabies at Green Park, 2 hands-on experiences, and Mifuneyama Raken, an Edo Period garden with more than 500 Buddha statues. Itinerary/Details Day 1 – May 25th, Tuesday – Depart from Honolulu Hawaiian Airlines #827 Departs Honolulu 1:25 pm – Arrive Fukuoka 6:40 pm +1 Please meet your Panda Travel representative at the Hawaiian Airlines international check-in counters, located in Terminal 2, Lobby 4, a minimum of 3 hours prior to the flight departure time. Day 2 – May 26th, Wednesday – Fukuoka-Hakata After clearing customs, we will be met by our local guide and then the short bus ride to our hotel for our three-night stay, Hotel Clio Court Hakata, adjacent to the JR Hakata Station. Location, hard to find a more convenient spot, just steps from so many dining and shopping options. After checking in, the remainder of the evening is free. Welcome to Fukuoka, Kyushu’s largest city and Japan’s sixth largest. It is made up of two former towns, the Fukuoka castle town on the west bank of the Naka-gawa and Hakata on the east. The two towns merged in 1889 as Fukuoka, though the name Hakata is still widely in use. As an example, it is Fukuoka Airport but Hakata Station. Whatever you call it; this youthful, user-friendly metropolis has a cosmopolitan charm, peppered with the flavors of its Asian neighbors. Hakata traces its trading history back some 2000 years, which continues today with visitors from Seoul and Shanghai. Among Japanese, the city is famed for its 'Hakata bijin' (beautiful women), SoftBank Hawks’ baseball team and hearty Hakata ramen. If Fukuoka does not burst with sights like Tokyo or Kyoto, its friendly atmosphere, warm weather, and contemporary attractions – art, architecture, shopping, and cuisine – make up for it Hotel Clio Court Hakata Hakata JR Station Accommodations: Hotel Clio Court Hakata free Day 3 – May 27th, Thursday – Hakata (B) After breakfast at our hotel, please meet up with your guide by 9:15am as we venture out on a full day of touring. Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Fukuoka, where more than 2 million people visit during the first three days of New Year. In this shrine, Sugawara-no Michizane, an excellent poet, particularly in Chinese poetry in the late 9th century, is enshrined as the god of academic achievements. During the entrance exam season, young people from all parts of Japan preparing for these examinations and their parents come to the shrine to pray for success and academic achievement. Michizane died in Dazaifu in 903, just a few years after being sent into exile. Shortly after his death the country was ravaged by natural disasters, and people came to believe that the calamities were caused by the wrathful spirit of Michizane, still angered by his unjust treatment. Offerings were made to the spirit of Michizane and the tradition of Tenmangu Shrines was begun. The Tenmangu Shrine in Dazaifu was built on the site of his grave. The entire length of the approach is lined with shops that cater to the shrine's visitors. The shrine is rather large, stretching about 250 meters from one end to the other. After passing through the torii gate at the entrance, visitors will come across a pond that was built in the shape of the Japanese character for "heart". A path leads across two arched bridges and islands which represent the past, present and future. Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine and approached lined with shops on both sides From here we are off to Canal City Shopping Complex for free time to enjoy lunch on own and have a bit of shopping time. With 250 stores, restaurants, movie theatres, it is among the largest and most elaborate shopping malls in Japan. While Fukuoka ramen can be sampled at hundreds of vendors throughout the city, the best place to experience this local specialty is here at Canal City’s Ramen Stadium. It is an entire floor loaded with ramen kitchens selling regional variations, including the local favorite, Hakata Ramen. Canal City Mall Ramen Stadium at Canal City Now, off to enjoy a hands-on doll-coloring experience at the Hakata Doll Hall Shogetsudo, with over 600 items on display, ranging from works by young artists to master craftsmen. Hakata Doll is one of most beautiful and famous arts and crafts in Japan, well-known throughout the world. If you are looking for a unique souvenir from Fukuoka, look no further than the daintiness of a Hakata Doll. Nothing can beat the beauty and fine tenderness formed from techniques that have been handed down for over 500 years. Dolls for sale at the shop hands-on doll coloring experience From here, back to our hotel, arrival by 4:15pm and the remainder of the afternoon and evening is free. Accommodations: Hotel Clio Court Hakata free Day 4 – May 28th, Friday – Hakata-Kokura-Hakata (B) After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 8:15am as we are off on a full day of touring. Our morning begins with a visit to After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 8:15am as we are off to visit Kokura, an ancient castle town and perhaps the luckiest Japanese city during WWII. Clouds and poor visibility on the morning of August 9th, 1945 saved the city from the atomic bomb, only to strike nearby Nagasaki. The drive time is approximately one-hour and once here we will be visiting Kokura Castle, the only castle left standing in Fukuoka Prefecture. First built in 1602, destroyed by fire, damaged, and rebuilt several times to its present state, a more modern version to make it more visually appealing. The castle tower of Kokura Castle has an architectural style called “Karazukuri” and was said to be the only castle using this style in the country when it was built, making it rare. Karazukuri refers to the structure where the upper floor is made larger than the lower floor and is overhanging. In Kokura Castle, the 5th floor is larger than the 4th floor. Once inside, learn a little more about its history, the story of Kokura during the Edo Period. Climb inside a palanquin (an Eastern-style sedan chair) and pretend to be Japanese royalty, enjoy the two beautiful gold-leaf tiger painting that adorn the walls and at the top of the castle, incredible views overlooking Kokura Castle Garden. We will also enjoy our first hands-on experience, a tea ceremony. From here, off to Gintengai Shopping Street, a covered shopping arcade that is connected to the JR Kokura Station. This is the first shopping street in Japan to add a covered arcade, in 1951. At 400-meters long, it is a favorite with locals. Among the many shops are a variety of bakeries and restaurants that feature yaki-udon, a Japanese stir fry dish consisting of thick, smooth, white udon noodles mixed with a soy-based sauce, meat, and vegetables. The street is home to Tsujiri Teahouse, a famous long-running teahouse that is known for its popular matcha green tea desserts. Enjoy free time to explore, shop, and have lunch on your own. This afternoon, a visit to Hibikinada Green Park. Known also as Green Park, it is considered one of the most beautiful parks near the seaside of Kitakyushu. The park’s theme is of “encountering water, greenery, and animals”. At the centerpiece, a rose garden with 320 different kinds of roses and 2500 rose plants for a total of one million roses blooming everywhere. The garden flourishes with many visitors in spring and in fall. Within the park, Hibiki Animal World is known as a leading facility in Japan for raising marsupials. Here you can see and interact with the approximate 250 kangaroos. There is a separate enclosure to view wallabies and wallaroo. Rose Garden Butterflies before hatching & after birds & ecology Garden In addition, there are places where you can get up close and personal with water dragons, chameleons, and other tropical reptiles, as well as channel-billed toucans and other birds, in the tropical house, Tropical Ecology Garden. The rice paper butterflies here are the largest in Japan. Kangaroo Square and wallabies We now make our way back to Hakata, arrival by 5: 15pm.The remainder of the evening is free. Accommodations: Hotel Clio Court Hakata free Day 5 – May 29th, Saturday – Hakata (B) After breakfast, enjoy a complete free day to shop and explore on your own. Day 6 – May 30th, Sunday – Hakata-Saga- Nagasaki (B/L) After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 8:30am as we make our way to Nagasaki.