Autumn Colours of Japan a 14 Day Escorted Tour of the Gardens, Temples & Cities of Japan 12Th to 25Th November 2019 Lake Ashi and Mount Fuji
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AUTUMN COLOURS OF JAPAN A 14 day escorted tour of the Gardens, Temples & Cities of Japan 12th to 25th November 2019 Lake Ashi and Mount Fuji apan is a fascinating country with a unique heritage, ancient traditions and culture J juxtaposed with the ultra-modern sprawling metropolises of the world’s most advanced technological civilisation. Our escorted overland tour has been designed to Shirakawago Kanazawa give an in-depth view of a relatively small area, combining both modern and traditional Takayama JAPAN Tokyo Japan and timed for this most magical time of year when the landscapes burst into Kyoto Hakone Osaka Nara colour with the arrival of the autumn leaves. We begin our exploration with the bright neon lights of Tokyo where the mesmerizing cityscape of skyscrapers is interspersed with ancient temples and scenic gardens before making the short journey to Hakone to enjoy the famous hot springs and views across Lake Ashinoko of nearby Mount Fuji. We will also visit Takayama to explore the historic sites, including the hillside temples of this beautiful mountain region before continuing on to the ancient castle town of Kanazawa, home to artisans who produce some of Japan’s most celebrated pottery, lacquerware and silks. Here we will visit the colourful Omicho Market to see local life in action and stroll through Kenroku-en Gardens, justifiably classified as one of Japan’s most beautiful landscaped gardens. Our final days will be spent in atmospheric Kyoto, this former imperial capital is Japan’s cultural treasure house with an astonishing 1600 Buddhist temples, 400 Shinto shrines, a trio of palaces and dozens of gardens and museums. OUR VIEW THE ITINErary Japan has been one of our most popular spring destinations for many years Day 1 London to Tokyo, Japan. the hotel and enjoy an afternoon “but it was on a recent trip I made to the country that I was fortunate to Fly by scheduled flight. at leisure to explore independently witness the wonderful autumn colours. The leaves of the maple trees and before we enjoy dinner tonight in a ginkgo trees turn red and yellow presenting beautiful scenery at every turn. Day 2 Tokyo. Arrive this morning local restaurant. (B, D) We have therefore devised this tour to combine many of the highlights and transfer to the Keio Plaza of the country, from temples and gardens to local culture and food with, Hotel for our two night stay. The Day 4 Tokyo & Hakone. After we hope, the additional benefit of seeing these sites enhanced by the remainder of the day is at leisure breakfast in the hotel we will make changing seasonal colours. to acclimatise before we meet our our way to the Meiji Shrine which ” fellow travellers this evening for a is dedicated to the deified spirit Paul Mildon, Head of Planning & Operations welcome dinner in the hotel. (D) of Emperor Meiji and a popular place for traditional Japanese A morning tour will weddings. Surrounded by over Meiji Shrine Garden Day 3 Tokyo. include time in Asakusa, Tokyo’s 100,000 trees, Meiji is an oasis of “old town”. Visit Sensoji, Tokyo’s serenity and spirituality in a city oldest temple and spend time in that never sleeps. We will then visit Nakamise, a shopping street that the Nezu Museum which exhibits has been providing temple visitors an excellent collection of Japanese with a variety of traditional, local and East Asian art. Hidden away snacks and tourist souvenirs for in its spacious forest-like garden centuries. Continue to the Kiyosumi you will find ponds, stone lanterns Garden, designated as a National and several tea houses. After lunch Place of Scenic Beauty in Tokyo, we will start our journey to Hakone which has been designed in the where we hope to get a glimpse of Kaiyu-rinsen style as a strolling Mount Fuji. Enjoy some free time garden. Take time to walk around after checking into our hotel, the the central pond and see the Hakone Konwakien Ten-yu, before stones which have been brought meeting for dinner this evening. here from all over Japan. Return to (B, L, D) www.noble-caledonia.co.uk Shirakawago village Kenroku-en Garden Sensoji Temple Day 5 Hakone. Our morning tour Day 7 Takayama. Drive this lunch here before continuing House, a traditional Japanese will start at the Hakone Shrine. This morning to Takayama Jinya, to Kanazawa. After checking home with tea-ceremony room, Shinto shrine was very popular also known as the Historical into Hotel Nikko we have a free an interior courtyard garden and among Samurai during the twelfth Government House which is the afternoon and evening. Tonight, artefacts from the Edo period. century and is hidden away in a only surviving government office if conditions permit, you may After some free time we will meet dense forest. In fact, the shrine is so building from the Edo period. wish to visit the Kenroku-en for dinner in the hotel. (B, L, D) well hidden that it would be easy to Takayama Jinya now serves as Garden which are floodlit from miss were it not for its magnificent a museum where you will find mid-November each year. The Day 10 Kanazawa to Kyoto. torii gates. After our visit we will well-preserved conference and red and yellow branches and Transfer to the train station board boats to cross Lake Ashi, an interrogation rooms with old leaves together with yukitsuri after breakfast for our journey enormous volcanic crater created tatami floors and some century- ropes, installed to protect the to Kyoto. A lunchbox will be by an eruption over 3000 years old artefacts. After lunch at the trees from the snow in winter, lit provided on the train before ago. In Togendai we will take the hotel we will visit Shiroyama up in the dark create a fantastic we arrive in the early afternoon. cable car towards Owakudani, Park, a wooded hill that overlooks atmosphere. (B, L) On arrival we make our way to located on an active volcano and the town. We will see the statue Nijo Castle which was built by where we can join a series of walks dedicated to Kanamori Nagachika Day 9 Kanazawa. Our first stop the founder of the Tokugawa to the steam vents and bubbling as well as the Shorenji Temple. today is the Omicho Market Shogunate as the Kyoto pools. Return to the hotel for an There will be the option to take a which has been in the centre of residence of the Shogun and is afternoon at leisure and perhaps, more strenuous walk into the forest Kanazawa for nearly 300 years. surrounded by stunning gardens. if the colours have arrived, visit or simply enjoy the autumn colours. The market is home to more The ornamental building was the nearby Sekirakuen Gardens or End the day at the Higashiyama than 200 stalls selling all sorts of completed in 1603 and is Goya Park independently. Meet Temple Area, a peaceful group of fresh produce and, as Kanazawa well-known for its Momoyama this evening for dinner in the hotel. temples on a slightly elevated hill is located on the coast, you architecture, decorated (B, D) area in the eastern part of town. may wish to sample some of the sliding doors, and ‘chirping’ The walk around the temples is a fresh local seafood. After lunch nightingale floors. Continue to Day 6 Hakone & Takayama. After pleasant stroll that will allow the we will continue to Kenroku-en the Philosopher’s Path which is breakfast in the hotel we will chance to enjoy both the historical Garden which is classified as one a pleasant stone path through check out and make our way to sites and the beautiful nature that of Japan’s three most beautiful the northern part of Kyoto’s Odawara station where we board a surrounds them. (B, L) gardens. The blooming times Higashiyama district. The path Shinkansen bullet train to Nagoya. were carefully considered during gets its name due to Nishida From Nagoya we change to a Day 8 Shirakawago & Kanazawa. its creation meaning the garden Kitaro, one of Japan’s most Limited Express Hida Wideview On our way to Kanazawa we will remains interesting all year round, famous philosophers, who was train for one of the most scenic train visit the village of Shirakawago especially in autumn as the maple said to practice meditation while journeys in Japan, winding our way located in the mountains of trees change colour. Kenroku-en walking this route on his daily through tall mountains and stunning the Shogawa River Valley that literally translates to “Garden of commute to Kyoto University. gorges to Takayama. A lunch box stretch from Gifu all the way to the six sublimities”. According There are many small temples will be provided on the train as Toyama prefecture. It is famous to ancient east-Asian landscape and shrines to stop off at along we watch the colours outside the for its traditional gassho-zukuri theory, the garden possesses all the walk. Continue to the Kyoto windows. On arrival check into Hotel farmhouses, some of which are six essential attributes that make Tokyu Hotel for check in and Associa Takayama Resort and enjoy more than 250 years old and a perfect garden. Our day ends some free time before dinner is some free time before meeting for were declared a UNESCO World at the Nagamachi district where served in the hotel this evening. dinner tonight. (B, L, D) Heritage Site in 1995. We will enjoy we will visit the Nomura Samurai (B, L, D) Kenroku-en Garden Kinkakuji Temple Bamboo groves, Kyoto Tea ceremony, Kyoto Takamura Red Torii gates, Fushimi Inari shrine Day 11 Kyoto.