A Balancing Act Educational Tours Japan Visual Arts Tour ITINERARY SUMMARY Day 1/2 CALGARY / TOKYO Overnight Flights Day 3 Day 4
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A Balancing Act Educational Tours Japan Visual Arts Tour ITINERARY SUMMARY Day 1/2 CALGARY / TOKYO overnight Flights Tour representative to meet at airport & escort to hotel Private Coach Transportation from Tokyo airport to Tokyo Central Hotel Time to rest or explore the hotel complex and grab dinner on your own Meals: On Board flight meals/Dinner on own time at hotel complex Accommodations: Central Tokyo Hotel – 4 nights Transportation: Airport / Hotel Day 3 Breakfast Buffet at Hotel Nikko National Park Sightseeing: Lake Chuzenji Kegon Waterfall Japanese Set Lunch at Nikko Castella Toshogu Shrine, Rinnoji Temple, Futarasan Shrine Sukiyaki Dinner at Momo Paradise Shinjuku Meals: Buffet Breakfast, Japanese Set Lunch, Sukiyaki Dinner Accommodations: Central Tokyo Hotel Transportation: Private Coach transfers to all activities Entrance Fees: Nikko National Park, Toshogu Shrine, Rinnoji Temple, Futarasan Shrine Day 4 Breakfast Buffet at Hotel Imperial Palace Hamarukyu Garden Sumida River Cruise Japanese Set lunch at Sakanaya Mohei Asakusa Asakusa Sensoji Temple and the Nakamise Shopping District The Museum of Contemporary Art All you can eat BBQ Dinner at Carne Station Ginza Meals: Breakfast Buffet, Japanese Set Lunch, BBQ Dinner Accommodations: Central Tokyo Hotel Transportation: Private Coach transfers to all activities Entrance Fees: Imperial Palace, Hamarukyu Garden, Sumida River Cruise, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Asakusa Sensoji Temple Day 5 Breakfast Buffet at Hotel Onomatu Sumo Room Sumo Stable Meiji Shrine & Harajuku Japanese set lunch at Ichiniisan Shiodome National Art Centre Tokyo Mori Art Museum Roppongi Hills Observation Deck Dinner on own at Roppongi Hills before returning to the hotel Meals: Buffet Breakfast, Japanese Set Lunch Accommodations: Central Tokyo Hotel Transportation: Private Coach transfers to all activities Entrance Fees: Sumo Stable, Meiji Shrine, National Art Centre Tokyo, Mori Art Museum, Roppongi Hills Observation Deck Day 6 Breakfast Buffet at Hotel Transfer from Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen Bullet Train Fushimi Inari Shrine Japanese Set lunch at Sumo Chaya Ikoro Uji - Green Tea Ceremony Nara - Todaiji Temple, Deer Park Dinner on your own at Kyoto Station Meals: Buffet Breakfast, Japanese Set Lunch Accommodations: Central Kyoto Hotel – 2 nights Transportation: Private Coach transfers to all activities, Bullet Train Entrance Fees: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Green Tea Ceremony, Todaiji Temple Day 7 Breakfast Buffet at Hotel Kiyomizu Temple Nijo Castle Japanese Set Lunch at Nishijin Onomiyasu Kyoto International Manga Museum - Manga workshops Calligraphy Lesson Shabu-shubu Dinner at Gyuzen Attend the Gion Corner Traditional Performing Arts Show Meals: Buffet Breakfast, Japanese Set Lunch, Shabu-shubu Dinner Accommodations: Central Kyoto Hotel Transportation: Private Coach transfers to all activities Entrance Fees: Kiyomizu Temple, Nijo Castle, Kyoto International Manga Museum & Workshop, Calligraphy Lesson, Gion Corner Traditional Performing Arts Show Day 8 Breakfast Buffet at Hotel Transfer from Kyoto to Osaka via Private Coach Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine Osaka Kaiyukan Aquarium Lunch on own at Naniwa Food Theme Park Osaka Castle Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade & Dinner on own at the Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade Meals: Buffet Breakfast Accommodations: Osaka Hotel – 1 night Transportation: Private Coach to Osaka & transfers to all activities Entrance Fees: Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Osaka Kaiyukan Aquarium, Osaka Castle Day 9 Breakfast Buffet at Hotel Transfer to Osaka Itami Airport OSAKA / CALGARY Flights Meals: Buffet Breakfast, Meals on Board Flight Transportation: Private Coach airport transfer JAPAN ACTIVITES Nikko is a town at the entrance to Nikko National Park. Nikko had been a center of Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship for many centuries before Toshogu was built in the 1600s, and Nikko National Park continues to offer scenic, mountainous landscapes, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs, wild monkeys and hiking trails. Take in the scenic view of Irohazaka Winding Road. This famous road connects Lake Chuzenji with the town of Nikko down in the valley. It ascends more than 400 meters and is named "Iroha Slope" because its original 48 turns (now there are only 30) was equal to the number of characters in the Japanese syllabary, formerly referred to as "iroha". Lake Chuzenji - a scenic lake in the mountains above the town of Nikko. It is located at the foot of Mount Nantai, Nikko's sacred volcano, whose eruption blocked the valley below, thereby creating Lake Chuzenji about 20,000 years ago. Chuzenjiko' shores are mostly undeveloped and forested except at the lake's eastern end where the small hot spring town of Chuzenjiko Onsen was built. The town is also the site of Kegon Waterfall, the most famous of several waterfalls in Nikko National Park. The almost 100 meter tall Kegon Waterfall is the most famous of Nikko's many beautiful waterfalls. Toshogu Shrine - The Toshogu is the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. The shrine is dedicated to the spirits of Ieyasu and two other of Japan's most influential historical personalities, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Minamoto Yoritomo. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen Shinto and Buddhist buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan, where simplicity has been traditionally stressed in shrine architecture. Rinnoji Temple - Rinnoji is Nikko's most important temple. It was founded by Shodo Shonin, the Buddhist monk who introduced Buddhism to Nikko in the 8th century. The temple's main building, the Sanbutsudo, houses large, gold lacquered, wooden statues of Amida, Senju-Kannon ("Kannon with a thousand arms") and Bato-Kannon ("Kannon with a horse head"). The three deities are regarded as Buddhist manifestations of Nikko's three mountain kami ("Shinto gods") enshrined at Futarasan Shrine. Opposite Sanbutsudo stands the temple's treasure house with Buddhist and Tokugawa related exhibits. Shoyoen, a small Japanese style garden, is located next to the treasure house. Imperial Palace - The current Imperial Palace 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. Edo Castle used to be the seat of the Tokugawa shogun who ruled Japan from 1603 until 1867. It is now the residence of Japan's Imperial Family. Hama Rikyu Garden - is a large, attractive landscape garden in central Tokyo, alongside Tokyo Bay. Features seawater ponds which change level with the tides, and a teahouse on an island where visitors can rest and enjoy the scenery. It was originally built as a feudal lord's Tokyo residence and duck hunting grounds during the Edo Period (1603-1867), but later served as a strolling garden and as an imperial detached palace before eventually being opened to the public in its current form. Sumida River Cruise – This Water Bus runs from Asakusa to Hama Rikyu garden (45 minutes) along the Sumida River, one of the city's most famous rivers. Travelling by suijo-bus (water bus) down the Sumida River not only gets you a faceful of fresh air, but brings you closer to Tokyo’s riverborne heritage. When you’re hemmed in by concrete and glass, it’s easy to forget that Tokyo’s vibrant river systems are the arteries through which its commerce has traditionally flowed, from the Edo period to the present day. Asakusa Kannon Temple –Sensoji (Asakusa Kannon) Temple, is a Buddhist temple located in Asakusa. It is one of Tokyo's most colorful and popular temples. The legend says that in the year 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River, and even though they put the statue back into the river, it always returned to them. Consequently, Sensoji was built nearby for the goddess of Kannon. The temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo's oldest temple. Nakamise Shopping District - A shopping street of over 200 meters, called Nakamise, leads from the outer gate to the temple's second gate, the Hozomon. Alongside typical Japanese souvenirs such as yukata and folding fans, various traditional local snacks from the Asakusa area are sold along the Nakamise. The shopping street has a history of several centuries. The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo - This huge, city-owned showpiece opened in 1995 on reclaimed swampland in a distant part of Tokyo. The Museum houses a collection of around 3,800 works tracing the history of contemporary art. The museums definition of modern art is post-1945 fine art produced by new creative activities reflecting international trends. The collection includes avant-garde works from Japan and other nations. These help visitors understand contemporary art in an international perspective. The permanent exhibition includes over one hundred pieces from the collection, including works by Andy Warhol and Tadanori Yokoo, to help visitors appreciate trends in contemporary art. Sumo Stable - The origins of sumo date back 2000 years and is based on strict rituals and traditions. This tour takes you to a real traditional Sumo Stable (Beya) where you are able to witness a real sumo wrestler training section. Meiji Shrine - is a shrine dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken. Meiji Shrine and the adjacent Yoyogi Park make up a large forested area within the densely built-up city. The shrine was completed and dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and the Empress Shoken in 1920, eight years after the passing of the emperor and six years after the passing of the empress. Harajuku - is the center of Japan's most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles, but also offers shopping for adults and some historic sights. The focal point of Harajuku's teenage culture is Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street) and its side streets, which are lined by many trendy shops, fashion boutiques, used clothes stores, crepe stands and fast food outlets geared towards the fashion and trend conscious teens.