Jewels of Southern Japan- the Springtime Tour March 26Th – April 3Rd, 2021 the Beauty of Japan During Cherry Blossom Season Is Breathtaking
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Jewels of Southern Japan- The Springtime Tour March 26th – April 3rd, 2021 The beauty of Japan during Cherry Blossom Season is breathtaking. 7nts/9days from: $2695 triple $2795 double $3195 single Cancel for any reason up to 60 days prior-FULL REFUND! Maximum Tour size is 24 tour members! Join us on this unique “Jewels of Southern Japan” tour and discover another side of this fascinating country, away from the crowded tourist spots, smaller locations, and unique experiences. Our tour takes us to the eastern part of the Seto Inland Sea. This body of water separates Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū, three of Japan’s five main islands. Our touring includes Shodoshima Island, the beautiful Olive Island and Awajishima Island, home to the world’s longest suspension bridge and its most famous attraction, the Naruto whirlpools. Shikoku is the smallest of the Japanese archipelago’s four main islands in Japan’s southwest. We will visit Takamatsu, the lively port town in Northern Shikoku, serving as the gateway to the many islands in the Seto Inland as well, Naruto, to cruise out and experience the whirlpools, a natural phenomenon. On Honshū Island, visit the Japanese port of Kobe, a thriving metropolitan city, and Himeji, most famous for its magnificent castle, known as White Heron Castle. Our tour ends with two nights in Osaka, Japan’s second largest metropolitan area after Tokyo. It is a vibrant city filled with unique culinary, cultural, and eye-popping experiences you will not find anywhere else in Japan. Beside daily sightseeing we have included a sake brewery visit, soy sauce brewery, a ropeway ride over the Kankakei Groge, hands-on udon making experience, dance show, the Naruto whirlpool sightseeing cruise and a complete free day in Osaka for the ultimate shopping experience. Cherry blossom sites we will be visiting include, Himeji Castle, Kokoen Garden, Ritsurin Garden, Kompira Shrine, and Nishinomura Garden. There is also England Hill, for rape blossoms. It is a breathtaking sight, a meadow ablaze with 100,000 yellow flowers. Itinerary/Details Day 1 – March26th, Friday – 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 ticket counter located in Terminal 2, Lobby 4, a minimum of 3 hours prior to the flight departure time. Day 2 – March 27th, Saturday – Kansai After clearing customs, our local English-speaking guide will meet and join us for the walk over to the hotel for the evening, Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport. Ideally located on the airport grounds, there are many dining and shopping options just steps away. There is also a 24-hour convenience store nearby. Rest up for tomorrow we are off to Hiroshima. After check-in, your Panda Travel escort will be set a time for those who would like to explore the 3rd floor at Kansai Airport. Here you will find a variety of shop and restaurants. Accommodations: Nikko Kansai Airport Hotel free Day 3 – March 28th, Sunday –Kansai- Kobe-Himeji (B) After breakfast, please meet up with your guide by 9:00 am. We are off on a full day of touring that ends in Himeji later this afternoon. The morning begins with a visit to the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum, located in Kobe’s brewery district. This brewery is inside an old sake kura and unlike a modern museum, the interior has the unique smell and look of an old-world brewery, which the building is. Enjoy a tour of the facilities and complimentary tastings. There gift shop offers certain sake that can only be purchased here. The drive time is approximately 1-hour. From here, off to Akashi, a small port city in Hyogo Prefecture, not fare from Kobe. It is on the way down the Seto Inland Sea coastline towards Himeji. Once here we will be visiting the Uonotana Shopping Arcade and home to a lesser known fish market that is well worth the visit, Uonotana. Unlike its famous Tokyo counterpart, Tsukiji, you will hardly ever see a foreign tourist here. For over 400 years locals have been fishing of the Akashi Straights and selling their wares at this market. Uonotana (literally 'fish shelf') Fish Market is a riot of color - both from the advertising banners hanging from the ceilings, and from the vast array of fish and seafoods on the stalls below. Enjoy free time here to wander around soaking up the sights, sounds, and smells of an authentic Japanese fish market. It is lunch on your own, and the specialty here is fresh seafood. You will find an extensive selection and plenty of stalls offering sashimi, octopus, crabs, and other shellfish. Its all very fresh, caught daily and a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. From here, a short drive to Himeji, home to Japan’s largest and most beautiful castle. This afternoon we will be visiting Himeji Castle and Kokoen Garden. 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 Himeji Castle is known as one of the top places in Japan to view cherry blossoms with over 1,000 cherry trees on the grounds. During this period, the white façade hovers over a sea of pink blossoms and make for the perfect viewing spot. Next, a visit to a beautiful garden park, Kokoen Gardens, located next to Himeji Castle. This Japanese garden is a recent addition, opened in 1992 to commemorate the centenary of Himeji City. It is divided into nine separate walled gardens designed in various styles reflective of Edo-period architecture. While less than the castle grounds, cherry blossoms can also be enjoyed here. Kokoen Garden Close-by, our hotel for the evening, Hotel Nikko Himeji, 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 cozy 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 5:00pm and the remainder of the afternoon and evening is free. Accommodations: Hotel Nikko Himeji free Day 4 – March 29th, Monday –Himeji-Shodoshima Island (B/D) After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 8:45am as we are off to the ferry port for the sailing over to Shodoshima Island. The departure is at 9:45am and arrives at Fukuda Port at 11:25am. Our bus and driver will be along with us. Welcome to Shodoshima Island, located in the Inland Sea of Japan. The name literally means “Island of Small Beans”, which technically refers to the azuki bean but today would more fittingly refer to the soy bean or olive as the island has traditionally been a producer of soy sauce and now is even better known for its olive plantations. There are two towns on the island, Tonoshō and Shodoshima Town. Visitors are attracted here as the island offers a Mediterranean atmosphere, offering beaches, resports, coastal sceneries, and a mountainous interior. Kankakei Gorge, one of Japan’s most celebrated gorges is located here.The island is also known as the filming location of a popular 1954 movie, "Nijushi no Hitomi" or "Twenty-Four Eyes" . Our touring begins with a visit to the Marukin Soy Sauce Brewery, one of Japan’s largest natural breweries. There are currently around 1,500 soy sauce manufacturers in Japan, most of which are small companies that only distribute products within their local areas. Marukin is regarded as one of the five most renowned Japanese soy sauce brands-is unique in that it distributes its products nationwide and abroad. They also offer a range of soy-related seasonings. Enjoy a tour of the soy sauce museum on the factory grounds which resembles a traditional soy sauce factory. Afterwards, free time at their gift shop. From here, a visit to Shodoshima Olive Park, on the site of Japan’s first olive plantation. Shodoshima is the birthplace of olive cultivation in Japan. The island's Mediterranean climate made it an ideal place for growing olives, which was first succeeded in 1908. Since then the island has been a top producer of Japanese olives and olive oil earning itself the nickname "Olive Island". Today, the park is a working olive grove where the first olives were successfully cultivated a century ago. It offers attractive walking paths through the hillside, as well as a replica of a Greek windmill. There is also a small museum that teaches visitors about the history of olive cultivation, as well as a restaurant, cafe and shops where you can sample and buy the various olive related products, such as olive oil, olive candy, olive cosmetics, olive noodles and olive ice cream.