Cherry Blossoms
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2015 TREASURES OF SOUTHERN JAPAN COMPLETE PACKAGE! $3695* “CHERRY BLOSSOMS” INCLUDES ROUNDTRIP AIR FROM Hot Springs Onsen Experience with Seasonal Kaiseki Dinners HONOLULU, HOTELS, 17 MEALS, in Miyajima Island & Beppu! Travel Roundtrip from Osaka! SIGHTSEEING, TIPS, TAXES & FEES 7 Nights / 9 Days • Includes English-Speaking Local Guide TOUR #1: March 30 - April 7, 2015 • Tour Manager: Geri Ichimura TOUR #2: March 31 - April 8, 2015 • Tour Manager: Margie Iwamoto EARLY BOOKING Visit: Osaka • Himeji • Kurashiki • Miyajima • Hiroshima • Fukuoka DISCOUNT Nagasaki • Arita • Beppu • Matsuyama • Takamatsu • Kobe SAV E $50 Overview: Visit Japan during cherry blossom season! The blossoms, known as sakura, PER PERSON symbolize rebirth and herald the beginning of spring. The Japanese celebrate by visiting MUST BOOK BY AUGUST 30, 2014† temples, castles, and parks, forming impromptu viewing parties. They gather beneath the pink blossoms to indulge in food and drink. Along with cherry blossoms, azalea, wisteria, camellia, and irises bloom in the spring. Explore Southern Japan on this comprehensive itinerary. Experience the feeling of becoming one with nature and enjoy the changing panorama as you travel from Honshu to Kyushu then onto Shikoku and back to Honshu. From soothing hot springs (onsen) to Kaiseki dinners featuring the season’s best harvest bounty, this tour has something for everyone! Join us! ** * Fares are per person, USD based on double occupancy and INCLUDE ALL Tour Highlights: Cherry Blossom Viewing†† • Himeji Castle • Kurashiki AIRLINE TAXES AND FEES. Airline fuel supplements, taxes and fees are • • subject to change and tour member is responsible for any increases. Overnight Stay in Miyajima Itsukushima Shrine Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park Tour fare is subject to change due to fluctuation of the rate of exchange A-Bomb Museum • Shinkansen Bullet Train Ride • Glover Garden • Oura Church between U.S. and foreign currency. In the event of revaluation, the Nagasaki Peace Park • Arita-yaki Ceramics Kiln • Beppu • Ishiteji Temple land portion of the tour may be adjusted prior to final payment. Some airline-imposed personal charges, including but not limited to baggage, Matsuyama Castle • Ritsurin Park • Onaruto Bridge • Awaji Island priority boarding and special seating, may apply. For details visit www. exploreflightfees.com. After initial deposit, a $75 per person Non-Stop Japanese Cuisine Highlights: Kaiseki – Traditional Multi-Course Dinner (Miyajima & Travel (NST) Cancellation Fee will apply. Group departures may be Beppu) • Kobe Wagyu Beef Dinner • Nagasaki Champon Noodles cancelled, if there are less than (24) tour members. Final Payment to Hiroshima Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pancake) NST for Air & Land package must be made by Money Order or Personal Check by 11/25/14. NST does not guarantee that all tour members will fly together with Tour Manager. Tour Manager assignments and “final” tour itinerary are subject to change. NST reserves the right to Your Escorted Treasures of Southern Japan Tour Includes: correct errors or omissions including but not limited to, fares, Roundtrip Airfare from Honolulu • 7 Nights Hotel / Ryokan Accommodations fees and surcharges at any time. 17 Meals: 7 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches & 4 Dinners • Shinkansen Bullet Train Ride ** FREQUENT CRUISER REWARDS - A reward certificate equal to 3% of the value of your current cruise fare (excluding airfare, NCF, taxes, fuel Ferry to Miyajima • Ferry from Beppu to Yawatahama surcharges and fees) will be automatically sent to you upon completion Tips for Local Tour Guides & Bus Drivers • All Taxes & Fees of your current trip. Certificate is redeemable towards the final payment balance of your next trip. Reservation and deposit for your next trip must be made within one year of the issuance of your Frequent Cruiser Locally Owned & Operated Since 1985 – Mahalo Hawaii! Rewards certificate. † Early Booking Discount is per person. Purchase of Non-Stop Travel’s 1150 S. King Street, Suite 102 • Honolulu, HI 96814 complete Air & Land package is required. or Toll-Free 1-800-551-1226 †† Cherry blossom viewing is dependent upon many factors including 593-0700 weather and is not guaranteed. 081314 www.nonstop.travel and Hakata Ramen, a famous local dish featuring thin ramen noodles simmered in pork bone soup (tonkotsu). HAKATA MIYAKO HOTEL (1 Night). Day 5: FUKUOKA - NAGASAKI (Breakfast & Lunch). After breakfast, we will head to Nagasaki and visit the Peace Memorial Park with its famous peace statue. Next is Oura Catholic Church, the oldest church in Japan and the only western building to be designated as a national treasure. At Glover Garden we will enjoy a beautiful collection of historic homes from the Meiji Restoration Period. Enjoy Hiroshima Nagasaki Champon noodles, a local favorite! This evening enjoy some free time Kurashiki Fukuoka Himeji to shop and enjoy time with your travel companions. ANA CROWN PLAZA HOTEL GLOVER HILL (1 Night). Arita Miyajima Kobe Day 6: NAGASAKI - ARITA - BEPPU (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner). We visit Arita, Osaka Nagasaki Beppu Naruto where one of the most famous styles of “yakimono” (Japanese Pottery) called Matsuyama Aritayaki originates. At the end of the 16 century, the political ruler of Japan Takamatsu (Hideyoshi Toyotomi) invaded Korea. When his forces withdrew, the Nabeshima Yawatahama Gun (armed forces) brought back several Korean potters to Japan. Among these potters was Yi Sam-pyeong (Japanese name Kanagae Sanpei) who in 1616 JAPAN PACIFIC OCEAN Bus discovered Kaolin clay on Izumiyama (Izumi Mountain) in Arita, and produced Bullet Train the first fine white porcelain in Japan. We now drive east to a bather’s paradise – the celebrated hot spring resort of Beppu. Beppu is famous for its “hells” dramatic Ferry pools of bubbling water, mud, and geysers. View four of the nine hells of Beppu, hot springs ideal for viewing rather than bathing. At night we will savor local DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY: flavors in a traditional Japanese Kaiseki banquet provided by your hotel. TOUR #1: BEPPUWAN ROYAL HOTEL (1 Night) Onsen and Kaiseki Dinner. Day 1: HONOLULU - OSAKA. Depart Honolulu via KOREAN AIR FLT #54 at 12:00pm. TOUR #2: SUGINOI HOTEL (1 Night) Onsen and Kaiseki Dinner. Day 2: OSAKA (Dinner). Arrive Kansai International Airport via Seoul, South Korea Day 7: BEPPU - FERRY to SHIKOKU - MATSUYAMA - TAKAMATSU (Breakfast & at 8:55 pm. After entry formalities, transfer by coach to hotel in Osaka. A Bento Lunch). After a Japanese breakfast at the hotel, we will board a ferry to Shikoku Box dinner will be served. HOTEL UNIVERSAL PORT (1 Night). Island where we will visit Ishiteji Temple in Matsuyama. This impressive temple is number 51 on the “88 Temple Pilgrimage”, the most famous religious Day 3: OSAKA - HIMEJI - KURASHIKI - MIYAJIMA (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner). pilgrimage route in Japan. The “Niomon” gate at this temple is a national treasure After a sumptuous buffet breakfast we drive to Himeji to visit Himeji Castle. It and its three story pagoda and main hall are designated important cultural is known as “White Egret Castle” and “White Heron Castle” because of it’s brilliant properties, with the architecture style of the Kamakura Period (1192-1333). Next white exterior, resembling a bird taking flight. Himeji Castle is the largest and we visit Matsuyama Castle, one of the 12 original wooden castles in Japan that most visited castle in Japan. This splendid example of traditional architecture was survived wars, fires, and the Meiji restoration. Now head east to Takamatsu. JR declared one of the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan. Next is a visit to HOTEL CLEMENT TAKAMATSU (1 Night). Kurashiki. In merchant days, this scenic town thrived as a port for rice shipments. Several old rice granaries and examples of historic architecture still remain, in Day 8: KOTOHIRA - RISTURIN PARK - NARUTO - ONARUTO BRIDGE - KOBE - OSAKA addition to the stone lined canal. In the afternoon we continue our journey to (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner). In the morning we visit Ritsurin Park, a masterpiece Hiroshima. After a short ferry ride arrive on the island of Miyajima, considered of Japanese landscape 100 years in the making. This sprawling park features sacred by many. This evening soak in the relaxing atmosphere of Miyajima beautiful ponds and pavilions with a backdrop of the majestic Mt. Shiun. We then Hotel Makoto and the Onsen, hot spring baths. You can enjoy the beauty of the visit the Kompirasan, also known as Kotohira-gu is the main shrine dedicated to primeval forests and gentle sound of mountain stream while taking a bath. This sailors and seafaring. Our next stop is the Onaruto Bridge Interpretive Center, evening enjoy Hiroshima’s local and seasonal ingredients including fresh seafood where we will learn about Japan’s largest natural whirlpool and the engineering from the Seto Inland Sea. MIYAJIMA HOTEL MAKOTO (1 Night) Japanese-Style innovations that went into the construction of its massive bridges. We now make Room with Onsen and Kaiseki Dinner. way back to Osaka via Kobe. This evening savor the world famous Kobe Wagyu Beef Shabu Shabu Dinner. HOTEL GRANVIA OSAKA (1 Night). Day 4: MIYAJIMA - HIROSHIMA - FUKUOKA (HAKATA) (Breakfast & Lunch). After breakfast explore Miyajima Island. At high tide, the vermilion torii gate of Day 9: OSAKA (Breakfast). Choice of Japanese/Western breakfast buffet or an Itsukushima Shrine looks like it’s floating in the middle of the sea. The shrine authentic Japanese breakfast. Remainder of your day is free to shop and dine. complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Miyajima has been selected The Hotel Granvia Hotel is adjacent to major department stores, HANKYU and as one of Japan’s three most scenic places (nihon sankei). In Hiroshima visit the HANSHIN among other famous retailers. Bus transfer to Kansai International Peace Memorial Park and Atomic Bomb Museum. Next, we will try a popular Airport. Depart via KOREAN AIR FLT #450 at 6:00 pm. Arrive Honolulu via Seoul, Japanese dish called Okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake).