火 の Land of Fire SMALL-GROUP GUIDED TOUR 国

ur Land of Fire tour starts in , former Yakusugi cedars, Yakushima yakushika deer and yakuzaru imperial capital and repository of much of ’s macaques. A natural by-product of the volcanoes are cultural heritage. We visit Asuka, where Japan’s onsen hot springs and we will enjoy relaxing dips in their Oearly Emperors are buried, then a boat journey through soothing waters, as well as the unforgettable hot sand baths the Inland Sea brings us to the southern island of Kyushu. at Yamakawa where we are buried in hot sand. View Mount Known as the cradle of Japanese civilization, several Aso with the world’s largest volcanic and visit the locations are connected with the Japanese creation myths vibrant city of Nagasaki. which inspired the Yokagura dances in Takachiho. Stay at traditional inns and guest-houses, enjoying dishes Kyushu is also known for its numerous active volcanoes, as prepared with the freshest ingredients. Our tour ends amidst well as the spectacular island of Yakushima to the south, a the crowds and neon of , Japan’s second city and national park and UNESCO World Heritage site. Unique culinary capital. flora and fauna can be admired here, including giant DETAILS DATES & PRICES TYPE AND LEVEL OF TRIP WHAT’S INCLUDED Please see website Active - Guided walking tour Transports including Bullet Train, visiting Kyoto, Nagasaki, and accommodation, English-speaking tour Japan’s southern island of Kyushu. guide, luggage forwarding, entrance TOUR LENGTH Accommodation in family-run fees, daily breakfast & 8 evening meals 15 days minshuku, traditional ryokan, included mountain lodges and hotels. Not included are international flights, drinks with meals, lunches and airport transfers.

1 HIGHLIGHTS

Imperial Kyoto – Mount Aso, one of the world’s largest active volcanoes – Traditional Yokagura dances at Takachiho – Hot sand baths on the beach – Yakushima Island UNESCO World Heritage site – Nagasaki – Kum- amoto – Accommodation in traditional ryokan – 1 natural hot spring baths –gentle walks along country paths

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1 Yakushima 2 Glover Garden in Nagasaki 3 Hot sand baths 4 Peace Memorial, Nagasaki 5 Yakusugi cedar, Yakushima 6 7 6 Hot spring bath, Yakushima 7 Local friends, Yakushima

2 ITINERARY Osaka Kyoto Asuka DAY 1 ➤ Meet in Kyoto Meet your guide and other group members at the tour hotel in central Beppu Kyoto in the evening. There will be a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant. Nagasaki Kurokawa Accommodation: Hotel Kumamoto Takachiho Land of Fire Tour DAY 2 ➤ Sightseeing in Kyoto Visited We have a full day to discover the Ibusuki Overnight Stop ancient capital of Kyoto. We first Train or Road Travel visit Ginkakuji, the Silver Pavilion, Ferry then walk along the Philosopher’s Yakushima Path to Nanzen-ji Temple. After lunch we see Nijo Castle, the Kyoto From Kurokawa Onsen we travel by private chartered coach residence of the Tokugawa Shoguns in the 17th century. to Takachiho. We can hope for views of Mount Aso, the Built in the Momoyama style, the building has ‘nightingale’ largest active in Japan and one of the biggest in wooden floors which creak when walked on - a security the world; the peaks of Taka-dake and Naka-dake dominate measure against intruders. We then head to Nishiki market, the Aso skyline. We pause at Shirakawa Springs, source of known as ‘Kyoto’s kitchen’ and gaze at the fabulous array the Shirakawa River which flows through Kumamoto city, of seafood, pickles, tea, sweets and other foodstuffs on and the best-known of the natural springs in the Minami display. Aso area. Join locals and visitors sampling some of the most highly-regarded mineral water in Japan! We are based in Accommodation: Hotel Takachiho for two nights.

Accommodation: Ryokan (Travellers Inn) DAY 3 ➤ Asuka & ferry to Kyushu We take a short train ride from Kyoto south to Asuka, DAY 6 Takachiho gorge Japan’s first permanent capital. On the southern edge ➤ of the Yamato Plain, Asuka is home to some of the first After breakfast we visit the shrine of Amanoiwato, literally Buddhist temples in Japan. The town is also dotted with the ‘Shrine of the Sun Goddess‘. We continue to Takachiho burial mounds, said to be those of the first Emperors. Gorge, with its strange rock formations created by volcanic From Asuka we make our way to Osaka port, and catch activity, which have become part of local folklore and the overnight ferry through the Seto Inland Sea to Beppu. the Japanese national creation myth. We enjoy a short On board we have private cabins and can even enjoy a walk along the gorge and lunch at a small teahouse. After Japanese bath! dinner at our Ryokan, we visit Takachiho shrine to see the Yokagura - sacred dances which tell the mythical story of Walking distance: 5.3km / 3.3 miles Japan’s creation. Time required: About 1.5 hours Accommodation: Ferry cabin Walking distance: 6km / 3.75 miles Time required: About 2 hour Accommodation: Ryokan (Travellers Inn) DAY 4 ➤ Beppu & Kurokawa Onsen Arriving in Beppu by sea can be a dramatic and memorable experience. The city is surrounded by mountains, and DAY 7 ➤ Kumamoto & Kagoshima steam from the abundant hot springs rises skyward to give Leaving Takachiho, we travel to Kumamoto to visit Suizen- it an otherworldly feel. We board a bus for the 90 minute ji Garden, a traditional landscape garden which includes a journey to Kurokawa Onsen. We check in to our traditional miniature . After lunch we continue south to the Ryokan, and enjoy a soak in one of the many hot spring city of Kagoshima, dramatically situated on Kagoshima Bay baths in the village. Dinner is a multi-course feast at our opposite Sakurajima, an active volcano. We visit Sengan-en, inn. the lovely villa and gardens of the the .

Accommodation: Onsen Ryokan (Hot-spring Travellers Inn) Kagoshima has a culture and cuisine distinct from other parts of Japan. Shochu, a spirit usually made from sweet potato is favoured over sake, and slow-baked ‘kurobuta’ (a DAY 5 ➤ Mount Aso & Takachiho

3 breed of Berkshire pig) as well as grilled bonito (skipjack DAY 12 ➤ Transfer to Nagasaki tuna) are two typical local dishes. Leaving Yakushima by ferry, we board the shinkansen Bullet Train in Kagoshima and travel to Nagasaki. After Accommodation: Hotel centuries as an international port, Nagasaki is today a vibrant, modern city. The city never forgets its past, DAY 8 ➤ Ibusuki and Hot Sand Baths however, and there are important memorials to its We head further south this morning by train along history. We check-in to our hotel and there will be free Kagoshima Bay to the seaside town of Ibusuki. Here time before dinner. thermally-heated mineral water bubbles up through the black volcanic sand on the beach. Locals mix the Accommodation: Hotel sand to ensure a steady temperature and we will don cotton yukata robes to be buried in the warm sand. DAY 13 Nagasaki Very relaxing! Return to Kagoshima for dinner. ➤ This morning we visit Dejima, the site of the former Walking distance: 6.3km / 4 miles Dutch trading colony in Nagasaki. Dejima used to be Time required: about 1.5 hours an island and Dutch traders were not allowed to live on Accommodation: Hotel the mainland. Dejima has been restored and you can see replicas of some of the original buildings. We then visit Sofuku-ji temple, built by Chinese settlers in the DAY 9 ➤ Yakushima Island 17th century. We have free time to relax and perhaps From Kagoshima we travel by ferry to Yakushima Island, shop for souvenirs in the afternoon, or to visit the a UNESCO World Heritage site. The small population atomic bomb memorial. lives around the coast of this mountainous island, while the interior is almost totally undeveloped. Giant Accommodation: Hotel cedar – yakusugi – stand tall in the moss-laden forest, some of them are thousands of years old. Around the coast are stunning beaches, and hot springs. We will DAY 14 ➤ Bullet Train to Osaka stay at a local guesthouse to enjoy the local hospitality We visit the Glover Garden this morning. The mansion and evening meals prepared from the day’s catch. and gardens, with wonderful views over Nagasaki, were built for Thomas Glover, a Scottish entrepreneur Accommodation: Minshuku (Family-run guesthouse) who helped modernize Japan’s shipbuilding and mining industries. The location is associated with Puccini’s opera ‘Madame Butterfly’. After lunch we DAY 10 ➤ Yakushima Island We have a full day on Yakushima. We hike into the interior, board the shinkansen Bullet Train for our journey to walking amongst the giant yakusugi trees, and if we Osaka. There will be free time to relax and perhaps are lucky spot some of the macaques. The centre of the shop for souvenirs and in the evening there will be a island is a temperate rain-forest, and the highest peak on Farewell Dinner. Yakushima is the tallest mountain in the south of Japan. It’s a unique ecosystem and has escaped any significant Accommodation: Hotel development. We return by bus to our guesthouse. DAY 15 ➤ Tour ends Walking distance: 5km / 3 miles Our tour ends today after breakfast at the hotel in Osaka. Time required: about 3 hours Your guide will be on hand to offer assistance and advice Accommodation: Minshuku (Family-run guesthouse) for travelling to the airport if you have homeward flights, or on onward travel if you are extending your stay in Japan. DAY 11 ➤ Yakushima Island Our third day on Yakushima is spent visiting a lovely beach and one of the most spectacular hot springs in Japan, built into the rocks lapped by the waves. After lunch, we enjoy a short walk to on the trail to a charming hidden waterfall.

Accommodation: Minshuku (Family-run guesthouse)

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