JAP130723/1 Destination Tokyo Discover the bright lights of Japan’s capital city with a group of gay guys ● Ever dreamed of visiting Tokyo? ● Join us for a friendly, relaxed, small group experience. We’ll take care of all the logistics, show you the best places, and give you the local insights that visitors rarely get to see. ● Get ready for the freshest sushi, the crispest tempura, a taste of the future, and a glimpse of the past. ● We’ll dive into the bars and nightlife, embrace the ancient sport of Sumo, we’ll stay in traditional inns, but also experience some of the cutting edge culture, design and fashion that modern Tokyo is famous for. ● Trip Duration: 5 Days ● Accommodation: Traditional Inns (4 nights) ● Trip dates: Wednesday 19th March ­ Sunday 23rd March 2014 ● Trip Cost: USD$1,650; GBP£1,100; EURO€1,250; YEN165,000; Fast Facts ● Private Groups: Private group options are available for this trip ● Singles: A single supplement is available for this trip (ask our staff for more information) ● Leader: Expert local leader Welcome to www.ventureea.com: Venture specialises in small group travel ­ designing activities and itineraries tailored to ensure that you get the most out of your Adventure, Expedition, or Event. Detailed Itinerary Day 1 ● We will meet you on arrival at Narita Airport. ● We will transfer with you to our accommodation, a comfortable traditional Japanese inn (ryokan) located in Tokyo’s old downtown area. ● Just a few minutes walk from the scenic Sumida River and busy Asakusa with its famous Senso Temple, we’ll be based close to shops, bars and restaurants. ● We will get to experience how a typical family lives in the ryokan, sleeping in the traditional style of a futon which the staff will prepare for us each night. Slippers and a yukata (Japanese bathrobe) are provided as is traditional, with the addition of modern conveniences in all the rooms including wifi, air­conditioning, private bathroom facilities, minibar, TV and telephone, as well as complimentary Japanese tea. ● The remainder of day 1 is at your leisure to discover a little of Tokyo and your guide will be able to provide you with some local suggestions that are easily accessible. ● Tonight we will eat together and experience some traditional Japanese cuisine. Welcome to www.ventureea.com: Venture specialises in small group travel ­ designing activities and itineraries tailored to ensure that you get the most out of your Adventure, Expedition, or Event. Day 2 ● On Day 2 we explore Tokyo! ● Asakusa is a great place to start as the city’s contrasts of old and new are demonstrated clearly. New Akihabara electronics town, Sony Building, Ginza shopping area and the Harajuku youth culture hub contrast with the older sumo stable visit, traditional Japanese gardens, Sumida river cruise, the world’s largest fish market (Tsukiji), and Meiji Shrine. To get around we rely on Tokyo’s efficient public transport system. ● Sample some delicious Japanese cuisine with sushi at the Tsukiji Fish Market, ramen (wheat noodles), at any of the small stands, and delicious tonkatsu (deep­fried, breaded pork), served with a thick, dark sauce, to name but a few. ● Tonight we are Japanese salarymen! ● We’ll begin our night in Yakitori Alley, near Yurakucho, an area with many casual bar­style restaurants and the birthplace of yakitori, one of many Japanese people’s favourite appetizers. As many businessmen do after 5pm, we’ll enjoy a drink of sake or a local beer, then sample yakitori at one of the many local restaurants, each with their own “tare” (sauce) mixed with their secret ingredients. ● After having a drink to go with the yakitori, we’ll travel to Tsukishima to visit “Monja” Street, where “Monja­Yaki” is said to have originated. Often compared with Okonomi­yaki in Osaka, Monja­yaki is a type of Japanese pan­fried batter with various ingredients. The ingredients are finely chopped and mixed into the batter before grilling. You’ll have the chance to watch your food being cooked, chat with the cook, and devour your Monja­yaki fresh from the hot plate. In true local style, you’ll use a small metal spatula for cutting it to pieces then chopsticks to eat with right from the grill. ● On our way back to Yurakucho, we will pick up “tai­yaki”, which literally translates to “grilled carp”, which is actually a cake with red beans inside for dessert. This type of red bean is cooked until it is soft and then mixed with sugar, and is the filling of many traditional Japanese sweets. ● Depending what you’re up for, we can either head to a karaoke joint (they’re actually pretty cool and good fun) or check out the clubs of Roppongi Welcome to www.ventureea.com: Venture specialises in small group travel ­ designing activities and itineraries tailored to ensure that you get the most out of your Adventure, Expedition, or Event. Day 3 ● An expedition beyond Tokyo today as we head to nearby Hakone. ● Famous for its hot springs (known as onsen), Hakone is a popular destination for locals looking for a day out. ● We catch the train from Shinjuku station ­ it’s an express service that takes about 90 minutes. ● We’ll plan ahead so that we book in any treatments that you might want to try. ● Returning to Tokyo that afternoon we’ll have some free time. ● Your guide will be able to give you a range of options for dinner, you can either eat with your guide as a group or head off to explore and do your own thing. ● Tonight we explore the gay district of Ni­chōme. Once famous for having the highest concentration of gay bars in the world, like many cities around the world, Tokyo’s gay district is evolving in response to the way men use location­based apps to meet. There is still a lot of fun to be had ­ the bars are often small and discrete, but we’ll explore and chat with locals and get a real feel for Tokyo’s gay nightlife. Welcome to www.ventureea.com: Venture specialises in small group travel ­ designing activities and itineraries tailored to ensure that you get the most out of your Adventure, Expedition, or Event. Day 4 ● We’ve deliberately left today fairly unstructured ● There’s so much to see and do in Tokyo, it really depends on your interests as to where you’ll want to spend your day today. ● Your guide can work with you to build a personalised itinerary for the day, advising on the best transport options and giving hints and tips on how to get the most out of your time in Tokyo. ● We’ll come together as a group over cocktails in the Peak Bar of the Park Hyatt Hotel ­ one of Tokyo’s most iconic bars with (on a clear day) spectacular views of Mt Fuji, you almost feel as if you can reach out and touch it. ● Our final night together in Tokyo and we’re heading for a sushi and sake experience. With top quality Japanese restaurants around the world, most people will be fairly familiar with good sushi and sake, but for this experience we want to give you some real insights into the extraordinary diversity and variations that you can get when being served omakase (chef’s choice) in the city that created this spectacular cuisine. ● Usually omakase starts with white and non fatty fish and ends with fatty fish, clams, maki (rolls) and tamagoyaki (Japanese­style omelette). Most of the sushi restaurants also serve otsumami, various cold or warm snacks, before serving nigiris. So omakase might end up with 15 to over 20 various different morsels and nigiris. Each nigiri will have different fish topping ­ but don’t expect to see a lot of salmon (which is often synonymous with sushi outside of Japan). ● After dinner the night is ours ­ a karaoke bar, or maybe back to the bars of Ni­chōme, or the clubs of Roppongi ­ let’s see where the night takes us! Welcome to www.ventureea.com: Venture specialises in small group travel ­ designing activities and itineraries tailored to ensure that you get the most out of your Adventure, Expedition, or Event. Day 5 ● After breakfast together we will head our separate ways. ● Airport transfers will be arranged as required. ● If you have some time before continuing your onwards journey, your guide will be able to help advise on anything that you would like to see or do in Tokyo. Your Host ● Gareth Johnson is a travel writer and journalist. ● Originally from Australia, Gareth is currently based in London. ● An enthusiastic traveller, Tokyo is one of Gareth’s favourite cities in the world ­ the food, the culture, and the nightlife. ● Gareth will be working closely with Venture’s team of local guides to ensure that you have an authentic Tokyo experience and benefit from the insights and expertise of our team. ● You can follow Gareth on Twitter: @GTVlondon Welcome to www.ventureea.com: Venture specialises in small group travel ­ designing activities and itineraries tailored to ensure that you get the most out of your Adventure, Expedition, or Event. We’ve structured this tour to allow plenty of free time while in Tokyo to do some of your own personal sightseeing. We have allowed for a lot of flexibility because with so many sites, seasonal differences and special festivals, we don’t want to peg you down to a rigid tour! There are a couple of things not to be missed if you’re here at certain times of the year including cherry blossom viewing (hanami) at Ueno Park in Spring, fireworks over the bay in summer and Japanese New Year, which also falls on 1 January, where homes are festively decorated and crowds flock to Buddhist and Shinto shrines to pray for a good year.