1 Our new spring tour, Samurai and Tatsujin , in April 2019, is designed to complement our fall Japan Now & Then tour, with more of a focus on historical Japan. We still include the wonderful personal visits and Samurai and Tatsujin experiences for with Esprit is known but curate the trip to focus on the history of Japan and its arts. This tour was designed to be entirely different so there are no repeat visits for those of you who are Now and Then alumni. Bushido , the codes of honour and ideals of the samurai way of life, as well as the art, culture and philosophy of the samurai forms the cornerstone of this tour through Japan. The samurai were the well-known warrior class of Japan who ruled for nearly 700 years and established not only the warcrafts (swords, spears, mounted archery, bows, etc.) for which they were known, but were also key players in promoting the finer arts of tea ceremony, calligraphy, poetry, ikebana , Noh theater and numerous other arts. Tatsujin means expert or master. Japan has so many words to describe the artists, craftsmen, chefs, martial arts masters, teachers, Buddhist and Shinto priests and all forms of experts, we use it to convey the essence of this special tour. We will take you through some of the rich and powerful history of Japan, from the time when the samurai class ruled until after the Meiji restoration (1868), including the rise of experts in all areas of art and life during those periods. We will start the tour in Tokyo with a deep introduction to the Samurai through sword and metal craft and the samurai armament, as well as an introduction to the various families, clans and lineage that make up the history of Japan. An integral part of the tour is a visit to Kamakura, site of the first samurai-led government, before traveling on to Kanazawa, home of the powerful Maeda clan. After visits to artists and craftsman in the Ishikawa and Fukui areas, we wind up in Kyoto, the traditional and cultural heart of Japan. Twelve-hundred-year- old Kyoto offers a wealth of opportunity for further in-depth exploration of the impact of the samurai class on the culture and art of Japan, with visits to temples, gardens, shrines and castles, in addition to Esprit’s signature private arts visits. Our 2-night add-on to Nara offers additional experiences at most of the primary sites in the original capital of Japan as well as the unique town of Imai-cho, with its wealth of traditional wooden buildings. Sunday 14 April Depart US Monday 15 April Arrive JJapanapanapanapan Transfer by private car to our downtown hotel, located in the exciting Ginza district, Overnight: Hyatt Centric Ginza Tuesday 16 April Tokyo Today we will start our exploration of the historical importance of the samurai in Japan and how their study of bushido (samurai codes of living ) prepared them for the duties of the ruling class. One of their most enduring symbols is the Japanese sword, the katana , and we will meet with an internationally renowned Japanese sword expert for an introduction into the fine art of not only blade making (considered the 9533 Rancho Palmas Dr. Las Vegas NV 89117 * 800-377-7481 * esprittravel.com * CST#1020919-40 * IATAN 29-678342 2 world’s finest) but also the fittings, the etiquette and the history of swords. Visits will include the newly re-opened Japanese Sword Museum and the SamurSamuraiai MuseumMuseum.. Overnight: Hyatt Centric Ginza Meals included: Breakfast, lunch Wednesday 17 April Tokyo One of Tokyo’s most fulfilling day trips is to the ancient samurai capital of KamakuraKamakura, known for its wealth of temples, its hilly, seaside location and easygoing atmosphere. Kamakura’s most famous monument is the giant bronze Buddha, or Daibutsu, but we will also delve deeper into its history as a center for samurai culture with visits to equally important temples and shrines. The Kamakura Period in Japan lasted about 130 years (circa 1200) and saw the emergence of shogun rule. Shogun were military dictators who usurped power from the hereditary monarchy and held ultimate control of Japan for the next 650 years, through a system of feudal fiefs, each ruled by a lord and backed up by their samurai. Tonight we’ll have dinner back in Tokyo. Overnight: Hyatt Centric Ginza Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner Thursday 18 April Kanazawa We travel this morning by Shinkansen (bullet) train to Kanazawa (formerly known as Kaga), a castle town that was ruled by the Maeda family for three centuries after the first lord Toshiie Maeda entered Kanazawa Castle in 1583. Since the Kaga Clan invited many artists and craftsmen to this area, it achieved a high level of craftsmanship that continues to flourish to this day. Today it is a bustling small city. The Kanazawa area was one of the wealthiest in historical Japan and what came with wealth and privilege was the creation of licensed pleasure districts ( geisha districts). We will explore the one in Kanazawa known as HigashichayaHigashichaya, which developed in the early 1800’s into the largest of its kind outside of Kyoto and Tokyo. In addition, we will visit the masterfully restored parts of Kanazawa CastleCastle, KenroukuenKenroukuen, one of Japan’s premier strolling gardens, MyoryuMyoryu----jijijiji (the Ninja temple), and the Nagamachi samurai districtdistrict. Overnight: To be advised Meals included: Breakfast, lunch Friday 19 April Yamanaka Onsen Travel by coach today from Kanazawa to Yamanaka Onsen hot spring village. En route, we will spend time with a wood turner at his home and studio and see him create one if his simple, yet masterfully turned bowls. Our next stop will be for lunch and a visit to a nearby makie artist (lacquerware exquisitely decorated with gold). We will arrive early at Yamanaka Onsen and our traditional ryokan inn for the night, the premier KayoteiKayotei, where we will enjoy a multi- course kaiseki banquet of local specialties and sleep on futon beds spread out on tatami- matted floors. Bathe in the onsen ’s gender-separate hot spring baths or enjoy a short hike along the Kakusenkei GorgeGorge.... Spring trees should be in bloom in this mountainous area. Overnight: Kayotei Ryokan Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner 9533 Rancho Palmas Dr. Las Vegas NV 89117 * 800-377-7481 * esprittravel.com * CST#1020919-40 * IATAN 29-678342 3 Saturday 20 April Kyoto Today we will enjoy some of Esprit’s special cultural visits in Fukui Prefecture, en route to Kyoto. Our first stop will be at the Takefu KKnifenife Bridge foundry where world famous Japanese culinary knives are made by hand. Next we will enjoy a special tea ceremony at Eichezen Togeimura Ceramics Park, followed by a short tour of the Fukui Prefectural Ceramics Museum. Afterwards, we go to Imadate village to learn about the art of handmade w ashi paper making. We end the day with a short train ride to Kyoto. Our hotel is within blocks of Kyoto’s famed Gion district, which will be bustling with tourists snapping photos of beautifully dressed geisha as they hurry on their way to teahouse engagements on this Saturday night. Overnight: Celestine Gion Kyoto Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Sunday 21 April Kyoto We will start our day with a visit to the austere RyoanRyoan----jijijiji, a quintessential Japanese dry garden and UNESCO World Heritage Site.. It is one of the world’s most famous gardens as well as one of its first abstract art installations, dating back to the late 1400’s. Afterwards, we will visit 700-year old MyoshinMyoshin----ji,ji,ji,ji, the largest Zen Monastery in Japan. After strolling through the formal central precinct passing one sub-temple after another, with their white-washed walls and open gates revealing unique entry gardens, we will come to RyusenRyusen----anananan, one of 36 quiet, reflective sub-temples and normally closed to the public. We will be meeting with the abbot, who will share with us over 100 fusuma paper doors, each with a Nihonga painting, recently commissioned to celebrate the temple’s 500-year anniversary. After lunch, we move on to a Noh theatertheater for a private demonstration and workshop to learn the foundation of this continuously performed 600-year old art and its little- known, yet critically important, ties to the world of the samurai. The rest of the afternoon will be free time. Overnight: Celestine Gion Kyoto Meals included: Breakfast, lunch Monday 22 April Kyoto Our first stop this morning is the studio of an 8 th generation traditional silversmithsilversmith, located in the heart of the old merchant district. The workshop’s chief journeyman will demonstrate how she transforms sheets of silver into stunning implements for the tea ceremony. We will follow this with a stop at the working studio of a 21 st generation bow maker whose family supplied bows to samurai for nearly 700 years, for an introduction to the art of making Japan’s unique bamboo longbows. Afterwards, we will have a demonstration of iadoiadoiado (a martial art of swords) and kyudo (Japanese archery), so you can see the weapons of samurai in action, as well as learn more about the training that the samurai class (both men and women) embraced in order to hone their skills. Tonight we will enjoy a group dinner. Overnight: Celestine Gion Kyoto Meals included: Breakfast, dinner Tuesday 23 April KKyotoyotoyotoyoto Today we travel by coach to nearby Shigaraki. On the way, our first stop is the home and workshop of the Mori family that has been growing and fermenting indigo dyestuff, and dyeing in the traditional way since the late 1800’s.