TEL: 503-227-7220
Journey through Japan With Art
JAPAN
DESCRIPTION:
The arts are our window into history and culture. Visual arts, crafts, and performing arts will show us the heart of Japan. No dry history lessons for us.
The people of ikebana (flower arranging), kintsuji (pottery repair), cooking, lacquerware, and sumo wrestling are ready to share their passions. We will watch and learn, on the path to appreciating this new culture. Geishas, gardens, and shrines add more depth of understanding.
A night in a ryokan and a soak in the hot springs immerse us in the real life of Japan.
With Mother Nature’s cooperation, cherry blossoms will grace the trees, lending an air of magic to the scene. What a peak time to visit this island nation.
Of course, we will experience the expected destinations of Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima but our view is always through the lens of the arts. We will divert a bit from the standard tourist route to some smaller towns and more intimate encounters.
This is a memorable and beautiful journey into the exotic land of Japan. After the Olympics in summer 2021, there will be a surge of demand for travel there. We are lucky to be just ahead of the masses by booking our small group now.
FEATURES:
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Private city tours
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Ikebana class
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Kintsugi demo
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Kimono experience
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Japanese tea tasting
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Cooking class
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Sumo stable visit
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Gold leaf workshop
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Lacquerware demonstration
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Food sample class
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Ryokan stay
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Hot springs visit
INCLUDED:
12 nights hotels
Daily breakfast
All mentioned activities
Transportation to activities
Train tickets
Local guide
3 lunches
2 dinners
Airport transfers for arrival on outlined days
Cultural preparation and media list
DETAILS:
Itinerary subject to change without notice with equal substitutions. No refunds for missed activities.
Participants must independently be able to walk moderate distances on uneven surfaces, ascend and descend uneven stairs without railings, and board and disembark buses, trains, boats, and automobiles. There are no ADA accommodations in Japan. Special dietary requests will be accommodated as available and incur a $100 surcharge.
Minimum 6 guest, maximum 15. A nonrefundable $200 deposit secures your space with a second payment of $1000 September 1, 2022, and balance due January 15, 2023. A 3.5% fee for credit card use. All payments are nonrefundable once made. Travel insurance is recommended to protect your investment.
$5399
13
days
$5399 per person based on double
$750 single supplement
MAR 30-APR 11, 2023
March 29
Depart U.S. cities
***Please arrive Toyko’s Haneda airport and depart Hiroshima ***
March 30
Arrival
Be met by guide for transfer to hotel
March 31
Ready to greet the guide for a new day in Tokyo. There will be time to shop at the Sky Tree after touring the Imperial Palace, Tsukiji Outer Market and the colorful district of Asakusa with the added experience of using public transportation.
April 1
Visit the sumo wrestlers stable and share a lunch with them before the kintsugi workshop (pottery repair) and the Shinto Meiji-jingu Shrine. See – you are learning a lot already!
April 2
No visit to Japan is complete without a bullet train ride and a bento box. Today we check that box as we are off to Kanazawa and away from the big city. We explore the gold leaf artisans’ works and the ancient district of Higashi Chaya, full of well-preserved historic buildings.
April 3
A busy day including tea tasting, a contemporary art museum, one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan, and a cooking class with market visit.
April 4
Today we reach the mountain area of the country for some charm you do not see in the big cities.
April 5
This is our opportunity to stay in a traditional ryokan with a hot springs. We will enjoy a multi-course dinner and play games with the geishas during the day. This is bound to be enlightening.
April 6
Off to Kyoto by train this morning with a visit to the Fushimi Inari Shrine.
April 7
City tour of Kyoto will hold your interest. We have a surprise craft today.
April 8
Osaka calls us. We will get a good tour of the castle and have a stroll through Shinsaibashi and its covered shopping street.
April 9
A visit to Hiroshima is not to be rushed. We will take the necessary time there for the Peace Museum and Bomb Dome.
April 10
At last, we reach Miyajima the iconic, red torii gate you know from the postcards. It is the one that sits out in the water. It is not to be missed and is the perfect wrap up for our time in Japan.
April 11
We are transfer back to Haneda for afternoon flights home today. Domo arigatou – thanks for being willing to delve into a new destination with a different perspective.