Sakura Season
Japan Tour Snapshot
RESERVE YOUR SPOT HERE!
DATES/CITIES:
April 1-7, 2016: Japan
April 1: Tokyo
April 2-6: Kyoto, with trips to Yoshino, Nara, Osaka, Kurama (optional)
April 7: Tokyo
We will arrive at Kyoto from Tokyo in the afternoon of April 2nd via Shinkansen (bullet train)
We will arrive at Tokyo from Kyoto in the evening of April 6th via Shinkansen, allowing for a full day of Tokyo exploration on the 7th
THEME:
Nature, traditional Japanese culture
ACTIVITY LEVEL:
3/5. Lots of walking. Most paths should be easy, but a couple of activities will involve steep stairs
# OF SPOTS:
8. Will be sold as 8 single spots
LODGING:
Tokyo:
4-bedroom house near Shinjuku. 6 twin beds, 1 double for a couple/two friends comfortable sharing.
Kyoto:
Machiya, which is a traditional Japanese townhouse. Japanese style futon beds.
ACTIVITIES:
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY:
I've been looking into the possibility of having a private dinner in the company of one or two geishas. This three-hour dinner will be held at an exclusive keiseki (Japanese haute cuisine) restaurant. Some keiseki meals are known to have up to 14 courses and are prepared by a master chef. We would have an interpreter in order to freely communicate with the geisha. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If enough people are interested, I can have this arranged. The estimated additional costs would be approximately $300 for each attendee, including the geisha entertainment, interpreter, and dinner (not including drinks). This is of course, completely optional. We will discuss this as a group when the spots are filled.
TRIP COSTS INCLUDE:
It does not include airfare to Japan, although I am happy to help you arrange your flights for free
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
This trip is restricted to those 20 years of age and older
For those who are unfamiliar with Japanese style onsen, you must enter the baths completely nude. They are separated by gender. At some Japanese onsen, visible tattoos can result in denied entry (you can cover them with bandages). However, from what I've read, this onsen appears to allow tattoos
PRICE FOR 1 PERSON:
$1500
BOOKINGS ARE NOW CLOSED. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE BELOW FOR NOTIFICATIONS ON MORE JAPAN TOURS IN 2017!
DATES/CITIES:
April 1-7, 2016: Japan
April 1: Tokyo
April 2-6: Kyoto, with trips to Yoshino, Nara, Osaka, Kurama (optional)
April 7: Tokyo
We will arrive at Kyoto from Tokyo in the afternoon of April 2nd via Shinkansen (bullet train)
We will arrive at Tokyo from Kyoto in the evening of April 6th via Shinkansen, allowing for a full day of Tokyo exploration on the 7th
THEME:
Nature, traditional Japanese culture
ACTIVITY LEVEL:
3/5. Lots of walking. Most paths should be easy, but a couple of activities will involve steep stairs
# OF SPOTS:
8. Will be sold as 8 single spots
LODGING:
Tokyo:
4-bedroom house near Shinjuku. 6 twin beds, 1 double for a couple/two friends comfortable sharing.
Kyoto:
Machiya, which is a traditional Japanese townhouse. Japanese style futon beds.
ACTIVITIES:
- Fushimi Inari-taisha, a shrine where there are thousands of vermillion torii gates that snake up the mountainside
- Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji, Nanzen-ji, Todai-ji temples
- Miyako Odori, Geisha performance
- Philosopher’s path
- Private green tea ceremony
- Sake tasting
- Arashiyama, famous for its spectacular bamboo forest
- Kasuga-taisha (Kasuga Grand Shrine)
- Nara Park, where there are hundreds of freely roaming deer
- Yoshino, most famous cherry-blossom viewing spot in Japan as it contains 30,000 sakura trees of all different varieties
- Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) picnic is a given!
- Onsen, lovely outdoor bath with views of the forested mountainside. Situated in the rural town of Kurama (optional activity)
- Free-range exploration of Gion (Kyoto's entertainment district, with long narrow side streets full of restaurants and bars)
- Free-range late afternoon / nighttime exploration of Osaka (depending on time we leave Nara, we will visit Osaka Castle)
- Free-range exploration of Tokyo (I will provide an online PDF of all types of activities)
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY:
I've been looking into the possibility of having a private dinner in the company of one or two geishas. This three-hour dinner will be held at an exclusive keiseki (Japanese haute cuisine) restaurant. Some keiseki meals are known to have up to 14 courses and are prepared by a master chef. We would have an interpreter in order to freely communicate with the geisha. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If enough people are interested, I can have this arranged. The estimated additional costs would be approximately $300 for each attendee, including the geisha entertainment, interpreter, and dinner (not including drinks). This is of course, completely optional. We will discuss this as a group when the spots are filled.
TRIP COSTS INCLUDE:
- Lodging in Tokyo and Kyoto for designated days
- JR Rail Pass. It covers most transportation, including the shinkansen
- Supplemental transportation costs for all activities listed above (minus free-range exploration)
- Activity costs for all of the events above, minus the additional activity section
It does not include airfare to Japan, although I am happy to help you arrange your flights for free
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
This trip is restricted to those 20 years of age and older
For those who are unfamiliar with Japanese style onsen, you must enter the baths completely nude. They are separated by gender. At some Japanese onsen, visible tattoos can result in denied entry (you can cover them with bandages). However, from what I've read, this onsen appears to allow tattoos
PRICE FOR 1 PERSON:
$1500
BOOKINGS ARE NOW CLOSED. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE BELOW FOR NOTIFICATIONS ON MORE JAPAN TOURS IN 2017!
Header photo credit: Wolfgang Lonien
Slideshow photo credit: syvwlch, Calvin YC, Takashi Hososhima, Curt Smith