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Wonders of the West (Small Group Tour)

When & Where?

• Route: Osaka (1) – Koyasan (1) - Kyoto (3) – Fukuoka (1) (via Miyajima & Hiroshima)  – Unzen Onsen (1) – Kumamoto (2) – Yakushima Island (2) – Tokyo (2)
• Tour Duration: 13 Nights / 14 days
• 2012 Departure Dates: May 29 
• Start: Osaka | Finish: Tokyo

­Pricing

Price: JPY415,000 | EUR4,158 |GBP3,440 | AUD5,090 | USD5,400

*Prices are per person sharing * Currencies are subject to change at time of booking and based on the JPY (Japanese Yen) value
* No single room supplement applies if you are willing to share a room with a passenger of same gender in Japanese style hotels only * If you prefer your own room throughout, a small supplement will apply. Once you pay your security deposit, a fixed value will be set against the JPY value that will be due eight weeks prior to travel.

What’s included?

• Met on arrival at Kansai International Airport by an English speaking representative on day 1
• Airport transfers on arrival and departure dates
• 13 nights stay in western hotels (9 nights), temple lodge (1 night), ryokan (1 night), minshiku (2 nights)
• Breakfast daily & 4 dinners
• All transfers between destinations using local trains, shinkansen, subways, private vehicles, cable car, internal flight, and ferry
• All activities and entrance fees as per itinerary
• English-speaking tour leader throughout with local guides in places
• Taxes including service charges
• Unique Japan Tours travel pack

Introduction

Western Japan including Kyushu is what the Lonely Planet describes as Japan’s ‘genuine article’, with a culture inspired by nature; mountains, seascapes, forests, deserts, and the infamous natural hot springs. Wonders of the West captures most of this as soon as you leave the mainland and travel down to Kyushu, particularly the world heritage stunningly scenic Yakushima Island and the remote hot spring town of Unzen. A combination of magical scenery, authentic accommodation, ancient treasures and world heritage sites make this a tour you will not forget.

Tour Highlights

Osaka city atmosphere & local cuisine; Mt Koya spiritual hide away, overnight stay in an active temple lodge, walking tour with local guide teaching you about Japans two religions, Buddhism and Shinto; Kyotos World Heritage temples, shrines, and an authentic tea ceremony and geisha walking tour; Fukuoka city lights and mobile street eateries; Miyajima Islands floating shrine, quaint shopping streets, and fantastic photo opportunities; Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and A-Bomb Museum; Unzen bubbling streets, rural ryokan, local cuisine, onsen (hot spring) baths, rustic walks; Kumamoto castle, shopping streets, Mt Aso active volcano day trip; Yakushima Island Unesco World Heritage Giant cedar trees, mountain treks, magnificant beaches, stunning scenary, and local hospitality at rural minshiku; Tokyo bright lights, Tsukuji fish market, Harajuku, Meiji Jingu shrine, Omotesando, Ginza shopping and lots of surprises in store!!

Brief Itinerary

Osaka (1 night)

Your journey will begin in the vibrant city of Osaka for some local okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes) in downtown Dotombori. You will meet your group in the evening before heading out together for an evening of orientation and getting to know each other. If you arrive a day earlier you can see more sights in Osaka which we also recommend.

Koyasan (Mt. Koya) (1 night)

A spiritual centre for Shingon Esoteric Buddhism, Koyasan is a fantastic starting point for learning the in’s and out’s of Japanese religion. Our local guide Noriko will teach you all about it while walking you through the main sites. We will stay overnight in a temple, traditionally used as lodges for the pilgrims that walked 1400km through Shikoku, to reach this sacred site.

Kyoto (3 nights)

Kyoto, recently voted the most popular place to visit in Japan, deserves at least three nights stay. We will base ourselves in a city centre hotel making it easy to navigate the city, as a group and on your own. One day will be spent with our local guide who will give you an overview of the historical importance Kyoto has played on the development of Japan today. We will perform an authentic tea ceremony at a local machiya (tea house) and listen to the mysterious tales of the Geisha world that still exists very prominently in Kyoto today.

Unzen (1 night) & Fukuoka (1 night)

Before reaching the remote volcanic town we will pass through Hiroshima and Fukuoka taking in the main sights of both cities. Unzen, located along the Shimabara Peninsula, is famous for its volcanic activity, bubbling jigoku (boiling pools of mineral hot springs), and is home to Japans first national park (1934). We will experience bathing in our own onsen at one of the luxurious ryokans while enjoying walks along the steaming trails nearby the bubbling springs.

Kumamoto (2 nights) & Mt Aso (day trip)

The next day we will catch a ferry to the castle town of Kumamoto. A visit to the castle is a must but on our second day, we will venture towards the gigantic volcano caldera at Mt Aso. Mt Aso remains the largest active caldera in the world. The last major blast was in 1993 but the summit is frequently declared off limits due to toxic gas emissions, particularly on windy days.

Yakushima Island (2 nights)

Designated as a Unesco World Heritage site in 1993, Yakushima is one of Japans most worthwhile places to visit - if you can make it down that far! We will spend 2 nights in a local minshiku where free time is a must for some self-exploration. We will spend one day touring the island by private bus around the island with a local guide. Light trekking up to see the famous cedar trees will be a part of this day trip so bring good walking shoes. To make it back on time an internal flight back to Tokyo is arranged, saving you a lot time.  

Tokyo (2 nights)

As with all our tours, you will stay in Tokyo for a couple of nights. This will end your tour with a bang and hopefully make you want to either return, or stay longer!!! It is always recommended to add on an extra few nights onto the tour to have some time-out from touring and exploring the streets on your own. Tokyo is a maze full of activities, amazing restaurants, bizarre fashion, outrageous hair styles, and full of surprises!!! You will never get bored in this city and our tour will hopefully give you a taste of this in these 2 days.  

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