You will be met at the Airport upon arrival and escorted to your hotel, where you will be assisted with the check-in procedure followed by welcome drinks and a short briefing.
AM:Shirokanedai, Shibuya and Yoyogi Park
* Meet in the lobby to head to Happoen Gardens. Meander through the beautiful gardens, admire 500 year old bonsai trees and view traditional weddings that are taking place in the gardens and, of course, the Cherry Blossoms.
* Explore Shirokanedai (once the most expensive real estate in Tokyo), shop at the infamous Don Quijote or take a stroll down Platinum Street and peruse the many specialty shops and stop in at one of the affordable restaurants for lunch.
PM:
* Let’s explore Shibuya and traverse the famous crossing to Shibuya 109 (no photos allowed in this store!), Tokyo Disney, Parco Store and Tokyu Hands! Finally making our way to Yoyogi Park (600 cherry blossom trees).
* There is a direct train from Yoyogi to Asakusabashi.
* Evening at leisure
Matsumoto Castle, Green Tea Ceremony, Lesson in wearing KimonoAM:
* Meet in the lobby with luggage ready to travel to Matsumoto.
Our accommodation will be in a traditional Ryokan.
We will be transferred from the station to our accommodation.
PM:
* Matsumoto Castle (the oldest of the 12 original castles in Japan!). We will have a private escorted tour by one of the specialty Japanese guides.
* Green Tea Ceremony: Urasenke Style Tea Master certified staff will guide you through an authentic Japanese Tea Ceremony and teach you how to perform one of Japan’s most important traditions. Unlike most Tea Ceremonies you will actually get to serve the tea yourself and get a unique insight into this celebrated custom.
* Kimono: Learn how to dress in the traditional Kimono!
KanazawaAM:
Meet in the Ryokan reception to travel to Matsumoto Station then on to Kanazawa.
PM:
* Kenrokuen: Drop our luggage off at the accommodation and make our way to Kenrokuen, one of Japan’s most celebrated landscaped gardens.
* Higashi Chaya District: Enjoy meandering through the Geisha Tea House district. See the gold leaf products which are a specialty of Kanazawa.
Shin-OsakaAM:After breakfast we will travel to Shin-Osaka.
PM:
Afternoon and evening at leisure.
We will provide information on restaurants (with English menus) in the area and also how to get into Osaka or Kyoto if you are wanting to explore a little on your own.
Hikone Castle
* Day trip to Hikone Castle - one of the 12 original castles surrounded by approximately 1400 cherry blossom trees!
Kyoto
Let’s explore Kyoto!
* Philosopher’s walk – lined with cherry blossom trees
* Golden Pavilion
* Shirakawa Minami-dōri (the most beautiful street in Asia!) and maybe spot a Maiko or if we are very lucky Geisha.
* Monk Bar (optional) - 8pm: Let’s now venture to the hidden bar at Kanga-an Temple. This very special bar is run by Monks and looks out to the most beautiful garden. There is a cover charge of ¥1000 per person and each drink is approx. ¥1000
Shin-Osaka
Day at leisure:
Optional tours (at your own expense):
* Osaka Hop on Hop Off Bus and Ferry cruise
* Day trip to Himeji Castle (JR pass covers train travel)
* Miyajima Island (JR pass covers train and ferry travel)
* Hiroshima (JR pass covers train travel)
* Detailed information will be provided regarding the above optional tours
Nara, TokyoAM:
After breakfast we will spend the morning at Japan’s first permanent capital Nara.
PM
Shin-Osaka to Tokyo: Collect our luggage from the hotel and board the Shinkansen back to Tokyo arriving early evening.
Tokyo Day at Leisure
Explore the area around Asakasubashi.
* Tokyo Skytree Tower – The tallest tower in Tokyo
* Take time to wander around the ancient Sensoji
Temple and browse through some of the many
souvenir shops
* Take a water bus down the Sumida river.
We can help with tours that are suitable to your interests!
Hakone
Day trip to Hakone Area
Meet in the hotel lobby ready for departure to Odawara Station.
We will spend a full day exploring the Hakone region, travelling on all types of transport. From taking a breathtaking ropeway over a volcano crater and working sulphure mine to a pirate ship ferry across Lake Ashi.Hakone is also one of the best places to view (weather permitting) Mount Fuji.
Farewell Lunch and Departure to AirportAM:Check out of Hotel (leave luggage with reception)
Morning at leisure to do some last minute shopping or to enjoy Asakusa before lunch.
PM:
Farewell Lunch!
Our last hurrah will be lunch at a five star restaurant with beautiful views over Tokyo.
Dependent on your flight time, we will head back to the hotel and send you happily on your way to the Airport.
Per person costs (standard King, Double or Twin)
Per person costs (deluxe double) if available - extra charges apply
Single supplement (single private room) - Aud 1200
* All hotel rooms (except Ryokan stay) have a safe, television, video on demand (small cost), kettle and complimentary tea, private bathroom with complimentary shampoo, conditioner and body wash.
Standard King RoomDeluxe Double Room
* Welcome drinks
* All accommodation and land travel
* Membership to the hotel chain (yours to keep for your next holiday in Japan!)
* Entry fees to sites
* Specialist Japanese guides (subject to itinerary)
* Breakfast daily (Japanese style)
* 2 x evening meals
* Farewell lunch
Email: lmalcolm@chariot.com.au or
Phone: (+61) 417 075 412
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What they say...
Alison Willis
Thank you Leanne for all your invaluable help on our recent trip to Japan. Your advice on basing ourselves in Tokyo for 11 nights and the area to stay in made our travel to sites so much easier especially as we were a family of 7. The money we saved with suitable train passes only available to tourists in Japan that you told us about allowed us to add on 3 days of sking at such a very economical amount. We also enjoyed the very affordable and exciting quirky places you sent us to eat at with directions included. Your local advice on where to go, what to do and exactly how to get there helped us pack as much into our holiday as we possibly could. It was an amazing holiday, memories we will never forget. Thank you Ikou Japan tours and I would highly recommend your services to anyone planning a trip to Japan. JUST AMAZING ALISON WILLIS
"Thank you Leanne you made our Japanese holiday so much more than we had anticipated".
Given Leanne’s knowledge of Japan (having lived there for some time) we were very happy to follow her advice and suggestions.
We are both well travelled but were finding planning a trip to Japan a little daunting.
The detailed information enabled us to have an amazing time and had so much fun catching the trains and negotiating our way to some great destinations and sites.
With Leanne’s advice and attention to detail the trip flowed so well from validating rail passes to booking seating , being informed regarding luggage storage on these busy trains, to destinations and links to research these places.
We travelled for a little more than 2 weeks with a 14 day JR pass and Pasmo card and covered Tokyo, Takayama, Hiroshima, Osaka and Koyasan . The rail passes were a very economic and efficient way to travel and because we were armed with information and website links we saw so much and had a wonderful time.
We both absolutely loved our trip to Japan which was made so much easier and enjoyable thanks to Leanne.
Brisbane
James and Janine Crotty
Dear Leanne,
A very big and heartfelt thank you for letting Janine and I have the benefit of your experience and expertise. Our trip to Japan last April would have been fraught with worry without your detailed and meticulous preparation. A new culture and language in which we were not conversant was a challenge, but the help you provided made our transport and accommodation seamless. And nowhere near as expensive as we first feared. It really does make Japan affordable when you can live and travel like a local, which we did with your help.
The help you gave was apparent from the time we queued for passport control until we caught the train to the airport on the last day of our trip.
With your help Japan ceased to be foreign and confronting and instead a welcome adventure with much that was familiar and much that was new and exciting.
With your help we viewed the Japan of the now and also had insight into the Japan of times gone by.
While saying thank you we also extend our equally warm best wishes that others will benefit as we did from your help and that the guiding is enjoyable for all.
Come on an adventure through Japan with us. Travelling from Tokyo to Hiroshima, taking in the sites of Kyoto, Osaka, Iga Ueno (Ninja Museum) and Hiroshima. From taking an exhilarating cable car ride over the top of a crater to sipping top label sake in a temple run my monks, there is something for everyone. Our tours are kept very small to enable a tailored experience (maximum 6 people). We will stay in quality 3 star hotels and travel by Japan's world class public transport system.
