Sakura Spring (Small Group Tour)

When & Where?

Route: Tokyo (2) – Matsumoto (1) - Takayama (2) – Kanazawa (1) – Kyoto (3) – Miyajima Island (1) – Hakone (1) – Tokyo (2)

Tour Duration: 13 Nights / 14 days
Start: Tokyo Finish: Tokyo
2013 Departure Dates: Apr 10*

*Takayama Spring Festival & Cherry Blossom Viewing

Pricing

Price: JPY382,250 | EUR3,828 |GBP3,174 | AUD4,686

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 Narita Airport by an English speaking representative on Day 1
Airport transfers on arrival and departure dates
13 nights stay in western hotels (11 nights) and traditional ryokans (2 nights)
Breakfast daily & 4 dinners
All transfers between destinations using local trains, shinkansen, subways, private vehicles, cable car, 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

Sakura Spring takes you on a cultural and colourful journey through Japans must see cities and towns at one of the best seasons to travel – cherry blossom (sakura) season. Sakura, Japans unofficial national flower, is celebrated nationwide during its short two-week window for blooming. Office workers, families, friends gather in parks or any open space under the sakura tree, for a picnic party called hanami. To most foreigners, this seems like an excuse to take time off work and be merry, but to the Japanese it is almost like an annual ritual they look forward to as soon as the Winter starts to disappear.

Tour Highlights

Tokyo (4 nights)

Tokyo, the capital city of Japan, is one of the worlds most populated metropolitan centres. Unlike other cities, visitors to Tokyo can expect the safest streets, the cleanest taxi’s, most timely trains and usually most polite bunch of people, neatly packed into hugely densely populated areas. Your first day will begin in the evening with a walking tour of the Shinjuku district, best seen at night. Day two will be met by a local guide who will explain in detail the story behind Tokyo’s transformation from the Edo ero to the modern sky scrapers that tower the city today, while visiting some of its highlights including the worlds largest fish market at Tsukuji.

Matsumoto (1 night) & Takayama (2 nights)

Connected by an express train line we will start our journey towards the Japanese Alps stopping in the castle town of Matsumoto for one night. There are few castles with original structures remaining but thankfully, this is one of them. After visiting the castle, enjoy free time to wonder the old streets lined with antique stalls and craft shops, particularly pretty during this sakura season.

The next day we will take the bus along the winding road through super long tunnels, forested mountains, and river valleys, sure to take your breath away, arriving in Takayama approximately two and half hours later. This small city has preserved much of its charm from the forgotten samurai days with old streets, shops, sake breweries and morning markets that attract the locals nice and early to prepare for their daily dishes. We will spend two nights in this quaint town. Join our April tour to take part in the hugely popular Takayama Spring festival.

Kanazawa (1 night) & Kyoto (3 nights)

Also known as little Kyoto, Kanazawa appears to be a modern 21st century city with an impressive station to welcome you. When you walk the old streets, as we will, you will find a forgotten past in the Higashi Chaya district where samurai’s and geisha once resided. Kenrokuen Garden, one of Japans top three gardens, and the 21st Century Contemporary Art Museum offer complete contrasts but are definitely worth the visit while visiting Kanazawa.

Kyoto, Japans ancient capital, is home to almost 2,000 temples and shrines that are spread out evenly among the old and new. Three days and nights will hopefully give you a greater understanding of how important Kyoto was, pre-Edo period, where a local guide will tell us the tales that piece the historical trails together. We will visit the must see world heritage buildings, local markets, Geisha district, bamboo forests, as well as perform an authentic tea ceremony at a local tea house.

Miyajima Island (1 night) & Hiroshima (day trip)

To the West of Honshu lies the historical Hiroshima city, a victim of the tragic WWII A-bomb. Today, Hiroshima is a fresh faced modern city that deserves to be visited once, especially to the A-bomb dome and peace memorial park. If you prefer to leave this out, that’s up to you. There are plenty of other attractions to see which your tour leader will assist you with. In the afternoon, we will move across to the world heritage and picture perfect Miyajima Island where we will overnight in a traditional ryokan.

Hakone (1 night)

Before finishing our tour in the capital we will make a one night stop in Hakone where, weather permitting, you will get the perfect shot of the majestic Mt Fuji. One last night in a ryokan where hot springs and traditional cuisine are what they do best!