Lost in Japan (Small Group Tour)

When & Where?

Route: Osaka (1) – Koyasan (1) – Shikoku Island: Tokushima (2) – Takamatsu (1) (via Iya Valley & Kotohira) - Dogo Onsen (2) – Kyoto (3) – Tokyo (2)
Tour Duration: 12 Nights / 13 days
2012 Departure Dates: August 10 (features Awa Odori Tokushima Summer Festiva)
Start: Osaka | Finish: Tokyo

Pricing

Price: JPY365,750 [ EUR3,665 |GBP3,000 | AUD4,480 | USD4,800 ]

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, 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

As the name suggests, this tour takes you into the hidden or lost Japan that should not be missed if you want to experience a different, less crowded, but equally rewarding Japan than the regular tourist trails. We cover the must see cities of Osaka, Tokyo and Kyoto, adding our own off-the-beaten track locations to your itinerary including Koyasan and Shikoku Island. Awa-Odori summer festival is considered Japans biggest and best Summer festival where the streets are covered in locals performing group dances together with live music and food stalls. This is without doubt one of the best festivals you could see in Japans heated summer months!!

Tour Highlights

Osaka

Japans second largest city and central hub for touring West Japan, Osaka is a vibrant modern city that deserves more than one night. If you have time we recommend arriving at least one day earlier to take part in some pre-tour self-guided sightseeing. The tour will commence in the evening on the first day. Your tour leader will take you to downtown Osaka for an introduction to Osaka’s favourite cuisine – Okonomiyaki (Japanese savourypancake).

Koyasan

The adventure begins when we set out for Koyasan (Mt. Koya), home to the mausoleum of Buddhist saint Kobo Daishi. We will reach the summit by mountain tram, 1,000m above sea level, and met on arrival by our friendly local guide, Noriko. Noriko will give you a walking/talking tour explaining some interesting facts about Japans two main religions –Shinto & Buddhism. Understanding these basic foundations will in turn give you a better insight into Japanese culture and lifestyle adding to the overall experience in Japan. You will spend tonight on the floor (sleeping on a futon) at a local temple lodge or shokubo – eating the local vegetarian cuisine served by the monks themselves.

Tokushima / Awa Dance Festival

We will sail across to Shikoku Island by ferry the next morning. We have set this tour to coincide with the annual Awa Odori (dance) festival, the most famous and largest ‘bon’ festival in Japan. We will spend the day doing local sightseeing while in the evening enjoy watching the locals dress up in their Summer kimono’s dancing the streets to the theme song ‘Yoshikono’ accompanied by shamisen (three string guitar), taiko (drums) and fue (flute).

Iya Valley

After two nights of celebrating and dancing with the locals we will continue on our journey through the stunning Iya Valley, crossing the famous vine ropeway, cruising down the crystal clear waterways, and stopping in the forgotten town of Kotohira to visit Kompira-san, one of Shikoku’s most famous attractions. We will arrive in Takamatsu that evening where you will have free to time to take in the smaller city atmosphere on your own.

Dogo Onsen & Matsuyama

Matsuyama, Shikoku’s largest city, is home to one of Japans finest feudal castles, as well as Japan’s oldest onsen village – Dogo Onsen. The main onsen building was built in 1894 and was designated an important cultural site in 1994. There are plenty of other things to do in this area if you are not a fan of hot springs. Matsuyama itself is a small city with an historic tram to take you around. A visit to the castle is a must and if you are a Samurai fan, you can even have the chance to dress up in a suit of armour (free of charge)!!

Kyoto

Included in all our tours is a three night stop in Kyoto, Japan’s ancient and most cultured capital. Instead of bringing you to the famous sights, which we feel you can do on your own, our local guide will take you off the beaten track to the bamboo forests, the philosophers walk and other places that are more challenging to find. You will have a full free day to explore on your own the more common (and as a result crowded) places such as the Golden Pavillion, Kiyomizu Temple and so on. If you would like to see Hiroshima and the world heritage Miyajima Island, you have time to visit here on another day using your Japan rail pass.

Tokyo

We always like to end our tours with a bang and what better place to do it than in the metropolitan city of Tokyo. From having trekked across lost Japan in Shikoku all the way to Tokyo you will feel ready to let your hair down and enjoy some of what Tokyo has to offer. Our local guide will take you on a trip around the city taking in her recommendations for that day. If you feel you would like to see more of Tokyo we recommend extending your plan with one or two nights of post tour accommodation. Ask your tour consultant to arrange this.