In the Footsteps of the Samurai 2011
October 25th - November 9th 2011
16 day tour to experience Japan's ancient world
Detailed itinerary description
| Day | Schedule |
|---|---|
Tuesday 25th Oct Departure for Japan |
We depart from Heathrow on the Japan Airlines evening flight to Tokyo. |
Wednesday 26th Oct Arrival in Japan |
We transfer to our hotel in Narita and relax for the rest of the day. |
Thursday 27th Oct Narita Temple |
Today we explore the beautiful historic town of Narita. We start by visiting the temple and its vastly landscaped gardens. We continue to Boso no Mura to enjoy the recreated village, a living museum which brings life to the age of the samurai. |
Friday 28th Oct Tokyo |
On our way to Tokyo we enter a traditional martial arts dojo for a rare demonstration of classical martial skill by Michael Jay and a Japanese colleague. In the afternoon we visit Sengaku-ji Temple where poignant graves tell of the heroic 47 samurai who, in 1703, exacted a spectacular and terrible revenge for their lost lord. |
Saturday 29th Oct Nikko |
We travel north of Tokyo to Nikko, home to incredible natural beauty as well as one of Japan's best shrines. We will visit the intricately carved Tosho-gu Shrine complex, and the Rinno-ji Temple, which dates from the eight century and houses three important Buddhist deities. From there we visit the Futarasan Shrine - a Shinto place of worship. We continue to the head of this valley, at 1300m altitude, to enjoy views of the picturesque setting of Lake Chuzenji and Kegon waterfall. |
Sunday 30th Oct Tokyo |
In the morning we visit the Sword museum to see a vast array of samurai swords on display. The beautiful fittings and incredible craftsmanship are beyond comparison. The rest of the day is free to explore at your leisure. |
Monday 31st Oct Sado Island |
We travel on the bullet train north to Niigata, by the west coast. We take the high speed ferry to Sado Island and a visit to one of the biggest gold mines in Japan. The living museum shows how it played a significant role in the modernisation of Japan. It is a short journey on to our spectacularly located ryokan by the sea. You will have the rest of the day free to relax at the ryokan, taking in the beautiful natural scenery. |
Tuesday 1st Nov Sado |
We will see the work of the Kodo Cultural Foundation and a performance
from the apprentices to the most famous Taiko drumming group in the world.
Sado Island was an important trading post and we follow the history,
exploring a life size replica of the original ships before strolling around the
well preserved traditional port.
|
Wednesday 2nd Nov Tsumago |
We return to the mainland and travel on two different bullet train lines via Tokyo to Nagoya. From Nagoya we take the train east into the mountains to an ancient village called Tsumago. |
Thursday 3rd Nov Nakasendo Highway |
Today we explore the historic and beautifully preserved Nakasendo Road which runs through a number of picturesque post towns. We start from Tsumago, walking the original route as it gradually heads up the valley and over the low pass to another village, Magome. This is the best way to experience Japan as it was in the Edo Period. |
Friday 4th Nov Ise |
We move on to Inuyama Castle. As one of only four castles designated a Japanese National Treasure, it is an ideal site to learn about how the Samurai designed these imposing fortresses. We continue south to Ise - the site of one of the most spiritual and sacred Shinto locations in Japan. |
Saturday 5th Nov Ise Grand Shrine |
The Grand Shrine of Ise, dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu, is said to enshrine a sacred mirror - one of the Japan's Imperial Regalia. In the afternoon, we will see the amazing female pearl divers off the coast near Ise. We transfer by train to the holy mountain, Mount Koya. We will have a unique opportunity to try zazen meditation, and enjoy delicious shoujinryouri vegetarian dinner prepared by Buddhist monks from fresh homegrown produce. Spending the night at a Buddhist temple will without doubt be one of the highlights of your tour |
Sunday 6th Nov Kongobuji Temple |
We'll visit Kongobuji, the traditional centre of Shingon teaching. The sect's founder, Kukai, is enshrined at the Okunoin temple, which is surrounded by the peaceful and sometimes surreal Okunoin cemetery, Japan's largest. At the end of the afternoon we move on to Kyoto, our final destination. |
Monday 7th Nov Golden Pavilion |
We have a full day sightseeing in Kyoto including the Golden Temple - one of the most famous symbols of Kyoto, and a tour of a traditional Kyoto townhouse, or machiya. To fully immerse yourself in the refined culture of ancient Kyoto, you will have a chance to dress in a beautiful silk kimono and enjoy real green tea prepared at a traditional tea ceremony. After |
Tuesday 8th Nov Gion |
In the morning we visit Gion, the traditional home of the geisha. We follow the quaint backstreets of Higashiyama district connecting Gion with the splendid Kiyomizu Temple. Radiating an irresistible atmosphere of the past, they are lined with old houses and ancient pottery kilns. At the end of the afternoon we visit the fascinating Nishiki market in the heart of the city. |
Wednesday 9th Nov Return to UK |
We transfer on to Kansai International Airport for your connecting flight home via Narita. There is usually enough time to pick up any final souvenirs at the excellent array of shops. |