Wednesday May 13   Tokyo
We arrive in the evening at Tokyo Narita International airport where we are met by our local English-speaking guide and bused to a five-star hotel with it’s famous garden and water fall in the center of Tokyo. New Otani Hotel

Thursday May 14   Tokyo
Our full day sightseeing start by visiting Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden followed by Meiji-Jingu Shrine. Our tour guide will then take us over Rainbow Bridge to Odaiba, the waterfront park and manmade beach at Tokyo’s Harbor. This new area offers a great view of Tokyo and finest shopping in the area. Afternoon from Asakusa we take a boat ride on Sumidagawa river to what is considered the best garden in Tokyo, Hama-rikyu garden. New Otani Hotel (B-L-D)

Friday May 15   Tokyo
Free day. In the morning, we invite anyone not familiar with Tokyo's transportation system to join us so you can learn how to use it. We will then visit old part of Tokyo on foot. In the afternoon you will be on your own to explore this amazing city. New Otani Hotel (B)

Saturday May 16   Tokyo-Kamakura-Hakone
We leave Tokyo and head south, passing Yokohama, to Kamakura where we visit the gigantic bronze statue of Buddha known as the Daibutsu. After lunch we will cruise on the largest lake of Mt. Fuji, Lake Ashi, and visit a lakeside azalea park. At the foot of Mt. Fuji, we arrive in Hakone, an area famous for its therapeutic hot springs. Here we will enjoy pampering Japanese hospitality at a typical onsen resort (traditional Japanese hot springs). Hakone Prince Hotel (B-L-D)

Sunday May 17   Hakone - Shizuoka
We start our day in Hakone by visiting the Hakone Open-Air Art Museum. The Hakone Open Air Museum create a harmonic balance of the great nature of Hakone and art. We stop at Heiwa Koen the peace park (the most beautiful spot to view Fuji Mountain) We drive to south and we will visit “Ochya No Sato” Tea House Garden. The garden patterned after Kobori Enshu who was tea master and gardener commissioned by imperial family and Tokugawa shogun. The visit is followed by traditional Japanese tea ceremony by tea master. Hotel Associate Shizuoka Terminal (B-L-D)

Monday May 18    Shizuoka - Gifu
Takeishima Island famous for plants and flower special in May for Azalea is an island with a circumference of 1890 sq. ft. connected to the mainland by 387 m. long bridge and it has about 238 different plant species and has been designated as Japanese national treasure is our first stop follow by Lake Hamanako famous for Unagi (Fresh water eels) on our way to Gifu. Gifu Miyako Hotel (B-L-D)

Tuesday May 19   Gifu-Kyoto
We depart for Kyoto, “The City of Temples.” We pass by Japan’s largest lake, Biwako, on the way to Kyoto. Here on back track in Peach Valley we are pleased to invite you to the Miho Museum, designed by the famous architect, I. M. Pei, who designed the Louvre Pyramid in Paris. In the Rotary, an unusual acoustical space where sounds resonate for over five seconds, octagonal walls rise up to a square Roman Pantheon-like skylight. We will visit the special exhibitions of this museum. final destination is just outside of Kyoto in Arashiyama. Tenryu-ji Temple register as World Heritage by UNESCO. is the temple of the Rinzai sect, and was built by Ashikaga Takauji in 1339. It was the highest ranked temple in Kyoto-Gozan in the Muromachi period. Rinzai sect of the Zen is celebrated for its “dry landscape garden” a symbolic reproduction of the world of nature using only rock and white sand. Rihga Royal Hotel (B-L-D)

Wednesday May 20    Kyoto
Our full-day tour of Kyoto includes visit to Katsura Imperial Villa* marriage of house and garden, extremely beautiful imperial villa and garden with pounds. The vibrant orange Heian-jingu Shrin, and spectacular Golden Pavilion at Kinkaku-ji Temple.
Rihga Royal Hotel (B)

* Katsura Villa requires a Japanese Imperial Household permit. If one is not available due to ceremonial activity, we will visit the “Nagaoka Tenjin Shrine.”

Friday May 21    Kyoto
Today you are free to explore Kyoto at your leisure. We invite you to ask your guide for directions and advice on your free day, possibly to visit Kyoto railway station which is the most modern station in the world and an interesting destination in itself as starting point. Royal Rhiga Hotel (B)

Friday May 22   Kyoto-Kobe
After breakfast we head south of Honshu to one of famous old Japanese harbor Kobe. Visiting Nada sake factory and museum on the way to Kobe. City tour of Kobe starts with visit to Akashi great suspension bridge blue sea expanse before the eyes, continue and pass by Kitano foreign residence district. We are going to take cable car to Herbal Botanical garden with 75000 herb plants for cooking, medicine and perfume. New Otani Hotel (B-L-D)

Thursday May 23   Kobe-Himeji-Okayama-Kobe
Drive to the city of Himeji. Perhaps the most beautiful castle in Japan is Himeji Castle (well known as The White Heron Castle). Upon arrival we tour the castle and view the surrounding grounds from the 5-story donjon. Continue to Okayama Koraku En the Japanese master piece of all gardens. Tonight after visit to Kobe Port Tower the land mark of Kobe we will invite you to a farewell dinner cruise on Kobe harbor. New Otani Hotel (B-L-D)

Friday May 24   Kobe-Osaka-Los Angeles
After relax morning and free for last minute shopping in Kobe we drive to Osaka Airport for our return home flight. (B)

(B) = Breakfast  (L) = Lunch  (D) = Dinner

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