2008 SPRING NIHON KAI

Friday, April 11 (Day 01)
HONOLULU - NARITA
Our tour to Japan commences this morning when we assemble at the Japan Airlines lobby at the airport for baggage check-in procedures. We will depart Honolulu on Japan Airlines for Narita International Airport. Lunch and a snack will be served on board the flight.

Saturday, April 12 (Day 02)
ARRIVE NARITA (D)
We’ll arrive Narita International Airport in the afternoon and after completing entry and customs formalities, transfer to our hotel in Tokyo to spend the night. A dinner is planned for you at the hotel this evening.

Accommodations at SHINAGAWA PRINCE HOTEL or similar

Sunday, April 13 (Day 03)
TOKYO - NIIGATA (B)(D)
This morning, we’ll depart Tokyo on the shinkansen (bullet train) to Niigata, the largest city on the coast of the Japan Sea and a gateway to Sado Island. On arrival, we’ll board our chartered motor coach and proceed to the little town of Bunsui to enjoy the annual Oiran (geisha) Parade. Enjoy viewing elegant ladies and children march down a pathway wearing beautiful traditional kimonos and high gettas. We’ll return to the city of Niigata and embark on a brief sightseeing tour of this port city. We’ll visit the former residence of a local land baron - the Ito Family - preserved as the Northern Culture Museum with an extensive art collection. In the attractive garden complex are several relocated farmhouses, traditional earthen warehouses and individual tea arbours. We’ll make a stop at Furusato-Mura, a shopping village offering a nice selection of local traditional food and craft products. We will spend two nights in the city of Niigata. Dinner will be provided for you this evening.

Accommodations at HOTEL OKURA NIIGATA or similar

Monday, April 14 (Day 04)
NIIGATA - SADO ISLAND - NIIGATA (B)(D)
This morning we’ll board a hydrofoil from the port of Niigata, crossing the Japan Sea to the port of Ryotsu on historic Sado-ga-shima. This island had an image of being remote and associated with political exiles and prisoners but yet has a distinguished history and culture all its own. Sado was the home in exile to some historical figures such as ex-Emperor “Juntoku”, Buddhist priest “Nichiren”, and drama master “Zeami”, who left a legacy of Noh theater on the island. At the Sado Kinzan Gold Mine in the town of Aikawa, we’ll descend into the old mining cave to see mechanical puppets dramatize the tough existence of the miners in the past. In addition to ‘Noh’, the island is famed for okesa (folk dances) and ondeko (demon drum dances). We’ll visit the Sado Rekishi Densetsukan (Sado Historical Folklore Museum) where the relics of Juntoku and Nichiren Shonin are exhibited. As we travel along the scenic coastline, enjoy the view of the striking rock formations at Senkaku-wan Bay. We’ll return to the port of Ryotsu and take a hydrofoil to return to the city of Niigata .

Accommodations at HOTEL OKURA NIIGATA or similar

Tuesday, April 15 (Day 05)
NIIGATA - TSUBAME SANJO - BUNSUI - JOETSU - NAGANO (B)
This morning we’ll depart for Tsubame Sanjo, an area known for its manufacture of kitchen cutlery & silverware. We’ll visit a nice shop offering a wide selection of various merchandise available for purchase - including demonstrations of the use of some of their products. Weather permitting, on the grounds of Takata Castle in Joetsu, cherry blossoms should be in full bloom to enjoy “hanami” (cherry blossom viewing). We’ll continue on to overnight in the city of Nagano, known for its beautiful mountainous terrain and as the site of the 1998 Winter Olympics. Most of Nagano-ken consists of the northern, central and southern ranges of the breathtaking Japan Alps. Dinner will be on your own tonight to try some of the local specialties of this area.

Accommodations at HOTEL METROPOLITAN NAGANO or similar

Wednesday, April 16 (Day 06)
NAGANO - MATSUMOTO - ABO TUNNEL - TAKAYAMA (B)(D)
This morning we’ll visit Kawanakajima, the location where five epic battles took place to secure the northern territory of Nagano. We’ll continue on to the town of Hodaka to visit a wasabi (Japanese horseradish) farm to see the production of this root. A nice selection of wasabi products are available for purchase at the shops including wasabi ice cream. Enjoy the breathtaking scenery of mountains and tunnels as we drive to the charming and traditional city of Takayama - tucked away between the mountains of the Japan Alps. We’ll spend some time to enjoy strolling through the Takayama Kami Sannomachi area in this quaint little town. We’ll visit the Takayama Yatai Kaikan (Festival Floats Exhibition Hall) to see several beautiful “yatai” (festival floats) on display. These huge festival floats are spectacular creations with flamboyant carvings, metalwork and beautiful lacquer work. A famous feature of these floats are the marionettes - manipulated by accomplished puppeteers using strings to perform amazing tricks and acrobatics. Enjoy dinner at the hotel this evening.

Accommodations at HIDA HOTEL PLAZA or similar

Thursday, April 17 (Day 07)
TAKAYAMA - SHIRAKAWA - TONAMI - KANAZAWA (B)(D)
Our journey continues on to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Shirakawa-go - well known for houses constructed in architectural style - known as gassho-zukuri (‘hands in prayer’ style buildings). Enjoy a stroll through Ogimachi Village with several farmhouses that are more than 250 years old standing amid vegetable gardens and rice paddy fields. Many of them are now functioning as restaurants, shops and small museums. We’ll have an opportunity to visit one of these original homes - the Toyama Family House which is now preserved as a museum. We’ll travel to Tonami city - noted for its cultivation of tulips - the official flower of the city. Weather permitting, we’ll be able to see a wide variety of tulips in various colors raised in a hot-house. We’ll continue on to the castle town of Kanazawa to enjoy a leisure stroll of its main attraction, “Kenroku-en Garden” - ranked as one of Japan’s three most beautiful gardens. The name Kenroku translates as “combined six”, referring to a renowned Chinese garden from the Sung Dynasty that required six attributes for perfection: seclusion, spaciousness, artificiality, antiquity, abundant water, and broad views. Dinner will be provided for you this evening at the hotel.

Accommodations at KANAZAWA ANA HOTEL or similar

Friday, April 18 (Day 08)
KANAZAWA - NOTO PENINSULA - YAMANAKA ONSEN (B)(D)
We’ll travel to ‘Noto-Hanto’, a scenic peninsula of rugged seascapes surrounded on three sides by the Sea of Japan. The town of Wajima at the center of the Okunoto area is known not only for its fishing industry but also for its production of Wajima-nuri (lacquerware). A characteristic of Wajima lacquerware is found in the base coat being repeatedly applied to original wooden materials - taking months to finish - and decorated with chinkin (gold & silver inlaying) and makie (gold or silver raised lacquer painting). We’ll visit a shop to see a demonstration of the production of these elegant pieces and also to see their beautiful works on display and available for purchase. Kiriko is a form of lantern produced only in the Noto district and used to lead portable shrines during festivals. At the Kiriko Kaikan (Festival Hall), see a giant lantern and several beautiful lacquered floats from the Edo period displayed in the main room. We’ll have some fun shopping at the asa-ichi (morning market) - a huge outdoor marketplace in the town of Wajima with many vendors offering a variety of dried seafood products, including dried abalone and scallops. As we drive back along the west coast of the peninsula, enjoy a unique drive on the Chirihama Beach Driveway, a beach resembling a sandy motorway as we roar past the breakers of the waters. We’ll continue on to spend the night in Yamanaka. Enjoy dinner and relax in the hot springs at our ryokan this evening.

Accommodations at KAJIKA SO ROYAL HOTEL or similar

Saturday, April 19 (Day 09)
YAMANAKA - TOJINBO - FUKUI - TSURUGA - MIYAZU (B)(D)
We’ll continue our journey along the Sea of Japan to scenic Tojinbo, offering an impressive view of magnificent pillar-shaped rocks and cliffs created by sea erosion. Standing gallantly against the raging waves, this site is a popular tourist destination and famous as a spot for suicides. As we drive along the coast line, enjoy the beauty of Mikata Goko (Five Lakes) - an area located between Mihama and Wakasa town. A cable car or individual chair lifts is available to take us to the top of the mountain to enjoy a breathtaking view of the scenery. Each lake has a different nature such as salt water, fresh water & brackish water, differences in depths, and are also called the five colored lakes - providing individual beauty during all four seasons. En route to our hotel, we’ll make a stop at Konbu Kaikan, a shop offering a wide variety of konbu, nori and many other seaweed products available for purchase. Relax and enjoy dinner at our luxurious hot spring resort tonight.

Accommodations at MIYAZU ROYAL HOTEL or similar

Sunday, April 20 (Day 10)
MIYAZU - TOTTORI (B)(D)
“Amanohashidate” (Bridge to Heaven), a pine tree covered sand bar resembling the shape of a bridge spanning across Miyazu Bay is ranked as one of Japan’s three most scenic sights (nihon sankei). We’ll board a boat to Kasamatsu Park, then take a chair lift or cable car to the top of the hillside to enjoy this spectacular view. To view the sand bar as a “bridge in the heaven”, turn your back towards the bay, bend over, and look at it from between your legs. We’ll travel along the scenic San-in coast of the Japan Sea to Tottori, one of the main cities in the San-in district and famous for its spectacular sand dunes formed by the wind stretching along the coastline. The Tottori Sand Dunes was used as the setting for Teshigahara Hiroshi’s classic 1964 film “Woman in the Dunes”. Climb to the top of the sand dunes to enjoy a beautiful view of the Sea of Japan. Dinner will be provided for you this evening.

Accommodations at NEW OTANI TOTTORI or similar

Monday, April 21 (Day 11)
TOTTORI - YONAGO - MATSUE (B)(D)
After breakfast, we’ll continue our drive along the coast of the Sea of Japan to visit Izumo Taisha Shrine constructed in the Taisha-zukuri style, considered to be Japan’s oldest form of shrine architecture. The wooded grounds are pleasant to wander through and the shrine itself enjoys the ‘borrowed scenery’ of Yakumo Hill in the background. “Okuninushi”, to whom the shrine is dedicated is the kami (Shinto spirit god) of marriage. Hence, visitors to the shrine summon the deity by clapping four times rather than the normal two - twice for themselves and twice for their partner or partners to be. We’ll travel to Matsue in Shimane Prefecture, a beautiful town surrounded by water. There, we’ll visit the “Koizumi Yakumo Kinenkan”, a memorial hall dedicated to British writer Lafcadio Hearn with displays about his writings and his life. His adopted Japanese name was Koizumi Yakumo and his first book on Japan ‘Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan’ is a classic, providing an insight into the country at that time. Enjoy a visit to the Matsue Vogel Park featuring a large display of flowers and rare birds from around the world. The park features a waterfowl aviary that is home to various aquatic birds and the greenhouse displays a beautiful variety of flowers in bloom all year round. Enjoy dinner and relax in the onsen at the hotel this evening.

Accommodations at HOTEL ICHIBATA or similar

Tuesday, April 22 (Day 12)
MATSUE - YANAI - OSHIMA ISLAND (B)(D)
Our journey continues on through Yanai City in Yamaguchi prefecture to spend the night at a beautiful onsen resort on Oshima Island, one of the largest islands in the Seto Naikai Strait. In the town of ‘Suo-Oshima’ - the sister city of Kauai, we’ll visit the Museum of Japanese Emigration to Hawaii. The museum features photographs, exhibits and artifacts about the hardship faced by the emigrants in Hawaii, the contributions made with the fortune accumulated through their efforts, and the history of cultural exchanges between the hometown and Hawaii up to now. Dinner will be provided for you at the hotel this evening.

Accommodations at SUNSHINE SAZAN SETO RESORT or similar

Wednesday, April 23 (Day 13)
OSHIMA ISLAND - IWAKUNI - MIYAJIMA - HIROSHIMA (B)(D)
We’ll continue our journey to Iwakuni, visiting the scenic Kintai-kyo Bridge, also known as the “Brocade Sash Bridge”. Its five linked arches forms a span like a brocade sash across the river and is ingeniously built without nails. We’ll proceed to the pier to board a ferry to Miyajima Island, famous for the ‘floating torii’ (Shinto Shrine Gate). “Itsukushima-jinja is one of the most photographed tourist attractions in Japan and with the island’s Misen-san as a backdrop, is classified as one of Japan’s three most scenic sights. We’ll return to the main island by ferry, then continue on to spend the night in the city of Hiroshima. Dinner will be provided for you this evening.

Accommodations at HOTEL GRANVIA HIROSHIMA or similar

Thursday, April 24 (Day 14)
HIROSHIMA - KANSAI - HONOLULU (B)
This morning after breakfast we’ll depart Hiroshima and begin our journey to the Kansai International Airport for our evening flight home to Honolulu, arriving on the same day due to the crossing of the International Dateline.

The tour price is based on double occupancy and a minimum group size of 20 passengers. Fare adjustment may apply for groups of 20 or under. The rate is based on tariffs and exchange rates effective 7/01/07. Tour fare is subject to change according to any airfare increase and fluctuation of the rate of exchange between U.S. and foreign currency. In the event of revaluation, the land portion of the tour price may be adjusted prior to your final statement.