Okinawa Naha Matsuri Tour
10/5/2009~10/14/2009
FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THE ITINERARY CLICK HERE.
FOR THE
GENERAL CONDITIONS AND APPLICATION CLICK HERE.
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Monday, October 5th |
DEPARTURE DAY Honolulu – Japan (L) |
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AM |
Meet at the Honolulu International Airport. |
|
AM |
Air carrier and flight schedule to be announced later. |
|
PM |
Lunch served on the flight. |
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Tuesday, October 6th |
ARRIVAL DAY Japan – Okinawa (S) |
|
AM |
Snack served on the flight. |
|
PM |
Arrive in Japan and proceed through immigration procedures. Claim your baggage and go through Customs inspections. |
| Exit baggage claim area and wait for your Tour Guide to pick up and distribute boarding passes. Then check in baggage for the flight to Okinawa. | |
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PM |
Depart for Okinawa. |
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PM |
Arrive at Naha Airport and transfer to hotel. |
| August Inn Hotel | |
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Wednesday, October 7th |
HISTORIC SITES / NAHA CITY TOUR (B) |
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7:00AM |
Breakfast at the hotel. |
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8:15AM |
Leave for City Tour which includes three of nine World Heritage sites* and more. The World Heritage sites are recognized by UNESCO United Nations. "World heritage sites are treasures from the peoples of long ago passed down to us living today…Places that everyone, not only the people of Okinawa, feel are "great and important"." (Naha City Board of Education) |
| 8:40AM – 10:00AM
10:10AM – 10:40AM |
*Shuri
Castle: Home of the Ryukyu King and the political, economic
and cultural center of the Ryukyu Islands until 1879, when Okinawa
became a prefecture of Japan.
*Sonohyan Utaki: A sacred grove (shrine) of the Royal Court *Tamaudun:Royal Mausoleum |
|
10:45AM – 11:15AM |
Bingata Shop- Bingata fabric was popular among the former elites of Shuri and Naha. |
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11:30AM – 1:00PM |
Lunch on your own at San-A Department Store. |
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1:05PM – 3:00PM |
Okinawa Prefecture & Art Musuem: Just opened in November 2007, this museum features the rich, unique nature, history and culture characteristic of this prefecture. |
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3:35PM – 4:15PM |
Former Japanese Naval Headquarters: Located in Tomigusuku, the Okinawa District Headquarters of the Japanese Navy was in this underground shelter during WWII. When defeat became inevitable, Admiral Minoru Ohta and other officers committed suicide here. The interior of the shelter has been kept as it was at that time. |
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5:00PM |
Return to the Hotel. Free time. Please plan for your own dinner. |
| August Inn Hotel | |
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Thursday, October 8th |
NORTHERN TOUR DAY 1 (B, L, D) |
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***PLEASE PACK AN OVERNIGHT BAG FOR THE NORTHERN TOUR. WE WILL BE STAYING ONE NIGHT IN MOTOBU.*** |
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7:00AM |
Breakfast at the Hotel. |
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8:00AM |
Bring your overnight bag and meet in the lobby for check-out. |
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8:20AM |
Depart and drive along the West coast of Okinawa by Urasoe, Ginowan, Chatan, Kadena and Yomitan to Takoyama Park (Ryukyu Mura). |
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9:30AM |
Arrive at Takoyama Park. |
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Takoyama Park (Ryukyu Village) – This park depicts life in pre-war Okinawa. The village houses are over one hundred years old. Ancient festivals are recreated here. |
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11:30AM – 12:00PM |
Lunch at Takoyama Park (Ryuku Mura) Restaurant. |
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12:00PM – 12:30PM |
Ryukyu Dance Performance at the Pavilion stage area. |
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12:40PM |
Depart for Manzamo. From this spectacular spot you can see the Ie, Minna, and Sesoko Islands. |
|
2:30PM – 3:10PM |
Visit Orion Beer Factory in Nago. Sample Orion beer, soft drinks, and otsumami. |
|
3:50PM – 4:50PM |
*Nakijin Castle & Musuem: A World Heritage Site. The second largest castle in Okinawa. It was the castle of the northern Hokuzan Kingdom. The Lord of Hokuzan controlled Northern Okinawa until he was defeated by the Lord of Chuzan (Shuri) in 1416. |
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5:05PM |
Arrive at hotel in Motobu. |
|
6:30PM |
Buffet Dinner and accommodations at the resort. |
| Mahaina Wellness Resort | |
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Friday, October 9th |
NORTHERN TOUR DAY 2 (B, L) |
|
7:00AM |
Breakfast at the Hotel. |
|
8:00AM |
Checkout time. Please bring your luggage to the lobby of the hotel. |
8:10AM |
Depart the hotel for continuation of the Northern Tour. |
8:20AM |
Ocean EXPO Park (Okinawa Commemorative National Park):
Originally built for the 1975 Ocean EXPO, this is the largest theme
park in Okinawa. Here we will visit the Cultural Museum, Churaumi
Aquarium & the Tropical Dream Center. - Tropical Dream Center: More than 2,000 kinds of orchids and various tropical and subtropical flowers and fruit trees decorate this uniquely built botanical paradise. An observation deck is also located here. Relax in an easygoing atmosphere and dreamy ambiance surrounded by the fragrance of orchids. |
9:30AM |
Churaumi (Beautiful Sea) Aquarium: The world’s first aquarium designed to raise multiple whale sharks and mantas. Also, some of the world’s largest acrylic panels are used in the aquarium tank. |
11:00AM – 11:15AM |
Dolphin Show. |
11:30AM – 12:45PM |
Oceanic Cultural Museum: Nearly 1,000 items are displayed to introduce the oceanic cultures of Melanesia, Polynesia, Micronesia, S.E. Asia, and Japan. |
1:00PM – 2:00PM |
Lunch at Mahaina. |
2:25PM – 3:15PM |
Nago Pineapple Visitor Park and Tourist Shop: Discover the process of pineapple cultivation, explore the shop’s winery and be amazed by the many different products made from pineapples. |
3:20PM – 3:50PM |
Visit Mori Glass Workshop and watch artist as they work. Afterwards you can browse the shopping room with over 200 types of colorful Ryukyu glassware. |
5:20PM |
Arrive back at hotel in Naha. |
| August Inn Hotel | |
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Saturday, October 10th |
NAHA MATSURI PARADE / FREE DAY (B) |
|
7:00AM |
Breakfast at the hotel |
9:00AM |
Depart hotel for Tenbusu Craft Center (optional). We will take a short walk from the hotel to the craft center which is located on Kokusai Doori. |
| - Tenbusu Craft Center: Enjoy optional hands-on Bingata cloth dyeing, Okinawan glass blowing or clay sculpting. Make your own design on bingata, blow your own vase or sculpt your own Shiisa as a souvenir (not included in tour price). | |
12:00PM |
The rest of the day is free and on your own. Do not forget to view the Naha Matsuri Parade. It can also be seen from the August Inn Kumoji Hotel lobby. |
2:00PM – 6:30PM |
Naha Matsuri Parade:The parade begins at the top of Kokusai Doori and ends in front of Ryubo Department Store, across from the August Inn Kumoji Hotel. Onoyama Park is the site of festival activities and a bazaar. |
| August Inn Hotel | |
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Sunday, October 11th |
NAHA MATSURI TSUNAHIKI (TUG OF WAR) / FREE DAY (B) |
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7:00AM |
Breakfast at the hotel. |
| This day is free for you to visit family & friends, visit nearby tourist attractions, or go shopping at the many stores along Kokusai Doori or in Heiwa Doori. Don’t forget to see the Tsunahiki in the afternoon. | |
12:00PM |
Naha Matsuri Tsunahiki Contest: This second day of the Naha Matsuri will begin and end at the site of the Tsunahiki contest on Highway 58. The Naha Tsunahiki is the largest tug-o-war in the world and it uses the largest rope in the world as well. Come early so you can see how they connect the two pieces of rope. Don’t miss the ritual when the two lords challenge each other. The festival at Onoyama Park will still be going on in the evening. |
| August Inn Hotel | |
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Monday, October 12th |
SOUTHERN TOUR (B, L, D) |
|
7:00AM |
Breakfast at the Hotel. |
|
8:20AM |
Depart Hotel. |
|
9:00AM |
Gyokusendo Cultural Park: One of the largest underground stalactite caves in the Far East. Within the park is a snake museum, an Okinawan garden, Sanshin making, glass making, souvenir shops, restaurants, eisa (Okinawan taiko) and more. |
|
11:00AM – 11:20AM |
Eisa Dance. |
|
11:30AM |
Lunch at the Gyokusendo Restaurant. You can also visit the Snake Museum near the exit of the Park if you can be back on the bus by 12:30PM. |
|
12:40PM |
Depart for Mabuni Hill. |
1:00PM |
Okinawa Peace Memorial Park: The site of the largest war
memorial in Okinawa. We will visit the following sites located in
this park:
- Mabuni Hill: We will take the mini-bus (cost: 100 yen each way) to the top of Mabuni Hill. This is where General Ushijima and his aide committed suicide. - Cornerstone of Peace (Heiwa no Ishiji): Here you can view the names of over 230,000 casualties of war, individually inscribed in the granite walls. - Okinawan Peace Memorial Museum: Exhibits are divided into five separate areas that cover the history of Okinawa leading up to WWII, the Battle of Okinawa, and post-war Okinawa under U.S. Military occupation. - Okinawan Peace Memorial Hall: Site of the world’s largest tsuikin(lacquer) statue. |
3:00PM |
Depart the Okinawa Peace Memorial Park for continuation of the Southern Tour. |
3:10PM – 3:50PM |
Himeyuri No To (Monument): This monument was erected to
console the memories of 219 high-school nurse trainee girls and
their 18 teachers who perished during the Battle of Okinawa. Himeyuri Peace Museum: Exhibits of photographs of the many victims, their personal effects, model reconstruction of the appalling conditions, and testimonies form survivors are on display. |
4:30 – 5:00PM |
Fukushu-en: This Chinese garden was built by Naha City and the city of Fukushu, China, to mark their sister city relationship. It was opened in 1994. |
5:30PM |
Return to the Hotel. |
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7:00PM |
Farewell Dinner of heavy pupu. |
| August Inn Hotel | |
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Tuesday, October 13th |
FREE DAY (B) |
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7:00AM |
Breakfast at the Hotel. |
|
8:00AM |
Free time. Last chance to meet with relatives, friends, or go shopping in Okinawa. |
| August Inn Hotel | |
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Wednesday, October 14th |
DEPARTURE DAY Okinawa – Honolulu (B, D) |
|
7:00AM |
Breakfast at the Hotel. |
|
AM |
Checkout time. Please bring your luggage to the lobby of the hotel. |
| Board the bus for sightseeing before heading to the airport. | |
| A short stop at a lacquerware factory where you will be able to see how lacquerware is made, then ride through the city of Itoman. | |
| Masahiro Awamori Factory and sample varieties of freshly made awamori. You’ll be amazed with the quality of the Okinawan awamori after you have sampled all of them. | |
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(Time permitting) |
Ashibina Outlet Mall: With over 70 brand names on the first floor and a food court on the second floor, this is Okinawa’s first outlet mall. |
| Depart for airport. | |
| Check-in at Naha Airport. | |
| Depart Naha Airport for mainland Japan. Flight information to be announced later. | |
| Arrive at mainland Japan for flight connection. Flight information to be announced later. | |
| Depart Japan for Honolulu. Flight information to be announced later. | |
|
PM |
Dinner served on the flight. |
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Wednesday, October 14th |
ARRIVAL DAY Honolulu (B) |
|
AM |
Snack served on the flight. |
|
AM |
Arrive at Honolulu International Airport. Flight information to be announced later. |
Meal Guide: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, S = Snack
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HOTEL INFORMATION |
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August Inn Kumoji Hotel 3-1-10 Kumoji, Naha, Okinawa 900-0015 |
Tel: 098-867-8000 Fax: 098-869-5630 |
October 6 – October 8 & October 9 – October 14 |
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Mahaina Wellness Resort
1456 Yamakawa, Motobu, Okinawa 905-0205 |
Tel: 098-051-7700 Fax: 098-051-7777 |
October 8 – October 9 |
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TOUR PRICE |
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Double: $2575.00 + fuel & tax Cost per person based on double occupancy in hotel room. |
Single: $2775.00 + fuel & tax Cost per person based on single occupancy in hotel room. |
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Estimated fuel & tax total: $375.00 as of Jan. 29th, 2009. Subject to change without notice. |
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ITINERARY AND PRICING ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME. |
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Prices are based on a minimum of 20 full-tour participants. |
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Passports are required for travel and must be valid for travel dates. |
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$150.00 per person, non-refundable deposit is required upon application to hold a reservation. Space is limited. First come, first serve. |
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Final Payment is due by August 21st, 2009. |
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Payments can be made by CASH or CHECK only. |
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Travel Insurance is recommended. Please contact us for details, plans and prices. |
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