Japan Early Summer Hydrangea Tour 9 days
Japan Tour Description
Taking a walk with Sumo wrestlers in Asakusa, enjoying a drink in Shinjuku’s Omoide Yokocho, viewing hydrangeas in full bloom only at this season in Kamakura and Kyoto; this Japan tour has it all! You will also take a beautiful train ride through the valley between the central Japan Alps and Southern Japan Alps and ride the bullet train. In Kyoto you will feel the serenity while strolling in a beautiful Japanese garden. Of course, you will stay at comfortable hotels in each city.
!Special Precautions!
* We will prepare one mask per person per tour day.
* Before you get on the bus, everyone has to sanitize their hands with sanitizer that will be provided by us.
* There will be a maximum of 20 people on a bus that fits 45, so there will be 2 seats for each person.
* We will provide everyone with one special health drink per day to keep everyone’s immune system up
* We will provide everyone with one fresh bottle of mineral water per day
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Tour Date and Price
Arrival and Departure: Starts in Tokyo and ends in Osaka
Tour Date:
June 16 – June 24, 2021 (8 nights and 9 days)Tour Price:
USD 2,798 *Price per person, Based on TWN and Triple room
Single room supplement: USD 000 *Price per person
Price (age 4-11※): USD 1,100 (※if no extra bed is requested for the child)
Tour Highlights
Day 1: Arrival (Narita or Haneda) – Tokyo: Transfer to hotel in Tokyo
Day 2: Tokyo City Tour
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Tokyo Met. Gov’t Building
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Day 3: Tokyo – Kamakura – Hakone
Day 4: Hakone – Mt. Fuji – Suwa
Day 5: Suwa – Kiso Area – Ena
Day 6: Ena – Akechi – Kyoto
Day 7: Kyoto
Day 8: Kyoto – Nara – Osaka
Day 9: Osaka – Kansai Airport
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Itinerary
Day 1: Airport (Narita or Haneda) – Tokyo
Welcome to Tokyo! You will be greeted by an English-speaking assistant at the airport. The assistant will get you in the bus to your hotel.You can also extend your vacation before / after the tour in Tokyo, Osaka. Please contact us!
Shinagawa Prince Hotel or similar
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Day 2: Tokyo City Tour
Departure at 9h.
Full-day sightseeing in the Big City – Tokyo- Capital of Japan. We go to Edo Tokyo museum where take visitors a journey through the 400-year history of Edo-Tokyo.
Next we go to Imperial Palace which is located on the former site of Edo Castle. It is the residence of the present Emperor and Empress. We stop at Nijubashi to take photo.
Then we proceed to Asakusa and Sumo wrestler will wait for you and show the town. Sensoji Temple, the Five Storied Pagoda and the traditional Nakamise shopping arcade.
Today’s lunch is Chankonabe! It means a one-pot dish containing chunks of vegetables, fish, meat, etc…commonly eaten by sumo wrestlers.
We move to Shinjuku which is one of most lively and the unsleeping city in Tokyo. We go up to the observation floor of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building to overlook a city of Tokyo from 202 meters above the ground. Next we visit bustling Omoide-yokocho or Memory Alley. You can find many Yakitori restaurant there!
Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba or similar
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Day 3: Tokyo – Kamakura – Hakone
Departure at 8h.
After leaving Tokyo with 1 hour drive, we arrive at Kamakura, an ancient city that developed Japanese history and culture. The first place to stop by is Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.The shrine is at the geographical and cultural center of the city of Kamakura.
Next, we go to Kotokuin temple. The Great Buddha of Kamakura is a monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amitābha Buddha.
Then we proceed to Meigetsu-in Temple and Hasedera Temple. Both Temple are famous for beautiful hydrangeas. In Hasedera Temple, there is a lookout point from which you can overlook the sea and cityscape of Kamakura. About 2,500 hydrangeas grow in colonies in the precinct.
When you are tired of walking, let’s take a break at Komachi Street drinking green tea. Then we go on to Hakone area for staying.
Hakone Hotel Kowakien or similar
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Day 4: Hakone – Mt. Fuji – Suwa
Departure at 8h.
Today’s excursion starts from Hakone, a nature-rich resort with the beautiful Lake Ashi where we take a cruise. Also, we will take a cable car to see the volcanic activity area in Owakudani with hydrogen sulfide steam. You can buy black egg boiled there which makes your life 7 years longer.
Then we proceed to Mt.Fuji, 3776 meter’s highest peak in Japan. It is has been appreciated by many Japanese for ages because of its perfect conical shape. Weather permitting, we will go as high as the 5th station by bus to have a great view from above. We don’t miss to stop at Lake Kawaguchi to take photo of magnificent Mt.Fuji.
We then head out to Suwa. We visit Japanese home for dinner. If the sky is clear, let’s look up at the sky. You may see star-filled night sky !
Aburaya Ryokan or similar
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Day 5: Suwa – Kiso Area – Ena
Departure at 8:30.
We start to drive through Central to southern Japan Alps. We transfer to local bus and Central Alps Komagatake Ropeway, then we visit Senjojiki Curl – bowl-shaped terrain that was shaved off in Ice Age. Early summer, flower garden with lovely alpine plants bloom is like a jewelry box.
Before arriving in Ena Town, we stop by Post Town connected Edo (present-day Tokyo) with Kyoto during the Edo period. We visit one of most well preserved one, Magome.
We stay Ena today. Please enjoy hot spring and Japanese style dinner. Sleeping on Futon too.
Enakyo Grand Hotel or similar
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Day 6: Ena – Akechi – Kyoto
Departure at 8h.
Today, we will have two experience of train ride, very idyllic local train called Akechi Train, and Japanese super express rail –
Bullet Train. First, we ride Akechi Train from Ena to Akechi. Let’s enjoy rural scenery in a relaxed manner! After walking around Akechi Town, we go on and drive to Nagoya Station. Then we ride Bullet Train for Ancient city
Kyoto.We take a walk in
Gion Area before check-in the Hotel in the evening. Gion, the centuries old entertainment district, truly comes alive at night. We take you on a walk through the old tea house district, explain the customs of the geisha and apprentice maiko and help you discover this hidden world. Here we might even have a chance to catch a few of the girls in full costume rushing off to an appointment.
Kyoto Tokyu Hotel or similar B / L / –
Day 7: Kyoto
Departure at 8h.
Visiting
Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan is a must in your tour. First we visit Saihoji-temple which is famed for its moss garden, is commonly referred to as “Koke-dera”, meaning “moss temple”.At Nishiji Textile Center, ladies wearing kimonos show you beautiful seasonal design and patterns of kimonos and sashes.Then we proceed to
Tea Ceremony. Japanese tea ceremony, called Sado or Cha-no-yu, has more than 400 years of history. It will be unforgettable experience.After the bus ride, we visit
Fushimi Inari shrine which was chosen as the top sightseeing spot by the foreigners. This shrine is renowned especially for its stone fox statues as well as thousands of closely spaced vermillion torii gates.The Mimurotoji temple is known as a temple of a flower representing Kyoto. 10,000 Japanese hydrangeas bloom in June. Please enjoy the garden with illuminated hydrangeas in the evening.
Kyoto Tokyu Hotel or similar B / L / D
Day 8: Kyoto – Nara – Osaka
Departure at 8h.
Today we head to Nara which was the first capital of Japan, from 710 -794 AD.In Nara, we visit
Todaiji Temple which houses one of the world’s largest bronze statues of Buddha in the Great Buddha Hall, one of the largest wooden buildings in the world. Nara park is very famous for deer. You are going to see freely walking deer around the park. You can feed the cracker which is sold in the park if you want to try. Some deer will bow to you to get the cracker!Then we head to Osaka which is very famous for its delicious cuisine and unique street food culture. When we arrive in Osaka, we stop at
Osaka Castle for taking a photo. It is a symbol of Osaka.
We also go to the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living. They introduce the living spaces and lifestyles of Osaka.Before we check in the hotel, we can’t miss
Dotonbori area. This area used to be a theater district a long time ago, but it’ s now a popular entertainment and nightlife area with big illuminated signboards and many unique
street food.
Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka or similar B / L / –
Day 9: Osaka – Kansai Airport
Time to get back home with unforgettable memory and lots of souvenir. Leaveing for Kansai Airport by airport bus. Return by air. Thank you very much for coming to Japan and Sayonara.
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INCLUDED
- 7 nights Western-style accommodation
- Meet and greet upon arrival at Narita or Haneda Airport
- Airport transfers on arrival and departure
- Private coach transfers between destinations in Japan
- Comprehensive escort of our licensed professional English speaking tour guide as described in the itinerary
- Meals as described in the itinerary (19 meals)
- Admission fees to sites, gardens, and museums as listed in the itinerary
EXCLUDED
- International airfares
- Meals that are not included in the itinerary
- Travel insurance
- Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks
- Personal expenses such as telephone and laundry bills
- Gratuities
EXTENDED PLAN
You can extend your vacation before/after the tour in Sapporo, Tokyo, Osaka, or other places. We can provide you with an extension of your stay in the same hotel as during the tour for an extra 15,000 yen ~ per night, per person. Please contact us for more details.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Transport: Travel by air-conditioned private coach, baggage handling free
Arrival/Departure Airports: For arrivals at Narita or Haneda airport, this tour starts in Tokyo and ends in Osaka.
Meal Requests: Vegetarian, halal or special meals can be arranged
Meet and Greet: Please note that the meet and greet and airport transfer to the first hotel is ONLY available on the first day of the tour after 10:00 AM. If you plan to stay extra nights before the start of the tour, please arrange your own hotel transfer
Please note that the tour schedule and prices are subject to change without notice
CANCELLATION POLICY
>46 days prior to arrival date in Japan: no penalty
45-31 days prior to arrival date in Japan: 10% of the tour fee
30-15 days prior to arrival date in Japan: 20% of the tour fee
14- 8 days prior to arrival date in Japan: 30% of the tour fee
7 – 3 days prior to arrival date in Japan: 50% of the tour fee
<3 days prior to arrival date in Japan: 100% of the tour fee
Feedback from Clients
- Van T. – 2018 Summer –
- Great experiences in every day
The best place you visited in this tour?: Ueno park with cosplayer girl with cherry blossoms. Fushimi Inari Shrine and Kiyomizu temple
What is the best experience you had in Japan? : Japanese culture and some history and foods. Each sights having its own design. Thanks to our guide Yayo for excellent help!!
Mai N. – 2018 Summer –- The hydrangea are very beautiful. Arigatou!
The best place you visited on this tour? : Kiyomizu temple, Todaiji Great Buddha, Ueno park
What is the best experience you had in Japan? : Learn about japan history and traditional japan food.
I can see a lot of beautiful views and sights. It was a good tour and I enjoyed that. The flowers are very beautiful. The tour guide is very good and nice. Thank you very much and Arigatou.
- Sabina G. – 2019 Summer –
- It was an experience to try the okonomiyaki
The hotel in Kyoto was very nice and proper Japanese style which I loved. Making the okonomiyaki was a nice experience, and trying all of the Japanese meals was an experience in itself! The sights were very good, the places are so unique in the world. It was a pleasure to do this amazing trip with Hide-san, I will never forget it.
