Day 1 AUSTRALIA - TOKYO        Fri 30 March
Day flight to Narita airport and on arrival transfer to the 5 star Imperial Hotel Tokyo and check-in for 2 nights. A light supper will be served in your room.                                                       

Accommodation: 2 nights at Imperial Hotel Tokyo                                                _ _ Supper

Day 3 TOKYO - KYOTO             Sun 01 April

After having a relaxing breakfast, transfer to Tokyo station to travel to Magome &
Tsumago villages in the Kiso valley, where cars are banned and signs of modernity such as
power lines are hidden to maintain the old style ambiance. After strolling along the old streets and soaking up the atmosphere, travel on to Kyoto. Check in at a traditional Japanese Ryokan and enjoy living Japanese style overnight. Traditional Japanese Kaiseki
style dinner

Accommodation:  1 night at Ryokan Sanga .                                                           B _ D

Day 4 KYOTO                                                                                                 Mon 02 April
Traditional Japanese breakfast at ryokan. Check out from ryokan. Enjoy Kyoto and Nara
full day tour visiting the Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle. After lunch visit Nara Todaiji temple,
world’s oldest wooden structure, Giant Buddha and Kasuga shrine. Return to Kyoto and check in at Kyoto Hotel Okura for 3 nights. Dinner at a local restaurant. After dinner, stroll to the Gion Geisha district, familiar to many travellers from movies such as “Memoirs of a Geisha”.
                                                              Accommodation: 3 nights at Kyoto Hotel Okura                                                B L D

After a relaxing breakfast, join your tour leader on a leisurely stroll along Nishiki arcade, a
narrow street lined with food shops and stalls providing traditional ingredients to the
restaurateurs in Kyoto. Visit a traditional Japanese paper emporium and explore the beautiful Washi (traditional Japanese paper) stationery, decorations and other artefacts. Afternoon visit Kiyomizu temple. Part of the charm of the temple is the approach to the temple along the steep and busy lanes of Kyoto’s old atmospheric Higashiyama district. Special dinner at traditional Japanese restaurant in a beautiful garden setting, accompanied by Geisha. Enjoy chatting with Geisha and a special traditional dance performance.                                                                                                B _ D

Mid morning catch a Bullet train to Hiroshima. Visit Miyajima Island, the famous floating
Itsukushima Shrine and world famous Torii gate. Travel then to Hiroshima to view the Peace Park (Atomic Bomb Museum).

Accommodation: 1 night at Rihga Royal Hotel                                                                  B L D
                                       

Mid morning travel to Osaka. Check in at a 5 star hotel, Imperial Hotel Osaka for 1 night.
Free at leisure. Evening travel to colourful downtown Osaka by local transportation and
enjoy Osaka Okonomiyaki cuisine at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: 1 night at Imperial Hotel Osaka                                                     B _ D

Morning, travel by chartered coach to the Buddhist sanctuary of Mt. Koya for approx.2
hours and 30 minutes. Visit Kongobuji, head monastery of the Shingon sect where you will
find Japan’s largest rock garden. Visit Okuno-in with its several hundred thousand tombstones
of all classes of people from Emperors and Shoguns to Daimyo and Priests. It is believed
that the founder of Shingon sect, Kobo-taishi is still in eternal meditation here at Okuno-in after almost 1,200 years. Japanese style accommodation with vegetarian dinner and breakfast. Sleep at the monastery.(A few western style bed room suites are available for an additional fee. Subject to availability)
                                                               Accommodation: 1 night at Mt. Koya Monastery                                           B _ D

Morning travel to Kanazawa, check in at the luxury Nikko Hotel Kanazawa for 2 nights.
Remainder of the day is free.

Accommodation: 2 nights at Nikko Hotel Kanazawa                                           B L D

Morning sightseeing tour of Kanazawa includes the old district of Higashiyama; a Geisha house; Kutani pottery workshops where you can see a demonstration by a master potter; the former samurai residential area and the Kenrokuen garden which is one of Japan’s most famous gardens. Experience a proper tea ceremony at a private garden.
                                                               B L D

Depart Kanazawa for Japanese traditional rice paper work shop. Travel on to Takayama, whose isolation has allowed Edo period streets, lined with tiny shops, museums and eating places, to survive to this day. Travel on to Nagoya by JR. The railway track in the JR Takayama Line runs almost along the Hida River, criss-crossing it several times, providing wonderful views of valley scenery from the train window. Stay at Nagoya. Perhaps you can follow your leader to Noritake China Museum.

Accommodation: 1 night at Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel                                    B _ _

Day 13 NAGOYA - Mt. FUJI & HAKONE                                                       Wed 11 April

Travel to Mt. Fuji region by bullet train. Enjoy a sightseeing tour, on a chartered bus, of the picturesque Hakone area including a Lake Ashi cruise and ropeway ride. Check in at the Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort and Spa. Special cocktail and light dinner at hotel.

Accommodation: 1 night at The Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort & Spa.                  B _ D

Day 14 Mt. FUJI & HAKONE - TOKYO                                                       Thu 12 April

Visit the Hakone Open-air Art Museum, the first such museum in Japan. Exhibits approx.120 works by well-known modern and contemporary sculptors. Lunch at the museum. Travel back to Tokyo arriving mid afternoon from Mt. Fuji resort. Upon arrival in Tokyo transfer to the 5 star Imperial Hotel Tokyo and check in for 1 night. Remainder of the day is free. Your tour coordinator will help you organise your activities.
Farewell dinner at one of the famous Iron Chef restaurants in Ginza.

Accommodation: 1 night at The Imperial Hotel Tokyo.                                              B L D