Easy Tours Japan

Day 6.

• The a delicious breakfast, you will travel to Hiroshima Station by taxi for your shinkansen ride to beautiful, historic Kyoto. We will make a short stop on the way to visit the beautiful Himeji Castle. Himeji Castle is the finest surviving example of early 17th-century Japanese castle architecture, and is known as The White Heron.

• After leaving Himeji Castle, you will travel to your Kyoto hotel for a rest and your included evening meal.

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Day 7.

• You start the day with an included delicious breakfast.

• Our day will start with a short taxi ride to the awe inspiring Kiyomizu-dera Temple. At Kiyomizu-dera Temple you will be guided by Tour Escort, John, who will share the amazing history of this beautiful Temple.
  Following your tour of Kiyomizu-dera, we will walk down the beautiful Tea Pot Lane shopping street. Here you will find traditional shopping and your choice of delectable Japanese food from the market stalls and restaurants.

• Before leaving Teapot Lane, you will enter a traditional Japanese Tea House and experience an authentic Kyoto style Tea Ceremony. This will be one of the highlights of your tour.

• We will then walk to the imposing Chionin Temple Gate. If time permits, you may choose to venture up the stairs to see Chionin Temple, a traditional Japanese cemetery and the Chionin Temple Bell. The bell was cast in 1636, with a height of 3.3 metres, diameter of 2.7 metres and weight of 70 tons.

• Following Chionin Temple, you will walk through the beautiful traditional streets to Heian-jingu Shrine and Gardens. You will pass under Japan’s largest Torii Gate, the Heian-jingu Shrine Grand Torii Gate. On the way to the Shrine and Gardens, you will walk past a traditional Japanese antique store. Here you may find some Japanese treasures to bring home to Australia.

• We will then travel back to our hotel at Kyoto Station, using your included transport card, via the Kyoto subway system. This will allow you to feel the true nature and pulse of Kyoto.

• Dinner tonight is included in our hotel. After dinner, if you feel like further exploration, John will walk you through Kyoto Station to experience the Kyoto Viewing Deck, the Skywalk across the roof of the station and the beautifully illuminated staircase.

 

Day 8.

• Following your included breakfast, you will have an exciting day exploring Kyoto with John as your Tour Escort and guide.

• We will leave the hotel via taxi and travel to Sanjusangendo (Rengeo-in) Temple. Here you will view the 1001 statues of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy. This Shrine dates from 1164. This is an amazing shrine. As a sign of respect, will be required to remove your shoes to enter the shrine. Photos are also not permitted in the shrine.

• Following your visit to Sanjusangendo (Rengeo-in) Temple, we will walk to the subway and travel a short ten minute ride to Fushimi Inara-Taisha Shrine. You can walk through the hundreds of brightly coloured vermillion Torii Gate that straddle the network of trails behind the main Shrine. You may choose to do a short walk and enjoy the market atmosphere of the surrounding area. You may choose to enjoy some traditional Japanese street food, or have lunch at one of the many small restaurants surrounding the shrine.

• You leave Fushimi Inara-Taisha Shrine, travelling again on the local train, for a ten-minute ride back to Kyoto Station.

• On arrival at Kyoto Station, John will show the highlights of the Station, as well as the extremely interesting food floors, where many Japanese people shop each day for their evening meals.

• We will be back at our hotel with some time to rest prior to our evening meal.

• Dinner tonight is provided, and is a traditional Yakiniku meal. The translation of Yakinuki means ‘grilled meat” cuisine. You will need to work for your dinner though, as you will be provided the meat, however you will need to cook it on a burner built into your table. This is a fun and interesting way to have dinner.

• Following your included dinner, for those who wish to do a little more exploring, Tour Escort John will walk you through Kyoto Station, to The Cube Shopping Centre. This is a modern and interesting shopping centre with something for everyone.

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Day 9.

• Following your included breakfast, you will travel with your Tour Escort, John, on a private mini-bus, to the beautiful tourist district of Arashiyama.

• On arrival at Arashiyama, you will tour the enchanted Arashiyama Bamboo Grove on a traditional Japanese rickshaw. This is a truly beautiful experience, with the rickshaw driver taking special photos of you while in the private section of the bamboo grove. The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is one of the most photographed sights of Kyoto, where you will view and hear the sounds of the towering bamboo. This is a very special Japanese experience.

• Following your rickshaw ride, we will then walk to the historic Togetsukyo Bridge. This area provides excellent photo opportunities of both the Togetsukyo Bridge and the magnificent Katsura River. This bridge is used in many period film productions.

• Lunch is your own choice in the bustling main street, filled with a variety of food and gift shops.

• Following lunch, you will enjoy a scenic boat ride on the Katsura River. Travelling via boat on the river is a fun and enjoyable trip, where you can relax while watching the beautiful scenery of Arashiyama.

• If time permits, on your return to Arashiyama, you may choose to visit the Arashiyama Iwatayama Monkey Park. Be warned that the 25-minute walk up the hill to the Monkey Viewing Area is steep. Entry to the Iwatayama Monkey Park will cost 600jpy.

• John will then return you to Kyoto Station and your hotel, on our private minibus. Dinner tonight is included in your hotel restaurant.

• For those of you who are feeling adventurous, John will take you, following dinner, back to Fushimi Inara-Taisha Shrine, to experience this beautiful, eery shrine at night.

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Day 10.

• Day 8 will be one of your favourite days. After your included breakfast, along with your Tour Escort, John, you will explore Nijo Castle, Ryoanji Temple and Rock Garden, and Kinkakuji Temple (The Golden Pavilion).

• After your included lunch, you travel to Gion for a tour through this beautiful, historic district. Gion is Kyoto’s Geisha district, holding the history and mystery of Kyoto, where you will explore the narrow and traditional laneways of this historic area. When your tour concludes, Tour Escort, John will take you to a restaurant for you to experience a traditional Japanese meal. This unique experience is included in your tour.

• Following dinner, Tour Escort, John will return you to your hotel via the subway train, using your included Suica Card. For the adventurous, you may choose to explore Gion after dinner and return to the hotel yourself. It is an easy trip.

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Day 11.

• Today will be an enjoyable day visiting the historic district of Nara. You will tour attractions such as Nara Park and Todai-ji Temple, and The Hall of the Great Buddha.

• Nara is considered a cultural treasure of Japan. John will tour you through temples and shrines. You will enjoy the beautiful gardens and see the wandering tame deer. Lunch will be your own experience, with recommendations for both traditional Japanese food and western style food.

• You will return to your hotel late in the afternoon, with dinner provided.

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Day 12.

• Following your included breakfast, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate your creativity.

• Today, using your included Suica card, you travel by subway train, with Tour Escort, John, to experience a private Sekka Shibori Scaff class and visit the Sekka Shibori Scaff Museum. You will learn how to dye a silk scarf or handkerchief, using the sekka shibori method. At the end of your private class, you will have a beautiful scarf or handkerchief to serve as a souvenir of your trip to Japan.

• Following your traditional scarf class, you will travel by subway train to the Fushimi District of Kyoto. The Fushimi District is the home of sake in Kyoto and has been instrumental in making and selling high quality sake since the 1600s. You will visit the giant Gekkeikan sake factory and museum, which was founded in 1637.

• Following your time visiting the Fushimi District, Tour Escort, John, will return you to Kyoto Station, where you will be taken on a tour of Kyoto Tower. Here you will experience how vast Kyoto is, and from the top of Kyoto Tower, on a clear day, be able to view Osaka.

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Day 13.

• Today will be you last day in Japan. Following breakfast, you will visit the amazing Nishiki Market. This food market is frequently described as the Kitchen of Kyoto and has been operating since the early 1300s. Here you will be able to taste a variety of traditional Japanese food items, as well as visit shops selling everything from knives and bowls to chopsticks.

• In the afternoon, you will board your bus, departing from your hotel at 05:00pm for Kansai Airport and your trip home to Brisbane.