Japan- The Rising Sun Country | Knowledge Tour

Upon arrival at Narita International Airport clear customs immigration with your luggage and make your way to the Arrival Lobby. Board your coach to be transferred to the hotel. Check into the hotel, freshen up, have your breakfast and get ready to explore the capital city of Tokyo.

We will be visiting the following sites:

Tokyo Tower – It is a communication and observation tower located in the Shiba-Koen district of Minato, Tokyo. It is the second tallest structure in Japan and is an Eiffel Tower–inspired lattice tower that is painted white and orange to comply with air safety regulations.

Imperial Palace East Garden – Enjoy a pleasant walk in the East Garden of the Imperial Palace, which is of historical interest and scenic beauty. We can also visit the Imperial Palace Plaza, Double Bridge, and the inner moat. The 15-feet thick walls and gnarled pine trees surround the 250-acre fortress, home of the Emperor and Empress. The tour disbands in the Ginza shopping district. Take your time to explore Ginza’s famous upmarket shopping, numerous department stores, and wide range of boutiques, galleries, and dining areas. The basement of any Japanese department store is home to an incredible food court where local specialty food items are expertly prepared and presented for sale. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Have your breakfast at the hotel & board your coach. Today you will explore the sites of the Hakone region which include:

Lake Ashi: The 400,000-year-old Volcanic Crater Lake that never freezes! Lake Ashi is a popular place for fishing, boating, and water sports. On a clear day, you will be able to take pleasure in Mt. Fuji’s inverted reflection in Lake Ashi. Owakudani (Greater Boiling Valley): It is accessible by ropeway. The entire gorge reeks of sulfurous fumes, spewing clouds of steam from crevasses among bubbling hot springs.

Ancient Cedar Avenue: Enjoy a leisurely stroll along this superb 2km flora-lined winding passage; once the pathway to Edo (Tokyo).

After a heavy breakfast, we will check out from the hotel. Today you will be transferred to Osaka. Osaka has a long history as one of the oldest seaports in Japan and has flourished as an open window for the culture and the goods of the Asian continent and is also known for its bargain shopping and delicious restaurants. For entertainment and shopping, the Umeda and Namba districts have it all. Umeda, centered on Umeda Station, has a number of modern arcades which are always teeming with visitors and shoppers.

The Namba area boasts a 700-meter long arcade leading to the Dotombori River, a man-made canal completed in 1615. In the Edo Period, the area along the river was the city’s amusement quarter where five theatres entertained the citizens. Dinner and overnight at the hotel

Today, we continue our exploration of Osaka with the visit to the city’s most prominent symbol, Osaka Castle which was built by Hideyoshi Toyotomi, who succeeded in unifying the entire country in the 16th Century. This castle has been converted into a museum that has a number of exhibits celebrating Japan’s samurai history. A panoramic view of Osaka City can be seen from the observation deck on the 8th floor. The castle grounds now form a large tree-filled park. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Hiroshima was a city left in ashes after the Atomic bomb was dropped. Hiroshima has made a remarkable recovery and has been rebuilt as a modern thriving city. The area which felt the full force of the bomb has been transformed into a Peace Memorial Park which holds nearly forty memorials to the victims of the atomic explosion amidst the beautiful garden. Hiroshima is now known as the “International City of Peace” dedicated to a total ban on the use of Atomic weapons.

We will also visit a number of exhibits including the Atomic Bomb Dome which is positioned below the epicenter, this skeleton of melted steel and concrete has been left as it was after the bomb was dropped. It stands as a stark reminder of the city’s August 6, 1945 bombing.

The highlight of the Park is the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. This state-of-the-art museum focuses on Hiroshima both before and after the explosion. It also relays the story of Hiroshima’s rapid rebuild into the beautiful city it is today. On our way back, we will visit Hiroshima Castle. This castle was first built in 1589 until its destruction in 1945. It has been rebuilt in all its glory and is now being used to exhibit historic artifacts from Japan’s feudal past. Come back to your hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Osaka.

Have your breakfast and proceed to visit Kyoto. At the commencement of your exploration of this ancient city, we will take you to Nijo Castle, the Golden Pavilion and the Kyoto Imperial Palace, and the Higashi Honganji Temple. In the afternoon, board your coach which will take you to the base of Kiyomizu Dera Temple. We will walk up this attractive winding road lined with colorful craft and souvenir shops.

Kiyomizu Dera is famous for its giant wooden stage overlooking panoramic views of Kyoto and its main hall is purely constructed of wood and is being sustained on huge columns and beams without the use of a single nail, screw, or bolt.

In the evening, board your coach towards Gion, Kyoto’s famous Geisha district. Gion is one of the places where one may get to see a Maiko or Geisha walking between appointments. Overnight at the hotel in Osaka.

After the departing lavish breakfast. Checkout from the hotel and board your coach for the Airport. And here ends our exciting Japan educational tour! 

Return home with wonderful memories.