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DISCOVER JAPAN

Overview

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From bustling cities to quiet mountain villages, experience the distinct culture of the "Land of the Rising Sun" during this vacation to Japan. Start your tour in Tokyo and see the Meiji Shrine, a magnificent 20th-century Shinto monument set in a man-made forest. Visit the Asakusa Kannon Temple with the Nakamise shopping arcade. Also enjoy a full day exploring this remarkable city on your own. Then stop in Matsumoto, gateway to the Japanese Alps. See the famous Matsumoto Castle, which dates back to 1593, and the Japan Folklore Museum on your way to Takayama. Here, your tour includes visits to the Kusakabe Heritage House for a glimpse of late 19th-century architecture and the Hida Minzoku-Mura Folk Village, a collection of traditional buildings, farm houses, and artifacts relating to life and work of local villagers. Next, see the unique Gassho-Zukuri (joined hands)-style thatched houses in Shirakawa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; then head to Kanazawa to tour one of Japan's greatest gardens, Kenroku-En, the "Garden of Six Qualities." Marvel at the Fushimi Inari Shrine en route to Kyoto, where you visit the Nijo Castle, built in 1603, Temple of the Gold Pavilion, and Heian Shrine and Garden. In Kyoto, have fun participating in a Japanese cooking class. Your trip concludes with a full day at leisure to discover additional temples, shrines, palaces, and pagodas on your own. A farewell dinner is a perfect way to end your wondrous vacation to Japan.

City Highlights
Tokyo:
City sightseeing; visit the Meiji Shrine, calligraphy demonstration, Kimono fitting, tea ceremony, Asakusa Kannon Temple, and Nakamise Shopping Arcade; night walking tour

Matsumoto:
Visit Matsumoto Castle and the Japan Folklore Museum

Takayama:
City sightseeing; visit Kusakabe Heritage House and the Hida Minzoku-Mura Folk Village

Shirakawa:
Visit Gassho-Zukuri houses

Kanazawa:
City sightseeing; visit Kenroku-en Garden and Ishikawa Prefecture Crafts Museum

Kyoto:
Visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, Yuzen Handmade Corner, Nijo Castle, the Temple of the Gold Pavilion, and Heian Shrine and Garden; Miko performance; Japanese cooking class