Gardens & Sights of Japan

Depart this afternoon on our overnight flight to Osaka (via Dubai).

Upon arrival in Osaka we will be met by our local guide before being transferred to our hotel in Kyoto. A welcome dinner with your group is included at a local restaurant.

We start today with a visit to one of the most famous gardens in Japan at the Ryoanji Temple, enjoy the peace of its renowned rock and gravel garden before a walk around the grounds of the temple with our local guide. Then a visit to the magnificent Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) and the surrounding ‘strolling’ garden. Cherry trees in full blossom dominate the landscape at this time of year. Free time for lunch in downtown Kyoto in Teramachi, the first opportunity to see the wonderful small shops and restaurants in this historical street. 

Join us this afternoon for a visit to the Heian Shrine, our first Shinto shrine which is a scaled down version of the Imperial Palace, again with a wonderful garden. Following our visit we will have the option of returning to our hotel or joining Frances on a  visit to the Kyoto Craft Centre. 

The evening will be free to spend at your leisure but Frances will be on hand to advise or escort you to one of the many fantastic restaurants in Kyoto, and will do this on all free evenings throughout the trip.

Today we will enjoy an excursion to Nara, the former 8th century capital of Japan.

Due to its past as the first permanent capital, it remains full of historic treasures, including one of Japan's oldest and largest Buddhist temple with its magnificent wooden Buddha.  We will walk through the Deer Park to the Shinto, Kasuga Shrine, famous for its wonderful display of old and new Japanese lanterns.

This afternoon we will enjoy some free time in Nara for lunch at our leisure before returning to Kyoto in the early afternoon, leaving time to visit the local parks and gardens or go shopping in Kyoto. This evening is at leisure but Frances will advise/escort you to restaurants.

Today is free to enjoy at your own pace or alternatively Frances will be delighted if you would join her on alternative excursions. One would be to the Philospher’s Walk, a pedestrian path that follows the canal in Kyoto. It was named after the influential 20th-century Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitaro who used it for daily meditation. It passes a number of temples and shrines, small shops and cafes. She will also be visiting other temples and gardens as well as interesting shops in this historic old town.

Another day to enjoy the wonders of Kyoto. Perhaps take the opportunity to visit the Imperial Palace Garden close to our hotel or one of the other many gardens or visit a museum or gallery.  Alternatively Frances will be delighted if you would join her on an excursion to the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.

In the early evening, take a walk through the old traditional streets in the Gion district to see the Geishas and Maikos being transported to their parties and concerts.

Today will begin with a journey on the bullet train through the countryside from Kyoto to the city of Odawara. Upon arrival, we will embark on a guided sightseeing tour of Hakone by coach including a visit to Hakone Open Air Museum, which is fully designed and landscaped with gardens and sculptures. Afterwards, enjoy a boat trip on Lake Ashi, where you can soak up the picturesque surroundings. Our hotel is nestled in the mountains with wonderful scenery and terrific photo opportunities of Mt Fuji. In the evening you will enjoy a relaxing traditional banquet dinner with the group and also there is an option to experience the outdoor hot baths.

Join us this morning as we travel through mountains and along the coast to visit the seaside town of Kamakura, the political centre of medieval Japan.  We'll visit the beautiful gardens around the Hasedera Temple, the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu. This is Kamakura's most important Shinto shrine and is surrounded by gardens and parkland.

This afternoon we will have time free time to enjoy lunch in one of the delightful cafes and to explore the small lanes with their traditional shops. Our final visit is to the Great Buddha of Kamakura before we continue onwards to  Tokyo where we dine together as a group on arrival.

We start our day with a visit to the the Imperial Palace Plaza, followed by a visit to one of Japan’s most famous ‘strolling’ gardens,  Rikugi-en Garden  - Rikugien literally means "six poems garden" and reproduces in miniature 88 scenes from famous poems. We will have some free time then in Ginza, Tokyo’s main shopping street, for lunch at leisure.

This afternoon we will discover  Koishikawa Koraku-en Garden, one of the oldest gardens in Tokyo, landscaped during the Edo period reproduces famous Japanese and Chinese scenery throughout the garden, represented by the miniature hills, ponds, stones and trees. Finally we visit Hamarokyu Garden, one of the largest gardens in centre of the city, an oasis of calm and peace with its traditional teahouses, providing a contrast to the towering architecture of the surrounding city.

The evening will be free to spend at your leisure but Frances will be on hand to advise or escort you to a local restaurant.

Today will be spent experiencing the traditional cultures of Japan. You will visit one of the most famous Bonsai Gardens in Japan to experience  Ikebana (flower-arranging) followed by a traditional tea ceremony.

This afternoon we will visit Asakusa where we will explore the ancient Senso-ji Temple followed by free time to explore this area with retains the feeling of older Japan, with traditional craft shops  and street food stalls.

We next visit Ueno Park famous for its many museums and home to Japan's first zoological garden.

This evening you will dine as a group in a Tokyo restaurant.

Today will be free to spend at your leisure in Tokyo. Frances will be happy to advise on ways to spend your day in this wonderful city.  There is an opportunity to take a cruise around Tokyo Bay, visit Tokyo Tower or visit some of the wonderful Art Galleries in the city.

There will be free time to explore Tokyo further and indulge in some last-minute shopping before a late check out from your hotel for your transfer to Narita airport in the evening.

Arrive back in Dublin this morning.