January 21 - 31, 2008
$3,000 per person
(based on double occupancy)

Tour Includes:
• Tour Escort from Hawaii
• Hotel Accommodations as indicated
• Airfare from Honolulu to Japan roundtrip
• Ground Transportation as needed
• Daily Breakfast and dinner
• Admission to all sights, attractions, and tours as indicated by itinerary

January 21 (Mon) Honolulu/Osaka Our flight leaves in the late morning for Osaka. January 22 (Tues) Osaka We will arrive in Osaka in the late afternoon, where we will pass through customs and immigrations.  From there we will go to our hotel for the evening.  The rest of the day is free to relax. January 23 (Wed) Osaka/shigaki A late morning flight will take us to Ishigaki Island, where we will be staying for the next two nights.  Ishigaki is part of the Yaeyama Islands, the southernmost group of islands in Japan.  Its most famous islands are Ishigaki, Iriomote, and Taketomi.  Travellers to these isles get a glimpse of Okinawa in the past.  If you listen carefully you may catch a bit of the local language.  The dialects of Okinawan spoken in Yaeyama are particularly distinctive from Japanese and even the rest of Okinawa. January 24 (Thurs) Iriomote Excursion Our day begins with a quick boat ride to Iriomote.  Once there we will take the Urauchi River Boat Ride.  Iriomote is the largest island in Yaeyama and has two large navigable rivers, Urauchi and Nakama.  Along the river you will be able to take in the natural beauty of the island from its virgin forests to its mangrove trees.   (Ferry ride is about 45 minutes each way.)   In the afternoon we return to Ishigaki for an island tour.  We will visit Kabira Bay which is famous for its Black Pearls.  In Japan only two areas cultivate black pearls, both in Yaeyama.  Swimmers are not allowed in the bay because of the pearl cultivation.  We will then visit Yaeyama Palm Grove. Yaeyama’s palm trees are particularly unique because they do not produce any fruits.  Our last stop will be Tamatorizaki Lookout.  This is the farthest north that we will go, but from this vantage point we are able to look at the length of the island and the beautiful waters that surround the island. January 25 (Fri) Taketomi, Ishigaki, and Okinawa Another boat ride takes us this morning to Taketomi Island.  Here we will ride on a cart drawn by a water buffalo, while its driver tells us about the island and may even sing a song.  Taketomi’s most famous feature is its star sand beach.  The sand of the beach is in the shape of stars and are a unique feature in Okinawa.  (Ferry ride is about 10 minutes each way.)   When we return to Ishigaki we will catch a plane to Naha, the capital of Okinawa.  Upon arrival we will drive up to Okinawa City, where we will be staying for the remainder of the day. January 26 (Sat) Gyokusendo and Nanbu Senseki We begin our exploration of main island of Okinawa with a visit to the Gyokusendo Kingdom Village.  This attraction is built over Japan’s largest subterranean cave network.  Above the cave are various craftsmen at work making bingata, an Okinawan cloth, sanshin, the Okinawan shamisen, and glass making.  The glass made here is distinctive for its unique cracking.  There is also an alcohol bottling display that is noted for its habu or snake sake.  If you wish, a white boa is available for picture taking.  There will also be a brief Eisa dance performance. From Gyokusendo we continue on to the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Museum and Heiwa no Ishiji.  These two sites are adjacent to each other.  Heiwa no Ishiji is a memorial to all who died during the Battle of Okinawa from all sides of the battle, Okinawan, Japanese, and American.  The layout of the memorial is based on the rising sun on the day the battle began.  The museum presents artifacts from the Battle of Okinawa through the American occupation to Reversion in 1972.  Our last stop will be Himeyuri no to and the Himeyuri Peace Museum.  During the Battle of Okinawa 219 high school students and 18 teachers were pressed into service as nurses to tend to the wounded.  As the war drew to a close, they were released from service and forced to find shelter on their own.  Himeyuri no to marks their last hiding place.  Only five survived the battle.  The museum shines a light on their experience holding artifacts, survivor accounts, hospital recreations, and more. January 27 (Sun) Naha/Shuri We return south to explore the rich heritage of the Ryukyu Kingdom Era.  We will visit Shuri Castle, Tamaudun, Shikinaen, and Ryusen.  Shuri Castle was the capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom from 1492 until 1872.  The current structure was rebuilt after suffering severe damage during World War II, when it served as a base of operations for the Japanese.  Archaeological work  continues beneath the current structures.  Tamaudun is the Okinawan Royal Mausoleum, housing nearly all of the remains of the Ryukyu Kings.  This structure is one of the few that survived the war mostly intact.  A photo exhibit reveal the contents of the tombs and their elaborate burial urns.  Our next stop is Ryusen, a Bingata factory.  Bingata is a cloth that is noted for its elaborate hand painted designs.    From here we head to Naha to do some shopping on Kokusai and Heiwa Streets.  Together they form an arcade where all kinds of goods may be found.  For the adventurous, you may visit the Tsuboya area behind the streets that specializes in Okinawan pottery.  January 28 (Mon) Motobu We head north today for the peninsula of Motobu.  Along the way we will stop in Nago to visit the Nago City Museum.  This museum focuses on the daily life of ordinary Okinawans prior to modern times. Our day will be spent at Ocean Expo Memorial Park.  This facility was built for the 1975 World Expo.  Today it is home to three distinct attractions.  The first is Churaumi, the newest of the three and home to Asia’s largest aquarium.  Opened in 2002, its large tank holds three whale sharks.  In addition it has exhibits on turtles, dolphins, manatees, manta rays, and sharks.  The second attraction is a collection of Okinawan homes depicting life prior to the 20th century.  They are examples of the different social classes existing at the time and various structures also common in Okinawan villages.  The final attraction is the Tropical Dream Center, where we can see a spectacular display of floral beauty.  The center is said to have over 80,000 varieties of orchids. From there we will visit Goya Park.  This facility is a working Goya processing plant with an example of the hydroponic growing technique used for the goya or bitter melon.  January 29 (Tues) Yanbaru Our day will be spent traveling to the northern most reaches of Okinawa.  Our first stop will be Kouri-jima, a small island that is now connected to the main island by bridge.  This island is the location of Okinawa’s Adam and Eve story. From there we will stop at Kijoka, the only place where you can purchase bashofu in Okinawa.  There are three types of cloth native to Okinawa, bingata, kasuri, and bashofu.  Bashofu is unique as it is made from banana leaves.  Kijoka is noted for having saved this Okinawan handcraft. On our way south to Kin Village, home of Toyama Kyuzo.  He was the immigrant leader who lead the first group of Okinawans to Hawaii in 1900.  His statue in Kin points toward Hawaii.  He believed that emigration was important for Okinawa which was a poorer part of Japan at the time.  Emigrants would leave, so they could work and send money back home.  Hawaii was but one destination that emigrants went to.  Other locations include South America, the mainland United States, and Canada. Our last stop will be the Southeast Botanical Gardens.  These gardens make special floral displays and even have a small animal enclosure where we can see animals native to Okinawa. January 30 (Wed) Free day This day is free to do as you wish.  If you are still looking for omiyage we can do some shopping at a wholesale market.  You will find items ranging from Okinawan Konbu to awamori to Okinawan cookies.  You may spend the rest of the day visiting with relatives, shopping, or just relaxing.  If you require any assistance, your escort will be available to lend a hand.  Tonight we will have our farewell dinner. January 31 (Thurs) Return Home We leave the hotel in the late morning to catch our afternoon fight to mainland Japan.  From there we have a few hours before our flight back to Honolulu.

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