September 8 - 16, 2010
Price: $3100.00
(based on double occupancy)

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

A morning flight takes us from Honolulu to Tokyo.

We arrive in Tokyo in the afternoon.  Upon arrival we will pass through immigration and customs.  From there we will head to our hotel for our stay in Tokyo.  In the evening we will go to Tokyo Tower, Japan's homage to Paris' Eiffel Tower.  Since 1958, it has played an important role as a radio and television antenna, as well as being featured in numerous Japanese films.  From its main observation deck we will get to observe Japan's capital at night with its glittering lights below.

We begin our introduction of Japan with a city tour of Tokyo.  Our first stop will be Tsukiji Jyogai Ichiba, Tokyo's famous fish market.  This is where Japan's largest fish auction takes place daily in the early morning.  Due to safety concerns, viewing of the auction is limited.  We will visit the outer market where we can buy fresh fish products.  From there we head to Oedo Museum, which is dedicated to the city of Tokyo from its time as the Tokugawa capital through its transition as the Imperial capital under the Meiji Emperor.

Our first stop will be to Funabashi, where we will visit Japan's largest 100 yen shop.  With seven floors totaling just over one and a half acres of show space, you can find everything from kitchen and gardening supplies to food and electronics.

In the afternoon we will go to Ueno, where Japan's oldest zoo and a number of museums are located.  Here we will be visiting Ameyoko-cho, a food wholesale district.  Following the end of World War Two, this area was a black market for a wide variety of goods.  Over the years it has evolved into its current state with everything from discount t-shirts to wholesale dried scallops.  We end the day with a visit to Akihabara, Tokyo's electric town.  Here you will find the latest in electronics as well as everything related to Japanese Animation. 

Today we head out to Hakone to see Mt. Fuji.  It is held in high regard due to its symmetry, so much so that mountains throughout Japan that share a similar quality are known as local Mt. Fuji's.  We will go up Mt. Fuji and enjoy the view.  We will also take a short cruise to get to Mt. Komagatake to get a nice view of Mt. Fuji.

We leave Japan's capital city for Kyoto, Japan's ancient capital city.  To get there we will enjoy a ride on one of Japan's trains through the countryside.  Once we arrive we will then head to Nara, Japan's capital before Kyoto.  Even though Nara was the capital city for less than a hundred years it is noted for several cultural treasures, the most famous of which are Todaiji and Kasuga Shrine.  Todaiji has the world’s largest wooden structure and houses a bronze great Buddha along with several other large statues.  In order to approach the temple you must pass through Nara Deer Park, where deer, regarded as messengers of the gods, roam freely.  Kasuga Shrine is next to the Deer Park and is noted for its thousands of bronze and stone lanterns.

Today we will tour two of Kyoto's most famous sites, Nijo Castle and the Golden Pavilion.  Nijo Castle served as the Tokugawa residence in Kyoto.  Its most famous feature is the nightingale floors that served as a security measure alerting the inhabitants of intruders.  From there we go to the Kinkakuji or the Golden Pavilion was built by the third Ashikaga Shogun as his retirement home.  After his death it became a Zen temple.  Its outer walls are covered in gold leaf and was originally built in the early 14th century. 

In the afternoon, we will hop on the train and head to Himeji to visit Himeji Castle.  The White Heron Castle is one of Japan’s three most famous castles.  Despite having been bombed at the end of the second World War, Himeji Castle has remained remarkably well preserved and stands as an example of Japanese castle construction from the early 17th century.  The main tower of the castle is currently undergoing renovation, but we will be able to walk the grounds and visit the castle museum.

On our last day, we head down south for Hiroshima and Miyajima.  Our first stop will be in Hiroshima to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.  Opened in 1955, this museum is dedicated to the end of war and the use of nuclear weapons.  The museum has exhibits on the events surrounding the dropping of the atomic bomb, as well as the after effects.  Nearby we can visit the Children’s Peace Monument, a statue of a girl based on Sadako Sasaki and her one thousand cranes.

From there we will go to Miyajima, where we will visit Itsukushima Shrine.  This shrine is noted for its gate or Torii that when the tide is in, seems to float on water.  The Torii is one of Japan’s most iconic sites.

The morning is free to relax and finish packing.  We will leave the hotel in the afternoon for Kansai airport to catch our evening flight back to Honolulu.