The Takayama Festival Tour takes you off the beaten track on a fascinating trip around Honshu, the main island of Japan.  Starting in the upbeat streets of Tokyo, then heading straight to the historical city of Takayama where you can join the colourful celebrations in what is considered by many as the best festival in the country. 

Staying in the area you'll spend the following night in the quaint village of Ogimachi, before leaving the mountains behind to go to Kanazawa with its world-renowned garden, Kenrokuen.  From there you'll head south to the cultural hub of the country, Kyoto, where you'll be able to participate in the tea ceremony, watch maiko (apprentice geisha) dance and soak in nearby hot springs if you want to. 

From there we make our way east by bullet train to Hakone where you can take in the stunning views of the sleeping giant Mt.Fuji.  Take a boat trip on the slightly tacky, but nonetheless fun, Pirate ships on Lake Ashi before walking along a stretch of the fabled Tokaido Highway which was constructed during Japan’s long isolation. 

The tour concludes back in Tokyo where you’ll be able to get some last minute shopping in and explore Shinjuku under the shadow of the skyscrapers.

This tour offers a variety of accommodation including a night in a 250 year old thatched roof farmhouse, as well as ryokan (traditional Japanese inns) and  western style business hotels.  You'll also have the opportunity to experience a number of local culinary delights, sights and customs rarely enjoyed with larger tour companies.

 

If you wish to split away from the group at anytime we'll give you a mobile phone so that if you get too lost, you'll have a lifeline to your Tour Leader.

Start date	Finish date	Price	Availability
13th April 2009 (Mon) (Cherry Blossom Tour)	23rd April 2009 (Thur)	------	Closed
8th October 2009 (Thur) (Autumn Foliage Tour)	18th October 2009 (Sun)	------	Closed

Start date	Finish date	Price	Availability
13th April 2010 (Tue) (Cherry Blossom Tour)	23rd April 2010 (Fri)	£1,550	1 space just opened
8th October 2010 (Fri) (Autumn Foliage Tour)	18th October (Mon)	------	Full!

Day	Highlights	accommodation
Day 1	Be met at Tokyo’s International Airport, Narita- transfer to your hotel with your Tour Leader.  Group meal in the evening (on us).  It'll be a great opportunity to get to know the other members in the group and explore the nightlife of this vibrant city.	Hotel / Tokyo
Day 2	Take the train to Takayama and join in the revelry of one of Japan's most beautiful festivals.  The sights and sounds will leave you with an unforgettable experience with cherry blossoms on the April Tour and a firey red backdrop of autumn leaves in the October tour.	Hotel / Takayama
Day 3	After free time in the morning take the bus to the quaint village of Ogimachi which has UNESCO World Heritage status.  Stay in a 250-year-old farmhouse, eat local mountain foods and soak in the hot springs.  You'll have plenty of free time today to explore, hike and visit the great open-air museum.	Gassho zukuri* tradional 250 year old farm house / Ogimachi
Day 4	Today go to Kanazawa.  Among other things, you'll have chance to see the gardens of Kenrokuen, well-preserved samurai houses, a ninja temple and the geisha districts.	Hotel / Kanazawa
Day 5	In the morning board the bullet train for Kyoto. Walk along the path of philosophy and enjoy a tea ceremony in beautiful settings.  Visit Ginkaku-ji, (the silver Zen pavilion) then hike for one hour up the mountain for stunning views of Kyoto and watch the sunset.	Ryokan* / Kyoto
Day 6	See more of the great attractions in Eastern Kyoto including the World Heritage site Kiyomizudera, and the Kodaiji Zen garden before winding the day up in the geisha district of Gion.  Here you’ll have the opportunity to watch maiko (apprentice geisha) perform a traditional dance and have the opportunity to dress up as a geisha or samurai.	Ryokan* / Kyoto
Day 7	Explore Arashiyama in the western mountains of Kyoto, walk though an ambient bamboo grove and ride up the river valley on a vintage train.	Ryokan* / Kyoto
Day 8	Board the bullet train for Hakone in the morning and have a chance to visit one the fantastic array of museums in the area before relaxing in the hot springs at your ryokan.	Ryokan* / Hakone
Day 9	Take the cable car up to “Hell’s Valley” with great views of Mt.Fuji.  Afterwards take a boat across Lake Ashi and walk along a stretch of the old Tokaido Highway.	Ryokan* / Hakone
Day 10	After breakfast head back to Tokyo. Explore Shinjuku including going up the Metropolitan Building with amazing views of the city.	Hotel / Tokyo
Day 11	End of tour.  Narita Airport is only an hour from the city.  Alternatively, stay for a few extra nights! There is plenty more to see and do nearby.

* Ryokan- Traditional Japanese inn, sleeping on futons in rooms floored with tatami mats.
* Gassho zukuri - Traditional thatched farmhouse unique to the Shirakawa-go area, it's a fantastic cultural experience.

Notes

As with all our Small Group Tours we suggest arriving a night or two before the tour commences to help recover from any jetlag.  We will be pleased to arrange additional accommodation, meet you at the airport up to two days before the tour starts and give you any info and advice you might want for your extra days.

 

Daily breakdown

Day 1 - Tokyo �?�京

You'll be met at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport with a cheery smile and transfer to your hotel.  In the evening we'll host a meal at a local restaurant, there'll be something for all tastes and it'll be a great opportunity for everyone in the group to get to know each other.  Afterwards take a walking tour of the buzzing downtown area. 

 

Day 2 - Takayama 高山

Today we'll board the Shinkansen (bullet train) and make our way to the ancient city of Takayama where the festival, which dates back to the 15th century, will be heating up.

Eagle-eyed readers will have noticed there are two Takayama Tours at different times, this is because there are two Takayama Festivals; one welcoming spring and the other celebrating the harvests.

Nature is an important element on both occasions.  The Spring festival takes place amongst the delicate pinks and whites of the blooming cherry blossoms.  In contrast the autumn festival is held against the backdrop of the fiery reds and oranges of the kouyou, the vibrant Autumn leaves.

The highlight of both festivals is in the evening when colourful dashi (floats), are lead through the streets amid cheers and drums.  There are a number of small rivers running through the old town and the parades will pass over the beautiful vermillion bridges that span them.

 

Day 3 - Ogimachi �?�町

Today we'll take the bus to the picturesque village of Ogimachi.  Nestled deep in the mountains, it's an idyllic place with age-old traditions and architecture now lost to most of the country.  You'll be spending the night in a gassho zukuri (a traditional thatched farm house) which is over 250 years old.  The rooms are homely and you'll sleep on comfortable futons on tatami flooring.  It's just how you'd imagine a Japanese house to be, this is the real thing!

You'll have plenty of time to stroll around the excellent open air museum and get a taste of the community spirit at the heart of this place.  The local people here still work together in building and maintaining these magnificent houses, re-thatching them every 25 - 35 years.

In the evening you'll be served a home cooked meal made with food from the local mountains.  Afterwards, there is a fantastic onsen (hot spring) nearby.  If you've never been to an onsen before then this is a good one to start with. 

If you don't think onsen are your thing, (don't worry, they don't appeal to all) the farmhouse has its own private washing facilities.

 

Day 4 - Kanazawa 金沢

After breakfast and some free time to explore we'll get on the bus for Kanazawa, the second largest city after Kyoto lucky enough to have escaped the bombings of WW2.  The hotel is close to the station and most of the town's main attractions, including the geisha districts, samurai houses, a ninja temple and the world famous Kenrokuen garden. 

Kenrokuen is considered one of the best three gardens in Japan, but by many the best.  Once the private gardens of the ruling samurai family, it took over 200 years to make.  It is everything you would want from a Japanese garden with manicured trees, waterfalls, rock gardens and a teahouse by a tranquil pond.  

 

Day 5 - Kyoto 京都

In the morning catch the train to Kyoto.  In the afternoon we'll take a walk down the attractive philosopher's path (deep thinking is not obligatory) stopping off at a tea house where you'll be able to participate in a tea ceremony amid atmospheric surroundings and a beautiful garden.  From there we'll visit Ginkaku-ji (the silver Zen pavilion) before hiking the rest of the way up the mountain.  It takes less than an hour to ascend and the views overlooking Kyoto at sunset are simply beautiful.

 

Day 6 - Kyoto 京都

Today we'll visit the classic, must-see sight of Kiyomizudera.  Here people come to wish for everything; to meet their ideal lover, to improve their relationships, for exam success or a miracle cure.

We'll end the day in Gion, the main geisha district where, in the evening, there will be a show that'll take you deep into the cultural heart of the country.  It includes performances of Koto (Japanese harp), Gagaku (court music), Kyomai  (maiko performing a traditional dance), Kado (flower arrangement) and Bunraku (puppet play).  You can't help but to be blown away by this show and if you've ever wanted to dress up as a samurai or geisha today would be the perfect day.

 

Day 7 - Kyoto 京都

Today, the third day in Kyoto, we’ve made time for you to explore by yourself.  Whether it’s more of the sights in Kyoto, a trip to Osaka or Nara, your guide will have all the information you might require.  Or if you prefer, you can join your guide on a trip to Arashiyama in the western mountains of Kyoto where you’ll be able to walk through an atmospheric bamboo grove and take a trip on a vintage train up the river valley.

 

Day 8 - Hakone (Mount Fuji) 箱根

We’ll leave Kyoto in the morning, giving us plenty of time in Hakone to visit one of the fabulous museums in the area.  We would recommend the Open Air Museum featuring art by Henry Moore and Pablo Picasso and also the neighbouring Polo Museum with a collection including pieces by Van Gogh, Monet and Renoir. The Polo Museum building itself is an amazing piece of architecture.

If museums aren’t your thing, feel free to explore the area yourself or simply head back to the ryokan to relax and soak in the revitalizing hot springs.

 

Day 9 - Hakone (Mount Fuji) 箱根

It’s best to start the day early when taking the funicular and cable cars to Owakudani where we should enjoy picture-postcard views of Mount Fuji.  From there you can take the cable car down the other side but you may choose the hour hike down to Lake Ashi.  After lunch we’ll board one of the pirate ships to take us across the lake and then walk along an original stretch of the Tokaido pathway over 400 years old.  In the evening you’ll be able to soak in the hot springs before dinner at the ryokan. 

 

Day 10 - Tokyo �?�京

We’ll board the train back to Tokyo today where we’ll be staying in a hotel located in central Shinjuku, between the nighttime entertainment district and the skyscrapers of the business center.  Explore the area and go up to the 45th floor of the Metropolitan Government Building for awesome views of the teeming metropolis below and even Mount Fuji in the distance on a clear day.

 

Day 11 -  Journey's end

Sadly today is the last day of this unforgettable trip. 

 

Accommodation

 

Tokyo: Yaesu Terminal Hotel   Tel: (81) 03-3281-3771

Business hotel in central location

Breakfast included

Takayama: Takayama Central Hotel   Tel:  (81) 0577-35-1881

Relaxed hotel in a central location

Breakfast included

Ogimachi: Gensaku     Tel:  (81) 05769-61-176

Gassho zukuri, comfortable traditional farmhouse

Evening meal (traditional local foods) and breakfast included

Kanazawa: Garden Hotel Kanazawa.    Tel: (81) 07-6263-3333

Friendly hotel in a convenient location

Breakfast included

Kyoto: Towa Ryokan.    Tel:  (81) 075-371-5421

Refurbished ryokan in the heart of Kyoto

Breakfast included

Tokyo: Star Hotel.    Tel: (81) 03-3361-1111

Business hotel in central Shinjuku

Breakfast included

 

Kanazawa Garden Hotel	Gensaku (Ogimachi)	Takayama Central Hotel, Takayama
Ryokan Towa, Kyoto	Yaesu Terminal Hotel, Tokyo	Star Hotel, Shinjuku, Tokyo

Please note that the accommodation above is standard for the Takayama Tour and is at times subject to change to a similar or better hotel.

All hotels have been selected with location and comfort in mind.

Flexibility

 

The itineraries in our tours are flexible, and do vary occasionally, sometimes due to weather or ongoing events such as festivals which guests may want to see.

In addition if there is something else you’d like to do or see on your trip please mention this to your Tour Leader and we’ll try our best to include it.

Minimum Numbers

 

The minimum number of customers on the Takayama Tour is two as we believe it’s unfair to cancel tours when larger numbers are not met.

Single Supplement

 

Because the group size is kept to a maximum of 8, we have to charge a single supplement of £ 230 if you are travelling alone.  For this you'll be ensured to have a room to yourself for the entirity of the tour.

 

What's included?

• All accommodation (10 nights) All accommodation is chosen with convenience and comfort in mind.
• All transportation from city to city, and transfer from the airport to the hotel on the first day.  Because of the flexibility of the tours local transport within the cities (taxis, buses and subway etc) are not included.
• Guide and support for the entirety of the tour and often we have two guides enabling the group to split up.
• Breakfast everyday, group meal on Day 1, dinner on Day 3, 8 and 9 (traditional local cusine).
• 100% financial protection through the TTA.

What's not included?

• Meals, except for the ones stated above.
• Local transportation within the cities. - this usually works out to be around Y500-1000 per day.
• Entrance fees into shrines, temples and museums, working out to be around Y0 - Y1000 per day
• Flights to and from Japan!

Feel free to drop us a line and we'll be happy to help with any queries or advice.