Best of Japan - Samurai Tours

Best of Japan
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Best of Japan
BEST OF JAPAN
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1 5 Days
14 Nights
Destinations
Tokyo, Jigokudani Monkey Park (Optional Tour), Nikko (Optional Tour), Kamakura, Hakone Yumoto Onsen,
Hakone, Takayama, Takayama (Optional Tour), Koya-san, Osaka (Optional Tour), Himeji, Miyajima Island,
Hiroshima, Kyoto, Fushimi, Nara (Optional Tour)
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Tour Overview
More than any other country, the Japanese have managed to integrate ancient traditions and bleeding-edge technology
harmoniously into their daily lives. With the perfect mix of new and old, and our most popular itinerary, this
well-rounded tour has something for everyone. In this excellent introduction to Japan, you won’t miss anything the
first-time visitor to Japan should see.
In the best that Japan has to offer, and our most popular itinerary, you’ll enjoy a colorful mix of large cities like Tokyo
and Osaka, quaint and traditional Takayama, the ambiance and solitude of Miyajima Island, the historically significant
temples of Kamakura the capital of Japan in the 13th century, the religious center of Koya-san, the ancient shrines and
temples of Kyoto and Nara, the testament to peace of Hiroshima, the natural beauty of Hakone, the thermally-heated
mineral water baths at an onsen and much, much more.
You’ll stay overnight at a mountaintop Buddhist temple where Buddhist monks will serve you meals of shojin ryori (the
traditional Buddhist vegetarian cuisine), and you will attend prayer services at the temple early the next morning. Climb
to the top of a samurai castle, participate in a tea ceremony, visit the world’s largest fish market, stroll through farmer’s
markets, meet a “maiko” (geisha-in-training) face-to-face, see where the geisha live and work, stay overnight on
beautiful and quiet Miyajima Island, soak in the thermally-heated mineral waters at an onsen, admire sacred Mt. Fuji
(weather permitting), the icon of Japan and enjoy three gourmet Kaiseki-style dinners and one shojin-ryori Buddhist
vegetarian meal, and much, much more.
Tour Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Tour Factors
Cultural Immersion
Low
High
Pace
Low
High
Physical Activity
Low
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Tour Highlights
Tokyo
Tsukiji Fish Market
Ginza District
Tokyo Sky Tree
Nakamise-dori
Senso-ji Temple
Asakusa Shrine
Jigokudani Monkey Park (Optional Tour)
Nikko (Optional Tour)
Rinnoji
Toshogu Shrine
Taiyuin
Kamakura
Hase-dera Temple
Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
Hokokuji Temple (Bamboo Temple) including tea
and sweets in the bamboo garden
Hakone Yumoto Onsen
Hakone
Lake Ashi Sightseeing Boats
Hakone Ropeway
Owakudani
Takayama
Sanmachisuji
Morning Farmer’s markets
Takayama Jinya
Takayama (Optional Tour)
San-machi-suji
Hida-no-sato Open Air Museum
Koya-san
Overnight stay at a Buddhist Temple
Oinori (Morning Prayer Service)
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Okuno-in Cemetery and Temple
Garan Temple
Osaka (Optional Tour)
Namba District
Doguyasuji Street
Hozenji Temple and Yokocho
Dotombori Street
Ebisu-bashi Bridge
Kaitenzushi (Conveyor belt sushi) dinner
Himeji
Himeji Castle
Miyajima Island
Free Day
Hiroshima
Peace Museum and Park
Kyoto
Ryoan-ji Temple and Garden
Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
Tea Ceremony
Nijo Castle
Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion)
Philosopher’s Path
Higashiyama District
Gion Geisha District Walking Tour
Private Maiko Dinner Party
Fushimi
Fushimi Inari Shrine
Nara (Optional Tour)
Nara Deer Park
Todaiji (Great Buddha)
Nara-machi
Kofukuji
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Tour Itinerary
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Arrive Tokyo
You lose a day flying to Japan due to crossing the International Dateline, and gain the day back when you fly home.
After clearing customs and immigration (which can take up to an hour and a half due to increased tourism to Japan),
you will be met at Tokyo’s Narita airport by a Samurai Tours guide. The guide will then purchase a limousine bus
ticket for you and help you board the bus to the hotel. After checking in, the evening is free. No meals are included.
Travel: 1-1/2 Hours; Walking: Light
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Tokyo – Tsukiji Fish Market, Ginza, Tokyo Sky Tree, Sensoji Temple
After breakfast, you will start the day with a Welcome/Orientation meeting. Next, the licensed, English-speaking
guide will escort you by taxi to the Tsukiji Fish Market. This market is the largest in the world, and it is estimated that
20% of all of the fish caught in the world passes through this market. Afterwards, we walk to the famous Ginza
district, the most expensive real estate in the world. Here you will have some free time to wander through the
numerous boutiques and department stores. Visit the Nissan showroom to see the latest automobile technology.
Explore the Sony Building where you will find many of Sony’s products on display, some of which aren’t on the
market yet. Before continuing we will first stop for a lunch of Kushiage (fried meat and vegetables on bamboo
skewers). After traveling by subway to the Tokyo Sky Tree, we will go to the Tembo Deck, 350m high (you will not
have time to go to the Tembo Galleria, the highest level of the Sky Tree, as it is very crowded with long waits). From
here, (weather permitting), you will get an awe-inspiring view of Tokyo. And, you will get an idea of just how big
Tokyo really is. On a clear day, you will even be able to see Mt. Fuji. Next we will take the subway to the nearby
Asakusa area. Here we will tour the Nakamise-dori, Senso-ji Buddhist Temple and the Asakusa Shrine where you
will learn about Buddhist and Shinto Japanese religious practices. Breakfast at the hotel and lunch at a local
restaurant included.
Please note that the Tsukiji Fish Market is relocating November 6th, 2016. All tours after that date will not be visiting
the fish market until the new location can be assessed.
Travel: 1 Hours; Walking: Heavy
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Free Day in Tokyo
The day is free to explore Tokyo on your own. Go shopping for that perfect souvenir, visit the Meiji Shrine dedicated
to the Japanese emperor of the 19th century, or wander through the trendy Shibuya or Harajuku districts where you
will more than likely see interesting and far-out fashions. Breakfast is included.
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Optional Independent Tour – Snow Monkeys – $75 (Per Group)
After breakfast, you will travel on your own by Shinkansen (bullet train), bus and a 30-45 minute walk
to the Snow Monkey Park. Here, at the Jigoku-dani (Hell Valley), you will delight in the world famous
“snow monkeys” of Japan. The Red-Faced “snow monkeys” are only found in Japan, and during the
entire year, the monkeys enjoy using the thermally-heated mineral water baths. Please note this is not
a zoo and there are no fences keeping the monkeys in or separate from you. It is possible they may
have migrated to another area but this is very rare. You will return by bus and local train to the city of
Nagano where you will catch the Shinkansen back to Tokyo. We will provide a detailed itinerary of how
to get there and back but you will travel on your own. We will arrange your Shinkansen tickets but the
local train, busses, and entry fee can not be prepaid and there will be around $30 USD out of pocket
not including lunch.
Optional Tour – Nikko – $100 (or 12,000 Yen in Japan)
Travel by Shinkansen (bullet train) and express train to the mountain town of Nikko where the
Tosho-gu Shrine is located. This shrine – built by Tokugawa Iemitsu – is a dedication to his
grandfather, Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. (James Clavell’s fictional Shogun in his novel Shogun was
based on this person.) One of the most elaborate monuments in Japan, no expense was spared in
this shrine’s construction. We will visit Rinnoji, Toshogu and Taiyuin. Lunch at a local restaurant is
included.
Travel: TBD; Walking: TBD
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Kamakura – Hasedera, Kotokuin (Great Buddha), Hokokuji (Bamboo Temple); Travel to Hakone Yumoto
Onsen
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Before leaving Tokyo, you will prepare your luggage to be transferred to Takayama, and will be traveling to Hakone
and Takayama with an overnight bag only. We board a subway and an express train to the ancient city of Kamakura,
the former capital of Japan in the 13th century. Hase-dera Temple, originally established in the 8th century houses a
famous Kannon statue made from wood and gold leaf, and also has a commanding view of the nearby ocean. Next
we will visit Kotokuin, the home of the famous Kamakura Great Buddha. This 40-foot tall bronze statue of Buddha,
built in the 13th century is an icon of Japan. After a relaxing noodle lunch, we continue by taxi to Hokokuin Temple,
also known as the Bamboo Temple. Here you will be able to relax and enjoy the serene atmosphere of the bamboo
garden while savoring tea and sweets. Late in the afternoon, we will travel to Hakone Yumoto Onsen, where we will
stay overnight. Here you can enjoy the thermally-heated mineral baths at the ryokan. A local, licensed Englishspeaking, Japanese guide will be joining us for the day. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch at a local Japanese
restaurant are included.
Travel: 2-1/2 Hours; Walking: Medium
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Hakone, Travel to Takayama
After checking out of the ryokan, we will tour Hakone. Hakone is famous for its natural beauty and the view of
nearby Mt. Fuji (weather permitting). We will be taking many different forms of transportation (electric train, funicular,
gondola and bus) around Hakone including the Hakone Sightseeing Boats on Lake Ashi. In good weather,
passengers aboard the sightseeing cruise can get a fine view of Japan’s most famous peak, Mount Fuji, and enjoy
Hakone’s rich scenery reflected on the lake’s calm surface. After returning to Hakone Yumoto and picking up our
overnight bags, we will continue on to Takayama. Takayama, in the middle of the Japan Alps, with its traditional inns,
shops, and sake breweries, has managed to retain its traditional charm. A Kaiseki-style dinner will be served at the
ryokan in the evening.
Travel: 5 Hours; Walking: Light
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Takayama – Miyagawa Morning Market, Jinyamae Morning Market, Takayama Jinya, San-machi-suji
District
This morning we stroll through the farmer’s market, sampling the numerous options from vegetable stands and stalls
selling herbs, pickles, and souvenirs. After that, we tour the Takayama-jinya, which was the governing office of
Takayama and the surrounding area since the early 17th century. The guide will take you to the San-machi-suji
district, consisting of merchant homes dating back to the 16th century. From here the rest of the day is free to roam
and explore Takayama. Visit the many temples, shrines and museums, rummage through antique shops, or relax at
one of the sake breweries. The evening is free to enjoy one of the many nearby Hida Beef restaurants. (Hida Beef
is the same thing as the more famous Kobe Beef.) Breakfast at the ryokan is included.
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Optional Tour – Takayama – $75 (or 10,000 Yen in Japan)
After finishing the scheduled tour of Takayama at the Takayama Jinya, the guide will take you on a
tour of the San-machi-suji District. Lined with merchant homes, sake breweries and craftsmen’s
workshops, it was the center of the old town and today it still retains its quaint atmosphere. After
enjoying a ramen lunch, we will continue to the Hida-no-Sato Open Air Museum. With more than 30
traditional farmhouses and other buildings from the surrounding area, its main attractions are the
“gassho-zukuri” style farmhouses. These massive farmhouses with their steep, thatched roofs which
look like praying hands (gassho-zukuri translates to praying hand style) were built without a single
nail.
Travel: TBD; Walking: Medium
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Travel to Koya-san, Overnight at a Buddhist Temple
We will travel to Koya-san with overnight bags only. The rest of the luggage will be delivered to our ryokan in Osaka
where we will be staying the following night. We board an express train and Shinkansen bound for Osaka, and
continue to Koya-san by subway, train and funicular. Koya-san is the world headquarters of the Shingon school of
Esoteric Buddhism. Kobo Daishi, considered by many to be the most influential religious person in Japanese history,
established a religious community here in the year 816. After checking into our shukubo (Buddhist temple lodging),
you are free to roam and visit one of the 110 temples in the area or just rest in the garden at the shukubo. Your
dinner of shojin-ryori (traditional Buddhist vegetarian cuisine – no meat, fish, onions or garlic) will be served by the
Buddhist Monks from the temple. Breakfast at the ryokan and shojin-ryori dinner at the temple are included.
Travel: 7 Hours; Walking: Light
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Koya-san – Morning Prayer Service, Okunoin Cemetery and Temple, Garan Temple Complex; Travel to
Osaka
Very early in the morning, we attend o-inori (Buddhist prayer services). Afterwards, a shojin-ryori breakfast is served.
Following this meal, we wander through the huge cemetery leading up to the Okuno-in temple. Kobo Daishi is buried
at this temple, and many Japanese still believe that Kobo Daishi is not dead, but merely in a very advanced state of
meditation, waiting to awaken at the appropriate time. After touring the Garan Temple complex, we will stop for a
Shojin-ryori lunch. A local, English-speaking, Japanese guide joins us at Koya-san. After returning to Osaka, picking
up our luggage and checking into our ryokan, the evening is free to visit the Dotombori-dori and the Namba Districts
(South Osaka), the nearby nightlife and restaurant district. While there, you can visit the Ebisu-bashi bridge, which
will make you feel like you stepped into the movie “Blade Runner.” Shojin-ryori breakfast at the temple and
Shojin-ryori lunch at a local restaurant are included.
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Optional Tour – Osaka – $75 (or 10,000 Yen in Japan)
While there are not a lot of sightseeing options in Osaka, the best way to experience Osaka is to
simply explore the city on foot. And the best time to enjoy Osaka is at night when the South Osaka
area of the Dotombori and Namba Districts come into its own. At this time the numerous large, neon
signs and the hawkers and pachinko parlors of the area combine to create an audio-visual overload.
The tour will include Doguyasuji, a street in the Namba District lined with restaurant supply stores
(including stores selling the plastic food models you see everywhere in Japan). In the Dotombori
District, you will visit the Hozenji Temple and Yokocho, an area that retains an old-time atmosphere
and where so many locals come to pour water over the temple’s statues, they are now covered in
moss. In contrast, you will also visit the Ebisubashi Bridge next to the Dotombori Street. With its
towering neon signs, a visit to the Ebisubashi Bridge is like stepping into the movie “Bladerunner”. The
tour will begin with a dinner at a local kaitenzushi restaurant (conveyor belt sushi) where you select
whatever looks good as it passes by on the conveyor belt.
Travel: 3 Hours; Walking: Heavy
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Himeji Castle; Travel to Miyajima Island
Before leaving in the morning you will need to prepare your main luggage for transfer to Kyoto. We will then travel by
subway and Shinkansen to the city of Himeji. Here we will visit Himeji Castle. Built about 400 years ago, Himeji
Castle is one of the largest and oldest original castles, and is one of only four castles designated as a National
Treasure and is also designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch, we will continue on to Hiroshima by
Shinkansen, and then a local train to the harbor where we will board a ferry for Miyajima Island. Miyajima Island is
said by the Japanese to be one of the top three scenic sights in Japan. The evening is free to enjoy the solitude and
ambiance of the island after all of the day-trippers head back to the mainland. Breakfast, lunch and kaiseki dinner at
the ryokan included.
Travel: 3 Hours; Walking: Medium
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Miyajima Island – Free Day
The entire day is free to enjoy and relax in the beauty and ambiance of Miyajima Island: ride the cable car to the top
of the mountain on Miyajima Island, or visit the Itsukushima-jinja shrine which was built in its present form in 1168.
Or just stroll around the island while enjoying grilled oysters and momiji manju (a popular Japanese confection), the
island’s specialty. Breakfast and kaiseki dinner at the ryokan included.
Travel: TBD; Walking: TBD
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Hiroshima – Peace Park and Museum; Travel to Kyoto
After taking the ferry and local train back to Hiroshima, we tour the Peace Memorial Museum and the Peace
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Memorial Park, which are both sobering testaments to the dropping of the A-bomb on August 6, 1945. Afterwards,
we are off to Kyoto via the Shinkansen. Once in Kyoto, we pick up our luggage and check into our ryokan, where we
stay for the remainder of the tour. Breakfast at the ryokan is included.
Travel: 3 Hours; Walking: Heavy
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Kyoto – Ryoanji, Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), Tea Ceremony, Nijo Castle
We will start the morning at Ryoan-ji. To many, the temple’s name is synonymous with the temple’s famous
karesansui (dry landscape) rock garden, thought to have been built in the late 15th century. Perhaps the most
famous garden in Japan, the garden’s designer is unknown and left no explanation of the meaning of the garden.
The dry-style garden consists of three groupings of 15 rocks surrounded by raked sand. From the viewing point on
the veranda, only 14 rocks can be seen at one time. Move slightly and another rock appears at the same time that
one of the original 14 rocks disappears. In Buddhism, the number 15 denotes completeness. You must have a total
view of the garden to make a meaningful experience. And yet, as in the conditions of the real world, that’s not
possible. Next we will visit Kinkaku-ji. Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, is one of Kyoto’s, as well as
Japan’s, most recognizable attractions. The gleaming building covered in gold leaf seems to float on the aptly
named Mirror Pond, especially on a sunny day. After a noodle lunch we will learn about the tea ceremony. The
regimented discipline of the tea ceremony has been practiced for more than 400 years, and at one time was
considered mandatory for Samurai as an aid to train the mind. You will even have an opportunity to make your own
tea. After the tea ceremony, we will visit Nijo Castle. Built in 1603, it was the Kyoto home of Tokugawa Ieayasu, the
first Tokugawa Shogun. The ostentatious style of construction was intended as a demonstration of Ieyasu’s prestige,
and to signal the demise of the emperor’s power. The finest artists of the day filled the castle with delicate transom
woodcarvings and paintings by the Kano School on sliding doors. One of the castle’s most intriguing features is the
so-called “nightingale” floors. To protect the Shogun from real or imagined enemies, these floorboards creak when
stepped on. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch at a local restaurant included.
Travel: 2 Hours; Walking: Heavy
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Fushimi – Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto – Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), Philosopher’s Path, Higashiyama
District, Gion Geisha District
Today we are off by train to the nearby city of Fushimi, one of the largest sake producing regions of Japan. Here we
will visit the Fushimi Inari shrine. This Shinto Shrine, established in the 8th century, is famous for the long tunnels of
vermilion torii gates straddling a network of trails leading to the top of the heavily forested Mt. Inari. Next, we will visit
the Ginkakuji Temple, more commonly called the Silver Pavilion. Established in 1482, Ginkakuji became a center for
contemporary culture. Today, Ginkakuji consists of the Silver Pavilion, half a dozen other temple buildings, a
beautiful moss garden and a unique dry sand garden. It is enjoyed by walking along a circular route around its
grounds, from which the gardens and buildings can be viewed. After visiting Ginkakuji, we will take a short walk
along the Philosopher’s Path. Approximately two kilometers long, the path begins around (Silver Pavilion) and ends
in the neighborhood of Nanzenji. The path gets its name due to Nishida Kitaro, one of Japan’s most famous
philosophers who was said to practice meditation while walking this route on his daily commute to Kyoto University.
After a relaxing lunch, we will walk though the Higashiyama District of Kyoto. This area of narrow, cobblestone alleys
with its temples, shrines, numerous shops and restaurants is truly enjoyable and relaxing. Next, we will walk to the
famous Gion Geisha District. Here, you will see where the Geiko (in Kyoto they call themselves Geiko, not Geisha)
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and Maiko live and work. You may even see one on their way to one of their appointments. Before leaving for the
day, you will need to prepare your main luggage to be sent forward to the airport. If you would prefer to keep your
luggage, you can do so. If you will be sending the luggage, you will need to keep enough items for three days/two
nights. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch at a local Japanese restaurant are included.
Travel: 1 Hours; Walking: Heavy
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Kyoto – Free Day, Sayonora Dinner and Meet a Maiko Session
The morning and afternoon is free. In the late afternoon, we will meet back at the ryokan and travel to the Gion
Geisha district. Here, in a teahouse, we will attend a Meet a Maiko session. (A Maiko is a Geisha in training.) She
will perform a short dance, answer any of your questions and pose for pictures with you. After this we will have a
walking tour of the Gion Geisha district. Here you will see where the Geisha and Maiko live and work. We may even
see one on their way to their appointments. After this we will enjoy our Sayonara Dinner. One complimentary glass
of an alcoholic beverage (not bottle) will be included at the dinner. Breakfast at the ryokan and dinner at a local
Japanese restaurant included.
Optional Tour – Nara – $115 (or 15,000 Yen in Japan)
We will begin the day traveling by train to the nearby city of Nara. Nara was the original capital of
Japan in the 8th century before it was moved to Kyoto. We will start our tour of Nara by walking
through the heavily forested Nara Park. Here, we will find numerous temples and shrines hidden
among the trees. Along the way, you can also fee the famous Nara deer. They have been since the
7th century, and roam freely protected by Buddhist traditions. At the far end of Nara Park, we will find
Todaiji. Originally built in 752, the main hall is the world’s largest wooden building, despite the fact that
the current building, built in 1692, is only two-thirds the size of the original building. Inside the building
is Japan’s largest bronze statue of Buddha (it is almost 50 feet tall). After a lunch break, we will
continue our tour by walking through the Naramachi. Naramachi is the former merchant district of
Nara, where a number of traditional residential buildings have been preserved. Today, boutiques,
shops, cafes and restaurants line the area’s narrow lanes. We will finish our tour of Nara at Kofukuji
temple. Kofukuji temple was the family temple of the Fujiwara family, one of the most powerful families
in Japan during the Heian period. This temple was created in 710, the same year Nara was made the
capital of Japan. At its height during the reign of the Fujiwara family, there were more than 150
buildings on the temple grounds.
Travel: 1/2 Hours; Walking: Medium
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Home
It’s time to say “sayonara” (goodbye). You will be escorted from the ryokan to the Kyoto train station. From there,
you will take the express train on your own to the Kansai International Airport, just outside Osaka, or return to Narita
Airport by Shinkansen and Narita express train on your own for your flight back home. (If you are flying out of Narita
Airport, be sure to schedule a flight after 15:00 to allow yourself enough time to catch your flight.) If you sent your
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luggage ahead to the airport, you will retrieve your luggage in the Departure lobby before checking into your flight.
Breakfast at the ryokan is included.
Travel: 3 Hours; Walking: Light
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Inclusions
Local, licensed, English-speaking, Japanese guides where indicated in the itinerary detail.
Travel Guard Gold Policy from Travel Guard, one of the world’s largest travel insurance providers, will be provided
to everyone from the United States. All others will receive a $100 per person credit and will be responsible for obtaining
their own travel insurance in their own home country. (The insurance provided by Samurai Tours will cover the land
portion only. Insurance to cover airfare and other additional expenses is the tour member’s responsibility.)
Click Here for More Information ( http://www.travelguard.com/gold/ )
The provided insurance coverage includes:
Trip Cancellation (up to trip cost)
Trip Interruption (up to 150% of trip cost)
Trip Delay (up to $750)
Missed Connection (up to $250)
Baggage and Personal Effects Loss (up to $1,000)
Baggage Delay (up to $300)
Medical Expense (up to $25,000)
Medical Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains (up to $500,000)
Accidental Death or Dismemberment (up to $10,000)
Coverage for financial default of tour operator
A waiver of any pre-existing medical conditions that could eventually cause you to interrupt your trip (entire trip,
including airfare must be insured for pre-existing waiver to be valid. Contact travel guard for for information)
Travel Insurance Surcharge: Depending on your age at the time the travel insurance is purchased, you may be
subject to the following surcharge for your travel insurance. Travel insurance surcharges will be due at the same time
as your tour deposits. (the surcharge itself is not insured)
• Up to 69 – $0
• 70-74 – $100
• 75-79 – $200
• 80-84 – $350
• 85+ – $550
Travel Insurance Opt-Out: If you would prefer to opt out of the travel insurance, please note this at the time of
registration. You will receive a $100 credit per person, which will be reflected on your invoice. In the event that you
would need to cancel your tour, cancellation penalties may apply. See the Terms and
Conditions ( http://www.samuraitours.com/tours/escorted/terms-conditions/ ) page for the Cancellation Fees Schedule.
14-Day Ordinary Car Japan Rail Pass (allows unlimited train travel.)
Airport transfer from Tokyo’s Narita Airport and airport transfer to Osaka’s Kansai Airport or Tokyo’s Narita Airport
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(Transfers to Osaka’s Itami Airport are not included.)
Meeting service at Tokyo’s Narita Airport and sending service to the Kyoto train station. (The meeting service will meet
you at the airport and escort you to the ryokan in Tokyo. The sending service will escort you to the Kyoto train station
and make sure you board the correct train. The sending service will not accompany you to the airport. For those
requiring meeting or sending services on other than the scheduled arrival/departure dates, there will be a $100 fee for
the meeting service from the airport into Tokyo or the sending service to the Kyoto train station.)
Lodging for 14 nights in Japanese-style ryokans
Meals
Japanese-style or Western-style breakfast every morning (Please Note: Some ryokans offer Japanese breakfasts
only.)
Five Japanese-style lunches and one Western-style lunch
Five Japanese-style dinners (including 3 gourmet kaiseki dinners at the ryokans, and a shojin-ryori – traditional
Buddhist vegetarian cuisine – dinner at a Buddhist temple)
The appropriate amount of free time to allow you to explore and discover your own personal Japan.
All transportation costs when traveling with the group. (Transportation costs during scheduled free times are the tour
member’s responsibility.)
Admission fees to the destinations and activities listed in the Tour Highlights column on the right.
(Itinerary specifics subject to change):
Sayonara dinner at the end of the tour
Baggage transfer ( /about-japan/baggage-transfer/ ) from the ryokan in Tokyo to the ryokan in Takayama (one bag only)
Baggage transfer ( /about-japan/baggage-transfer/ ) from the ryokan in Takayama to the ryokan in Osaka (one bag only)
Baggage transfer ( /about-japan/baggage-transfer/ ) from the ryokan in Osaka to the ryokan in Kyoto (one bag only)
Baggage transfer ( /about-japan/baggage-transfer/ ) from the ryokan in Kyoto to Narita Airport, Haneda Airport or Kansai
Airport (one bag only)
Luggage lockers in Hiroshima
Each tour member receives an electronic copy of our tour handbook. This handbook is full of tips and suggestions
taken from our Japan travel experiences that allow you to better plan and prepare for your trip, and therefore enjoy
your trip even more. The tips and suggestions included cover everything from how to save while exchanging money,
what to pack, some basic Japanese-language tips, general etiquette do’s-and-don’ts, ryokan customs, etc.
Exclusions
Airfare is NOT included.
Alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and desserts are NOT included – except at the Sayonara dinner on the final evening of
the tour. One complimentary glass of an alcoholic beverage (not bottle) will be included at the dinner.
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Best of Japan
https://www.samuraitours.com/print/best-of-japan-pdf-catalog/
2016 Dates & Prices
Price (land only) /
Single Supplement
Status
06/12/2016 – 06/26 Late Spring
$4,244 / $594
Full
06/19/2016 – 07/03 Early Summer
$4,244 / $594
Closed
07/03/2016 – 07/17 Summer
$4,144 / $594
Full
07/17/2016 – 07/31 Late July
$4,144 / $594
Full
08/21/2016 – 09/04 Late Summer
$4,044 / $594
Available
09/18/2016 – 10/02 Early Fall
$4,144 / $594
Full
10/09/2016 – 10/23 Fall
$4,494 / $594
Full
10/16/2016 – 10/30 Late Fall
$4,494 / $594
Filling Fast
1 seats left
11/06/2016 – 11/20 Fall Foliage
$4,744 / $594
Full
2016 Dates
2017 Dates & Prices
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Best of Japan
https://www.samuraitours.com/print/best-of-japan-pdf-catalog/
Price (land only) /
Single Supplement
Status
01/15/2017 – 01/29 Early Winter
$4,244 / $594
Available
01/22/2017 – 02/05 Late Winter
$4,244 / $594
Available
03/19/2017 – 04/02 Early Cherry Blossom
$4,844 / $694
Available
03/26/2017 – 04/09 Cherry Blossom
$4,944 / $694
Full
04/02/2017 – 04/16 Late Cherry Blossom
$4,844 / $694
Available
05/14/2017 – 05/28 Spring
$4,644 / $594
Available
05/21/2017 – 06/04 May June
$4,644 / $594
Available
06/11/2017 – 06/25 Late Spring
$4,394 / $594
Available
06/18/2017 – 07/02 Early Summer
$4,394 / $594
Available
07/02/2017 – 07/16 Summer
$4,294 / $594
Available
07/16/2017 – 07/30 Late July
$4,294 / $594
Available
08/20/2017 – 09/03 Late Summer
$4,244 / $594
Available
09/17/2017 – 10/01 Early Fall
$4,394 / $594
Available
10/08/2017 – 10/22 Fall
$4,644 / $694
Available
10/15/2017 – 10/29 Late Fall
$4,644 / $694
Available
11/05/2017 – 11/19 Fall Foliage
$4,844 / $694
Available
2017 Dates
16 of 18
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Best of Japan
https://www.samuraitours.com/print/best-of-japan-pdf-catalog/
Tour Map
17 of 18
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Best of Japan
https://www.samuraitours.com/print/best-of-japan-pdf-catalog/
Thank you for downloading this PDF version of our tour.
Please visit our website at www.samuraitours.com/tours
for the most current dates, prices and information.
Contact Samurai Tours
WEBSITE/EMAIL
www.samuraitours.com
info@samuraitours.com
USA CONTACT INFO
Toll-free: 1-866-316-SAMURAI
or 1-866-316-7268
Fax number: 720-210-5423
Samurai Tours
7900 East Union Ave, Suite 1100
Denver CO 80237
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JAPAN CONTACT INFO
Call us: 075-361-7303
Samurai Tours
307 Yodokizu
Fushimi
Kyoto 613-0911 Japan
MEMBERSHIPS/ASSOCIATIONS
Better Business Bureau
American Society of Travel Agents
National Tour Association
Japan National Tourist Organization
JNTO-approved Japan Travel Specialist
Kyoto-fu Chijitoroku Ryokogyo 3-576/
Japanese Travel Agency License:
Kyoto Prefecture #3-576
6/1/16, 8:10 AM