| Discovery Index | Search
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Day
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Date
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Destination(s)/Notes
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Depart+
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Return+
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Lunch+
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1
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July 11th
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Day trip:
Today we drive into Gifu Prefecture, stopping at Kawashima Aqua to visit the large new freshwater fish aquarium & its
gardens. This multistoried aquarium is one of the largest of its kind in the world, and includes not only fish but other
denizens of the Nagara River valley habitat.
We then head to Gujo Hachiman. This small town is mostly famous for its "iron" Obon dances during the summer,
but equally interesting for its heritage value. Its extremely cool.
The late English born writer Alan Booth, a long term
resident of Japan, appropriately described Gujo Hachiman in his book "Looking for the Lost" as
as being "like an Edo-era stage set", and the kind of town foreigners dreamed about - albeit one where you half
expected a Japanese film director to leap out and scream "Lights! Camera! Sutaaaaato!" You can be the judge......
We will visit the mountaintop castle, and then walk through the narrow streets and laneways looking at some fine temples,
shrines and shops. Gujo is a town famous
for its folk dancing, but also for an unusual craft. Many restaurants in Japan have (inedible) food displays in their front
windows to attract customers, and Gujo is one of the main producers of these "food" samples.
One of the shops we will visit is a workshop (sampuru koubou) that produces and sells the plastic food
models that you often see outside restaurants throughout Japan.
Made primarily from wax,
plastic etc, we will have the opportunity to make our own food samples - its a very unusual souvenir.
On our return journey, weather and time permitting, we will make a quick visit to Showa Mura, a new theme park aimed
at preserving aspects of life in Japan during the Showa Period (1926-1989), including not only the great depression and
subsequent war, and "economic miracle", but detailed displays of how ordinary people live, worked and played.
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0800
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1900
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No
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2
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July 12th
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Day trip: We begin the day with a visit to Takisanji,
a thousand year old Kamakura period temple with beautiful architecture (the roofline is considered perfect)
and a magnificent gate built in 1267 by
Mitsunobu Fujiwara. At the same site we have the opportunity to get a close look at the beautiful
Toshogu built by the 3rd and most
powerful shogun of the Edo period, Tokugawa Iemitsu.
We then drive into the mountains to visit Shibata Sake, an old brewery that has been producing fine handcrafted sake
for generations. We will have the chance to walk through the brewery (personally conducted by the brewmasters), and sample the
product at the end of the tour. Our last destination today is also culinary when we visit Takahashiya. This old business
produces tofu from local soybeans, and again we will have the opportunity to do more than just look - this is a rare
opportunity to make your own tofu. On our return journey
we pass through beautiful rural Japanese scenery and visit a local shrine - no tourists, no crowds.
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0900
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1700
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No
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3
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July 13th
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Day trip. We start with a visit to the historic town of
Iga Ueno in
Mie Prefecture, visiting the
Ninja House and
Iga-Ueno castle. This castle has the highest walls in Japan. We will then head through the mountains
to the ancient capital of
Nara, where we will review the
World Heritage sites in the southern part of the city.
We commence with a visit to
Horyuji and Chuguji.
Horyuji is the oldest surviving temple in Japan and one of the oldest wooden structures on earth. We will have the opportunity
to explore the large compound, make a visit to the Pavilion of Dreams, and the amazing art museum. We will also have the
chance to visit Chuguji, a royal temple nearby that contains the beautiful Miroku Bosatsu - a work of Buddhist art that
would not appear out of place in an Italian renaissance collection - except that it is significantly older.
We will also have a quick look at a nearby covered tomb (Fujinoki).
After lunch we will make a visit to the large complex at
Yakushiji - another 7th century temple and
one of the 7 great temples of Nara. This temple includes many references and artifacts of the Silk Road, for which Japan formed
the terminus of and was much influenced by.
Amongst other statues we will see the Bosatsu of the Sun and Bosatsu of the Moon, and if time permits visit the Genjo Sanzo complex.
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0800
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1930
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No
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4
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July 14th
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Day trip:
We begin a visit to Meiji mura, a very large open air museum cum theme park (www.meijimura.com)
that show cases life in Japan during the period of rapid change that followed the opening up of the country after more than 2 centuries of seclusion. We then visit Inuyama Castle, the oldest privately owned
castle in Japan and one of only four castles to be designated as national treasures, and visit Urakuen - the castle garden
which also includes the famous Joan Tea House built in 1618. In the evening we enjoy a river dinner cruise, followed by the
chance to watch Cormorant Fishing.
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1000
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2130
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Yes
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5
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July 15th
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Today we explore elements of Japanese traditional culture at the campus of the new (and nearby)
Kurashi-no-gakkou. We will have the opportunity to experience (and participate in) a formal tea ceremony in the teahouse, and gain an
understanding of the role of tea in formal meetings, and in traditional society. The day also includes the chance to learn how to
wear kimono and yukata properly, how to tie the obi, and how to walk in traditional Japanese dress - useful for those
planning to wear Yukata in Kyoto the following evening. There will also be a chance
to learn the elements of shodo. Lunch with teachers is included.
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0900
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1700
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Yes
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6
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July 16th
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Overnight trip:
Today we enjoy the best of Kyoto including 4 of the most famous sites in the city. In the morning we visit
Kinkakuji with its golden pavilion and
Ryoanji with its superstar rock garden, before
heading to historic Nijo Castle where we can walk through a
shogun's palace with its beautiful artwork and hidden passages while listening to the
"nightingale" floors designed to warn of intruders.
The real reason we are here though begins in the evening. We take in the sights of the
Gion Matsuri. The main roads are closed to cars
and the city center is lively on this night with Gion music and dances by Kyoto's geisha and maiko - including those who
entertain at exclusive Ochaya such as the Ichiriki
Ochaya. This is one of the best nights you will ever enjoy in Japan! We will eat out in Pontocho, and we are staying
overnight in a traditional ryokan in Gion.
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0700
Please bring passport with you for accommodation check-in
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N/A
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Yes
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7
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July 17th
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After a Kyoto style
breakfast in the ryokan we begin our last day in Kyoto with some free time in the
shopping arcades, and getting a good vantage point to enjoying the great Gion Matsuri
parade. After seeing the sights of Gion and Kawaramachi
walking through the narrow streets of Nin-Nen Zaka and San-Nen Zaka to the famous temple of
Kiyomizudera, constructed from the year AD 778 by
Enchin with its spectacular butai and immensely popular Otowa-no-taki. We will also visit the Jishu shrine here before
returning to Okazaki. There will also be some free time for shopping.
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N/A
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2030
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Yes
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8
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July 18th
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2 night trip: At Toyota Motor Corporation we walk through their superb
Kaikan, learning about the processes involved
before heading to a Toyota Motor Factory for
a birdseye view. On our return journey we visit historic Daijuji -
the ancestral temple of Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Matsudaira
clan, with its unique pagoda and artworks. Our next destination is another
center of excellence, however instead of the 21st century technologies of
Toyota, the methods used by
Hatcho Miso are ancient and the product
unchanging throughout the centuries.
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0900
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1700
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Yes
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9
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July 19th
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Day trip: We start the day with a visit to Tenonji temple - built
by the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu late in the 14th century. This temple contains a unique structure - the main hall. If the
thought occurs to you that it looks similar in terms of architecture to Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto (the golden pavilion, also built
around by Yoshimitsu) it is because this hall is an original. Kinkaku-ji, rebuilt in the 1950's is an exact replica of this
remote country temple.
According to local legend, the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu narrowly escaped assassination here when he heard his name whispered
from behind the large tree near the entrance, and by turning his head in that direction narrowly missed an arrow
by a few inches.
We plan to spend the rest of the day kicking back at Otogawa Yana, one of the most interesting ways
to fish. Fishing for Ayu (a small sweet trout) is a popular summer pastime in Japan and a good example of a Japanese
traditional fishing method. The cool river water is funneled by stone and wood barriers so that it passes over a small
weir, and the ayu fish washed over the weir are trapped by a bamboo raft - you just pick them up by hand, take them to
your BBQ, grill them and reach for another cold beer or soft drink. Please bring a towel if you would like to go for a
swim.
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0900
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1700
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Yes
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10
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July 20th
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Today we head deep into
Gifu, but not before making a quick visit to the famous/infamous
Tagata Jinja and Oagata Jinja near
Komaki. Our main destination today is the
Shirakawa-go area.
We will spend the rest of the day in the World Heritage listed village of
Ogimachi, enjoying the atmosphere of the thatched roofs, and interesting attractions
such as the Wada House and the
Myozenji Museum. We will return via the Shokawa area and Lake Miboro.
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0730
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1930
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No
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C O M M U N I T Y M E M B E R S
