| Discovery Index | Search
Option A - Tour Dates for tour commencing July 10th 2009
Study Component Schedule
|
Study Length
|
Arrival*
|
Commence
|
Holidays**
|
End Studies
|
|
10 weeks
|
APR/28-29
|
APR/30
|
MAY/04-05
|
JUL/09
|
|
8 weeks
|
MAY/12-13
|
MAY/14
|
X
|
JUL/09
|
|
6 weeks
|
MAY/26-27
|
MAY/28
|
X
|
JUL/09
|
|
4 weeks
|
JUN/09-10
|
JUL/09
|
X
|
JUL/09
|
|
2 weeks
|
JUN/23-24
|
JUN/25
|
X
|
JUL/09
|
*Arrival - there is an airport transfer available on arrival for the study component.
**Public/Institute holidays affecting classes are listed here in full.
Proposed Tour Schedule (this may change, please refer to notes below)
|
Day
|
Date
|
Destination(s)/Notes
|
Depart+
|
Return+
|
Lunch+
|
|
1
|
July 10th
|
Day trip: Our theme today is "monozukuri" - the art of making things. We begin with a visit to
Okutono Jinya and
drink tea in a old samurai barracks with a beautiful Japanese garden, before heading to one of the key reasons for Japan's
emergence as a modern economy. At Toyota Motor 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
Hatcho Miso - one of the oldest and most
successful Japanese businesses in existence today.
|
0830
|
1730
|
Yes
|
|
2
|
July 11th
|
Day trip: We first visit Takisanji with its perfect
Kamakura period architecture and magnificent
gate built in 1267 by Mitsunobu Fujiwara,
also taking time to get a close look at the beautiful
Toshogu built by the 3rd and most
powerful shogun of the Edo period Tokugawa Iemitsu.
We plan to spend most of 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.
Late in the afternoon as we return to Okazaki we visit 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.
|
0900
|
1730
|
No
|
|
3
|
July 12th
|
Day trip:
We begin the last day of the tour exploring Mie Prefecture.
Our first destination is the famous wedded rocks of
Futamigaura,
where pilgrims cleansed themselves prior to visiting the Grand Shrines of Ise,
the most important shrines in Japan. From here we sample the delights of Okage Yokocho, an old style neighbourhood where
pilgrims would let their hair down so to speak (class distinctions were usually ignored amongst pilgrims, offering men
and women of different social class all sorts of possibilities). Many of the shops are centuries old, and we will enjoy
a Matsusaka Beef lunch like no other. Lunch is included in the tour fee, so please let us know in advance if you are a
vegetarian. We then set off to
Mikimoto Pearl Island in
Toba. One of the showpieces of
Japanese inventiveness, at
Mikimoto we can also watch female Ama divers working the seabed (without breathing apparatus) and
enjoy a superb museum.
|
0730
|
1930
|
Yes
|
|
4
|
July 13th
|
2 night trip: We begin a 3 day trip to the Kii Peninsula. We will take the scenic route via the
Atsumi Peninsula
surf beaches (to check out the scenery, not actually surf), before
crossing to Toba by sea. Our first stop is nearby at
Futamigaura, with the famous wedded rocks where
pilgrims cleansed themselves before heading to the
Ise Grand Shrines - the most important shrines in Japan.
After visiting the grand shrines we will sample the fun of
Okage Yokocho, before the
drive south through the Misaka Pass down the remote coastline visiting the strange rock formations of
Onigajo/Shishiiiwa and the Sea Turtles of Shichiri Mihama. After this we walk on duckboards through the fascinating but fragile
"floating island forest"of Ukijima, before our final destination for tonight, the small
fishing port of Kii Katsuura.
|
0700 Please bring passport or ARC with you for hotel check-in
|
N/A
|
No
|
|
5
|
July 14th
|
The waters off Kii Katsuura provide stunning rock formations and a great cruise around what
is known locally as Kii Matsushima. We will also visit the orca and dolphins of the Taiji Whale Museum, and board a
fascinating whaling ship (now a museum). From Kii Katsuura, it is only a short trip up to Nachi, which is the main
destination during this 3 day section of the tour. Nachi is the site of Japan's highest waterfall, and an ancient
shrine - but the reason we are here is for the Fire Festival. This festival is one of the top three fire festivals
in Japan and probably the most spectacular, both in its scale and its setting. We will spend most of the afternoon
in the hills around Nachi, returning to the coast for a seafood banquet and a stroll around the beautiful harbor.
There is a cave onsen a short ferry ride away which can be enjoyed as an optional extra.
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
No
|
|
6
|
July 15th
|
We will visit the spectacular Maruyama Senmaida, the Kiiwa mining museum, and the famous Shrines of Kumano, which are now
listed as World Heritage by UNESCO. From here we will enjoy the waters of Yunomine Onsen - the oldest hot spring in Japan, before returning to Okazaki via the
Yoshino-Kumano National Park.
|
N/A
|
2030
|
No
|
|
7
|
July 16th
|
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.
|
0730 Please bring passport or ARC with you for ryokan check-in
|
N/A
|
No
|
|
8
|
July 17th
|
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.
|
NA
|
2030
|
No
|
|
9
|
July 18th
|
Day trip: The morning is a free time / recovery session. Leaving Okazaki at noon, our
first destination is the famous/infamous
Tagata Jinja, known to the more uncouth as the "penis shrine" of course. We then
head to
Inuyama Castle, one of only 4 castles in Japan designated a national treasure.
Inuyama Castle is the only castle in
Japan that is also privately owned. We visit the beautiful Urakuen gardens and historic Joan tea house - a national
treasure located next to the castle that was built by Oda Uraku, the brother of Oda Nobunaga.
In the evening we will board a small boat and while we eat dinner, make our way upstream to see the
Cormorant fishing in the Kiso river.
This form of fishing has been in Japan since at least the Heian era (794-1185). Fish (the most sought after is a sweetfish
called Ayu) are attracted to the light of a fire that is lit in a metal basket suspended from the end of the boat. The leashed
cormorant birds are released into the water. The birds have a metal ring around the base of their necks to stop them from swallowing
the fish after each dive. The boat crew then haul the birds back to the boat to gather the fish. One of the interesting aspects is
that there is a strict social ranking amongst the birds. Each bird is very conscious of its place and seniority, and when the fishing
is over they have to be loaded one by one into their baskets in the order of their seniority.
|
1200
|
2130
|
No
|
|
10
|
July 19th
|
We head to the ancient capital of
Nara, visiting the "NaraKan" explaining in detail many aspects
of the World Heritage sites in the area. Our first stop is historic
Kofukuji, before walking through
Nara Koen with its sacred deer to
the ancient shrine of Kasuga Taisha.
From here we head across to Nigatsudo and
the wonderful Todaiji, the largest wooden
structure in the world and home to Nara's famous daibutsu. If the weather is wet we'll visit the
Isuien Garden & the Neiraku Museum.
If it is dry we'll drive to the top of
Wakasayama which gives us a fantastic view of the Yamato plain stretching from the outskirts of
Osaka northwards to the southern outskirts of
Kyoto, before returning via the scenic drive through the
World Heritage listed primaeval forest of Kasuga Taisha.
|
0800
|
1930
|
No
|
+Departure from/Return to Okazaki times given using 24 hour clock (ie 0800 = 8am, 1830 = 6.30pm)
+Lunch - Yes/No indicates whether lunch is included or not.
Return = N/A means an overnight stay, usually in a ryokan or minshuku, where evening meal/breakfast is always included.
Discounts: As this is an off-season tour (the usual number of participants is 5 or less), it is possible to obtain
a discount of 5000 yen off the program fee (in addition to the accommodation discounts offered through the "early bird" pass) if payment is completed more than ten weeks before program commencement.
Notes:
In the week before a tour commences, a briefing will be held for the participants. If the number of students
participating is 9 students or less (which is usually the case in the off season), then the actual destinations, or the
order in which they are visited, can often be altered to reflect the specific interests of the group members.
Please also note that the schedule may need to be changed in the event of inclement weather/typhoons etc, or the unforeseen closure
of any given destination. Appropriate alternative destinations are chosen only after consultation with you.
To help ensure that students can budget for expenses accurately, Institute staff will either purchase food (usually
bento and drinks) for you to eat or find a reasonably priced restaurant (maximum cost 1000 yen - with Yamasa paying for the
remainder of your food bill) if due to traffic/weather conditions we are delayed by more than one hour on the days we
return to Okazaki accommodation.
|
|
|
C O M M U N I T Y M E M B E R S
