| Discovery Index | Search
Option A - Tour Dates for tour commencing May 13th 2005
Study Component Schedule
|
Study Length
|
Arrival*
|
Commence
|
Holidays**
|
End Studies
|
|
10 weeks
|
MAR/01-02
|
MAR/03
|
MAR/21
|
MAY/12
|
|
8 weeks
|
MAR/15-16
|
MAR/17
|
MAR/21
|
MAY/12
|
|
6 weeks
|
MAR/29-30
|
MAR/31
|
MAY/04-06
|
MAY/12
|
|
4 weeks
|
APR/12-13
|
APR/14
|
MAY/04-06
|
MAY/12
|
|
2 weeks
|
APR/26-27
|
APR/28
|
MAY/04-06
|
MAY/12
|
*Arrival - there is a Nagoya airport pickup on the days indicated.
**Public/Institute holidays affecting classes are listed here in full.
Proposed Schedule (this may change, please refer to notes below)
|
Day
|
Date
|
Destination(s) - Click for info
|
Depart+
|
Return+
|
Lunch+
|
|
1
|
MAY/13
|
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.
|
0730
|
1930
|
Yes
|
|
2
|
MAY/14
|
Today we visit historic Daijuji temple, the family temple of the Tokugawa and home to many
art treasures, before heading north to the World Expo in Seto. Our schedule is fairly free today, you have the chance to
wander around the site exploring the pavilions.
|
0730
|
1930
|
No
|
|
3
|
MAY/15
|
Today we explore the Higashiyama hills of
Kyoto. We start with a visit to the
Canal Museum, which documents the canals that
brought water from
Lake Biwa to
Kyoto in the early
Meiji period, enabling power generation and the remergence of the city. From here we enter
Nanzenji, the most important Zen temple in Japan,
hiking up to a small waterfall and grotto. Although we are inside the city of
Kyoto and a metropolitan area stretching all
the way to Osaka, we can now walk through a quiet
forest to the beginning of the
Tetsugaku-no-michi (The Path of Philosophy).
The path of philosophy is beautiful at most times of year, but particularly in the Spring and Fall.
At the end of the path we reach Ginkakuji.
Built by Shogun Ashikaga
Yoshimasa (1436-1490), Ginkakuji has a stunningly
beautiful garden and views across Kyoto.
There will be some time to hunt for souvenirs in the street lined with shops and vendors below the temple. After
Ginkakuji we walk 20 minutes west to
Yoshida-yama, enjoying the views of Kyoto over Kyoto University,
before descending via the hillside
Yoshida-jinja.
Later in the afternoon will have some free time to enjoy the shopping area of Kawaramachi and the arcades, explore the entertainment
area of Gion to see if we can spot any geisha near the
Ichiriki Ochaya, and visit
Yasaka Jinja ("Gion-san").
|
0700
|
2100
|
No
|
|
4
|
MAY/16
|
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
|
1800
|
Yes
|
|
5
|
MAY/17
|
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 then drive to Horaiji-san - a
1300 year old temple set amongst the cliffs and if the weather is fine we'll hike up to Oku-no-in for the spectacular views (if the weather is wet we will instead visit one of the increasingly rare senmaida). We finish the day with a visit to the Nagashino Castle Ruins and the
Shitagahara Battlefield and Museum - a turning point in Japanese history where
Oda Nobunaga and
Tokugawa Ieyasu defeated the cavalry of the Takeda clan in 1575.
|
0820
|
1900
|
Yes
|
+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
