All Yamasa Institute tours vary gradually with the seasons, and this tour emphasizes summer activities and destinations. We schedule for variety, so that you do not find yourself going to the same things as per the weekend tours. Our group size is always small (minimum of 4, absolute maximum of 18) with a very personal feel. This isn't a tourist bus trip but a language travel tour with Yamasa Institute staff. Instead of observing, you take part in activities designed to help not only your language skills, but also develop an appreciation of why the language evolved into its present form by showing the language in its current cultural context. For this reason we mix the old with the new, but always maintain a hands on approach. We aim to include a mix of culture, history, fun/adventure with the opportunity to put your Japanese language skills into practice, and obtain a better understanding of Japan and its culture.
The schedule listed below may change - Holidays, Tour Access or poor weather forecasts may force us to change the order of the tour, substitute an alternative destination, or museums and other facilities may change their schedules. Weather disruptions in particular may affect travel by disrupting transportation schedules. In each case, we will consult with you before making any substitutions or changes so that you can still select the itinerary that helps you get the most enjoyment from your travel. Best regards and enjoy your adventure in Japan!
Declan Murphy
Director, International Office
The Yamasa Institute
ITINERARY - Toyota, Seto
Today we have a close look at two extremes. We first visit Toyota Motor Company - and have a close-up look at the precision, discipline, creativity and proudly displayed traditions of making cars the Toyota way. We then head to the smaller town of Seto and have a close-up look at the precision, discipline, creativity and proudly displayed traditions of making some of the world's most highly regarded ceramics - the Seto way. The two destinations are completely different - but most visitors will also note the similarities in terms of sheer expertise, organization and the determination for perfection....
Toyota Motor Company - Japan's largest automobile manufacturer and originator of the "Just-in-time" production system, as well as many the Statistical and Total Quality Control systems that revolutionized manufacturing methods both in Japan and around the world. This visit offers you the opportunity to see some of the characteristics of Japanese social and work cultures and how they interact. The tour itself is interesting because you are usually above the production line and have a clear view not only of the line but of the staff - what they do and the way they work with other staff in the teams.
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Seto - Why go to Seto? First of all look up the word Setomono in your Japanese dictionary. "Crockery, earthenware, china(ware), pottery". "Seto" is the place name, "mono" simply means things. So why would the language refer to pottery and other ceramics arts in general as being literally "things from Seto"? The answer lies in history, and the reputation for excellence that has been maintained in this thriving ceramics center for many hundreds of years. Although pottery in Japan has a long tradition stretching back into the pre-historic Jomon Era, Ceramic Art in Japan really started when Chinese ceramic techniques were introduced in the early 13th century, and with the founding of a dedicated kiln in Seto by the master craftsman Toshiro. Craftworkers in Japan enjoy the same status and esteem as artists, and their works are highly prized. The ceramics of Seto remain superlative, much in demand by collectors throughout Japan and in many circles abroad. Relatively few foreigners visit Seto as transport links are not as convenient as the "tourist" cities, but it makes it a better place to use your Japanese and interact with the local people. Not only will you have the opportunity to watch, but you'll also have the opportunity to make pottery as well.
Lunch is included today, and we try the local specialties.
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A two day trip to into the region that is Japan's cultural heartland - Uji, Nara and Kyoto. Leaving Okazaki we drive to the Sekigahara Pass - visit the famous battlefield and then head on to the historic center of Uji. At Uji we visit the Phoenix Hall of Byodoin - one of the few remaining buildings from the Heian era (794-1185). We then head to Nara, the capital of Japan from 710 to 794, and visit Kasuga Taisha, Todaiji, and Neiraku Art Museum & Isui-en Garden....
ITINERARY - Uji, Nara
Uji - Byoudou-in Temple - This small city not far from Kyoto hosts Japan's oldest stone bridge and Byoudou-in Temple. The bridge has been the scene of many clashes in previous centuries between sword wielding Samurai settling differences of opinion. What we have really come to see though is the famous Byoudou-in - one of Japan's top attractions and a must see for Japanese. Converted into a temple in 1052 from a villa belonging to the Fujiwara clan, the Phoenix Hall is one of the few surviving examples of Heian Era (794-1185) architecture in Japan - most of the other buildings were destroyed in Kyoto's neverending fires and wars. Why the Phoenix? The mythical bird was revered as a protector of Buddha. You may have already seen this building countless times without realizing it - have a closer look at the Japanese 10 yen coin. Inside the Hall is the famous 11th century statue of Amida (the building was finished in 1053 and designed to represent Amida's heavenly palace in the pure land) and 52 Bosatsu (Bodhisattvas). After we escape the crowds we will have a quick look at the bridge and thread our way past the teahouses (Uji is famous for its green tea cultivation) and souvenuir stands and head for Nara.
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Nara - Kasuga Taisha - After we manage to make our way past all the deer that will approach you looking for food handouts (these "sacred" deer are used to being hand fed), we will enter this Shinto shrine that was originally founded by the Fujiwara family in the 8th century. Rebuilt every 20 years in accordance with Shinto tradition, the shrine is heavily forested and the paths lined with thousands of stone lanterns.
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Nara - Todaiji - The Daibutsuden Hall is the largest wooden building on earth, home of the Great Buddha (Daibutsu) - a statue that is one of the largest bronze images ever made. The Daibutsu dates from the year 746, is around 16 meters high and is said to contain 130 kilograms of gold and 437 tons of bronze. Despite it's huge size, the statue contains a lot of fine detail. Also at Todaiji are the famous Nio guardians - huge fierce looking statues carved from wood in the 13th century by a sculptor named Unkei and considered amongst the finest wood carvings anywhere.
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Nara - Neiraku Art Museum & Isui-en Garden - This museum has a beautiful garden dating from the Meiji era with Todaiji and the forested hills in the background. We will take a break here and enjoy some green tea sitting on the tatami mats overlooking the garden. The museum also has a collection of Chinese bronze works and Korean ceramic artworks.
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After taking in the sights, we make our way to Kyoto in the evening and enjoy dinner in Pontocho. We spend the rest of Saturday night sampling the nightlife of the Pontocho and Gion districts. If you stay out late (or all night) make sure you join us for breakfast in the morning as we have a busy schedule visiting Ryoanji, Kinkakuji (the Golden Pavilion), Nijo Castle, and Kiyomizu-dera.
Dinner on day 2 and breakfast on day 3 is included. Hotel is also included.
ITINERARY - Kyoto
If you stayed out late the previous night, you are still of course advised to join us for breakfast as we have a busy day ahead. First thing in the morning is Ryoanji, Kinkakuji (the Golden Pavilion), Nijo Castle, and Kiyomizu-dera.
Ryoanji Temple - A Zen temple originally the estate of one of the branches of the Fujiwara family during the Heian period. It is world heritage listed (along with all of today's destinations) and famous for its tearoom, beautiful Kyoyochi ("Mirror shaped") pond, and in particular - the Rock garden. Consisting of nothing but 15 irregularly shaped rocks of varying sizes, some surrounded by moss, arranged in a bed of white gravel/sand that is raked every day. You can see only 14 of them at once, no matter what angle the garden is viewed from. It is said that only when you attain spiritual enlightment as a result of deep Zen meditation, can you see the last invisible stone.
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Kinkaku Temple - Popularly known as the Golden Pavilion, the temple was originally a villa owned by Yoshimitsu, the 3rd Shogun of Ashikaga who abdicated in 1394. The villa was completed in 1397 and was later converted into a Zen temple in accordance with his will. Although it isn't mentioned in the brochures provided, the current building is not the original one. In 1950 a young monk was so obsessed with Kinkaku-ji that he burnt it to the ground - destroying himself and all he loved in the process. It was of course immediately rebuilt and the reconstruction finished in 1955 following the exact original design, with extended gold foil covering, and the gold and lacquer work was restored as recently as 1987.
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Nijo Castle - Ieyasu (the first Tokugawa shogun), born in Okazaki castle just 15 minutes from where Yamasa's campus is located, built this castle to demonstrate his power and prestige over that of the emperor. The castle is more a fortified palace than a true castle, but was designed to ensure that the emperor was effectively a hostage, and gave the Tokugawa shogunate a powerful barracks just minutes from the Imperial palace. It features the famous 'nightingale floors' - would be assassins were detected by the squeaking floorboards - and numerous concealed chambers and passages for his bodyguards. Everything is in its original state.
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Kiyomizu-dera Temple - First built in 798, the current buildings date from 1633. One of the most famous landmarks of the city, this temple is renowned for its magnificent veranda out over the hillside constructed with hundreds of pillars without a single steel nail. Just below the hall is the Otawa waterfall - visitors drink or bathe in the sacred waters as the waters are believed to be therapeutic. A popular spot adjoining the temple is the Jishu shrine. It is said that you can ensure your success in love if you can walk 18 meters between 2 stones with your eyes closed.
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We begin a two day trip to Mie and visit the famous symbol of Futamigaura - "Meoto-iwa". We then visit Toba, where Japan's renowned pearling industry is centered. These are the long secluded bays protecting the oysters and shellfish that produce the famous Mikimoto pearls. We take the afternoon off and go to the beach. Swimming, sunbathing and watching the sunset is the plan for the afternoon. The evening is a delicious banquet centered on fresh seafood and a party.
ITINERARY - Futamigaura, Toba, Ago Bay
Futamigaura - "Meoto-iwa" - On our first day we visit the famous symbol of Futamigaura - "Meoto-iwa". These are two pinnacles rising from the sea, considered to be male and female, and are joined together by sacred ropes - shimenawa - many pilgrims purify themselves here and worship the sunrise before visiting the Grand Shrines of Ise. The two rocky pinnacles are of different size, and are just offshore from the small temple.
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Toba - "Pearl Island" - This is where Japan's renowned pearling industry is centered. Kokichi Mikimoto created the world's first cultured pearls here in 1893 and at the small island we can see how the pearls are made. The women divers, who are always dressed in traditional white clothes, will give a demonstation of diving for oysters containing the precious pearls.
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Ago Bay - Ago bay has many secluded coves and fishing villages, the scenery is beautiful, and so are the white sand beaches. We take the afternoon off and go swimming, beachcombing, sunbathing etc, and watch the sunset. At the hotel there is a delicious banquet centered on fresh seafood and a party.
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Dinner on day 4 (Seafood banquet) and Hotel is included.
ITINERARY - Ise Grand Shrines
White sandy beaches, forests and streams, and the most venerated Shinto shrine in Japan. Ise Grand Shrine, dating from the 3rd century has about 200 buildings and offers a good indication of pre-Buddhist architecture in Japan - it is here that the Imperial family's sacred mirror is kept. Depending on the size and fitness of our group, we might also mountain bike down the mountain to the shrine, visiting a remote valley with waterfalls and rustic farmhouses.
Goza Beach - After a traditional breakfast, we spend a lazy morning at the long white sandy Shirahama beach at the fishing village of Goza. On weekends this beautiful beach is packed with visitors, but as this is a Tuesday there will be plenty of room. We then go to Mt. Asakuma to look out over the town and the bays before descending into Ise itself.
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Okage Yokocho, Ise Grand Shrines - In Ise you can stroll around Okage Yokocho. This is a small town with sake brewery houses, inns, and tea shops, all in the architectural style of the Edo and Meiji eras clustered together in the vicinity of the Naiku or Inner Shrine of Ise-Jingu Grand Shrine. This is the most venerated Shinto shrine in Japan. The 200 buildings are built on adjacent sites according to ancient techniques - no nails, only wooden dowls and interlocking joints. The buildings are rebuilt (exactly the same) every 20 years. The current buildings were rebuilt (for the 61st time) in 1993. The Inner Shrine is thought to date back to the 3rd century and enshrines the sun goddess, Amaterasu-Omikami and the sacred mirror of the emperor. No human has laid eyes upon the mirror since the 3rd century - it is always covered by a brocade bag.
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Breakfast on day 5 is included.
ITINERARY - Hikone, Gifu
Leaving Okazaki we head west to Lake Biwa, an enormous lake that is like an inland sea. Fed by the melting snows and many streams tumbling from the alps, this lake is an important fishing and water source for the residents of Kyoto, Osaka and other western Japan cities. We then go to Gifu to see some Cormorant fishing. A fire is lit in a metal basket to attract fish and 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. The boat crew then haul the birds back to the boat to disgorge the fish.
Hikone and Lake Biwa - We head to Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan and visit the small town of Hikone. We take a boat cruise out to an island in the lake for a picnic lunch and visit the island's shrine. Returning to the shore we then explore Hikone castle and the beautiful Genkyuen garden. Hikone castle is considered one of the finest remaining castles left in Japan and many of the buildings and gates are original. (Part of the movie "Shogun" was filmed at this location.) We then stroll down castle road (good place for those souvenirs) and then head to Gifu.
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Cormorant fishing - In Gifu we will see Cormorant fishing - Ukai -in the Nagara 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.
Today's picnic lunch is included. (No it isn't fish from the cormorants - thats the evening schedule...)
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ITINERARY - Arimatsu, Handa, Tokoname
After weeks of studying and then 6 days of travelling, you might be a little bit tired. So today we spend a more relaxing day looking at some of the traditional crafts of Japan. We visit...
Arimatsu Shibori Museum - Here we will look at textiles (Yukata, Kimono and many others) and the different kinds of traditional dyeing techniques that are displayed. The basic technique of Arimatsu Shibori is a form of tye dying. When he united Japan, the first Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu required that all the Daimyo (feudal lords) travel to Edo (Tokyo) every other year to swear allegiance to him, and established 53 stations on the road between Osaka and Edo for them to rest during the journey. To ensure their safety, he encouraged the foundation of villages around these stations, one of which was Arimatsu, the forty-second station on the Tokaido, which was settled in 1608 by eight families. While building a castle in Nagoya for his son, Ieyasu used workers from all over Japan. One group from Oita brought with them the techniques of Shibori, and the local families developed the technique to produce the particular beauty of Arimatsu Shibori. Travellers along the Tokaido road would buy textiles made by the people of Arimatsu. Most of the artisans of Arimatsu worked out of their houses, meaning that the architecture of the town is quite unique and is in itself a national treasure.
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Kunizakari Brewery Museum - Looking at craft is thirsty work. So we move on to one of Japan's most celebrated crafts - the well regarded art of sake brewing. At Kunizakari we learn about the process of making fine rice wines and of course taste some of the local sake in the brewery house which was established in 1844. Originally the process of sake production was controlled and sake produced only for the imperial court and the large temples and Shinto shrines, sake being associated with religious and agricultural festivals (ensuring good harvest, etc.). However, over time sake became more widespread and ordinary people also made alcohol (despite frequent laws outlawing both production and consumption.) Sake also had an important social function. Drinking sake brings the gods among people, assisting them to cooperate and live together, easing relationships within the community. For this reason, sake was not usually drunk alone, but with others. It is also always placed on the grave of dead relatives along with an item of food.
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Shiho Ningyo Museum - We sober up while looking at the scenery as we drive via the Kinu-ura Bridge to see Ningyo. Here you will see thousands of gorgeous Japanese traditional dolls in a 5-story museum. Many of the dolls are placed in miniature model settings.
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ITINERARY - Atsuta Jingu, Tokugawa Art Museum, Asahi Beer factory
Atsuta Jingu - Our first stop is Atsuta Jingu. According to Kojiki, Atsuta shrine was founded in the 2nd century as a sanctuary to be consecrated to a sword called Kusanagi-no-tsurugi, one of the three imperial regalia (a mirror and a set of jewels are housed elsewhere.) The precinct of Atsuta shrine has a total area of about 200,000‡u; and thanks to the mysterious thick dark green forests in the precinct, there is always a serene atmosphere there in spite of the noisiness of the outside. Some of the soaring camphor trees have been standing there for more than 1,000 years. This shrine holds the sacred grass cutting sword (kusanagi-no-tsurugi) that along with the curved jewels and sacred mirror comprise the Japanese emperor's imperial regalia. According to mythology the sword was handed down to the imperial family by the goddess Amaterasu-Omikami.
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Tokugawa Art Museum - Home to many of the family heirlooms of the Owari branch of the Tokugawa family. Few of the other branches of the family had closer ties to the Shogun. The Owari family ruled their fief from the ultra strategic Nagoya Castle right throughout the Edo period (1603-1868). There are so many pieces of art that they can't all be shown at the same time; as a result the collection is constantly changing as exhibits are rotated. Although Nagoya was heavily bombed during WWII due to its importance as an aircraft manufacturing center, the museum and its collection survived. Some of the most fascinating objects are those inherited directly from Ieyasu himself. In addition to the ceramics, sculpture, lacquerware etc, the family also managed to preserve items such as most of the existing sections of the Illustrated Tale of Genji. (12th century). All in all, it is one very impressive art collection.
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Asahi Brewery - One of the largest breweries open for tours, the Asahi Brewing company keeps millions of beer drinkers happy throughout central Japan. The objective of the tour is to find out why. We observe the beer making process, watch the workers coordinate the production and distribution and then taste the results. If you are very curious, we recommend that you conduct a thorough investigation of the taste of each Asahi beer.
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ITINERARY - Komagatake, Tenryu Gorge and the Kiso Valley
Have your first (and maybe only) snowball fight of the summer on Mt Komagatake! Drift through the spectacular Tenryu gorge in a boat and hike through the Kiso Valley, one of the most beautiful areas of Japan.
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