All Yamasa Institute tours vary gradually with the seasons, and this tour emphasizes a mix of summer and autumn activities and destinations. We schedule for variety, so that you do not find yourself going to the same places 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.
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Lunch is included today, and we try the local specialties.
A two-day trip to into the Kiso Valley region, the southern alps and Mount Fuji.
ITINERARY - Tsumago - Magome, Tenryu Gorge
Tsumago - Magome - Deep in the alps in the valley carved by the Kiso river, there is an old post road. This particular road - the Nakasen-do - linked Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto via the inland mountain route. Bypassed by the railroads and highways of the 20th century, the valley has several small towns that have reserved their traditional streetscape and architecture - a rarity in Japan.
We will go hiking along the old post road through the forest. Even in the Edo period, travelers walked the route as horses and carriages were banned except for the elite. We arrive in Magome, a living village of course, but one that has been preserved. This is one of the few villages without the glaring lights of pachinko parlors, above ground power cables, or even TV aerials.
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Tenryu Gorge - The Tenryu gorge has spectacular scenery. The narrow gorge has been carved through the alps by the Tenryu river. The twisting river was the only source of transport for the small isolated communities in this section of the mountains. Each of these communities is experiencing rapid change as technology finally reaches them. Depopulation is a serious problem and many of the farmhouses you will see will disappear during the next decade or two. For an example, read about one of the local festivals, the Oku Mikawa no Hana Matsuri in the Student Network. We are going to experience the scenery from the best vantage point - i.e. in a boat drifting downstream through the gorge itself.
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After Tenryu, we head to Komagane, a small town in the southern alps where we will stay the night in a traditional ryokan or minshuku (we will decide after you arrive in Okazaki and have the chance to show you and the other participants the various options available. That way you will have the chance to choose your preference). If there is sufficient time after dinner, we will visit the Komagane brewery pub.
Dinner on day 2 and accommodation is included.
ITINERARY - Komagane, Fuji Five Lakes, Shiraito-no-taki
After breakfast, we head for Mount Komaga-take and then to Fuji for a lakeside picnic. In the afternoon we visit Shiraito-no-taki, a famous waterfall and visit the local towns.
Mount Komaga-take - Mount Komaga-take (elevation 2956 meters asl, or 9695 feet). A cable car will take us up to the base station, with spectacular views. The mountain is high enough that you can see over the top of the southern alps and look at the cone of Mount Fuji. A popular hiking spot, the mountain provides views of the spectacular scenery of the Minami Alps. It is usually above the level of cloud cover, so even on rainy days the view is superb.
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Fuji Five Lakes - The lakes around the base of Mount Fuji are usually unseen by foreign visitors to Japan, particularly the western lakes furthest from Tokyo. Our picnic lunch will be at Shoji-ko, the smallest but prettiest of the 5 lakes - and the least commercialized. It was from the shore of Shoji-ko that the picture of Mt Fuji on the 5000 yen note was taken. If we have time (and if the group members are feeling up to the exercise involved) and depending on the weather, we'll hike up to Mount Eboshi. There is a lookout there over the "Sea of trees" between Eboshi and Fuji.
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Narusawa Ice Cave and Fugaku Wind Cave - These interesting caves were formed by the lava flows created by one of the volcanic Mount Fuji's many eruptions (don't worry, it hasn't erupted since 1707).
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Shiraito-no-taki - This waterfall is best seen on a rainy day or just after rain. A wide horseshoe shape, the water threads down in thousands of small cascades, hence the name "White threads". The site is a major attraction for Japanese tourists, but once we get past the souvenir shops to the actual waterfall, there is a surprising amount of space.
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Breakfast and picnic lunch on day 3 is included.
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 square meters and thanks to the 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 three 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 unscathed. 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 - Sekigahara, Hikone
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.
Hikone and Lake Biwa - We visit the famous battleground of Sekigahara, and then head through the pass 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).
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Today's picnic lunch is included.
ITINERARY - Obara Village, Kisogawa Rapids, Inuyama Castle, Cormorant Fishing
Obara Village - This small mountain village has been famous since the 14th century for producing high quality "Washi" - the traditional hand made Japanese paper made from mulberry fibers. Originally, Washi was used mostly for making umbrellas, kites and screen doors, and as such was considered a form of industrial production - albeit craft based. As Japan modernized and new paper mill based industries developed on the coast, many mountain villagers such as those of Obara lost their livelihoods. In Obara however, the paper making traditions have been able to continue as Obara produced Washi is in demand for use in the fine arts. We will also try our hand at paper making and paper art.
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Kisogawa rapids - We ride down the Kisogawa river where the river narrows as it passes through a gorge, and as the water flow is strengthened by its tributaries the current grows faster. The rapids are not dangerous - it is a relatively low grade. We will ride downstream in a flat-bottomed wooden boat. These are the boats that provided the sole means of transport into the mountainous interior of the country for many centuries. The boatmen will keep us off the rocks and steer us downstream using long poles.
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Inuyama Castle - This castle was built in 1440 and is the oldest preserved castle in Japan. Preserved as a national treasure, it has been owned by the Narusune family/clan since 1618, and is the only privately owned castle in this country. The castle is visible from the boat, and once we climb up to the top of the castle's keep, we can enjoy excellent views upstream to the gorge and across the now wide river.
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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.
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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. We will also try our hand our dyeing. 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 - Hacho-Miso, Ayu Fishing and Mountain Biking
Hatcho-Miso - "Miso" is a slow-fermented soybean paste with a strong salty flavor, and forms one of the bases of Japanese cooking. Hatcho Miso is renowned for its traditional method of production (unchanged for at least 500 years) and distinctive taste and color.
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Ayu Fishing - Catch fish for your lunch with your hands. Catching fish (in this case the sweet freshwater Ayu) by hand is easier than it sounds - if you use the traditional method. What do you do with the fish? The best thing is enjoy eating them at our barbecue lunch. Great food, great traditions and the scenic beauty of the forests and river valleys streaming from the Southern Alps. After lunch we drive along the skyline in the mid afternoon and then take in the scenery from the top of Mt. Hongu. We then go mountain biking down the valleys of the Oku-Mikawa.
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ITINERARY - Uji, Nara, Kyoto
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.
Click here for more about Uji and Byoudou-in Temple...
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 9 and breakfast on day 10 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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