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Option A - Tour Dates for tour commencing July 9th 2004
Study Component Schedule
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Study Length
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Arrival*
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Commence
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Holidays**
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End Studies
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10 weeks
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APR/26-27
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APR/28
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MAY/03-05
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JUL/08
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8 weeks
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MAY/11-12
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MAY/13
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x
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JUL/08
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6 weeks
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MAY/25-26
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MAY/27
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x
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JUL/08
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4 weeks
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JUN/08-09
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JUN/10
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x
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JUL/08
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2 weeks
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JUN/22-23
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JUN/24
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x
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JUL/08
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*Arrival - there is a free Nagoya airport pickup on the days indicated.
**Public/Institute holidays affecting classes are listed here in full.
Proposed Tour Schedule (Please note that for this tour there is no 5 day option. The options are limited to
3, 8 or 10 days. Please note that the schedule may change, please refer to notes below)
|
Day
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Date
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Destination(s) - Click for info
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Depart+
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Return+
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Lunch+
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1
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JUL/09
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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 the old post town of Goyu,
a station on the old Tokaido linking Kyoto with Edo, made famous in Ukiyoe prints such as those by the artist
Utagawa Hiroshige.
Here we can walk along a preserved pine tree lined
stretch of the old road, stopping by a 300 year old inn and the small town's fascinating shiryokan.
In the afternoon we visit 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. We then fast forward a few centuries as we make our way to the bright lights of Tokyo.
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0820
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N/A
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Yes
|
|
2
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JUL/10
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After breakfast in Tokyo
we head to the Imperial Palace looking at what we can of the walls of the once impregnable Edo Castle of Tokugawa Ieyasu, before heading over to the sometimes controversial Yasukuni Jinja. From here we move to the electronics district of Akihabara (free time for shopping) to see the amazing array of gadgets and bargains on offer, before going to Meiji Jingu. Our evening will involve the shopping areas of Omotesando and Harajuku, winding up in Shinjuku and a quick visit to
Kabuki-cho. A pretty full day basically.
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N/A
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N/A
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No
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3
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JUL/11
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After breakfast we are off to Ueno-koen, an oasis of greenery in
the concrete jungle, that also has several interesting sites to visit such as the Toshogu, Benten shrine and the Shitamachi Museum. We then have some free time for shopping in Ameyoko Arcade, before we head over the Rainbow Bridge for the afternoon - you have the choice of either Odaiba or
DisneySea. We return to Okazaki in the evening.
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N/A
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2030
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No
|
|
4
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JUL/12
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We head to the ancient capital of Nara, visiting
Kofukuji, and walking through
Nara Koen with its sacred deer to Kasuga Taisha. From here we head across to Nigatsudo and the world heritage listed 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.
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0830
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1900
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Yes
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5
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JUL/13
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We begin a 3 day trip to the Kii Peninsula. Our first stop is
Futamigaura, with the famous wedded rocks where pilgrims cleansed themselves before heading to the
Ise Grand Shrines - the most important shrines in Japan.
After sampling the fun of Okage Yokocho, we then drive south through the Misaka Pass down the remote coastline visiting the strange rock formations of Onigajo/Shishiiiwa, and watch the Sea Turtles of Shichiri Mihama. After this we walk on duckboards through the fascinating but fragile "floating island forest"of Ukijima, before our destination for tonight, the small fishing port of Kii Katsuura.
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0700
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N/A
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Yes
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6
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JUL/14
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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.
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N/A
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N/A
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No
|
|
7
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JUL/15
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We take a jetboat through the beautiful and remote Dorokyo Gorge, and take to the waters of Yunomine Onsen - the oldest hot spring in Japan. If time & weather permits, we will visit the spectacular Maruyama Senmaida and the shrines of Kumano, before heading back to Okazaki.
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N/A
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2030
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No
|
|
8
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JUL/16
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Early today we head 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 Daijuji - the ancestral temple of Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Matsudaira clan, with its unique pagoda and artworks. Participants doing the 8 day tour option will leave the tour here, being dropped off at their accommodation around 5pm. Those continuing on the 10 day tour option will now head for the old capital of Kyoto. On arrival in Kyoto (we are staying in a traditional Ryokan) we will walk to Yasaka Jinja and 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 maiko dances and Gion music.
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0800
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N/A
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Yes
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9
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JUL/17
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After a Kyoto style breakfast in the ryokan we will walk 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. The rest of the day will be spent enjoying the great Gion Matsuri parade, and seeing the sights of Gion and Kawaramachi, 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. In the evening we'll enjoy the fun and excitement of Pontocho.
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N/A
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N/A
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No
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10
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JUL/18
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For our final day in Kyoto we visit 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. After lunch we head for the exquisite
Ginkakuji, before walking along the
path of philosophy to
Nanzenji (the most important Zen temple in Japan).
|
N/A
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2030
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No
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+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.
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.
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C O M M U N I T Y M E M B E R S
