On This Trip
- Learn about Geisha culture in Kyoto
- Admire the Floating Torii gates on Miyajima island
- Travel on the Bullet Train
- Pay an early morning visit to Tokyo's Meiji Jingu
There are few places in the world as fascinatingly foreign as Japan and Claire has created a tour which is flavoured by her personal insights after living in Japan before joining Audley. This is an unforgettable tour of contrasting images, in a country where ancient and modern, natural and man-made, merge like nowhere else on earth.
For convenience and comfort the group will travel by a mixture of private coach and also use Japan's ultra-modern transport system: speeding between cities on the famous 'shinkansen' bullet and limited express trains. Whilst the aim is to explore all sides of the paradox - from the towering skyscrapers of Tokyo, to the secluded temples and shrines of Kyoto and Kamakura - the focus is on Japan's traditional past.
You will experience the refined world of Kanazawa's gardens and museums, linger in the shadow of the great torii gate on picturesque Miyajima island and visit UNESCO World Heritage sites at Shirakawago and Dogo-spa on Shikoku Island.
The highlight of the tour is joining in the celebrations at the Takayama Festival, deep in the Japanese Alps, around which the entire trip is planned. Accommodation will be a mixture of excellent international style hotels and classical ryokan hotels.
Places Visited
- Kyoto
- Hiroshima & Miyajima
- Takayama & Shirakawago
- Tokyo