On This Trip
- Travel on the Bullet Train
- Learn about Geisha culture in Kyoto
There are few places in the world as fascinatingly foreign as Japan, and Zoë 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 Japan’s ultra-modern transport system: speeding between cities on the famous ‘shinkansen’ (bullet-trains).
Whilst the aim is to explore all sides of the paradox, from the glistening 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 the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Shirakawago and Dogo-spa on Shikoku Island. The highlight of the tour is joining in the traditional celebrations at the Takayama Festival in Spring and the colourful Kyoto Jidai Festival in Autumn. Accommodation will be a mixture of excellent international style hotels and classical ryokan inns.
Places Visited
- Hiroshima & Miyajima
- Tokyo