Artful Life by the Sea of Japan and Kyoto
This tour invites you to the legendary world of ancient Japan. Shimane Prefecture is famed as the cradle of the great mythology of early Japan. This abode of the gods is most lively in the month of October, when all the myriad gods of Japan are believed to converge on Shimane. We will be special guests in a festival at an ancient shrine, where local people celebrate the divinities’ homecoming with Kagura, sacred dances in splendid costumes and masks.
The Japan Sea region is also known for its artful life. The people here have appreciated the beauty of the vessels and furnishings of everyday life. We will meet indigo-dye artisans, Kimachi stone lantern craftsman and Hagi potters in their workshops. At the Adachi Museum, whose spectacular stone garden has been ranked the finest by the Journal of Japanese Gardens, we will meet a gardener to learn about the maintenance of the Garden.
In the latter part of the tour, we will visit Kyoto, long a center of traditional Japanese art. We will visit historic Zen temples, gardens and castle. We will also explore shops of old kimono fabrics, Washi paper, incense, woodblock prints, chopsticks, etc.
Tour Date: October 21 – Nov. 1, 2008 (The tour starts in Tokyo and ends in Kyoto)
Price: $3,150 per person
Included: Accommodations based on double occupancy, 15 meals (7 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 4 Dinners), Surface transportation, Guided tour, Admissions, Bi-lingual/bi-cultural tour escort
Not Included: International and domestic airfare, Excess baggage fees, Items of a personal nature such as optional tours, beverages, laundry, phone calls, souvenirs, etc.
Single Supplement: Add $200.
Group size: 10 - 12 people
Sample Tour Itinerary
(The following schedule is subject to change in accordance with the circumstances of our lodgings, transportation, local events and hosts. We will send participants the finalized itinerary one month in advance of the departure date.)
B: Breakfast L:Lunch D: Dinner
Day 1 (Tue, Oct. 21)
Arrive in Tokyo (Narita) Airport
Participants flying on our designated Japan Air Lines flights will be greeted by tour representative and transferred to a hotel in Narita Airport. ( If you plan to take other flights or arrive on other dates, let us know; we will inform you of times and places to join the group.)
Day 2 (Wed, Oct. 22)
Narita - Haneda Airport -Izumo Airport – Matsue
Transfer to Haneda Domestic Airport. Fly to Izumo. Our destination is Matsue, a charming castle town. Matsue castle is a short walking distance from our hotel. We'll have a half-day walking tour of Matsue in the afternoon. (B)(D)
Day 3 (Thu, Oct. 23)
Matsue - Adachi Museum – Kiyomizu-dera Temple - Matsue
In the morning, we will visit Kiyomizu-dera, a historical temple deep in the mountains of Yasugi. Our lunch will be a Buddhist vegetarian meal. Then, we will visit Adachi Museum with its outstanding Japanese art, folkcrafts collection and spectacular landscape garden. Their garden has been ranked as the finest Japanese garden by the Journal of Japanese Gardening for the past 5 years. We will meet a gardener and learn about the maintenance of the garden – a story behind the scene. (B)(L)
Day 4 (Fri, Nov. 24)
Matsue - Izumo Taisha – Matsue
We will take the train to visit the Izumo Taisha, the oldest shrine of Japan. Our lunch will be Izumo Soba buckwheat noodle, the local specialty. In the afternoon, we will meet with volunteers who work to preserve old Japanese domestic architecture. We will visit a few old houses and learn about the artful life of the local people. (B)(L)
Day 5 (Sat, Oct. 25)
Matsue – Izumo region - Hamada
We will send our suitcases to Kyoto and carry light luggage for a 3 night outing. We'll visit a family-run indigo-dye factory in Izumo region, who been practicing traditional indigo dye technique for generations. Afterwards, we will visit the Izumo Folk Art Museum and appreciate the beauty of pottery, tansu, tools, etc from the everyday life of the Japanese in former times. Our accommodation on this night is located on the beach. Walking a quarter mile along the beach from the hotel, you will reach Senjojiki, a rocky beach where ancient fossils are exposed. In the evening, we will visit an old shrine to participate in a Shinto ritual and festival. We will mingle with the local people to enjoy sacred dance dramas. (B)(D)
Day 6 (Sun, Oct. 26)
Hamada – Hagi
We will take the train to visit Hagi, a quaint pottery town along the coast. Hagi is also known for its vital role during the Meiji Restoration of 1867, when the shogunate government surrendered power to the emperor. We will have a walking tour of this historic castle town with temples, shrines, rows of samurai houses, pottery kilns and shops in this quiet town. (B)(D)
Day 7 (Mon, Oct. 27)
Hagi
Free day (B)
Day 8 (Tue, Oct. 28)
Hagi - Kyoto
We will travel a scenic mountain road by bus from Hagi to Yamaguchi, then transfer to Kyoto by Bullet Train. (B)
Day 9 (Wed, Oct. 29)
Kyoto
Today, we will appreciate the traditional architecture and gardens of Japan's ancient capital. We will visit Nijo castle and its strolling garden and a Zen garden in Daitoku-ji Temple. Our lunch is monk’s vegetarian full course Kaiseki. After lunch, we will visit Teramachi district, famed for its arts and crafts shops such as hand-made paper, lanterns, incense, old kimono fabrics, antique furniture, etc. (L)
Day 10 (Thu, Oct. 30)
Kyoto
Free day. Your tour leader will provide walking maps and information.
Day 11 (Fri, Oct. 31)
Kyoto – Miho Museum – Kyoto
We will visit Miho Museum. Miho Museum was designed by I.M. Pei. The museum is known for its fine collection of ancient arts of the world. The architecture, eighty percent of which is underground, is known for its inspired blending of modern geometric forms and traditional Japanese design. (L)(D)
Day 12 (Sat, Nov. 1)
Kyoto - Osaka (Itami) Airport - Narita - USA
Transfer service to Osaka Airport is provided for participants taking our designated Japan Airlines flights. Fly from Osaka to Narita, then Narita to the U.S.A. Crossing the International Dateline, you will arrive in the U.S. on the same day.
