The Charms of Japan

Himeji (Himeji Castle), Kurashiki (Canal Area / Ohara Museum of Art)

Today we take a 2-hour ride on a luxury bus to Himeji to visit Himeji Castle. It is known as “White Egret Castle” and “White Heron Castle” due to its bright white exterior, which resembles a flying bird. Himeji Castle is the largest and most visited castle in Japan, and is one of the few original castles left in Japan. This splendid example of traditional architecture was declared one of the first UNESCO World Heritage sites in Japan. The following is a visit to Kurashiki. In merchandise days, this picturesque town prospered as a port for rice shipments. Several old rice barns and examples of historic architecture still remain, in addition to the stone-lined canal. We will also visit the Ohara Museum of Art, considered the first Western art museum in Japan. It is a private museum consisting of three adjacent buildings next to the canal. Tonight, we will stay at a spa hotel in Kurashiki Yuga Onsen, where you can soak in the therapeutic waters of a hot tub and enjoy a traditional Japanese Kaiseki banquet dinner.

Breakfast dinner
Kurashiki Yuga Onsen Hotel Santoka or similar class

Seto Ohashi Bridge, Takamatsu (Shikoku Mura Village / Ritsurin Park)

After Japanese breakfast at the hotel, we will cross the Inland Sea via Seto-ohashi Bridge to Shikoku Island. Seto-ohashi Bridge is a collective term for the six bridges that connect the main island of Honshu, Japan, with the island of Shikoku, passing through five small islands in the Seto Inland Sea. These beautiful bridges took 40 years and a great deal of money to build. They are the essence of all available bridge construction technologies. Continue to Takamatsu with a visit to the town of Shikoku Mura. Shikoku Mura (Shikoku Village) is an open-air museum located at the base of Yashima. This pleasant hillside park preserves and displays traditional buildings and structures that have been moved here from all over the island of Shikoku. Then visit Ritsurin Park, a Japanese landscape masterpiece 100 years in the making. This extensive park has beautiful ponds and pavilions with Mt. Shiun as the perfect backdrop.

Breakfast lunch dinner
Imabari Kokusai Hotel or similar class

Shimanami Kaido (Scenic Observatory / Kirosan), Hiroshima (Peace Memorial Park – A-Bomb Museum / Miyajima – Itsukushima Shrine)

In the morning, we will drive through the Shimanami Kaido to the island of Honshu. The Shimanami Kaido is a 60-kilometer toll road that connects the main island of Shikoku, in Japan, with the island of Honshu, passing through six small islands in the Seto Inland Sea. It is also known as the Nishiseto Highway. We will stop at the Kirosan Observatory, from where you can see the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridges, which are located among hundreds of beautifully scattered islands in the Seto Inland Sea. The modern observation deck was cleverly designed and built midway into the slope of the hillside so as not to spoil the natural environment. In Hiroshima, we will visit the Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum. Then take a short ferry ride to Miyajima Island, considered sacred by many. At high tide, the famous vermilion torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine seems to float in the middle of the sea. The shrine complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Miyajima has been selected as one of the three most scenic places in Japan (nihon sankei).

Breakfast
Sheraton Hotel Hiroshima or similar class

Shinkansen to Kokura, then board the “Sonic” express train to Kitsuki, Kitsuki Kitsuki (Samurai Districts – Ohara Residence), Beppu (Beppu Hells / Mount Takasaki Monkey Park), Takachiho (Takachiho Shrine – Yokagura Performance)

This morning, we will take a ride on the Shinkansen bullet train at top speed to Kokura, then board the “Sonic” express train to Kitsuki where we will visit the Kitsuki samurai districts of the Kitsuki, we proceed to a swimmers paradise – the famous hot water complex of Beppu. Marvel at one of Beppu’s most famous attractions, the Jigoku meguri, or “Hells boiling” hot springs. See two of the nine hot springs or “hells” of Beppu. These hot springs are ideal for viewing instead of bathing. The weather will be a scenic drive to Mt. Takasaki Monkey Park where we will take a monorail to the observation area. Mount Takasaki is a forested mountain just outside Beppu and home to more than 1,500 wild Japanese monkeys. Within this natural habitat, the monkeys have been fed regularly in order to avoid living in the mountains and to prevent conflicts with local fruit farmers. Monkeys are very used to human visitors, and it is possible to get very close in order to take their photos! From here, we head west to Takachiho, a city in northern Miyazaki prefecture that is full of Japanese.Another legend suggests that this is where Amaterasu’s grandson Ninigi-no-Mikoto descended to earth to establish the imperial family of Japan. Takachiho is also known as a “site of power”, a place of great religious significance and natural beauty, which radiates spiritual energy. After dinner, we have a special treat -. a Yokagura Dance Performance a scandalously obscene dance that supposedly caused Amaterasu to come out of the cave to see what all the fun was about, and in doing so, the light was restored to the world.

Breakfast lunch dinner
Hotel Takachiho or similar class

Takachiho (Takachiho Gorge / Amano Iwato Shrine), Ferry from Kumamoto to Shimabara

After breakfast, we will visit Takachiho Gorge, a narrow chasm cut through the rock by the Gokase River. The near cliffs that line the gorge are slowly forming columns of volcanic basalt, which resemble the scales of a dragon where the stone twisted and flowed as it was formed. up to a certain point along the gorge is the 17 meter Minainotaki waterfall cascading down into the river below, and it is truly impressive to see the waterfall against a background of dense green foliage and the surrounding gray cliffs. then visit Amano Iwato Shrine and Amano Yasukawara. Amano Iwato Shrine was built near the cave where Amaterasu is said to have made herself hide. a short walk down the road from Amano Iwato Shrine is a path that leads down to the river below. Finally, the path leads to a simple shrine. The beautiful cave and the river nestled by countless piles of stones make Amano Yasukawara a place not to be missed. After lunch, proceed to Kumamoto and take a 30-minute ferry across the sea from Ariake to Shimabara. Tonight we stay in a western style hotel in Nagasaki.

Breakfast lunch
ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Nagasaki Gloverhill or similar class

Nagasaki (Nagasaki Peace Park / Dejima / Glover Garden / Oura Church), Fukuoka (Wagyu Dinner)

After breakfast, we will visit the Nagasaki Peace Park that keeps the memory of the victims of the second bomb that shook the earth. A statue of a man pointing upward and holding his other arm is a symbol of Nagasaki Peace Park. Our next place is Dejima, an area with more than 400 years of history in Dutch trade. It features historic warehouses and residences, providing insight into the old Dutch post trade and how Japan lived through two centuries of isolation. Then, visit Glover Gardens, an open-air museum where we can see a good collection of historic mansions of former western residents of Nagasaki. Continue to Oura Catholic Church, the oldest standing Christian church in Japan. it was also the first western building in Japan to be designated as a national treasure. In the afternoon, we depart from Nagasaki to Fukuoka, where we will savor the world famous Wagyu beef.
Breakfast lunch dinner
Hotel Nikko Fukuoka or similar class

Tour ends

After breakfast, our tour officially ends. Departure time is 11 am, free for leisure until transfer to the airport for departure from Fukuoka.

Breakfast

NOTE 5: If you want to stay in Japan, please contact us to book hotel accommodation.