FULLY ESCORTED SMALL GROUP TOUR. AN IN DEPTH 16 DAY COMPLETE PROGRAMME. UNBEATABLE VALUE £ 2,695 PER PERSON . Code JPA 
Departure Dates: 14/10/07, 04/11/07, 08/04/08, 16/05/08, 31/05/08, 11/10/08
TOKYO-OBUSE-YUDANAKA-NARAI-MAGOME-TAKAYAMA- SHIRAKAWAGO-KYOTO-NARA-OSAKA.
City hotels, traditional inns, temple stay, bullet train, boat trip, Japanese gardens, ancient towns, hot spring bath, world heritage villages, wonderful mountain scenery, authentic Japanese food and more: An adventure into the real Japan.

Price includes: International flights with Air France or similar, airport/hotel transfers by train and local transports, modern city hotels and Japanese style accommodation (minshuku or ryokan) as stated or similar with daily breakfast, dinners as stated, shinkansen bullet trains (ordinary class) and local trains, buses, taxis, guided sightseeing, excursions, boat trip, admission fees.
Price excludes: insurance, local airport tax, meals other than stated, optional entertainment and any service not specified. Price is per person sharing twin or double room. Single room supplement is £350 per person.
Please note:  Japanese style accommodation will generally be in tatami-mat rooms with low tables and futons. Ryokan have en-suite facilities in the rooms but  family run minshuku  do not. Occasionally, there will be a need to walk to and from train/bus stations. Clients must be able to carry their own luggage on and off trains and through stations. Good tip : travel light. Approx. group size: 16 persons. Departure guaranteed regardless of number of people. Deposit required for this tour is £800 per person as air tickets need to be issued at time of booking.

Day 01 Departure from U.K. international airport. Scheduled flights to Tokyo.

Day 02 TOKYO (D) On arrival at Narita airport you will be met and transferred by train to your hotel in city centre. At leisure to explore central Tokyo. Evening welcome dinner at a typical Japanese restaurant. Overnight at Villa Fontaine Shiodome (modern 3 star hotel).

Day 03 TOKYO (B) All day Tokyo walking tour with guide visiting Asakusa, the old residential Shitamachi neighbourhood around Yanaka. Enjoy a boat cruise on Sumida River to the Hamarikyu gardens with a chance to experience a Japanese tea ceremony. Visit to the Meiji shrine and its gardens before finishing in Shinjuku of modern Japan.

Day 04 OBUSE-YUDANAKA(B/D) Travel on the Shinkansen (bullet train, 2.5 hrs) to Obuse town in the north west of Tokyo. Visit to the museum of Hokusai, the famous artist and the local Masuichi Sake brewery. Travel by local train (30 mins) to the hot spring village of Yudanaka Onsen with a chance to see the snow monkeys. Enjoy a hot spring bath and return to OBuse for dinner. Overnight in a traditional Japanese inn (minshuku).

Day 05 NARAI (B/D) Transfer by train (3 hr) to Kiso Valley. Walking tour of the old streets of Narai a post town on the ancient Nakasendo where the well preserved 19th century houses reflect its past history as an important trail between Kyoto and Tokyo. Overnight in a minshuku, family run travelers’ inn.

Day 06 MAGOME (B/D) Transfer by train and by local bus to Tsumago, another Naksendo town: visit to the ancient houses and the folk museum. Enjoy a pleasant walk along the ancient trail among beautiful scenery of the Magome pass. Overnight in a minshuku with typical Japanese sunken earth and wooden bath.

Day 07 TAKAYAMA (B/D) Transfer by taxi and train to Takayama, the land of festivals. Explore the San-machi area with its old merchant houses.The town is well known for its crafts: Lacquer, pottery, furniture. Enjoy dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in a traditional ryokan.

Day 08 TAKAYAMA (B/D) Visit to morning market along the river. Free time to explore the old town or shopping or visit to museums such as the Hirata Kinenkan restored house and gardens.

Day 09 SHIRAKAWA-GO (B/D) Travel by bus to Shirakawa-go. Visit to Ogimachi village, the Unesco world heritage site. The village is famous for its Gassho-zukuri, large wooden houses with steep thatched roofs designed to withstand heavy snow. A Japanese dinner will be served here and overnight in the Gassho zukiri minshuku.

Day 10 KYOTO (B) Travel by bus to Takayama and then by train to Kyoto (3 hrs), Japan’s Capital for more than a thousand years. On arrival, check-in at Kyoto Tower hotel in central Kyoto. Evening exploration of the Gion district famous for its ryotei (private restaurants) and geisha

Day 11 KYOTO (B) Guided Kyoto tour by bus will include the Silver Pavilion Ginkakuji and the Kiyomizu-dera temple, the world's largest wooden structure. Afternoon free for personal exploration of the place or visit to the Nishiki-koji covered market with a wide selection of food.

Day 12 NARA (B/D) Transfer by train to the ancient Capital of Nara (710-784). Visit to the old merchant district of Nara-machi with its narrow streets, shops, cafes and restaurants. Visit to Todai-ji temple with its world's largest wooden Buddha statue followed by a leisurely walk through the deer park. Overnight at Fujita hotel.

Day 13 KOYA-SAN (B/D) Travel by train along the scenic Nankai railway line and by cable car to mount Koya, with a beautiful valley full of very tall cedar trees. This Unesco world heritage site is home of Buddhism since the 9th century and you can find hundred of well preserved temples in the areas. Enjoy a guided tour to the vast Okunoin cemetery with thousands of graves and memorials to feudal lords and visit to Kobodaishi's temple, the Kongbuji . Overnight stay in the elegant Shukubo Daien-in temple run by the monks with optional evening meditation and dinner will be Shojin-ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine).

Day 14 OSAKA (B) Optional Buddhist service in early morning. After breakfast, check-out and travel by train to Osaka via Gokuraku-bashi. Enjoy a walking tour to explore Osaka downtown before catching the bullet train to Tokyo. There is a chance to marvel the beautiful view of Fuji mount from the comfort of your train on the way to Tokyo.

Day 15 TOKYO (B) At leisure or shopping. Check-in at Narita airport for departure.

Day 16 Arrive home at U.K. airport in the morning.