SORRY - FULLY BOOKED

Japanese Odyssey

JAPAN

There is simply no other country in the world like Japan. Huge cities eventually give way to small villages; snow-capped mountains overlook glistening lakes; bullet trains and scenic trains – from the super-fast to the super-slow, carry you in complete comfort; eastern and western food compete for your taste buds; politeness and passion; heritage and modernity. Japan is a different world and we are inviting you to explore it with us.

Come and join us on a 14-day tour, where we cover some of Japan’s main cities, unique countryside and fascinating history. Experience ancient Japanese culture as we visit shrines and parks; become part of centuries-old customs, enjoy bustling Tokyo and serene Fukushima. Experience everyday life as you travel on the famous Bullet Train or trundle on slow, mountain rail trips, eat at street markets where businessmen in suits mingle with tourists and locals, visit skyscrapers and shopping malls, breathe in the mountain air, enjoy the fresh, healthy food.

We promise you a holiday you will not forget!

DAY 1. Wed, 18Oct23    DUBLIN - TOKYO

Fly from Dublin to Tokyo Narita on an overnight flight via Dubai with Emirates. (Afternoon flight times to be confirmed)

Depart Dublin   Emirates  EK

Arrive and depart Dubai

Arrive Tokyo Narita  EK

DAY 2. Thu, 19Oct23  NARITA - TOKYO

On arrival in Tokyo Narita, we will meet our guide, Chisato. Transfer to our city-centre hotel in Tokyo City by airport train and taxi from station.  Before we can leave the airport, we must exchange our Japan Rail Vouchers for tickets. This will take around 30-40 minutes in total but is something we cannot avoid. The tickets cannot be issued in the UK or Ireland. The journey time from the airport is around 60 minutes, so we expect to reach the hotel around 8.30pm.

We have not included an evening meal as everyone will have eaten on the flight and will also be tired. If you want a late-evening snack, Alan, Ann and Chisato will join you on an excursion to one of the local eateries.

After our visit to the Temple, we’ll stroll down to the river and catch a ferry for a short trip along the Sumida River, as far as Hamarikyu Gardens. These belong to the Imperial Family and is where Shoguns from the Edo period came to relax by the ponds and in the shade of the trees.

From here, you may wish to return to the hotel, which is mearby, for a rest or continue on for some shopping or sightseeing. We will advise you on the spot, so you don’t need to make any advance plans.

You will be on your feet for 6-7 hours touring in Tokyo, although we will make regular stops. Please note that the order of the above visits will probably change but we should be able to take them all in. Dinner this evening will be at a local restaurant within walking distance of your hotel.

DAY 4. Sat 21Oct23 TOKYO

(or Excursion to Honda – Motegi)

We’ll cover the optional excursion first. Motegi.

This is an outing for all those interested in anything Honda, from racing bikes and cars, to road-going vehicles, from agricultural machinery to mechanical tools. If you want to find out more, go to their website. www.mr-motegi.jpw

The excursion has an early start, around 07.30am from the hotel. A short metro ride is followed by a 48 minute trip by bullet train to Utsunomiya, from where you’ll travel by taxi or minibus. There will be around 4-5 hours at the centre, allowing you time to catch a snack lunch, but don’t eat too much, as there’s a great evening meal to look forward to. You’ll be back in Tokyo for around 5.00pm or shortly afterwards.

The cost for this optional excursion will be £120 per person.

For those who don’t want to go to Motegi, we have another full day for you to enjoy.

First of all, there’s an early-morning (optional) visit to Tsukiji Market. This is an optional tour, instead of breakfast at the hotel. We can get some great breakfast snacks at the market.

Mid morning, we’ll meet again at the hotel, for some more sightseeing. We’ll wander up to the Imperial Palace Gardens. In the afternoon, there will be the opportunity to do some shopping or maybe take a trip to Yokohama. We have yet to decide this but will update shortly.

In the evening, we plan to stop at the world-famous Shibuya “Scramble” Crossing, which is reputedly the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing with up to 3000 people crossing at any one time! We will try to visit one of the rooftop terraces to see the famous crossing from above.

Afterwards, we will have dinner at a local restaurant in Shibuya, before returning quite late to the hotel.

DAY 5. Sun 22Oct 23  Mount Fuji

Fuji-san is much more than a mountain. It is an iconic symbol of Japan and holds a huge significance in the hearts of every Japanese. It’s a huge mountain, towering over 3,700 metres, and yet, on some days you can’t even see it from a few miles away. Let’s hope we have a bit more luck today! We have a full-day excursion, departing after an early breakfast. We have a short metro ride followed by a 90 minute trip on the Fuji Express. We have a number of things planned for you here, before returning late afternoon to the hotel. Have an hour to relax before dinner.

DAY 6. Monday, 23Oct23   Fukushima

When one mentions Fukushima, the first thing many think about is the earthquake of 2011, which caused many deaths and over £300 billion of losses. It’s true that all of the islands of Japan sit on major fault lines and earthquakes happen, but such serious events are very rare. Fukushima is much more than an earthquake, though. It is a large and beautiful province, created by volcanoes and carved by wind and water.

After another early breakfast, we check out of the hotel, leaving our main suitcases behind, to be transported to Kyoto in advance of our arrival in a few days. We journey by train to Aizu Wakimatsu, from where we are collected by coach for an afternoon tour. There will, of course, be time for lunch. We transfer to the beautiful Urubandai Lake Resort, our home for two nights.

DAY 7. Tuesday, 24Oct23   Urubandai

Today is a nice relaxing day. No early starts, so you can have your breakfast at leisure. Our coach driver will reappear. We set off on a lovely journey through the beautiful Fukushima countryside, stopping for a walk at the Goshikinuma Trail for a walk. There will be different levels of walks to suit everyone but the idea is to get to the “Five-colour ponds”. After, we stop for a light lunch at a local restaurant (included). Then we have a scenic drive around Lake Hibara and Lake Iniwashiru, with stops for photos. Total travel time today is six hours, so should be back mid afternoon to relax. Buffet style dinner at the hotel.

DAY 8. Wednesday 25Oct23 Nagano

Our coach drive meets us after breakfast again today and we travel to Ouchi-juku, an important post town whose buildings served as shops, inns and restaurants for travellers. Many buildings have been preserved as they were before the Meiji Restoration. There will be some free time for lunch before we travel to Koriyama station. From here we travel by Shinkansen Bullet Train to Nagano, with a change at Omiya. We check in to the Metropolitan Hotel, which adjoins the station.

Dinner at the hotel or a local restaurant. (TBA)

Day 9. Thursday 26Oct23   Nagano

Maybe you need a rest! Today you have the option of just relaxing or joining us on either or both of our excursions.

After breakfast and depending on the weather, we’ll take a trip into the hills to see the famous “Snow Monkeys”. If it’s too warm, they won’t be there, so we’ll offer an alternative. In the afternoon, we’ll travel the short distance to Matsumoto to see one of Japan’s finest castles. It’s about an hour away by grain, though the mountains and forests,  and then there is a very pleasant half-mile walk to the castle. We’ll be back in good time to relax before dinner, which will be at a local restaurant.

DAY 10. Friday  27Oct23 

NAGANO – KANAZAWA - KYOTO

Today we travel by Shinkansen from Nagano to Kyoto with a stop at the historic city of Kanazawa. We depart shortly after breakfast for the one-hour journey to Kanazawa, where we can check our bags into the luggage room for a few hours. There will be time for a coffee in the station, as buses run every few minutes to the gardens.

Kenroku-en is one of the top three Japanese Gardens in the entire country and is beloved in Spring for the cherry blossom and in autumn for the turning leaves. At one time it belonged to the ruling dynasties, as did Kanazawa Castle, for which these used to be the private gardens. It would be a shame to be in Kanazawa and not see this.

After meeting at the gate, we will return to the station, where there will be time to buy a Bento Box (pack lunch) for the journey on to Kyoto, which will take around three hours on the bullet train.

On arrival, it is only a few minutes to the hotel. It is less than 500 metres (3 – 4 minutes) from the station and you will only have hand luggage. We can arrange a taxi for anyone who needs it. We are staying at the Rihga Gran Hotel, a four-star superior hotel right in the heart of the city. The evening meal will be a Bento Box on the train.

DAY 11. Saturday 28Oct23   KYOTO

PLEASE NOTE, WE ARE STILL FINALISING PLANS FOR KYOTO

An enchanting city, Kyoto was capital for a thousand years. Today it is the legacy of ancient Japan, full of tranquil temples, silk-clad geisha and sublime gardens.

We’ll take it easy today with a half-day tour of some of the highlights of the city and the afternoon for you to explore on your own, do a bit of shopping or just relax at the hotel.

Evening meal at local restaurant.

DAY 12. Sunday, 29Oct23 - HIROSHIMA

This morning, transfer to Kyoto station and take the bullet train for a full-day excursion to Hiroshima, a journey of 1 hour 40 minutes. A modern and prosperous city, Hiroshima will be forever remembered as the world’s first atomic bomb target. Travel by taxi to the famous Peace Memorial Park and Museum. Please be aware that the museum may be confronting and upsetting for some group members and it is at your discretion if you wish to visit or enjoy time at leisure exploring the Peace Memorial Park.  Our own experience, though, would be to encourage you to visit.

After a lunch break, we may possibly visit Hiroshima Castle, subject to time. Although completely destroyed by the atomic bomb, it was rebuilt exactly as it was and serves today as a museum telling what Hiroshima was like before the war. We will take an early evening train back to Kyoto, with the evening meal on the train. We should be back in Kyoto around 9.00pm.

DAY 13. Monday, 30Oct23

KYOTO – BAMBOO FOREST

Today, it is totally up to you what you do. Either have a day at rest or take a trip with us to Bamboo Forest and a ride on an old Sagano scenic railway. We will be back at the hotel early afternoon and, for anyone who is interested, we will have an excursion in Kyoto. Itself.

Bamboo Forest and Sagano Scenic Railway. We will depart the hotel after an early breakfast for a 40 minute ride deep into the forest and on to Torokko, where we change trains for the Scenic journey back along the Oi River. It’s a 30-minute journey on a narrow-gauge oldtimer, at a leisurely pace, arriving at the Bamboo Forest. You can either return to Kyoto directly or enjoy a walk through the Bamboo Forest.

In the afternoon, we plan to visit one of the major shrines, for which Kyoto is famous. Alternatively, our hotel is close to major stores, so if shopping is your bent, well now’s your chance.   Evening meal will be at a local restaurant.

DAY 14. Tuesday, 31Oct23 KYOTO

We fly home tonight but we still have a full day in Kyoto. You will have to check out of your room before noon but they will be happy to store your bags. We are also looking at late check out and will advise the cost in due course.

We are going to offer a trip to Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest inland lake, a 90 minute cruise on the lake, with a late lunch at one of the many lake-side restaurants…a relaxing and interesting way to spend your last day in Japan. Alternatively, there is still so much to see and do in lovely Kyoto and we will be happy to advise and guide you.

We depart for the airport at around 7.00pm. The journey time is around 100 minutes, so we’ll get there in plenty of time to check in and relax before the flight.

ACCOMMODATION

There is no international classification of hotels in Japan, although most of them fall into recognised categories. We have tried to select hotels which suit our clientele, yet which offer a sense of authenticity. Japanese people tend to be smaller than westerners and property prices are so high, especially in major cities that hotel rooms could be described as “neat” or “bijou”. Even in grand, city-centre hotels, please do not expect your rooms to be large.

Most hotels offer restaurants but our experience shows that the service and the standard in city-centre hotels is rarely reflected in the price, especially in Japan. Therefore, we will usually be eating in local restaurants, which offer a much more authentic feel anyway and considerably better value for money.

Here we list the hotels that we plan to use (at this stage) but these may change.

HOTELS



Tokyo – Dai Ichi Hotel, Shimbashi

This very modern hotel could be described as a “four-star superior” residence, located just minutes from Shimbashi Station and not far from Tokyo Central. www.hankyu-hotel.com/en

Rooms at this flagship hotel are all 20% larger than the standard in Tokyo and we are sure you’ll be well pleased. Breakfast is included and you have a choice of optional, superior dining in a range of restaurants, from French to Tepanyaki.

Urubandai Lake Resort, Fukushima Prefecture

Located within the gorgeous Bandai-asahi National Park and by Lake Hibara and Goshikinuma Volcanic Lakes, Urabandai Lake Resort offers accommodation. Rooms include wifi, a flat-screen TV, refrigerator and a seating area. The new building was renovated in April 2017 and boasts spacious rooms with an elegant decor.

There are Japanese-style and French-style restaurants, and guests can sample a buffet spread for breakfast and dinner. A cafe and a bar are also available on site. Leisure facilities include karaoke facilities, darts, billiard, golf simulator.

Metropolitan Hotel, Nagano

Directly beside the station in Nagano, this hotel is ideal for our trip. All rooms feature carpeted floors, a seating area, and come with a flat-screen TV, a desk and a wardrobe. There is a bath tub, a hairdryer and free toiletries in the en suite bathroom. Free WiFi is available throughout the property.

TRANSPORTATION BY TRAIN & TAXI

We will be travelling almost entirely by train, aboard the famous “Bullet Trains” or “Shinkansen”. Luggage space is limited, so we recommend you pack carefully and don’t bring too much luggage. We have upgraded everyone to “Green”, which is Japan’s equivalent of First Class and we will guarantte you will enjoy the experience.

Japanese trains are notorious for departing and arriving on time – not just to the minute but often to the second. It is therefore imperative that we are at the stations and on the platforms in good time and that we are prepared for our arrival in stations on our journey.

On a number of our journeys, you will have a “Bento Box”, which is a freshly prepared meal, all beautifully boxed. You have comfort, time and space to enjoy your meals on board and the time saved can be used to enjoy the destinations to their full.

We will need to use taxis occasionally and these will be shared by our guests, usually three or four to a taxi (or three with luggage). Where the taxi journey is part of our itinerary, we will pay for fares but in the event that you need to do so, we will refund you. Please keep the receipts!

EATING IN JAPAN

Japanese cuisine is delicious, colourful and healthy. Meals are usually served with a bowl of rice and a bowl of miso soup and consist usually of fish, pickled vegetables and meat. Japan’s other main staple is noodles, most famous being Udon and Soba. All meals as described in the itinerary are included, usually breakfast and evening meal, but sometimes also lunch. We want you to experience the local dishes, their individual flavours as well as the different ways they are prepared and cooked throughout Japan. Food is an important element of Japanese culture. Most food is eaten with chopsticks so best get practicing as cutlery is not always available at restaurants. (Or, pack a fork, just in case!)

Breakfast will mostly be buffet style but may be a set-menu. Please be aware that restaurants may not always be able to accommodate certain diets. Gluten-free food may not be as readily available as in Ireland or UK. So, if you have any such dietary requirements, please let us know at time of booing, so we can endeavour to make some arrangements. We cannot, however, guarantee this and cannot be held liable if they are not complied with. We would, however, make every effort to arrange alternative meals, if required.

INSURANCE

It is a condition of booking with us that you take out suitable travel insurance, which must include airline failure and travel disruption (volcano,Covid, etc.) cover. You must provide us with the details of your insurance and their 24-hour emergency contact number when you book with us or as soon as possible thereafter. Acetours will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

VISAS & HEALTH

A visa is not required for Irish or British citizens visiting Japan. Please check with us for other passports. Other than tetanus, no further inoculations are currently required. If you are on medication, including inhalers, please call us. Many over-the-counter medicines are strictly prohibited.

DEPOSITS & PAYMENT

To be confirmed

FARES

£5985 p.p. sharing twin / double

Single Supplement £860