2. POIGNANT DISCOVERIES IN HIROSHIMA It’s all aboard the super-fast Nozomi Super Express (speeds up to 186 mph) for a visit to Hiroshima. A ferry takes you to Miyajima Island (holy site of Shinto) for a walk to view the oft-photographed Itsukushima Shrine and its “floating” torii gate. Have lunch on the island and return by ferry to Hiroshima for a visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, where the first atomic bomb fell on August 6, 1945; today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your visit is poignant, the story described in words, pictures and artifacts – and optimistic hope in the peace flame that burns outside the museum. Dine tonight at your hotel. Meals BLD
3. PLEASURES OF OSAKA AND ON TO KYOTO City sightseeing this morning includes two of Osaka’s most popular landmark sights. Once the largest castle in Japan when it was first built in the 1580s by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, magnificent Osaka Castle has been destroyed – and restored – several times, with its most extensive refurbishment completed in 1997. A guided tour reveals its massive stone walls, black and white gold-leaf trim, copper roof and panoramic views, including a fascinating on-site museum that chronicles its tumultuous history. Running alongside a canal of the same name, Dotonbori Street pulses with lively energy, from its shops to its dining venues; enjoy a stroll and lunch at a local restaurant before driving to the enchanting city of Kyoto for four nights. Meals BLD
4. ENCHANTING KYOTO Visit Kinkaku-ji Temple this morning; this Golden Pavilion was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and astounds with gold-leaf gilding on its top two stories. Continue on to Nijo Castle for an inside visit – shoes off. Best known for its ornate interiors and nightingale floors, it was built of Japanese cypress by the first Tokugawa shogun in 1603 and is a wonderful example of Momoyama architecture. Have dinner on your own tonight; Kyoto offers many fine restaurants to choose from. Meals BL
Tauck Value Includes:
Unique cultural experience at a Japanese ryokan, featuring an overnight stay and a special dinner
Visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum & Miyajima Island
Private visit to a 300-year-old family home in Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Demonstration in the art of making sushi in Tokyo, and a visit to a sake brewery in Takayama
Exclusive insider look at a local home in Kyoto, enriched with an Origami demonstration and a tea ceremony
Tour towns and cities with special insights from local guides
2 nights at The St. Regis in Osaka; 3 nights at an exclusive Tokyo hotel set in the heart of the city center, and 4 nights at a premier hotel in Kyoto, renowned for a 100+ year legacy of hospitality
Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
32 meals (13 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 9 dinners); gratuities to local guides, service charges, admission fees, taxes and porterage
5. ORIGAMI,TEA & A MAIKO PERFORMANCE Kyoto abounds with a rich legacy of ancient treasures, cultural gems and natural beauty that spans the centuries. “Take the plunge,” Kyoto-style, today on a visit to Kiyomizu Temple; the expression comes from the views you will see from the cliff-top verandah off the main hall. Try your hand at Origami, the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, when you visit a private home for a tea ceremony (shoes off again!). The afternoon is free to enjoy as you wish. Join us for a special dinner tonight featuring a Maiko (Geisha in training) performance, reflecting the true essence of Japanese culture. Meals BD
Don a yukata for a traditional dinner at an onsen in Kagaya; ride aboard the high-speed bullet train; and visit thatched houses in Shirakawa-go
Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-468-2825
www.tauck.com 29
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