JAPAN ARTS REVEALED
10 nights (Self-guided)
Tokyo, Kyoto, Kurashiki, Naoshima Island, Fukuoka & Arita
From £1,595.00
per person
JAPAN ARTS REVEALED TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Designed for lovers of arts and crafts, our 'Japan Arts Revealed' tour is a 10-night self-guided itinerary that includes visits to Tokyo, Kyoto, Kurashiki, Naoshima Island, Fukuoka, and Arita.
From the ancient to the modern, Japan Arts Revealed encompasses traditional crafts, such as the world-famous Arita ceramics, to the cutting edge of art, architecture, and design, such as the groundbreaking installation projects on Naoshima Island. Discover the art of Japanese life on this splendid tour!
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Visits to Tokyo, Kyoto, Kurashiki, Naoshima Island, Fukuoka and Arita
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Travel on Japan's famous Bullet Train
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7 Day Japan Rail Pass
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10 Nights accommodation
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Breakfast daily
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Meet and Greet service upon arrival at the airport
DAILY ITINERARY
DAY 1: ARRIVAL JAPAN
Welcome to Japan! Our friendly Meet & Greet service representative will be waiting in the Arrivals lobby and holding a sign with your name on. The Meet & Greet will direct you to the Narita Express train bound for Tokyo. Check in to your hotel located in central Tokyo for 3 nights.
DAY 2: TOKYO
Your options are unlimited in this incredible city. Explore Tokyo's past in the bustling, traditional Asakusa district, visit the world's largest fish market at Tsukiji, shop in the fashionable districts of Shibuya and Harajuku, and dine on Japan's finest cuisine. Tokyo is relatively straightforward to navigate, and our Information Pack will make travelling around the city a breeze.
OPTIONAL GUIDED EXCURSION
Enjoy a full day of sightseeing by coach in Tokyo, with lunch included. Your guide will show you the highlights of this vast metropolis, from the Imperial Palace and serene Meiji Shrine to the 'Electric City' of Akihabara.
DAY 3: TOKYO
After breakfast, why not visit Mori Art Museum in the heart of Tokyo's contemporary art scene in Roppongi. Later we suggest you make your way to Ueno Park to visit SCAI The Bathhouse, one of the city's most prestigious contemporary art galleries, and possibly the best art space in the city. Go on to visit Tadao Ando's International Library of Children's Literature and Yoshio Taniguchi's Gallery of Horyuji Treasures in the Tokyo National Museum complex.
DAY 4: TOKYO TO KYOTO
Transfer to Kyoto by the Superb Bullet train, a city blessed with countless temples and shrines. Check in to your hotel in central Kyoto for 3 nights on a bed & breakfast basis. A rich history of religion, art, and craft have combined to make this glorious city a spiritual home for the Japanese. For temples, we recommend Kiyomizu-dera and Ginkaku-ji in the hills to the east of the city. Nijo Castle is also well worth a visit, and make sure you allow yourself plenty of time for the wonderful craft shops and delightful streets of Gion, the old geisha quarter.
DAY 5: KYOTO
You'll start today with a visit to Nishiki Food Market. Then visit the Raku Museum, showing 450 years of tradition in pottery. Move on to Sanjusangen-do Temple and its extraordinary collection of 1000 human-sized gilded statues of the Buddhist deity Kannon. Walk a short distance to the shrine-like house of great folk art revivalist potter Kawai Kanjiro. If the time allows, go on to the Fujihira Ceramic studio where you can see the process of making Kiyomizu pottery.
OPTIONAL GUIDED EXCURSION
Join a guided coach tour. As well as Nijo Castle and Kinkaku-ji (The Golden Temple), see Sanjusangendo, and the world-famous Kiyomizu Temple. Today's tour includes a delicious buffet-style lunch.
OPTIONAL JAPANESE EXPERIENCES
Rolled Sushi Cooking
Tempura & Rolled Sushi
Kimono Wearing
Tea Ceremony
Calligraphy
Ikebana Flower Arrangement
AT A CULTURE CENTRE
1.5 hours
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1 hour
1 hour
1 hour
1 hour
AT A JAPANESE HOME
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3 hours
2.5 hours
2.5 hours
2.5 hours
2.5 hours
DAY 6: KYOTO/NARA/HIMEIJI/OSAKA AT LEISURE
Use your Japan Rail Pass to explore further afield. Why not visit Nara, Japan's first permanent capital and home to 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites? Or how about magnificent Himeji Castle? You could even check out nearby Osaka, Japan’s lively second city.
DAY 7: KURASHIKI, OKAYAMA
Transfer to the quaint provincial town of Kurashiki, where rows of houses and streets form a townscape with a traditional old-world atmosphere in the delightful Bikanchiku canal district. We recommend you visit the Ohara Museum, the first Western art museum in Japan, and its collection of works by Western and Japanese artists. Nearby Kurashiki Mingeikan – a museum of folk craft is also worth a visit. Take the local train journey to Okayama and check in to your hotel located in central Okayama for two nights.
DAY 8: NAOSHIMA
Spend today on wonderful Naoshima Island. The island is the centre of the Setouchi Art Islands area, where sleepy villages and picturesque sandy beaches combine with cutting-edge art installations and museums in a truly unique way, making for a fascinating experience. The highlight of the island is Benesse House, a modern art museum and resort hotel complex designed by the famous Japanese architect Ando Tadao. You can find the work of Western and Japanese artists throughout the island, which is small enough to explore in a day.
DAY 9: FUKUOKA
This morning take the Bullet train once more to Fukuoka, located on the southern island of Kyushu. On arrival, visit Ohori Park, home to the Fukuoka Art Museum, where you can see a range of early Japanese and Asian art. A short bus ride away is Fukuoka Tower, the city's most striking landmark from which you can see spectacular views of the city. This evening try some of the famous Hakata tonkotsu style ramen at one of the city's famous street vendors in the party district of Nakasu.
DAY 10: ARITA
Spend your last day visiting Arita in nearby Saga prefecture – famous for Arita-ware. The first Japanese porcelain was produced in Saga, and there is an abundance of local styles. A good first stop is the superb Kyushu Ceramic Museum in Arita where you can view the numerous different styles of porcelainware and some wonderful contemporary pieces. Later head into the mountains and visit the delightful secret hidden, pottery village Okawachiyama, one of the first homes of Japanese porcelain.
Okawachiyama has a long history of producing its unique own ceramics in the secret kilns built in the mountains. Aside from browsing the numerous shops, you can explore this beautiful village and visit the Imari Nabeshima-ware Exhibition Hall. From atop of the observatory at Nabeshima-han Yo Park, you can view the lovely scenery of the village below. At the end of the day, head back to Fukuoka for one last night in Kyushu's lively regional capital.
DAY 11: DEPART JAPAN
Say goodbye to Japan from Fukuoka International Airport (Fukuoka).
HOW INDEPENDENT TOURS WORK
ENJOY INDEPENDENT TRAVEL BUT NOT THE HASSLE OF PLANNING?
OUR INDEPENDENT TOURS COULD BE JUST THE TICKET!
Carefully put together by our team of specialists, our excellent collection of sample itineraries is designed to inform and inspire your next Japan adventure. Every one of our Independent Tours is fully tailor-made for you, ensuring your trip is everything you want it to be.
It's quite straightforward to travel independently in Japan. We will provide just the right amount of support and logistical planning to make you feel comfortable in a very foreign land. These itineraries are available for any departure date (with a few exclusions coinciding with Japanese National Holidays and some weekends). We'll do all the work for you and provide you with an information pack to make your trip run smoothly. You can also add guided tours as indicated and if you do want your own personal guide we can arrange this too.
PRICING & INCLUSIONS
3* accommodation from £1,595.00 per person based on Twin/Double room occupancy.
4* accommodation from £1,995.00 per person based on Twin/Double room occupancy.
Single Room Supplement: from £400.00
PRICE INCLUDES:
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10 nights at 3* or 4* accommodation in a double/twin room on a bed and Japanese breakfast basis.
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7 day Ordinary Japan Rail Pass allowing you unlimited travel on the entire Japan Rail network. including Shinkansen (Bullet Train) services.
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Meet & Greet service on arrival at Narita/Haneda International Airport (Tokyo)
NOT INCLUDED IN PRICE
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International airfare.
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Meals not mentioned in the itinerary.
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Entrance fees.
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Taxi, subway, and tramway fees.
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Insurance.
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Optional excursions (see below)
OPTIONAL GUIDED TOURS
Tokyo full-day tour including lunch: £101.00 per person
Kyoto full-day tour including lunch: £111.00 per person
BOOKING INFORMATION
To make a booking, a deposit of 10% of the total price is required.
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The balance of the price of the trip must be made 12 weeks prior to departure.
INSURANCE
Travel can be a great experience, but it can also be fraught with problems, so when going anywhere it is essential you are properly covered with good travel insurance. You should be protected against cancellation, curtailment, and loss or damage to your belongings as well as medical emergencies and have peace of mind if the unexpected happens.
Japan Journeys in association with Holiday Extras, is now able to offer excellent low-cost cover to their customers.
