Japan sakura blooming

Tour start date(s):	24-03-2025, 11-04-2025, 14-04-2025
Duration:	10 days / 9 nights
Location:	Tokyo (arrival, 4 nights) - Nikko - Kamakura - Yokohama - Fujiyama - Kyoto (3 nights) - Uji - Nara - Arashiyama - Osaka (2 nights, departure)
Price (including tax):	DBL $2850 USD, SNG $3300

Tokyo (arrival, 4 nights) - Nikko - Kamakura - Yokohama - Fujiyama - Kyoto (3 nights) - Uji - Nara - Arashiyama - Osaka (2 nights, departure)

Tour dates: March 24 - April 2, 2025; April 11-20, 2025; April 14-23, 2025

Group: 22 people in a 29-seat bus.

Exclusive: Accommodation in Kyoto for 3 nights

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In our tour:

• Tokyo in evening illumination - a walk along the famous Akihabara Street
• Bus ride to the 5th Station of Mount Fuji
• Japanese village SAIKO IYASHI - ensemble of "Minka" houses at the foot of Mount Fuji
• Introduction to Japanese cuisine during lunches
• Stroll under thousands of torii gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine
• Tea ceremony in the ancient city of Uji
• In Nara Park, we will see sacred deer and feed them
• We will see the giant Buddha in Nara
• Walk through the bamboo forest in the outskirts of Kyoto
• Sake tasting
• Stroll through the Gion geisha district in Kyoto
• Boat ride around Osaka Castle

Meals: 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches during excursions

NOTE:

The order of excursions may vary depending on the arrival day, but the number of excursions remains unchanged.

PROGRAM

Day 1 – Tokyo

Arrival at Tokyo Haneda/Narita Airport on any flight. Meet Japanese driver. Group assembly. Group transfer to the hotel via shared shuttle taxi. Check-in at the hotel independently, using passports. Each guest individually pays the accommodation tax (Accommodation Tax) and submits their passport for scanning.

Day 2 - Tokyo - Kamakura - Yokohama

Breakfast at the hotel. Meet the guide in the hotel lobby. Excursion to the ancient samurai capital Kamakura and the scenic garden in Yokohama.
Lunch of Japanese cuisine during the excursion in an authentic old-style building. Menu includes Japanese soup Suimono, sashimi, fried fish, assorted appetizers (Hassun), rice, marinated vegetables, Japanese tea.
Visit to the Great Buddha (Daibutsu) - a 13.5-meter-tall bronze statue of Amida Buddha weighing about 94 tons. Created in 1252, the statue has survived powerful tsunamis and destructive earthquakes. The statue is hollow inside, and visitors can enter and climb up to the statue's head using a spiral staircase.
Shopping at popular souvenir and craft shops.
Shinto shrine Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, dedicated to the deity of warriors. Access to the shrine is via the Bridge of Eternal Life over a pond with lotus flowers.
Transfer to Yokohama via the majestic 860-meter-long Bay Bridge, one of the world's longest bridges, offering a stunning view of Tokyo Bay.
Sankeien Garden, featuring 16 architectural structures transported from various parts of Japan, including a three-story pagoda from Kyoto built in the 16th century. In winter, the park is adorned with plum blossoms, in spring with cherry blossoms and azaleas, in summer with irises, and in autumn with chrysanthemums and vibrant Momiji (Japanese maple) leaves.
Return to Tokyo. Evening stroll through the electric town of Akihabara amidst neon lights. Night in Tokyo.
 

Optional:

• Cruise on Tokyo Bay with European cuisine dinner. Cruise time 19:00 – 21:30. Transfer to the cruise by bus with a guide. Guide assistance during registration. Return to the hotel independently after the cruise.
Price $115 per person. Payment no later than 40 days before the tour starts, as part of the tour payment.
• Traditional style show in the historical district of Asakusa. Premium class seating on sofas with the opportunity to take photos with the artists after the show. Attend the show with the guide. Registration at 19:30. The show is from 20:00 to 21:00. Return to the hotel by taxi with guide assistance.
Price $115 per person. Payment no later than 40 days before the tour starts, as part of the tour payment.
 

Day 3 - Tokyo - Nara

Breakfast at the hotel. Meet the guide in the hotel lobby.
Excursion to the medieval architectural complex Toshogu in Nikko. The one-way journey by bus takes approximately 3 hours. The bus will make stops at rest areas along the highways.
Lunch of Japanese cuisine featuring a rare element of Japanese food, Yuba. The set includes Doban-yaki - beef cooked on a copper plate. Lunch also includes the popular Japanese sponge cake "Castella."
The Three Buddhas Hall at Rinnoji Temple. Classical landscape garden Shoyo-en Garden, designed to delight with the delicate beauty of nature throughout all four seasons.
The avenue of cryptomeria trees planted in the 17th century leads to the granite torii gates at the entrance to the Toshogu shrine complex. The five-story pagoda built in 1650 is adorned with the Tokugawa family crest (three hollyhock leaves) and Zodiac signs. The sacred stable with the famous relief of the Three Wise Monkeys, symbolizing "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil."
Hondo - Main Hall of the Singing Dragon Honden, where a huge dragon is painted on the ceiling. It sings when a monk standing underneath strikes wooden boards in a special manner. Yomeimon Gate - the main gate, richly decorated with intricate wood carvings.
Hondo - Main Hall of the shrine where the deified spirits of three great shoguns of Japan rest: Tokugawa Ieyasu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Minamoto Yoritomo. 200 stone steps lead to the bronze Hodo pagoda, under the vaults of which lies the ashes of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Night in Tokyo.
 

Day 4 - Tokyo - Mount Fuji

Breakfast at the hotel. Meet the guide in the hotel lobby. Excursion to Mount Fuji. The one-way journey by bus takes approximately 2.5 hours. The bus will make stops at rest areas along the highways.
Lunch of local Japanese cuisine in an ancient samurai house. Prepared with water from the purest source for which the area at the foot of Mount Fuji is famous. Menu includes Nabe (hot pot) of local cuisine, Hoto (Japanese noodle dish with vegetables and mushrooms), grilled salted trout, tempura with shrimp, rice, pickles, dessert, Japanese barley tea.
Bus ascent to the 5th station of the sacred Mount Fuji summit (approximately 40 minutes, ascent depends on favorable weather and road conditions). From this station at 2305 meters above sea level, summer hikers begin their ascent to the peak of Mount Fuji, soaring at 3776 meters above sea level.
If weather and road conditions do not allow ascent to the 5th station of Mount Fuji, we will visit the Oshino Hakkai Eight Ponds in Oshino village, with ancient-style houses and ponds with pure water from Mount Fuji. This architectural complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ensemble of ancient and samurai houses "minka" at the foot of Mount Fuji, where you can experience the lifestyle of medieval Japan. 18 houses with roofs made of rice straw create a fantastic landscape of ancient Japan against the backdrop of Mount Fuji.

Optional:

• Dressing up in national costumes (samurai and geisha).
Price $25 per person. Payment no later than 40 days before the start of the tour, as part of the tour payment. Night in Tokyo.

Day 5 - Tokyo - Kyoto

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out from the hotel with luggage. Meet the guide in the hotel lobby. Loading luggage onto the bus.
Departure for a sightseeing tour of Tokyo - a city of samurai heroic history and the latest technologies that have changed the lives of people around the world. Lunch of European cuisine during the tour.
Visit to the Imperial Palace Plaza, where over 2000 Japanese pine trees (Matsu) grow, considered a symbol of longevity in Japan. The Double Nijubashi Bridge, an arched stone bridge leading to the inner rooms of the Imperial Palace. We will visit the publicly accessible part of the palace complex, which includes the classic Japanese East Garden. We will enter the garden through the Otemon Gate, which served as the main entrance to the shogun's castle in Edo, as Tokyo was known at that time.
Visit to the Senso-ji Buddhist temple, whose land was donated by the great shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Japanese capital. Optional fortune-telling (Omikuji) at the temple.
Treasury of national crafts - Nakamise-dori shopping street, now also famous for its huge selection of souvenir items. Modern district of Shinjuku, where Japan began building skyscrapers. Here is the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, which is one of the main symbols of the Japanese capital. From the observation deck at 205 meters in the Tokyo Administration building, the entire city is visible, and on clear days, the peak of Mount Fuji.
Statue of the loyal dog Hachiko, widely known worldwide thanks to the movie "Hachiko - The Most Faithful Friend" starring Richard Gere. The statue is located at the Shibuya Crossing, which is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the busiest intersection in the world. Central Tokyo district of Ginza is called the showcase of Tokyo, where you can feel the atmosphere of one of the world's main shopping centers. The symbol of Ginza is the Wako Department Store building with a clock tower built in 1894, which chimes every hour. The central building of the National Kabuki Theater, which delights the eye with perfectly straight lines of Japanese architectural style.
Futuristic artificial island of Odaiba in Tokyo Bay, connected by the picturesque Rainbow Bridge. On the waterfront of the capital, guests are greeted by the Statue of Liberty, where many strive to take a memorable photo against the backdrop of the "forest" of high-rise buildings surrounding Tokyo Bay. The 18-meter Gundam robot - the hero of a popular animated series known as Japan's "Star Wars".
Transfer to the railway station. Boarding the Shinkansen bullet train to Kyoto.
Independent travel. Arrival in Kyoto, meeting with a guide at the platform with a sign.
Walking transfer to the hotel. Check-in with passports. Each person submits their passport for scanning and pays the state tourist tax. Night in Kyoto.
 

Day 6 - Kyoto

Breakfast at the hotel. Meet the guide in the hotel lobby.
Tour of Kyoto, a city that has served as the residence of Japanese emperors for many centuries. Enjoy European cuisine lunch during the tour. Kiyomizu-dera Temple, known as the "Temple of Pure Water" and revered as a temple for lovers. The temple's veranda, perched on a cliff, offers a panoramic view over a vast precipice. Beneath the veranda lies the "Wishing Well," where legend has it that wishes would come true if one drinks its water three times. Stroll through Kyoto's historic district. Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a testament to Japanese architecture and palace interiors. Built in the 17th century, the castle is famous for its "nightingale floors," designed to alert intruders. Fushimi Inari Shrine, known for its unique gallery of 10,000 vermilion torii gates. This shrine gained fame from the Hollywood movie "Memoirs of a Geisha." According to legend, passing through these gates can cleanse one of their sins. Walk through the Gion district, where in the evenings you may catch glimpses of geishas and their maiko apprentices hurrying to their "tea houses," adorned in traditional kimonos with long sleeves. Night in Kyoto.

Optional:

• Gion Corner, a theater showcasing traditional Japanese performing arts, including geisha dances.
Performance at 7:00 PM. After the tour, transfer with the guide to the Gion geisha district. Proceed independently on foot to the theater. Return to the hotel independently by taxi (approximately 5-10 minutes, costing approximately USD 20 per taxi for up to 3 people).
Price: $50 per person. Payment due no later than 40 days before the tour begins, as part of the tour payment.

Day 7 - Kyoto - Arashiyama

Breakfast at the hotel. Meet the guide in the hotel lobby.
Excursion to the historical Arashiyama district in the outskirts of Kyoto. Enjoy a Japanese Zen-style cuisine lunch during the tour. The set includes Japanese soup and other vegetarian dishes, as well as Sukiyaki (beef) and Japanese appetizers. The Golden Pavilion Kinkaku-ji was originally built in 1397. The pavilion is surrounded by winding Japanese pine trees, creating the charm of traditional Japanese landscape. The Stone Garden at Ryoan-ji Temple.
Fifteen stones amidst a sea of white gravel waves are arranged so that from any angle, one stone is always hidden from view. Enjoy the picturesque bamboo grove and the romantic Moon Bridge. Stroll through the artisan street and shop at numerous stores offering original souvenirs and crafts in Arashiyama. Walk along Kawaramachi Shopping Street, a bustling shopping and entertainment street in central Kyoto. Night in Kyoto.

Day 8 - Kyoto - Nara - Uji - Osaka

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out from the hotel and meet the guide in the hotel lobby. Load luggage onto the bus.
Departure for the excursion. Excursion to the ancient capitals of Nara and the tea town of Uji.
Enjoy a home-style Japanese cuisine lunch. "Camellia Flower" set includes vegetable salad, seasonal appetizer with fish, Japanese noodles, Tempura with seafood, home-cooked rice with chestnuts and beans. Main dish is Nabé - boiled chicken with vegetables, Japanese soup. Dessert is Japanese tea.
Nara, Japan's first permanent capital, was established in the early 8th century, modeled after the Tang Dynasty capital of Chang'an in China. It served as the capital from 710 to 784. The Nara Period marked the creation of grand architectural structures, such as the Todai-ji temple is the complex of the Kegon Buddhist school, associated with the establishment of Buddhism in the country. This Great Eastern Temple is the world's largest wooden building and is listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. The main deity of the temple is the Buddha of Infinite Light, a 15-meter bronze statue housed in the main hall of the temple complex, Daibutsuden.
The main temples are located within a vast park that was once a natural forest inhabited by deer. Today, these deer are tame, and tourists enjoy feeding them biscuits. If you hold a biscuit above your head, the deer will bow to ask for the treat.
In the ancient city of Uji during the Heian period, the events of the historical novel "The Tale of Genji" unfolded, written by Japan's first female novelist, Murasaki Shikibu. Uji is known as the green tea capital of Japan, as the finest green tea varieties are cultivated and processed here. We will stroll through the central shopping street where you can purchase not only green tea, but also various products made with green tea: noodles, biscuits, jelly, rice sweets, ice cream, and even soup.
In the tea capital, we will experience Japanese tea culture, originating from the ancient samurai tea ceremony. We will visit the iconic Buddhist temple Byodoin, depicted on the 10-yen coin and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage architectural site. Transfer to Osaka. Check-in at the hotel. Night in Osaka.

Day 9 - Osaka

Breakfast at the hotel. Excursion around Osaka. Visit the exterior of the Samurai Castle in Osaka. The site of Osaka was founded in the 4th century as the first city in Japan, called Naniwa, with the Imperial Palace at its center, surrounded by moats and ramparts. Walk around the castle grounds. Enjoy a cruise around the castle on a replica of an ancient boat, Gozabune.
Stroll along Dotonbori Street, famous as a center for trade and street delicacies (street food).
Lunch of European cuisine in the central Umeda district. After lunch, those who wish can proceed with independent walks and shopping in the central Umeda district, while others will take a guided walk back to the hotel (20 minutes). Night in Osaka.

Day 10 - Osaka - Kansai or Itami Airport

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out from the hotel with your luggage.
Transfer to Osaka airports (Kansai Airport and Itami Airport) for your flights on a group shuttle taxi.

The cost of the tour in USD per person (excluding commission) is as follows:

• Double/Twin Room: $2850 per person
• Single Supplement (for single occupancy): $3300 per person

Please note:

• The tour accommodates up to 22 people per bus with 29 seats.
Additional nights in hotels before or after the tour are available upon request.
Based on the information provided, here's a breakdown of what is included in the tour cost:
Included in the Tour Cost:
1. Accommodation:
-  4-star hotels with buffet breakfasts included.
-  Tokyo: 4 nights
-  Kyoto: 3 nights
-  Osaka: 2 nights
2. Meals:
-  8 lunches during excursions.
3. Excursion Program:
-  Guided tours with Russian-speaking guides.
4. Entrance Tickets:
-  Admission fees as per the itinerary.
5. Transfers:
-  Arrival transfer from Narita/Haneda airports with a Japanese driver according to arrival times.
-  Departure transfer from Kansai or Itami airports (Osaka) with a Japanese driver according to departure times of the tourists.
-  Transportation throughout the program, including comfortable bus and Shinkansen bullet train.

Additional Information:

• Early Arrival: Tourists arriving before the official group arrival date receive the same transfer service at no extra charge if they book their hotel through the tour company.
• Independent Hotel Booking: If tourists book their hotel independently, they will either arrange their own transfer or pay an additional $70 per person for the transfer service.
This comprehensive package ensures that tourists are well taken care of from arrival to departure, with transportation, accommodation, meals, and guided tours all included as specified.

Attention Please!

• Removing Shoes in Temples and Other Sacred Places: It is often necessary to remove shoes in temples and other sacred places. We recommend choosing footwear that is easy and quick to take-off and put on.
• Significant Temperature Variations Expected on Excursions to Fuji and Nikko: Due to this, we recommend bringing warm clothing.
• Please Arrive Early at the Hotel Lobby for Excursions and Transfers: The time indicated in the program is the boarding time for departure from the hotel. The waiting time for latecomers is 5 minutes. Guides will not call tourists' rooms or search for them in the hotel.
• Please Stay with the Group During Excursions: Guides will not search for tourists who lag behind. The waiting time at the bus stop for latecomers is 5 minutes.
• Tourists Not Present at the Designated Departure Time are Considered No Show: No compensation for services will be provided in case of a no show. Tourists must travel to the hotel or any other place independently and at their own expense.
• Please Do Not Leave Your Belongings on the Bus, Train, or Other Route Locations: The company is not responsible for lost items. All expenses related to searching for and returning tourists' lost personal belongings are to be borne by the tourists themselves.
• Included Meals in the Program Are Not Specialized for Dietary Restrictions: The provided meals do not cater to specific dietary needs or restrictions of clients.