Dates: 26 Mar (Fri) – 04 April (Sun) 2027 10 days


A personalised, trip to Japan for a few friends over 50 who want to see Japan’s famous cherry blossoms while raising funds for earthquake victims through Ibaraki Rotary Club .
.
Our home base for most nights will be Lyn’s 2 little cottages midway between Osaka and Kyoto in a village full of history and gossip. Day trips to surrounding prefectures, Hyogo, Nara and Shiga, are all within easy reach and we can return home each night to our little haven between the rice fields and bamboo forest. We will visit lots of World Heritage sites from Himeji Castle to Todaiji Temple in Nara and we will also be living like locals. This trip is special in that we will travel right up to the Noto Peninsula and see how Rotary is helping rebuild the famous Senmaida ‘Thousand rice paddies” of Ishikawa Prefecture and the beautiful city of Kanazawa. Of course we will have a picnic or three while admiring the cherry blossoms at both iconic and peaceful places. I’ll use my 27+ years of living in Japan to maximise your time and experiences. I know you’ll enjoy meeting my neighbours - some of whose ancestors have lived in this village for more than 40 generations.

As the nights will still be a bit cold, you might enjoy a hot bath at home or a long soak in a nearby hot spring. Drinking hot sake around a bubbling pot of shabu shabu with new friends is also a must.

I promise this trip will include experiences and insights into Japan well beyond a typical tour

** All guests must have travel insurance

Inclusions:

• Fully escorted by Lyn, a bilingual Australian with extensive knowledge of Japan

• All accommodation - most nights in a traditional Japanese home

• 2 nights Noto Peninsula

• Most meals

• All transport within Japan – cars, trains, bullet trains, cable car, monorail, bicycles, taxis

• Most sightseeing, activities and entrance fees

• Assistance with planning should you wish to extend your time in Japan.

Cost: AU$5,350 + AU$1,000 donation to Noto Rotary group.

Itinerary

Sat. 27 Mar 2027 (B,L,D)

After fuelling up with coffee & breakfast at home, we will take a walk around our village with local landscape architect and Rotarian, Hidekazu Kubo.

Early afternoon we will head to Expo Park, site of the 1970 World Exposition and only 3 km from home. The gardens will be ablaze with autumn colours and we will enjoy a picnic lunch here. Expo Park has Japan’s top Museum of Ethnology, a museum of folk crafts and there will be cultural experiences to enjoy. Adjoining Expo Park is Expoland - the largest shopping mall in Japan. We will take a ride on the largest ferris wheel in Japan around dusk and eat at one of the many restaurants.

Sun. 28 Mar 2027 (B, L, D)

After breakfast, you can choose from taking an ikebana (flower arrangement) lesson at home, exploring a supermarket & hardware store, going for a bike ride on one of our electric bikes, attending a bilingual church, visiting a display home village, the local sake brewer, going for a walk or simply relaxing.

Around 5pm, we will invite Ibaraki Rotarians to join us for an easy dinner of sushi and pizza at our place.

Thu. 01 Apr 2027 (B, D)

Train to Kanazawa, Sightseeing

Fri. 02 Apr 2027 (B, L, D)

Senmaida Rice Terraces, Earthquake Experience - Rotary
Overnight - Noto Hanto

Sat. 03 Apr 2027 (B, L, D)
Noto Peninsula - sightseeing
Afternoon trains back to our home base,

Sun. 04 Apr 2027 (B, D)

There are no fixed plans this morning. You might like to sleep in, get a haircut, soak in the onsen down the road, play golf, ride our e-bikes or do nothing.
Around 3:30 pm, Ogawasan will come and dress us up for a photo shoot in kimono! Our traditional house makes a great backdrop.
After you’ve had your Japanese makeover, we’ll make okonomiyaki together for our final evening in Japan.

Mon. 05 Apr 2027 (B, L )
As the flight back to Cairns doesn’t leave until 9:45 tonight, we’ve got most of the day to do what’s on your wishlist.
Our final lunch will be 1 km up the road at the golf course where we will have views from Kyoto to Kobe and Osaka .
Around 4 pm, taxis will get those who are going home back to Kansai Airport. If you’re extending, we’ll help get you heading to your next destination.