Dates: 05 June (Wed) – 20 June (Thur), 2024 16 days in Japan

If you’d like to explore Japan at a gentle pace with just a few fun people, then this trip may be for you. As well as leading you to all sorts of wonderful castles, ancient temples, enticing restaurants and ultra modern places, this trip will include overnight stays on Miyajima Island, near Hiroshima and at the top Mt Hiei - where you may possibly meet one of the monks who has run a thousand marathons in a thousand days. We will be taking a gentler path up and down the mountain, travelling by train and cable car. As this trip is specifically for those who wish to travel ‘Gently,’ I’ve also included days when you can do as little or as much as you like.

June is a wonderful time to be in Japan with many flowers in bloom and the freshly-planted rice fields bursting with life. We’ll take time to savor the scenery, stop along the way and change our plans as we go. We will eat out often and some evenings will be spent at home, learning how to make shabu shabu, okonomiyaki and sushi. We can try various sake and snacks, before drifting off to sleep to the sound of frogs in the rice fields. Our little group, and having a home base, allows us to fine-tune and individualise the itinerary as we go so your trip to Japan can be just what you wanted.

If you’re over 50, enjoy making new friends and sharing new experiences, then please join us.

Inclusions:

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

• All accommodation - most nights in a traditional Japanese home

• WiFi

• Most meals

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

• All sightseeing, listed activities and entrance fees

• Assistance if you are planning further travel around Japan

Pricing : AU$5,480 per person

Draft Itinerary

Day 2 Thursday 06 June 2024 (B, D)

Wake up in your home in Japan. After breakfast, we will explore the village including seeing the 1300 year old shrine, the rice fields and visiting a neighbour.

After lunch in a local restaurant, we will take a bit of a walk or drive in the nearby mountains. We will spend the evening listening to the frogs as the 6th of the 6th is the frog-listening festival. If you’re keen, we can also head to the local hot spring (600m down the road) before bed.

Day 5 Sunday 09 June 2024 (B, D)

A day to live like a local. You might like to get a Japanese haircut, go for a bike ride, help the farmers work the fields, shop at the local hardware store or supermarket. I can give you a guided history tour of the area or maybe you would like to find some bargains at a second hand shops, learn a few words in Japanese, or try ikebana. For dinner, we’re going to learn how to cook Chukamen, Okonomiyaki or Chirashizushi and you’re welcome to help.

Day 6 Monday 10 June 2024 (B, D)

Now that the tourist hoards are back to work, we will explore Kyoto by taxi and on foot. We will find hidden alleyways, quaint tea houses, artisan workshops and some of Kyoto’s World Heritage sights, such as the bamboo forest, the Golden Pavilion or Kiyomizudera.

We might also add in a visit to Eigamura, where samurai movies are filmed. I will give you some options and we’ll decide as we go.

Day 7 Tuesday 11 June 2024 (B, D)

We will head west towards Hiroshima and Miyajima Island, stopping en route at Himeji Castle and the lovely Korakuen Gardens. Dinner will be served at our ryokan (Japanese Inn) on Miyajima Island. I guarantee your cameras will be buzzing as we stroll around this picture perfect setting.

Day 11 Sat 15 June 2024 (B, D)

There is a full day cruise around Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, on Saturdays. It will take about 2 hours each way to get there and will depend on the weather so we’ll decide a few days before if we do this.

I will have other options closer to home that may appeal more.

Day 13 Monday 17 June 2024 (B, D)

Here is a third day when you tell me what you’d like to do and I try to make it happen. Things will be familiar by now so I can drop people off in different places - the spa, golf course, hair dresser, hardware store, shopping mall, hiking trail etc. We also have e-bicycles if you fancy exploring a little on your own.

Day 14 Tuesday 18 June 2024 (B, D)

Today we’re going to the top of Mt Koya - the home of Shingon Buddhism, towering trees and the burial site of Kobo Daishi. Don’t worry - this trip is Japan Gently so we will travel by cable car and train. For the good walkers, there are some lovely mountain trails while, for the history buffs, Mt Koya is the site of power struggles between the church and state.

We will enjoy dinner, bed and breakfast in a Buddhist Temple at the top of the mountain.

Day 15 Wednesday 19 June 2024 (B, D)

After breakfast, we will travel back down the mountain and explore the markets, crafts and famous sites in Kyoto. As this will be our last evening, we will have a special dinner together.

Day 16 Thursday 20 June 2024 (B, L)

We will enjoy a slow start to the day with time to take one last stroll around the village or to do some last minute shopping.

Our final lunch will probably at the golf course up the road with views stretching over all the cities we will have explored.

Mid - late afternoon, I will help those continuing their travels and escort others to Kansai Airport.
(9 pm departure for Jetstar flight 16 to Cairns).