| Discovery Index | Search
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Day
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Date
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Destination(s)/Notes
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Depart+
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Return+
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Lunch+
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1
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July 25th
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Day trip: We start the discovery tour driving deep into the forests of the Oku-Mikawa.
Our first destination is very remote, a
Senmaida, consisting of more than
1000 small rice fields in an painstakingly constructed terrace. We will then hike through verdant forests to Horaiji, a 1300 year old temple that also
has a brilliantly preserved Toshogu shrine in a grove of 350 year old cedar trees towering above us.
From Horai we will visit the Nagashino battlefield & its museum, learning about the famous battle that occurred here in 1575, before heading down the valley to the
the mysterious Toyokawa Inari shrine, dedicated to a fox-riding god called Toyokawa Dakinishinten. The legend of
Dakinishinten dates from the 15th century, and was believed by samurai warriors such as Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa
Ieyasu. Millions of people visiting this shrine every year as it is one of the three major Japanese Inari gods.
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0815
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1800
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No
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2
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July 26th
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Day trip. We travel to the former capital of
Nara. After
obtaining a birds eye view of the Yamato plain from the summit of
Wakasayama, we visit
Todaiji temple, home of the Daibutsu (very large ancient Buddha).
While in Nara, we will also visit some difficult to get to areas such as
Muroji.
Nestled deep in the mountains, almost buried inside a large forest, Muroji is the "Koya-san of women", arguably the most
beautifully located temple in all of Nara, and also home to fantastic artwork and Enryaku era (780-805) architecture.
Our last stop for the day is the small temple of Onodera. Set beside a flowing stream, Onodera provides a good vantage point
from which to see a famous Magai Butsu, a 14 meter high image of Buddha carved into cliff during the Kamakura Period. Please bring a towel, because if
the water isn't too deep, it will be possible to wade across the stream for a close up look at the Magaibutsu and also the
sanskrit engravings hidden around its base.
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0730
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1930
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No
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3
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July 27th
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Overnight trip: We depart for the restored post towns of
Magome & Tsumago in
Nagano, hiking through the forests on part
of the old Nakasando highway that linked
Edo with
Kyoto during the Tokugawa period.
We then head north to Komagane, and make a visit to
historic Kozen-ji temple which has beautiful architecture, before heading to our hotel. This evening we will
enjoy hot onsen spring baths, country cooking (a full kaiseki banquet) & hospitality, and a visit to the local boutique
beer brewery for those still sufficiently genki.
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0730
Please bring passport with you for accommodation check-in
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N/A
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Yes
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4
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July 28th
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After breakfast, we will take a bus into the national park to a ropeway, (the 2nd longest in
the world) taking us from 1662 meters above sea level to 2612 meters (5450 to 8568 feet) where we enter the pristine
environment of the Senjojiki cirque, a glacial caldera high in the alps. Even in mid-summer its very cold, so please bring
some warm clothing. If the weather holds, we may be able to see the cone of Mount Fuji from above the clouds.
Descending from the caldera, we leave Komagane and head to
Matsushiro,
entering the incredible underground WWII Imperial Headquarters carved out of
the rocks beneath the mountains by forced labour (primarily Koreans who endured
severe hardships) during the 10 months leading up to Japan's unconditional surrender in August 1945. We still do not know
how many people died digging the headquarters, and during the long walk through the underground tunnels its hard to come to
grips with how many more lives would have been lost had the war continued. From Matsushiro we move to
Matsumoto, an old but
prosperous town centered on
Matsumoto Castle - one of the few
castles in Japan designated a national treasure.
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N/A
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N/A
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No
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5
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July 29th
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From
Matsumoto we head into
the alps to the beautiful Kamikochi valley, hiking in beautiful scenery. We will visit
Hirayu Onsen with its
hot springs, waterfalls and thatched houses,
before descending westwards to
Takayama. This old town
has many preserved streets and excellent souvenir shops and restaurants. We will stay in a temple overnight.
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N/A
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N/A
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Yes
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6
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July 30th
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In the morning we will explore
Takayama,
before heading to our main destination for today - the
Shirakawa-go area. We will spend the rest of the day in the World Heritage
listed village of Ogimachi, enjoying the atmosphere of the thatched roofs, and interesting attractions such as the Wada
House and the Myozenji Museum. We will return to Okazaki in evening via the Shokawa area and Lake Miboro.
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N/A
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1830
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Yes
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7
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July 31st
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Day trip:
Early today we head to
Okutono Jinya and drink tea in a 300 year old samurai barracks with a beautiful Japanese garden,
before heading to one of the key reasons for Japan's emergence as a modern economy. At
Toyota Motor Company
we walk through their superb Kaikan, learning about the processes involved before heading to a
Toyota Motor Factory
for a birdseye view. On our return journey we visit historic
Hatcho Miso - one of the oldest and most successful Japanese businesses in existence
today. In the evening we will conduct a short rehearsal preparing for the
Mikoshi festival.
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0830
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1830
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Yes
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8
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August 1st
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Day trip: Today we explore elements of Japanese traditional culture, including the opportunity
to experience (and participate in) a formal tea ceremony, wear kimono and yukata, learn shodo, make sushi and Japanese foods,
learn a folk dance, before participate in the Mikoshi festival carrying a portable shinto shrine through the streets below
the castle while wearing happi.
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0900
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2130
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Yes
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9
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August 2nd
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Day trip: The morning is a free time / recovery session. Leaving the campus at noon,
we head to the historic town of
Tokoname on Ise Bay,
where we will visit an old shipping merchant's house surviving from the Edo Period,
before making pottery with a master potter. In the evening we kick back at the spectacular Okazaki Fireworks Festival, the
largest fireworks trade show in Japan.
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1200
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1830
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No
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10
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August 3rd
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Overnight trip: We head to the famous wedded rocks of
Futamigaura, where pilgrims cleansed
themselves prior to visiting the
Ise Grand Shrines, the most important shrines in Japan. From here we sample the delights
of Okage Yokosho, an old style neighbourhood where pilgrims would let their hair down so to speak (class distinctions were
usually ignored amongst pilgrims, offering men and women of different social class all sorts of possibilities). Many of the
shops are centuries old, and we will enjoy a lunch like no other (its a secret for now though!). We next drive along Route
12 through the vast estates of the shrines and through remote country to
Ago Bay and the wonderful
Goza Beach, our destination for
tonight. Its summer, so that means fireworks. Its a great beach, so sandcastles and candles are also in order, but not until
after the seafood Banquet.
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0730
Please bring passport with you for minshuku check-in
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N/A
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Yes
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11
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August 4th
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Goza Beach
is too good to ignore, so we'll go back for a stroll and/or swim. The beach is
uncrowded even on weekends, so on a weekday like this there is acres of sand to enjoy. We then set off along the scenic
Pearl Road until we reach
Mikimoto Pearl Island in
Toba. One of the showpieces of Japanese inventiveness, at Mikimoto we
also watch female Ama divers working the seabed (without breathing apparatus) and enjoy a superb museum. From
Toba we take
a bit of a cruise, across the vast Ise Bay to the tip of
Cape Irago in Aichi.
The Atsumi peninsula is one of the most
difficult places in Aichi to travel to, but it also has as a result, wonderful uncrowded surf beaches such as
Akabane Beach.
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N/A
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2030
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No
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12
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August 5th
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Day trip: The morning is a free time / recovery session. Leaving the campus at noon, our
first destination is the famous/infamous
Tagata Jinja, known to the more uncouth as the "penis shrine" of course. We then
head to
Inuyama Castle, one of only 4 that are designated as national treasures.
Inuyama Castle is the only castle in
Japan that is also privately owned. We visit the beautiful Urakuen gardens and historic Joan tea house - a national
treasure located next to the castle that was built by Oda Uraku, the brother of Oda Nobunaga. In the evening enjoy
dinner on a river boat while we watch the magical
cormorant fishing.
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1200
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2130
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No
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C O M M U N I T Y M E M B E R S
