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Option A - Tour Dates for tour commencing August 20th 2004
Study Component Schedule
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Study Length
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Arrival*
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Commence
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Holidays**
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End Studies
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10 weeks
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JUN/08-09
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JUN/10
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JUL/20, AUG/12-13
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AUG/19
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8 weeks
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JUN/22-23
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JUN/24
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JUL/20, AUG/12-13
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AUG/19
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6 weeks
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JUL/08-09
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JUL/10
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JUL/20, AUG/12-13
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AUG/19
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4 weeks
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JUL/20-21
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JUL/22
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AUG/12-13
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AUG/19
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2 weeks
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AUG/03-04
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AUG/05
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AUG/12-13
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AUG/19
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*Arrival - there is a free Nagoya airport pickup on the days indicated.
**Public/Institute holidays affecting classes are listed here in full.
Proposed Schedule (this may change, please refer to notes below)
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Day
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Date
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Destination(s) - Click for info
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Depart+
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Return+
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Lunch+
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1
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AUG/20
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We visit
Takisanji with its perfect
Kamakura period
architecture and magnificent
gate built in 1267 by Mitsunobu Fujiwara,
also taking time to get a close look at the beautiful
Toshogu built by the 3rd and most
powerful shogun of the Edo period
Tokugawa Iemitsu. We then drive to the old post town of Goyu,
a station on the old Tokaido linking Kyoto with Edo, made famous in Ukiyoe prints such as those by the artist
Utagawa Hiroshige.
Here we can walk along a preserved pine tree lined
stretch of the old road, stopping by a 300 year old inn and the small town's fascinating shiryokan.
In the afternoon we visit Horaiji-san - a
1300 year old temple set amongst the cliffs and if the weather is fine we'll hike up to Oku-no-in for the spectacular views (if the weather is wet we will instead visit one of the increasingly rare senmaida). We finish the day with a visit to the Nagashino Castle Ruins and the
Shitagahara Battlefield and Museum - a turning point in Japanese history where
Oda Nobunaga and
Tokugawa Ieyasu defeated the cavalry of the Takeda
clan in 1575.
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0820
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1800
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Yes
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2
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AUG/21
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Japan's summer can be extremely hot and humid, so today we head to the cooler climes of
Nagano, visiting the old mountain castletown of Matsumoto with stroll through the superb Japan Ukiyoe Museum,
and Matsumoto Castle (one of only 4 castles in Japan designated a national treasure). After visiting the interesting historic
Kyuu-Kaichi, we drive to the town of
Komagane, popping into the
Mars Whisky Distillery
before having dinner (and a micro-beer or two perhaps) at the restaurant of the
Minami Shinshuu Brewery. Our accommodation tonight has a natural onsen!
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0700
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N/A
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No
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3
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AUG/22
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Most visitors to Japan have an image of neon lights and concrete (which we'll also enjoy on August 27-29th). Today though we enjoy one of Japan's better kept secrets - superb
national parks. We take the
Komagane Ropeway (the 2nd longest in the world) high up into a pristine alpine environment. The snow in this ancient glacial caldera rarely melts before July, so spring/summer/and autumn come and go quickly. On clear days there are views ovber the minami alps of the cone of Mount Fuji.
In the afternoon we head to Tenryu gorge, and in fast moving flat bottomed boats we
shoot the rapids of the Tenryu river, watching the boatmen cast weighted nets for ayu sweetfish, listening to folk songs, and spotting the swooping hawks and other wildlife.
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N/A
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2000
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No
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4
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AUG/23
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Theme: Traditions. Our visit to
Toyota on Day 8 will give us a snapshot insight into how Japanese people work these days, but what of the past or of those outside massive corporations? Our first stop today is the old ceramics town and port of Tokoname, where we will make pottery on the wheel with a master potter - a good chance to practise your Japanese too. We then visit a 300 year old sake brewery at Kunizakari Sake and after learning about the sake brewing process take a bit of time to sample their products, before dropping by Yoshihama Ningyou to see exactly what the master craftsmen who make Japanese Ningyou dolls can really do when they set their minds and considerable skills to it. We end our tour with an unusual destination. During the tour we have a chance to see Japan and the Japanese, but what do Japanese think and make of us and our countries? - Denpark is a fascinating and enjoyable way of trying to figure that question out.
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0830
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1900
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Yes
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5
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AUG/24
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We head to the ancient capital of Nara, visiting Horyuji, Yakushiji,
Kofukuji, and walking through
Nara Koen with its sacred deer to Kasuga Taisha. From here we head across to Nigatsudo and the world heritage listed Todaiji, the largest wooden structure in the world and home to Nara's famous daibutsu. to kyoto? byodoin? If the weather is wet we'll visit the Isuien Garden & the Neiraku Museum. If it is dry we'll drive to the top of Wakasayama which gives us a fantastic view of the Yamato plain stretching from the outskirts of
Osaka northwards to the southern outskirts of
Kyoto.
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0700
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1930
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No
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6
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AUG/25
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Our first destination is the famous/infamous
Tagata Jinja, known to the more uncouth as the "penis shrine" of course. We then head across the river to
Gifu prefecture and
kakamigahara, the site of Japan's oldest airfield, host of the annual airshow, and of most importance to us, the superb
Aerospace Museum. Although these days we associate Japan with motor vehicles, Japan also has a long history in designing, testing and manufacturing world class aircraft. From
kakamigahara we head across the river to
Inuyama Castle, one of the 4 that are national treasures and completely different to that seen in
Matsumoto on Day 2 (apart from the difference in scale,
Inuyama Castle is also the only castle in Japan that is 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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0815
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2130
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No
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7
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AUG/26
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Today takes us to the city of
Kyoto. Capital of Japan for 1000 years, it is a large city, but quite different to Tokyo. Our first stop is historic Nijo Castle, with its beautiful artwork, imposing defenses, squeaky nightingale floorboards designed to warn of intruders, and while smaller, the equally cleverly designed Nijo Jinya - an inn (still privately owned, by the same family who built it in the Edo Period) designed for visiting dignatories with secret passages, hidden rooms and many other secrets to be enjoyed. After lunch we take in the gardens of
Heian Jingu, before enjoying the aethestic delights of Ginkakuji, the beautiful Path of Philosophy, and
Nanzenji which is the most important zen temple in Japan. Our last destination is a waterfall hidden behind
Nanzenji, following which we will follow the waters to the aqueduct built in the Meiji period to supply
Kyoto with water
(and electric power) from Lake Biwa and a stop by the canal museum.
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0700
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2030
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No
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8
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AUG/27
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Early today we head to Okutono Jinya and drink tea in an 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 we walk through their superb Kaikan, learning about the processes involved before heading to a Toyota Motor Factory for a birdseye view. Asuke. towel. before making our way to the bright lights of Tokyo.
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0800
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1900
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Yes
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9
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AUG/28
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After breakfast in Tokyo we head to the Imperial Palace looking at what we can of the walls of the once impregnable Edo Castle of
Tokugawa Ieyasu, before heading over to the sometimes controversial Yasukuni Jinja. From here we move to the electronics district of Akihabara (free time for shopping) to see the amazing array of gadgets and bargains on offer, before going to Meiji Jingu. Our evening will involve the shopping
areas of Omotesando and Harajuku, winding up in Shinjuku and a quick visit to
Kabuki-cho. A pretty full day basically.
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0700
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N/A
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No
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10
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AUG/29
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After breakfast we are off to Ueno-koen, an oasis of greenery in
the concrete jungle, that also has several interesting sites to visit such as a Toshogu, Benten shrine and the Shitamachi Museum. We then have some free time for shopping in Ameyoko Arcade, before we head over the Rainbow Bridge for the afternoon - you have the choice of either Odaiba or
DisneySea. We return to Okazaki in the evening.
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N/A
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2100
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No
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+Departure from/Return to Okazaki times given using 24 hour clock (ie 0800 = 8am, 1830 = 6.30pm)
+Lunch - Yes/No indicates whether lunch is included or not.
Return = N/A means an overnight stay, usually in a ryokan or minshuku. Evening meal/Breakfast is always included.
Notes:
In the week before a tour commences, a briefing will be held for the participants. If the number of students
participating is 9 students or less (which is usually the case in the off season), then the actual destinations, or the
order in which they are visited, can often be altered to reflect the specific interests of the group members.
Please also note that the schedule may need to be changed in the event of inclement weather/typhoons etc, or the unforeseen closure
of any given destination. Appropriate alternative destinations are chosen only after consultation with you.
To help ensure that students can budget for expenses accurately, Institute staff will either purchase food (usually
bento and drinks) for you to eat or find a reasonably priced restaurant (maximum cost 1000 yen - with Yamasa paying for the
remainder of your food bill) if due to traffic/weather conditions we are delayed by more than one hour on the days we
return to Okazaki accommodation.
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C O M M U N I T Y M E M B E R S
