Japan Gourmet Traveller - 14 days

Drifters Price: £1354.00

RRP: £1425.00

Trip Code: INTJGT

Local Payment: USD$200.00

Days 1-2 Tokyo

You can arrive at our joining-point ryokan at any time today as there are no planned activities. Please note that check-in time is not until 1pm. Your leader will contact you to arrange a group meeting for the evening of Day 1, to be followed by dinner.

Note that your leader will collect your local payment (JPY22,000) at the group meeting on Day 1. Please bring new bills/notes in large denominations.

We will be up early on Day 2 for an included breakfast in the ryokans dining room. During our time in Tokyo we get our hands working on making soba noodles as well as be shown around the famous Tsukiji fish market.

Days 3-4 Takayama

Takayama (approximately 5 hours by train) is famous for its traditional inns, sake breweries and the outdoor museum of the Hida Folk village. There is free time to explore the many folk art galleries, local markets, museums or just wander the streets of this delightful little town nestled amongst the Japanese Alps. One option is to hire a bicycle to get around this peaceful town. Here we will discover the secrets of san sai ryori, mountain vegetables cuisine, miso, Hida beef, and the local sake, as part of our included breakfasts and dinners. We also visit the 600-year-old morning market to try out some of the unusual specialties the farm women put on sale from 6am every morning.

Days 5-6 Koya-San

We have an opportunity to stay in a Buddhist monastery for 2 nights at Koya-san (7 hours by Shinkansen, local train and cable car). We enjoy the 1200-year-old intricate vegetarian fare here with a chance to get to know the resident monks while sampling delicious vegetarian cuisine and taking part in zazen meditation.

Days 7-8 Osaka

Osaka (3 hours by train) provides the adventurous with a chance to visit a Fugu (poisonous blowfish) restaurant - at your own risk! We also have the opportunity to taste buckwheat noodles and the local okonomiyaki dish in the back streets of this feudal hub. The local takoyaki (octopus balls) are said to be the best in Japan.

Days 9-10 Hiroshima

Hiroshima is a bustling metropolis with a tragic history (under 2 hours by train from Osaka). We have free time to visit the ruins of the A-Dome building, one of 11 structures left partially standing after the nuclear bomb blast on 6th August 1945, left as a horrifying reminder of the destruction of nuclear war. Around its perimeter is the peace park, with monuments and a museum dedicated to Hiroshima and international peace.

For dinner we enjoy the local specialty 'Hiroshima okonomiyaki' at one of the most famous places for watching this great dish cooked in front of you. You can spend an afternoon at the nearby island of Miyajima with its famous 'floating' Torii Gate, smoked oysters and the grand Itsukushima-jinja Shrine. Watch out for the inquisitive and eternally hungry deer that roam the streets of Miyajima.

Days 11-14 Kyoto

We travel on to Kyoto via Himeji-jo Castle, a sight to behold. Built in 1580, this 5-storey castle is not only a fantastic example of amazing architecture, but a great insight into ancient life in Japan. From Hiroshima to Himeji-jo is approximately 1 hour, and then it's a further 1 hour on to Kyoto. Once in Kyoto there is just so much to do, with over 2000 temples, shrines and gardens.

We visit a Japanese cooking class featuring kaiseki ryori among seasonal specialties of the ancient capital. Kyoto is also a great place to get 'lost' in - walk the streets and soak in the wonderful atmosphere. The city's lively nightlife provides plenty of options for our final evening. There is so much to do in and around Kyoto you might choose to extend your stay here.

We can spend a day at Nara, home of Todai-ji Temple, the largest wooden building in the world and home to a 16m-high Buddha.You can depart Kyoto at any time on Day 14.

We recommend you use your JR rail pass to get back to Tokyo (3.5 hours), Osaka (1.5 hours) or Nagoya (1.5 hours) airports for departure

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