zenbu nigeru - japan · pdf file · 2014-08-18above then the zenbu nigeru ... after...
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Have you ever considered taking a luxury ‘time out’ over that usually crazy end-of-year hullaballoo to run off to a country completely unlike your own with a small group of like-minded souls? Maybe your family or friends have announced that they in fact are taking off over the silly season and you are gloriously footloose and fancy free? Or perhaps you have simply yearned to experience how an ancient & sophisticated culture waves a reflective goodbye to the year that has been and welcomes in the new?
If you have nodded your head to any of the above then the Zenbu Nigeru (Escape it all) tour might just float your boat this December.
We’ll eat great food, wander through Kyoto’s stunning laneways, visit temples and gardens, meet interesting locals, pamper ourselves and no doubt have a few laughs. All the time the focus will be on YOU! Not the food shopping, the cleaning, the cooking, the drama, the clean up, the exhaustion. Gosh I sound like a seasonal Grinch… I’m not at all – I love the fuss and my family, but sometimes you just
need to break the usual patterns and let some new energy flow.
We’ll still have a wonderful, celebratory meal on the 25th for those who can’t stand the thought of not feasting on that particular day and there will be plenty of free time to do some excellent gift shopping (for yourself… or others) . You will experience a New Year’s eve unlike any other – a peaceful, appreciative ringing of the bells followed by Hatsumode (first shrine visit of the year) to collect your lucky talismans for the year of the Sheep!
IS THIS TOUR FOR YOU? Are you already plotting your escape from the hectic Christmas/ New Year period? Do you fancy an intimate peek into a fascinating culture’s traditions whilst peacefully and respectfully farewelling the year that was… and joyously welcoming in the new? Then what are you waiting for? Relaxation, reflection, great food and fun in Kyoto is at your fingertips!
An intimate peek into Kyoto's fascinating cultural traditions
whilst peacefully and respectfully farewelling the year. Hosted by
Japanese food culture expert Jane Lawson - author of 'Zenbu Zen -
Finding Food, Culture and Balance in Kyoto' published by Murdoch Books.
DAY 1 Sunday 21st December 2014The tour starts this evening with a welcome drink in
the bar of the stunning Hyatt Regency Hotel Kyoto
– our home away from home for the next 11 nights.
Afterwards we shall move into the hotel’s elegant Touzan Restaurant where we’ll observe an expert sushi chef prepare part of our first dinner together – a selection of local specialities.
DAY 2 Monday 22nd December 2014After a sumptuous buffet breakfast in The Grill overlooking a tranquil Japanese courtyard garden we’ll
head up town where I’ll walk and talk you through the
wonderful Nishiki-koji food market, known to the locals
as Kyoto daidokoro or Kyoto’s kitchen. Expect an eye
popping assortment of supremely fresh seafood, meats,
pickles, tofu, miso, Kyoto’s renowned vegetable varieties
and many other local delicacies. If beautiful hand-crafted
knives are your thing be sure to bring along some yen as
we will visit a store famous for knives, artisan cookware and utensils.
We’ll lunch on crisp, ethereal Tempura seafood
and seasonal Kyo-yasai (Kyoto vegetables) at a nearby
traditional inn.
After lunch you are free to rest or wander – or
choose to stay with me and visit a wonderful design store, traditional paper shop and an intoxicating incense emporium. We’ll have a little free time to explore the
surrounding shopping arcades before dinner.
DAY 3 Tuesday 23rd December 2014This morning we’ll be transported to the western edge of
Kyoto city for a morning stroll around scenic Arashiyama town area, including the bamboo forest, moon-crossing bridge and the villa of one of Japan’s famous B&W movie stars – set in sprawling gardens with an incredible bird’s
eye view over Kyoto. If there’s time we will continue
walking into the pretty Saga Toriimoto neighbourhood.
The morning’s exercise promises to help us work up
an appetite for leisurely lunching on some of Kyoto’s
most creative Kaiseki fare – bring a sense of curiosity
and an open mind for this stunning experience.
What’s left of the afternoon will be yours for resting
or exploring until Dinner.
DAY 4 Wednesday 24th December 2014Today we’ll visit a private home in a quiet suburb of
Kyoto’s outskirts for a relaxing cooking lesson followed
by a wholesome lunch and a chat about New Year in Japan – how it is celebrated (twice…), the rituals, the
atmosphere and the symbolism of Osechi Ryori (New
Year cuisine).
This evening we’ll enjoy a seasonally appropriate
Japanese Whiskey and Plum wine tasting before dinner.
DAY 5 Thursday 25th December 2014The morning is yours to do with as you wish…. That’s
right – you don’t have to lift a finger! Lay in and read
a book, be pampered in the hotel’s superb Riraku Spa or, if the spirit moves you, pop into the precious and
protective Sanjusangendo temple right next-door.
Tour itinerary
DAY 5 ContinuedHowever.… if you are feeling the slightest bit festive….
Rug up and join me for an early departure to the famous Kitano Tenmangu Temple Flea Market to rub shoulders
with the locals and search for antique treasures and trinkets…. We’ll also wander through Kamishichiken,
a small Geisha quarter before returning to the hotel
to deposit the gifts we have inevitably bought for
ourselves….
For lunch we shall elegantly feast and celebrate the
fact that the day is ours!
The afternoon is yours at leisure (by the way, the
shops are open because IT’S NOT CHRISTMAS HERE!! ) Dinner promises to include less than a hint of
leftover ham or turkey.
DAY 6 Friday 26th December 2014Enjoy most of the day at leisure giving you another
opportunity to pamper yourself in the hotel’s Riraku
Spa or continue discovering Kyoto’s personality. There
are more temples, shrines and gardens than you can
poke a stick at – but there are also plenty of photogenic laneways to explore with your camera. Why not slip
in to a gallery or museum, visit Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji (the Golden Pavillion) or simply relax in one of Kyoto’s
wonderful cafes.
We’ll meet up in the late afternoon as we make our
way to a teahouse where we’ll have the rare pleasure
of private meeting with a charming Maiko-san (trainee
Geisha) who will perform Nihon Buyoh (traditional
dance) and brief tea ceremony before chatting with us
about her intriguing way of life.
Dinner at a nearby restaurant will follow.
DAY 7 Saturday 27th December 2014After breakfast we’ll visit the stupendous Heian Shrine
and its stroll garden – so peaceful in the winter months.
We’ll take a short walk to the nearby Kyoto Handicraft centre – brimming with books, woodblock prints and
other traditional and modern Japanese crafts and Kyo-
centric souvenirs before heading to lunch at a charming Japanese/French restaurant (Did you know that Kyoto is
sister city to Paris?)
Afterwards you are free to roam – or… come along
with me as I visit one of my favourite gallery shops
showcasing local artists’ home-centric wares made
from ceramics, glass and metals then while away the
remainder of the day perusing the quaint local district,
known for its antiques and artisan wares.
Tonight we’ll visit the architecturally wondrous Kyoto station building before a casual dinner.
DAY 8 Sunday 28th December 2014We start the day with a short train ride to one of Japan’s
most important (and photogenic!) Shinto shrines –
Fushimi Inari Taisha. Thousands of vermillion Torii gates line the sacred forest path of Mount Inari. We’ll
visit alongside business owners who travel from all over
japan to pray to the gods for financial success in the
coming year. Feel free to hike up as high as you like or
gently walk with me to the heart of the shrine, make a wish for 2015 then return to Kyoto’s centre to peruse
the sprawling Daimaru Department store underground
food hall. Gaze into the cabinets that house jewel-
like Wagashi (traditional Japanese confectionary) and
lacquered senbei (rice crackers) and resist the urge to
purchase every beautifully packaged item in the store...
DAY 8 Continued Lunch is on your own today so if weather permits how
about a DIY picnic in the park? Sublime sushi, creative
salads, noodles, French cheeses or gourmet sandwiches?
Sake or wine? The choice is yours.
The afternoon is free – why not stroll the Path of Philosophy as you ponder life and the universe – or
spend a few hours trawling through one of Kyoto’s bookstores offering a wide selection of titles on
Japanese cuisine, culture, architecture, design and
curiosities! I challenge you not to leave with a bundle
of magazines clutched to your chest!
Tonight we dine on some of the best Yakitori (grilled chicken) offerings in Kyoto town.
DAY 9 Monday 29th December 2014After an early breakfast we will be joined by a local
guide for a walking tour of the Higashiyama (Eastern
Mountain) area. On route to one of Kyoto’s most popular
temples, Kiyomizu Dera, we shall walk through an
incredibly serene hill-side graveyard and be privileged
to witness locals performing ritual purification of their
loved ones’ resting places in time for the new year. A rare
and intimate sight.
Later we’ll stroll along cobblestoned lanes lined with
local ceramics, crafts and foodstuffs before continuing
onwards to Maruyama Park and Yasaka Shrine through
well-preserved traditional streets.
After lunching on Obanzai (Kyoto home-style
dishes) we will we will step back in time with a stroll
through Gion – Kyoto’s most famous Geisha quarter. Perhaps we’ll stop somewhere lovely for a drink
before our Tonkatsu dinner featuring Kyoto’s sweet pork!
DAY 10 Tuesday 30th December 2014Another full day of leisure for you to enjoy as you
wish. Further pampering in the spa perhaps? Shiatsu, Acupuncture? You might feel inspired to take a short trip
to Uji, famous for the Byodoin Temple area and green
tea – if its green tea sweets, soba or ice cream you are
hankering for – you are guaranteed to find it here! A little
further afield is the ancient town of Nara (Japan’s capital
before Kyoto and then Tokyo) – either hop on the train
or join a guided tour for an amazing history lesson and a
chance to frolic with free roaming sacred deer!
Just be back in time for tonight’s saunter down the
atmospheric, lantern-lit alleyway of Pontocho on route
to a delicious Wagyu dinner – with any luck we might
just spot some Geiko and Maiko (Geisha and trainee
geisha) on route to their appointments.
DAY 11 Wednesday 31st December 2014This morning we’ll visit a wonderful museum, once
the breathtaking home and studio of a famous Kyoto ceramic artist before taking one last wander through the
ancient laneways of Kyoto, absorbing her energy at this
special time and being inspired by this historical town.
After lunch the afternoon is yours and I suggest
adding a ‘nana nap’ to your agenda as we will be up
late tonight! Perhaps relax in a quiet garden writing
your New Year Resolutions, or indulgently pamper
yourself (aka purification…. so it is all very appropriate
and necessary of course!) Take your time processing,
reflecting and freeing yourself from the stresses or the
curiosities of the year that has been – ready to gracefully
enter 2015.
We shall enjoy a farewell dinner together before
making our way to a beautiful, bonfire-lit Buddhist temple for Joya-no-kane or the ringing of the bell.
DAY 11 Continued 108 chimes will sing out through Kyoto town
accompanied by the grounding, hypnotic chanting of monks who assist in banishing our earthly desires and
purifying our hearts and minds for the coming year...
It is a truly awe-inspiring local experience.
After midnight we are free to make our first shrine
visit of the year – known as Hatsumode. Sample warm
amazake (sweet, thick sake) and purchase your lucky
charms for peace and prosperity in the year of the
Sheep! Oh goody, the sheep year promises a more
relaxed pace than this of the cantering horse!
DAY 12 Thursday 01st January 2015Happy New Year!It’s time to say Sayonara and send you on your way
into 2015! The rest of the day is yours for last minute
shopping, a bowl of Ozoni (New Year’s soup) or, if you
flaked early last night, make sure you take your first
shrine visit of the year before your departure from this
incredible city.
Sayonara
Tour price$9,400 Aus / PER PERSON
$9,000 Aus / PER PERSON / TWIN SHARE
WHAT IS INCLUDED This tour is guided by Jane Lawson. Prices relate to land cost only and is inclusive of the following:
• 11 night’s luxury accommodation at the Kyoto
Hyatt Regency Hotel including tax
• Taxi or private bus travel between destinations
included in the itinerary. Travel during leisure time is
at your own cost.
• Voucher to Riraku Spa in the Hyatt Regency Hotel
• A welcome drink
• 11 gourmet buffet breakfasts
• 11 dinners featuring a variety of Japanese dishes
• 7 lunches featuring a variety of Japanese dishes
• Walk and talk tour of Nishiki market and Daimaru
food hall
• Visit to Kitano Tenmangu Flea market and walk
through Kamishikien Geisha quarter
• Sushi and sashimi demonstration
• A train trip Fushimi Inari shrine and walk under the
vermillion gates
• Tour with additional local guide through historically
significant Higashiyama area and Gion
• A chat with Maiko including tea ceremony and
traditional dance demonstration with matcha and
Wagashi (whisked green tea and traditional sweet)
• A walk around Arashiyama area, the bamboo forest
and Movie Star Villa/Garden
• A visit to the the Heian Shrine and nearby Kyoto
Handicraft center
• A stroll around the antiques district and a visit to
several of Jane’s favourite design and craft stores
• Full day tour to a small village in the Japanese
countryside
• View the architecturally stunning Kyoto station
building
• Experience the unique traditions and rituals of
Japanese New Year’s Eve
• All temple and garden entry fees as per itinerary
• Japanese Whiskey and Plum wine tasting
• A signed copy of Jane’s book Zenbu Zen – Finding Food, Culture and Balance in Kyoto on full payment
• Insider knowledge and a peek inside Jane’s head and
heart and why she loves Kyoto so!
Plus a few surprises along the way
Jane is working together with the lovely Daisuke-san
from Pitt Travel in Sydney who will handle your
booking. He is also able to assist you with flights,
transfers and travel insurance.
CONTACT Daisuke’s email is: pitt@pitt-travel.com.auHis phone number is +61 2 9267 0010
Jane’s email is janelawsonfood@bigpond.com.au
• Bookings are not confirmed until a 25% deposit
has been made.
• Full payment is required by Monday 22nd
September 2014.
• Members of the Zenbu Nigeru group will receive a
detailed itinerary closer to departure time.
• Between payment and departure Jane will also send
members some helpful information about local
customs, what to expect weather wise and
similar topics.
• Further details and orientation will be shared by
Jane during the welcome drinks and dinner on the
first night.
• While we will do our very best to stick to the itinerary
as published – there may be some shuffling around
until we have all restaurant booking requests
confirmed so we ask for your understanding.
MORE IMPORTANT STUFFThis tour requires a minimum of 6 people to run and
will we take a maximum of 8.
• We reserve the right to cancel the tour if the
minimum number of registrants is not met. However,
we will not cancel a tour less than 60 days before
departure unless unforseen disaster occurs!
• All activities experienced in your leisure time
including transport will be at your own expense.
• All alcoholic beverages except those mentioned
within the itinerary will be at your own expense.
Unless I’m drunk and feeling generous…
All tour participants must provide proof of a valid
passport & travel insurance
All tour participants should feel comfortable with long
days and lots of walking - including stairs/inclines and
uneven surfaces at times
All participants are advised to bring along relevant
Doctor’s prescriptions if carrying strong /important
medication
Please note: Sadly we cannot recommend this tour to
those people with dining restrictions and sensitivities.
This tour has been designed for those wishing to
experience a wide variety of authentic foodstuffs.
Important Booking Information
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