GALÁPAGOS

JAPANGardens, Gastronomy, & TraditionLed by Daniel HinkleyApril 18-28, 2015

Known for its lavish gardens and rich culture dating centuries back, Japan is the ultimate Asian destination. While traveling through some of Japan’s major cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, you will discover numerous opportunities to taste authentic Japanese dishes and learn more about Japanese traditions. You can even experience first-hand how the Japanese have lived for centuries by staying at a traditional Japanese ryoto. Join Dan Hinkley on this spectacular adventure exploring the history of one of the most influential countries in Asia.

• Visit the Spring Peony festival at Ueno Toshogu.

• Experience the Tokyo Wholesale Flower Market at Ota.

• Taste various Japanese cuisines, including Fukagawameshi and a sushi breakfast.

• Experience traditional Japanese accommodations at a ryokan with onsen thermal hot spring baths.

• Take a walk through the garden of Konchi-in, a sub temple of Nanzen-ji.

• Dive into Japan’s Shinto roots at the Heian-jingu Shrine to discover how Kyoto used to look in its earliest days.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

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JAPAN

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plus a large stone boat floating on the ocean. Behind the hill that sets off the islands is a garden to walk through. Return to check in and have time to explore the famous garden and walkways of the Westin Miyako Hotel. In the late afternoon take a short walking tour of the Gion district of Kyoto. A show of Kyoto traditional performing arts is followed by dinner in a discreet restaurant in the Pontocho area. Overnight at Westin Miyako Hotel. (BLD)

APRIL 25 - KYOTOStart the day at the gardens of Heian jingu Shrine to delve into Japan’s Shinto roots and gain an idea of how Kyoto used to look. A nearby museum is the setting for an entertaining introduction to the many crafts of the city. Transfer to Ginkaku ji, better known as the Silver Pavilion temple. Built beginning in 1482 by the aesthetic exemplar of the 15th century, shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa, Ginkaku ji (or more properly Jisho ji) was a center of the Zen arts including tea ceremony, art collecting and gardening. The garden is a massive strolling graden with the lower part nestled around the buildings of Yoshimasa’s retirement home and a pond inspired by the pond at Saiho ji. Break for lunch at O-men, a famous Kyoto noodle restaurant, followed by a transfer to the Kyoto Prefectural Botanical Gardens. With more than 120,000 plants representing 12,000 species, the garden is divided into a number of distinct areas, and the guided tour can be tailored according to the desires of the group. Return to your hotel in the evening before dinner at a local restaurant Overnight at Westin Miyako Hotel. (BLD)

APRIL 26 - KYOTO Today starts at Nijo-jo castle, where you will see the magnificent audience halls built for the Tokugawa Shoguns, the rulers of Japan in the Edo Period. Transfer to Rokuon-ji temple by taxi and be introduced to Kitayama (North Mountain) Culture in the environs of Kinkaku, the Golden Pavilion. The Pavilion, coated in gold leaf and reflected in a lake, is probably Japan’s most recognizable icon. Walk to nearby Daitoku-ji temple and lunch within the temple at a restaurant specializing in shojin ryori, delicious vegetarian temple cuisine. After lunch, learn about the temple’s greatest resident, the tea master Sen-no Rikyu, then take a sstroll to a tea house and meet a tea master. Enjoy an introduction to chado, a wonderful and little understood art that is firmly at the center of Japanese culture. Misleadingly translated as the tea ceremony, chado is quite simply the making of a bowl of tea into which the host invests all his or her energy and thought for the enjoyment of their guests. Dinner is not included today, but your guide will be available to make suggestions. Overnight at Westin Miyako Hotel. (BL)

APRIL 27 - KYOTO Take a day trip to Kanazawa and possibly the finest strolling garden in Japan, Kenroku-en. In the Edo Period, Kanazawa flourished economically and culturally under the powerful and wealthy Kaga Clan. Spend an hour walking through the old streets of Kanazawa, including visits to the atmospheric samurai and courtesan’s districts, before arriving at Kanazawa’s best Japanese Inn. The welcoming owners will provide a feast of kaiseki ryori, a formal, multi course meal, in rooms overlooking the Sai gawa river or charming Japanese gardens. Transferring to Kenroku en, your guide this afternoon will be Professor Furuike, the head of the Ishikawa Prefectural Nature Centre. The Kenrokuen Gardens not only attest to the power of the Clan’s wealth and evoke their grand lifestyle, they are also serviced by some of the most dedicated gardeners in Japan, and Professor Furuike will provide insight into the techniques utilized to maintain this national treasure. Return to Kyoto. Celebrate your journey and review the highlights of the trip during dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at Westin Miyako Hotel. (BLD)

APRIL 28 - DEPARTURE Transfer to Kansai International Airport and return to the U.S. (B)

ITINERARY

APRIL 18 - EN ROUTEDepart the United States for your flight(s) to Tokyo.

APRIL 19 - TOKYOUpon arrival at the Narita Airport, after clearing customs and collecting your luggage, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. This evening gather at the hotel’s restaurant for a welcome dinner. Overnight at Sheraton Miyako Hotel. (D)

APRIL 20 - TOKYOThis morning transfer to the train station for a ride to the charming old neighborhood of Yanaka. Little remains in Tokyo of the life of the people from the Edo period through to the mid 20th century. However, Yanaka’s winding streets, temple gardens, and intimate feel provides the closest approximation to how life once was. Continue to Ueno Park to visit the Spring Peony festival at Ueno Toshogu. Three thousand tree peonies, comprised of 70 different varieties, occupy a quiet area of the park. Take a break to enjoy them before continuing to Fukagawa, an old eastern suburb of Edo aside the great Sumidagawa River. Upon arrival in Fukagawa, have your first try of the distinctive foods featured in your tour. Fukagawameshi is a local favorite of shelled clams and leeks on rice, originally intended to sustain the laborers that populated this area. Next take a guided visit to the small but excellent local museum that depicts the Edo townspeople and their life. A short walk from here brings you to the Kiyosumi Teien Japanese garden, one of the best examples remaining in Tokyo. A volunteer from the Tokyo Metropolitan Parks Association will explain the history of the garden and point out seasonal blooms. Return to your hotel before dinner at a lively izakaya restaurant. Overnight at Sheraton Miyako Hotel. (BLD)

APRIL 21 - TOKYOBegin early with a morning of markets, starting with the Tokyo Wholesale Flower Market at Ota. The market handles about 35% of Japan’s flower trade, as well as a substantial proportion of fruit, vegetables, and marine products. The adventurous can enjoy a sushi breakfast at your next destination, the outer market at Tsukiji, before the full market opens to the public at 9:00 am. Guided tours are not permitted here, but you are welcome to explore independently. Continue to Asakusa, considered the home of the Edo ko, or the original townspeople of Edo/Tokyo. The area is famous for its Senso ji temple but you will have time to explore the surrounding streets and get a sense of the local culture. Lunch is another local specialty, a hearty savory pancake, which you will make yourselves with help from restaurant staff. Continue to Mukojima Hyakka en. Established in the 19th Century by a wealthy dealer in antiques, the garden originally featured Japanese plum trees, but was later supplemented with collections of flora mentioned in ancient Japanese and Chinese poetry. A guide from the Parks Association will guide you through the flowers. Your visit coincides with the Kameido Tenjin Shrine Wisteria festival, and whether fully in bloom or not, the flowering trellises make for an extraordinary spectacle and a fitting end to the day. Return to your hotel. Dinner is on your own. Overnight at Sheraton Miyako Hotel. (BL)

APRIL 22 - ITO Transfer to Kamakura, the first Samurai capital of Japan founded by the Minamoto Clan. Luggage will be sent on ahead and will waiting for you upon your arrival in Ito. After visiting a temple in Kita Kamakura, travel to Kamakura itself. The most enjoyable way to reach the famous Great Buddha (Daibutsu) is to take a leisurely hike through the wooded hills from Kita Kamakura train station, visiting Zenirai Benten, a shrine dedicated to the goddess of fortune, along the way. Here, washing your money at the spring is supposed to guarantee a 100% return on the clean Yen notes and coins. Following lunch at a local restaurant, view the Daibutsu, one of Japan’s most famous Buddha statues and spend some time soaking up the serene atmosphere. You will then visit Hase dera, a famous Zen temple, and take a short ride on the narrow gauge Enoden Railway through Kamakura’s suburbs and along the coast. Transfer to a regular train to Ito and your accommodation at a traditional Japanese ryokan, with onsen thermal hot spring baths. Upon arrival, you can take time to learn the vital dos and don’ts of living in the traditional Japanese style. Where do we take off our shoes? Where are the beds, and how do we use the hot spring baths? Dinner will be a gourmet delight and kaiseki feast of local, seasonal produce. Overnight at Seizan Yamato. (BLD)

APRIL 23 - ITOThe focus of the day will be a hike with picnic lunch along the beautiful Jogasaki Kaigan coastal area. Expect to see plenty of spring greenery and unusual rock formations. The coastal flora of the Jogasaki Kaigan is particularly interesting, and subject to availability, a local specialist will join you to point out some of the rarer plants. Return to the hotel. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. Dinner at your ryokan. Overnight at Seizan Yamato. (BLD)

APRIL 24 - KYOTOThis morning transfer to Kyoto via the Shinkansen bullet train. Lunch is a bento box on the train. Deposit your luggage at the hotel, then take a short walk to the garden of Konchi-in, a sub temple of Nanzen-ji. The garden viewed from in front of the main hall includes an expanse of pebble ocean as well as large turtle and crane islands

PROGRAM PRICING$8,930 (based on 14 participants)International airfare not included. Single supplement: $1,475

Cost is based on double occupancy; a single room is offered at additional costs. Program may incur unforeseen fuel surcharges. Gratuities are not included because they are not expected or solicited in Japan. A $200 per person deposit and enrollment form is required to hold your space on the trip. To guarantee the program, deposits should be received no later than December 19, 2014. Deposit is refundable until January 13, 2015 excluding a non-refundable $100 cancellation fee. Cancellations after this date will result in loss of full deposit. Final payments are due no later than January 13, 2015. Travel/trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended. For more information call Travel Insured at 800-243-3174 or visit www.travelinsured.com. Holbrook Travel’s agency number is 15849.

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