Daily Itinerary for November 2009 Tour to Japan
Monday, November 2, Day of Flight
Ready, set, go! A recent surprise cancellation of our booked flights from SFO, has most of the group leaving on November 2, for two "pre-tour" days in Kyoto. Assuming no further changes in our flight, we're leaving from San Francisco airport, on an overnight flight heading to Osaka's Kansai airport.
Tuesday, November 3, Day of Arrival
We arrive at Kansai airport in Osaka, clear customs and take an airport limousine bus to our hotel in Kyoto. Hurray, we are here and ready for our adventure, exploring both the old and new during our visit to Japan. There is an additional cost for our two extra hotel nights and breakfasts. The cost of activities and transportation for November 3rd and November 4th are not part of the tour price and are left to the charge of each participant.
Wednesday, November 4 & Thursday, November 5, , Pre Tour Days 1 & 2
At this moment we have not settled on specific visits for these two pre-tour days.
Friday, November 6, Day 3
Our days in Kyoto will be full of activities with our Japanese guide Kanae. At the top of the list is a visit to Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion), the beautifully situated Zen temple, and the
nearby Ryoanji Temple, with it's famous rock garden and 1000 year old pond. In the afternoon we'll visit Orinasukan, a museum of hand made fabrics, and Aizen-Kobo, where for
three generations, indigo-dyeing has taken place using natural products. Here we'll see midnight blue items from clothing to tapestries. Lastly we stop at the Nishijin Textile
Center, which displays woven textiles.
Saturday, November 7, Day 4
Our schedule today includes a visit to Nijo Castle, another World Heritage site, completed in 1603. It survives in its original form and is famous for its architecture, decorated sliding doors and floors that squeak like nightingales when someone walks on them. We continue to the Kyoto Shibori Museum and then to Kodai Yuzen-en and Gallery, where we see a display of beautiful old stencil-dyed kimonos and fabrics.
Sunday, November 8, Day 5
With Kanae's help we've planned another wonderful day, beginning with a visit to Kiyomizudera (Pure Water Temple), famous for its wooden terrace. Kanae will take us on a stroll of
the area, and as we wander and browse, we'll find shops specializing in fans, confectionery, tea, Japanese painting supplies, woodblock prints and handmade paper. Lastly we wend our way to
potter Kawai Kanjiro's House and Museum.
Monday, November 9, Day 6
It's goodbye to Kyoto. This morning we board the Japan Rail Shinkansen train from Kyoto to Nagoya. We transfer and continue to Takayama near the north Japan Alps. We have time
this afternoon to explore the town and to enjoy relaxing at our wonderful hotel.
Tuesday, November 10, Day 7
Takayama is famous for its well-preserved quarter and Edo-style streets. As a group we will visit the morning market and a sashiko shop. The remainder of the time is yours to
enjoy at your leisure. Important crafts in Takayama include lacquer ware, pottery and wood carving. Not to be missed is the pretty section of Takayama's old city, called Sanmachi.
Here three narrow lanes are packed with wooden buildings housing sake breweries,
little boutiques and old merchant houses now open as museums.
Wednesday, November 11, Day 8
Today we leave Takayama on the JP Express train. We transfer at Nagoya and continue to Tokyo arriving in the middle of the afternoon. Time permitting we plan to explore the area near our
hotel.
Thursday, November 12, Day 9
Tokyo - the BIG and BUSY city! Today we visit some of the tourist landmarks. High on our list is the Imperial Palace, the Edo-Tokyo Museum, dedicated to the preservation of Edo-Tokyo
heritage and in the Asakusa area, the Sensoji Temple, a popular Buddhist temple, originally built in the 7th century, and the Asakusa Shrine. Today we'll see postwar reconstructions. The temple is approached
via a shopping street, which for centuries, has been providing tourists with local snacks and souvenirs. We'll find ourselves wide-eyed in this world.
Friday, November 13, Day 10
The day has come! The International Yokohama Quilt Week is open for visitors. We'll head by train to Yokohama and enjoy the whole day seeing quilts and browsing over
200 vendors' stands. Be prepared to be "wowed" by the beauty, innovation and intricacy of Japanese quiltmaking. Twenty-five or more special exhibits were included in the 2008
exhibition. We'll be on quilt-overload by the end of the day.
Saturday, November 14, Day 11
We have a coach excursion out of town today to the Itchiku Kubota Art Museum, where we will see a collection of stunning kimono, displayed in a breathtakingly beautiful
architectural setting. The elaborately handcrafted, large-scale landscape kimono are the work of artist Itchiku Kubota (1917-2003), who devoted his life to making
these lovely textile works of art. His family carries on the tradition. We plan to return in time to visit Amy Katoh's Blue and White Shop.
Sunday, November 15, Day 12
For a complete change of pace, today we'll have fun at a Sunday flea market. This is the place to search for special treasures to take home - an antique kimono perhaps?
We've left Sunday afternoon without an activity for the moment. There are so many things to do. We may have a proposal for you later on or decide to break into smaller groups or
you may prefer to explore on your own.
Monday, November 16, Day 13
On our last day in Tokyo we have an appointment to meet quiltmaker Miwako Kimura. She has graciously invited us to her family's indigo dye factory to meet her and some of her students.
Miwako brings the life and
color of Japanese culture to her quiltmaking. She is the director of the Hanatsunagi-kai Quilt Club in Japan. We end the afternoon with a visit to
the Akie Ginza Sashiko Museum on the outskirts of Tokyo.
Tuesday, November 17, Day 14
Our wonderful tour has come to an end and it's time to pack your memories and souvenirs and head for home.