Optional Tours
Japan is a delightful country for
touring. You can explore cities on your own, with a phrase book in
hand, and you will find English speakers everywhere. For those
wishing to see as much as possible and have English-speaking
guides, there is a well developed infrastructure of organized "seat
in coach" tours which operate on a daily basis. These can be
arranged in advance or after arrival, and will pick up and drop off
from the Keio Plaza in Tokyo. Our local guide can assist you with
these arrangements. (A curious but efficient business arrangement:
the daily tours are operated on a cooperative basis, with multiple
major travel companies in Japan consolidating their customers on
the same tours.) If you prefer to organize a private tour with
guide, we are also able to provide these services. Costs for
individualized tours are significantly higher.
The following are some of the tours
that are operated daily, with current costs. Please
note that cost is subject to change depending on the exchange
rate. All tours are non-refundable after
February 17th.
Osaka Full Day Walking Tour: Sunday,
March 11th, 9:00am - 4:00pm
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Cost: $175.00 per person
includes lunch
The group will travel by bus to the
Aerial Garden Obervatory. It is on the 40th floor of the
building and will allow you to enjoy a full view of the city of
Osaka. After lunch, you will visit the Osaka Castle which is
noted for its magnificence and immense stones used in its
construction. Walk through the newly renovated castle while
learning from the exhibit detailing life in old Osaka. From
there, you will walk to the nearby river boat dock to board the
Aqua Liner. You will enjoy a 60-minute boat ride passing
views of Osaka Castle, Twin Towers, City Hall on Nakanoshima
Isle. Tour will disband at the Osaka Station between 4:00 -
4:30pm
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Please note, the following
tours are schedule on the same day so you can only sign up
on one tour.
Mt Fuji & Hakone Full Day Tour:
Saturday, March 17th, 2012, 9:00am - 8:00pm
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Cost: $230.00 per person includes lunch and will return to
city by bullet train
A well-organized tour which gives
you a peek at Mt. Fuji and the lovely Lake Hakone area. You will
begin with a motorcoach ride on the Tomei Expressway to Mt. Fuji.
Visits Mt. Fuji Visitor Center where nature, culture and artworks
are on display, a drive halfway up to Mt. Fuji to the Fifth Station
(altitude 2,305 m) enjoying the natural scenery en route, enjoy a
Japanese style lunch. A delightful cruise on Lake Ashi aboard a
large sightseeing boat, ride an aerial cable way up and down Mt.
Komagatake for a sweeping view of Hakone National Park, then return
to Tokyo aboard the world famous bullet train, Shinkansen. Tour
ends at Tokyo station.
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Nikko & Kegon Waterfall World
Heritage Full Day Tour: Saturday, March 17th, 8:00 am - 8:00
pm
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Cost: $200.00 per person includes lunch and will return to
city by motorcoach
The tour's highlight is the world
famous Toshogu Shrine, the mausoleum of the first Tokugawa Shogun
which features the gorgeous complex of colorful structures and
superb craftsmanship of Japan's 17th century artisans then enjoy a
Japanese style lunch at a local restaurant. It will be followed by
a delightful motorcoach drive up a zigzag driveway with 20 hairpin
curves, Irohazaka then to Lake Chuzenji at the foot of Mt. Nantai
which is known for an extraordinary depth, the deepest point
measuring 161.5 meters. Also includes visit to Kegon Waterfall,
about 100 m. (351 ft) in height, the waterfall is one of Japan's
three finest waterfalls. Drive to Irohazaka zigzag driveway down
the mountains with 28 hairpin curves, routes for driving up and
down are different and ends in Ginza and Shinjuku.
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To join us on this tour, please proceed to the Optional Tour Form and
send it to us. Payment is due on or before February
13th and is non-refundable
after February 17th.
IMPORTANT NOTE: We are now (as of February 2nd, 2012)
accepting applications for the Hakkaisan Brewery and Hot Springs
Tour.
Special Overnight Visit to Hakkaisan
Brewery and Hot Springs Tour: Friday, March 16th, approx
$550.00
This overnight visit to Niigata
has been made possible through the special arrangements by
Professor Hamao and the kindness of his good friend, Hakkaisan's
President, Jiro Nagumo. As a special courtesy, Hakkaisan will
open the facility especially for us on this weekend. It will be an
opportunity to experience Japan's culture and hospitality from a
rare perspective, one traditionally reserved for VIPs.
In the heart of rural Niigata
Prefecture, amidst the rich Koshihikari rice fields,
is found one of the finest Sake breweries in Japan,
Hakkaisan. Their highly refined and limited production
combines traditional methods of sake making by hand with careful
modern laboratory controls, consistently delivering quality at the
highest level. Often difficult to obtain, bottles of
Hakkaisan sake consistently command a large premium
(usually 30% to 50% in stores in Tokyo).
On Friday afternoon we travel north
to Urasa, Niigata, a journey of over 200 kilometers from
Tokyo, via the Jo-Etsu Shinkansen. It will take us about 2
hours. Upon our arrival into Urasa, we will be met by our hosts and
taken by company bus to Mr. Nagumo's house where we will be treated
with a dinner party (including sake and beer tasting, of course).
The dinner (mostly vegetarian, traditional in Niigata region) will
be prepared by Mrs. Nagumo (Mr. Jiro Nagumo's mother), who is
Chairperson of the company. We will then stay at a local hotel with
Japanese tatami rooms. The hotel has large Onsen
(hot spring) baths for you to relax. Rich in minerals, this hot
spring water makes your skin smooth and you will also feel warm for
a prolonged period of time. After one night's rest, we enjoy a
traditional Japanese breakfast. We will then visit the factory,
where we will be greeted by a sake master and learn about the sake
producing process. We will also have an opportunity to purchase
some bottles at factory prices.
We are also planning a guided tour
of a very old local temple and an art museum. After a nice
soba lunch at a local restaurant (also run by Hakkaisan),
we will return to Tokyo by train on Saturday afternoon, where we
spend the rest of the weekend at the Keio Plaza.
Some YouTube videos: Hakkaisan
Bullet Train Schedule:
subject to change
| Friday, March 16th |
Shinkansen Toki 329
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LV: Tokyo Station @ 3:12pm
AR: Urasa @ 4:35pm
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| Saturday, March 17th |
Shinkansen Max Toki 330
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LV: Urasa @ 3:30pm
AR: Tokyo Station @ 5:00pm
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Cost: About $550.00
Size of the group:
From 5 to 18 people. In the hotel, two - five people (on the
same gender) will share traditional tatami rooms.
You will not get a refund on the night you do not stay at the Tokyo
hotel. We will be able to do this only of we
have more than 5 people signing up by February
20th.
To join us on this tour, please proceed to the Hakkaisan
Optional Tour Form and send it to us. Payment is due on or
before February 20th and is
non-refundable after February
20th.
Japan Rail Passes
Japan Rail Passes are available in advance through Crown
International. The costs are:
| Japan Rail Pass |
Ordinary (coach class) |
Green (first class) |
| 7 - day period |
$367.00
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$490.00
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| 14 - day period |
$585.00
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$794.00
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- Prices are subject to change without notice
- Price is based on the currect exchange rate (Japanese Yen)
- Price does not include shipping fees
- 21 - day passes are also available at additional cost
About the Rail pass. These are
great values, as they are good for unlimited travel on the Japan
Rail group lines for 7 days from the first day of use and include
bullet trains, as well as the New Narita Express. The Japan Rail
pass is not valid for "NOZOMI" Shinkansen trains. If you use
"NOZOMI", you must pay the ordinary fare and the limited express
charge and if in a Green car (first class), the Green car charge.
Passengers using trains or non-JR lines must pay respective fares
and charges applicable to the sections traveled on such lines. You
will receive a rail pass Voucher prior to departure and this
voucher, once validated on board your first train, can be used for
unlimited travel for the period specified. There are no special
amenities available in First class seating, but it's more
comfortable than Coach class.
Payment is by credit card or check.
Prices are based on fixed yen price and fluctuate according to the
current exchange rate. Additional mailing fees may
apply. Please note that Japan Rail Passes may only
be purchased in the US.
The deadline to purchase the rail
passes is Monday, February 27th,
2012. Please contact our office for more
information.
Contact Information: