Day 1: Nagoya (7/15)
For the first day, I wanted to keep things within the city of Nagoya, and visit some of the highlights there, while also not putting too much into the itinerary. Aichi Prefecture is the home of Toyota. When I spoke to Daniel on the phone, he mentioned wanting and experience that is technology/engineering-based, and so I thought that this could be a good experience. Nagoya Castle is also a must-visit historical spot, and so I think that these two main activities would be good for this day.
Activities (all guided):
- Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
- Nagoya Castle visit
- Japanese indigo shirt dyeing experience (time permitting)
Planner's Notes: The group will be accompanied by a guide on this day.
Day 2: Takayama day trip (7/16)
Takayama is a large city not too far from Shirakawago. It's old town is extremely well-preserved, and it's also the location for one of Japan's top 3 festivals, the Takayama Matsuri, which has been dedicated as a UNESCO World Heritage Intangible Asset. It's a fantastic stop to experience a city which still retains so much of its past in a stunning rural setting. The festival only happens twice a year, however Yatai Exhibit area is dedicated to giving visitors a taste of what the festival is like, year-round.
Hiida no Sato is a village that has preserved the old Japanese style of architecture called “gasshozukuri”, so visiting the village and seeing the old thatch-roof houses feels a bit like stepping back in time. There are areas throughout the village where students can try out traditional activities, instruments and workshops. Visiting the "Old Town" district and Takayama Shrine will also be a great way to experience Edo-era Japan on this day as well.
Activities (all with a guide):
- Takayama old town district
- Takayama Matsuri yatai exhibit
- Hiida no Mori (tentative addition - pending Day 6 feedback)
- Takayama Shrine
Planner's Notes: Transportation to Takayama on this day will be done via a high-speed train
Day 3: Osaka day trip (7/17)
*This day was previously a trip to Kanazawa.*
Today will be dedicated to seeing some more modern sites in Osaka. Please see the activities list below for the day's itinerary.
Activities (all guided):
- Umeda Sky Building visit
- Osaka Museum of House and Living
- Kuromon Market (lunch area - meals not included)
- Dotonbori Canal Cruise
Planner's Notes: Travel on this day would be done via a high-speed train. Previous days itinerary can be seen here:
Today you'll head to Kanazawa which has extremely well preserved elements of the Edo period. Your first stop is Kenrokuen, a huge and extremely well-maintained garden right in the middle of the town and one of the three finest landscape gardens in Japan. This charming park is home to one of Japan's oldest fountains and is a magnificent place to visit in all seasons. Next door you’ll also find the impressive Kanazawa Castle which in the past was an important seat of power for the Maeda clan. The display of wealth from this region continues with the visit to Seisonkaku Villa.
Your final stop is the samurai district which will take you back in time to the Edo period when this city rivaled Tokyo and Kyoto in its cultural achievements! You’ll visit one of the city’s most well preserved samurai homes where you’ll get a glimpse into the lifestyle that these historic warriors enjoyed.
Day 4: Kyoto (7/18)
Nara is one of Japan's ancient capitals, and a great place to visit to appreciate the country's tradition and history. The temple grounds of Todaiji will be your first stop. It is home to the largest bronze statue of Buddha in the world, and home to many deer which roam the temple grounds freely.
It's then on to Osaka. The city's nickname is Japan's kitchen and I think it definitely earns it. The Dotonbori area has restaurants everywhere, and it is also one of the best places to see Osaka come alive at night. There would be time between Nara and Osaka to allow your students to have free time to eat lunch in the area before heading to the Botanical Gardens.
We'd finish up the day with a visit to the botanical garden here in Osaka that has been blended with a futuristic art exhibition. It's extremely difficult to describe and so I will link a video below:
Activities (all guided):
- Todaiji temple
- Nara Park
- Botanical Gardens Teamlab exhibit
Planner's Notes: An alternative for today would be to spend the entire day at Universal Studios Japan. The total additional cost per person would be $20.
Day 5: Tokyo (7/19)
After traveling to Tokyo via bullet train, we'll begin at Odaiba. This is a large man-made island in the center of Tokyo Bay. It houses all of Japan's concept technology, and high tech gadgetry. Even the train there is a technological feat as it is one of the only unmanned, fully-automated monorail systems in the country. Today is all about immersing in Japan's high-tech side. MIRAIKAN is the unofficial name for the exhibition hall/high-tech learning center that I've planned for this day, and the name roughly translates to the "house of the future". It houses tons of concept technology, and there are lots of hands on activities for people to explore on their own. The full name of Miraikan is the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation. There are many places in Odaiba that house all sorts of high-tech gadgetry. In fact, Japan's IREX conference is held here.
It's then on to the TeamLab Planets exhibit (which really doesn't actually have much to do with with solar system at all). I've included a picture in the gallery to give you an idea of what it's like. It's an amazing digital immersive experience that is the highlight of many trips. I personally prefer the Planets experience over the Borderless one. It includes more tactile experiences and the room that 'spins' still feels like sorcery.
Activities (all guided):
- MIRAIKAN visit
- TeamLab Planets exhibit hall
- Optional visit to Tokyo Tower
Planner's Notes: Travel from Nagoya should be done early in the morning to make the most of this day. I wanted to plan this day as a semi-free day for the students, so there are only two main activities included.
Day 6: Mt Fuji (7/20)
No visit is complete without seeing Mt Fuji, and the Godaiko lakes are one of the best places to get a glimpse of the iconic volcano. The Chureito Pagoda in this area is the most famous spot to get a glimpse of Mt. Fuji over the lakes.
Keeping with the technological theme, the Yamanashi Prefectural Maglev Exhibition Center is an excellent place to appreciate Japan's advances in science, and progress with their Maglev train, which should be ready by 2027. Here you can get a taste of exactly what 603km/hour feels like.
If there's time, a visit to the traditional village of Iyashi no Sato will allow everyone to appreciate Mt Fuji from a far, and also try out a few Japanese crafts.
Activities (all guided):
- Chureito Pagoda (time permitting)
- Yamanashi Prefectural Maglev Exhibition Center
- Iyashi no Sato (tentative addition pending feedback)
Planner's Notes: Alternatively, we could plan for everyone to spend the entire day at DisneyLand or DisneySea on this day. The additional cost would be $15 per person in total.
Day 7: Tokyo (7/21)
In order to allow the students to have more free time in Tokyo before departing, there are only two activities we would like to arrange for today. The first would be a visit to Tokyo Skytree. Tokyo is massive. It really is something that needs to be seen from high up to truly appreciate, and also a great way to orientate you to your surroundings. At 634m Skytree allows you to truly take in the scale of the world's largest city.
Next stop would be Asakusa's Sensouji Temple. Sensouji is a temple, but on the temple grounds there is a shrine. As you will no doubt be seeing and exploring many spiritual places as you travel, Sensouji is the perfect place to learn about the difference between Buddhist temples, and Shinto shrines. The Nakamise walkway leading up to the temple is also lined with stalls where guests can shop for traditional souvenirs and enjoy local snacks.
Activities:
- Tokyo Skytree
- Sensouji temple and shrine
- Nakamise shopping district
Planner's Notes: All of the activities are very close to one another, and the hotel that we currently have selected is also in this area. Thus the activities wouldn't take up much time at all, and we could possibly finish this day around early afternoon, and then set the students free to complete any independent activities that they were hoping to do while in Tokyo.
Day 8: Tokyo (7/22)
No activities planned for this day.
Activities (all guided):
- Train to the airport
Planner's Notes: We could plan some additional activities on this day depending on the group's departure time, and which airport you are departing from.
