Model Courses

In this tour, start from Osaka and visit Japan’s most ancient cities - Kyoto and Nara. You will have a taste of the real culture and history. In Shiga, visit the Miho museum designed by the architect I. M. Pei, which is uniquely built in the middle of a deep mountain with 80% of the structure standing beneath the earth. In the middle of the tour, you will have a great experience of Eiheiji, the head temple of the Soto Sect of Zen Buddhism’s temple – staying at the temple over night and follow the monks’ daily routine. After Eiheiji in Fukui, stay with a Japanese family in Kanazawa. Also you will visit Gokayama, famous for folk crafts, to feel the countryside of Japan. On the last days of the tour, visit Tokyo - the capital city of Japan, Yokohama - the famous seaport, and Kamakura.

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In this tour, visit the most famous morning market of Wajima, selling Wajima lacquer wares, and have a real experience of Japanese lifestyle staying with a Japanese family in Kanazawa, the Japan’s foremost castle town. In the middle of the tour, you are going to Kagoshima in Kyusyu. There you can try a dragnet called Jibikiami with local fishermen catching local seafood. On the sea coast, there are hot spring towns, and you can have the steaming-hot sand baths or some other interesting baths. In Yakushima, the world heritage natural property, you will be surprised to feel a spirit of infinite nature. Other places you will vist are Tokyo including not only downtown are, but Tokyo Disney Resort and Tsukiji Wholesale Fish Market. On the last days of the tour, visit the ancient city of Kyoto.

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In this tour, start from Osaka - the city of merchants and continue to Nara. In Nara, visit Asuka village - the spiritual hometown of the Japanese mind, some ancient tombs, and indigo-dyeing craft center by bicycle. In ancient cities, Kyoto and Kanazawa, you also go cycling in narrow paths and visit good unknown places. The main spot of the tour is Mt. Fuji – the most beautiful mountain in Japan. You will stay at a resort near the lakeside (Lake Kawaguchi) and see the sunrise in the morning. Also visit Izu Peninsula, the international hot spring resort and enjoy the scenic beauties of the coast line. The view from the SL train that runs on the suspension bridge (3,192m height above Oi-gawa river) is spectacular. On the last days of the tour, go on foot and find the old streets to feel Tokyo in the old days.

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In this tour, first walk around Kobe - the exotic seaport town, and go to Himeji. Visit Himeji Castle, another name is Shirasagi-jo. In Hiroshima, you will visit Atomic Dome, a part of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, learning and remembering the sad tragedy happened in 1945. In this tour you also enjoy the beauty of the Japanese architecture, such as Itsukushima Shrine standing in the sea, Kazurabashi - one of the greatest supensiton bridge, and some other famous spots in Shikoku. The latter half of the tour, visit ancient cities, Kyoto and Kanazawa and have a taste of Japanese traditional culture. Also see Senmaida Rice Field in Noto Peninsula surrounded by rugged cliffs and often stormy seas. After Noto, visit Takayama, famous for sloped and thatched roof houses, and enjoy a popular resort in the Japanese Alps called Kamikochi. On the last days of the tour, go on foot and find the old streets to feel Tokyo in the old days.

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In this tour, start from Kyoto, the most famous ancient city. In Simane, visit Izumo Taisha, the preeminent religious structure in the region. Also you will visit some small towns such as Hagi, Tsuwano, and the town of sand, Tottori. In Kanazawa, the well-known city on the seacoast, walk into Kenroku Garden - one of the greatest Japanese garden, Geisha streets, and some studios of golden art crafts. On the last days of the tour, go on foot and find the old streets to feel Tokyo in the old days.

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In this tour, start from Yokohama, the famous seaport town, and see the great Buddha in Kamakura and visit Hakone at the foot of Mt. Fuji. After Tokyo, go to the northern part of Honshu called Tohoku, which is said that many spiritual gods inhabit in mountains, and people worship them in their daily lives. You will see many unique Japanese customs. In Hokkaido, you will immerse yourself into the great nature land at Lake Akan, Shiretoko, and Furano. On the last days of the tour, visit Japan’s most ancient cities, Kyoto and Kanazawa and have a taste of the real culture and history.

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Cherry blossoms mark the annual advent of spring, and the Japanese have traditionally celebrated this with “hanami”. Hanami, literally meaning flower-viewing, are parties that are held under blossoming cherry tress. Throughout Japan, in parks, shrines, temples, and on river banks, crowds flock to picnic under the sea of pink blossoms. Many popular spots are illuminated in the evenings and special facilities are laid out for the visiting hoards.
The cherry blossom, or sakura, is Japan's unofficial national flower and there are many dozens of different cherry tree varieties in Japan. However, the cherry blossom season is relatively short and most varieties of cherry tree only blossom for a few weeks at most in spring. From late March to early April, sakura go into full bloom all over Japan. The blossom forecast ("sakurazensen") is announced each year by the Japanese Meteorological Agency .As the full-bloom period is short, the announcements are waited on by the media and all eager party planners.

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There is no way to feel the real Japanese inner mind but to see and join the local festivals from the northernmost island of Hokkaido to the southernmost islands of Okinawa. Japanese people are very attached to their hometowns, and our hearts always leap up for the festivals. No matter how far we live from the hometown, some people take days off from work to return just for the festivals.
Festivals basically used to pray for rich harvest, a large catch, good health, and safety of the family, but also to thank for the grace. Now a day, festivals are taken place as one of the regular annual events or to comfort the spirit of great people in the region.
Usually a festival has two opposite aspects, a sacred scene and a gleeful scene. In a sacred scene, people are forced to follow the traditional ordered routine. On the other hand, after the sacred ceremony, people are allowed to let loose themselves like drinking all day long and sometimes men disguising women, and just to have fun during the festival.

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