Alpine Splendors of Japan

Day 1 - Welcome to Tokyo!
Check in to the city-center hotel of your choice.

Day 2 - A morning tour...
Your morning sightseeing begins atop Tokyo Tower for great views over the city. With clear skies, you might even espy Mt. Fuji in the distance. Continue to the picturesque Imperial Palace Plaza and drive through Akihabara Electric Town. Stroll among the traditional merchants of the colorful Nakamise Arcade to visit Asakusa Kannon Temple, the oldest in the city. Your tour ends downtown at Tokyo Station where dining and shopping options abound. Meals B

Day 3 - Tokyo as you please
A free day to enjoy at your own pace. Your hotel’s heart-of-it-all location makes it so easy to explore, shop and dine on your own! From April to November a tour is available to visit the magnificent Toshogu Shrine, set against the splendor of Nikko National Park#WHS#. Meals B

Day 4 - Through the Alps to Takayama
Travel by rail to Takayama, a captivating mountain town revered for the splendid preservation of its Edo-era architecture. Your walking tour begins at the Festival Exhibition Hall to see enormous, centuries-old parade floats, still used annually during popular Spring and Autumn festivals. These impressive floats are colorfully decorated and feature ingenious mechanical figures which are animated during festival time. Then visit the Folkcraft Museum and stroll along Kamisannomachi Street, where the traditional architecture of well-preserved wooden homes will evoke the bygone era of mighty Shoguns. Enjoy a restful overnight at the Hida Hotel Plaza. Meals B

Day 5 - Visit Shirakawago#WHS# and on to Kanazawa
Explore Takayama’s bustling morning market and then journey along picturesque Lake Miboro to Shirakawago, a charming mountain hamlet of rural villages famous for their Gassho-Zukuri. These “Joined Hands” farmhouses are named for their steeply-pitched roofs which give the appearance of hands joined in prayer. Many are hundreds of years old and meticulously maintained. Visit Gokayama to experience the traditional art of Japanese papermaking and continue on to historic Kanazawa, where you check in to the deluxe Nikko Hotel Kanazawa . Meals B

Day 6 - From Kanazawa to Kyoto
Delight in the beauty of Kenrokuen Garden, one of the three finest traditional gardens in all of Japan. “Roku” means six, and Kenrokuen is famed for its perfect presentation of the six critical elements of a classical garden – including majesty, sublime views and abundant water. Then visit the Kutaniyaki Pottery Studio and stroll along historic Higashi-chaya Street. Travel to Kyoto by express train and transfer to your choice of city-center hotel. Meals B

Day 7 - Out and about in Kyoto
Your morning sightseeing tour explores the city’s most significant sites, starting with the oft-photographed Kinkaku-ji Temple#WHS#; this Golden Pavilion shimmers in its tranquil setting surrounded by pine forests on the edge of a peaceful pond. Then enter into the Age of the Samurai at Nijo Castle#WHS#. Marvel at the ingenuity of the famed Nightingale Floor, cleverly designed to chirp in warning if intruders gained entry into the Shogun’s quarters! Visit Nishi-Honganji Temple, an outstanding example of Buddhist architecture, and then end your sightseeing at the Kyoto Handicraft Center. Meals B

Day 8 - Depart Kyoto
Our tour with ends this morning. Meals B

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
6/1/2012 - 9/30/2012	$3,199
10/1/2012 - 10/31/2012	$3,299
11/1/2012 - 12/31/2012	$3,199
1/1/2013 - 3/30/2013	$3,199
1/1/2013 - 3/31/2013	$3,299
4/1/2013 - 4/30/2013	$3,499
4/1/2013 - 4/30/2013	$3,799
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

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