Contemporary Japan | Small Group Tour

Upon arrival make your own way to the hotel. In the evening we meet for a welcome dinner.

Recent key developments in the entertainment district are the city-within-the-city phenomenon. We explore the Roppongi Hills and MidTown projects. The Tadao Ando designed 21/21 Design Sight Pavilion and Tokyo’s largest gallery, National Arts Centre, are taken in our stride. Established in January 2007, the National Art Centre, Tokyo, has a total of 14,000 square metres of exhibition space, the largest in Japan. We will have dinner at the National Arts Centre’s Brasserie Paul Bocuse Le Musee (French cuisine).

We have a coach tour of the Hibiya where we visit the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Imperial Hotel Bar and the Diet (Parliament) areas, as well as a stroll in the Imperial Palace Gardens. We will learn the story of Marunouchi through the ages and its role as Tokyo’s Wall Street today, crowned by a walk through the painstakingly restored historic Tokyo Station. Lunch and dinner will be at local restaurants.

Today, we will tour Ginza, the commercial heart of Tokyo for 500 years. For early risers, we have a sushi breakfast in Tsukiji, the largest fish market on the planet. We start at Nihonbashi, the once-iconic bridge between the working class quarters in the east and the aristocratic compounds in the west. We make our way west through the glittering department stores and flagship presences of
international luxury brands, ending in one of the futuristic skyscrapers of Shiodome with the best view over Tokyo Bay. We will have lunch and dinner at a local restaurant in the area.

Shibuya is a live fashion laboratory. We walk through the narrow lanes of Jingumae, the prestigious Omotesando, also known as the Tokyo Champs Elysées, and Harajuku, an area famous all over the world for its kinky style and over-the-top boutiques. Fortunately we will have a spiritual break at the beautiful Imperial Shinto Shrine, in the middle of an urban forest. Lunch will be at a local restaurant in Shibuya and dinner will be at a local restaurant in Omotesando.

We will immerse ourselves in traditional culture at the cool Nezu Institute of Fine Arts, where ancient Japanese arts and craft meets the cutting edge design from architect grandee Kengo Kuma. To top this all off, we will take a stroll through one of the most intricate Tokyo gardens surrounding the institute. We spend the afternoon in the exclusive Aoyama area with outstanding design and interiors from Herzog de Meuron, Tadao Ando, and other architects. Lunch will be at a café in Nezu Institute of Fine Arts (western café food) and dinner at a local restaurant in Aoyama.

Today we will experience serenity in a Tokyo garden and have an electronics overdose. We have a preview of the latest trends in the burgeoning contemporary arts scene of Tokyo. Forget the pace of the city in the sublime traditional Korakuen garden. In the afternoon we get lost in Akihabara, also known as Electric Town, Tokyo’s epicentre of electronic gadgetry and the Otaku (Nerd) lifestyle. To round off the day we discover the latest avant-garde galleries in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa. Lunch will be at the garden’s rest area, Kanttokutei (traditional Japanese lunch) and dinner will be at a local restaurant.

Ueno Park is surrounded by a string of national museums. We will pick one according to the group’s preference and the thematic temporary exhibitions of the moment. Asakusa is one of the more typical older residential neighbourhoods comprising an ancient temple complex. We will have a picnic lunch at Ueno Park. Dinner will be at a local restaurant in Asakusa.

We will have a coach tour of the posh residential districts, where most tourists never go. Hiroo, Azabu, Shoto, Daikanyama, and Naka Meguro will have no secrets for us anymore. We might even spot a black Yakuza Mercedes. Lunch will be at a local restaurant in one of these suburbs. We will mingle with international Tokyo creatives at a Pecha Kucha evening, where they visually present their latest ideas with a drink in hand. We enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

We will get lost in the planet’s busiest railway interchange, then recover in the Shinjuku Gardens with an achingly beautiful Japanese section. In the afternoon, we dive into the labyrinth of the Manga/Cartoon community in the Nakano suburb. Lunch will be at a local restaurant in Shinjuku, and dinner will be at a local restaurant.

Our last day in Tokyo is a tour on the aerial train, over the Rainbow Suspension Bridge to the futuristic Odaiba area, on a landfill in Tokyo Bay. Accordingly there are several museums and exhibitions focusing on the future of technology. Lunch and dinner will be at a local restaurant in Odaiba.

We have a full-day coach tour of Yokohama, which is right next to the Tokyo metropolis. It is one of the largest ports in the world through where many of Japan’s exports pass. We will see the impressive ports infrastructure and also the historic area where the first foreigners were allowed to settle as of the 1870’s. Lunch and dinner today will be at a local restaurant in Yokohama.

We take a train from Tokyo to Shimoda for a well-deserved break on the picturesque, mountainous Izu Peninsula, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. Lunch will be on the way to Shimoda on the train or at a local restaurant in Shimoda. We will stroll through the historic small town where the first foreigners arrived in Japan by sea on May 25th, 1854 after 250 years of self-imposed isolation.

Our accommodation features western rooms including breakfast (set menu) and dinner (set menu or barbecue depending on weather) daily. Garden Villa Shirahama is a pension-type hotel, situated in south of Izu Penninsula, a 7-minutes walk to the well-known Shirahama Beach. Surrounded by clear blue ocean and bright green nature, we will have the pleasure of experiencing the hospitality of the owner family.

We have the whole day at leisure. For those who are interested, Oyokocho Dori offers 9 different foot and hand baths free of charge. Alternatively, we can also visit the onsen ryokans and experience their thermal baths. (Depending on which ryokan we visit, it will cost anywhere from JPY500 to JPY1000 which is AU$8 – 15 equivalent per person which is payable directly at the ryokan. Please bring your own towels.)

We travel to Kyoto today by catching the local train and then express train. Although this tour focuses on the contemporary in Japan, the ancient historic capital Kyoto is too iconic to ignore! Lunch will be a bento boxed lunch on the train. Dinner will be at a local restaurant.

We have a whole day for sightseeing in Kyoto, visiting the gardens and temples of Kyoto. First we visit Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji). Rokuon-ji Temple was originally built as a villa by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. It was converted into a temple after Yoshimitsu’s death.This temple is famous in both Japan and abroad as a symbol of Kitayama culture. The Kinkaku, or “Golden Pavilion,” was built as the Shariden. Covered with gold, the image of the pavilion, which stands at the edge of Kyokochi pond, is reflected in the water. Major repair work performed in 1987 has further enhanced its brilliance.

We will also visit the Silver Temple (Ginkakuji). Built by Ashikaga Yoshimasa as a mountain villa in 1482, Jishoji Temple was later converted into a temple. With its simple, noble design, it is a National Treasure. It is also as Kannon-dono (Kannon Palace). Togudo (Budda Hall), also a National Treasure, is a relic of early shoin-zukuri, or library style. In the garden designated as a special place of scenic beauty) are the so-called “Sea of Silver Sand” and the “Moon Platform,” from which the light of the moon is said to reflect and shine on the Silver pavilion.

Lunch and dinner at a local restaurant in Kyoto.

We have another day of sightseeing in Kyoto. Our first stop is Kiyomizu Temple. Established in 778, this temple has continuously attracted worshipers from among the populace since the Heian Period as “Kiyomizu-Kannon.” The temple contains structures from the 15th to 17th centuries, including the Jishu-Jinja Shrine. The Main Hall (Hondo), built in the “stage” style, is noted for its beautiful background scenery which changes with the 4 seasons – including the cherry blossoms and greenery of spring, and the leaves of autumn. Built atop a precipice, the main hall, which is a National Treasure, is famous as the “Kiyomizu Stage”- affording a magnificent view of the city below. The temple precincts contain 15 buildings designated as Important Cultural Properties, including the inner Temple (Okunoin), Amida Budda Hall (Amidado), and the 3-tiered pagoda.

Next we will visit Nijo Castle, which was constructed in 1603 as the residence of Tokugawa Leyasu. Ninomaru Palace (a National Treasure), built in the shoin-zukuri (library-style) of samurai of the Momoyama Period, contains gorgeous paintings on the walls and sliding doors. It was here that the last shogun, Tomugawa Yoshinobu, restored the emperor to his ancient seat of power in 1867. Located at the site of the former Honmaru Palace and destroyed by fire in the 18th century, is the actual Honmaru Palace (an important Cultural Property), which was moved from the former Katsura-no-Miya Palace of the Imperial Palace, preserving the dignity of the original detached palace.

Lunch and dinner will be at a local restaurant in Kyoto.

We have a whole day free at leisure. We recommend a visit to the Miho Museum, which is located southeast of Kyoto, Japan, near the town of Shigaraki, in Shiga Prefecture. The museum was the dream of Mihoko Koyama (after whom it is named), the heiress to the Toyobo textile business, and one of the wealthiest women in Japan. The Miho Museum houses Mihoko Koyama’s private collection of Asian and Western antiques, as well as other pieces with an estimated value of between US$300 million to US$1 billion. There are over 2,000 pieces in total, of which approximately 250 are displayed at any one time. We will enjoy a special Kyoto-style dinner with a performance by an apprentice Geisha (Maikos).

We travel to Naoshima today by catching trains and ferries. Lunch will be taken enroute to Naoshima.

Our accommodation for the next 2 nights is Benesse House. The main attraction of the Benesse House is its modern art museum, located on a hill overlooking the sea. This museum displays work created by many different artists from both Japan and abroad, that was inspired by the natural surroundings of Naoshima and the architecture on the island. Overnight guests staying at the Museum and Oval buildings can enjoy 24-hour access to the museum.

The Benesse House has other facilities including restaurants, cafes, shops, and a spa that are open to staying guests as well as day visitors. Hotel guests have the added privileges of exclusive restaurants and after-hours access to the museum.

We will stay in western twin rooms with breakfast and dinner daily. The Benesse House is on the southern coast of Naoshima Island. The complex is the centrepiece of the Benesse Corporation’s art facilities on the island and consists of 4 buildings: the Museum, Oval, Park, and Beach, all designed by star architect Ando Tadao. Each building features its own unique artwork and guest rooms.

We have a whole day at leisure at Naoshima. Be surprised by the works of Nikki de St. Phalle, James Turrell, Walter de Maria and other international artists, and how they are integrated in the beautiful nature of Naoshima Island.

There is an opportunity to visit neighbouring islands such as Teshima or Inujima.

Today we travel by ferry to Takamatsu. From there, we board our flight to Tokyo where our tour concludes. It is expected we will be back at Tokyo airport by 18:00 pm.