We start by meeting our first guide, Ai, who was my exchange student over 25 years ago!  You get a bit of free time to explore the shops at the train station (while our rail passes and reservations are sorted), then we walk to a nearby department store where everyone chooses her own picnic in the large food hall.   There are plenty of options for all tastes from Japanese to Western-style food with an emphasis on special spring-time treats only available at this time of year.  Our next stop is enjoying our picnic and view the cherry blossoms in a beautiful garden.  We end the day visiting the cloud garden at the Chinsanzo Hotel.  Dinner will be Chinese food.

Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

We begin our second full day in Tokyo by meeting our official Tokyo guide, Naomi, and some of her English teacher friends at Shinjuku Gyoen, the national garden. Lunch is French at nearby La Boheme.  Later, we experience indigo textile dying at Wanariya, where each of us makes a unique piece of art to bring home. We end our day with shabu-shabu, where each of us cooks her own dinner in bubbling broth.
Meals included: breakfast and lunch.

On our last day in Tokyo, we meet with Ai, Naomi, and the English teachers once again for a walking tour of the Yanasen district.  We start at a Buddhist cemetery, then visit the Asakura Museum, housed in what had been the artist's home.  A delicious curry lunch (where the chef is as much a part of the experience as the food) is followed by beer at the Yanaka Brewery, owned by Naomi’s husband. Afterward, we see a delightful puppet show where the puppeteer also created the puppets. It's in Japanese (as this isn't a usual tourist place) but is so visual that no language skills are needed to enjoy it. Dinner that evening is street food from one of the many options on Ameyoko Street, near our hotel.  Be sure to leave room for some yummy dessert!
Meals included: breakfast and lunch. 

We bid goodbye to Tokyo this morning to head to the mountain spa town of Hakone  famous for its stunning views of Mt. Fuji. We cross Lake Ashi by ‘pirate’ ship then take a cable car high over a valley filled with volcanic vents, which sounds scary but really isn't. We reach the charming town of Gora via funicular then take a shuttle to our hotel which is located in a wooded glen.  It's a perfect place to relax as it offers not only a wonderful onsen (hot spring baths) but also various types of massages. (Note - any spa treatments are booked and paid for separately by you.) Dinner is a huge buffet featuring everything from sushi to chicken to desserts.  You can even indulge in unlimited pour-your-own-beer, wine, or mixed drinks - all included!  The evening is free to enjoy the in-hotel onsen with natural water piped in from the nearby hot springs.  

Meals included: breakfast and dinner.  

We begin our only full day in Hakone by visiting the Open-Air Museum, which is filled with whimsical outdoor sculptures. There is a multi-story stained-glass tower, a Picasso Museum, and a soothing footbath all nestled in a garden setting.    

After lunch, we visit a different magical museum with rooms full of delicate blown glass, an exhibit by Dale Chihuly, and an enchanting garden filled with glittering crystal trees. Dinner is another delicious feast at our hotel followed by more time relaxing in the onsen.

Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

Today, we leave the natural splendor of Hakone for the ancient city of Kyoto. We will travel on the Shinkansen, smoothly speeding along at 200 miles per hour.  If it's a clear day, we will see Mt. Fuji whizzing by! Once we arrive at the impressive Kyoto train station, we head upstairs to Ramen Street, where our options come from all over the country. This is where we will meet Tatsuya (another former exchange student) who will show us around for the day.  After lunch, we go to get dressed in kimonos!  Once we’re all decked out, we visit iconic Kiyumizu-dera and spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the temple, shrine, and garden complex. There are also many fascinating shops and plenty of places to grab snacks if we get peckish.  Once we return our kimonos, we have dinner at Tats's favorite izakaya (local bar).

Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

Today is our last day in Kyoto. We start by walking through Arashiyama’s famed bamboo forest and visiting the Zen Garden at Tenryuji Temple. The afternoon is free.  Dinner is another delicious feast near our hotel.

Meals included: breakfast and lunch. 

This morning we visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, said to be one of the most beautiful spots in the country.  The trails up the mountain are covered by thousands of scarlet torii gates. This custom, which started in the early 1600s, has shown no sign of letting up.  After lunch, and a stroll around the town of Inari, we experience an abbreviated (non-kneeling!) private tea ceremony demonstration.  Dinner is a delicious multi-dish feast near our hotel.  

Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

This morning we leave for Hiroshima, the first city on earth to experience an atomic explosion.  Once we drop off our bags at our hotel, we walk to the nearby Peace Park where we lunch near the river.  Afterward, we wander around the park, visiting various memorials to the victims and the Atomic Bomb Dome (ground zero for the blast). This is followed by a sobering visit to the museum which makes us ready for the tranquility of Shukkei-en Garden. Dinner is at Bistro de Paris where, if you order the white chocolate mousse, it's shaped like a puppy and comes with a lit sparkler! (Don't ask why...) 

Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

This morning, we’re off to nearby Miajima Island with its famous ‘Floating Torii Gate,’ free-roaming deer, and beautiful views from Mt. Misen.  Our time there is free to encourage roaming.  There are plenty of places to grab a snack or lunch (while dodging the cheeky deer) and lots of shopping opportunities are available.  If you want, you can take a cable car up the mountain for views of the harbor and Hiroshima in the distance. (You can either walk down through the trees or take the cable car back to the town.) Dinner is our chance to try a local specialty – okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki (a veggie/meat filled pancake) comes in two varieties – Hiroshima style and Osaka style. In Hiroshima style, the ingredients are layered (often with fried noodles) whereas Osaka style has all the ingredients mixed together. Which is best? We’ll try both and you can decide for yourself!

Meals included: breakfast and dinner. 

We’re taking our last Shinkansen ride this morning.  The motto of Osaka is “kuidaore,” meaning “eat yourself broke,” and that’s an appropriate slogan for the ‘Kitchen of Japan.’  

We are met at the train station by Yayoi who was my youngest son’s host mother when he visited Japan at age 15.  (He’s 41 now!)   Once we drop off our bags at our hotel (for the final time), we're off to see some gardens!  We start at Osaka Castle, within walking distance of our hotel.  Then we're off to the Nagai Botanic Gardens for a quick walk-through before dinner. We return after dark to experience the evening magic that turns those same gardens into a multi-media wonderland.

Meals included: breakfast and dinner.  

This morning, we are met at our hotel by our guide, Zoher.  He takes us to the fish market where we can sample dishes and get some retail therapy in tiny family-owned shops.  After lunch, the rest of the day is free to wander the crazy delights of Dotonbori. You can stay to watch it come to life in the evening, if you like!

Meals included: Breakfast and dinner.

We start our last full day of the tour having a fun calligraphy lesson.  We have a great teacher and there is plenty of time to practice before creating our final art pieces to take home.  The afternoon starts with a visit to Osaka Castle Gardens but we'll still have some free time to relax, pack, or get some final shopping in.  

Dinner is a family affair at Occhiali Oga. Chef Hiroyuki is the brother-in-law of our Tokyo guide, Ai. He creates a delicious meal for us, ending with some of Osaka's famous 'wobbly cheesecake' for dessert. 

Meals included:  Breakfast and Dinner.

This is the last day of the tour and we’ll sadly say goodbye to Japan and our new friends as we depart for the airport and home.

Meal included: Breakfast.