China & Japan 21 days

Day 1: Friday

USA to Beijing flight

Day 2: Saturday –  Beijing

After arrival, private transfer to your hotel. After check in the rest of your day is at your leisure.

Overnight: Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing

Day 3: Sunday – Beijing

Our first stop is Tiananmen square and to the China National Museum at the east side of the Square. Continue as we enter the Forbidden City. Lying at the center of Beijing, the Forbidden City, called Gu Gong in Chinese, was the imperial palace for twenty-four emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties. We will continue to The Summer Palace where it radiates fully the natural beauty and the grandeur of royal gardens.

Overnight: Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing. (Superior Room | BL)

Day 4: Monday – Beijing

Time to visit the Great Wall of China, to a section where you can take a Fresh Air Break at Mutianyu Great Wall. the Great Wall at Mutianyu is not as crowded as the nearby Badaling or Juyongguan sections of the Wall. Around 1:30 pm is time to visit The Old Schoolhouse – a delightful old school, now converted to a restaurant growing her own vegetable garden. Then, we will go back to Beijing and arrive at Hutong old streets and enjoy a bicycle rickshaw tour of the old town of Beijing. Later at night, you will be transferred to the Peking duck dinner restaurant sumptuous meal.

Overnight: Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing. (Superior Room | BLD)

Day 5: Tuesday – Xian

After you have checked into your hotel, your guide will escort you to a local restaurant where you have an included dumpling lunch. After lunch you guide will take you on a private tour of Xian. You will walk along the top of Xian City Wall for a birds’ eye view and history lesson. Continue to the Daming Palace Art Museum where you will explore the exhibits before a special white glove experience where you put on a pair of gloves and handle hundreds of years old artifacts, brought to you for this special occasion.  Continue with your guide to walk along the old city wall towering over the city. This afternoon you will embark on a private walk along the old wall of Xian with your guide

Overnight: Grand Park Xian. (Superior Room | BL)

Day 6: Wednesday – Xian

Private tour to the Terracotta Warrior Dig Site.

You will be met and driven to the outskirts of town where the world famous Terracotta Warriors are located. Here you will spend the morning exploring various exhibits with your private guide. The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. In the evening you will be transferred to enjoy the Tang Dynasty Dinner Show, a dinner followed by a spectacular cultural show.

Overnight: Grand Park Xian. (Superior Room | BLD)

Day 7: Thursday – Shanghai

Private transfer to airport where you will take your flight to Shanghai.

Walking tour of the Bund, a famous waterfront and regarded as the symbol of Shanghai for hundreds of years. See the different architectural styles including Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and the Renaissance. End your tour of the Bund with a trip to the Shanghai World Financial Center and journey to the top of the building for a towering view of the city. End your tour with a wonderful sunset cruise of Huangpu River to see Shanghai from the water.

Overnight: Sunrise on the Bund. (Deluxe Room | B)

Day 8: Friday – Shanghai

Private Full Day tour

Visit the old French Concession. With its European style cafes, quiet, leafy, tree lined avenues and Tudor houses nestled in beautiful gardens interspersed with hole-in-the-wall eateries and local colors and flavors, it is a popular tourist destination. You could pretty much get off at any stop in the area and just stroll around the shops, boutiques, restaurants and delis. Break for a lunch (Included). In the afternoon you will visit Yuyuan Garden, a nearly 500 year old classical garden with pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters which all have unique characteristics. Continue to the Shanghai Museum. Here is the Museum of Chinese Art. A collection of cultural items including ancient Chinese bronze, ceramics, painting and calligraphy.

Overnight: Sunrise on the Bund. (Deluxe Room | B)

Day 9: Saturday – Shanghai

Visit the water village of Wuzhen. There is no vehicles allowed in the city, so we set off for a walking tour of this fascinating little town. in the afternoon a relaxing stroll through the canal streets will give you a sense of how Chinese Water villages live and function in modern day China.

Overnight: Sunrise on the Bund. (Deluxe Room | B)

Day 10: Sunday – Shanghai

Full Day at your leisure.

Overnight: The Sunrise on the Bund. (Deluxe room | B)

Day 11: Monday – Kanazawa.

Time to depart to Japan. After breakfast you will be transferred to Mag-Lev train to the airport.

After arrival to Kanazawa and check in in hotel the rest of the day is at your leisure.

Overnight: Hotel Nikko Kanazawa. (Superior Room | B)

Day 12: Tuesday – Kanazawa

City tour of Kanazawa using public transportation. This allows you to avoid traffic jams by taking light rail or taxis depending on congestion. The tour includes the Omi-cho Market, with over 170 stores it was established about the middle of the 18^th century. Later visit to Nagamichi Samurai Residence The area preserves a historic atmosphere with its remaining samurai residences, earthen walls, private entrance gates, narrow lanes and water canals. Kenroku-en Garden justifiably classified as one of Japan’s “three most beautiful landscape gardens” and Higashi Jaya District, largest and by far the most interesting district in the area.

Overnight: Hotel Nikko Kanazawa. (Superior Room | B)

Day 13: Wednesday – Kanazawa

Take the train to visit Shirakawa-go. This historic village was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.  Shirakawa-go is famous for preserving the traditional gassho-zukuri style houses with the iconic thatched roofs, some of which are more than 300 years old. In the afternoon more sightseeing of Kanazawa.

Overnight: Hotel Nikko. (Superior Room | B)

Day 14: Thursday – Osaka

You will be transported by train to Osaka, once arrived our representative will escort you to hotel. During afternoon and after check in you will visit the Osaka Castle , built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1583. It is an amazing historic place that you must visit. Later we will visit the Floating Garden Observatory, its breathtaking sights will provide you unobstructed 360-degree view at 170 meters  above the ground.

Overnight: The Hilton Osaka. (Superior Room – B)

Day 15: Friday – Koyasan

You will be transferred by train to Gokurakubashi.

On arrival at Gokurakubashi, you board the cable car to Koyasan and take a taxi 5 minutes to your hotel or walk just a few minutes. Koyasan cable railway – This amazing train, in use since the 1930s, whisks passengers to the top of Mount Koyasan. So steep is the gradient, it’s hard to know whether you’re in a cable car or an elevator. Everyone will be staying in a monastery (Shukubo) for one evening and all meals are only vegetarian. It’s not easy to get to Mount Koyasan, but well worth it. Also, guided visit to Kongobuji Temple, built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to Commemorate the death of his mother.

Overnight: Shukubo – Monastery. (Japanese room | BLD).  Only vegetarian meals served.

Day 16: Saturday – Kyoto

If you stay at a Shukubo (monastery accommodations) you are invited to attend the morning service, don’t miss the opportunity. Behind the chanting, in Sanskrit, Tibetan and Japanese, you feel some of the miraculous power of Koya-San. The highlight of a visit to Koya-San is an early-morning walk through the graveyard leading to Okunoin . At the front of the Okunoin is the Toro-Do or lantern hall, where 10,000 lamps are kept constantly burning. Some of these have been in continuous flame ever since the sealing of Kukai’s cave over a thousand years ago.  Take a look at the Aizen-Do temple of King Rajaraga, the king of passion. This temple, built originally in 1334, was re-constructed “just” 146 years ago. During evening enjoy a tea ceremony under candle light at Yoshi-ima Ryokan’s tea ceremony room Kurenaitei.

Overnight: Kyoto Ryokan Kinoe. (Japanese style room | Vegetarian breakfast at Mt. Koyasan and Zen dinner at restaurant in Gion. (BD)

Day 17: Sunday – Kyoto

After Breakfast we will visit the Nijo Castle, a World Heritage site. Tour the historical castle completed in 1626, which was built to provide lodging for Tokugawa Shogun and as a palladium for Kyoto Imperial Palace. We will continue to Kinkaku-Ji temple, also a world heritage site. The wooden architecture is covered in thin layers of pure gold and is surrounded by a beautiful pond. Finishing our tour with Kyoto Imperial Palace. used to be the residence of Japan’s Imperial Family until 1868, when the emperor and capital were moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. It is located in the spacious Kyoto Imperial Park, an attractive park in the center of the city that also encompasses the Sento Imperial Palace and a few other attractions.

Overnight: Kyoto Ryokan Kinoe. (Japanese style room | BD)

Day 18: Monday – Kyoto

Tour starts at 09:00 am. We will visit the Daikaku-ji Temple, experience sutra transcribing in a refined 1,200 year old temple known for its connection to the Japanese royal family. Later the Nonomiya Shrine. This shrine is mentioned in “The Tale of Genji,” the oldest epic novel in the world. Feel the 1,200 years of history at this ancient shrine. Stroll through Sagano Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji Temple, take a rickshaw ride around Arashiyama and finish your day visiting the Togetsu-kyo Bridge.

Overnight: Kyoto Ryokan Kinoe. (Japanese style room | BLD)

Day 19: Tuesday – Tokyo

Time to depart to Tokyo with 1^st class tickets aboard of the Bullet train. This is a unique experience like no other. If the they is clear from left side  you can see Mt. Fuji as the bullet train roars at 300+ km/h. During afternoon Edo Museum tickets. This is not a typical museum. It’s a small but important museum showing recreation of how the Japanese ancestors lived in the EDO period, hundred years ago. The end of the day will be ROBOT SHOW! Enjoy the exciting show with gigantic robots busily moving around the hall, robot battles, robot parades, dancers, and drum performances.

Overnight: The Park Hotel Tokyo (Premium Room | Breakfast at Ryokan)

Day 20: Wednesday – Tokyo

This will be a full day tour of Tokyo. Starts with visit to the Tokyo Tower with its 333 meters of height. Later you will experience a tea ceremony, a very important part of Japan’s traditional culture. We will continue to the Imperial Palace Plaza, admire the view at this National Garden that was formerly a private garden of the Royal Family. Enjoy the view of Nijubashi Bridge, which is said to be the face of the Imperial Palace, as well as the view of the Imperial Palace itself.  Also, board the Sumida River Cruise. Cruise around modern day Tokyo and experience the atmosphere of Edo.

Overnight: The Park Hotel Tokyo. (Premium Room | BL)

Day 21: Thursday – Tokyo

Free day at your leisure to enjoy your last day (for now) in Japan.

Transportation from hotel to airport.