Highlights of Hokkaido Tour: A Paradise in All Seasons (11 Days Tour)

Kyoto - Immersion in Kyoto's Beauty and Culture of Meditation

This itinerary has been designed by Allan Mandell, a professional garden photographer and staunch aficionado of Kyoto's wonderful gardens. You'll visit at least 12 different gardens, each emanating the enchantment and originality of the city. Some dance with charismatic enticement and are exquisite spaces that are renowned across Japan and the rest of the world. Yet others are more secretive, hidden gardens firmly away from the tourist trail and awaiting intrepid eyes.

Today you start in Keihan-na Park and then move on to the Ikkyu Temple Garden. Tranquility reigns, supplemented by a tailored tea tasting and special shojin ryori lunch. Meditation has always been integral to this city of ancient wonder, how couldn't it be when there are over 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines? A meditation instruction session is provided in the temple garden before the afternoon explores the diversity of the city's gardens.

Wander past Japan's oldest stone bridge and stand before the 11th century Byodo-in, the bird shaped architecture clearly visible from a distance. Two bronze phoenixes beckon you forward and the graceful lines of its Heian-period architecture transport you back to a distant history. Keep exploring and the gardens continue the escape into a peaceful haven, colors flickering beneath a soft sun and a thousand angles for your camera. Next it's Mimuroto Garden, almost unknown to the international audience but a favorite of local garden devotees. Smells begin to impress; freshness, flickering whiffs of mysterious scents, something exotic yet familiar. In the evening your nose continues its discovery. Enjoy a traditional welcome dinner, followed by a lecture on Kyoto's unique cuisine by Judith Clancy, famed Kyoto guidebook writer and enthusiastic follower of its culinary delights. If you enjoy food tours, this will be a treat of this Japan tour.

What’s Included: breakfast, lunch, tour, accommodation.

Kyoto - The Artistic Brilliance of the Northern Hills

Five distinct gardens await you today, each blending sublime aesthetics with unpresuming brilliance. You're heading out to the Takagamine neighborhood in the Northern Hills, and like most days on this unique itinerary, you'll be traveling by local transport. This enables a richer submersion in the elegance and diversity of Kyoto, particularly in this time of spring bloom. Endless shades of green mark the journeys, perhaps most memorably found in the lavish new growth on the city's maple trees. Wisteria, iris and azalea are all flourishing, delivering distinct hues to the ever-growing collection of memories. And it's not just natural sights. By taking public transport you're able to explore picturesque, traditional neighborhoods, dazzling city streets, serene garden paths, and a local side to this historic city. So while five unique gardens provide the direction today, there isn't a moment when the charms of Kyoto get diluted.

Koetsuji, Genjoan, Joshoji; this morning is a trip through the buoyant flowers of three gardens that receive few foreign visitors. After lunch at a local restaurant you'll visit the large Kurodani Gardens where some of Kyoto's secrets are revealed. An expert garden maintenance demonstration starts to peel away the layers of dedication that keep Kyoto's gardens in such an unblemished state. Pruning pines, controlling maples, effective raking, understanding garden design; it's a lesson exclusive to Kyoto, yet resonant with garden lovers from around the world. And the teacher? None other than Kato-san, president of one of Kyoto's leading garden landscape companies. After visiting a private temple garden you return to the cozy delights of the guest house for another relaxed evening.

What’s Included: breakfast, lunch, tour, accommodation.

Kushiro – Get Up Close with Japanese Wildlife

Due to its location on Hokkaido’s eastern shore, Kushiro is protected from much of the snow and ice that covers Hokkaido in the wintertime. Even so, the mix of warm and cold waters that mix off of the city’s shores produce a daily fog which is similar to the common occurrence in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Kushiro Fisherman’s Wharf is an iconic part of the city, offering locals and travelers an opportunity to relax and unwind. Walking along the wooden boardwalk, the scent of sea air is accented by the food from multiple outdoor vendors selling a variety of local delicacies. Don’t forget to bring your camera, as the wharf is the best spot in the city for photographs.

If the weather should turn cold or foggy, explore MOO, a multi-story complex offering shopping and a variety of dining options. While there, be sure to try zangi, Kushiro’s take on fried chicken that incorporates sake and ginger into the recipe. MOO also offers produce and other crafts from around Hokkaido, so it is a perfect place to pick up a souvenir for friends and loved ones back home.

Besides shopping and dining, Kushiro is the premier city for nature lovers. At the Japanese Crane Reserve just outside the city, take a private tour or simply wander around the grounds. Fall is an especially important time for the Reserve, as that is when young chicks hatch. Besides wildlife, Kushiro has a variety of walking paths around an observatory that overlooks the city and surrounding plains.

What’s Included: breakfasts, transfer, accommodation.

Hokkaido – A Temporary Goodbye

Though you are leaving Hokkaido today, the thought of departure is not on your mind. All you can think about is returning, perhaps in a different season when Hokkaido will reveal a whole new set of treasures for you to explore.  

What’s Included: breakfast, airport transfer.