Geisha of Japan

The tradition of geisha still thrives in modern Japan. With overnights in a traditional ryokans, we enjoy an insider&rsqu;'s view of this fascinating country from Kyoto, the cultural capital, to Takayama in the Alps of Japan.

Photo by Ric Ergenbright

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Temples, Treasures and Teahouses

Hidden Worlds of Japan & the Takayama Spring Festival

Japan is an ancient and enigmatic land. The perfect way to unravel its mysteries is by exploring it on a walking journey with Trip Leader Kate Ulberg, who has an extraordinary gift for introducing people to its culture. We delve deeply into places like old Kyoto, the romantic city of lantern-lit lanes and two thousand temples, and a variety of other settings that reveal Japan’s inner secrets. We also visit the charming town of Takayam during Sanno Matsuri, a fabulous spectacle dating to the 17th century with festive townsmen in Edo-period dress and ornate wheeled carts paraded through the town. Throughout our journey, we discover the kindness of the people and the innate sense of beauty and attention to detail that define every aspect of life. Most nights we stay in ryokans, the serene inns that reflect Japanese culture in miniature, with one night in a Buddhist monastery perched on a mountaintop.

Highlights

  • Spring festival or famous autumn colors in the ancient mountain village of Takayama, with its beautifully preserved architecture
  • Insider’s journey including overnights in classic ryokans and in a Zen monastery
  • Traditional teahouses, feudal castles, contemplative Zen temples, Shinto shrines, ritual ofuro baths, journeys by Bullet train

Details

  • 14-day trip begins in Kyoto and ends in Tokyo
  • 12 nights in ryokans / hotels, 1 night in temple lodging
  • All meals included except lunches and 4 dinners
  • Walking, including some steep stairs, 6-7 hours a day, Japanese-style dining (sitting on floor)

Tour Costs

$5895 (10-12 members)
$6295 (6-9 members)

Single supplement: $425
(Tokyo & Himeji only)

Prices are for 2010 dates

Departures & Leaders

Apr 4-17, 2010  Kate Ulberg

Suggested Reading

Reading list, click here.

Itinerary at a Glance
Temples, Treasures and Teahouses route-map

Days 1-6
Kyoto, Japan

We meet at a traditional ryokan in Kyoto, an ancient city of gorgeous imperial villas and temples surrounded by elaborate gardens. On fantastic walks each day, we visit extraordinary settings including serene Ryoanji, with its famous Zen Garden, and Kinkakuji, a lavish villa built for Yoshimitsu, the powerful 3rd Ashikaga Shogun. Along the way, we find lush bamboo forests, welcoming teahouses, contemplative temples, incredible food markets, 300-year-old broom shops, and traditional silk and indigo dyeing operations.

Day 7
Koyasan

Atop one of Japan’s holiest mountains, Koyasan Monastery is the seat of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, founded in 816 by Kobo Daishi. We ride to the mountaintop by cable car for an overnight in a shukubo, or temple lodging.

Days 8-9
Himeji Castle / Engyo-ji Temple

We get a sense of Japan’s feudal past as we explore Himeji, a lovely city and the home of one of the most impressive castles in Japan. Built during the days of the samurai, superb Himeji Castle sits like an oasis of history amid a modern city. We also visit Engyo-ji, the mountaintop temple complex chosen as a setting for the film The Last Samurai.

Days 10-11
Takayama / Spring Festival

A train takes us to the mountain town of Takayama, one of Japan’s treasures, with its beautifully preserved wooden buildings. In medieval times, the Hida artisans of this area, famed for their fine woodworking skills, were sent to Nara and Kyoto to work on the great temples and palaces. Today, the elegant old culture remains much in evidence in the splendidly preserved merchant houses, traditional inns, teahouses, and sake breweries. In Takayama we witness the traditional and joyous Sanno Matsuri festival. Enormous carts, richly decorated with carving and drapery, are displayed at the shrines then escorted through town complete with astounding karakuri, mechanical puppets that bow, mime, and perform complicated stunts to delight the crowds. We take full advantage of this opportunity to celebrate alongside the Japanese.

Days 12-14
Tokyo

In Tokyo, we enjoy the sights and sounds, including a Kabuki performance and a visit to the Mori Art Museum. Early risers can join Kate for her 5:30 a.m. tour of Tsukiji, Tokyo’s renowned fish market, where an amazing variety of marine life is brought in every morning. Depart on Day 14.

This is the Itinerary-at-a-Glance. For the complete trip description, Download Full Trip Brochure

More Cultural Odysseys in Japan with Kate Ulberg

  • Japan: Shikoku Expedition
    Discover off-the-beaten-path Shikoku, with its lushly rural atmosphere and history rich with elements of traditional Japan found nowhere else in the country. October 24-November 5, 2010.
  • In the Footsteps of Basho
    Follow the journey of Japan’s most celebrated haiku poet. Includes pine-clad Matsushima Bay, 11th century Hiraizumi, mountain temples at Yamadera. October 10-22, 2010.

Please call us or Download Full Trip Brochure for more information

Ryokans

Japan’s traditional inns are known as ryokans. The quiet world of the ryokan is a venerable cultural institution—a way to experience a simple, traditional way of life. After being warmly welcomed, we trade our street shoes for slippers. Once inside, we remove our slippers as we step onto the finely woven tatami mats covering our sleeping room floors. Rooms are furnished with low tables and comfortable futon mattresses (we sleep on futons with quilts and blankets). The accommodations in our ryokans are double rooms (singles are sometimes possible but prohibitively expensive). Some of our rooms will have attached toilets; at other times, we share the “down the hall” facilities. Although a few ryokans have baths in the rooms, most have an ofuro (a Japanese style bath). Bathing is communal, with the sexes segregated; thus, the trip is not for the very modest! Washing first outside the tub and then soaking in clean hot water is a wonderfully relaxing custom. Normally, a fresh cotton yukata (robe) is provided for each guest (make sure to wear the left side over the right). These light kimonos can be worn anywhere in and around the ryokan and we often wear them to meals. For many of our breakfasts and dinners, beautifully presented meals are served as we sit on tatami mats at floor level tables.

Rikiya Ryokan

Days 1 to 6 (6 nights), Kyoto, Japan

With its wonderful location in the heart of the historical Higashiyama neighborhood of Kyoto, the Rikiya is within easy walking distance of some of Kyoto’s main sites, including the Kiyomizu Temple and Gion, Japan’s most famous geisha district. The inn allows us to experience the casual family atmosphere traditional to Japanese ryokans (which often includes bathrooms down the hall) and provides us with a relaxing welcome to Japan. Our Trip Leader, Kate Ulberg, has stayed at this ryokan for the past 20 years, and it’s run by her hospitable “Japanese Mother” who delights in welcoming our groups.

Rengejo-in Monastery

Day 7 (1 night), Koyasan, Japan

With its interesting architecture and lovely gardens, this traditional Buddhist temple perched on a mountaintop offers Japanese-style guest rooms ...
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Hotel Nikko Himeji

Days 8 to 9 (2 nights), Himeji, Japan

This large western-style hotel is in a convenient location with easy access to the sights of Himeji, a World Heritage Site. Its clean, quiet, and ...
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Sumiyoshi Ryokan

Days 10 to 11 (2 nights), Takayama, Japan

This 8-room riverside ryokan with its Hida-style craftsmanship is cozy, friendly, fun, and offers great food! Its location is perfect for ...
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Courtyard Marriott Ginza Tobu Hotel

Days 12 to 13 (2 nights), Tokyo, Japan

The location of this western-style hotel is its best selling point—you can walk right to the famous Tsukiji fish market in the morning, and ...
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Note: Listed above are our signature accommodations for this trip. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.