JAPAN UNMASKED ART, HISTORY AND CULTURE NOVEMBER 3-18, 2017 TOUR LEADER: DR KATHLEEN OLIVE

Overview The island nation of Japan boasts a long and rich history dating from the 3rd century to the post war modern era. Its cultural and artistic sensitivities are forged from the foundations of its long reigning monarchy, feudal shogun warlords and deep Shinto and Zen Buddhist traditions. On this tour, we unmask the many faceted layers of this fascinating country through its wealth of museums, temples, gardens and shrines to discover a place of natural beauty and a dignified, humble and proud nation, maintaining age old traditions while living in a modern and truly international society. Our inaugural 16-day tour starts in the hustle and bustle of the modern capital, Tokyo, with visits to museums and art galleries to see the old alongside the new. Visit an Edo period garden and Sensoji Temple in Asakusa. See the “cool kids” in their crazy fashions in Harajuku and ascend the high-rise towers in Roppongi. Travel by bullet train to Kanazawa to explore one of Japan's best landscaped gardens and get a taste of Samurai culture before reflecting on the devastation of war in Hiroshima. Spend seven nights in Kyoto exploring the cornucopia of temples, shrines and museums, and glimpse into the geisha's floating world. Complemented by day trips to Nara and Arashiyama, this tour offers a comprehensive insight into the beauty and mystique of this wonderful land.

Your tour leader Dr Kathleen Olive has more than 15 years’ experience leading tour groups. She is one of Academy Travel’s most respected tour leaders, and is known to Academy Travellers as a skilled and sensitive presenter. We are excited to have her leading our inaugural tour to Japan. Kathleen’s interest in design originally prompted her to

study languages, leading to her PhD in Italian literature and the recent publication of the Codex Rustici, which was presented to Pope Francis and launched at the Uffizi and the Vatican Library in 2015. Her wide knowledge has led her to teach Meiji literature in translation at Western Sydney University, Italian at the University of Sydney, where she is an Honorary Associate, and to present popular courses on history, art and architecture at the WEA, Sydney and the University of Sydney’s Centre for Continuing Education. We caught up with Kathleen about her interest in Japan, design and aesthetics: “I have a long-held fascination with Japan – its culture, sensibility and design,” says Kathleen. “From Yohji Yamamoto’s reinterpretation of the kimono, to Issey Miyake’s experimentation with traditional fabrics, and Rei Kawakubo’s Futuristic visions – the history of Japanese fashion alone is compelling for me! But Japanese food is interesting from an aesthetic as well as a gastronomic point of view, with its careful presentation, balancing of flavours and commitment to seasonal eating – ideas that are only now gaining momentum in Australia. And being a lover of both gardens and abstract art, I am also drawn to the meditative and ritualistic dimensions of Japan’s traditional Zen gardens and temples.”

JAPAN UNMASKED ART, HISTORY AND CULTURE

Tour dates: November 3-18, 2017

Tour leader: Dr Kathleen Olive

Tour Price: $11,485 per person, twin share

Single Supplement: $2,755 for sole use of double room

Booking deposit: $500 per person

Recommended airline: Qantas/Japan Airlines

Maximum places: 20

Itinerary: Tokyo (4 nights), Kanazawa (2 nights), Hiroshima (2 nights), Kyoto (7 nights)

Date published: February 23, 2017

Enquiries and bookings

For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Frederick Steyn at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email frederick@academytravel.com.au

Tour Highlights

TOKYO The hustle, bustle and bright lights of Tokyo, its galleries, museums and shrines

KENROKUEN Kanazawa's famed Kenrokuen Garden, one of the best landscaped gardens in Japan

SHINKANSEN Speeding through the countryside on the shinkansen or bullet train

HIROSHIMA The moving display of human resilience at Hiroshima's Peace Memorial

ARASHIYAMA Day trips to Nara, and the bamboo grove and garden at Arashiyama

Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the symbols B, L and D.

Friday November 3 Arrive Tokyo

The tour commences in the Tokyo hotel this evening. Your tour leader, Kathleen Olive will meet you in the lobby before a light dinner in the hotel. Overnight Tokyo (D)

Saturday November 4 Tokyo

Our touring commences with a visit to the National Museum in Ueno park which contains a large collection of Japanese artwork, cultural items and historical artefacts from ancient times to the 19th century. We continue to the Edo period garden of Koishikawa Korakuen built in the Tokyo residence of the ruling Tokugawa family. As with most traditional Japanese gardens, Korakuen seeks to reproduce famous landscapes in miniature using ponds, stones, trees and man-made hills to replicate Japanese scenery. After a welcome lunch in a Japanese restaurant, we visit the colourful and popular Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, one of Tokyo’s oldest neighbourhoods. Ovenight Tokyo (B, L)

Sunday November 5 hArajuku

This morning we head to the vibrant and fashionable suburb of Harajuku where our first stop is the Nezu Museum to see its large collection of calligraphy, painting, bamboo, sculpture, ceramics and textiles. We also visit the Ota Memorial Museum of Art to view its fantastic collection of Ukiyo-e woodblock print and painting masterpieces by renowned artists such as Hokusai, Hiroshige and Utamaro. A stroll through trendy Takeshita street uncovers the many fashion boutiques and costume shops frequented by Japan’s teen subculture, while walking back along Omotesando is more akin to the Champs-Élysées. After lunch, we visit the Meiji Shrine, a Shinto haven of peace and tranquillity in the bustling city and dedicated to the reformist Emperor Meiji who led the end of feudalisation and the modernisation and westernisation of Japan. Overnight Tokyo (B, L)

Monday November 6 roppongi

Today we head to Roppongi to visit the Mori Art Museum which presents innovative exhibitions of modern art. The museums 52nd floor location atop the Mori Tower also affords us wonderful views of Tokyo and beyond with the possibility of seeing Mt Fuji If the weather is clear. We may head to the Ginza district this afternoon to wander through the boutique shops and glamorous department stores. This evening we have dinner in a pub style Izakaya restaurant. Overnight Tokyo (B, D)

Above: Sensoji Temple in Asakusa is one of Tokyo’s oldest and most significant shrines, dedicated to Kannon, the goddess of mercy Below: Hokusai’s classic woodblock print, Thirty-Six Views of Mt. Fuji: the Great Wave off the Coast of Kanagawa in the Ota Memorial Museum of Art contrasts with Yayoi Kasuma’s modernist creation, Love is Calling at the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi

Tuesday November 7 To kanazawa

From Tokyo station, we take Japan’s newest bullet train west to Kanazawa, packing only hand luggage for the next two nights. Your large suitcase will be transported by road to meet you in Hiroshima. During the Edo period, it was the second largest feudal seat after Tokyo’s Tokugawa clan. The city, like Kyoto, was left untouched by air raids during World War II and the old sections remain largely intact. This afternoon we explore the Higashi Chaya tea house and entertainment district. A Chaya is a teahouse where guests are entertained by geisha who perform song and dance on traditional instruments. We also visit the samurai district with its narrow lanes, remaining wood houses and water canals. We stop at the Nomura house, a restored samurai residence displaying artefacts from the samurai era. Enjoy a multi-course traditional kaiseki dinner this evening, prepared with fresh local ingredients aligned to the season and a good opportunity to try some local sake. Overnight Kanazawa (B, D)

Wednesday November 8 Kenrokuen

This morning we visit Kenrokuen, considered one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens and designed using the six essential attributes that make a perfect garden; spaciousness, seclusion, artificiality, antiquity, abundant water and broad views. Located next to Kanazawa Castle, the garden would have served as the outer garden for the castle and the flowering trees are chosen to provide differing aspects according to the season. We visit the castle which was the seat of the powerful Maeda clan. The castle has burnt down several times with only two storehouses and the gate surviving the most recent fire of 1881. A project to reconstruct sections of the castle is ongoing. Overnight Kanazawa (B)

Thursday November 9 To Hiroshima

Today we board a limited express thunderbird train to Osaka before changing to the bullet train to Hiroshima. On arrival, we check in before touring Japan’s most haunting and significant memorial, the Atomic Bomb Dome. The former industrial promotion hall was closest to the hypocentre of the nuclear bomb and along with the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum serves as a stark reminder of the horrors of war. This evening for dinner we try the local speciality, Okonomiyaki, a type of pancake filled with vegetables and seafood or pork. Overnight Hiroshima (B, D)

Friday November 10 Miyajima

We travel the short distance by train and ferry to Miyajima, famous for the large torii gate that appears to float on the water at high tide. The gate symbolises the entrance to Itkushima Shrine, a site sacred to both Shintoism and Buddhism. The shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a

Above: Kanazawa’s Higashi Chaya entertainment district is lined with old wooden tea houses; Kenrokuen’s classic design uses nature’s best attributes to stunning effect Below: The Atomic Bomb Dome provides a haunting reminder of the nuclear attack on Hiroshima

large complex of hall and pathways built on stilts so that commoners could visit without defiling the island with their footprints. We also ascend Mt Misen, travelling above the autumn foliage by cable car. There is free time to enjoy a lunch of the local oysters, a speciality of the island, before we return to Hiroshima this afternoon. Overnight Hiroshima (B)

Saturday November 11 To kyoto

We board the bullet train to Kyoto, travelling only with our hand luggage as the large suitcases will once again be transported by road. On arrival, we visit the Kiyomizu Temple complex built entirely without using nails. The temple was first constructed in 798 but the present-day building is a re-construction from 1633. The main hall has a large veranda that juts out over the hillside and commands an excellent view of the city. From here it is a gentle walk down the hill through the shops and teahouses of the Higashiyama district. This evening we have dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight Kyoto (B, D)

Sunday November 12 Golden Temple

This morning we head to the spectacular Kinkakuji, Golden Pavilion. It is difficult to believe the temple was razed to the ground in 1950 by a crazed young monk whose story was told in celebrated novelist Yukio Mishima’s The Temple of the Golden Pavilion. A short distance from Kinkakuji we stop for some quiet contemplation at Ryoanji temple, the finest example of a Zen rock garden in Kyoto. After lunch we visit the Daitokuji temple complex and its two dozen sub temples and their associated Zen gardens. The complex grew into a centre for Tea Ceremony associated with the master practitioner, Sen-no Rikyu in the 15th-century. Overnight Kyoto (B)

Monday November 13 Art in kyoto

We head to Fushimi Inari Shrine in the south of Kyoto. Famous for its thousands of vermillion gates leading up the wooded paths, the shrine is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. The shrine is decorated with statues of foxes which are Inari’s messenger. Returning to the city we visit Sanjusangendo, Japan’s longest wooden structure housing 1001 statues of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy. This afternoon we visit the National Museum to see the collection of archaeological relics, sculptures, ceramics and costumes. We have dinner tonight in one of the many restaurants in the atmospheric Pontocho dining strip. (B, D)

TUesday November 14 Silver temple

Today we visit Ginkakuji, the Temple of the Silver Pavilion. Original plans to cover the main structure in silver foil like the Golden Pavilion were never realised and the building is now

Above: The floating Torii gate of Itskushima at Miyajima Below: the Golden Pavilion floats ethereally in its landscape, gold leaf covered walls reflecting magically in the lake.; Sanjusangendo derives its name from the 33 halls lined with 1001 statues of the goddess, Kannon

covered in black lacquer. The wooded grounds covered in mosses feature a sand garden with a carefully structured sand mountain designed to resemble Mt Fuji. Outside the temple is the Philosophers Path, where we enjoy a pleasant stroll alongside the canal lined with flowering plants, bushes and trees. After lunch in Gion we partake in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. (B, L)

Wednesday November 15 Arashiyama

Today we venture outside of Kyoto to Arashiyama and the world class 14th-century Zen garden at Tenryuji against the backdrop of the Arashiyama mountains. Outside the temple grounds is the Sagano Bamboo Grove, forming a canopy over the footpath. This has become one of the most photographed sites in Japan. After lunch in the town and time to investigate some of the local handicrafts, we board a scenic train journey that takes us through the bamboo forests and along the Hozugawa River before returning to Kyoto. Overnight Kyoto (B, L)

Thursday November 16 nAra

We travel to Nara, Japan’s first permanent capital and second only to Kyoto in cultural significance with World Heritage status. We visit Todaiji, constructed in 752 as the main temple of all provincial Buddhist shrines in Japan. The main hall houses the 15-metre-tall bronze statue of Buddha (Daibutstu). We also visit the Kasuga Taisha, dedicated to the protection of the city and built by the powerful Fujiwara clan who ruled during the Nara and Heian periods. We return to Kyoto where the afternoon and evening are at leisure. (B, L)

Friday November 17 Free day

Today is at leisure to simply relax, shop or enjoy the many attractions of Kyoto not covered on the tour. We recommend a visit to Nishiki markets and a wander through the basement food halls of the local department stores. We gather for a farewell dinner in a local restaurant this evening. (B, D)

SAturday November 18 Depart

The tour concludes after breakfast. Transfers have been arranged to either Kansai or Itami airports in Osaka for passengers booking their flights through Academy Travel. (B)

Images right: A lush bamboo canopy forms over this pathway outside the Tenryuji temple in Arashiyama; the 15-metre-tall bronze

Daibutsu Buddha statue greets visitors at Todaiji Temple in Nara; the sights and smells of Nishiki markets – this stall holder selling

roasted chestnuts means it’s autumn in Kyoto

The vermillion torii gates cascade down the hill at Fushimi Inari shrine

Tour Price The tour price is $11,485 per person, twin share (land content only). The supplement for the sole use of a single room is $2,755 per person. A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is required to secure a place on the tour.

Tour Inclusions Included in the tour price 15 nights’ accommodation in four-star hotels All breakfasts, plus lunches and dinners as indicated in

the itinerary Train travel by shinkansen or limited express from Tokyo

to Kanazawa, Kanazawa to Hiroshima and Kyoto Services of your tour leader and tour manager

throughout the tour Local English speaking guides in each city All land travel by air-conditioned coach where required All entrance fees to sites mentioned in itinerary Background talks and tour notes Tips to local guides, drivers and restaurants Porterage of 1 piece of luggage in and out of hotels Luggage transfers by road where required

Not included International air fares, taxes and surcharges (see below) Travel insurance Meals not mentioned in itinerary Expenses of a personal nature

Hotels Hotels have been selected principally for their central location.

Tokyo, Keio Plaza Hotel (4 nights) Kanazawa, Nikko Kanazawa (2 nights) Hiroshima, Granvia (2 nights) Kyoto, Hotel Nikko Princess (7 nights)

Air travel OPTIONS Qantas, Japan Airlines and ANA offer daily flights from Sydney to Tokyo’s Haneda or Narita Airports with return connections through Tokyo from Osaka. Please contact us for further information on competitive Economy, Business and First Class airfares. Transfers between airport and hotel are included for all passengers booking their flights through Academy Travel. These may be group or individual transfers.

Enquiries & bookings For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Frederick Steyn at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email frederick@academytravel.com.au

Fitness Requirements of THIS tour

Grade Two

It is important both for you and for your fellow travellers that you are fit enough to be able to enjoy all the activities on this tour. To give you an indication of the level of physical fitness required to participate on our tours, we have given them a star grading. Academy Travel’s tours tend to feature extended walking tours and site visits, which require greater fitness than coach touring. We ask you to carefully consider your ability to meet the physical demands of the tour.

Participation criteria for this tour This Grade Two tour is designed for people who lead active lives and can comfortably participate in up to five hours of physical activity per day on most days, including longer walking tours, challenging archaeological sites, climbing stairs, embarking and disembarking trains and/or boats, and a more demanding tour schedule with one night stops or several internal flights. You should be able to: keep up with the group at all times walk for 4-5 kilometres at a moderate pace with only

short breaks stand for a reasonable length of time in galleries and

museums tolerate uncomfortable climatic conditions such as cold,

humidity and heat walk up and down slopes negotiate steps and slopes on archaeological sites,

which are often uneven and unstable get on and off a large coach with steep stairs, train or

boat unassisted, possibly with luggage move your luggage a short distance if required

A note for older travellers If you are more than 80 years old, or have restricted mobility, it is highly likely that you will find this itinerary challenging. You will have to miss several activities and will not get the full value of the tour. Your booking will not be accepted until after you have contacted Academy Travel to discuss your situation and the exact physical requirements of this tour. While we will do our best to reasonably accommodate the physical needs of all group members, we reserve the right to refuse bookings if we feel that the requirements of the tour are too demanding for you and/or if local conditions mean we cannot reasonably accommodate your condition.