Insider's Japan II

A truly foreign and fascinating land of rich traditions and dizzying modernity is revealed on this well-crafted 13-day small group tour.  See Tokyo and Kyoto’s highlights, engage in local life, and head off the beaten path to alluring historic destinations.  Begin in amazing Tokyo where sightseeing includes the imposing Imperial Palace, the Tokyo National Museum, the peaceful Meiji Shrine, and a calligrapher’s gallery.  Then encounter magnificent Mt. Fuji and cruise on scenic Lake Ashi.  After overnighting in a traditional ryokan inn, travel by bullet train then express train to lovely Takayama in the Japanese Alps.  A traditional tea ceremony and a cooking class offer opportunities to experience Japanese culture firsthand.  In culturally rich Kanazawa, visit famed Kenrokuen Garden and a gold leaf museum.  Touring of Japan’s cultural capital, Kyoto, includes the beloved Golden Pavilion temple, the extravagant Nijo-jo Castle, and the important Fushimi Inari shrine with its trails straddled by some 1,000 red tori gates.  Discover Hiroshima, reborn from its atomic destruction and now a cosmopolitan city that welcomes Americans, on an optional 3-day/2-night post-tour extension.