Highlights of Taiwan and Japan Tour Spring

Day 1

Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport

Welcome to Taiwan! You will be met at the arrival gate by an AJT representative holding an "All Japan Tours" sign.

Amba Taipei Zhongshan Hotel or similar class

NOTE 1: The meet and greet and airport transfer to the first hotel is ONLY available on the first day of the tour. If you plan to stay extra nights before the start of the tour, please contact us for the transfer if needed.

NOTE 2: If you wish to stay extra nights before the tour starts, please contact us to book hotel accommodations.

Day 2

Taroko National Park (Qingshui Cliff)

Begin the day with breakfast at your hotel, then take a drive to Taroko National Park. On the way, we will drive along Qingshui Cliffs, a Taiwan natural wonder stretching along the gorgeous Pacific coastline. Then we will take time to explore the Taroko National Park, taking in its incredible features. The star attraction is breathtaking Taroko Gorge, a beautiful gorge lined in marble stone, with a river rushing through a tree-lined canyon. Another must-see is the shrine of the Eternal Spring, one of the park's most stunning locations, where a charming shrine building sits prettily atop a waterfall, making for a picturesque scene.

Breakfast / Lunch

Taroko Liiko Hotels or similar class

Day 3

Sun Moon Lake (Shuttle Boat Tour / Maolanshan Tea Plantation Tea Tour)

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then we depart Hualien and travel to majestic Sun Moon Lake. Taiwan's largest lake, Sun Moon Lake is so-called for it's shape, which has a rounded eastern shore like the sun, and a curved crescent western shore like the moon. Embark on a shuttle boat tour around the lake, which includes views of Lalu Island. The lake's only island is reserved for special religious practices and so cannot be visited, but the panoramic views of the lake are wonderful to behold. If the weather is clear, look out for the elegant spire of Ci En Pagoda. After lunch, we take a special tea tour of the nearby Maolanshan Tea Plantation, where we can walk around the local hiking trail and stop for a sip of refreshing Maolanshan tea. Then we return to our lakeside accommodation for a relaxing evening.

Breakfast / Lunch

Hotel Del Lago Sun Moon Lake or similar class

Day 4

Fenqihu (Old Market Street), Alishan National Forest (Forest Hike / Scenic Alishan Forest Railway)

Today, enjoy breakfast at the hotel before departing Sun Moon Lake for Chiayi. On the way, we stop in Fenqihu for the old market street. While strolling through the old market filled with charming restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops, take time to find some delicious local snacks or a native souvenir before we stop for a traditional lunch. This afternoon, our focus turns to Taiwan's astounding natural beauty as we are heading to Alishan Mountain nestled in the ancient cypress forest. Hike through the verdant Alishan National Forest, an exhilarating walk that features breathtaking mountain scenery. Then we enjoy a relaxing ride through the mountains on the Alishan Forest Railway before heading to our hotel in Chiayi and a relaxing evening.

Breakfast / Lunch

Yuh Tong Hotel or similar class

Day 5

Taichung (Wufeng Lin Family Mansion and Garden / Rainbow Village / National Taichung Theater / Gao-mei Wetland / Fengjia Night Market)

Start off with breakfast at the hotel before we depart Chiayi and head to Taichung. We visit the Wufeng Lin Family Mansion and Garden. Built in the 1800s, this palatial mansion was home to one of Taiwan's most influential families, and included such buildings as a Tower of Prospective Fragrance, a Great Flower Hall, and a Hibiscus-Mirror Studio. Nearby is the Lin Family Garden, which is one of the island's prettiest, with a number of little picturesque features to search for while on your relaxing stroll. Enjoy a delightful lunch before we discover the beautiful Rainbow Village - a little town of surprising street art, with houses painted in a colorful, psychedelic style. From there we visit the National Taichung Theater, built in an ultra-modern architectural style which the architect envisioned as a grand whirlpool, where the construction acts as artistic complement to the galleries on display. Then we take in views of the Pacific at Gao-mei Wetland. This wetland preserve on the coast of Taichung city has a great strolling boardwalk offering sweeping views of the pacific coast. After, we explore Fengjia Night Market, Taiwan's largest night market, before a relaxing night at the hotel.

Breakfast / Lunch

In Sky Hotel Taichung or similar class

Day 6

Taipei (Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall / National Palace Museum / Taipei 101)

After breakfast, we continue our route back to Taipei. Our first stop is the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, which is one of Taiwan's major monuments. Considered a Founding Father of the modern state of Taiwan, Chiang Kai-Shek was a famed military general and president of China who administered his government from Taiwan. Many Taiwanese people hold him in especially high regard, and his memorial is a grand reflection of his legacy, with a large bronze statue seated under an opulent pagoda. After lunch, we visit the National Palace Museum, a magnificent museum complex boasting an expansive collection peering back through 8,000 years of Chinese art. Finally, the tour proceeds to the Taipei 101 shopping mall, which is located in the tallest tower in the city and at one time tallest in the world. The shopping mall on the lower levels offers a perfect chance at finding that perfect memento from your vacation. After, we return to the hotel for a last relaxing night in Taipei.

Breakfast / Lunch

Amba Taipei Zhongshan Hotel or similar class

Day 7

Taiwan Taoyuan Airport - Osaka Kansai Airport

After breakfast, free for leisure until your transfer to Taoyuan International Airport for your flight to Japan. Upon arrival Osaka, an AJT representative will meet you at the arrival gate holding an "All Japan Tours" sign.

Breakfast

Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport or similar class
Hotel Elsereine Osaka or similar class (NOTE 4)

NOTE 3: The meet and greet is ONLY available for flights arriving in Terminal 1. For guests arriving in Terminal 2, airport pickup is not included, but and we will provide you with directions to get to your hotel in advance.

NOTE 4: If you wish to stay in the center of Osaka instead of Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport, we can arrange for you to stay at Hotel Elsereine Osaka (or similar class). In this case, airport transfer is not included, but we will provide you directions to get to your hotel in advance.

Day 8

Nara (Todaiji Temple / Deer Park), Kyoto (Fushimi Inari Shrine / Green Tea Ceremony with a Maiko)

In the morning, travel by private coach to Nara -- Japan's oldest capital city. We will first visit Todaiji Temple, the largest wooden building in Japan. The temple also houses the world's largest bronze Buddha statue, which measures over 49 feet (15 m) high. Venture into the surrounding park, which is filled with over 1,000 Sika deer. Then, make your way to historic Kyoto and the lovely vermillion- colored Fushimi Inari Shrine, home to an almost 2.5-mile-long (4 km) tunnel of scarlet torii gates that were part of the film 'Memoirs of a Geisha'. The shrine complex wraps around a bamboo forest that features a backdrop of picturesque mountains, streams, and ponds. You will then take part in a once-in-a-lifetime experience – tea with a Geisha in training, known as a Maiko. The Maiko will prepare your tea and show you the Japanese art of the tea ceremony. After, she will be happy to converse, answer questions, and tell tales about local life. (You'll stay two nights in Kyoto).

Breakfast / Lunch

Grand Prince Hotel Kyoto or similar class

Day 9

Kyoto (Arashiyama - Tenryu-ji Temple Zen Garden - Sagano Bamboo Forest - Togetsukyo Bridge / Golden Pavilion / Nishijin Kimono Show / Kiyomizu Temple / Gion Geisha District)

Today, we will continue our tour of Kyoto, which once served as Japan's capital and the emperor's residence from 794 until 1868. First, we will visit Arashiyama to see the Tenryuji Temple, where you can have a glimpse of a traditional Zen landscape garden design. Then, proceed through a dense bamboo forest, pass several small shrines, tea shops, and private houses before arriving at the Togetsukyo Bridge over Hozu River. Continue on to the Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion) covered with 18- karat gold leaf. This three-story structure was originally built by the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in 1397. At the Nishijin Textile Center, you can view displays of kimonos, watch an elegant kimono fashion show, and learn how they are made. Our group will tour the Kiyomizu Temple, best known for its large wooden stage that sits 13 meters (42.6 ft) above a hillside. Visitors are granted with a charming view of numerous cherry and maple trees that are particularly beautiful during the spring and fall, as well as a beautiful scene of Kyoto City in the distance. Lastly, we will tour Gion, a famous geisha district in Kyoto lined with many restaurants and ochaya (teahouses).

Breakfast / Dinner

Grand Prince Hotel Kyoto or similar class

Day 10

Koka (Miho Museum), Hikone (Hikone Castle - Genkyuen Garden), Shinkansen Bullet Train Ride

This morning, we will visit the Miho Museum, which is distinguished for its fascinating architecture designed by I. M. Pei. The museum exhibits various collections from different ancient civilizations. It is named after Koyama Mihoko, one of the richest women in Japan and the founder of the museum. Miho Museum is also listed as one of the "1000 Places to See Before You Die". The group will continue to Hikone to visit Hikone Castle, an original castle that has survived the post feudal era without undergoing severe damages or reconstruction. It is considered an excellent impression of what a complete feudal castle looks like, and is a national treasure itself. Afterwards, visit the tranquil Genkyuen Garden, located on the grounds of Hikone Castle. Next, our group will experience a Shinkansen bullet train ride, which can reach speeds of up to 320 km/hr. (200mph). Tonight, you will stay at the Onsen Hotel at Hamanako Kanzaiji Onsen, where you can soak in the therapeutic waters of a spa bath (onsen) and feast on a traditional Japanese Kaiseki banquet dinner.

Breakfast / Dinner

The Hamanako or similar class

Note: If Miho Museum is close, we will visit Kyoto National Museum or Sagawa Art Museum instead.

Day 11

Hakone (Hakone Ropeway / Owakudani), Mt Fuji, Tokyo (Shibuya - Shibuya Crossing - Hachiko Statue)

After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, we will travel to Hakone and take a 20 minute ropeway from Togendai to Owakudani. Much of the area here is considered an active volcanic zone since its creation from the eruption of Mount Hakone some 3,000 years ago. There, you can experience hot springs and hot rivers, where sulfurous fumes still linger. During clear skies, Owakudani also grants great views of Mount Fuji. From Hakone, we will proceed to the famous Mt. Fuji on our private coach. Along the way, enjoy the changing scenery, from thick vegetation to lowlands and rolling clouds. We will stop at Mt. Fuji 5th station (depending on weather) to admire the distinguished peak. In the afternoon, our group will travel to Tokyo. Our last stop of the day is in Shibuya. You will have to chance to see the famed Shibuya Crossing in action and cross the street with the crowd. Afterwards, you will get take photos with the Hachiko Statue, a monument dedicated to Japan's most loyal dog and his heart- touching story.

Breakfast / Lunch

Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro or similar class

Day 12

Tokyo (Asakusa Sensoji Temple / Sushi Making Experience / Tsukiji Outer Market / Imperial Palace / Tokyo Tower)

Today, you will be taken to the Asakusa Kannon Temple, an active place of worship where you can see the largest paper lantern in Japan. You will also be able to explore the Nakamise Market, which is located right after the temple's outer gates. It is a traditional-style shopping street with centuries of history. Next, you will have the chance to enjoy a sushi making experience with a professional sushi chef. Whatever you prepare, you will get to eat! Afterwards, we will proceed to the Tsukiji Outer Market, where various restaurants and shops line the streets. Then, pay a visit to the Imperial Palace, the former site of Edo Castle and current residence of Japan's Imperial Family. In the afternoon, we will visit the world's tallest self supporting steel tower. At 333 meters (1092.5 feet) high, Tokyo Tower is 9 meters taller than its model, the Eiffel Tower. You will be able to sightsee 150 meters (492 feet) up at the main observatory deck and get a bird's eye view of the city.
Note: For Sushi Making Experience, if you are vegetarian, on gluten-free diets, have seafood allergy, or don't eat raw fish, please contact us for other ingredient options.

Breakfast / Lunch

Hotel Mystays Premier Narita or similar class
Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro or similar class (NOTE 5 & 6)

NOTE 5: If you wish to stay in the center of Tokyo for the last night instead of Hotel Mystays Premier Narita, we can arrange for you to stay at Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro (or similar class). In this case, airport transfer is not included. We will provide full instructions for you to get to the airport in advance, or we can arrange shared shuttle service for you at US$65.00 per person per way.

NOTE 6: If you will be flying out from Haneda Airport (HND) instead of Narita Airport (NRT), we can arrange for you to stay at Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro (or similar class) instead of Hotel Mystays Premier Narita. In this case, airport transfer is not include. We will provide full instructions for you to get to the airport in advance, or we can arrange shared shuttle service for you at US$60.00 per person per way.

Day 13

Tour Ends

After breakfast, our tour officially ends. Checkout time is 11 am and Narita Airport can be reached by hotel shuttle bus.

Breakfast

NOTE 7: If you would like to stay longer in Japan, please contact us to book hotel accommodations.