Escorted Tours 2020 & 2021 - 2nd Edition - Mercury Holidays

For full tour itineraries, please visit us online at www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/tours JAPAN & KOREA 65 PACE: MEAL PLAN: 8 breakfasts, 1 lunch & 5 dinners ACCOMMODATION Tokyo 3 nights 3 ★ The B Ikebukuro or 3 ★ Shinagawa Tobu Takayama 2 nights 3.5 ★ Takayama Ouan or 3 ★ Route Inn Grantia Takayama Kyoto 2 nights 3 ★ Royal Park Hotel The Kyoto or 3 ★ New Miyako Hiroshima 1 night 3 ★ Hotel New Hiroden Osaka 1 night 3.5 ★ Premier Hotel Cabin 11 days from £3,469pp TREASURES OF JAPAN TOUR HIGHLIGHTS ✔ Full-day city tours of Tokyo and Kyoto ✔ Visit Hakone, home to Mount Fuji ✔ Discover the beautifully preserved buildings in Takayama ✔ Explore Hiroshima and delve into its infamous World War II history ✔ Visit Miyajima Island and its awe-inspiring Itsukushima Shrine ✔ Walking dinner in Osaka ✔ The black and white Matsumoto Castle DEPARTURES & FROM PRICES 2022 DEPARTURES AT 2021 PRICES CONTACT US FOR DATES • Prices based on flights from London Heathrow to Japan with Cathay Pacific (via Hong Kong) • Regional departures available • A single supplement starts from just £419 02 Nov 20 £3,639 15 Mar 21 £3,469 22 Mar 21 £3,569 19 Apr 21 £3,529 26 Apr 21 £3,529 03 May 21 £3,559 21 Jun 21 £3,499 20 Sep 21 £3,559 18 Oct 21 £3,559 Mount Fuji in Autumn BULLET TRAIN FROM HIROSHIMA TO OSAKA DAY 1: UK TO TOKYO Depart London on your scheduled, overnight flight to Tokyo, via Hong Kong. DAY 2: TOKYO On arrival in Tokyo, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for the day at leisure. DAY 3: TOKYO B/L/D A full-day of sightseeing will allow you to visit Sensoji, Tokyo’s oldest temple. Enjoy a special sushi making experience, wander through the popular area of Ginza and see the iconic Akihabara Electric Town.  DAY 4: TOKYO & HAKONE B Today, visit Hakone National Park, home to one of Japan’s most instantly recognisable sights - the iconic Mount Fuji, fringed by thick forests and a crescent- shaped ring of shimmering lakes. Discover volcanic activity along the Hakone Ropeway before visiting the Owakudani Valley. DAY 5: TOKYO TO TAKAYAMA B After breakfast, travel to Matsumoto, a small city flanked by the great peaks of the Japanese Alps and home to the exquisite Matsumoto Castle, known locally as ‘Crow Castle’ due to its striking black and white design. Continue your journey to the mountain town of Takayama. DAY 6: TAKAYAMA B Established as a merchant town, the remote mountain village of Takayama offers a truly unique insight into a bygone Japan. Your fascinating guided tour takes you past canals flowing under the eaves of sake brewing houses which display bundles of cedar leaves, indicating the new season’s rice wine is available. DAY 7: TAKAYAMA TO KYOTO B/D Departing Takayama, journey into the ancient capital of Kyoto and experience an age-old tradition with an evening of geisha performances and enjoy dinner in a local restaurant. DAY 8: KYOTO B/D Once the imperial capital of Japan, the ancient city of Kyoto now boasts 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. On this full-day tour, explore the Zen Buddhist temple of Kinkakuji, the brightly coloured gates of Fushimi Inari shrine and the maze of food stalls in 400-year- old Nishiki Market. Enjoy a stroll around the Gion area, a geisha district lined with charming wooden buildings, teahouses and restaurants. DAY 9: KYOTO TO HIROSHIMA B/D This morning travel to Hiroshima where you will take a boat ride to Miyajima Island, known as the ‘Island of the Gods’ and visit the awe-inspiring Itsukushima Shrine and its towering, free-standing wooden gate which stands in the middle of the sea. Later, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Please note: an overnight day pack/bag is required for your train journey from Hiroshima to Osaka and your main luggage will be transferred separately to Osaka. DAY 10: HIROSHIMA TO OSAKA B/D Start your day with a visit to Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park and Museum where photos and belonging of victims of the Hiroshima bombing are on display, serving as a reminder of the horror of the devastating event. Later, a train carries you to Osaka, arriving in time for tonight’s entertaining farewell meal - a walking dinner that samples Osaka’s best culinary delights. DAY 11: OSAKA TO THE UK This morning, transfer to the airport for your flight back to the UK, via Hong Kong, or continue on to your chosen extension. B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner FOR YOU TO KNOW: No visa is required when travelling to Japan, however travel insurance must be obtained before travel. Tips - it is customary to tip your guide and driver, we recommend you allow approximately £20pp for the duration of the tour. Optional excursions are at an additional cost. The Land of the Rising Sun boasts one of the world’s most enthralling and unique cultures and civilisations. Japan is a nation of samurai castles, Buddhist temples and bullet trains racing through rural scenes and futuristic cityscapes. 1 Number of nights Boat Coach Rail Hiroshima Miyajima Island Osaka Kyoto Japan Sea of Japan North PaciÞc Takayama Tokyo Mt Fuji Hakone 2 1 1 2 3 HONG KONG 3 nights 4 ★ B&B from £329 KYOTO 3 nights 3.5 ★ B&B from £699 TOKYO 3 nights 3.5 ★ B&B from £659 Visit our website to learn more about our extensions. EXTEND YOUR TOUR