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

66 JAPAN & KOREA MEAL PLAN: 12 breakfasts & 2 dinners ACCOMMODATION Sapporo 2 nights 4 ★ Sapporo Excel Hotel Tokyu or 4 ★ ANA Crowne Plaza Sapporo Hakodate 1 night 4 ★ La Vista Hakodate Bay or 3.5 ★ Hakodate Kokusai Hote Tokyo 2 nights 4 ★ Tobu Levant Hakone 1 night 4 ★ Laforet Club Hakone Gora Yunosumika Matsumoto 1 night 3 ★ Hotel Kagetsu Kyoto 2 nights 4 ★ The General Kyoto Takatsuji Fuyacho Hiroshima 2 nights 5 ★ Sheraton Hiroshima Hotel or 4 ★ Ana Crowne Plaza Hiroshima Fukuoka 1 night 4 ★ Hotel New Otani Hakata DAY 1: UK TO SAPPORO Depart London on your scheduled, overnight flight to Sapporo, via Hong Kong. DAY 2: SAPPORO D On arrival in Sapporo, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Settle in before tonight’s welcome dinner in a local restaurant introduces you to Japan’s famed cuisine. DAY 3: SAPPORO B Travel to the port city of Otaru and stroll along the Otaru Canal, the city’s central waterway. Take in the delicately blown glassware of the Kitaichi Glass Shop then marvel at the 25,000 music boxes lining the shelves of the Music Box Museum, accompanied by the tinkle of their music. Continue on to the Nikka Whisky Distillery for a tour through the whisky barrels and casks and a tasting of this peaty whisky before returning to Sapporo. DAY 4: SAPPORO TO HAKODATE B Pack an overnight bag for your trip to Hakodate then, after breakfast, board an express train, travelling through the countryside to Hakodate. On arrival, cross the moats that surround the star-shaped former fort of Goryokaku and explore the tranquil green grounds. Next, travel to Mount Hakodate for a cable car ride to its summit. Continue on to your hotel in Hakodate. DAY 5: HAKODATE TO TOKYO B Join Hakodate’s locals this morning as you browse the lively Morning Market, exploring over 280 stores hawking everything from salted squid and hairy crab - culinary specialities of the area, to souvenirs and locally crafted sake. Browse through the wares on offer then board your high-speed train to Tokyo. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Japan’s dazzling capital. DAY 6: TOKYO B Tokyo’s enchanting fusion of futuristic districts, centuries-old palaces, family-run ramen booths and spotlessly clean streets, dotted with cutesy anime depictions, provides endless chances for exploration. Today’s full-day city tour begins with a visit to the Meiji Shrine. Enter the sprawling complex through a towering wooden gate or ‘torii’ and explore the museum and inner garden. Continue on to Asakusa Kannon Buddhist Temple, Tokyo’s oldest temple, and wander down the age-old Nakamise Shopping Street to reach the main hall and pagoda, where fragrant incense and Buddhist prayer chants fill the air. Browse the stalls that line Ameya Yokocho Street then visit the magnificent Imperial Palace, taking in its moats, gardens and the picturesque Niju Bridge. DAY 7: TOKYO TO HAKONE B Following breakfast, travel by coach through rolling countryside to Hakone. On arrival, make your way to the Hakone Open Air Museum which houses art collections, including a Picasso exhibit, and an expansive sculptural park. Take a Hakone Ropeway ride to a mountaintop station with spectacular vistas of the sparkling waters of Lake Ashi and towering Mount Fuji. A short walking trail leads to Owakudani Valley, an active volcanic crater, where hot springs, bubbling pools and steam vents serve as reminders of the area’s volcanic might. Continue on to the shores of Lake Ashi and enjoy a short cruise on this idyllic lake, surrounded by mountains and greenery. DAY 8: HAKONE TO MATSUMOTO B Witness the grandeur of Mount Fuji as a coach ride takes you to the Fifth Station at the mountain’s base. Enjoy unobstructed views from the observation deck before learning more about the mountain’s cultural significance at the Mount Fuji World Heritage Centre. Your coach ride continues on to the ancient hillside city of Matsumoto. Discover Matsumoto Castle, one of Japan’s most beautiful and oldest castles. Ringed by a moat and soaring up over five stories, a climb up the steps to the top will reward you with mesmerizing views. Check into your hotel in Matsumoto for your overnight stay. DAY 9: MATSUMOTO TO KYOTO B Journey into the Japanese highlands of Yudanaka for an encounter with the fluffy snow monkeys of the Journey from incense-scented temples and elegant castles to ultramodern electronics districts as you travel the length of Japan on six train journeys. Experience the natural grandeur of Mount Fuji, and encounter snow monkeys. Snow Monkey GRAND TOUR OF JAPAN 14 days from £3,799pp TOUR HIGHLIGHTS ✔ Enjoy a full-day tour of Tokyo’s temples, palaces and Buddhist shrines ✔ Take in spectacular views from the base of iconic Mount Fuji ✔ Explore magnificent Matsumoto Castle, Japan’s oldest castle ✔ Witness snow monkeys lounging in the steaming hot springs of Yudanaka ✔ Hiroshima’s peace memorial and A-Bomb Dome ✔ Tour and tasting at the Nikka Whisky Distillery RAIL TOUR PACE: To book or for further information visit your local travel agent or call us FREE on 0800 408 0556