Day 1-3 Tokyo On day 1, arrive in Tokyo at any time. As your fellow travellers will be arriving at different times, there are no planned activities during the day. Please check with reception for a message from your GAP leader with the details of your group meeting this evening.
Tokyo, the capital of Japan, is one of the most modern cities in the world. It seems that every person on the streets has the latest version of everything. Ginza, is full of department stores selling the latest fashions, Akihabara is the place to try the latest new gadgets before they become available in the West and Shinjuku is the fast paced nightclub area. However, if you look under the glossy surface, Tokyo is still very traditional. Ladies still wear kimonos around town, people go to temples like Senso-ji to say a few prayers on their way to work and couples get married in their traditional wedding gowns in the beautiful grounds around the Meiji Shrine. In spring, couples, families and friends sit beneath trees sipping sake and admiring the cherry blossoms.
Day 4 Nikko Today we travel 128 km on the Shinkansen "Bullet Train" and local train to Nikko, to see one of Japan's truly unique shrines, the World Heritage listed Tosho-gu Shrine. Meaning 'Sunshine', Tosho-gu is the mausoleum of Tokugan Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan for 250 years until its demise in 1868. The building was constructed in 1634 and took 2 years to complete with over 15,000 artisans working on it! The temple sits amidst splendid mountains criss-crossed with hiking trails. After an optional visit of the magnificent Tosho-gu, take a bus up to the onsen village of Yumoto, where we can bath in an onsen at one of the local temples!
Day 5-6 Hakone and Mt Fuji Hakone is the prefect base for our Mt Fuji climb. It is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, less than 100 kilometers from Tokyo. Famous for hot springs, outdoor activities, natural beauty and the view of nearby Mt Fuji, Hakone is one of the most popular destinations among Japanese and international tourists looking for a break from Tokyo.
After climbing Mt Fuji what better way to relax then soaking in one of the town's many sulphuric hot onsens!
During climbing season from mid June to mid September we can trek to the top of the summit. During the off season we can do an alternate day trek in the 5 Lakes region where the views of Mt. Fuji leave you breathless. It is not that the climb to the top of Fuji is difficult - every year pilgrims, families and school groups all make the ascent. The B grading of this trek is because the of rapid ascent to altitude can affect some people, and the pre-dawn start means that we encounter some rough patches with only torchlight to guide us. It is also inexorably upwards. There are several routes to the summit, each a well-designated path. The mountain is divided into 10 stations and like most people we begin our ascent at one of the 5th stations. Fujinomiya, at an altitude of 2,380m, is our preferred 5th station start point, and the 1,396m to the summit takes 5-6 hours in total. We choose to break the climb by stopping overnight at the 8th station. Accommodation on the mountain is a basic dormitory style hut with few facilities.
Please note: The summit of Mt. Fuji is at a high altitude, it is recommended that oxygen should be carried by all passengers. As it can be cold at the summit as you are there before sunrise, we recommend that you wear warm layers (fleece, or thermals).
MT. FUJI CLIMBING SEASON is as follows. From July 1 - August 27 - Groups will spend 1 night in Hakone and 1 night on Mt Fuji in simple guesthouse accommodation. From May 1-Jun 30/Aug 28-Nov 1 - Groups will spend spend 2 nights in Hakone and drive to Station 5 and hike down the mountain (not up!) From Nov 2 - April 30 - It is not possible to climb Mt Fuji as buses do not run up the mountain. Trips will spend 2 days in Hakone and do walks around the lake region.
Day 7-8 Kyoto Continuing on to Kyoto, the former Imperial Capital and home of the country's most treasured remnants of Japanese imperial life. As the Imperial capital, Kyoto is an essential part of any visit to Japan. Kyoto has some of the most magnificent temples in Japan which date back centuries. There are said to be 2,000 temples, shrines, palaces, museums and traditional gardens in Kyoto. Use your time to wander past huge wooden structures and multi-storied pagodas, all linked with famous walkways and marvel at the huge temples of the Hongan-ji sect or the beautiful Golden Pavilion. Take time out to enjoy the Zen gardens like Ryoan-ji and the Silver Pavilion, take a leisurely stroll down the lovely Philosopher's path to Nanzen-ji or just walk around Gion and perhaps catch a glimpse of a Geisha going from teahouse to tea house. Discover, for a full day, the Zen gardens, huge wooden temples, pagodas and shrines.
Day 9-10 Hiroshima Travel by bullet train to Hiroshima (2 hr).
Continue by ferry to Miyajima, an idyllic, little island. See the sun set over the famous 'floating' Tori Gate. Perhaps more than any city in the world, Hiroshima is famous for one moment in history. On 6 August 1945, it became the first target of an atomic bomb. Unlike most Japanese cities Hiroshima is full of wide boulevards and is fundamentally an industrial city. The large Peace Park in the centre of the city is an extremely moving place dotted with memorials of those who were killed in the explosion and those that died as a result. At the heart of the park are the remnants of Gembaku Dome. It was directly above this building that the bomb exploded, decimating all but the Dome immediately below. A burning flame waits in the park to be extinguished when all nuclear weapons in the world have been destroyed. In the Inland Sea, not far from the coast near Hiroshima, you will find perhaps the most photographed shrine in Japan - The Torii Gate. The shrine itself dates back to the 6th century and is designed in a pier like structure, as mere 'commoners' were not allowed to set foot on this holy place.
Day 11 Tokyo
Day 12 Depart Tokyo Day 12 is departure day and you are free to leave at any time.
