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Sample Itinerary
Below is a sample itinerary for
a 13-day Kyoto Walking Tour. This is an abbreviated general itinerary.
It does not include minor tour events and the many charming occurrences that
happen every day. The
final itinerary for each tour is not determined until shortly before the tour
starts. This allows for the inclusion of special exhibitions, visits, and
events. Our visits to private homes and gardens are dependent on the
schedules of our Japanese friends. As such, the final itinerary may
vary from the sample posted here.
DAY 1 TRAVEL DAY (Sat/Sun)
travel - on airplane or train to the Kansai International Airport
the date switches from Saturday to Sunday at the Intl. Date Line
lodging - in a convenient hotel located at (or near) the airport
relax - at your hotel, even though you're so excited to get going!
DAY 2 FUSHIMI DAY TRIP
(Monday)
travel - by chartered coach to Fushimi
garden visit - to Sambo-in, a famous Momoyama period garden
lunch - in Fushimi at the Ume-no-Hana Restaurant
cultural - visit to a sake brewery in Fushimi
cultural - visit to a model home village in Kyoto
check-in - to the Kyoto Hotel that will serve as our home base
experience - a neighborhood walk and dinner in the vicinity of our hotel
DAY 3 SHISENDO (Tuesday)
experience - a neighborhood walk in northeastern Kyoto
garden visits - to Enkoh-ji and Kompuku-ji
extended home & garden visit - at Shisendo
cultural - visit to to the home of a calligraphy master
lunch - at the Heihachi Chaya Inn
cultural - visit to a tatami mat company
experience - a visit to a local home and garden center
DAY
4 PHILOSOPHER'S WALK
(Wednesday)
early morning garden visit - to Ginkaku-ji, the "Silver Pavilion"
garden visit - to Honen-in's beautiful gate
experience - Philosopher's Walk
green tea - and architectural talk at the Yoji-ya Cafe
private home & garden visit - to Mrs. Andoh's house.
lunch - at Junsei, a Nanzen-ji area garden resturant
visit - the family home and spectacular warehouse of a bamboo merchant.
DAY 5 NIJO CASTLE (Thursday)
garden visit - to Nijo Castle and Ninomaru Palace
garden visit - to Seiryu-en, a semi-private garden near Nijo
lunch - at the Kokusai Hotel's garden restaurant
cultural - visit to Kyoto's textile district
free afternoon - to relax, go shopping, or visit an indigo dye workshop
experience - an evening stroll through Kyoto's downtown area
dinner - downtown in a "family style" Japanese pub
DAY 6 WESTERN KYOTO (Friday)
experience - a beautiful stroll beside the river in Arashiyama
experience - a visit to Arashiyama's famous bamboo forest
garden visit - to Tenryu-ji, on of Japan's oldest gardens
shopping - at Sagano village shops
"romantic" train ride - through the torokko gorge
lunch - at the Raku-raku-soh beer garden in Kameoka
exclusive visit - to a professional tree nursery and stone yard
DAY 7 NARA DAY TRIP (Saturday)
travel - by train to Nara
garden visits - to Yoshiki-en and Isui-en
walk - through Nara's deer park
learn about - Edo period townhouses
lunch - at Harishin restaurant
cultural - visit to the home and studio of a sumi ink craftsman
shopping - in Nara's shopping district
DAY 8 FREE DAY (Sunday)
relax - or visit the cultural attractions of your choice.
DAY 9 OHARA DAY TRIP
(Monday)
travel - by bus on spectacular mountain roads up into the countryside
experience - a mountainside walk through the village of Ohara
relax - and enjoy drinks at the foot spa in Ohara
cultural - visit to an O-hara koi breeder's farm
lunch - at the Tamba Chaya neighborhood restaurant
private home & garden visit - to Mrs. Shimizu's rice farm
garden visit - at Renge-ji
DAY 10 MARUTAMACHI (Tuesday)
garden visit - to the ALTI concert hall garden
cultural - visit and lecture at a traditional incense shop
garden visit - to the Heian Kaikan garden
learn - and talk with a master garden builder
"basket" lunch - at the Hobune Restaurant
private home & garden visit - to Shusui-tei Villa
cultural - ikebana demonstration at Shusui-tei
DAY 11 MURIN-AN (Wednesday)
garden visit - to the Shirakawa-in teacher's retreat
garden visit - to Murin-an
cultural - hands-on kimono lesson at Kokoka
cultural - tea ceremony lesson at "En"
experience - a stroll through the stunning Ishibe-koji neighborhood
lunch - at the Okutan Restaurant in Kiyomizu
desert - at the Raku-sho "koi cafe"
shopping - in the Kiyomizu area
DAY 12 KATSURA / FREE DAY (Thursday)
special independent visits - to the Katsura Imperial Villa
free afternoon - relax, go shopping, or visit the cultural sites of your choice
evening farewell dinner - at the Ganko Nijo-en Restaurant downtown
DAY 13 CHECK-OUT / AIRPORT (Friday)
travel - Sukiya Living Tours arranges transport to KIX airport
logistics - Sukiya Living Tours helps tour guests plan further side trips
Sukiya Living Tours is a Division of SUKIYA LIVING MAGAZINE (JOJG), P.O. Box 1050, Rockport, ME (USA) 04856 (tel/fax) 207-273-2907
