PROJECT CODE: 2022STEPHANIE
(Please read this page with a computer as some formats are not recognized by mobile devices).
LEADER: Stephanie Estes
GROUP SIZE: 4
Group Member Relationship: Stephanie, her aunt, and their parents (to celebrate birthdays on October 17 and 20).
Citizenship: USA
TRAVEL DATE: October 10-23, 2023 (The client has booked their flights)
ACCOMMODATION: BOOKED BY THE CLIENT
TOUR STYLE: Private tour
CUSTOMER'S INTERESTS: Birthday-celebration
Request:
They need assistance with activities/private tours, and transportation. The below itinerary is what she has sent us. I think she’s been pretty good with the framing. She has listed her Interests, Activities she wants to do in each city, and the Festivals she can encounter.
HOTELS
BOOKED
October 10-12: Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo Hotel (Tokyo) 4-star
October 12-14: Shousuke no Yado Takinoyu (Aizuwakamatsu) – an Onsen Hotel
ITINERARY
Monday – October 10 // TOKYO NEED SERVICE
Leave Haneda Around 4:00 pm
Travel By Train or Shuttle to Kimpton Shinjuku (45 Min)
Check-In Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo Hotel Around 5:00 pm (2 Nights)
Sightsee Locally - Highlights Dinner at Golden Gai
Tuesday – October 11 // TOKYO NEED SERVICE
Meet w/ Masayo Yamakawa (Family Friend; Japanese National)
AM - Shibuya Sky Rooftop Observatory (Scramble)
Pachinko Parlor (10-20 Min)
Lunch at Robot Restaurant
Meiji Shrine or Imperial Palace
Sightsee Locally - Highlights
Camp Zama (if there’s time)
Dinner
October 12-14 Aizuwakamatsu NO SERVICE NEEDED
The client's friend Hiroko will accompany the group to tour AIZU for the following days until sending the group off at the train station on October 15.
Saturday – October 15 // ==> Aizuwakamatsu train to OSAKA NEED SERVICE
Depart Aizuwakamatsu
Train to Osaka.
Stay overnight in Osaka.
NEED Activities / Sights / Shopping
CUP NOODLES Museum + Chicken Ramen Factory (Need Tickets) (1.5 Hours)
Dinner
Sunday – October 16 // OSAKA NEED SERVICE
Sightsee Locally Osaka
NEED Activities / Sights / Shopping Dinner
Monday – October 17 // HIROSHIMA NEED SERVICE
Depart Osaka to Himeji Castle by Train (56 Min Journey)
Visit Himeji Castle (1 Hour)
Continue on to Hiroshima by Train (1.5 Hour Journey)
Stay One Night in Hiroshima
Private Class (Laido – Art of Drawing the Japanese Sword or Master Swordsmith Class) (1.5 Hours)
End Private Tour at Shopping (Kimono Store, Matsuya or Kimono by Nadeshiko) NEED Activities / Sights / Shopping
Dad’s Bday! – Special Dinner (Option: Hiroshima Yakumo (5 Min Walk)
Tuesday – October 18 // KYOTO NEED SERVICE
Depart Hiroshima for Kyoto
Kyoto Sightseeing/Shopping/Activity
NEED Activities / Sights / Shopping Dinner
Wednesday – October 19 // KYOTO NEED SERVICE
Kyoto Sightseeing/Shopping/Activity NEED Activities / Sights / Shopping Dinner
Thursday – October 20 // KYOTO NEED SERVICE
Kyoto Sightseeing/Shopping/Activity NEED Activities / Sights / Shopping
Shibori Scarf Class for Day Activity (Mom’s Bday)
Mom’s Bday! Plan Something Special (any good restaurant)
Friday – October 21 // TOKYO NEED SERVICE
Depart Kyoto for Tokyo by Train (2 Hours 57 Min Journey)
Mochi Making Class (https://www.simplyoishii.com) (2.5 Hours)
Tokyo Sightseeing/Shopping/Activity NEED Activities / Sights / Shopping Dinner
Saturday – October 22 // TOKYO NEED SERVICE
Tokyo Sightseeing/Shopping/Activity NEED Activities / Sights / Shopping Dinner
Sunday – October 23 // DEPARTURE NEED SERVICE
Depart Tokyo, Haneda to Seattle on DELTA - Flight 166 at 4:20 pm
INTERESTS
· Incense Ceremony or Factory Tour (Shoyeido - Kyoto)
· Shibori or Aizome Class
· Dinner w/ Geisha (Kyoto)
· Kendo Class (Aizuwakamatsu)
· Sake Brewery Tour (Aizuwakamatsu)
· Soba Noodle Making Class
· Swordmaking Experience
· Tokyo (Updated)
o Tsukiji/Toyosu - Fish Market o Golden Gai
o Senso-ji
o Robot Restaurant – Lunch?
o Azuki and Koori – Shaved Ice
o Meiji Shrine
o Imperial Palace
o Pachinko Parlor (10-20 Min) o Takeshita-dori, or Harajuku Lane
o Vending Machine Experience
o Shibuya Sky Rooftop Observatory (Scramble)
o Mori Building Digital Art Museum – EPSON teamLAB Borderless o Shopping: Lumine, Takashimaya Times Square and Odakyu
o Shinjuku Hotels: Park Hyatt, Keio Plaza Tokyo, Odakyu Hotel Century, JR Kyushu Hotel Blossom Shinjuku, ONSEN RYOKAN YUEN SHINJUKU, Hilton Tokyo Hotel, Hashinoya
o Sazae Temple
o Tsurugajo Castle
o Matsudaira Clan Monuments
o Tsutsumi Production W orkshop (1.5 Hours)
o Nisshinkan Samurai School (Kyūdō)
o Learn Kendo at Tsuruga-Jo Castle (Aizu Butokuden)
o Shopping: Nanukamachi-dori Street, Ichinomachi-dori Street, Taketo (Bamboo), Aizu Shurakukan, Mingei Taketou, Sakamoto Collection, Aizu Bukeyashiki, Aizu Matsumoto Touzai Kan (Furniture), Aizu Aoi Silk Road Bunmeikan (Tochimochi Yubeshi), Kasutean Aizu Aoi, Kumanoya (nama Dorayaki), Tsurugajo Kaikan (Rest Near Castle), Mitsutaya (Miso, Pickles, Daikon), Shirakiya Lacquerware Store (Famly Crest/Name), Aizubuke Yashiki Satokobo Kokon (GREAT SHOPPING, 1 Innai) Aizumomen Orimoto (Cotton, 11-5 Nanokamachi),Yamanaka Senmochi Honpo, Tsurugajo Kaikan is a shopping complex next to Tsurugajo Castle (Kimono Rental
· Miyazaki (Close to Osaka)
· Takachiho Gorge
· Wakayama (Near Osaka)
o Kumano Nachi Taisha (Pagoda and Tallest Waterfall)
o Peace Memorial Park
o Itsukushima Shrine (Closed Until Late 2022)
o SHUKKEIEN GARDEN
o Hiroshima Castle
· Miyajima (Near Hiroshima)
o Omotesando Shopping Arcade
o Tenryu-ji Temple + Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
o Fushimi-Inari Shrine
o Nijo Castle
o Kinkaku-ji (Golden Temple)
o Byōdō-in
▪ Nishiki Market
· Nearby Nishiki Tenmangū
▪ Pontochō Geisha District (Pontocho Alley)
· Hanami-koji Street – Main Street in Geisha Entertainment District
· Nearby Shirakawa Street
· Nearby Gion Tatsumi Bridge – Memoir of a Geisha Movie
▪ ISSEN YOSHOKU OKONOMIYAKI RESTAURANT
▪ PONTOCHO ALLEY – NIGHT EATING/DRINKING
▪ Kyoto Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya (Starbucks near the Kiy omizudera Temple)
▪ Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka Streets
▪ Chawanzaka Street
▪ Kōdai-ji
▪ Shirakawa Street
▪ Hokan-ji Temple (Yasaka-no-to Tower)
▪
Sanjūsangen-dō
o Nagano - Narai
o Edo Period Heritage Homes
· Nagato - Motonosumi Shrine, Yamaguchi
FESTIVALS //
·
Hamamatsu Flower Park in Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka
· Tsukiji Autumn Festival 2022 – Tokyo
· Kyoto Antique Fair – Oct 28-30
QUOTE FROM KRISTY (AUGUST 4, 2022)
This is a 14-day tour accompanied by an English-speaking guide from October 10-23, 2022.
Important points are below.
Lunch/Dinners
I did not include lunch & dinner as the prices vary depending on the course and set of food. Please let them do by themselves.
Activities
We have noted the activities you want to experience. However, we don't have the prices yet as we are checking if they are open and available on your chosen dates. You can also pay on the spot should you decide to visit other spots/places - the guide will assist you with the admission/entrance fees. Please find what activities are open and have them pay by themselves.
Dinner with Geisha for your Mom's B-day celebration is included. While for your Dad’s Bday – Special Dinner (Option: Hiroshima Yakumo), we will have your guide's assistance with the reservation. Please do not include the Geisha or other meals.
Well noted on the shopping places that are on your list
I will need to check the availability of the activities like the tea ceremony, Shibori Scarf Class, Incense Ceremony, Soba making class, and Swordmaking experience
On Saturday – October 15 // Mt Fuji ==> OSAKA, please note that from Aizuwakamatsu to Shizuoka is about 4h30 mins travel, then from Shizuoka station to Chureito Pagoda is 2hr35 mins travel time. They have decided not to stop at Shizuoka. Instead, they'll just go to Osaka.
Transportation
You are going to use public transport for all the transfers by using your JR Pass. There are places that are not covered by JR Pass and it will be self-paid. Please have them buy by themselves after they arrive in Japan.
Private airport transfers with an escort/assistant to help the group going to the hotel and vice-versa are included
Guide
There will be a guide for the entire duration of your trip. The budget for accommodation, food, and transport expenses of the guide is included. So, they will only need in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima.
Price
The total price of the above package comes up to 2,511,233 JPY ($18120) for 4 pax (14D13N) following your itinerary/plan.
This program includes:
· English-speaking guide
· Airport transfer (arrival & departure)
· Dinner with Geisha in Kyoto (Day 11) - PLEASE REMOVE
· JR Pass (a transfer that is not covered, it is self-pay) - Please remove all.
Excludes:
· International Flights
· All meals.
· Personal expenses
· Tips of the guide
· Transportation expenses not covered by JR Pass
· Other services not mentioned in the above
· Insurance