This is amazing value for a destination such as Japan, as the price covers all of the following: 

• Return air fares with China Airlines from Sydney into Narita (Tokyo) and out of Osaka. Both flights go via Taipei.   

• Accommodation mainly in four star hotels with private facilities.  

• Almost all meals. 

• All transfers and transport.  

• A 12 day tour of Japan by coach and train.  

• A 1 day Taiwan stopover. 

• Services of Japanese tour guides and if there are 12 or more participants, an Australian tour leader. 

This tour will visit Japan in Spring, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. This is an opportunity to visit this beautiful country when it is at its best.

If you don't have anyone to share with, but wish to travel at twin share rates, we will do our best to match you up with someone else in the same situation, but this is not guaranteed. For a single room there is an extra cost of $1185.

Tour Itinerary

Terms and Conditions

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	Itinerary for Japan Cherry Blossom Tour - March 2009
	Included meals are indicated as B = Breakfast, L =Lunch, D = Dinner
28.03.09	Depart Sydney at 12:55pm on CI 52, arriving in Taipei at 7:10pm. Transfer to a hotel in the Airport area for an overnight stay.
29.03.09 (B, D)	Transfer back to Taipei Airport, departing at 9:25am on CI 100, arriving in Narita (Tokyo) at 1:20pm. You will be welcomed by the tour guide and transferred to your hotel. Tonight there is a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Accommodation: Shinagawa Prince Hotel or similar
30.03.09 (B, L, D)	Tokyo Sightseeing This morning after breakfast, you leave the hotel for a sightseeing tour of Tokyo. Visit Tokyo Tower, which is the world's tallest self-supporting steel tower, opened in 1958. Visit Happo-en to experience the Tea Ceremony and Imperial Palace Plaza and Bonsai Museum. Have lunch at a local restaurant followed by a drive through the National Diet Building. Next enjoy a Sumida River Cruise, a forty minute boat ride from Hincode Pier on Tokyo Bay to Asakusa. The river was the most important waterway for the development of Tokyo. Visit Asakusa Kannon Temple and Nakamise Shopping Street. The legend has it that fisherman brothers discovered an image of Kan'non (the goddess of mercy) in the Sumida River around 1370 years ago and they were inspired to enshrine it. Its symbol is a large red paper lantern that bears the word 'Kaminari-mon', or a thunder gate. Accommodation: Shinagawa Prince Hotel or similar
31.03.09 (B, L, D)	Tokyo - Hakone - Kawaguchiko Visit Koishikawa Botanical Garden, a spacious botanical garden maintained by the University of Tokyo, featuring many tree and plant species, as well as a small Japanese landscape garden, particularly nice during the cherry blossom season. Afterwards travel to Hakone by coach. Visit the Peace Park, Owakutani Hot Spring and have a cruise on Lake Ashi. Enjoy a hot spring spa in your hotel in the evening. Accommodation: Kawaguchiko Koryu Hotel or similar
01.04.09 (B, L, D)	Kawaguchiko - Mt Fuji - Toyohashi Start your trip to Mt Fuji. Climb up to the 5th station by coach, about 2300 metres above the sea level. Visit the Visitor Centre and Green tea farm. Then our coach will take you to the train station for a Bullet Train trip to Toyohashi (one station only). Accommodation: Toyohashi Nikko Hotel or similar
02.04.09 (B, L, D)	Toyohashi - Kyoto Proceed to Kyoto, Japan's ancient capital, where you will visit Heian Jingu Shrine. It is the home of perhaps the world's most authentic and exquisite Japanese Garden, as well as the celebrated Golden Pavilion. Then enjoy the Kimono show at Nishinjin showroom. Also a visit to Gion Corner, a popular nightspot where tourists can experience the authentic local life. Accommodation: Holiday Inn Kyoto Hotel or similar
03.04.09 (B, L, D)	Kyoto Today you will visit some beautiful Japanese style gardens. Have a stroll through Arashiyama neighbourhoods. Visit a bamboo forest and a special bamboo crafts store. Have your lunch and shopping in Sagano. Accommodation: Holiday Inn Kyoto or similar
04.04.09 (B, L, D)	Kyoto - Nara - Kyoto After breakfast you will leave the hotel for a sightseeing tour of Kyoto and Nara. Visit Nijo Castle, which was built in the early 17th century. Ninomaru-goten, renovated in 1626, is renowned as a priceless example of the architectural style of that period. Lunch will be at a local restaurant. After lunch you will visit Todoiji Temple, the Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall), which is one of the world's largest wooden buildings and one of the best known temples in Japan. It enshrines a gigantic bronze statue of Buddha. Next you will visit a deer park where the deer roam freely, lending a pastoral atmosphere to the park. Visitors may feed or pat them (special food is sold in the park grounds). Later visit Kasuga Shrine before transferring back to your hotel. Accommodation: Holiday Inn Kyoto Hotel or similar
05.04.09 (B, L, D)	Kyoto After breakfast in your hotel, you will visit a promenade called Path of Philosophers and take a short walking tour from Nanzenji Temple. The afternoon will be free for your own activities. Accommodation: Holiday Inn Kyoto Hotel or similar.
06.04.09 (B, L)	Kyoto to Hiroshima After breakfast and baggage collection (your baggage will be transported separately to your hotel in Hiroshima.) Leave the hotel and walk to Kyoto Station with your guide. Depart Kyoto at 11:12am on JR Bullet Train NOZOMI11 and arrive at Hiroshima at 12:51pm. A packed lunch will be provided. Transfer by foot to your hotel with your guide. Check in at the hotel and enjoy the rest of your afternoon at leisure. Accommodation: Hiroshima Granvia or similar
07.04.09 (B, L, D)	Hiroshima and Miyajima Sightseeing After breakfast you will leave the hotel for a sightseeing tour of Hiroshima and Miyajima. You will visit the Itsukushima Shrine. Miyajima Island is the popular name of Itsuku-shima Island situated in Miyajima Town southwestern Hiroshima. It is a scenic sight in which the mountains, sea and red shrine buildings blend in harmony, and the entire island is designated as a historic site. It is one of the three most beautiful sites in Japan, along with Matsushima in Miyagi and Ama-no-hashidate in Kyoto. Next, visit Peace Memorial Park. The Genbaku-dome (The Atomic Bomb Dome) is the symbol of Hiroshima, the city that advocates peace in the world. It is located in Hiroshima and faces Hiroshima Bay in the Seto Inland Sea. It was originally the Hiroshima Industrial Promotion Hall built in 1915. While all structures vanished in the atomic bomb explosion, only this building miraculously remained standing. It was 6 August 1945 when the first atomic bomb in history was dropped on Hiroshima. Later we transfer back to the hotel. Accommodation: Hiroshima Granvia or similar.
08.04.09 (B, L, D)	Hiroshima to Osaka Breakfast is at the hotel, followed by departure to Osaka by coach. You will visit Osaka Castle and Shinzaibashi area, one of Osaka's major downtown areas, featuring many stores, such as Shin saibashi-suji Shopping Centre and department stores. Stay overnight in Osaka. Accommodation: Osaka Rihga Royal Hotel Sakai or similar
09.04.09 (B, L, D)	Osaka - Kobe - Osaka Following breakfast at the hotel, leave for your sightseeing tour of Kobe. Visit the Old Sake Breweries Museum. The Nada area has many breweries. There were three reasons for the development of Sake brewing in the 18th century that made the name of Nada known throughout Japan. One was the discovery of Miya-mizu, excellent quality water for making Sake; two, the production of rice of high quality, in ingredient in Sake; and three, a convenient location for transportation by sea. L:lunch today will be at a local restaurant. Next, enjoy shopping in China Town. Moto-machi is a lively town perfect for shopping, gourmet food and nightspots in the centre if Kobe. Under Kobe Station is a maze of shopping streets and, above ground, a big shopping arcade. Nankin-machi has many Asian shops and Asian restaurants. Transfer back to your hotel. Accommodation: Osaka Rihga Royal Hotel Sakai or similar
10.04.09 (B, D)	Osaka - Australia You are at leisure until transfer from the hotel to Kansai airport for your flight to Taipei, departing at 1:25pm on CI 157, and arriving in Taipei at 3:35pm. You will be met at the airport by a Taiwanese tour guide and taken on a brief tour of Tapei city, where you will have dinner before returning to Taipei Airport. Depart Taipei at 10:20pm on CI 51, arriving in Sydney at 10:40am the next morning (11.04.09)
Note:	Airport taxes and levies at present total an additional amount of approximately $450. We have no control over this price and it is subject to change.

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Deposits and Payments
A non-refundable deposit of $400.00 per person is payable within 7 days of booking. This deposit is not refundable should you later cancel. The balance is payable 8 weeks prior to departure.
Refunds and Cancellations
Cancellations after final payment will result in a refund limited to whatever we can recoup from the airline.
Insurance
Adequate travel insurance is essential. We can arrange this for you if desired and can offer excellent, comprehensive and reliable cover through QBE.
Passports
All travellers require a current passport with at least 6 months left on it at the end of the tour. Non-Australian passport holders require a re-entry visa for Australia. No visas are required for Australian passport holders.
Not  Included in the Cost
All items of a personal nature such as telephone calls, drinks, excess baggage, tips, meals, (except those specified in the itinerary), etc. Also travel insurance and airport taxes, in Australia and overseas, are not included in the tour cost. Details are available upon request. Australian and Japanese airport taxes must now be paid with your ticket and totals $450 at present.***Please note that taxes are subject to change.***
Booking through other Agents
As we keep the cost of out tours as low as possible, there is insufficient margin for us to be able to pay commission to other travel agents, so some bookings can only be accepted if the client pays the other agent's commission.Macleay Valley Travel is a fully licensed travel agent and as such any monies paid to us are fully insured by the Travel Compensation Fund. We are happy for any prospective traveller with us to check us out with your local Consumer Affairs (fair trading) department. Similarly, credit card payments can only be accepted if 2% is added to the price to help defray the heavy merchant fees charged to us by the credit card companies.
Health and Fitness
Macleay Valley Travel recommends that the passenger is reasonably healthy and/or fit to participate in this tour.  Persons with a disability requiring special assistance must be accompanied by a companion. Macleay Valley Travel and their representatives cannot provide this service.  Macleay Valley Travel reserves the right to accept/decline or terminate a passenger's participation in the tour under certain circumstances.
Limitation of Liability 
As Macleay Valley Travel acts only as agent for the Airlines, Hotels, Coach Companies etc., providing accommodation, transportation and other services, Macleay Valley Travel shall not be liable or responsible for death or injury to any person or loss or damage to any property including baggage arising out of or connection with any transportation, accommodation or other services, or resulting directly or indirectly from acts of God, fire, breakdown in machinery or equipment, acts of Government or other authorities, de jure or defacto wars, whether declared or not, hostilities, civil disturbances, strikes, riots, thefts, epidemics, quarantines, medical or customs regulations, delays or cancellations caused by changes in schedules or itinerary, or over bookings or defaults or for any causes beyond Macleay Valley Travel's control or any loss or damage resulting from improper or insufficient passports, visas or other documents and neither Macleay Valley Travel, and its servants or employees shall be or become liable or responsible for any additional expenses or liability sustained or incurred by the tour member as a result of the foregoing causes.
Macleay Valley Travel reserves the right to modify the itinerary or the accommodation if circumstances make this necessary, provided that the amended itinerary is of equal value or greater value than that of the original program.
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