October 23 – Osaka Conference Tour 9,000 JPY

We will spend the day exploring Osaka Castle and several of the city's excellent municipal museums. This tour will leave from the Ramada Osaka in the morning and will return to the hotel by 17:30.

Osaka is known around the world as a major center for business and trade, and was the first entry point for foreign trade into Japan dating back to the early 8th century. Despite being known for trade and commerce, Osaka also has a rich traditional side. Although much of the city was destroyed during World War II, many of Osaka’s traditional spots were saved, salvaged and repaired, including Osaka Castle and Shitenno Temple which dates back nearly 1400 years. Join us on Wednesday, October 23rd as we travel around Osaka on a tour that blends the modern with the traditional in Osaka.

Tour Details: Locations may vary depending on the available time and weather.

8:30 – Meet in the lobby of the Ramada Osaka

8:45 – Depart as a group for Osaka Castle

9:30 – Osaka Castle

12:00 – Lunch

13:00 – Osaka Art Museum and Shitenno Temple

15:30 - Dotonbori

16:30 – Return to Osaka Hotel

• Lunch will be a Japanese bento or “box lunch”.

• You can choose between meat or vegetarian meals and water or tea.

• All fees for transportation and entry to the museums are included in the fee.

• Gifts, memorabilia, and foods outside of lunch are not included in the price.

Locations:

Osaka Castle – Constructed in 1583 by Shogun Hideyoshi Toyotomi, Osaka Castle was built as a emblem of his power and wealth. It was destroyed in 1615 by Tokugawa Ieyasu and rebuilt several years later. Although damaged in World War II, it was not destroyed and has been renovated and reconstructed several times since 1615.

Osaka Art Museum – A piece of art itself, the Osaka Municipal Museum of Art houses some 8000 plus works from across Japan. This museum also serves as a place of art education, where workshops are held on subjects such as art history and calligraphy.

Shitenno Temple – The oldest “officially administered” temple in Japan, Shitennoji was constructed at the close of the 6th century by Prince Shotoku, who brought about the adoption of Buddhism in Japan.

Dotonbori - Defining Osaka, Dotonbori is a shopping and cultural icon. From famous restaurants, to endless shopping, to Glico man, this area dazzles and amazes and will leave you in awe.

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October 28 – Kyoto Conference Tour 12,000 JPY:

At one time the imperial capital of Japan, Kyoto now serves as its cultural and historical center. The ancient capital is home to hundreds of temples and includes 17 world heritage sites such as Kiyomizudera, Nijo Castle, and Kinkaku-ji. Kyoto is an amazing mix of the surrounding nature, traditional buildings, and modern-day Japan. Join us as we spend the day walking around Kyoto learning more about this area’s vast history and deep cultural heritage.

Tour Details: This will be a bus tour of Kyoto, but will still require lots of walking so please keep that in mind when preparing. Locations may vary depending on available time and permitting weather.

8:15 – Meet in the lobby of the Ramada Osaka

8:30 – Leave for Kyoto

9:45 – Sanjuusangendo

10:30 - Kiyomizudera

13:00 – Lunch

14:30 – Nijo Castle

16:00 – Kinkakuji

Locations:

Sanjuusangendo - Literally translated to "The hall with thirty-three spaces between columns", Sanjuusangendo is one of the longest temples in all of Japan. It houses some 1000 statues of Buddha and is home to a famous archery tournament every year where contestants have to shoot an arrow the length of the building.

One of Japan’s most famous temples, Kiyomizudera is known for its waterfall and temple which are nestled in the hills that surround the city. Divided into three separate streams, visitors can drink from the falls by catching the water in cups attached to polls. Each stream is said to add its own benefit to life, but drinking from all three is considered greedy.

Nijo Castle - Started by Tokuagawa Ieyasu in 1601, Nijo Castle served as the Kyoto residence for the Tokugawa Shogunate. One of the castle's most famous aspects is its Nightengale floors. These floors were specially designed to "chirp" as you walk on them in order to protect the shogunate from sneak attacks at night.

Kinkaku-ji - Another of Japan's great temples, this building is coated in gold leaf. Although it was at one time burned to the ground, it was rebuilt and has been maintained as a cultural landmark for Japan.