Gardens of Japan Tour

16 Days/14 Nights

Best of Japan - Fully Escorted Tour Detailed Itinerary

Walking Level Distance
Light0-2 miles in flat areas or 0-1 miles in hilly areas or with many stairs
Medium2-4 miles in flat areas or 1-3 miles in hilly areas or with many stairs
Heavy4-6 miles in flat areas or 3-5 miles in hilly areas or with many stairs

Day 1: To Tokyo

Depart Home for Tokyo's Narita Airport

(Travel: 12 Hours; Walking: Light)

Day 2: Arrive Tokyo

You will lose a day flying to Japan due to crossing the International Dateline, and gain the day back when you fly home. You will be met at Tokyo's Narita airport by a Samurai Tours guide, who will escort you to the ryokan in Tokyo. After checking into the ryokan we will have our welcome/orientation dinner. Dinner at the ryokan included.

(Travel: 1-1/2 Hours; Walking: Light)

Day 3: Hama Rikyu Garden, Ginza

Hama Rikyu lies on reclaimed marshland where the Sumida River empties into the Tokyo Bay. Constructed in 1654, the garden was initially a waterfowl hunting preserve for the Tokugawa Shoguns. Many modifications were made through the years, until in 1868, the garden was transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and used to entertain foreign dignitaries, including US President Grant. Eventually, the property passed into the hands of the Imperial family, and was renamed Hama Rikyu (Hama Detached Palace). It was turned over to the city of Tokyo in 1945 and opened to the public in 1946. There are three ponds, the largest spanned by a trellis-covered bridge that leads to a floating teahouse, Nakajima-no-Chaya. Next to the garden entrance is a sprawling, three hundred year old pine tree and a manicured lawn dotted with sculpted, stunted trees. After touring the garden, we will return to the busy, modern world of today's Japan. After a short walk, we arrive in the heart of the Ginza, home to numerous shopping opportunities and the world's most expensive real estate. After a relaxing lunch of Kushiage (fried meats, fish and vegetables on skewers), you will have some free time to explore the many department stores and boutiques. The evening is free to enjoy the many dining and nightlife options of Tokyo. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch at a local restaurant included.

(Travel: 1 Hour; Walking: Heavy)

Day 4: Rikugien, Omiya Bonsai Nurseries

After breakfast, we visit Rikugien Garden in northern, central Tokyo. Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, who rose to the lofty status of Daimyo (Feudal Lord)-confidant to the fifth Tokugawa Shogun constructed Rikugien between 1695 and 1702. After his death in 1714, the garden fell into a state of disrepair until 1877, when it was purchased by the founder of the Mitsubishi Corporation. The garden was donated to the city of Tokyo in 1938. The garden's name refers to the six principles of waka (classical short poems of 31 syllables). The garden is organized around a large pond with a treed island and a striking rock composition that represents the island where the immortals live. As part of the original design, 88 miniature landscape scenes from ancient Japanese poetry were created, of which only 18 remain today. There are numerous tea houses, resting pavilions and an artificial hill whose summit provides an excellent view of the pond. After stopping for lunch at a local restaurant, we travel to the city of Omiya by Shinkansen (bullet train). In Omiya we will find a concentration of bonsai nurseries where we will learn some of the practices used for this beautiful Japanese art form. The evening is free after returning to Tokyo by Shinkansen. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch at a local restaurant is included.

(Travel: 1 Hour; Walking: Heavy)

Day 5: Travel to Kanazawa

Today we travel to the city of Kanazawa by Shinkansen (bullet train) and express train. Located in central Japan near the Japan Sea coast, Kanazawa was ruled by the Maeda family during the Edo Period. Because they were one of the richest Daimyo families, and their family lineage included members from the Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi families, the Maeda clan was not trusted by the ruling Tokugawa Shogunate. To avoid suspicion, the Maedas spent large sums of money to sponsor traditional Japanese arts, many of which are still being practiced in Kanazawa today. The Maedas also created Kenrokuen, considered by the Japanese to be one of the three best gardens in Japan. After arriving in Kanazawa, you will have some free time to explore Kanazawa's art and handicraft offerings. We will travel by Shinkansen and express train to Kanazawa. Breakfast at the ryokan and dinner at a local restaurant included.

(Travel: 4-1/2 hours; Walking: Light)

Day 6: Kenrokuen, Kanazawa Handicraft Museum

Originally created on the outer grounds of Kanazawa castle, and therefore the private garden of the ruling Maeda clan (even Samurai had to get permission to visit the garden), the garden was first built by the fifth Maeda lord in the 1670s. Many modifications were made through the years, but the garden as you see it today was created by the 12th Maeda lord in 1822, and was opened to the public after the Meiji Restoration in 1871. The name (Kenrokuen literally translates to 'combined six' garden) refers to a renowned garden from Sung Dynasty China that required six garden attributes for perfection; seclusion, spaciousness, artificiality, antiquity, abundant water and broad views. The garden is divided into two plateaus. The lower garden is the original and the smaller of the two plateaus. This area contains gourd-shaped Hisago Pond with an island in the middle. The island is unique in that the rock formation on the island is a tsuru-kame (crane-turtle) combination. The same rock looks like a crane when viewed from one direction and a tortoise when viewed from another. The upper plateau contains a pond known as Kasumi-ga-ike (Misty Pond), with its famous two-legged stone lantern shaped like the bridge of a koto (a 13-stringed traditional musical instrument). After touring the garden, we will visit the Kanazawa Handicraft Museum where we will find examples of the many traditional arts and handicrafts still being practiced in Kanazawa today, followed by lunch at a local restaurant. The afternoon and evening is free to enjoy on your own. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch at a local restaurant included.

(Travel: 15 Minutes; Walking: Heavy)

Day 7: Travel to Matsue

Today is a long travel day to Matsue, located on the western Japan Sea coast. Straddling a strip of land between two lagoons, Matsue is blessed with overwhelming beauty and good food. Matsue is a seafood-lovers paradise, bursting with fresh fish including eel, shrimp, shellfish, sea bass and the famous black Shijimi clams from the lagoons. The water from the lagoons also provides the city with a lovely network of canals. The lagoons, rivers, canals and castle moat lends this modern city a soothing, faintly Venetian-atmosphere. As a result, the former castle-town of Matsue is a popular summer vacation spot with the Japanese. We travel from Kanazawa to Matsue by express train, Shinkansen and another express train. Breakfast at the ryokan and dinner at a local restaurant included.

(Travel: 7 1/2 Hours; Walking: Light)

Day 8: Adachi Museum of Art and Garden

Today we visit the Adachi Museum of Art and Garden. Founded by Adachi Zenko, the museum displays over 200 pieces of contemporary Japanese art from the Meiji, Taisho, Showa and Heisei periods. But what makes this museum unique is the perfectly landscaped gardens. Adachi was also an enthusiastic gardener and his passion for the art form shows in the beautiful landscapes which envelop the galleries and steal your attention at every turn. The museum is designed so that, as you move around, views of the Dry Landscape Garden, the White Gravel and Pine Garden, the Moss Garden and the Pond Garden appear like living picture scrolls when viewed through the museum's carefully placed windows, incorporating the gardens with the museum's artworks. The effect is surreal, as though the gardens are a still picture. There are several teahouses where you can enjoy the garden while sipping on tea and eating sweets. In the Juraku-an teahouse, guests are served a bowl of green tea made with water boiled in a kettle of pure gold, said to aid long life. Breakfast at the ryokan included.

(Travel: 2 1/2 Hours; Walking: Heavy)

Day 9: Travel to Takamatsu

After breakfast, we travel to the city of Takamatsu. The sprawling city of Takamatsu is located on the northern shore of Shikoku, the smallest, the least populated and least visited of the four major islands of Japan. Despite a relaxed atmosphere, Takamatsu hums with an urban energy. Walking down the city's wide, sunlit boulevards or numerous covered shopping arcades brings you to funky shops, artsy cafes and exciting nightlife. We travel from Matsue to Takamatsu by two express trains. The afternoon is free to enjoy the covered shopping arcades. Breakfast at the ryokan and dinner at a local restaurant included.

(Travel: 4 1/2 Hours; Walking: Light)

Day 10: Ritsurin-koen

Although Ritsurin-koen is not officially recognized as one of Japan's three best gardens, it could easily be a contender. The origins of Ritsurin-koen are unknown. The oldest rock arrangement excavated appears to have been constructed in the early Muromachi period (14th century). Eventually, the property fell into the hands of the Matsudaira family, who were appointed the Daimyo (feuldal lord) of the area by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1642. Construction on the garden soon began, and was finished by the third Matsudaira Daimyo nearly 100 years later. The 134 acre garden was used by 11 successive Matsudaira family lords as a vacation villa until the Meiji Restoration. In 1872, the garden was turned over to the local prefectural government, and subsequently opened to the public in 1876. In 1953, the garden was designated as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty. Ritsurin-koen is divided into two gardens - a North and South Garden. The North Garden was originally used by the Matsudaira clan for duck hunting, but today is used more as a botanical garden to grow replacement plants for the original South Garden. To the west of the garden is Shiun-zan (Mt. Shiun) forming a backdrop to the garden that seems to be part of the garden, enhancing its size and grandeur (a prime example of the "borrowed scenery" technique). The more than 1,400 twisted and contorted pines set this garden apart from others. The Kikugetsutei (Moon-scooping pavilion), a teahouse originally constructed as part of a villa for the Matsudaira clan is located on the shore of one of the three large ponds and commands a good view of the lake with its famous colorful arched bridge in the background. The afternoon and evening is free. Breakfast at the ryokan included.

(Travel: 30 Minutes; Walking: Heavy)

Day 11: Travel to Okayama, Korakuen Garden, Travel to Kyoto

We travel to the city of Okayama by express train to tour Korakuen Garden, considered one of the three best gardens in Japan. The garden was commissioned by the head of the Ikeda clan in 1687 and completed in 1700. Initially, the garden was used by the Ikeda clan for relaxing, entertaining important guests and training vassals in the literary and military arts, such as archery and horsemanship. The Ikeda family retained possession until 1884 when it became a public park. Its name, Korakuen, means "Garden for Taking Pleasure Later", referring to a Chinese saying that "the lord must grieve earlier but enjoy later than his subjects". The garden is different from other gardens in that it provides broad expanses of grassy lawns. The large pond in the center of the garden, with its three islands, is said to represent the scenery of Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. Behind the pond is Yuishin-zan which provides a panoramic view of the entire garden. A small pavilion on top of Yuishin-zan has long been a favorite spot for moon viewing. Streams wind between the many ponds, one flowing through the center of an open structure where the lord rested when walking in the garden and where poetry contests were held. Throughout the garden are rock compositions symbolizing the male and female principles associated with the Chinese concepts of yin and yang. And the surrounding hills, as well as Okayama's famous black castle, are incorporated into the garden's design using the "borrowed scenery" technique. After touring the garden, we continue to Kyoto by Shinkansen after stopping at a local restaurant for lunch. Steeped in history and tradition, Kyoto has in many ways been the cradle of Japanese culture. A stroll through Kyoto today is a walk through 11 centuries of Japanese history. Kyoto is endowed with an almost overwhelming legacy of ancient Buddhist temples, majestic palaces, and gardens of every size and description. For many, just the name of Kyoto conjures up the classic images of Japan: streets of traditional wooden houses, the click-clack of geta (wooden sandals) on the paving stones, geisha in a flourish of brightly colored silks, and a tea master deliberately warming water and making tea. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch and dinner at a local restaurant included.

(Travel: 3 Hours; Walking: Heavy)

Day 12: Arashiyama Bamboo Garden, Tenryuji, Zazen Meditation Lecture and Practice, Shojin-ryori Vegetarian Lunch, Saihoji

We travel by train to the nearby city of Arashiyama. Once a favorite relaxation spot of the Emperors, Arashiyama is located on the hillsides bordering the banks of the Katsura River northwest of Kyoto. We first visit the bamboo gardens which Arashiyama is famous for, located just outside the north gate of Tenryu-ji. This dense bamboo forest, with its rows upon rows of long, ringed, smooth stems, provide a feeling of composure and tranquility. The sound of the wind blowing through the bamboo, the stems knocking against each other and the rustling of the leaves is revered in Japan. Next, we visit Tenryuji Temple. Tenryu-ji is part of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism, and was originally built in 1339 on the former site of Emperor Go-Daigo's villa. A priest had dreamt of a dragon rising from the nearby river, hence the name which means "Heavenly Dragon". The garden represents a transition between earlier pond gardens and the karesansui (dry landscape) gardens that later became popular in Zen temples. The focus of the garden is a pond that lies at the base of the hills rising to Mount Arashi, which is incorporated in to the design of the garden in the earliest known example of borrowed scenery (shakkei). At the far end of the pond are two rock groups. These rock groupings are orientated on a vertical alignment, which was a departure from the horizontal alignments in earlier gardens. After touring the garden, we will receive a lecture from a monk at Tenryuji Temple about Zen Buddhism and the role of Zazen meditation, followed by a short exercise in Zazen meditation. Next, at the temple we will have a Shojin-ryori lunch, the Buddhist vegetarian diet with no garlic or onions. After lunch, we will visit Saihoji (commonly known as Kokedera, or "Moss Temple"). Saiho-ji is considered by many to be one of the best, if not the best garden in Japan. Created in 1339, the garden uses over 100 different types of moss creating waves of varying green colors. The moss is contrasted with trees, rocks and a small pond only. The garden is large (about 4 acres), and moss covers every ground surface and even some of the vegetation, creating a serene environment. The designer of the garden believed firmly in the value of gardens as a meditation aid, writing that the garden could be a means of reaching enlightenment. In addition to exploring the garden, the monks at the temple ask visitors to copy a sutra (a Buddhist scripture), giving you an opportunity to practice your calligraphy skills. Breakfast at the ryokan and Shojin-ryori lunch at Tenryuji is included.

(Travel: 1 Hour; Walking: Heavy)

Day 13: Ryoanji, Kinkakuji, Daitokuji

We start the start the day by traveling to Ryoanji. One of the most famous gardens in Japan, Ryoan-ji is part of the Rinzai School of Zen Buddhism. There is considerable debate concerning the origins and evolution of Ryoanji's famous rock garden. The garden's designer is unknown, and left no explanation of the meaning of the garden. The garden is an example of karesansui (dry landscape) garden in its purest form. The dry-style garden consists of three groupings of 15 rocks surrounded by raked sand. The garden is enclosed on three sides by a blank clay wall and on a fourth side by a veranda. From the viewing point on the veranda, only 14 rocks can be seen at one time. Move slightly and another rock appears at the same time that one of the original 14 rocks disappears. In Buddhism, the number 15 denotes completeness. You must have a total view of the garden to make a meaningful experience. And yet, as in the conditions of the real world, that's not possible. Next, after lunch, we visit Kinkakuji. Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, was originally built in 1393 as a retirement villa by Yoshimitsu Ashikage, the fifth Ashikage Shogun. After his death, his son converted the villa to a Buddhist temple. The gleaming building covered in gold leaf seems to float on the aptly named Mirror Pond. In the Shinden style of the Heian Period, the pavilion sits on the edge of the pond, surrounded by a Chinese-influenced garden whose focus is the pond studded with rocks and pine-covered islands. Each floor of the three-story structure has a different architectural style, with a golden-colored phoenix standing on the shingle roof. The original building was destroyed by a fire in 1950 set by a mentally-ill monk with metaphysical aspirations. The copy, as seen today, was quickly rebuilt in five years. The exterior of the building was re-gilded in 1987 at great expense. Yoshimitsu lived his retirement years here in seamless luxury while the rest of the country and Kyoto suffered from a series of famines, earthquakes and plagues. It is thought the local Kyoto death toll alone reached 1,000 people per day during this time. It is unknown, however, if he told his aides to "Let them eat cake". Yoshimitsu designed the garden on the basis of earlier Heian Period gardens, with the pond as the focus of the garden. Though there is a path around the pond, the garden was designed to be viewed from a boat or from the Golden Pavilion. The banks of the pond are planted with bushes and pruned trees, whose size in the foreground, near the pavilion, is small. Taller trees and bushes on the further bank lie in front of even larger trees to create the illusion of considerable space, augmented by the borrowed mountain scenery in the distance. Next we will travel to Daitokuji. While not nearly as well-known as the nearby Ryoan-ji, Daitoku-ji, belonging to the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism, is an extensive complex of 24 sub-temples. The original temple was established in 1319, but fires during the Onin Civil War destroyed all of the buildings. Most of the buildings you see today were built under the patronage of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the late 16th century. A few of the sub-temples are open to the public. Daisen-in is perhaps the most well-known of all the sub-temples, partially for its landscape paintings by the renowned painter Soami (1465-1523) and for its famed Muromachi-period dry landscape garden designed by Soko (1465-1548). Circling the building, the rock and gravel gardens depict the flow of life in the movement of a raked river, swirling around the rocks over a waterfall, to finally run into the ocean of nothingness. Ryogen-in has five small gardens of gravel, stone and moss. The A-Un garden has a stone with ripples emanating from it and is said to represent the union of duality, from the "a" sound said at birth to the "un" sound said at death, encompassing all in between. Koto-in is famous for its long, maple-tree-lined approach and the single stone lantern central to the main garden. After returning to the ryokan, the evening is free. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch at a local restaurant is included.

(Travel: 2 Hours; Walking: Heavy)

Day 14: Koi Farm, Tofuku-ji

We travel to the nearby city of Nara, where we will visit a Koi farm. Here we will see how Koi are raised. On our way back to Kyoto, we stop at Tofuku-ji. Established in 1256, Tofuku-ji was once one of the most important religious complexes in Kyoto. Arranged around the main buildings, there are 4 gardens including a dry-landscape garden depicting islands and an ocean. But, Tofuku-ji is perhaps best known for its field of square stones set into a carpet of moss neatly arranged into a checkerboard pattern. Lunch at a local restaurant included.

(Travel: 2 Hours; Walking: Heavy)

Day 15: Shisen-do, Ginkaku-ji, Heian Shrine

Shisen-do, located in northwest Kyoto, combines a dry-landscape garden with perfectly manicured azalea bushes. When viewed from the veranda, the bushes form the gardenÕs principal subject. But the main beauty of the garden is how the interior of the temple and the exterior garden merge to form a fluid space, with the veranda acting as an intermediary zone. Just where the inside and the outside space begin is difficult to establish. Next, we travel to Ginkaku-ji, also located in northwest Kyoto. Built in 1482 by the eighth Ashikaga shogun, the garden consists of two adjacent yet very distinct gardens. The older part, consisting of a Zen-style stroll garden organized around a pond, features rock compositions, bridges, moss and plants arranged into scenes inspired by famous places described in classical Japanese and Chinese literature. Directly adjacent, departing from common practice, is a dry, landscape garden added during the Edo period. The long furrows of raked sand resemble waves on the ocean in the moonlight Š giving rise to its name, Sea of Silver Sand. But this part of the garden is dominated by a perfectly shaped sand cone, known as the Moon Viewing Hill which is said to resemble Mount Fuji. The upper part of the garden is organized around a path providing views of Kyoto that winds along a steep slope featuring a dry-rock arrangement as well as a variety of trees, shrubs and flowering plants confiscated from other temples and villas. Next, we travel to the Heian Shrine. Although the shrine itself copies Heian-style architecture, the purpose of the garden was not to re-create a Heian Period Paradise garden but to provide a large area where visitors could stroll around after visiting the shrine. Consisting of four connected gardens, the gardens are beautifully laid out. In the evening we will have our Sayonara Dinner. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch and dinner at a local restaurant is included.

(Travel: 1 Hour; Walking: Heavy)

Day 16: Home

It's time to say Sayonara (Goodbye). You will be escorted to the Kyoto train station, where you will take the Express train to the Kansai International Airport on your own, just outside Osaka, or return to Narita Airport by Shinkansen and Narita Express train on your own for your flight back home. (If you are flying out of Narita Airport, be sure to schedule a flight in the late afternoon or evening.) Breakfast at the ryokan included.

(Travel: N/A; Walking: Light)