• Arrive in Tokyo and transfer to the Dai-Ichi Hotel.
• Meet fellow travelers at a welcome dinner this evening near the hotel.

• After breakfast visit the Fukagawa Edo Museum. One of Tokyo’s hidden gems, it offers a glimpse into life in 1830s Tokyo during the heyday of the Tokugawa shogunate when the capital was called Edo.
• Later stroll the Kiyosumi Gardens, a tranquil oasis in the heart of Tokyo and one of the most naturally beautiful and historically significant Japanese gardens in the city.
• Enjoy a traditional Edo lunch at Fukagawa Kamashow.
• Meet with Roland Kelts, a Tokyo-based writer, journalist, scholar and authority on Japanese and Western cultures, who will discuss the aging of Japan’s population. 
• Walk along Nakamise-dori Street to the very heart of Asakusa, Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo’s oldest temple. As you get close to the Hozomon gate and Senso-ji Temple, admire the unusual decorations: a pair of ōwaraji, or giant straw sandals that measure 14.5 feet. It is said that the sandals represent the powers of Niō, the Herculean guardians of Buddhist temples, meant to keep demons at bay by making them believe that the temple is home to an invincible giant.
• Dinner is at leisure.

• This morning meet with Lully Miura, an author and political scientist who founded and is president of Yamaneko Research Institute, Inc., an independent think tank dedicated to the most pressing issues for Japan. 
• Visit the Nezu Museum. Cloistered in the back streets of Aoyama, the museum houses the private collection of Kaichiro Nezu and consists of magnificent examples of Japanese painting, calligraphy and ceramics, some of which are registered National Treasures. 
• Enjoy an interesting lunch today at Shibuya Crossing, considered the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing. Every 80 seconds when the traffic lights turn red, it is estimated that between 1,000 and 3,000 people crowd the crossing on an average signal change. Head up to a café which offers views of the “scramble” below.
• Meet with Roland Keltz again in the Shibuya area where the focus will be on the development of Japan’s pop culture.
• End the day admiring a mural created by the incredible and prolific Japanese artist, Taro Okamoto, entitled, Myth of Tomorrow. Okamoto painted this work in response to the nuclear proliferation that was occurring in the world at the time and as an allegory of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Second World War.
• Enjoy dinner this evening at a local restaurant.

• This morning head to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, where we will take an elevator to the 45th floor for an incredible view. Tokyo boasts one of the most interesting and beautiful skylines in the world. featuring natural landmarks and impressive skyscrapers. 
• Close by is the Meiji-jingū Shrine, one of Tokyo’s most important shrines. The Meiji-jingū covers 175 acres and houses over 100,000 trees – making it a lush escape from the hard angles of the city.
• Enjoy the afternoon and dinner at leisure.

• Meet in the lobby for an optional early morning visit to the Toyosu fish auction. From the observation deck, we will be able to watch the auction unfold in an electrifying atmosphere.
• This morning meet with Motoyuki Shibata, professor emeritus from the University of Tokyo. Japan's leading translator of American literature and a scholar of American culture, Mr. Shibata will talk about Japan's postwar left and the bohemian coffee-house culture based on the Beats, Japanese folks music and how Japan's perception of the US has changed over the years.
• Depart on a mid-morning train to Kanazawa. Enjoy a picnic lunch enroute.
• Arrive at Kanazawa Station and see the station’s wooden hand-drum-shaped Tsuzumi Gate and glass umbrella-shaped Motenashi Dome.
• Explore the neighborhood of Higashi Chaya – the largest among three well-preserved historical geisha districts in Kanazawa. Visit  a gold leaf shop and see a demonstration on how gold leaf is used. Continue on and walk through a labyrinth of teahouses, temples, beautiful, latticed buildings and restored samurai houses. Admire the roofs of the stately wood buildings with detailed carvings sprouting from clusters of gingko and maple trees. Kanazawa’s streets were partly designed to mislead and disorient outsiders.
• Check-in to the Hotel Nikko and enjoy dinner near the hotel.

• This morning drive south into the Ryohaku mountains and visit Gokayama, a scenic and secluded mountain village area famous for its traditional architecture, and a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. The villages in this area are famed for their magnificent A-frame farmhouses, built in a style called gassho-zukuri, or "hands in prayer." Extended families of 30 or more members lived on the lower floors, while the upper floors were used to raise silkworms, which, especially in the Meiji era, provided the raw silk that fed Japan's booming textile mills. 
• Attend a washi paper workshop, Washi is made from kouzo, a low-growing tree in the mulberry family, and its fibers are thick and long, making it a strong and durable paper. 
• Stop for lunch at Gassho no Sato. This open-air museum includes valuable gassho-style private houses, which have been relocated and gathered from the world heritage site Shirakawa-go. Enjoy a private performance of a number of Gokayama's ancient folk songs and dances.
• Continue on to explore the Suganuma Gassho, and see gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are thought to be over 400 years old.
• After exploring the two towns return to Kanazawa to visit the Nagamachi district. This was a samurai district located at the foot of the former Kanazawa Castle, where samurai and their families used to reside.
• Visit the Nomura Family Samurai House which once belonged to the Nomuras, a wealthy samurai family. Although many of the samurai houses were destroyed after feudal Japan came to an end in the late 1800s, the Nomura Family Samurai house fell under the hands of a rich businessman and, although altered, was preserved. The Japanese garden on the premises is acclaimed for its refined ambience. 
• Dinner this evening is at leisure.

• Take a morning train to Kyoto. Upon arrival visit the Kyoto Museum for World Peace. This rarely visited museum details Japan's 15-year war (what the Japanese call WWII, to include their wars in China in the 1930s). It is surprisingly explicit about Japan’s role as aggressors in Korea, Manchuria, Indonesia and China and takes a hard look at the acts of war committed by Japan such as comfort women, kidnapping and slave labor of non-Japanese in colonized areas. Meeting us will be members of the curatorial team to guide us through the museum.
• Enjoy a traditional Tonkatsu lunch where tender pork loin is breaded and deep-fried to crunchy perfection.
• After lunch visit Ryoan-ji, considered the supreme example of an abstract Zen Garden. It consists of a rectangle of raked white gravel on which are arranged 15 rocks, devoid of all vegetation save for a few splashes of moss. Its origins are as mysterious as its meaning; its creator and exact age are unknown.
• Check-in to the Cross Hotel where, inside a modern interior, there is an atmosphere of ancient culture.
• Enjoy a sukiyaki dinner at Masayoshi. Sukiyaki is a Japanese dish that is prepared and served in the nabemono (Japanese hot pot) style.

• Depart the hotel to meet with staff at the Kyoto-based NGO, Kiko (Climate) Network. Kiko Network is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that focuses on putting together policy proposals for climate change prevention at the community level and beyond, disseminating information, and engaging in environmental education and training.
• Later visit the Nishiki Market, “the Kitchen of Kyoto” which dates back to the 14^th century. The market has been operating for over 400 years and covers five narrow long blocks with over 125 stalls. Here you can see the Nishiki Tenmangū Shrine, a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity Tenjin. Despite its small size, Nishiki Tenmangū is considered one of the preeminent Tenjin shrines.
• Lunch is at Nishio Yatsuihasi No Sato restaurant. located in a converted old family home surrounded by beautiful gardens. Next door is the Nishio Yatsuihasi confectionary store, the oldest Yatsuhashi store in Kyoto.. Yatsuhashi is a traditional Japanese confectionary that originated in Kyoto and is known for its signature cinnamon flavor.
• Meet Robert Yellin in his carefully curated gallery of Japanese pottery, located in a lovely traditional Kyoto house right in front of the Philosopher’s Path.
• Afterward enjoy a gentle stroll along the Philosopher’s Walk, a pretty path bordering a canal before visiting the Matsui Brewery for a sake tasting. Founded in the 11th year of Emperor Kyoho (1726), the brewery continues to brew sake today.
• Evening at leisure. 

• Enjoy a full day excursion to Hiroshima and Miyajima.
• Take a train to Hiroshima station and then a public bus to the Atomic Dome and Peace Park. Rebuilt after the war, Hiroshima is a modern city, but the park is a poignant reminder of the city’s tragic past. At 8:15 on August 6, 1945, the first atomic bomb used in warfare was detonated over the city of Hiroshima. The resulting devastation has caused the city to become a center for both anti-nuclear and anti-war efforts. The Peace Park Memorial is an extremely moving place to visit and will allow an opportunity to contemplate the enormity of what the park represents, not just to Hiroshima but to the world’s own future.
• After lunch walk a short distance and board a boat for a 30-minute ride to Miyajima Island. This is the location of the iconic Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site, dedicated to the three daughters of the Shinto deity of seas and storms. The 16-meter high camphor wood o-torii that stands in the water in front of the shrine, rebuilt most recently in 1875, is one of the most famous sights in Japan. The original shrine was constructed in 593 and has been rebuilt many times over the years.
• Return by boat and bus to Hiroshima station to take a return train to Kyoto.
• Dinner is at leisure.

• This morning visit the I.M. Pei designed Miho Museum, which stands deep in forested hills, and showcases works from ancient civilizations including Egyptians, Romans and Asian cultures.
• Lunch is at leisure in the museum.
• Dinner is at the hotel this evening. Joining us is Dr. Harry Dauer, an associate professor at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto and is well versed in the history, culture and language of Japan, where he has been living for more than twenty years.

• Depart the hotel for Wazuka , located in the southern part of Kyoto Prefecture. Wazuka produces approximately half of the Uji-cha tea leaves grown in Kyoto Prefecture, and is considered to be one of the most beautiful villages in Japan and was registered as a Japan Heritage site.
• Drive about an hour and a half to the town of Suiheisha to visit the Suiheisha History Museum. After a simple lunch, explore the museum, which depicts the history of people commonly believed to be descended from members of the pre-Meiji feudal class. Meeting us here will be Mr. Komai, the director of the museum and Megumi Komori – acting secretary general of the International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism.
• Watch a rehearsal of a local Taiko drum company. Taiko is a style of ensemble drumming which began in the 1950s in post-war Japan.
• After the meeting depart by bus for Koyasan, a drive of just over an hour.
• Upon arrival at Mt. Koya, transfer to the Ekoin Monastery. (The group may be housed in two monasteries while in Koyasan).
• Koyasan was founded by Kobo Daishi in the 9th century. As the birthplace of Shingon Buddhism in Japan, Koyasan was established as a center for spiritual learning and mediation. Koyasan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, covered with over 100 temples. It is also home to Japan’s largest cemetery, the Okunoin Cemetery. 
• This evening enjoy a dinner of Shojin ryori (Buddhist cuisine). This practice has been handed down through the generations and is based on cooking methods that continue to this day.
• After dinner meet for a night tour to Okuno-in, one of Koyasan’s most sacred sites. Learn about Kobo Daishi—also known as Kukai, the founder of this well-known collection of temples. The moss-lined pathway here leads to the mausoleum and final resting place of Kobo Daishi,  Learn the story of his life along with the basic tenets of Shingon Buddhism.

Notes on your Monastery stay: Accommodations tonight are simple. Rooms feature paper sliding screens, tatami-mat flooring, minimal furniture and comfortable futon mattresses which are laid out by staff on the floor at night and put away in the morning. Each room has a safe and a small TV. Toilet and shower facilities are shared. The bath area is open for specific hours in the morning and evening – usually 4.00pm to 10.00pm and from 6.00am to 9.00am in the morning. The bath is traditional Japanese style which means that it is shared with other guests. While it is gender-divided, wearing swimsuits/clothing is not allowed and anyone with a tattoo is not permitted to use the public bath. Each guest is given a yakata robe to wear. The yakata is a cotton summer kimono, typically worn in casual settings and to the bath area. You are expected to wear provided slippers when walking inside the monastery. Group meals are eaten in a communal dining room and usually served on the floor. Mobile phones must be turned off while in public spaces in the monastery.

• This morning participate in the temple’s morning service which will be followed by breakfast in the temple’s dining area. As you enjoy some free time in the monastery take some time to admire the antiques from the Nara period (710-784 AD), calligraphy writings, and wall paintings.
• Mid-morning depart for a private tour of Koyasan which will include the Garan and Kongobuji Temple, perhaps the most important temple in Mt. Koya. Our tour will led by a Koyasan resident.
• After the tour and lunch, depart for Nara, a drive of about two hours.
• Nara is the ancient capital of Japan and the Imperial family ruled the country from here between 710 and 794. Their wonderful legacy is a varied collection of ancient temples spread throughout a vast park. Upon arrival visit the Todai-ji (Great Eastern Temple), one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of Nara. 
• Enjoy a walk through Nara Park where wild deer, considered the messengers of Gods, roam.
• Depart for the lively metropolis of Osaka.
• Upon arrival transfer to the Zentis Osaka Hotel. 
• Optional visit to Dotonbori, located along the canal of the same name. Explore the Namba district of Osaka’s Chuo ward that epitomizes the city’s nightlife. The colorful area is an explosion of neon lights and mouth-watering street food.
• Dinner tonight is at leisure.

• Meet LGBTQ activist, Maki Muraki, at the Pride Center Osaka. Ms. Muraki conducts research on LGBTQ issues and uses the data to educate society.
• Later visit with staff from the Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center, Osaka.  HURIGHTS OSAKA aims to promote human rights in the Asia-Pacific through collection and dissemination of information on, about and for human rights. Our discussion this morning will focus on the maginalized communities in Japan including those with Korean heritage.
• For those who would like we will arrange taxis to the island of Nakanoshima, the historic and symbolic center of Osaka. In the 1980’s architect Tadao Ando proposed a project to turn the entire island into a park. Visit his Nakanoshima Children’s Book Forest which unfolds in a gentle curve along the Dojima River.
• Next door is the Museum of Oriental Ceramics dedicated to the collection, conservation, study and display of East Asian pottery. The museum’s superb collection consists mainly of Chinese and Korean ceramics.
• Enjoy the afternoon at leisure before a farewell dinner this evening at the hotel.

• Independent transfers to the airport for flights home.