Privatly Escorted Tour - Insider’s Tokyo ULJA01

Personal Highlights:

• Exploring the varied cuisines of Japan including Robatayaki, Tempura, Yakitori, Soba, Shabushabu and Sushi at some of Tokyo’s best restaurants
• Shopping in the Ginza with a car and driver at your disposal
• A private guided tour of the Imperial Palace
• A helicopter flight over Tokyo at night

Day 1 Depart USA

You board your flight to Tokyo arriving in the afternoon of the following day.

Day 2 Welcome to Tokyo

Upon arrival at Narita you will be met by our representative and escorted to your waiting car for the trip to your hotel. Upon arrival at your hotel you are greeted by the staff and escorted to your room. If this seems familiar to you it could be because your hotel was the location for the movie "Lost in Translation". You have a chance to relax and enjoy the inspiring views of Tokyo laid out beneath you before having dinner at the New York Grill in the hotel.

Day 3 A Day of Exploration, a Night of Robatayaki

After breakfast your personal guide will be waiting to take you on an introductory exploration of historic, trendy and cultural Tokyo. You will visit the Meijijingu Shrine dedicated to the Emperor Meiji who modernized Japan and brought it out of its feudal past, you will visit Harajuku located between Shinjuku and Shibuya which is often called Tokyo's Champs Elysees and a focal point of Tokyo's youth fashion culture. You will then visit Roppongi Hills where Europeans tend to hang out in the evening at its many bars and restaurant. After lunch at a steak restaurant you will have a personal tour of the Mori Art Museum and the Suntory Museum of Art. You return to the hotel to freshen up before heading out to a restaurant specializing in Robatayaki. Upon your arrival your maître‘de will shout "the guests have arrived" and this will be repeated by the other waiters. You will be seated at a u-shaped table inside of which are baskets and blocks of ice containing vegetables, seafood, Kobe beef and other delicacies. In the middle of the baskets kneels a chef. You point to what you want and the waiter shouts it out and the chef cooks it for you on a small grill. It is an unforgettable culinary experience.

Day 4 Imperial and Political Tokyo

This morning we have arranged a special day starting with a private tour of the Imperial Palace. You will have privileged access to the palace, the residence of Japan's Imperial Family. Located on the former site of Edo Castle, the huge park area is surrounded by moats and massive stone walls. Your tour will cover the Imperial Residence, the East Gardens and the Tokagakudo Concert Hall. After your palace visit you will next have a privately arranged visit to the Houses of Parliament representing the modern Japanese government. After lunch at a Soba Noodle restaurant you explore contemporary Tokyo in the areas of Akihabara and Kappabashi and the more traditional at the Asukasa Shrine. In the evening you are taken to a restaurant offering superb Tempura. You return to the hotel for an early night in anticipation of the early morning visit tomorrow.

Day 5 The Tuna Auction at Tsukiji

While Tokyo still sleeps and dawn has yet to arrive you will meet your guide and be taken to the Tsukiji Fish Market known in English as the Tokyo Metropolitan Wholesale Market. You will have a chance to see the vast array of fresh seafood, much of it still alive, before watching the action at the Tuna Auction where buyers bid against each other for the prized sushi grade Tuna. After the auction you celebrate with s Sushi breakfast before returning to your hotel. The rest of the day is left open for you to catch some sleep, try out the shops around the hotel or try some independent sightseeing.

Day 6 The Tea Ceremony and the Gardens of Tokyo

Despite, or perhaps because of, the bustling nature of this metropolis, the citizens of Tokyo relish the beauty and peacefulness of their public gardens. Today, you too have the chance to enjoy their tranquility. Your first visit will be to Kiyosumi Garden dating back to the Edo era which was the center of power before Tokyo was created; the garden is one of the most pleasant traditional gardens in Tokyo with three big islands and a teahouse on the pond. Your next visit will be to Hamariku Garden located at the mouth of the Sumida River and surrounded by a seawater moat filled from the waters of Tokyo Bay. During a visit to Happoen Garden you have the chance to experience the beauty and ritual of an authentic tea ceremony. Lunch will be at a restaurant specializing in Shabushabu where meat and vegetables are cooked by you in hot water with the resulting broth traditionally taken to end the meal. Tonight you have a chance to relax with dinner at your hotel overlooking the lights of Tokyo.

Day 7 Enjoying the Diversity of Tokyo

After breakfast, your guide will meet you and take you to the studio of a master Calligrapher who will spend the morning teaching you the art of Calligraphy widely practiced and revered in East Asian civilizations. Using an ink brush and shiny white paper you learn the art of writing Chinese characters in an artistic fashion. Although spoken differently, the Chinese and the Japanese share the same written characters. After your lesson we take you to a French restaurant for lunch followed by a visit to the Ginza. Known for having the most expensive real estate on earth and lined with neon signs, the Ginza is home to some of Japan's most prestigious companies, department stores, boutiques and bars. You have some time to shop while your driver waits for you. In the evening you are picked up and taken to the heliport where you board a helicopter for a dazzling flight over the lights of Tokyo. After your flight you are taken to Kyubei, considered to be one of the best Sushi restaurants in Tokyo for your farewell dinner.

Day 8 Return to USA

Depending on your flight time you will be taken to the airport in plenty of time for your return flight. One of our representatives will assist in your check in. Your will arrive back in the US the same day having experienced a true insider's exposure to Tokyo.

Services Included

• Superior Rooms at the properties indicated in the accommodations area (We reserve the right to substitute a property of equal quality in advance of departure should the designated hotel be unavailable)
• Private Transfers to and from the airport at destination
• All meals as indicated on the itinerary by B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D=Dinner
• Private guides for city explorations and private driver/guide while traveling.
• Entrance fees to all museums, attractions and other venues as indicated on the daily itinerary
• Baggage handling at all hotels
• All applicable taxes and service fees

Services Not Included

• International airfare (round-trip from hometown departure gateway to destination)
• Beverages with included meals (unless otherwise indicated on itinerary page)
• Any meals not indicated on the Itinerary page
• Items of a personal nature e.g. minibar, film, postcards etc.
• Gratuities to Guides and Driver/Guides (we provide suggested guidelines for your selected destination in your pre-departure material)
• Any passport or visa fees or government departure taxes (It is the traveler’s responsibility to secure the latest informationregarding passports and visa requirements)

Available Year Round