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Day 1 - Our adventure begins in the
bustling national capital, Tokyo. After a
short orientation and welcome we take in the sights of the city and enjoy
the return of spring revealed in the beautiful cherry
blossoms. After lunch we'll visit a typical tea
shop and then continue with a stroll through the plaza of the
Imperial Palace - residence of the Royal
Family. No visit to Tokyo would be complete without a visit to the famous
shopping district known as the Ginza.
You are free for the rest of the afternoon to shop
to your heart's content. We'll meet back at our hotel before dinner. Tonight we have our official welcome dinner and retire for the
evening.
Day 2 - This
morning we begin our training in Cha-no-yu,
with a demonstration and hands-on instruction in the
Japanese tea ceremony. Afterward, we board our private coach and view
some countryside on our drive to the charming town of
Hakone. Upon our arrival we'll board the Japanese galley and enjoy a
cruise on Lake Ashi with views of magestic
Mt. Fuji.
Day 3 - Our next
destination is one of Japan's most important tea areas,
Shizuoka. After a specially prepared
tea-lunch where each dish contains tea, we'll
tour a tea factory and learn the process of
making Sencha - Japan's most popular tea. To
gain an understanding of tea in general we'll have a
lecture on Japanese tea history and a guided
tea tasting of a selection of different teas from the area. This
evening, have a chance to interact with people in the local tea industry at
a dinner hosted by the local tea association.
Day 4 -
Today we will take a day trip to Makinohara
which is a tea production center and also the location of the
tea museum. After an introduction and tour
we'll enjoy another style of tea ceremony.
Before returning to Shizuoka we will tour a tea garden
and learn how tea is harvested having a chance
to pick your own tea.
Day 5 - Our
destination this morning is the town of Okabe
which is known for its production of the refined
Gyokuro tea. After an introduction and factory
tour we'll enjoy a tea tasting of some
freshly made tea. Our dinner is back in
Shizuoka tonight.
Day 6 - After
breakfast we say goodbye to the tea gardens of Shizuoka and board the bullet train
to the ancient capital of Kyoto. Still the
cultural center, we will visit a pottery workshop
to see how the unique styles of teaware are hand made.
Try your hand at making a tea bowl under the tutelage of a
master potter. Our dinner tonight is very
special - the Kaiseki Ryori. A feast for all
the senses, this meal has evolved from the multi-course repast that was
served before formal tea ceremonies. We must
arrive precisely on time. To top off the experience, the
chef will visit us after his performance and
describe the uniqueness of each dish. Our delightful meal is one of the
specialties of our ryokan, a
traditional Japanese guest house and our home for the next two nights. You
may feel free to lounge about in the provided Yukata
robe and partake in the Onsen hot bath
(separate baths for men and women).
Day 7 - After a
peaceful night's sleep on the fluffy futons, we
delve into the spiritual side of Japanese culture starting with a visit to
the Nazenji Buddhist Temple. The serene rock
gardens, comforting wooden floors, simplistic decor and intricate
architecture blend to create a contemplative ambiance. The external
representation of Zen philosophy will be balanced with an introspective
excursion when we receive instruction in Zen
Meditation directly from the Abbot of the
Kounji Temple. He also happens to be a tea lover and perhaps he will
show us his collection of priceless tea bowls.
Returning back to the earthly world, we'll rest for a while in one of the
popular tea houses in Gion, Kyoto's traditional
pleasure district. If we are lucky we may see a Maiko
(Geisha apprentice) on her way to an appointment.
Day 8 - Our first
stop today is the secluded Kozanji Temple - the
site of the oldest tea garden in Japan. This
unassuming structure, founded in the beginning of the 13th century and a
World Heritage Site, is the spot where the first tea
seeds were planted after being brought from China by the Zen Priest
Eisai. After a walk around the grounds, we will travel down the road to the
Golden Pavillion, Japan's best known temple
which is
covered in real gold leaf. Departing Kyoto, we head for the city of
Uji renowned for fine teas since 1160.
Day 9 - This
morning we visit a tea garden and then a
tea factory to see the very unique processing
method of Matcha, the powdered green tea used
in the tea ceremony. Attend a short lecture on
Matcha tea making and have a chance to taste some
examples of this special tea. Also a source of earthenware for
centuries, we will pay a visit to the ancient kiln
to see the original way ceramics were fired. Our day ends in the vibrant city of
Osaka.
Day 10 - The
spectacular Osaka Castle is first on our agenda
today. It was originally built in 1590 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of
the most influential and ruthless rulers in Japan's history. He also
happened to be a devout tea enthusiast. A museum
commemorating Hideyoshi and the castle is inside. After lunch well visit the
Shitennoji Temple, the oldest established
temple in Japan. Built over 1400 years ago, and second only to Osaka Castle
as a must-see spot, it was at this place that Buddhism was first introduced to
Japan in 593 AD. It is known for its towering pagoda, traditional
landscaped
gardens and unique architecture. Tonight we enjoy a performance of
the famous Bunraku, life-sized puppets.
Day 11 - Our last
day in Osaka includes some sights of the city and a visit to some
traditional craft markets.
Four Day Korea
Post-Tour Extension
Day 1 - Continue
our tea education as we depart for exciting Seoul,
S. Korea. Korea has been making tea for as long as Japan but is much
less known in the West. Upon arrival we'll transfer to our hotel and then
take in some sights around this modern city.
Following an afternoon meeting with members
from the local tea association, we'll have a real Korean style treat - Dinner at
the Sanchon Restaurant. Started by a Buddhist
monk, this intimate venue specializes in fantastic vegetarian, temple food
and provides a lively cultural show while you feast on the 16 courses.
Day 2 - Korean
Pottery has been famous in Asia since ancient times. Even Japanese pottery
has roots there. Our first stop is Icheon Pottery
Village where we will have a chance to make our own tea bowl. After
lunch we continue on to the lush green tea gardens
of Boseong - so beautiful that it is often used
as the backdrop in TV and Movies.
Day 3 - This
morning we'll enjoy a tour through the tea gardens and then visit the
tea factory to learn how Korean green teas are
made. After a chance to taste and compare some
wonderful teas, we'll attend an interesting lecture on
Korean tea history and production. Before dinner we will have a truly
luxurious experience of a green tea bath at the
Yulpo Hot Springs Spa.
Day 4 - Rest in a
little or take a morning walk along the seashore
before we make our way back to Seoul. To top off our wonderful time in
Korea, we'll relax in a local tea house and
have a demonstration of the Korean tea ceremony.
At our farewell dinner, recount the tales of our travels and share favorite
moments that will stay with us for a lifetime. |
