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2023 Insider’s Japan

April 26 – May 8, 2023

Tour Operator: Odysseys Unlimited
Price: From $6,684 (airfare included)
Tour Length: 13 days
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View all UNC-Odysseys tours (digital catalog)
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It’s a fascinating land of delicate art and bustling commerce, of rich traditions and dizzying modernity – all revealed on this well-crafted 13-day small group tour, limited to 24 travelers.   See Tokyo and Kyoto’s highlights, engage in local life, and head off the beaten path to the lovely historic cities of Takayama and Kanazawa.

The journey begins with three nights in amazing Tokyo, where, along with time to explore independently, touring includes a preeminent calligrapher’s gallery, the imposing Imperial Palace, tranquil Meiji Shrine, the famed Ginza district, and the impressive Tokyo National Museum.  Japan’s pastoral side is on tap next in stunning Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park with majestic Mt. Fuji and a scenic cruise on Ashi Lake.  After overnighting at a traditional ryokan inn, board an express train to Takayama in the Japanese Alps to explore this ancient town during a two-night sojourn.  A traditional tea ceremony and a cooking class offer opportunities to experience Japanese culture firsthand.  Visit historic Shirakawago Village, a UNESCO site.  Reaching culturally rich Kanazawa for a two-night stay, tour famed Kenrokuen Garden, visit a gold leaf museum, and see the Higashi Chayagai teahouse area.

The journey ends with three nights in Kyoto, Japan’s cultural center.  Among many highlights here:  the beloved Golden Pavilion temple, Ryoan-ji temple with its acclaimed Zen garden, and the extravagant 17th-century Nijo-jo Castle.  Visit the otherworldly Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, the important Fushimi Inari shrine, and Nishiki Market, “Kyoto’s Kitchen.”  Discover cosmopolitan Hiroshima, reborn from its atomic destruction, with an optional 3-day/2-night post-tour extension. 

Schedule of Events

  • Day 1 : Depart U.S.
  • Day 2 : Tokyo
  • Day 3 : Tokyo
  • Day 4 : Tokyo
  • Day 5 : Tokyo / Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park / Hakone
  • Day 6 : Hakone / Takayama
  • Day 7 : Takayama
  • Day 8 : Takayama / Shirakawago / Kanazawa
  • Day 9 : Kanazawa
  • Day 10 : Kanazawa / Kyoto
  • Day 11 : Kyoto
  • Day 12 : Kyoto
  • Day 13 : Depart for U.S.

Eligibility

We offer the Tar Heel Travel program as a service to our alumni and friends of the University. As travel is a Carolina Alumni member perk, we require one traveler per room to be a member of the General Alumni Association in order to be eligible to travel. For more information or to join the GAA, contact the membership office at (800) 962-0742 or become a Carolina Alumni member online.

Additional Information

Note: Tour schedule is subject to change due to local conditions. Many excursions in this program involve an element of walking as some of the finest attractions are located in areas not closely accessible by motorcoach.

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All prices and itineraries (including port order) are tentative and subject to change; final pricing adjustments may occur after the release of marketing materials.

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