14 days / 13 nights       Minimum 4 people Maximum 8 people

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Please Note :

This is the general idea, and we will refine the itinerary as we get closer to the days

as we have a range of options to choose form, so we will pick the best.

We might even do it in reverse ! Final itinerary announced DEC 1 2023

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Fee $A 6000 includes ALL accommodation, ALL breakfasts *

and dinners, transport on the tour, admissions and hires.

Triple R and Early Bird** discounts available (either / or)

but ask us anything , we are open :-)

** Commit by the end of Nov 2023

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You pay for your own international airfare, JR rail (about $ 600 TBC)

airport transfer, drinks and souvenirs.    * except breakfast on the run.

Single supplement about $ 500 where available.

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Monkeys: Snow monkeys we "discovered" dipping in the hot spa in early 1980s. Struth. One of the world's biggest monkey parks.

Monsters : Worlds biggest Gigantor. Godzilla theme park. Manga Museum. Monster Galleries, Toy shops full of monsters and superheroes , Astro Boy and much much more

Art: Roppongi gallery hopping. Taro Okamoto. Arty stroll in the arty suburbs of Tokyo. Arty Kanazawa.

Monkeys, monsters and art and fun , that's the vibe

Yokai are special Japanese monsters, native to Japanese myth, or are they real ?

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Dinner: Variety is the spice of life, that is our dinner theme. We will never make you bored with dinner. Our selection will include the finest funnest meals and places we can find , maybe world cuisines, amazing Yakitori and home cooking, Izakaya food, all at its best.

You will never be disappointed. Or hungry. Extraordinary selection, a culinary journey on its own, like no other.

Accom : A combination of modern, old school ryokan and funky hotels. The tour will begin and end in Tokyo

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Day -1 (TUE FEB 6 ) Tokyo

Pre Tour, we arrive in Tokyo, and gather, priob  in Akasaka. Dinner and accom NOT included, but can be arranged for keen beans.

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Day 1  (WED FEB 7  ) Tokyo

Tour kicks off around 10am after breakfast when we are assembled. The overnight flyers arriving early morning join at the hotel.

We will do the Roppongi Art Lobrow Septangle. After lunch we will head towards Shibuya, via the house and workspace of Taro Okamoto. In  Shibuya, we see a giant mural by Taro Okamoto, recently recovered and restored, and the railway station designed by Tadao Ando. Art and design hidden in plain view. It’s an arty strolling day.

Dinner at a good hearty Japanese style restaurant. Where else?

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Day 2 (THU FEB 8 ) Tokyo

After breakfast in the hotel, we will prob head to the suburbs.

We will study the arcane arcades of incidental art, for the first chew on Chuo Line, Monster Toy shops,

old arcades retro fturistand the like

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Day 3 (FRI FEB 9  )

We take the bullet train to Kanazawa, and then have for a trip around the local area

inc some post modern Easter Egg style art and  maybe some samurai architecture action.

Dinner will be one of the local alley / drinking / eating establishments, within strolling distance,

so many to choose from, but research has been done, and we have chosen!

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Day 4 (SAT FEB 10th) 

Today we go strolling down to the 21st century gallery,

to see the award winning building itself, which houses Leandro Erlich’s swimming pool, James Turrell’s Blue Planet Sky

as well as other arty delights in the art pearl of the West Coast.

Maybe a Zen museum, maybe a Ninja Temple which still holds samurai protection secrets

Dinner will choice Kanazawa cuisine.

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Day 5 (SUN FEB 11th)  Monkey Town

Today we head back over the Japanese Alps. After breakfast, we take a bullet train,

and a local train as we will head to the Japanese Alps for SNOW

We head to the onsen where we have been welcomed for the last 30 plus years! Old school Japanese style.

Afternoon at leisure. Strolling around the old hot spa village in the traditional garb, and taking in the Nine baths of Hardship,

public hot springs, to wash away your hardship, and then we will have the dinner of a lifetime at our ryokan.

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Day 6 (MON FEB 12th) ) First Monkeys

After breakfast (easily the biggest and the best Japanese style you would say), we visit the Monkeys in the snow, having hot spa,

maybe joining in and then stroll back down the mountain for the second dinner of a lifetime,

same place, same time as the evening before but different. Have another round of bathing and walk, it’s a blissful place.

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Day 7 (TUE FEB 13th)

Today we head by trains and more trains to Kurashiki. Through the Japanese Alps mountains, via Thunderbird !

This is a Great Train Ride and Kurashiki has a Yokia Monster Gallery , swans and willow trees

DAY 8 (WED FEB 14 )

Another lazy day in Kurashiki  inc Retro Toy shop with 10,000 HMV Nippers and more.

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DAY 9  (THU FEB 15 ) OSAKA

We take train to Osaka, drop the stuff and then have an afternoon around Osaka, and head to see the arty sights.

Maybe the ultimate arty rubbish moment at the world’s largest garbage incinerator, and its sister sewage treatment plant.

It’s art, not shit, and was agreed to be the highlight of past tours.

Maybe a secret submarine steampunk bar for a drink

then a local Japanese izakaya within strolling distance iof the hotel

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DAY 10 (FRI FEB 16) Osaka / Kyoto

Today we do a day trip to Kyoto including the sensational samurai Nijo Castle

and the informative and exciting eye candy of the Manga Museum, or Oyamazaki Sanso gallery.

We might go out exploring the Arashiyama area on old tram, visiting the samurai film theme park,

and more monkeys are on parade at a fine monkey park.

 Dinner  back in Osaka, local and appropriate.

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DAY 11 (SAT FEB 17) Osaka

Today's plan is a visit an ancient time (well , the 1970's) and see the trippiest evolutionatry art available,

as well as immerse ourselves in retro futurist ideas and also some mind boggling ethnic art, who knows?

Its all in the one place.

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DAY 12 (SUN FEB 18 ) Osaka / Kobe

Today we will do a day trip for art exploration at the Tadanori Yokoo museum, and check out the world’s largest Gigantor.

Perhaps a trip to a Frank Lloyd Wright guesthouse,  and some ancient (really old) or recent (funky arcades and markets ).
 

DAY 13 (MON FEB 19) Osaka back to Tokyo

We will find some Monstery things this afternoon. Lots on offer !
 

Day 14 ( TUE FEB 20 ) TOKYO

Our last day, we will have some activity and then we will assist you to get to your destination.

Domo Arigato Sayonara!!

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