Kyoto Spring Garden Tour & the Shikoku / Kurashiki / Himeji Getaway

The 2024 Spring Garden Tour (including Shikoku, Kurashiki and Himeji) will take place during one of the loveliest times of year in Kyoto … in May the rush of the cherry-blossom season has subsided, the city is relaxed and full of ‘shinryoku’, the fresh green energy of new maple foliage sweeping through the forested mountains that encircle the city. Many local residents consider May to be their favourite month in Kyoto.

During the tour, we will explore over a dozen gardens of various styles, experiencing some of the finest examples of landscape and garden design in Japan. You will have a taste of a variety of urban and rural neighbourhoods, each with their own ambiance and treasures to discover, as you become familiar with navigating the city of Kyoto.  Our adventures take us on the road to Shigaraki prefecture, and to Shikoku island, Kurashiki and Himeji with a combination of world-class art, architecture and renown stroll gardens.

On every Kyoto Garden Tour, we take time to enjoy the aesthetic sensibilities and culinary offerings of the Japanese culture. Our goal is to slow down and really feel the ambiance, the flavour and the elegance of the unique settings we are in.

IMPORTANT: Tour participants must be able to walk with easy confidence, without the need for mobility aids or assistance, for several hours a day. Terrain may include steppingstone paths, uphill grades, stairways and uneven streets. Please note: Masking may be required as necessary, esp. on public transportation.

Tour Dates: May 9 - 22, 2024 Note: this tour is FULL

Group size: 12 - 13 people

Included:

• 13 nights accommodation, 10 fully-guided days, 2 free days

• Breakfast and lunch on all guided days, & all meals while traveling outside Kyoto

• Welcome and Sayonara dinners featuring Kyoto’s unique ‘kaiseki’ cuisine

• Limo-bus to/from KIX and ITM airports and transportation on all guided days

• All garden and museum admissions on guided days

A few highlights:

• Experience over a dozen select gardens in and around Kyoto of varying styles - our garden experiences are the core foundation of the tour, yet there is so much more …

• Our accommodations are in a sub-temple within the atmospheric Myoshinji Zen temple complex

• Fall under the spell of Zen temple gardens while quietly viewing them from wooden verandas

• Explore Ohara, the picturesque rural village north of Kyoto, with quiet forested gardens

• Hands-on workshop in the traditional art form of calligraphy

• Take in the colourful Aoi Matsuri, one of Kyoto’s most photogenic annual festivals, coinciding with one of our two free days

• Enjoy a day-trip to the Miho Art Museum, an architectural tour-de-force designed by IM Pei

• Shop at local specialty stores and outdoor craft markets, and in the Shigaraki pottery village

• Attend our own private shakuhachi musical performance, a favourite relaxing evening

• Wander at your own pace through the nationally acclaimed garden of Ritsurin on Shikoku Island

• Take a leisurely morning stroll through the renowned Korakuen garden in Okayama Prefecture

• Venture out to view the Naruto tidal whirlpools from above (exciting!)

• Meander through historic Kurashiki with its willow-lined canals, art museums and specialty shops

• In Himeji, enjoy a dinner at our favourite French restaurant, and wake up to the Kokoen gardens beside the stunning Himeji Castle, with ample time to explore them both

• Enjoy subtly delicious and always beautifully presented fresh regional cuisine in small local venues

• Discover the charm of Kyoto, an exceedingly clean and safe city full of artistic treasures, cultural and culinary delights, as the springtime verdure and serene gardens work their magic