Wisteria Flower Tunnel, Kawachi Fuji Garden
- 150 Wisteria plants climbing a trellis in the shape of a colorful tunnel
Hitachi Seaside Park
- Pubic park featuring blooming flowers year round
- Known for its 4.5 million baby blue-eyes flowers in spring
- Contains a million daffodils
Hōryū-ji
- Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples
- Completed in 607
- One of the oldest wooden buildings in the world
- In 2001, study of the central wooden column concluded the building to be a century older than previously thought
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Fushimi Inari-taisha
- Shrine dedicated to the god Inari, god of rice but traditionally worshipped as the patron of business
- #23 of the top 25 landmarks in the world
- Includes trails up a mountain which takes 2 hours to walk
- Founded in 711
Hiroshima Peace Memorial
- Ruins of a hall that serves as a memorial to the people who were killed in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945
- 70,000 people were killed instantly, 70,000 had fatal injuries from radiation
Himeji Castle
- Hilltop castle and finest surviving example of Japanese castle architecture
- Comprises 83 buildings with advanced defense from the feudal period
- Built in 1333 and started as a fort
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Itsukushima Shrine
- Shinto shrine on an island best known for its seemingly floating gate
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Historic Villages of Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama
- Three historic mountain villages in a remote region
- The area typically gets considerable snowfall and clusters of farmhouses are designed to easily shed snow from their roofs
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Dōtonbori
- Historically a theater district, now a nightlife and entertainment area
- Characterized by large illuminated signboards
Kinkaku-ji
- Zen Buddhist temple built in 1397
- In 1950, a 22 year old novice monk attempted suicide behind the building and burned down the pavilion
- He survived and was sentenced to 7 years in prison but was released due to mental illnesses persecution complex and schizophrenia
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Kiyomizu-dera
- Buddhist temple completed in 778
- Remarkable for having not used a single nail in the entire structure
Myoko Snowsports
- Provides English ski and snowboard lesson programs, equipment rentals, and photography services
Okunoin Temple
- Mausoleum and the largest cemetery in Japan with 200,000 tombstones
- The legend is that Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism, instead of dying, rests in the mausoleum resting in eternal meditation
- Popular pilgrimage spot including prominent monks and feudal lords
Costs
all flights $1,613
food $23/day x 16 days = $368
hotel $46/day x 14 days = $644
tickets (all attractions) $301
TOTAL for whole itinerary $2,926
