PACIFIC DELIGHT'S SEVEN-AND 12-DAY SUPERVALUE PACKAGES OFFER A STUDY IN CITY CONTRASTS, FROM ULTRA-MODERN TOKYO TO VENERABLE KYOTO, AT AFFORDABLE RATES
For travelers fascinated by Japan's ancient cultures and modern cities but wary of the normally higher costs associated with travel to this destination, Pacific Delight Tours is featuring the seven-day "Tokyo & Kyoto" SuperValue tour and the 12-day "Japan In-Depth" package, highlighting the two cities as well as the hidden gems of Hakone, Hiroshima, Okayama and Kurashiki. The air-inclusive programs include pre-confirmed stays in superior first-class and deluxe hotels, transportation between Tokyo and Kyoto on the 125-mile-an-hour bullet train and local professional guides at fares ranging from $2,378 to $2,698, per person, double for the seven-day "Tokyo & Kyoto" package and $4,238 to $4,558 for the 12-day "Japan In-Depth." A two-night stay at Kyoto's Gion Yoshi-ima, a traditional ryokan (inn), at rates from $378, with dinner and breakfast, can be added. Government-imposed taxes and fees, including the Sept. 11th Security Fee of up to $155, are additional. Prices are subject to change.
The seven-day program is a study in contrasts, with three days in modern Tokyo and three in the more historical Kyoto, once the country's Imperial capital. In Tokyo, guests visit the Imperial Palace, where the royal family now resides; the Asakusa Kannon Temple, Japan's largest and oldest Buddhist temple; and the Pearl Gallery, for shopping and viewing pearl cultivation. Time is set aside for independent pursuits and optional tours, including a daylong excursion to Mt. Fuji. In Kyoto, ancient Japan comes to life in the hundreds of temples that dot the landscape, with the tour focusing on the Kinakuji Temple's Golden Palace, set in a lush park with a reflecting pond; Nij Castle, with its rings of fortifications; and the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. The 12-night "Japan In-Depth" itinerary adds Hakone in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park; Hiroshima and the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, with an excursion to stunning Miyajima Island, a sacred Shintoism and Buddhism site; Okayama, a castle-town in the 16th to 19th centuries; and Kurashiki, a former center for rice harvesting.
Year-round departures include transpacific flights from Detroit and San Francisco with air add-on from dozens of North American gateways, transportation in Japan, daily breakfasts, excursions, transfers (as noted in the itinerary), fuel surcharges, hotel taxes, service charges and baggage handling; land-only fares are available. Travelers receive $100,000 flight insurance and frequent flyer miles when PDT tickets the air.
