Japan Tours & Holidays Call Oliv

Japan is a favourite destination of ours. Our Director Oliver has visited Tokyo and is on hand to offer first hand knowledge and advice when booking with us. Following the disaster earlier this year, Japan is open for business and we are offering a range of tours, whether as part of a group or independently. Those that have visited Japan since the disaster have commented at how now is a great time to visit as the country is quiet of the usual tourists. And so please do help support Japan and contact us to plan your perfect holiday to this wonderful destination.

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What a great evening! Thanks to our guest speaker Ruth Hubbard for travelling to Lichfield to tell us all about Japan. View photo's from the event here - Our new lecture series aims to bring guest speakers to Lichfield to inform and entertain clients and the local community on a variety of subjects relating to the wide world of travel. Visit out Events page for details of our next lecture...	Classic Japan tour (14 night self guided) Cities, culture and nature! This tour delivers the highlights of Japan in a fantastic 14 night Small Group Tour. Summer departures feature the chance to climb Mt. Fuji, Autumn departures showcase the stunning Autumn colours! - click here for details Japanese Highlights (9 nts, small group) This shorter 9 night tour taking in the must-see destinations of Tokyo, Kyoto and Hakone National Park near Mt. Fuji. November departures timed for perfect autumn leaf peeping! - click here for details. Many more tours available, please contact us for details	These tours are based on land-only arrangements. We can of course arrange flights to be included and take advantage of some very attractive flight prices to Japan at the present time. We suggest adding on at least £550 / £700pp to give yourself an idea of cost with flights. Call us on 01543 258631 to discuss your tour and holiday to Japan or email: oliver@robertbroadtravel.co.uk Tailor made service: At no extra cost we can tailor your dream holiday or tour of Japan. Whether you want to guide yourself around Japan or be accompanied by your own guide do get in touch.

Japan has had a very tough 2011, but the sun is most definitely rising again. After the events of March 11th, the north eastern Tohoku region is gradually recovering whilst the rest of Japan looks forward to the positively pleasant autumn months almost six months on from the unusually dark days of spring 2011.

Contrary to sensationalised reports in the western media, Japan is very safe. The country is huge with the vast majority completely unaffected by the events earlier this year. The tsunami affected region and Fukushima power plant are in the far north east of Japan, many miles from the countries more classic destinations such as Tokyo (170 miles), Kyoto (495 miles), Miyajima Island (690 miles) and the tropical Okinawa Islands (1165 miles).

Tourists are cautiously trickling back to Japan and returning to the west full of praise, enthusiasm and amazing travelling tales from this truly unique country. Travellers talk of fantastic cultural experiences, a stunning country and super-friendly people literally going out of their way to welcome foreign visitors. Japan wants you to visit and there are more reasons to do it now rather than later.

InsideJapan Tour’s Co-Director, Alastair Donnelly who last visited Japan in April 2011 says, “InsideJapan was set up just over ten years ago and we are proud of our fantastic customer service and safety record. We would never compromise our client’s safety or their enjoyment of Japan and that is why we continue sending people there”. He continued, “travelling now is similar to my first days of travelling Japan fifteen years ago – what I would refer to as the ‘golden days of travel’. There are few foreign travellers to be seen, the tourist spots are relatively empty, cultural experiences are richer and the welcome is very warm indeed. This is all coupled with a variety of amazing locations, such as the cultural capital of Kyoto, national parks such as Hakone in the foothills of Mt. Fuji, tropical beaches and towering mountain peaks, the co-existence of the traditional and ultra modern in the Metropolis of Tokyo and countless ‘hidden gems’ en-route. Travelling on the sleek bullet train is a pleasure, the Japanese food is delightful, the service is second-to-none and everyday brings a new and enjoyable experience. I believe that now is the time to see the country at its best”.

As Japan gradually comes out of the hot summer months, it heads into the very pleasant temperatures of autumn with renewed optimism. Like the more famous cherry blossom, but perhaps more dramatically, the red and gold leaves colour the countryside across mountain sides and the temple gardens. The tradition of ‘Koyo’ (autumn leaf viewing) is at its height in October and November with temperatures still in the twenties Celsius.

Major festivals take place throughout Japan during the warm colours of autumn adding yet more reasons to visit. Kyoto’s Jidai Matsuri (22 October) is a celebration of Japan’s feudal history – see processions of performers dressed in samurai costume and people carrying small shrines (mikoshi) on their shoulders as they parade through the streets. Kyoto also witnesses the enchanting Gion Geisha dances from 1-10 November, each telling a story to the accompaniment of the shamisen (Japanese guitar). On 15 November, children across the country dress up in kimono to celebrate the Shichi-go-san festival marking the lucky ages of 3, 5 and 7 years old.

Autumn 2011 and beyond provide numerous reasons to enjoy a cultural adventure like no other (for all the right reasons) and as spring 2012 is already looking very popular, now is definitely the time to travel and experience Japan. There is only one Japan, it is safe and the Land of the Rising Sun is shining again.

There are a range of inspiring itineraries covering the wilderness of Hokkaido in the far north to the sub-tropical islands of Okinawa and everything in between. Whether you are looking for a Small Group Tour, prefer to do things a little more independently or require a completely tailored itinerary, we can offer a variety of ways for you to get the most out of your cultural adventure. Here are three examples, for more please call Robert Broad Travel on 01543 258631.

There are a number of group tours designed to hit peak ‘Koyo’ in 2011, each with a maximum size of fourteen people and using the outstanding public transport network.