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Qualification for these Japanese tours began in 1980 when Jerry was assiged to the US Embassy in Japan. He met Carol in a flea market (also called a shrine sale) in 1989 while she was on a tour to Japan. These markets provide opportunities to liberate wonderous treasures including: TEXTILES, DOLLS, ANTIQUES, OBI, WOMEN'S KIMONO, BOY'S DAY BANNERS, WEDDING KIMONO, CHILDREN'S KIMONO and BASKETS! Within a short time, they were married. Carol, having already lived for several months in Kyoto, adapted quickly to her new surroundings. While in Japan, they traveled extensively. Much of this travel was with family, friends and folks associated with Jerry's employer. Little did they know that these "tours" would lead to more after they returned to the United States in January 1995.
Many requests from personal friends, attendees at Carol's lectures and students in Carol's classes led to our decision to lead our first Japan tour in November 1997. Since then we have led many additional tours. Some guests have gone more than once. Others are planning to go again. Needless to say, many were very disappointed when the tours were discontinued in 2003.
Jerry led a small group of ten in November 2005 (outstanding weather, great shopping, great time) and decided to lead a tour with his son Michael departing 19 March 2006. That tour sold out in January 2005......yes 14 months prior to departure!!!! Jerry also led a small group in November 2006. The March 2008 trip was SOLD OUT in August 2007. The March 2009 trip was sold out in September 2008. Reservations are now being taken for the trips leaving on 19 March 2011 and 19 November 2011. Since there is a limit on the number of guests on each tour, I need to hear from you before these trips are sold out OR that there are not enough travelers to make it economical for all resulting in canceling tour. Just drop an email to saber@olympus.net.
Carol and Jerry Saber at Kinkakuji in Kyoto Kimono show in Kyoto Todaiji & feeding sacred deer in Nara
Jerry & daughter at Nijo Castle garden & gate in Kyoto Heian Shrine in Kyoto with children in their finest attire
OUR NEXT TOURS:
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Departs on 19 March 2011 with return on 3 April to enjoy the awesome display of cherry blossoms |
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Departs on 19 November 2011 with return on 4 December to enjoy the spectacular fall colors. |
BASIC PHILOSOPHY FOR THESE TOURS:
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small group so that all can enjoy and allow a wide range of options....like no cost additions to the schedule which are impossible with a larger group |
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outstanding hotels that are perfectly located so you can unwind and enjoy at the end of each day |
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visit a wide range of venues with equal focus on gardens, museums, castles, architecture, photography, history, textiles, shopping, antiques and culture |
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you can arrive earlier and/or stay longer where I provide extra information so your time is effectively used |
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maximum of 20 including the two guides (about half that number if only one guide) |
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maxmize the time for shopping/sightseeing by using the most efficient and economical means of transportation and not moving between hotels on a daily basis. This is what many call the multi-transport tour for we ride: the famous bullet train, local trains, subways, cable way, boats, barges, buses, taxis, switch-back train (rare indeed) and a tram. You can add a ride in a rickshaw. |
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eliminate guests having to move luggage except to get to Japan and then from your airport to home |
Deposit check of $500 will hold your space AND only be cashed when there are sufficient guests to GO AND I have your approval to cash that check.
Shopping at flea markets Our guest and daughter dyeing shibori at Aizenkobo in Kyoto
Painting on silk Weaving obi Jerry & daughter at Kiyomizudera in Kyoto Fall colors
Geisha, guest and daughter in Kyoto Carol, daughter & grand children at Heian Shrine in Kyoto
DETAILS: The tour price of $3,800 includes:
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full American breakfast each day - more than enough to last to dinner |
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top end, super deluxe hotels where room is shared. We suggest you share the wonders of Japan with your spouse, significant other, relative, close friend, neighbor or church/club member. We have been very successful in matching singles where we do the introduction and the two parties determine compatibility issues. |
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guide services plus pre-trip planning information covering everything from what to bring to what to leave at home. We also provide a binder for guests to review all the places we will enjoy |
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you can arrive early or stay on in Japan where assistance for planning what to do before the guide arrives and the tour officially begins or after the tour ends and the guide heads home. There is NO charge for this extra assistance. |
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full schedule each day, that is, you are not abandoned BUT you can elect to do something other than what is planned for that day. Having lived in Japan for over 14 years and returning frequently, I have been to all of the sites frequented by tourists as well as many others which are well off the tourist trail. Information we can provide is not only how to get there but when to go or not go for there is nothing more disappointing than arriving at that special place to discover it is closed that day. |
ADDITIONAL DETAILS:
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additional cost for all in-country transportation, admissions and meals other than breakfast has been carefully calibrated by me and many of our guests at $1,200, a cost that depends on the strength or weakness of the Japanese Yen. |
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required is ability to walk for Japan is not handicap friendly and our tour requires walking which can be over uneven ground and climbing stairs where no elevators/escalators exist. |
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deposit is $500 which is refundable up until the check is cashed. |
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airline tickets should be acquired only after the tour has been declared a GO (need a minimum of ten). You can use air miles OR purchase your ticket from your travel agent or ours. Tickets purchased from our travel agent are at the lowest fare possible and are non refundable. |
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cost of the single supplement is outrageous due to the highest quality of the hotels. It runs about $1,300! |
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IF JAPANESE TEXTILES & TOURS and/or their travel agent books your flight, you will be required to fund that ticket within three days. |
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the balanceof the tour cost is due approximately four months prior to departure |
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at the present time, the only flight from the west coast to our preferred start point in Osaka is one by UNITED which leaves at mid-day every day from San Francisco (SFO). The guide, a resident of Texas, usually flies into San Francisco the night before the flight across the Pacific to Kansai International Airport (KIX), the airport that serves OSAKA. So, the guide arrives at SFO on the 18th of March or November, spends the night near the airport and leaves the next day for Japan. You can join the guide or make your own way to the first hotel in Japan (Kyoto) where detailed instructions for getting through the airport and to the hotel are included in your package of itineraries (one for each day which includes maps, what you will see, how we will get there, etc). |
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Our travel agent can book your flights BUT they need some information such as whether you want to be on the same plane from SFO to KIX as the guide, whether you will spend the night of the 18th in San Francisco, preference on whether you want an aisle or window seat, etc . Remember, you can book your own travel, use air miles, go on an airline other than United, leave for Japan from a gateway city other than SFO....the list is long and the alternatives are many. I will help sort these out with you but need your input to get the best travel arrangements. |
Daughter & grand daughter at Outdoor Sculpture Museum in Hakone Our ride across lake
The Spectacular Miho Museum Toshogu Shrine in Nikko Mt Fuji from Hakone Nat Park
THE FOLLOWING IS A PARTIAL LIST OF WHERE WE WILL BE VISITING:
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KYOTO: 2 spectacular flea markets, Aizenkobo (indigo dying house), Fureaikan (cultural center), Heian Shrine (garden), Nijo Castle (nightingale floors), Ryoanji (famous for its rock garden), Kinkakuji (Golden Pavillion), Kiyomizudera (the water temple famous for its stages), Miho Museum (I.M. Pei's spectacular creation), walk through the Gion area and Geisha District, Nishijin & Yuzen Textile Centers, Ninnaji (garden), Nara (imperial capital prior to when it was capital was relocated to Kyoto) to visit Todaiji (largest wooden building in world) & Kasuga Taisha (famous for its sacred deer and many lanterns), Byodoin (oldest wooden building in world), Fushimi Inari (famous for having many vermilion tori gates) |
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HAKONE NATIONAL PARK: ride the bullet train to stay in hot springs hotel with spectacular garden that was opened over 130 years ago; travel through park on ropeway, boat, -switchback train, bus & -tram; visit Outdoor Sculpture Museum (unbelievable sculpture plus buildings full of art by Picassoand other masters in a spectacular garden setting). |
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TOKYO: Nikko to visit Toshogu Shrine (dedicated to first great shogun), Tsukiji Fish Market (NOT to be missed), more flea markets, Kamakura (imperial capital for 200 years) to visit Great Buddha & Hasedera (hydrangia temple) & Zeniarai Benten (money washing temple), Kamata for textile shopping, department store (unbelievable experience), Tokyo-Edo Museum (unbelievable architecture and outstanding contents), Omotesando (fabulous shop plus designer stores), Meiji Shrine, Asakusa (temple & shopping), Kiyosumi (garden), walk through old section of city with interesting shops and a basket maker, Hamarikyu (imperial garden), river cruise and sayonara dinner |
Aizenkobo Heian Shrine - Kyoto Great Buddha Shopping Mall in Tokyo Tsukiji Fish Market
Father and son at Himeji Castle Some of our guests on tour
CLICK ON PHOTO ABOVE FOR MORE PICTURES
MEMORIES FROM SPRING TOUR (click here to view)
We have shared this adventure with many guests where the youngest was 9 years old and the oldest was...well, a very senior citizen. Our plan is to walk a little and ride a little allowing folks to rest and not be run to death. We also love cruising with idea of unpacking once and not moving about dragging heavy luggage. We have incorporated this into our tour. Guests on previous tours have met with friends, gone off on their own, used our tour to lead their families through the same adventure, arrived early, stayed later, gone to a different venue/place as they have already "been there - done that", used air miles or made their own travel arrangements with a subsequent decrease in cost......the bottom line is that I am flexible and have but one desire which is to share my knowledge with others.
IF you are interested, I need to hear from you before we are sold out. Just drop me an email CONTACT US. In the meantime, please enjoy some photos from previous trips and TESTIMONIALS from previous guests.
Please enjoy photos from our SPRING 2009 TOUR TO JAPAN which was absolutely fabulous.
Need to stay in touch with those back home? The perfect way is to rent a phone before leaving home. MyJapanPhone specializes in offering this service. They are committed to solving your communication needs (business or leisure) during your stay in Japan. By reserving your phone on line, you will know your Japan phone number before leaving home. Also you can receive a 30 percent off the rental fee plus a special gift by citing coupon "JTT" when making your reservation. I have personally used this service to acquire both a blackberry and a cell phone for use in Japan. Both were delivered to my home well ahead of my departure for Japan. You can also have them delivered to your hotel in Japan. The blackberry worked perfectly as My Japan Phone correctly applied the user name and password so all I had to do was turn it on. The phone was a bonus. Never thought I would use that but it came in very handy on several occasions. Clicking on Myjapanphone will get you connected. Please mention that you contacted them due to enjoying our website JAPANESE TEXTILES & TOURS.
Desire to do your own tour but need a helping hand (what to see, where to go, how to get there, when that special place is open/closed, how much you can fit into one day, etc), I am available to assist. My consulting fee begins at $150.
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