zSouthern Horizons of Japan

Check in to the 5-star Hotel Okura, ideally located in the heart of Fukuoka close to some of the city’s most popular venues for theater, art, fine dining and shopping.

Your full-day private sightseeing tour of this historic and still bustling port city begins at the magnificent Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine as you stroll along an arcaded walkway filled with shops catering to the many visitors who come to this shrine to honor Sugawara Michizane, a legendary scholar of the Heian period. You’ll pass through an imposing Torri gate and across two gracefully arching bridges to visit the Shrine’s main hall which dates back to the 16^th century. Then ascend Fukuoka Tower, a striking glass-sheathed high-rise, for panoramic views over the city and bay. Enjoy a relaxing sightseeing cruise on the Yanagawa River and explore the interesting shops and eateries of Canal City, a wonderfully contemporary urban development project featuring meandering waterways and playful fountains.  Meals B

Please Note: Porterage services at the rail station and aboard the train are not available. So your luggage will be picked up today and sent securely and directly by truck to your hotel in Nagasaki. Therefore, you will need a smaller overnight bag for this evening. Please make sure it’s portable enough and packed accordingly so that you can carry it easily with you on tomorrow’s rail journey to Nagasaki.

Our private car and driver will be waiting this morning to take you to the station for your rail journey to Nagasaki. Upon arrival, transfer to the stylish BW Premier Hotel, ideally located close to the JR train station in the heart of the city. Your private afternoon sightseeing tour begins in historic Glover Garden. Situated on top of Minami-Yamate Hill with stunning views of the harbor, this peaceful residential enclave was established in the mid 1800’s by Thomas Blake Glover and other Scottish, English and European merchants who dreamed of establishing successful trading ties with the newly opened country. Then just a short distance from the epicenter of the August 9, 1945 atomic bomb blast, you’ll join your private guide for a moving visit to the Atomic Bomb Museum and Nagasaki Peace Park. Before returning to your hotel, you’ll also see Oura Catholic Church, built in 1865 by the city’s rapidly growing community of European merchants.  Meals B

This entire day is yours to enjoy as you wish. Take advantage of your hotel’s heart-of-it-all location to explore more of Nagasaki at your own pace. Or if you wish, you can join an optional full-day tour featuring the 17^th-century Portuguese enclave on Dejima Island and the bubbling geo-thermal hot spring pools commonly known as the Unzen Hells!  Meals B

Our tour services end this morning. Meals B