See highlights of amazing Tokyo and cultural capital Kyoto, engage in local life, and head off the beaten path to alluring historic destinations. Japan’s pastoral side dazzles with magnificent Mt. Fuji and a cruise on Ashi Lake. Overnight in a traditional ryokan inn and travel by express train to lovely Takayama in the Japanese Alps. A traditional tea ceremony and a cooking class offer hands-on Japanese cultural experiences. Explore culturally rich Kanazawa. Discover Hiroshima reborn with an optional 3-day/2-night post-tour extension.
Day 1: Depart U.S. for Tokyo, Japan
Day 2: Arrive in Tokyo
Arrive in Japan
Transfer to the hotel
Guests’ arrival times may vary, no scheduled activities or meals planned
Day 3: Tokyo
Briefing about the journey
Meiji Shrine
Visit the gallery of Koshun Masunaga – a preeminent calligrapher
Tour ends in Ginza district
Optional: explore at your leisure or return to the hotel
Welcome dinner at a local restaurant
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4: Tokyo
Imperial Palace
Visit the East Gardens
Tokyo’s oldest temple (c. 645 CE)
Nakamise shopping arcade
Tokyo National Museum
Afternoon is free for independent exploration
Lunch and dinner is on your own
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5: Tokyo / Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park / Hakone
Leave Tokyo for Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
Mt. Fuji World Heritage Center
Cruise on Ashi Lake
Town of Hakone
Spend the night at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn
Japanese-style Kaiseki dinner
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6: Hakone / Takayama
Travel by bullet train
Wide View Hida express train
Town of Takayama in the Japanese Alps
Traditional Japanese tea ceremony
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7: Takayama
Riverside Miyagawa Morning Market
Meet a local chef to gather ingredients for the lunch we will prepare together at a nearby site
Walking tour of Takayama Jinya
Local sake brewery
Takayama’s old town
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 8: Takayama / Shirakawago / Kanazawa
Site of Shirakawago Gassho-zukuri Village
Visit Gokayama Village to see how traditional Japanese washi paper is made
Castle town of Kanazawa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9: Kanazawa
Tour of Kenrokuen Garden
See Ishikawa Gate
Hakukokan – a museum celebrating the art and craft of gold leaf technology
Higashi Chayagai teahouse and geisha area
Visit the Kutani Kosen Kiln – prized, and highly decorated pottery
Dine at a local restaurant
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10: Kanazawa / Kyoto
Depart by train for Kyoto
Visit Kinkaku-ji, lakeside Temple of the Golden Pavilion
Ryoanji, a Zen Buddhist temple
Dine at the hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11: Kyoto
Visit to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts (Fureaikan)
Nijo-jo Castle (ca. 1603)
Remainder of the day is free for independent exploration
Meals: Breakfast
Day 12: Kyoto
Fushimi Inari shrine
Sanjyusangendo Hall (ca. 1266)
Nishiki Market, “Kyoto’s Kitchen”
Afternoon is at leisure
Farewell dinner at a local restaurant
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 13: Depart Kyoto for U.S.
Travel by motorcoach to Osaka
Board our return flight to the United States.
Meals: Breakfast
Please note: This trip involves full days of sightseeing and significant amounts of walking on stairs and uneven surfaces. You should be in good physical condition to enjoy the tour to its fullest.
Additional information on this trip will be added at a later date.
Dr. Kyle L. Grazier is the Richard Carl Jelinek Professor of Health Systems Management and Policy in Michigan Public Health and a professor of psychiatry in the medical school. She is the Director and PI of the federally funded Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center, housed in the Department of Health Management and Policy in Michigan Public Health. In her 25 years at Michigan, she has served on the provost budget committee, chaired university committees on redesigning health benefits. She was on the inaugural leadership team for IHPI and the original Depression Center in Psychiatry. She completed two terms as department chair in 2016.
Her research focuses on access to behavioral health services, delivered and financed in integrated ways in alternative settings. In 2018, she was Fulbright Scholar in Croatia where she interviewed hundreds of Croatians to understand the stigma of mental health needs and the lingering effects of war. This work uncovered the opportunities and barriers to the integration of services in schools and neighborhoods, particularly with a 2-tiered health insurance system.
She is a native Detroiter, and loves being back in the area after academic positions on the east and west coast. Kyle is the mother of 4, and grandmother of 2, and sibling to 3 sisters. She is an avid birder, dancer, and distance runner (not at the same time.) She has never been to Japan but has been fascinated with their health insurance system, but more so with their art and natural beauty.
Highlights
See highlights of amazing Tokyo and cultural capital Kyoto, engage in local life, and head off the beaten path to alluring historic destinations. Japan’s pastoral side dazzles with magnificent Mt. Fuji and a cruise on Ashi Lake. Overnight in a traditional ryokan inn and travel by express train to lovely Takayama in the Japanese Alps. A traditional tea ceremony and a cooking class offer hands-on Japanese cultural experiences. Explore culturally rich Kanazawa. Discover Hiroshima reborn with an optional 3-day/2-night post-tour extension.
Itinerary
Day 1: Depart U.S. for Tokyo, Japan
Day 2: Arrive in Tokyo
Arrive in Japan
Transfer to the hotel
Guests’ arrival times may vary, no scheduled activities or meals planned
Day 3: Tokyo
Briefing about the journey
Meiji Shrine
Visit the gallery of Koshun Masunaga – a preeminent calligrapher
Tour ends in Ginza district
Optional: explore at your leisure or return to the hotel
Welcome dinner at a local restaurant
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4: Tokyo
Imperial Palace
Visit the East Gardens
Tokyo’s oldest temple (c. 645 CE)
Nakamise shopping arcade
Tokyo National Museum
Afternoon is free for independent exploration
Lunch and dinner is on your own
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5: Tokyo / Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park / Hakone
Leave Tokyo for Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
Mt. Fuji World Heritage Center
Cruise on Ashi Lake
Town of Hakone
Spend the night at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn
Japanese-style Kaiseki dinner
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6: Hakone / Takayama
Travel by bullet train
Wide View Hida express train
Town of Takayama in the Japanese Alps
Traditional Japanese tea ceremony
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7: Takayama
Riverside Miyagawa Morning Market
Meet a local chef to gather ingredients for the lunch we will prepare together at a nearby site
Walking tour of Takayama Jinya
Local sake brewery
Takayama’s old town
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 8: Takayama / Shirakawago / Kanazawa
Site of Shirakawago Gassho-zukuri Village
Visit Gokayama Village to see how traditional Japanese washi paper is made
Castle town of Kanazawa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9: Kanazawa
Tour of Kenrokuen Garden
See Ishikawa Gate
Hakukokan – a museum celebrating the art and craft of gold leaf technology
Higashi Chayagai teahouse and geisha area
Visit the Kutani Kosen Kiln – prized, and highly decorated pottery
Dine at a local restaurant
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10: Kanazawa / Kyoto
Depart by train for Kyoto
Visit Kinkaku-ji, lakeside Temple of the Golden Pavilion
Ryoanji, a Zen Buddhist temple
Dine at the hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11: Kyoto
Visit to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts (Fureaikan)
Nijo-jo Castle (ca. 1603)
Remainder of the day is free for independent exploration
Meals: Breakfast
Day 12: Kyoto
Fushimi Inari shrine
Sanjyusangendo Hall (ca. 1266)
Nishiki Market, “Kyoto’s Kitchen”
Afternoon is at leisure
Farewell dinner at a local restaurant
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 13: Depart Kyoto for U.S.
Travel by motorcoach to Osaka
Board our return flight to the United States.
Meals: Breakfast
Please note: This trip involves full days of sightseeing and significant amounts of walking on stairs and uneven surfaces. You should be in good physical condition to enjoy the tour to its fullest.
Journey
Additional information on this trip will be added at a later date.
Host
Dr. Kyle L. Grazier is the Richard Carl Jelinek Professor of Health Systems Management and Policy in Michigan Public Health and a professor of psychiatry in the medical school. She is the Director and PI of the federally funded Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center, housed in the Department of Health Management and Policy in Michigan Public Health. In her 25 years at Michigan, she has served on the provost budget committee, chaired university committees on redesigning health benefits. She was on the inaugural leadership team for IHPI and the original Depression Center in Psychiatry. She completed two terms as department chair in 2016.
Her research focuses on access to behavioral health services, delivered and financed in integrated ways in alternative settings. In 2018, she was Fulbright Scholar in Croatia where she interviewed hundreds of Croatians to understand the stigma of mental health needs and the lingering effects of war. This work uncovered the opportunities and barriers to the integration of services in schools and neighborhoods, particularly with a 2-tiered health insurance system.
She is a native Detroiter, and loves being back in the area after academic positions on the east and west coast. Kyle is the mother of 4, and grandmother of 2, and sibling to 3 sisters. She is an avid birder, dancer, and distance runner (not at the same time.) She has never been to Japan but has been fascinated with their health insurance system, but more so with their art and natural beauty.
By participating in an Alumni Association of the University of Michigan travel trip, you have stated that the Alumni Association has the exclusive right to use video and other visual/audio portrayals of You or Your likeness taken during Your trip in any medium of any nature whatsoever for any purpose, including advertising or promoting the services of the trip without any compensation being paid to You. Any such portrayal or likeness shall be the exclusive property of the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan.
