Itineraries - EF College Study Tours

BUSINESSAND CULTUREIN JAPAN

Kyoto (2)Osaka (1)Bullet trainNagoya a (2)Tokyo(3)Number of overnightstaysin parentheses.Navigate the brightllights of Tokyo.Attend a lecture at a local university * • Thisafternoon, attend a business-themed lecture at alocal university.Day 5 Tokyo • NagoyaBusiness visit * • Tokyo boasts the largest metropolitaneconomy in the world and is consideredone of the world’s three finance “commandcenters,” along with New York City and London.Plus, 50 of the Fortune Global 500 companiesand the Tokyo Stock Exchange are based here.Get a up-close look at a leading beverage companywhen you visit a Tokyo-area brewery today.Bullet train to Nagoya • In 1964, the first bullettrain (shinkansen) sped from Tokyo to Osaka.Today, the most up-to-date model will whiskyou across the Japanese countryside. You’ll reachspeeds of 180 miles per hour before coming to astop at Nagoya, the largest port for internationaltrade in Japan and the home of some of theworld’s top companies and car manufacturingplants.Day 6 NagoyaGuided sightseeing of Nagoya • This morning,get a comprehensive look into modern andhistoric Nagoya as you explore the city with alocal guide. Start at Nagoya’s newest landmark,the JR Towers. Its impressive twin towers houseeverything from beauty salons to departmentstores to office and restaurant space. The viewof the city from the top floor is amazing! Next,experience the ancient wonders of Nagoya withvisits to some of its most important shrines. Capoff your tour with a visit to the breathtaking NagoyaCastle, which was originally built in 1612before it was almost entirely destroyed in the airraids of World War II. Its ornate architecture isdecorated with turrets and golden dolphins and,in the spring, the castle is surrounded by fragrantcherry blossom trees.Business visit * • The automotive industry isthe predominant field in Nagoya. Many Japaneseautomotive companies are based out of this city,including Toyota and Mitsubishi, which hasestablished Nagoya as a major center for Japanesebusiness. Rich in culture, Nagoya is also home totwo excellent art museums, including the sisterart museum to the Boston Museum of Fine Artsand a private museum that houses 10 designatednational treasures of Japan. Today, enjoy a visitto a leading Nagoya company.Day 7 KyotoTransfer to Kyoto • Continue on to Kyoto,once the imperial capital of Japan and now consideredto be the cultural center of the country.With over 1600 Buddhist temples, hundreds ofshrines and other historic monuments, Kyoto isan UNESCO World Heritage destination.Guided sightseeing of Kyoto • Kyoto’s past becomesyour present as you explore the city with alocal guide. Begin at Nijo castle, a structure builtalmost entirely out of Japanese cypress. The castlewas built under the orders of the powerful Tokugawashogun, who would live here during hisvisits to Kyoto. Next you will visit the KiyomizuTemple, which dates back to A.D. 798 and providesspectacular views of the city and surroundingvalley. Beneath its main hall you will find theOtawa waterfall, where you can catch and drinkthe waters for their supposed therapeutic properties.Your tour concludes at the Ginkakuji andKinkakuji Temples—also known as the Silverand Gold Pavilions.Day 8 KyotoFree time in Kyoto • This morning is free foryou to discover Kyoto on your own. You mightchoose to explore the Kyoto National Museum,which features traditional Japanese art objectsand treasures. Or simply wander the canal-linedstreets and let the wooden homes, bonsai treesand occasional kimono-clad geisha in traditionalmakeup take you back to years past.Optional excursion to Nara • Or, you may optto join an excursion to Nara, another of Japan’sancient capitals. See Daibutsu, the world’s largestbronze statue of a Buddha. Then walk throughthe wooded Nara Park, whose informal nickname“Deer Park” stems from its sizeable deer population.Just outside the park, you will visit KasugaShrine, one of the most famous Shinto shrines inthe country. Twice a year, some 3,000 lanternsare lit simultaneously at the shrine in celebrationof the Lantern Festival.Day 9 OsakaTransfer to Osaka • Continue on to Osaka,the third-largest city in Japan. As with all theprogressive Japanese cities, Osaka is certainly notwithout ties to the past—it is the birthplace ofbunraku, the traditional form of puppet drama,and is still considered the best place in the worldto take in a performance.Guided sightseeing of Osaka • Visit someof Osaka’s most famous and influential shrines.You may explore the entertainment area aroundDÿtonbori Bridge to see its famous giant mechanicalcrab, and visit both the traditional andmore modern business districts, which are locatednear the historic Osaka Castle.Visit Umeda Sky Building • A continuous paradeof skyscrapers dot the landscape in Osaka,but none more distinctive than the Umeda SkyBuilding. Visit this unique building, and note itsall-glass composition reflecting the bustle of themodern city that surrounds it.Business visit * • Known as the gourmet foodcapital of Japan, Osaka is also traditionally consideredto be the country’s commercial center.The leading futures exchange center in the country,Osaka is home to several major companies,including Panasonic, Sharp and Sanyo. Today,you’ll visit a leading Osaka company.Day 10 HomeReturn home • Your tour director assists withthe transfer to the airport, where you’ll check infor your return flight home.For complete financial and registration details,please refer to the Booking Conditions.

YOUR CURRICULUMON A GLOBAL SCALETo enroll go to efcollegestudytours.comor call 1.877.485.4184Cert no. SW-COC-002508ITN0810BJPA/BJXAItinerary subject to change. 2011/F