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Adventures in Discovering Traditional Japan - Irasshaimase!! Samurai Tours is a Japan travel special
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11/09/2024

Conde Nast Traveler’s 2024 reader survey selected Tokyo as the best large city to visit in the world. This is the sixth time since the survey started in 1988 that Tokyo was chosen. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said in a statement: “Tokyo is a city where visitors can experience a distinctive culture, with traditional shrines and temples coexisting alongside innovative anime and the latest pop culture in a rare charm that entices the world. This result reaffirms for me how the appeal of Tokyo is well recognized by people around the world.”

11/03/2024

There is little doubt the Japanese are fond of soft serve ice cream. Here are some photos of different flavors our Best of Hokkaido tour members enjoyed during their recent tour.

1. Red Shiso and Vanilla
2. Lavender and Vanilla
3. Watermelon and Vanilla
4. Caramel and Sea Salt
5. Melon

10/30/2024

During the Best of Hokkaido tour, we stopped for a lunch of "kaisendon" (fresh seafood rice bowl) in Sapporo.

10/13/2024

Condé Nast Traveler has selected Japan as the best country in the world to visit for a second year in a row. Factors in making the selection included the friendly locals, and the excellent food and drink. I don't mean to sound arrogant, but this is something I have known for a long time.

10/03/2024

When people think of the Sapporo Snow Festival, they think about large snow sculptures. But there is so much more. This photo shows an ice sculpture at the snow festival with real fish frozen in the ice blocks. We still have availability on our Winter Wonderland tour which includes the Sapporo Snow Festival.

11/14/2023

We finished the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage and were able to visit all 88 temples as planned. Everyone was tired but felt rejuvenated by the sense of accomplishment. This photo is the group in front of Okuboji, temple #88. It will take some time for everyone to reflect on the adventure before everyone can determine how the experience changed them. We also learned more about the pilgrimage that will allow us to improve the experience even more next May.
# shikoku

10/31/2023

We have started our second Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage tour. The group is standing in front of the main gate at Ryozenji Temple (Temple #1 of the pilgrimage). It will take us 3 weeks to complete the entire pilgrimage. The pilgrimage is more than 1,000 years old, but did not become popular until the Edo Period (1603 to 1868) when the first guide book was published.
# shikoku

10/26/2023

According to a recent survey by Conde Nast magazine, its readers chose Japan as the best country in the world to visit. (I've known that for a long time.) Here is the top 10:

1. Japan
2. Italy
3. Greece
4. Ireland
5. New Zealand
6. Spain
7. Portugal
8. Israel
9. Norway
10. Switzerland

10/08/2023

The month of October marks our 20th anniversary of offering tours to Japan. Where does the time go? As they say, "What a long, strange trip its been" (with my apologies to the Grateful Dead).

These past 20 years have had their ups and downs. There have been nuclear power plants melting down, and pandemics ('nuff said). But I wouldn't trade the last 20 years for anything. It has been my privilege to meet so many like-minded people interested in Japan. I look forward to showing more people "our side" of Japan. And it is has been my honor to work with all the American and Japanese Samurai Tours staff members dedicated to providing the best travel experience possible. Thanks to all of you. It wouldn't be possible to to do what we do without all of you. おたうかれさまでした！　(Thanks for a job well done!)　

02/18/2023

Frigid temperatures in January will cause cherry blossoms to bloom a few days earlier than usual this year, according to forecasters. People in Fukuoka and Kochi prefectures will be the first to enjoy the fleeting signs of spring’s arrival on March 19, followed by those in Tokyo on March 22, Nagoya on March 23 and Osaka on March 25, according to the Japan Weather Association’s forecasts issued on Feb. 16.

Cold air fronts have covered Japan since December 2022, bringing record low temperatures in late January. The chill helped put cherry blossom buds through a cold period they need to prepare to bloom.

There are more than 200 different varieties of sakura (cherry trees), and I have heard the early blooming varieties are already blooming in Shizuoka prefecture.

12/21/2022

Happy Holidays from everyone at Samurai Tours. Purchasing fried chicken from KFC has become a popular way to celebrate Christmas in Japan.

11/28/2022

I am happy to say our Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage tour was able to complete the pilgrimage as planned. It was an emotional time for all of us. The group posed in front of the main hall at Okuboji, Temple Number 88. The tour was very successful, and everyone enjoyed the experience. We will be offering the tour again next year. I can't wait to do it again.

11/24/2022

Tanemaji Temple (Temple number 34 of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage) is a popular place for pregnant women to pray. Many women pray here for an easy childbirth, and those women who have had their prayers answered customarily donate water dippers to the temple with their bottoms knocked out. When she first finds that she is pregnant, the woman takes a whole ladle to the temple priest. He knocks out the bottom, places it on the altar, and prays over it over the course of two days after which the woman takes it home and places it in the Tokonoma. After a safe delivery, the woman brings the ladle back to the temple in thanks.

11/21/2022

Founded by Kobo Daishi with the aid of Emperor Saga, Kogofukuji Temple (Temple Number 38 of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage) is located on the southern tip of Cape Ashizuri (the southernmost point of Shikoku) and commonly called Ashizurisan. It is modeled after the Pure Land of Kannon. It is believed one can set sail for the pure land of paradise where Kannon lives from here because Kobo Daishi saw Kannon when looking at the sea. Located on the bluff looking out over the sea, the temple has always enjoyed the patronage of aristocrats, warriors, and noble clans.

07/19/2022

The Gion Matsuri Festival was held on Sunday the 17th, for the first time in three years after a suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-three floats paraded on major streets in Kyoto, a highlight of the traditional festival, which is said to be one of the country’s largest festivals. The annual festival of Yasaka Shrine in the city’s Higashiyama Ward originally started about 1,100 years ago to pray for the end of an epidemic at that time.

07/07/2022

The people of Nagoya make one of their local specialties (Miso Katsu) by starting with a typical tonkatsu dish (a deep fried pork cutlet normally served with shredded cabbage). They pour a thick, miso-based sauce on top instead of the traditional soy sauce-based tonkatsu sauce. To make the miso sauce, start with the red miso paste popular in the Nagoya area. Add pork, dashi (fish broth), a little sugar and slow-simmer the sauce for hours. As a result, the miso sauce has a rich, earthy flavor and a touch of sweetness that compliments the flavor of the crispy, fried pork cutlet. You can add condiments such as mustard, shichimi (seven spice) or ground sesame seeds.

07/03/2022

The Japanese parliamentary election campaign is in full stride here in Japan. The campaign is 3 weeks long, with the election on July 10. A common occurrence during the campaign are vehicles with large speakers driving on the streets with the candidate’s campaign advertisement blaring. And occasionally, they will stop on the side of the road and give a speech. The candidates also often have young girls with white gloves waving to the pedestrians as they drive around.

06/27/2022

Our first tour group since the resumption of tourism landed at Haneda Airport yesterday. They said that Customs and Immigrations went smoothly.

Address

7900 E Union Avenue, Ste 1100
Denver, CO
80237

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Website

http://www.samuraitours.com/

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