Christmas holidays in Japan

Excursion to the famous Buddhist temple complex Narita-san, belonging to the Shingon school, was founded back in 940 in honor of the suppression of the rebellion of the legendary samurai Taira no Masakado, who challenged the emperor himself. It was then that the main temple of the complex was founded - Sensoji, which means “Temple of New Victory”. However, then, for six centuries, the temple found itself in a provincial position, forgotten by the rulers from Kyoto.
And only thanks to the efforts of shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa, who moved his capital from Kyoto to Edo (Tokyo) in 1603, the temple received a new life. Over the two and a half centuries that the Tokugawa shogunate lasted, a number of new temples and other buildings were erected here. Some of the most famous of them include Komyo-do, the three-level Vairocana Buddha Pagoda, the main gate of the Nyomon complex, as well as the Shaka-do and Gaku-do prayer halls. New sacred structures are constantly being built on the territory of the Narita-san complex, the last of which at the moment, dedicated to Prince Shotoku, the founder of Buddhism in Japan, was erected in 1992, literally in our days! Various Buddhist temple festivals are also regularly held here. Participation in the ancient ritual of fire worship. Each participant receives special Japanese New Year souvenirs "KUMADE" and "HAMAIMI"
Narita-san is a charming place to take a breather between ultra-modern Tokyo and Narita Airport. Here you can take a break from the bustle and imagine what Japan was like in ancient times. Lunch Fried eel. Transfer to your hotel in Tokyo. Hotel accommodation, rest.

09:50 The guide will meet you in the hotel lobby with a sign "New Year's trip to the country of Wa" 10:00-18:00 Tour of Tokyo with lunch (buffet)
The Imperial Palace, located in the central Marunouchi district, is the heart of Tokyo. This is where the residence of the Emperor of Japan Akihito is located. The palace is surrounded by a canal crossed by the Nyujubashi stone arch bridge, one of the symbols of Tokyo. More than two thousand matsu pines grow in the palace park; in Japan they are considered a symbol of longevity. Here you will also visit the East Garden of the Imperial Palace, created back in 1603 by the famous master of landscape gardens Kobori Enshu.
Ginza - Adjacent to the Imperial Palace, this shopping district has been the historical center of the city since Japan's opening to the outside world, offering an immersive haute couture experience. The symbol of Ginza is the Wako luxury department store, built in 1894, a masterpiece of the Art Nouveau style. The department store is located at the famous Yong-Chom, the Fourth Crossing of Ginza, a place as symbolic to every Japanese as New York's Times Square is to an American. The hieroglyphs “Gin-Za” mean “Silver Workshop”; silver coins were once minted here, and the spirit of luxury has been in the air here for hundreds of years.
Shinjuku... Tokyo's downtown is built with stunning skyscrapers... This is where the famous Tokyo Metropolitan Building is located, where the Tokyo City Hall is located. Two huge 244-meter twin towers, standing on a single base, are somewhat reminiscent of Notre Dame in Paris, only enlarged several times! This skyscraper was designed by the famous architect Kenzo Tange and is one of the most famous buildings in the Japanese capital. From the observation deck, the entire city lies at your fingertips, and in clear weather from here you can see the top of Fuji-san - the main symbol of the Land of the Rising Sun, a mountain sacred to every resident of the country.
Tokyo strikes with an amazing combination of old and new, here ancient temples stand in the shadow of modern skyscrapers. That's why we head to the Meiji Jingu Temple complex, immersed in the green darkness of Yoyogi Park and located just one subway stop from Shinjuku. It was built in memory of Emperor Meiji, the founder of modern Japan. In addition to its elegant architecture, Meiji Jingu is also known as a wedding venue. During the ritual, performed away from prying eyes, in the heart of the temple, the bride and groom take turns taking three sips of sake, after which the marriage is considered concluded. Then there is a photo session. A bright flash - and the ceremony is over: another family was born at the Meiji Shrine. The shrine, built according to the principles of nagarezukuri temple architecture, is approached by a wide gravel road with a huge torii gate. At the temple you can also get “omikuji” - papers with fortunes in English. By tossing a 100 yen coin, you can draw an omikuji from a wooden box. Moreover, these predictions are given in a form unconventional for this genre - these are poems in the form of instructions written by Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. The verses are accompanied by an interpretation written by Shinto priests.
Omotesando Boulevard, buried in willows, along which the excursion route will then pass, separates the realm of street fashion - the Harajuku quarter, glorified by Gwen Stefani, and the realm of high fashion, Aoyama. This area, with its lines of European, Japanese and American boutiques, challenges Ginza itself!
A visit to Tokyo's largest boutique of souvenirs and antiques, Oriental Bazaar, will not leave you indifferent. This legendary store, whose appearance resembles a Shinto shrine, was opened here in Harajuku, on Omotesando Boulevard, back in 1951 and since then its doors have not been closed to tourists. On its three floors everything that traditional Japan is famous for is sold: beautiful lanterns and screens in the Japanese style, silk and cotton summer yukata kimonos, a variety of porcelain dishes, bamboo products, as well as pearls, reproductions of famous ukiyo-e prints, hashi chopsticks and even colorful photo albums and books about Japan. Affordable prices, a large selection of products - practical and attractive - and, of course, an unusual architectural design make Oriental Bazaar an ideal place for those who dream of taking home their own piece of ancient Japan. Return to the hotel.