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52 | JAPAN concludes after a cruise along Osaka Bay in the Tempozan Area. A shopper's paradise to meet any taste, discover the latest of trends in Shinsaibashi before walking amongst the iconic neon lights and mechanized signs of Dotonbori. BLD Day 8. Kyoto, Kurashiki, Hiroshima, Kyoto. After a delicious breakfast, be transferred to Kurashiki this morning via train. An important point along the distribution route of Japan's most vital commodity, rice, Kurashiki was put under direct control of the shogunate. Built to allow boats and barges to navigate between the city's storehouses and nearby port, take time to explore the city's intricate canal system in the Bikan Historical Quarter. Look out for weeping willow trees here that line the stone bridges that cross over the water. Later, be guided through to Hiroshima. Widely considered at the time as the political and commercial heart of Japan, Hiroshima was chosen as an ideal target for an atomic attack. When the first atomic bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945, the destructive power obliterated nearly everything within a two kilometer radius. Destroyed monuments of historical heritage were eventually reconstructed and in the center of the city a large park was built and given a name that would reflect the aspirations of the re-born city: Peace Memorial Park. Spend the afternoon at the Peace Memorial Park and Atomic Bomb Dome. Here at the museum, observe displays left by victims, photos and other materials that convey the horror before and after the event. Be met by local volunteers to listen of their stories of survival, before visiting Sadako's memorial in which paper cranes are hand-made to contribute. BL Day 9. Kyoto, Nara. Enjoy a morning at leisure before being transferred to Nara, the capital of Japan's Nara Prefecture. Stop to admire Japan's most famous and historically significant temple, Todaiji, before making way to the Kasuga Taisha shrine. Known as the 'Great Eastern Temple', Todaiji was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan. It grew so powerful that the capital was once moved from Nara to Nagaoka in 784 in order to lower the temple's influence on government affairs. Located in Nara Park, which also features several World Heritage Sites, temples, shrines, gardens and museums, you may even meet one of the 1,200 wild deer that freely roam the grounds. Afterwards, travel to Osaka, formerly known as Naniwa and first ever capital of Japan. The third largest city in the country, Osaka has been the economic powerhouse of the Kansai region for many centuries. This evening, enjoy the local flavours with a choice in where to dine. BLD Day 10. Kyoto. Today, discover the attractions of the cultural capital of Japan on a full day tour. An ancient city with 1,200-years of history, Kyoto has always adopted the most advanced standards of the times and often greatly contributed to the nation's industrial, economic and cultural development as well as strength. Built in 1603 and the residence of the first shogun of the Edo Period – Tokugawa leyasu, the tour starts at Nijo Castle. This five-story Tenshukaku (Castle Keep) is still arguably the best surviving example of castle palace architecture of Japan's feudal era. Afterwards, visit the Zen temple of Kinkakuji, whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. Built to echo the extravagant Kitayama culture that developed in the wealthy aristocratic circles, each floor represents a different Be inspired by the golden reflection of Kinkakuji Temple, as it shimmers across the rippled surface of the pond before it