InsideJapan Tours - Be moved by Murakami

March 9, 2011 - PRLog -- March 11th sees the UK film release of world-famous writer Haruki Murakami’s contemporary novel, Norwegian Wood, an intense and moving Japanese story of relationships, love and loss. French-Vietnamese director Anh Hung Tran’s big screen adaptation – starring Rinko Kikuchi (Babel) - promises beautiful imagery and captivating scenery from Japan’s rural Hyogo prefecture.

Embark on a ‘Murakami Discovery’ journey with InsideJapan Tours including Murakami’s city of birth, Kyoto, and the undulating highlands of Hyogo, where some of the most memorable scenes in Norwegian Wood were filmed.

The nine-night ‘Murakami Discovery’ journey begins in Tokyo, where Norwegian Wood’s protagonist, Toru Watanabe, attends university. Then board the Shinkansen ‘Bullet Train’ and speed towards Kyoto, the ancient capital and heart of Japanese traditional heritage. After this, head to Norwegian Wood’s filming locations in Hyogo, where the vast highland plains of Tonomine are carpeted in silver pampas grass and the Mineyama forest is bewitchingly calming. ‘Murakami Discovery’ also includes a stay in an authentic ryokan in the small hot spring town of Kinosaki, Hyogo, where fresh seafood can be savoured, and a visit to the castle town of Himeji, home to the elegant eponymous castle - a designated National Treasure, UNESCO World Heritage Site and the filming location for The Last Samurai.  The journey ends in Tokyo, where spending an evening in Shinjuku’s District’s Dug Café Bar, a jazz bar featured in Norwegian Wood, is an option.

Murakami Discovery costs £1,145 pp including airport meet and greet, nine nights’ accommodation, daily breakfast and one evening meal, all transfers, Japan Rail pass and Tokyo transport pass. International flights can be organised by InsideJapan Tours from approximately £700 pp return.

For more information, contact InsideJapan Tours on 0117 314 4620; www.insidejapantours.com.

ENDS
7 MARCH 2011

NOTE TO EDITORS: Launched in 2000, InsideJapan Tours is a small, dedicated team of specialists, all of whom have first-hand experience of living, working and travelling in Japan. The company offers a range of original, affordable packages for small groups and independent travellers. InsideJapan Tours has offices in the UK and Japan.  It is a member of AITO, and is fully bonded via AITO Trust and ATOL.

PRESS: For more details, please contact James Mundy, PR Manager, tel. 0117 314 4620, email james@insidejapantours.com. Issued on behalf of InsideJapan Tours by Travel PR, tel. 020 8891 4440, email Mika Bishop, m.bishop@travelpr.co.uk or Ian Bradley, i.bradley@travelpr.co.uk.

# # #

Travel PR is one of the leading travel PR agencies in the UK with over 30 clients covering trade associations, hotels, tour operators and tourist boards.