The Gion Festival, one of the biggest festivals in Japan, takes place in Kyoto this July, and Cox & Kings still has places available on a special festival departure of its Japan�s Cultural Treasures group tour. The 10-day / 8-night tour visits Kyoto, Himeji Castle, Hiroshima, Mount Fuji, Nikko and Tokyo, and costs �2,475 per person including flights from London with Japan Airlines, accommodation with breakfast and some meals, guided excursions and transfers. The tour departs on the 15 July.

PLEASE NOTE: Bookings for this late availability option must be made by Saturday 25 June.

The Gion Festival began in 869 AD, as a response to a plague which had spread through Kyoto. When the plague ended, the event became a popular festival and in its current form consists of a colourful procession of elaborately decorated floats, some being two storeys high and weighing up to 12 tonnes. The floats have wooden wheels and are pulled through the streets to the sound of traditional music.

�It�s surprising how much of the traditional world still exists in Japan, despite the hi-tech vision of Tokyo,� says Robin Ball, Cox & Kings� Far East Product Manager. �This festival departure offers a fascinating glimpse into Japanese culture as well as a chance to explore the country�s wonderful scenery of mountains and gardens. Japan is proving to be a popular destination at the moment, with passenger numbers in 2005 more than doubling the 2004 figures.�

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For further information contact:

Michael Pullman Cox & Kings michael.pullman@coxandkings.co.uk 020 7873 5006