March 3, 2011
Japan "Cherry Blossom Tour" for Gay and Lesbian Travelers
Robert Doyle READ TIME: 3 MIN.
TOKYO, Japan, February, 2011 - Magnet Tours, the first and only tour operator in Japan focused on the LGBT market, announced it is hosting a special "Cherry Blossom Tour" this spring from March 29 to April 4, 2011. The tour will allow LGBT travelers to see firsthand the wonders of Cherry Blossom season in Japan and explore the sights of Tokyo and Kyoto in the company of other gay and lesbian travelers and locals.
Magnet Tours' Cherry Blossom Tour includes a number of exciting activities for travelers who want to attend Japanese cherry blossom festivals with the local gay community. Cherry Blossom season-Hanami-runs from March to May in different regions of Japan, with most festivals held between late March and early April. Festivals include traditional performing arts, tea ceremonies, picnics, food and a fireworks show.
Magnet Tours is the first and only tour operator in Japan focusing specifically on LGBT travelers. Magnet Tours is an expert in Japanese locales that are appealing to gay and lesbian travelers ? from Tokyo's gay bars and clubs to the fascinating array of Japanese pop culture found all throughout Japan.
"We are eager to show gay and lesbian travelers the sights and sounds of Japan and our thriving gay culture," said Yuka Iwasaki, President of Magnet Tours. "Cherry Blossom season is the most exciting time in Japan and we hope travelers will want to celebrate. We look forward to welcoming many more gays and lesbians looking to book travel to Japan."
Magnet Tours fills a void in the market for gay and lesbian vacations to Japan, and works closely with local hotels and other venues to ensure they are friendly to gay and lesbian travelers. Magnet recently launched a new website, www.magnettours.jp
Magnet Tours was founded in 2009, and is the first tour operator in Japan to cater specifically to LGBT travelers. Magnet Tours is gay owned and operated, and its staff has more than 40 years of combined experience in the travel, tourism and hospitality industries. Magnet Tours fills a void in the market for gay and lesbian vacations to Japan, and works closely with local venues to ensure they are friendly to gay and lesbian travelers. Visit Magnet Tours at www.magnettours.jp
Guests on Magnet Tours' Cherry Blossom Tour will explore the largest gay districts in Tokyo and Osaka- "Shinjuku Nichome" and "Doyama"- and visit popular gay bars. They will also travel to Kyoto by bullet train from Tokyo and
enjoy a traditional Buddhist dinner while being entertained by geishas, and attend a tea ceremony and meditation at visiting traditional temples
Guests will end their trip by joining members of the local gay community at Shinjuku Goyoen National Garden to celebrate "Hanami," with a Cherry Blossom viewing picnic. An English-speaking gay or gay-friendly guide will lead the tour. Guests will stay at the Citadines Shinjuku Hotel in Tokyo and the New Miyako Hotel in Kyoto. The six-night, seven-day adventure costs $3,999 per person.*
Visit http://www.magnettours.jp/packagetours/41.html for more information or call +81-3-3500-4819 to book travel by March 22, 2011 and join the adventure.
* Price per person is based on double occupancy. There must be a minimum of four people booked to host this tour.
Long-term New Yorkers, Mark and Robert have also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center, Mark is a PhD in American history and literature, as well as the author of the novels Wolfchild and My Hawaiian Penthouse. Robert is the producer of the documentary We Are All Children of God. Their work has appeared in numerous publications, as well as at : www.mrny.com.
