Day 1 – Tokyo:
Get ready to embark on a fascinating journey through Japan when you arrive at Narita International Airport. You will be welcomed by a friendly representative which will help you board an airport bus that will transfer you to your hotel. After check-in, you are free to unwind in your guestroom and sleep off any jet lag. Or for a bit of adventure, you can head out and explore the city independently.
Day 2 - Tokyo City Tour:
Be sure to wear comfortable shoes today as you set off for a busy day of sightseeing. Your adventure will start at Meiji Jingu Shrine, before moving onto Tokyo Tower Observatory. Prepare to enjoy a unique view of the city when you travel up the landmark. It stands 333 meters high in the center of Tokyo, and it is the world's tallest, self-supported steel tower as well as being 13 meters taller than its model, the Eiffel Tower. It is also seen as a symbol of Japan's post-war rebirth as a major economic power. Next, you will explore the Imperial Palace East Garden as well as the Ginza district before returning to your hotel on your own.
Day 3 – Tokyo:
Today, you will be free to spend the day at leisure. Feel free to relax in the hotel – making the most of its pool and spa. Or venture out and explore this vibrant city by yourself.
Day 4 – Tokyo to Takayma:
Today, your main suitcase will be transferred directly from Tokyo to Kyoto, while you take your overnight bag with you for your trip to Takayama, Shirakawago and Kanazawa. After breakfast, you will make your own way to Shinagawa station to take the bullet train to Nagoya and change an express train to Takayama. Once you arrive, you will have to make your own way to the hotel. After check-in, you are free to spend the rest of the day as you wish.
Day 5 - Takayma, Shirakawago & Kanazawa:
You will have the morning free to spend as you wish. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast or pop out in the morning to explore the local area. At around 12.50pm, you will take a Nohi bus from Takayama to Shirakawago. You will arrive at around 1.40pm, and then make your own way to your accommodation. After check-in, you are free to explore the area as you wish. See for yourself how the remote, mountainous district of Shirakawa-g? is best known for farmhouses that are built in the thatched gassh?-zukuri style. Be sure to take your camera with you to snap the stunning scenery.
Day 6 - Shirakawago & Kanazawa:
Today you will take a Nohi bus from Shirakawago, at around 10.50pm to Kanazawa. You are expected to arrive at 12.15pm and then make your own way to your accommodation. Once again, feel free to unwind in the hotel or explore the local area. Experience for yourself how there are an array of cultural attractions in Kanazawa – making the city the drawcard of the Hokuriku region and a rival to Kyoto - as the historical jewel of mainland Japan. The area is well known for Kenroku-en, which is a castle garden dating from the 17th century, as well as a beautifully preserved samurai and geisha districts, attractive temples, a wealth of museums and a wonderful market.
Day 7 – Kanazawa to Kyoto:
Today you will gear up to see stunning Kyoto. In the late afternoon, you will take an express train to Kyoto. Once you arrive at Kyoto Station, you will be met by an English-speaking assistant, who will transfer you to your hotel. After check-in, you can begin to discover this vibrant city which is known for its quiet temples, sublime gardens, and colourful shrines.
Day 8 – Kyoto, & Nara:
Be sure to wear comfy shoes again as you embark on a tour of Kyoto. See for yourself how this stunning city clings to the past and even now you are bound to spot geishas scurrying to secret liaisons. Your tour will start at Todaiji Temple with the Great Buddha before moving onto Nara Park, which is home to hundreds of freely roaming deer. Nara's deer are surprisingly tame, although they can be aggressive if they think you will feed them. Deer crackers are for sale around the park, and some deer have learned to bow to visitors to ask to be fed. Next, you will enjoy moments of peace and tranquility as you head to a series of temples including Kofukuji Temple, Kiyomizu Temple, Kodaiji Temple and Yasaka Shrine. Finally, you will explore the Gion district before heading back to your hotel for a well-earned rest.
Day 9 – Kyoto:
Today you will have the whole day free to spend exploring Kyoto as you wish. Be sure to check out some of its 1,000 Buddhist temples. You’ll find true masterpieces of religious architecture, such as the retina-burning splendor of Kinkaku-ji.
Mealtimes are a treat in Kyoto, which offers a range of excellent restaurants. Work your way through the entire spectrum of Japanese food, from impossibly refined cuisine known as kaiseki to hearty plebeian fare like ramen. There’s also a wide range of French, Italian and Chinese restaurants, where the famed Japanese attention to detail is paired with local ingredients to yield fantastic results. Best of all, many of Kyoto’s restaurants are in traditional wooden buildings, where you can gaze over intimate private gardens while you eat.
Day 10 - Kyoto: & Mount Koya:
Today, your main suitcase will be transferred directly from Kyoto to Osaka, so please leave your main suitcase with the porter by 7.30am. You will take your overnight bag with you for a night in Mount Koya. You will be welcomed by an English-speaking assistant at hotel, and taken to Shin-Imamiya by train with an assistant. From there you will take a connecting train and cable car to Mount Koya. The journey up is just as special as the final destination. This train ride weaves in and out of the surrounding forests – giving you a glimpse of the tiny villages and mountain streams below. The cable car ride is very exhilarating and involves a steep 5-minute climb where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the countryside below. You will be wowed by the beauty of Japan’s most magical destinations. Learn how Mount Koya was originally established in the year 819 by the famous monk Kukai. To this day it remains a spiritual retreat and one of the holiest places in Japan.
Day 11 – Mount Koya & Osaka:
After a magical but brief time at Mount Koya, you will leave for Osaka by cable car and train. Be sure to have your camera ready to snap the stunning scenery on your way down. You will make your own way to your hotel, where you will have the afternoon is free to spend at leisure. Venture out and explore Japan’s third-largest city which has a lovely river cutting through the centre. See for yourself how its acres of concrete are cloaked in dazzling neon where shopfront lights are vivid, and attention-grabbing. Above all, Osaka is a city that loves to eat. It's unofficial slogan is ‘kuidaore’ which means 'eat until you drop'. And you will find endless restaurants and cafes where you will be able to pick up a tasty treat.
Day 12 – Osaka Departure:
Relish in the final morning of your holiday, before you will be transferred to Kansai International Airport by airport bus for your flight home. If you wish to travel in a premium cabin or extend your stay, then please speak with our travel specialist who will be happy to assist you.
