Day 1 – Tokyo [No Meals Are Arranged]

Arrive in Tokyo and check in at the hotel for 1 night. Official check in time is at 16:00. The hotel is located in Shinagawa, which is a great staging point for exploring Tokyo or getting to those famous Tokyo shopping areas by train. There are various options for transport from the airport to the hotel, so transfer is not included in the tour arrangement, but we would be happy to assist you in selecting the most suitable one for you. Please contact JANESCO for more information.

Accommodation: Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa or similar for 1 night

Day 2 – Tokyo – Matsumoto – Narai Juku [B, D]

This morning we leave the metropolis of Tokyo and travel to Matsumoto, where we will visit the Matsumoto “Crow” Castle, one of Japan’s premier historic castles and which was once the seat of the Matsumoto domain. We also visit Honjin Iwanami house, a historic structure which was once a Honjin inn for government officials located in the post station town of Shimosuwa-shuku, where two of the Five Routes, the Nakasendo Road and the Koshu Kaido, intersected. The inn was used to accommodate many important persons, including Princess Kazu, Emperor Meiji, and various Daimyo lords during the Sankin-kotai period in which lords were obligated to alternate living in the capital every other year. Today we will enjoy a traditional tea ceremony here. We travel on to the tranquil Kiso Valley with its quaint historical post towns. Kiso is surrounded by Japan’s foremost high mountains, the Ontake mountain range to the west and the Central Alps to the east. Prior to the Edo period, Kiso also prospered as a key junction for transportation and as a production area of Japanese cypress, the main building material for shrines and temples. Deep mountain gorges and clear streams have been fostering Japanese cypress plantations for over 300 years. The post towns also used to offer lodging for weary travelers and merchants on the trail from Osaka to Tokyo. We will be staying in one of these post towns, Narai-juku, where signs of modernity such as power lines are hidden to maintain the old Edo period ambience. A stroll through the streets evokes an image of a simpler life, far removed from the hustle and bustle of modern Tokyo. After soaking up the atmosphere we stay the night, much like the travellers of old would have done, in a historical Inn built in 1818.

Accommodation: Iseya Inn or similar for 1 night

Day 3 Kiso Valley –  Takayama – Shirakawago – Kanazawa [B]

Today we visit the nearby historic town of Takayama. Once a castle town whose isolation protected it to some extent from the Shoguns, the town has worked hard to retain its links with the feudal past in the “Old Town” district. There we will walk through ancient streets lined with tiny shops and eating places, much as they were hundreds of years ago. We will visit Takayama’s famous morning market, where we get to mingle with the locals as they stroll through stalls selling foods, produce and bric-a-brac. In the afternoon, we will travel on to Shirakawago, a small world heritage listed village, nestled in the mountains beside a pristine mountain river. Stroll around this fascinating village with its famous thatched roofs for a while. We check in for 2 nights at ANA Holiday Inn Kanazawa Sky.

Accommodation: ANA Holiday Inn Kanazawa Sky or similar for 2 nights

Day 4 Kanazawa [B]

This morning we start Kanazawa sightseeing in the Nagamachi Samurai District located at the foot of the former Kanazawa Castle. Well preserved streets and buildings reflect life during Samurai times, before Japan was opened to the western world. Afternoon, we visit Nomura House, a restored samurai residence displaying the lifestyle and artefacts of the era when samurai were prosperous. We will also visit the Geisha district Higashi Chayagai and Kenrokuen Garden, one of Japan’s three most famous gardens. After a busy day we return to our hotel and relax. Evening at leisure.

Day 5 Kanazawa – Kyoto [B]

Today we travel to Kyoto. the ancient capital of Japan and home to the finest art, crafts and culture in the country. Kyoto is home to 17 UNESCO World Heritage Cultural sites and today, as we take a Kyoto sightseeing tour, we visit one of the most interesting – the Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) Kinkakuji is a beautiful Zen temple once the retirement villa of the Shogun Ashikaga in northern Kyoto, and whose top two storeys are completely covered in gold leaf. and we also visit the Kyoto countryside area of Sagano-Arashiyama region, once a retreat for the aristocracy and now famous for its iconic bamboo groves and specialty handcraft
shops including pottery, Japanese rice paper, bamboo craft and handicraft shops. Check in at Hotel Okura Kyoto for 2 nights. The rest of the day is free at leisure.

Accommodation: Hotel Okura Kyoto, or similar for 2 nights

Day 6 Kyoto [B]

Early morning, we visit Kiyomizu Temple, nestled in a mountain to the east and overlooking the city. Part of the fun of visiting Kiyomizu temple is the approach to the temple along the steep and busy lanes of Kyoto’s old atmospheric Higashiyama district, as you share the winding and narrow lanes with pilgrims and local Japanese tourists. After exploring Kiyomizu region, we stroll back down the hill past hundreds of little shops lining the road up to the temple and the surrounding neighborhood. In the afternoon, we visit Fushimi Inari, a Shinto shrine famous now for its vermillion torii gates. There we will explore the array of almost 10,000 vermilion torii gates wending their way through the hills behind Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. Afternoon, we visit another UNESCO World Heritage site Nijo castle (built in 1603) which was the Kyoto residence of the first Shogun, Tokugawa, and is one of the best surviving examples of feudal Japan’s castle palace architecture.

Day 6 Optional Tours:

Geisha Dinner: Traditional Japanese Kaiseki dinner with Geisha accompaniment & traditional dance performances. Kyoto Geisha embody the essence of Japanese grace, elegance and culture. An experience of a lifetime. Evening activity. $280 per person (minimum 6 people required)

Day 7 Kyoto – Naoshima Art Island [B, D]

Kyoto is home to 17 UNESCO World Heritage Cultural sites and today, as we take a Kyoto sightseeing tour, we visit two of the most interesting – the Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) and Nijo Castle. Kinkakuji is a beautiful Zen temple once the retirement villa of the Shogun Ashikaga in northern Kyoto, and whose top two storeys are completely covered in gold leaf. Nijo castle (built in 1603) was the Kyoto residence of the first Shogun, Tokugawa, and is one of the best surviving examples of feudal Japan’s castle palace architecture. Afternoon we travel to Nara, the ancient capital of Japan and visit Todaiji temple, Nara deer park and Kasuga shrine, returning to Kyoto around mid-day.

Day 8 Uno – Hiroshima  [B, D]

This morning, we travel on to Hiroshima by Bullet Train. Hiroshima is recognized by people from around the world as a symbol of peace and hope. Afternoon, we visit the Peace Memorial Park and the poignant Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. The museum serves as a symbol of peace and has displays on life before and after the atomic bomb and is dedicated to those who lost their lives or loved ones to the bomb. Late afternoon, we head for Hotel Granvia Hiroshima and check in for 2 nights. This evening, learn how to make Hiroshima’s own version of Okonomiyaki (savoury pancake) and enjoy the fruits of your handiwork for dinner.

Accommodation: Hotel Hiroshima Granvia or similar for 2 nights.

Day 9 Hiroshima – Miyajima – Hiroshima [B]

After a relaxed start today, we visit Miyajima Island in The Inland Sea by local train and ferry. Enjoy sightseeing around the Sacred Goddess Miyajima Floating Shrine and the world-famous Torii gate, officially one of Japan’s ”Top 3 Views”. Miyajima Island has been held sacred since ancient times prompting worshipers to build Itsukushima Shrine, now a World Heritage Site. The shrine itself is built over the bay on pylons, to give the impression of floating on water. The shrine and “floating” vermilion Torii gate are together considered one of Japan’s top scenic spots. Mid-afternoon, we return to Hiroshima and visit Shukkeien Garden which was constructed in 1622 as a garden for the villa of Asano Nagaakira, the feudal lord of Hiroshima. It was completed shortly after the construction of Hiroshima Castle. Shukkeien can be translated into English as “shrunken-scenery garden”, which is also a good description of the garden itself. Through careful cultivation of the land and vegetation, the garden mimics a variety of natural formations and scenic views. Stroll along the park’s meandering path through a variety of different mini landscapes of valleys, mountains and forests and take in the peaceful atmosphere.

Day 10 Hiroshima  – Osaka [B, D]

This morning, we travel by Bullet Train to Osaka. Now the 3rd largest city in Japan, Osaka has a long history as a mercantile centre stretching back thousands of years and is a vibrant, brash city which has become known in recent times as a culinary wonderland. We will be staying tonight in the heart of Osaka and this evening we will take an evening walk, escorted by our guide, around the coulourful and famous Dotonbori area and have the opportunity to try delicious local street foods. Dotonbori is the biggest “downtown” precinct in Osaka. Advertising displays such as a neon sculpture of a famous sweet, huge moving crab and octopus shaped boards, moving dolls and boards shaped like animals, etc. battle for the attention of passers-by. Enjoy dinner tonight Osaka’s soul food Kushikatsu at local restaurant.

Accommodation: Hotel Nikko Osaka or similar for 1 night

Day 11 Osaka – Ise Shima Peninsula/Kashikojima [B,D]

We travel to Ise Shima Peninsula which is home to Japan’s most sacred Shinto shrines, the Ise Shrines, and is paradoxically now a popular leisure resort area. Cross the Ujibashi bridge over Isuzugawa River at the entrance of Naiku. The bridge is said to separate a sacred realm from the everyday world. Also visit the old streets of Okage Yokocho and experience delicious local food . Okage-yokocho is a re-creation of the buildings on the road to the Ise Jingu that date back to the Edo Period and the Meiji Period. The area is lined with restaurant and souvenir shops that are distinct to Ise Shima. Mid-afternoon arrive at Hojoen, Hot Spring Onsen resort and check in for 1 night. Perhaps take a dip in the Onsen before dinner. Enjoy a traditional multi-course Onsen meal this evening.

Accommodation: Kashikojima – Hōjōen or similar for 1 night.

Day 12 Ise/Kashikojima – Mt.Fuji National Park – Tokyo [B]

We check out from our hotel and travel to Mt. Fuji National Park for spectacular view of Mt. Fuji as a picturesque backdrop to cherry blossoms. Mount Fuji is an active stratovolcano located just 90km South West of Tokyo, with a summit elevation of 3,776.24 m. The snow which caps Mt. Fuji during winter, melts and flows through the ground emerging from walls of solidified lava as Shiraito Falls. This unusual waterfall is only 20 meters high but stretches across a span of 150 meters and has been likened to a lace-like curtain of water. Travel back to Tokyo and check in at Grand Nikko Hotel Daiba for 2 nights.

Accommodation: Grand Nikko Hotel Daiba or similar for 2 nights

Day 13  Tokyo [B, Farewell Dinner]

This morning enjoy a scenic bus tour by private coach of some famous landmarks including Tokyo tower, Imperial Palace、National Parliament House、Tsukiji, Ginza. Visit Asakusa temple and Nakamise shopping street. After visiting temple and browsing through the shops we return to the hotel. Remainder of the day is
free at leisure. We regroup this evening to reminisce and celebrate over farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 14 Tokyo [B]

Today is our last day in Japan, so you might wish to do some last-minute souvenir hunting or an optional half day activity. Midday, tour concludes. Transfer to Haneda or Narita airport is by customer’s arrangement. We would be happy to assist you in organising your private transfer to the airport. Please contact JANESCO for more information at the time of booking.

– Sayounara –