Japan Cities

Japan Cities Day 1 – Arrival in Tokyo

Upon your arrival at Tokyo Airport, one of our representatives will meet you and assist you with boarding the right train or shared shuttle bus to your hotel.

Overnight in Tokyo

Japan Cities Day 2 – Tokyo (B)

Spend a full day with your guide visiting some of Tokyo’s iconic sites while utilizing the city’s complex yet efficient public transport.

First stop is Meiji Jingu, Tokyo’s most famous shrine dedicated to the spirit of the late Emperor Meiji. The shrine is a popular site for Japanese weddings, and if you were lucky, you might see a bride and groom dressed in traditional Shinto wedding attire.

Travel through time, from the “old” Tokyo to “new” Tokyo, as you walk to Omotesando. Commonly referred to as Tokyo’s Champs-Elysees, this broad, tree-lined avenue features a multitude of fashion flagship stores designed by internationally renowned architects.

A short subway ride will take you to Asakusa, a part of Tokyo’s shitamachi, or old town. Asakusa is the city’s oldest Geisha district and also the home to Senso–ji, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple. The streets around Senso-ji feature many traditional shops that sell Japanese crafts and souvenirs and are a delight to wander through.

Before the day ends, you will get to see Tokyo from a different angle as you take a cruise down the Sumida River by boat to Hama-Rikyu Teien, the former private garden of an Edo Period lord. Stroll through the serene garden before taking a break in the tea house known as Nakajima no Chaya, which stands elegantly in the park’s lake. Here, you will have the chance to get a taste of matcha, or Japanese green tea.

Note: The order of this itinerary may change according to the location of your hotel.

Overnight in Tokyo

Japan Cities Day 3 – Tokyo (B,L)

At 8:30 a.m.*, your assistant will meet you at the lobby and take you by subway to the world-famous Tsukiji Fish Market, where you can explore both the vegetable and fruit areas plus the impressive seafood section. On offer in the seafood section are more than 480 different kinds of seafood ranging from fresh fish to shellfish, and even prawns.

After the tour, your guide will take you to the cooking classroom, where you’ll learn how to prepare maki sushi (rolled sushi), gunkan maki (sushi rice wrapped with a strip of seaweed and topped with soft ingredients), and nigiri sushi (sushi rice topped with a slice of raw fish).

Following the tour, you may take with you the utensils used in the cooking lesson. Impress your family and friends with your new sushi making skills by throwing a sushi party at home – the perfect Japanese souvenir!

After the class your assistant will escort you back to your hotel and the rest of the day is free at leisure.

Note: Pick-up time will change depending on the location of your hotel.

Overnight in Tokyo

Japan Cities Day 4 – Tokyo – Hakone / Mt. Fuji (B,D)

Today is a self-guided day.

Take the morning train to Hakone, the gateway to Mt. Fuji and its surrounding national park. This small town is famous for its onsen (natural hot springs), and has natural beauty in abundance.

You have the whole day to explore all that Fuji Hakone National Park has to offer. Armed with your included Hakone Transport Pass, you can take advantage of the numerous forms of transportation on offer throughout the park. You can ride the Guinness World Record-holder ropeway all the way up Mt. Owakudani, passing over sulfurous fumes, hot springs, and hot rivers in this volcanic area. Try one of Hakone’s specialties, the kuro-tamago, an egg hard boiled in the sulfuric hot springs.  They say that if you do, it will add seven years to your life!

From the mountain you can take the ropeway bound for Togendai, where you can ride a replica of a pirate ship that cruises along Ashinoko, a body of water that was formed after a volcanic eruption that occurred more than 3,000 years ago.

Throughout the day, you will have the chance to get a glimpse of Mt. Fuji, however please keep in mind that she is a notoriously shy mountain and it needs to be a clear day for you to see her splendor.

While in Hakone, you will be staying in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese-style accommodation complete with tatami mats, shoji (rice paper) sliding doors, and onsen (hot springs). In the evening, relax in your yukata, or lightweight kimono, and dine on the traditional kaiseki (multi-course) meal.

Note: Mt. Owakudani has been temporarily closed due to volcanic activities.

Overnight in Hakone

Japan Cities Day 5 – Hakone – Kyoto (B)

It’s time to say goodbye to Hakone and catch your first shinkansen ride to Japan’s cultural capital, Kyoto, the home to an astonishing 2,000 shrines and temples, including 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The rest of the day is at leisure.

Overnight in Kyoto

Japan Cities Day 6 – Kyoto (B)

Explore the former imperial capital with a guide, using Kyoto’s comprehensive bus and subway system to visit some of the city’s World Heritage Sites.

You will start your day with a visit to Nijo Castle. This ornamental castle, surrounded by stunning gardens, was built by the founder of the Edo Shogunate as his Kyoto residence. The main building was completed in 1603 and is well-known for its Momoyama architecture, decorated sliding doors, and ‘chirping nightingale’ floors.

Continue on to Kinkaku-ji, or the Golden Pavilion, which was originally built as a retirement villa for the Shogun. After his death, it became a Buddhist Temple at his request and is now one of Kyoto’s most famous temples.

You will also visit Ryoan-ji Temple, the site of Japan’s most famous rock garden. Originally served as an aristocrat’s villa during the Heian Period, the site was later on converted into a Zen Buddhist temple in the year 1450.

Next in the list is Kiyomizu-dera, the temple situated on Mt. Otowa. The most impressive part of the temple is probably the veranda, which stands at 13 meters tall and was built without any nails. The view from the veranda is breath-taking, especially when the sakura (cherry blossoms) are in full bloom or when the leaves change color in fall.

Afterwards, descend from the temple and stroll through the atmospheric Higashiyama district, small lanes filled with quaint shops that sell souvenirs including Kiyomizu-yaki pottery, sweets, and pickles.

Note: Kiyomizu Temple is currently undergoing partial renovations.

Overnight in Kyoto

Japan Cities Day 7 – Kyoto (B)

This morning, get a chance to learn more about the Japanese culture in a machiya, a beautifully restored wooden town house that is typical in Kyoto.

You will first get a short tour of the house with some explanations about the architecture before trying on a kimono, the traditional Japanese garment. This will be followed by an induction to the tea ceremony, a quintessential part of the Japanese culture. The tea master will teach you each movement, from preparing the tea to serving it. The last part of your activity will be a walk through the old neighborhood and a visit to a nearby sake brewery, where you will have a chance to try the local brew, a perfect way to conclude today’s experience.

The afternoon is free at leisure.

Overnight in Kyoto

Japan Cities Day 8 – Kyoto – Hiroshima (B)

On your way to Hiroshima from Kyoto on board the shinkansen (bullet train), keep an eye out for Himeji Castle, also known as the ‘White Egret Castle’ due to its color, and the Seto Ohashi Bridge linking the main land with Shikoku Island. Stretching at 13.1 km, it is the longest two-tiered suspension bridge in the world.

The rest of the day is at leisure.

Overnight in Hiroshima

Japan Cities Day 9 – Hiroshima and Miyajima (B)

From mainland Hiroshima, your guide will travel with you by train to Miyajima-guchi, where a short ferry ride will take you to Miyajima, a small sacred island located in the Seto Inland Sea. Outside the port, you will be surprised to see some deer walking around. You will have time to explore the island, visiting the famous Itsukushima Shrine and sampling some local delicacies like anago (saltwater eel) and momiji manju (maple leaf-shaped cakes).

At noon, you will head back to Hiroshima to visit the Peace Memorial Park and Museum. There you will also find the heart-rending A-Bomb Dome and the Children’s Peace Monument.

Note: The Peace Memorial Museum is currently undergoing renovations, and the east building will be closed from September 2014 to spring 2016.

Overnight in Hiroshima

Japan Cities Day 10 – Hiroshima – Osaka (B)

It’s time to leave the historical Hiroshima behind and travel to the lively city of Osaka.

In the afternoon, your guide will pick you up at your hotel for a half-day tour of Osaka.

First, you will go to Doguyasuji shopping arcade, a unique market where you can find anything related to the food industry including the plastic food models you find outside Japanese restaurants.

After seeing so much plastic food, you’re probably feeling hungry and ready to have some snacks. So, your next stop will be in Dotonbori, a restaurant mecca which has long-been referred to as Osaka’s entertainment. Here you will see a wide array of food stalls and restaurants – you can choose to have either an order of takoyaki (octopus balls) or okonomiyaki (“Japanese pancake” with cabbage, pork, ginger, nori, and a special sauce).

While in Dotonbori, you may want to spare some time and pose in front of Kani Doraku, the huge crab with moving legs, or stand on Ebisubashi with the photo of the running Glico man as your backdrop. After taking some photos, you will continue on with your tour, passing by Hozenji Yokocho, an area with narrow alleys filled with more than 60 traditional restaurants and izakaya (traditional Japanese pubs). At the end of one of these alleys, you will find Hozen-ji Temple, where worshippers splash water on the statue of the deity instead of tossing coins.

Next, you will take the train to Shinsekai, a small, old town in Tennoji area that was designed after New York and Paris. Despite the post WWII economic impact, Shinsekai still remains to be one of the favorite places in Osaka for food lovers.

But before sampling some of the local delicacies, you will first go to Tsutenkaku, the tower modelled after the Eiffel Tower in Paris and one of Osaka’s top icons. The tower is famous for its seasonal lights, which even forecasts the weather on the following day through color coding! Go to the fifth floor, where you will find not just the observatory but also a replica of the statue of Billiken, the god of happiness.

Now it’s time to discover the delicious wonders of Shinsekai. For dinner, we recommend kushikatsu, a skewer of meat and vegetables dipped in batter, rolled on bread crumbs, and then deep fried. Your guide can also give other suggestions and will be happy to show you to the restaurant of your choice.

Japan Cities Day 11 – Departure from Osaka (B)

The rest of the day is at leisure until your included transfer by train or shared shuttle bus to Kansai International Airport.