Day 1
Tokyo
Upon arrival at Narita Airport, you will meet an assistant in the arrivals lobby and taken on a shared transfer to your hotel in Tokyo. After check-in, spend the rest of the day is at leisure to explore this vibrant city.
Overnight: Standard – Shiba Park hotel
Superior – Park Hotel Tokyo
Deluxe – Conrad Hotel Tokyo
Day 2
Tokyo
Enjoy an 8 hour day tour of this fascinating city with a local guide. Beginning with a visit to Asakusa, Tokyo’s old town, where you’ll explore Tokyo’s oldest temple, Sensoji before wandering down Nakamise, the market street to try some local snacks. Next travel down the Sumidagawa River on Tokyo’s water bus arriving at the beautiful Hamarikyu Garden, an Edo Period Japanese garden. Enjoy a walk around before ending it with a cup of steaming matcha and Japanese sweets as you relax in a tea house setting.
After lunch enjoy a visit to the popular Meiji Shrine, followed by a walk down the lovely Omotesando shopping street, lined with multiple flagship retail stores and broad trees.
Breakfast, tea and sweets included.
Overnight: Standard – Shiba Park Hotel
Superior – Park Hotel Tokyo
Deluxe – Conrad Hotel Tokyo
Day 3
Tokyo
Today will be self-guided so you may feel free to explore the city at leisure, or there are two optional half day tours to choose from:
Optional Tour 1 – Half Day Tokyo Garden and Fire Ceremony Tour
Journey to the Eastern part of Tokyo, the Fukagawa district. You’ll enjoy a scenic guided stroll through the gorgeous Kiyosumi Teien gardens which date back to 1721, which leads up to the fascinating Fukagawa Fudo-do Temple. Visiting this particular temple is a very solemn and unique experience, featuring the goma-kito ceremony in which you will be able to observe from close by as you watch the chief Buddhist priest’s chants and sutras whilst other priests play the Taiko drums.
Optional Tour 2 – Half Day Tokyo Bonsai Museum Tour
Ride the local train with a guide to Omiya to visit the Bonsai Museum, the world’s first publicly-run museum devoted to traditional botanical art. The museum harmoniously blends with its surrounding environment, displaying an extensive collection of these majestic little trees with a beautiful garden. You will learn about how the bonsai masters grow their living masterpieces, and the painstaking care and attention to detail they apply to ensure they are perfect. After lunch (not included) your guide will take you for a walk to the nearby Seikoen Bonsai School where you will experience a 60-90 minute Bonsai lesson.
Please Note: You must specify if you would like to do one of these tours at the time of booking, and you may only choose one of the tours. The Half Day Tokyo Bonsai Museum tour is not available on Thursdays.
Breakfast included.
Overnight: Standard – Shiba Park Hotel
Superior – Park Hotel Tokyo
Deluxe – Conrad Hotel Tokyo
Day 4
Tokyo – Izu Peninsula
Enjoy a morning at leisure before making your way to Tokyo station to board the famous bullet train. Reaching speeds of up to 186mph, you will arrive in Izu Peninsula, in the Shizuoka Prefecture in a little over 2 hours.
Once you arrive at your hotel, the rest of the day can be spent at your leisure in this relaxed seaside region. A delicious Japanese style meal is included tonight.
Breakfast and dinner included.
Overnight: Standard – Hinodeya (Japanese Room)
Superior – Hanafubuki (Japanese Room)
Deluxe – ABBA Resorts Izu (East Wing room with outdoor bath)
Day 5
Izu Peninsula – Kyoto
This morning, you will be picked up by a taxi and taken to the train station to catch a train to Odawara, where you will change to the Shinkansen bound for Kyoto, taking around 3 hours. Once you arrive in the afternoon, make your own way to the hotel for check in. This afternoon an assistant will meet you at the hotel for your next experience: a traditional tea ceremony with a professional instructor. You will learn about all the types of tea, how to prepare it with special instruments, see how every movement in the process has a meaning, and the importance of serving tea to guests in Japan. This should take around two and a half hours.
Breakfast included.
Overnight: Standard – Vista Premio Hotel Kyoto
Superior – Tokyu Hotel Kyoto
Deluxe – Hyatt Regency Hotel Kyoto
Day 6
Kyoto
Today will be spent exploring the former imperial capital with an interesting local guide, visiting some of Kyoto’s World Heritage Sites. Your tour will start with a visit to Kinkakuji Temple (known as the Golden Pavilion) one of the city’s most famous temples. You’ll then move on to Nijo Castle, which features an ornamental design and flourishing garden views. Take a walk down the narrow Nishiki Market, lined by more than a hundred shops and restaurants, and take a look around Kyoto’s Kitchen to find unique food related products as well as Kyoto specialities. You can decide how you would like to end the day; with 1,400 temples in Kyoto alone, we suggest exploring Kiyomizu or Sanjusangendo, two very unique temples which offer spectacular views of the city.
Breakfast included.
Overnight: Overnight: Standard – Vista Premio Hotel Kyoto
Superior – Tokyo Hotel Kyoto
Deluxe – Hyatt Regency Hotel Kyoto
Day 7
Nara
Today you will visit Nara by train, taking about 45 minutes with a local guide. You’ll be visiting some of the many ancient temples and shrines in the city - Todaiji temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. At the end of the day, you’ll head to Nara Park for an unforgettable encounter with over 1,000 tame wild deer living there.
Breakfast included.
Overnight: Overnight: Standard – Vista Premio Hotel Kyoto
Superior – Tokyu Hotel Kyoto
Deluxe – Hyatt Regency Hotel Kyoto
Day 8
Kyoto to Okayama
This morning, you will make your way to Kyoto station and catch the Shinkansen to Okayama, which will take around an hour. After checking in at the hotel, you’ll catch another train to Kurashiki which will take under 15 minutes.
You’ll take a self-guided visit to the Kurashiki Bikan Area, known for its retro-modern cityscapes. Wander through the narrow stone-paved streets and discover a selection of galleries, coffee shops and souvenir shops along the way. If you’re interested in art, you may consider a visit to the well-known Ohara Museum, which holds the oldest private collection of Western art and offers a unique, calming atmosphere.
Breakfast included.
Overnight: Standard – Mitsui Garden Okayama
Superior & Deluxe – Granvia Okayama
Day 9
Okayama to Hiroshima
After enjoying breakfast at your hotel, you will board the Shinkansen bullet train from Okayama Station to Hiroshima. Upon check-in at your hotel in Hiroshima, you will have the rest of the day to explore this scenic city.
Breakfast included.
Overnight: Standard – Hotel Vista Hiroshima
Superior & Deluxe – Sheraton Grand Hiroshima
Day 10
Hiroshima
You will meet with your guide at the hotel, and your first visit today will be the Peace Memorial Park. The area where this park now lies was ground zero for the infamous Atomic Bomb in 1945. After this tragedy, the memorial park was created and dedicated to those who lost their lives in the attack. You will walk through the park to find many touching monuments and memorials, before heading into the museum.
From Hiroshima, a short ferry journey will take you to the holy Miyajima Island. Here, you will find the famous Floating Torii Gate, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll have some free time to explore the island’s many shrines and temples before heading back to your hotel.
Breakfast included.
Overnight: Standard – Hotel Vista Hiroshima
Superior & Deluxe - Sheraton Grand Hiroshima
Day 11
Hiroshima to Tokyo
Make your own way to Hiroshima Station for your ride aboard the Shinkansen to either Tokyo. Upon arrival make your way to the hotel and you are free to spend the rest of the day at your leisure.
Breakfast included.
Overnight in Tokyo: Standard – Shiba Park Hotel
Superior – Park Hotel Tokyo
Deluxe – Conrad Hotel Tokyo
Day 12
Depart from Tokyo
Your day is free until your scheduled transfer to the airport for your return flight.
Breakfast included.
