Day 1
Tokyo
Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met by an assistant at the arrivals lobby for your shared transfer to your hotel in Tokyo. After check-in, the rest of the day is at leisure to begin exploring this wonderful city of contrasts.
Overnight: Standard – Shiba Park Hotel
Superior – Park Hotel Tokyo
Day 2
Tokyo
Today will be a full-day tour of this fascinating city with a local guide.
Your day will begin with a visit to Asakusa, known as Tokyo’s old town, where you will visit Sensoji, Tokyo’s oldest temple, and you’ll wander down Nakamise shopping street to browse the souvenirs and enjoy traditional local snacks. Next, travel down the Sumidagawa River on Tokyo’s water bus to the beautiful Hamarikyu Garden for a steaming cup of matcha and Japanese sweets in a lovely tea house on the lake.
After lunch enjoy a visit to Meiji Shrine, which is dedicated to the deified spirit of Emperor Meiji. As the sun starts to set take a walk down Omotesando Shopping Street to finish the day.
Breakfast included.
Overnight: Standard – Shiba Park Hotel
Superior – Park Hotel Tokyo
Day 3
Tokyo – Matsumoto
This morning, you will make your way to Shinjuku Station where you will board an express train to Matsumoto, taking around three hours. (You must have your included JR Pass to board the train)
Once you arrive in Matsumoto, you’ll have some free time to visit the castle and explore the surrounding town. We recommend a wander to Nakamachi, a former merchant district that has been beautifully preserved and lined with small restaurants, cafes and shops. Also, the Japan Ukiyoe Museum is certainly worth a visit – home to over 100,000 famous Japanese woodblock prints, this is one of the world’s largest private art collections.
Breakfast included.
Overnight: Standard – Matsumoto Kagetsu Hotel
Superior – Buena Vista Matsumoto
Day 4
Matsumoto
Matsumoto is famous for its delicious soba: buckwheat noodles. Today you will visit the kitchen of a Matsumoto soba restaurant to learn the secrets of soba noodles by joining a shared coking class to make your own. Afterwards taste your noodles once they are cooked by the chef in the traditional Shinshu way.
Breakfast and lunch (Soba noodles) included.
Overnight: Standard – Matsumoto Kagetsu Hotel
Superior – Buena Vista Matsumoto
Day 5
Takayama
Today you will travel by coach to Takayama, a beautiful mountain town with many small temples, shrines, festivals, bridges and wonderful markets to explore. We recommend a visit to one of the alpine town’s sake breweries, serving some of the highest quality sake around due to the areas pure water sources. Perhaps head to the San-Machi Suji District to discover charming inns, shops and taverns which have been preserved for up to 300 years.
Tonight, you will be staying in traditional, Japanese-style ryokan accommodation with hot spring onsen baths to unwind in.
Breakfast included.
Overnight: Standard – Best Western Takayama
Superior – Hidatei Hanaougi
Day 6
Shirakawago
You will have the whole day to explore today, as it will be self-guided. Here are some suggestions on how you may like to spend it:
After breakfast, you can head up to the Miyagawa morning market to try some of the region’s fresh, delicious fruit and browse the stalls selling local crafts and other produce.
A short bus ride will take you to the Hida No Sato Folk Village, an open-air museum presenting 30 traditional farmhouses and other architecture from the region. In the afternoon, you could visit the Takayama Festival Floats museum and take a wander through the ambient old town.
Alternatively, we highly recommend a half-day trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Shirakawago Village. This famous attraction features gassho-sukuri farmhouses, some dating back to be more than 250 years old, with unique thatched roofs resembling the hands of praying monks.
(Buses depart frequently from Takayama Bus Terminal & Tickets are not included today for suggested trips)
Breakfast included.
Overnight: Standard – Best Western Takayama
Superior – Hidatei Hanaougi
Day 7
Takayama – Kyoto
Your day will start with a train trip to Kyoto, taking around 3 hours. (You must have your included JR Pass to board the train)
In Kyoto, you will have a fantastic opportunity to fully immerse in Japanese dining culture with a cooking class. Broken into two parts, the course will take around 4 hours and you’ll learn how to make 4 to 6 authentic dishes in total, and you can enjoy tucking into them afterwards in a cosy Japanese-style pub.
You will be making your own way to and from the cooking class.
Breakfast and dinner (cooking class) included.
Overnight: Standard – Vista Premio Kyoto
Superior – Kyoto Tokyu Hotel
Day 8
Kyoto
Today you will be exploring the wonders of Kyoto with a local guide, starting with a visit to the famous Kinkakuji Temple (also known as the Golden Pavilion). You’ll then move on to the ornamental Nijo Castle, which is surrounded by stunning gardens and exotic flora. Your last stop on the tour will be the bustling Nishiki Market, a narrow shopping street lined with over one hundred shops and eateries.
To end your day, you may wish to explore a few more of the many temples, shrines and UNESCO sites around the former imperial capital.
Breakfast included.
Overnight: Standard – Vista Premio Kyoto
Superior – Kyoto Tokyu Hotel
Day 9
Kyoto – Hakone
You’ll be boarding the world-famous bullet train today to travel to Hakone, taking around two hours. (You will need your included JR Pass to board)
Hakone is an incredibly beautiful region blessed with snow-capped mountains lined by glistening lakes and views of Mount Fuji. Besides from its breath-taking vistas, there are lots of activities here including many historical sites, an extensive transport network with switchback trains, cable cars, ropeways etc. and there is even a pirate ship trip which carries you across the volcanic Lake Ashi with mesmerising Mt Fuji views. (You will be equipped with an included Hakone Free Pass which grants free access to all transportation in this region).
Tonight, you will be staying in traditional, Japanese-style ryokan accommodation.
Breakfast and dinner included.
Overnight: Standard – Ichinoyu Honkan (Japanese Room with bathroom)
Superior – Susukinohara Ichinoyu (Japanese Room with outdoor hot spring bath)
Day 10
Hakone to Tokyo
Board the Romance Car Train back to Tokyo, taking around an hour and a half.
For the rest of the day, you can enjoy free time at leisure exploring your favourite districts of Tokyo. You may like to take part in an optional 4 hour walking tour of Old Tokyo, which guides you around the cities Sitamachi (downtown). You’ll learn about the life and atmosphere of pre-war Tokyo, visiting old temples and shrines, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist cemeteries, traditional shops selling Japanese paper and sweets, as well as the fascinating Sitamachi Museum, Ueno Park and the Ameyoko-cho market.
Breakfast included.
Optional tour includes one drink and one snack.
Overnight: Standard – Shiba Park Hotel
Superior – Park Hotel Tokyo
Day 11
Depart Tokyo
Your day is free until your scheduled shared transfer to Narita Airport for your return flight.
Breakfast included.
