This tour of Japan honours the old ways – wooden houses, Zen gardens, Buddhist temples, shinto shrines and districts in which geisha still glide along cobbled streets.
Additional inclusions
Return scheduled flights, return transfers, Japan: Temples, Shrines & Geisha tour from Tokyo to Nikko, Kyoto and more. 10 breakfasts and 4 dinners.
DAY 1: ARRIVE TOKYO, JAPAN
Upon arrival in Tokyo you will be met by a member of the A&K team and transferred from the airport to your hotel. Your welcome dinner, hosted by your guide, will be served in a private yakatabune, a traditional Japanese, low, barge-style boat, sailing along the Sumida River to Tokyo Bay. During dinner, enjoy traditional music and a geisha performance.
KEIO PLAZA HOTEL TOKYO | MEALS: D
DAY 2: TOKYO
Today depart from the hotel for a full day touring Tokyo’s highlights. Visit the Imperial
Palace Plaza and stroll the grounds of MeijiJingu, the most popular Shinto shrine in Japan. Established in 1920 and dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife, the shrine is surrounded by more than 100,000 trees that have been donated by people from all over Japan. Embark on a river cruise to Asakusa, Japan’s oldest geisha district. Here you’ll discover Senso-ji – an atmospheric Buddhist temple complex, set amongst beautiful shrines, charming gardens and lovely boutiques. Then onwards to Hamarikyu – a gorgeous Japanese garden that was once the grounds of a shogun’s villa, built in the Edo period.
KEIO PLAZA HOTEL TOKYO | MEALS: B
DAY 3: TOKYO
Today is at your leisure but comes with the option of having a private cooking lesson. This evening you will enjoy a visit to Happo-en, one of the most beautiful gardens in Tokyo.
KEIO PLAZA HOTEL TOKYO | MEALS: B
DAY 4: TOKYO - NIKKO - TOKYO
This morning travel into the mountains of Nikko, where you will explore some of the
region’s highlights. A blend of man-made and natural beauty, the area features numerous shrines and temples. Visit the magnificent Tosho-gu shrine complex, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. Here you will discover more than a dozen Shinto and Buddhist shrines surrounded by forest. Despite a restoration project currently underway to spruce up the complex for its 400th birthday, it remains an impressive sight. Explore the picturesque Lake Chuzenji and Tamozawa Imperial Villa before taking in the local flavour at a saké brewery, prior to returning to your hotel.
KEIO PLAZA HOTEL TOKYO | MEALS: B
DAY 5: TOKYO - HAKONE
This morning leave Tokyo for Hakone, a popular hot-spring destination frequented by those who wish to see Mount Fuji. On your way to Hakone stop in Kamakura, where you can find some of the highlights of the Kanto region, before you start exploring Hakone – an area encompassing coastlines, lakes and more than 1,000 volcanic islands. Stroll the grassy hillsides of Hakone’s Open-Air Museum, taking in the sculptures and artwork by the likes of Picasso, Rodin and Henry Moore.
HAKONE KOWAKIEN TEN-YU | MEALS: B D
DAY 6: HAKONE - TAKAYAMA
This morning board your private vessel and cross Lake Ashinoko, where you will sail past the Hakone Shrine, a sacred site that has been visited by shogun, samurai and many travellers over the centuries, before taking a walk along the shore of Lake Ashinoko on the preserved old Tokaido walking trail. Later today, take the express train to Takayama, a small town nestled in the Hida Mountains – also known as the Japanese Alps – in Gifu Prefecture where, a short walk from the town centre, you’ll find Hida no Sato, a village of 30 traditional thatch-roof houses.
HOTEL ASSOCIA TAKAYAMA RESORT | MEALS: B D
DAY 7: TAKAYAMA
Today learn about the town’s colourful history and familiarise your taste buds with some of the local delicacies. This afternoon, travel to Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its gasshozukuri farmhouses. These steep-roofed buildings are designed to withstand heavy snowfall.
HOTEL ASSOCIA TAKAYAMA RESORT | MEALS: B
DAY 8: TAKAYAMA - KYOTO
Today take the express train to Kyoto. Once the capital of Japan, this city is famous for its classical Buddhist temples, as well as its beautiful gardens, historical palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses. There are over 2,000 shrines and temples to choose from as well as 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Spend the afternoon getting a taste of Kyoto with your knowledgeable guide.
KYOTO TOKYU HOTEL | MEALS: B
DAY 9: KYOTO
Today’s tour of Kyoto will allow you to visit some of the main highlights of the city, including Nijo Castle, Ryoan-ji temple, known to be home of the Myoshin-ji School of the Rinzai branch of Zen Buddhism, and Kiyomizu-dera temple*. The Higashiyam district offers a maze of narrow alleyways lined with local stores, souvenir shops and pottery centres. *Kiyomizu-dera is currently undergoing partial renovations.
KYOTO TOKYU HOTEL | MEALS: B
DAY 10: KYOTO
Experience a memorable rickshaw ride through the heart of the Arashiyama district. You will see the main highlights of the area, as well as some hidden gems, and get a closer look at the machiya, traditional Japanese houses. Later today enjoy a traditional tea ceremony in a private temple, wearing authentic kimono. After the ceremony you will walk the local district, which is lined with tea houses and artisan shops.
KYOTO TOKYU HOTEL | MEALS: B
DAY 11: KYOTO
Today is at your leisure but there are the options to take part in a day trip to Nara, Japan’s first capital, take a tour of an Uji tea factory or immerse yourself in a mochi-making activity. This evening you will attend a cocktail reception in a Japanese bar serving a traditional dinner
of kaiseki-ryori – a multi-course meal inspired by the delicacies offered to guests of the imperial court.
KYOTO TOKYU HOTEL | MEALS: B D
DAY 12: KYOTO – OSAKA - DEPART OSAKA
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home from Osaka.
MEALS: B
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