The Land of the Rising Sun is unique. This extraordinary journey in 10, 12 or 14 nights allows you to discover the perfect combination of modernity and traditional customs.

Explore major cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto and travel freely around the country with your Japan Rail Pass.

Your itinerary:

Stay in 10 nights:

Day 1: Tokyo

Day 2: Tokyo - Kyoto

Day 3 - 4: Kyoto

Day 5: Kyoto - Osaka

Day 6: Osaka

Day 7: Osaka - Tokyo

Day 8 - 10: Tokyo

Day 11: Departure from Tokyo

Stay in 12 nights:

Day 1: Arrival in Tokyo

Arrive at Tokyo Airport where you will be met by an English-speaking host and transferred to your hotel.

Overnight in Tokyo.

Discover the main attractions of the Japanese capital. Tokyo is more than a city, it is a fascinating juxtaposition of different neighbourhoods, skyscrapers, neon signs, temples and traditional shrines.

The highlights:

• The Asakusa district and the Senso-ji temple
• The Tokyo Skytree with a height of 634 metres and the Tokyo Tower, the city's landmark.
• Ueno Park and its many museums
• Shibuya and Shinjuku districts
• Hamarikyu, the Japanese garden in the middle of Tokyo's buildings
• The gardens of the Imperial Palace, the Meiji-jingu shrine
• Ginza, Tokyo's chic district
• Harajuku: the avant-garde district

Artistic, spiritual and gastronomic, a visit to Kyoto is an opportunity to discover the cradle of the Japanese soul in all its facets.  It's an absoloute must during your stay in Japan.

 
Discover the main attractions:

• Kinkakuji (gold pavilion) and Ginkakuji (silver pavilion)
• The Gion district and the Philosopher's Trail
• The Zen garden of Ryoanji, a famous dry landscape.
• Kiyomizu-dera, a thousand-year-old temple overlooking the city
• The Nishiki market, where you can find ingredients typical of Kyoto cuisine
• Nijo castle and its "nightingale" parquet floors
• Arashiyama bamboo forest, west of Kyoto

Examples of day trips from Kyoto:

• The town of Nara, 1 hour from Kyoto by JR train (included in the JR Pass) and its thousands of free-roaming deer
• Japan's gourmet capital, Osaka, just 20 minutes from Kyoto by Shinkansen (included in the JR Pass)

Osaka

While seemingly modern at first glance, it has retained some of its historic sites, such as the castle, which dates back to the 16th-century Shogunate and has been restored several times over the years. Enjoy the flavours and nightlife of this vibrant city.

If you choose to stay in Japan for 12 or 14 nights, you have the option of going to Takayama and Kanawawa.

Takayama (12- or 14-day round trip)

Takayama is located in the Hida Mountains in the Japanese Alps. It is a very pleasant town with a charming river, many temples and handicraft shops.

Our suggestions:

• The historic district of Sanmachi Suji
• Mount Norikura, a volcanic peak
• The Hida Kokubun Temple and its pagoda
• Takayama Castle Ruins and Shiroyama Park
• Shin-Hotaka Cable Car

Kanawawa (14-day round trip only)

Located between the Sea of Japan and the Japanese Alps, Kanazawa has much to offer travellers.

The highlights: 

• Kenroku-en, the magnificent Japanese garden of Kanazawa
• Nagamachi, the samurai quarter and the former Nomura residence
• Higashiyama, one of the city's three geisha districts
• The Museum of Contemporary Art and its open-air gallery
• Omicho, the fish market of the Sea of Japan

The last days:
Depending on whether you choose the 10-, 12- or 14-day round trip, you will return to Tokyo for the last day of your sojourn in the land of the rising sun.

Departure day (Day 11, 13 or 15):

From your hotel in Tokyo, you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight.

You will stay in carefully selected hotels of Standard or Superior category (depending on choice).

Standard category hotels:

• Tokyo: Sotetsu Fresa Inn Hamamatsucho Daimon, Sotetsu Fresa Inn Higashi Shinjuku (or equivalent)

• Takayama: Spa Hotel Alpina Hidatakayama, Takayama Ouan (or equivalent)

• Kanazawa: Kanazawa Mystays Castle, Hotel Kanazawa (or equivalent)

• Kyoto: Hearton Hotel Kyoto, Hotel Gimmond (or equivalent)

• Osaka: Hearton Nishi-Umeda, Wing International Select Osaka Umeda (or equivalent)

Superior category hotels:

• Tokyo: Monterey The Ginza Sister, Hotel East 21 Tokyo (or equivalent)

• Takayama: Spa Hotel Alpina Hidatakayama, Takayama Ouan (or equivalent)

• Kanazawa: Ana Crowne Plaza Kanazawa, Ana Holiday Inn Kanazawa Sky Hotel (or equivalent)

• Kyoto: Oriental Hotel Kyoto Rokujo, Almont Hotel Kyoto (or equivalent)

• Osaka: Namba Oriental Hotel, Ana Crowne Plaza Osaka (or equivalent)

If the hotels listed above are unavailable, you will be provided with comfortable accommodation in similar hotels. Local standards apply.

Enjoy an internet connection at the speed of 4G throughout your tour!

One of the world’s most cutting-edge capitals, Tokyo is a city of contrasts. Famous for its modernity, neon-lit landscape and towering skyscrapers, it is also home to sprawling parkland, peaceful shrines and temples and lovingly tended gardens.

Despite its love affair with manga pop culture, fashion, high-tech trends and conspicuous consumption, below the surface is a city that has its roots in ancient heritage. Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples stand close to skyscrapers as a reminder of a more contemplative time, and at the heart of the hyperactive centre lies the serene Imperial Palace, the home of the ruling emperor that provides a tangible link to the city’s historical past. 

Behind the shopping, entertainment and commercial emporia can be found quaint wooden houses, private gardens with meticulously clipped bonsai trees and the Zen-like calm of the Hamarikyu Gardens. Discover the fascinating and exquisite culture of Japan, where the ancient and modern worlds collide. The city’s reputation as a mega-expensive metropolis is ill-conceived, and visitors can take advantage of inexpensive izakaya bars and neighbourhood cafés that serve delicious noodles and rice dishes. 

If you're looking for old Japan, Kyoto is a must: tranquil gardens, sublime temples and colourful shrines can be found in abundance. While the rest of Japan has embraced modernity, Kyoto still keeps traditions alive.

Take a stroll through the Nishijin district and spy some of the older residents emerging from the machiya (traditional townhouses) to ladle water onto their porch. If you go by an old shōtengai (shopping street) you can admire the ancient speciality shops: tofu sellers, fishmongers, pickle vendors and tea merchants. 

Explore Japan's second city and enjoy the lively neighbourhoods of Namba and Dotombori, try an izakaya, Japanese bar-restaurants! Enjoy the local specialities: okonomiyaki, savoury cabbage pancake, or takoyaki, small octopus dough balls. Continue your adventure with a trip to Osaka Castle Park with its 300 Yoshino cherry trees or to Shi-Tennoji Temple which is the oldest in Japan.