From the Meiji Jingu sanctuary in Tokyo to the great torii of Itsukushima on the island of Miyajima, this tour is ideal for discovering the different facets of Japan, between tradition and modernity. After intense days in Tokyo, you'll love relaxing in the hot springs at Hakone, just outside Mount Fuji.

Choose between a 10, 12 or 15 night stay:

10-night tour:

Day 1: Arrival in Tokyo 

Day 2 and 3: Tokyo

Day 4: Tokyo - Hakone Mount Fuji

Day 5: Hakone Mount Fuji - Kyoto

Day 6 and 7: Kyoto

Day 8 and 9: Hiroshima & Miyajima

Day 10: Tokyo

Day 11: Departure from Tokyo

TOKYO

Touch down in Tokyo ready for an unforgettable adventure in Japan. Leave customs and meet a friendly airport assistant who will hand over your travel documents and Pocket Wifi, if you've chosen to purchase it. Take a shuttle transfer to your hotel, check-in, and get settled in the city (rooms available from 3pm).

Explore at your leisure, and visit the iconic sights of the Japanese capital. Tokyo offers up a fascinating juxtaposition of unique districts, towering skyscrapers, glowing signs, serene temples and traditional sanctuaries.

 
Don't miss :

• The Asakusa district and Senso-ji temple
• The 634 metre Tokyo Skytree and the Tokyo Tower, symbol of the city
• Ueno Park and its many museums
• The Shibuya and Shinjuku exit districts
• Hamarikyu, the Japanese garden between the buildings of Tokyo
• The gardens of the Imperial Palace
• Meiji-jingu Shrine
• Ginza, the chic district of Tokyo
• Harajuku, the avant-garde district 

Optional: guided tour

Discover the spectacular Mount Fuji region and enjoy a stay in a ryokan, a typical Japanese inn, complete with futons and beautiful mountain views. A delicious Japanese dinner is included in your stay.

Leave Hakone and head to Kyoto, an artistic, spiritual and culinary hub. Check-in at your next hotel and get ready to explore. Visit Kyoto's highlights, or head out on a day trip to treasures further afield.

INCLUDED:

Enjoy an evening stroll in an authentic Kyoto neighborhood. 

In English only, and in groups (max. 12 persons). Duration: 45 minutes.

Don't miss :

• Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) and Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion)
• The Gion district and the Philosophers’ path
• Ryoanji Zen Garden, a famous dry landscape
• Kiyomizu-dera, a thousand-year-old temple overlooking the city
• Nishiki market, where you can find the typical ingredients of Kyoto cuisine
• Nijo Castle and its "nightingale" parquet floors
• Arashiyama bamboo grove, west of Kyoto

Example day trips from Kyoto :

• The city of Nara, 1 hour from Kyoto by JR train (included in the JR Pass) and its thousands of wild deer.
• Osaka, the gastronomic capital of Japan located just 20 minutes from Kyoto by Shinkansen (included in the JR Pass.)

Leave Kyoto for Hiroshima and check-in at your hotel, ready to discover this place of great history. Visit Miyajima, 'The Island of Gods'.

Don't miss :

• Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum
• The peace monuments (the dome, the memorial of the young Sadako Sasaki, one of the many victims of radiation)
• The famous Hiroshima Castle
• Itsukushima-jinja Shrine with its world famous and photographed large torii
• Folklore Museum (Egami House)
• Senjôkaku Shinto Temple and its pagoda

Please note that the great torii of Miyajima is under construction for an indefinite period.

At this point in the itinerary, those staying for 10 nights will return to Tokyo. 

Visitors staying for 12 or 15 nights will continue to Kanazawa.

KANAZAWA

Depart Hiroshima for Kanazawa, and check-in at your hotel. Nestled between the Sea of Japan and the Japanese Alps, Kanazawa has plenty to offer.

Don't miss :

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

At this point in the itinerary, those staying for 12 nights will return to Tokyo. 

Visitors staying for 15 nights will continue to Takayama.

TAKAYAMA

Visit Takayama, resting in the heart of the Japanese mountains. This pretty town is bordered by a charming river, numerous temples and many craft shops.

After your stay in Takayama, return to Tokyo and take advantage of your final few days in Japan to explore the city's hidden treasures.

Return to the airport for your flight home after an incredible experience in the land of the rising sun.

At each of your stops, you will be staying in comfortable rooms in thoughtfully chosen hotels. Throughout your tour, you will stay in 3* or 4* accommodation depending on the offer selected.

Your hotels during the tour:

3* accommodation:

Tokyo: OMO3 Akasaka

Hakone Mont Fuji: Ryokan Ichinoyu Shinkan* 

Kyoto: OMO5 Kyoto Sanjo by Hoshino Resorts 

Hiroshima: Intergate Hotel

Kanazawa: Mystays Premier Hotel Kanazawa 

4* accommodation:

Tokyo: The Blossom Hibiya

Hakone Mont Fuji: Ryokan Yutowa* 

Kyoto: Cross Hotel Kyoto

Hiroshima: Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel 

Kanazawa: Hyatt Centric Kanazawa 

Takayama: Hotel Wood Takayama

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

* Please note: In the ryokan guests sleep on comfortable futons placed on the tatami. As is customary in Japanese temple hotels, the onsen bathroom is shared (not mixed). Toilets and washbasins are usually in the room, but are not guaranteed. Japanese bathroom in the room is an optional extra at check out. 

Experience a serene World Heritage gem near Kyoto, where a local guide will lead you through tranquil Buddhist temples, stunning waterfalls, and pristine wilderness on an easy hike.

Experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony in an authentic district of Kyoto. Taste the delicious matcha tea and understand the complexity of its service in one of the best tea houses of the city.

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.