Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Tokyo
You'll go through customs and then take a shared shuttle bus to your hotel. After that, the day is free for you to relax and settle in. By afternoon, you'll get information about how your tour starts tomorrow.
- Day 2
Tokyo
A five-hour guided tour takes you through Tokyo's main spots. You'll see Zojoji Temple and Tokyo Tower, walk through the chaos of Shibuya Crossing, check out Meiji Shrine and the Imperial Palace gardens. The tour also passes through Akihabara before ending in Asakusa at Sensoji Temple and Nakamise Street. Lunch is included. Later, you'll head to Shinjuku by metro to walk around the busy streets and have dinner there before going back to your hotel.
- Meals
- Lunch (Local restaurant), Dinner (Local restaurant in Shinjuku)
Included Activities
- Guided city tour of Tokyo (approximately five hours)
- Visit Zojoji Temple
- Visit Shibuya Crossing
- Visit Meiji Shrine
- Drive along Omotesando Avenue
- View Imperial Palace and gardens
- Admire Nijubashi Bridge
- Pass through Akihabara district
- Visit Kokugikan sumo wrestling arena
- Visit Sensoji Temple
- Explore Nakamise Street
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Metro tour to Shinjuku district
- Dinner at local restaurant in Shinjuku
Landmarks/POIs Zojoji Temple Tokyo Tower Shibuya Crossing Meiji Shrine Omotesando Avenue Imperial Palace Nijubashi Bridge Akihabara Kokugikan Sensoji Temple Nakamise Street Shinjuku - Day 3
Tokyo to Hiroshima
After breakfast, you'll take the bullet train to Hiroshima, which takes about four hours and covers roughly 800 kilometers. Once there, you'll visit Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome, and the Peace Memorial Museum. A ferry takes you out to Itsukushima Shrine, which sits partially over the water. You can walk around the shrine and explore the island's center with lunch included. You'll return to Hiroshima in the evening for dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Bullet train journey to Hiroshima
- Visit Peace Memorial Park
- Visit Atomic Bomb Dome
- Visit Peace Memorial Museum
- Ferry to Itsukushima Shrine
- Visit Itsukushima Shrine
- Explore island center
- Lunch on island
- Dinner in Hiroshima
Landmarks/POIs Peace Memorial Park Atomic Bomb Dome Peace Memorial Museum Itsukushima Shrine - Day 4
Hiroshima to Matsuyama
A ferry ride to Shikoku Island takes two and a half hours. In Matsuyama, you'll ride a cable car up to the castle, then visit Ishiteji, a Buddhist temple that's a popular pilgrimage spot. Lunch is included. Later in the afternoon, you'll go to Dogo Onsen, a traditional bathhouse from the 1800s, and spend time there.
- Meals
- Lunch (Local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Ferry to Shikoku Island
- Cable car ride to Matsuyama Castle
- Visit Matsuyama Castle
- Visit Ishiteji Temple
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Admission to Dogo Onsen
Landmarks/POIs Matsuyama Castle Ishiteji Temple Dogo Onsen - Day 5
Matsuyama to Kobe
You'll head to Kotohira where a Shinto shrine sits at the top of 785 steps. Next, you'll see Ritsurin, one of Japan's most beautiful gardens, with lunch included. In Naruto, you'll stop at a big bridge over the sea, learn about how it was built, and walk on its glass floor to watch powerful whirlpools 45 meters below. After a scenic drive across island-connecting bridges, you'll arrive in Kobe for the night.
- Meals
- Lunch (Local restaurant in Takamatsu)
Included Activities
- Visit Kotohira Shinto shrine
- Climb 785 steps to Kotohira shrine
- Visit Ritsurin Garden
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Visit Naruto Bridge
- Walk glass floor at Naruto Bridge
- Scenic drive across island bridges
Landmarks/POIs Kotohira Shrine Ritsurin Garden Naruto Bridge - Day 6
Kobe to Mount Koya
In Kobe, you'll visit the Earthquake Memorial Museum, which documents the 1995 earthquake and its aftermath. Then you'll head to Mount Koya, the main center for Shingon Buddhism, where 120 temples and monasteries sit. You'll see the Okuno Mausoleum, a spiritual cemetery surrounded by nature with over 200,000 graves, and visit Kongobuji Temple from 1593. You'll stay at a Buddhist monastery where monks lead Zen meditation. A vegetarian dinner is included.
- Meals
- Dinner (Vegetarian meal)
Included Activities
- Visit Earthquake Memorial Museum
- Visit Okuno Mausoleum
- Visit Kongobuji Temple
- Zen meditation practice (Ajikan)
- Dinner (vegetarian meal)
Optional Activities
- Religious ceremony at temple before breakfast
Landmarks/POIs Earthquake Memorial Museum Mount Koya Okuno Mausoleum Kongobuji Temple - Day 7
Mount Koya to Kyoto
Your day starts with a traditional Japanese breakfast at the temple. You'll leave early for Kyoto, which was Japan's capital from 794 to 1868 and avoided bombing in World War II. You'll see Fushimi Inari Shrine, the Imperial Palace, and Kinkaku-ji Temple with its gardens. After some free time, you'll go to Gion, the famous traditional district known for geisha, where you can walk around on your own.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Traditional Japanese breakfast at temple)
Included Activities
- Traditional Japanese breakfast at temple
- Visit Fushimi Inari Shrine
- Visit Imperial Palace
- Visit Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion)
- Visit Gion district
Landmarks/POIs Fushimi Inari Shrine Imperial Palace Kinkaku-ji Temple Gion - Day 8
Kyoto to Nagano
You'll travel to Tsumago through nice countryside. This small village with wooden houses is known as one of Japan's prettiest towns. You'll have time to walk around with lunch included. Then you'll head to Matsumoto to see its famous 16th-century castle, nicknamed 'The Crow,' and have free time to explore the city. Later you'll travel to Nagano for the night.
- Meals
- Lunch (Local restaurant in Tsumago)
Included Activities
- Visit Tsumago village
- Lunch in Tsumago
- Visit Matsumoto Castle
Landmarks/POIs Tsumago Matsumoto Castle - Day 9
Nagano to Ikaho
In Nagano, you'll visit Zenko-ji, a pilgrimage temple with the first Buddhist statue brought to Japan. You'll take part in the Gomakuyo ceremony for blessings. Next, you'll head into the Japanese Alps to Jigokudani Monkey Park, have lunch, and walk through forests and hot springs where wild macaques live and bathe. You'll go up to 2,172 meters with views of semi-active volcanoes. Later in Kusatsu spa town, you can walk through the park that has an open-air onsen. Then you'll reach Ikaho, a historic spa town, where you'll stay at a ryokan with baths and a traditional Japanese dinner.
- Meals
- Lunch (At Jigokudani Monkey Park), Dinner (Traditional Japanese meal at ryokan)
Included Activities
- Visit Zenko-ji Temple
- Gomakuyo ceremony
- Visit Jigokudani Monkey Park
- Lunch at Jigokudani Monkey Park
- Walk through forests, rivers, and hot springs
- Visit Kusatsu spa town
- Walk through Kusatsu city park
- Explore open-air onsen at Kusatsu
- Walk through Ikaho historic center
- Dinner (traditional Japanese meal)
Landmarks/POIs Zenko-ji Temple Jigokudani Monkey Park Kusatsu Ikaho - Day 10
Ikaho to Tokyo
You'll continue to Nikko to see the Nikko-Toshogu Temple, famous for its room with the sound of a dragon. You'll also visit Taiyuinbyo Mausoleum and walk along Kanmangafuchi Abyss with its hundreds of Jizo statues. After some free time in town, you'll head back to Tokyo, arriving around 6:30 p.m.
Included Activities
- Visit Nikko-Toshogu Temple
- Visit Taiyuinbyo Mausoleum
- Walk along Kanmangafuchi Abyss
Landmarks/POIs Nikko-Toshogu Temple Taiyuinbyo Mausoleum Kanmangafuchi Abyss - Day 11
Departure from Tokyo
After breakfast, your Japan trip ends here. You'll leave with great memories from your time traveling through the country.
- Meals
- Breakfast
