Itinerary
- Day 1
Tokyo
You'll arrive in Tokyo and get transferred to your hotel to settle in. Later in the evening, meet up with the group for a welcome dinner at a local izakaya where you'll try authentic Japanese cuisine and get to know your fellow travelers.
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome dinner at a local izakaya with authentic Japanese cuisine)
Included Activities
- Private airport transfer
- Welcome dinner at local izakaya
- Day 2
Tokyo
Start with Senso-ji Temple and walk through Nakamise Shopping Street in Asakusa. You'll participate in a traditional tea ceremony and try on a kimono, then head to the Samurai Museum to learn about Japan's warrior history.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to Senso-ji Temple
- Nakamise Shopping Street exploration
- Cultural walking tour
- Traditional tea ceremony
- Kimono-wearing experience
- Visit to Samurai Museum
Landmarks/POIs Senso-ji Temple Nakamise Shopping Street Samurai Museum - Day 3
Tokyo
Check out the digital art installations at teamLab Planets, then take the elevator up Tokyo Skytree for views across the entire city. After that, spend time exploring Shibuya and Harajuku neighborhoods, catching the action at Shibuya Crossing. By evening, you can choose between visiting a manga café or catching a robot show.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to teamLab Planets
- Tokyo Skytree visit
- Exploration of Shibuya neighborhood
- Exploration of Harajuku neighborhood
- Shibuya Crossing experience
Optional Activities
- Manga café experience
- High-energy robot show
Landmarks/POIs teamLab Planets Tokyo Skytree Shibuya Crossing - Day 4
Tokyo to Hakone
Head out early for a day trip to Mt. Fuji's 5th Station to see the iconic peak up close (weather depending). From there, continue to Hakone for a scenic cruise on Lake Ashi and ride the ropeway. Check into a traditional ryokan where you'll soak in hot spring baths and have a multi-course kaiseki dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Multi-course kaiseki dinner at ryokan)
Included Activities
- Mt. Fuji 5th Station visit
- Lake Ashi scenic cruise
- Hakone Ropeway ride
- Hot spring bath experience at ryokan
- Multi-course kaiseki dinner
Landmarks/POIs Mt. Fuji 5th Station Lake Ashi Hakone Ropeway - Day 5
Hakone to Kanazawa
Travel by bullet train to Kanazawa and visit Kenrokuen Garden, one of Japan's three most important gardens. Walk through the historic Samurai District, then stop by the Gold Leaf Museum to learn about the production process and try gold-leaf soft serve ice cream.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Bullet train travel to Kanazawa
- Visit to Kenrokuen Garden
- Historic Samurai District exploration
- Gold Leaf Museum visit
- Gold-leaf soft serve ice cream
Landmarks/POIs Kenrokuen Garden Samurai District Gold Leaf Museum - Day 6
Kanazawa
Spend the day with the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art and a traditional tea ceremony at a local teahouse. You'll have free time to explore local markets or crafts, and there's an option to try on a traditional samurai outfit if you're interested.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
- Traditional tea ceremony at teahouse
Optional Activities
- Exploration of local markets
- Crafts exploration
- Traditional samurai outfit try-on
Landmarks/POIs 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art - Day 7
Kanazawa to Kyoto
Board a scenic train to Kyoto and watch the countryside roll by. When you arrive, visit the historic Yasaka Shrine in the city center. Later, take a walk through Gion district where you can see traditional wooden houses and possibly catch glimpses of geisha.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Scenic train ride to Kyoto
- Visit to Yasaka Shrine
- Gion district walking tour
Optional Activities
- Private geisha dinner
- Traditional cultural performance
Landmarks/POIs Yasaka Shrine Gion District - Day 8
Kyoto
Start early at Fushimi Inari Shrine with its thousands of red torii gates. Head next to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and the nearby Monkey Park. Later in the day, you'll do a Zen meditation session at a local temple and have a traditional vegetarian Buddhist lunch.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Traditional vegetarian Buddhist lunch), Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to Fushimi Inari Shrine
- Arashiyama Bamboo Grove visit
- Monkey Park visit
- Zen meditation session at temple
- Traditional vegetarian Buddhist lunch
Landmarks/POIs Fushimi Inari Shrine Arashiyama Bamboo Grove Arashiyama Monkey Park - Day 9
Nara Day Trip
Take a day trip to Nara to see Todai-ji Temple and its Great Buddha. Spend time walking through Nara Deer Park where friendly deer roam freely, then check out Kasuga Taisha Shrine. You'll return to Kyoto by evening for a hands-on sushi-making class.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to Todai-ji Temple
- Nara Deer Park visit
- Kasuga Taisha Shrine exploration
- Sushi-making class in Kyoto
Landmarks/POIs Todai-ji Temple Nara Deer Park Kasuga Taisha Shrine - Day 10
Kyoto
This is your free day in Kyoto to explore however you like. In the evening, there's an optional street food crawl through Nishiki Market if you want to sample local flavors with the group.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Ikebana (flower arranging) class
- Matcha-making class in Uji
- Hike to mountaintop Kurama-dera temple
- Street food crawl through Nishiki Market
Landmarks/POIs Nishiki Market Kurama-dera Temple - Day 11
Kyoto to Hiroshima
Take the bullet train to Hiroshima and visit the Peace Memorial and Museum, a sobering look at the city's history. After that, catch a ferry to Miyajima Island to see the iconic floating Torii Gate. Try some Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki before heading to your accommodation.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki)
Included Activities
- Bullet train travel to Hiroshima
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Museum visit
- Ferry to Miyajima Island
- Itsukushima Shrine Torii Gate visit
- Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki experience
Landmarks/POIs Hiroshima Peace Memorial Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Itsukushima Shrine Torii Gate Miyajima Island - Day 12
Hiroshima to Osaka
Head to Osaka in the morning and check out the impressive Osaka Castle. Wander through Kuromon Market, then make your way to the lively Dotonbori district for street food tasting where you'll try local favorites like takoyaki and kushikatsu.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Osaka Castle visit
- Kuromon Market exploration
- Dotonbori street food tasting tour
Optional Activities
- Universal Studios Japan visit
Landmarks/POIs Osaka Castle Kuromon Market Dotonbori Universal Studios Japan - Day 13
Osaka
You have free time in Osaka for last-minute shopping or sightseeing. Consider taking an optional cooking class or visiting Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine if you want. That evening, gather with everyone for a farewell dinner with a photo slideshow and a parting gift.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Farewell dinner with photo slideshow and parting gift)
Included Activities
- Farewell dinner with photo slideshow and parting gift
Optional Activities
- Cooking class
- Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine visit
- Shopping
- Sightseeing
Landmarks/POIs Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine - Day 14
Departure
Depending on your flight schedule, you'll be transferred to either Kansai or Tokyo airport. The team will help with check-in and tax refunds if you need them. This marks the end of your trip through Japan.
Included Activities
- Airport transfer
- Check-in assistance
- Tax refund assistance
