Itinerary
- Day 1
Tokyo
You'll clear customs and head to your hotel via shared shuttle bus. The rest of the day is free, and you'll get tour details in the afternoon.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Shinagawa Prince Hotel)
- Day 2
Tokyo
A five-hour guided city tour takes you through Tokyo's neighborhoods, hitting Zojoji Temple, Shibuya Crossing, Meiji Shrine, Omotesando Avenue, the Imperial Palace, and Sensoji Temple in Asakusa. You'll then go to Tokyo Skytree for panoramic views. Later, the subway takes you to Shinjuku for a guided walk and dinner at a local restaurant before heading back to your hotel.
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner (Local restaurant dinner)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Shinagawa Prince Hotel)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Tokyo (approximately five hours)
- Visit to Zojoji Temple
- Visit to Shibuya Crossing
- Visit to Meiji Shrine
- Tour along Omotesando Avenue
- Exploration of Imperial Palace and gardens
- Visit to Nijubashi Bridge
- Drive through Akihabara
- Tokyo Skytree visit with admission included
- Exploration of Sensoji Temple and Nakamise Street in Asakusa
- Evening walk through Shinjuku district
Landmarks/POIs Zojoji Temple Tokyo Tower Shibuya Crossing Meiji Shrine Omotesando Avenue Imperial Palace Nijubashi Bridge Akihabara Tokyo Skytree Sensoji Temple Nakamise Street Shinjuku - Day 3
Tokyo to Hiroshima - Miyajima
After breakfast, you'll take the bullet train to Hiroshima, about four hours and 800 kilometers away. You'll walk through Peace Memorial Park, see the Atomic Bomb Dome, and check out the Peace Memorial Museum. A ferry gets you to Itsukushima Shrine on the island, where you can explore the shrine and village. You'll have time for lunch there, then return to Hiroshima for dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Candeo Hatchobori), Hotel (Hilton Hiroshima)
Included Activities
- Guided exploration of Peace Memorial Park
- Visit to Atomic Bomb Dome
- Visit to Peace Memorial Museum
- Ferry to Itsukushima Shrine
- Visit to Itsukushima Shrine
Landmarks/POIs Peace Memorial Park Atomic Bomb Dome Peace Memorial Museum Itsukushima Shrine - Day 4
Hiroshima to Matsuyama - Shikoku Island
A ferry takes you to Shikoku Island for about two and a half hours. In Matsuyama, you'll ride a cable car up to the castle, then visit Ishiteji, a Buddhist temple and pilgrimage site. After lunch at a local restaurant, you'll head to Dogo Onsen, a traditional 19th-century bathhouse.
- Meals
- Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Ana Crowne Plaza Matsuyama)
Included Activities
- Ferry journey to Shikoku Island
- Cable car ride to Matsuyama Castle
- Visit to Matsuyama Castle
- Visit to Ishiteji Temple
- Admission to Dogo Onsen
Landmarks/POIs Matsuyama Castle Ishiteji Temple Dogo Onsen - Day 5
Shikoku - Kotohira - Takamatsu - Naruto - Kobe
You'll climb 785 steps on Mount Zosu to reach a Shinto shrine for sailors in Kotohira. In Takamatsu, you can walk through Ritsurin, one of Japan's most beautiful gardens. After lunch, you'll head to Naruto to cross a sea bridge and walk on its glass floor 45 meters above powerful whirlpools. Then scenic island bridges lead you to Kobe for the night.
- Meals
- Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit to Kotohira Shrine
- Climbing of 785 steps on Mount Zosu
- Visit to Ritsurin Garden
- Exploration of Naruto Bridge
- Walk on glass floor of Naruto Bridge to view sea whirlpools
Landmarks/POIs Kotohira Shrine Ritsurin Garden Naruto Bridge - Day 6
Kobe - Mount Koya
You'll start at the Earthquake Memorial Museum in Kobe, then travel to Mount Koya, home to 120 temples and monasteries and the heart of Shingon Buddhism. You'll see Okuno Mausoleum with over 200,000 graves and visit Kongobuji Temple from 1593. Staying at a Buddhist monastery, monks lead a Zen meditation practice, and vegetarian dinner is included. You can optionally attend the religious ceremony before breakfast.
- Meals
- Dinner (Vegetarian meal)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Monasterio Hojoin)
Included Activities
- Visit to Earthquake Memorial Museum in Kobe
- Visit to Okuno Mausoleum
- Visit to Kongobuji Temple
- Zen meditation practice (Ajikan) led by monks
Optional Activities
- Attendance at religious temple ceremony before breakfast
Landmarks/POIs Okuno Mausoleum Kongobuji Temple - Day 7
Mount Koya to Kyoto
After a traditional Japanese breakfast at the temple, you'll head early to Kyoto, Japan's capital from 794 to 1868. You'll see Fushimi Inari Shrine, the Imperial Palace, and Kinkaku-ji Temple with its gardens. Later, you'll spend time in Gion, a traditional district known for Geisha culture, with extra time to soak in the atmosphere.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Traditional Japanese breakfast at temple)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (New Miyako Hotel)
Included Activities
- Traditional Japanese breakfast at temple
- Visit to Fushimi Inari Shrine
- Visit to Imperial Palace in Kyoto
- Visit to Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion)
- Exploration of Gion traditional district
Landmarks/POIs Fushimi Inari Shrine Imperial Palace of Kyoto Kinkaku-ji Temple Gion - Day 8
Kyoto to Kanazawa
After breakfast, you'll travel along one of Japan's largest lakes and stop at Shirahige Ginra, a small shrine by the water. Next is Eihei-ji, a temple-monastery founded in 1244 and a center of Zen Buddhism. In Katsuyama, you'll visit the Dinosaur Museum at Japan's largest fossil site with over 40 dinosaur skeletons and free time for lunch. You'll see the Great Buddha of Echizen and climb the five-story pagoda for panoramic views, then arrive in Kanazawa by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to Shirahige Ginra Shrine
- Visit to Eihei-ji Temple-Monastery
- Visit to Dinosaur Museum in Katsuyama
- Visit to Great Buddha of Echizen
- Visit to temple with five-story pagoda
- Climbing of five-story pagoda
Landmarks/POIs Shirahige Ginra Shrine Eihei-ji Temple Dinosaur Museum Great Buddha of Echizen - Day 9
Kanazawa
You'll spend the full day in Kanazawa, a city that once rivaled Kyoto and Tokyo and escaped WWII destruction. A guided morning tour covers the castle area and its walls, the Nagamachi neighborhood where samurai families lived, and Kenrokuen, one of Japan's three most beautiful gardens. The day ends at Omicho, a lively traditional market with lunch options. The afternoon is yours to explore.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided city tour of Kanazawa
- Visit to castle area
- Exploration of Nagamachi neighborhood
- Admission to Kenrokuen Garden
- Visit to Omicho traditional market
Landmarks/POIs Kanazawa Castle Nagamachi neighborhood Kenrokuen Garden Omicho Market - Day 10
Kanazawa to Takayama - Gokayama - Shirakawago
You'll travel through mountain landscapes, forests, and traditional villages in the UNESCO World Heritage regions of Gokayama and Shirakawago. These villages have traditional houses with steep roofs designed for heavy winter snow. You'll stop in Ainokura and larger Shirakawa-go Ogimachi with time to walk and have lunch. Then it's the Hida Folk Village Museum, an open-air museum with over 30 relocated Edo Period houses and traditional tools, followed by the old town with its wooden buildings and shops.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit to Ainokura village
- Visit to Shirakawa-go Ogimachi village
- Admission to Hida Folk Village Museum
- Exploration of traditional Edo Period houses
- Exploration of old town with wooden houses and shops
Landmarks/POIs Ainokura Village Shirakawa-go Ogimachi Hida Folk Village Museum - Day 11
Takayama to Tokyo - Hida Furukawa - Matsumoto
After breakfast, you'll stroll through the old town of Hida Furukawa and visit a museum showcasing the UNESCO-declared Intangible Cultural Heritage festival. You'll cross the scenic Japanese Alps before reaching Matsumoto to see the Crow Castle from the 16th century. Free time allows for lunch and exploring the town before you head back to Tokyo, arriving by day's end.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Shinagawa Prince Hotel)
Included Activities
- Stroll through Hida Furukawa old town
- Admission to Hida Furukawa festival museum
- Visit to Matsumoto Castle
Landmarks/POIs Hida Furukawa Matsumoto Castle - Day 12
Tokyo
After breakfast, your journey ends here with lasting memories of Japan.
- Meals
- Breakfast
