Highlights of Japan Tour

Tour Itinerary

• DAY 1: TOKYO.

  Check in at tour accommodation in central Tokyo where your guide will welcome you. A tour briefing at a local restaurant will be followed by an evening stroll through Ginza, Tokyo’s upmarket shopping and entertainment district.
  Dinner at a Japanese style restaurant is included.
  Accommodation: Western style hotel.

• DAY 2: TOKYO.

  Our tour of Tokyo begins with a morning visit to Asakusa Sensoji, the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo. The approach to the complex is along a lively shopping street, Nakamisedori, lined with many souvenir and food stalls. In the afternoon, we visit the fascinating and informative Tokyo Edo Museum followed by a walk to Nihonbashi bridge – the starting point for the five historic roads, including the Nakasendo. From there, we head to the Imperial Palace gardens. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore this dynamic city further. Your guide will be available to offer advice.
  Breakfast is included.
  Accommodation: Western style hotel.

• DAY 3: TOKYO-KAMAKURA-TOKYO.

  A train from Tokyo to Kitakamakura takes us to the beginning of our walk along forest trails to Hase in Kamakura, the military capital of Japan between the late 12th and 14th centuries. Here we visit the famous Big Buddha, or Daibutsu – a huge bronze cast statue dating back to the 13th century. We end the day with a visit to Tokyo’s only hot springs for a relaxing soak before dinner.
  Breakfast is included.
  Accommodation: Western style hotel.

• DAY 4: TOKYO-HAKONE-TOKYO.

  Today we visit Hakone, a former post town on the ancient Tokaido highway. We walk along a section of the old road, past 400 year old cryptomeria trees, and visit a reconstructed barrier station where we can see how traffic on the Tokaido was controlled in the days of shoguns and samurai. A boat ride across Lake Ashi leads us to a series of ropeway gondolas up over the top of Mt Hakone. On a clear day, spectacular views of Mt Fuji can be had from here. Our circular course eventually takes us back to our hotel in the late afternoon.
  Breakfast is included.
  Accommodation: Western style hotel.

• DAY 5: TOKYO-NARAI.

  This morning, we take trains from Tokyo to Narai, a wonderful example of an historic post town, for our second hike of the tour. We walk along part of the ancient Nakasendo highway, climbing through peaceful forests over the Torii Pass to neighbouring Yabuhara post town and return to Narai in time for dinner. Our accommodation this evening is a beautiful inn that has been in the same family for several generations. Here we enjoy an elaborate meal made with delicious local produce.
  Walking distance: 7 km (4.3 miles).
  Breakfast and dinner are included.
  Accommodation: Japanese inn.
  Our main luggage is sent ahead from Tokyo to Kyoto by courier service. We keep a few overnight essentials to be carried on days 5 & 6.

• DAY 6: NARAI – TSUMAGO.

  Our third hike of the tour is a 23 km (14.2 mile) walk on the Nakasendo along the Kiso Valley. Our path takes us through quiet villages, surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery. In the afternoon, we arrive in the charmingly preserved post town of Tsumago. Dinner at our historic inn is followed by a visit to the local onsen (hot spring) nestled in the mountains for a well-deserved soak.
  Walking distance: 23 km (14.2 miles)
  Breakfast and dinner are included.
  Accommodation: Japanese inn.

• DAY 7: TSUMAGO – KYOTO.

  Using Japan’s excellent rail network, including a ride on a Shinkansen bullet train, we arrive in the old imperial capital, Kyoto. Here we start our tour of some of the city’s many must-see gardens and temples, including Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) and Ryoanji.
  Breakfast and dinner are included.
  Accommodation: Western style hotel.

• DAY 8: KYOTO – NARA – KYOTO.

  This morning we learn about the complex art of the tea ceremony under the guidance of a professional tea master. After lunch, we take the train to the ancient capital of Nara. A walk through a park, where deer wander freely, takes us to Todaiji temple, the symbol of this historic city. Inside the temple – which is thought to be the largest wooden building in the world – is a spectacular giant bronze Buddha statue dating from the 8th century. We return to Kyoto in time for dinner.
  Breakfast is included.
  Accommodation: Western style hotel.

• DAY 9: KYOTO.

  Today is a free day where you are at leisure to explore Kyoto further. Your guide will, as always, be available for advice and assistance.
  Breakfast is included.
  Accommodation: Western style hotel.

• DAY 10: KYOTO – HIROSHIMA AND MIYAJIMA.

  A bullet train takes us to Hiroshima, a city which has risen dramatically from the ashes of the 1945 atomic bomb. Here we visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and park. In the afternoon we travel the short distance to the sacred island of Miyajima. This island, with its iconic floating torii gate and shrine, is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  Breakfast is included.
  Accommodation: Western style hotel.

• DAY 11: HIROSHIMA – NAGASAKI.

  The bullet train passes under the Kammon straits, separating the islands of Honshu and Kyushu, as we speed on our way to Nagasaki. We stop for lunch at the fish market in Shimonoseki. We reach Nagasaki in time for some light sightseeing before dinner.
  Breakfast is included.
  Accommodation: Western style hotel.

• DAY 12: NAGASAKI.

  After breakfast, we begin our tour of Nagasaki, an historic port that was once the main entry point for foreigners into Japan. We visit Dejima, the island once used to segregate Portugese residents and later Dutch workers from the Japanese population. We also wander around the city’s Chinatown and Glover gardens, a beautiful park where the houses of 19th century foreign merchants are now sited. The rest of the afternoon is free.
  Breakfast is included.
  Accommodation: Western style hotel.

• DAY 13: NAGASAKI – TOKYO.

  After breakfast, we start our return journey back to Tokyo by train, including bullet train from Hakata station, arriving there in the late afternoon. The rest of the day is free for your enjoyment.
  Breakfast is included.
  Accommodation: Western style hotel.

• DAY 14: TOKYO. END.

  The tour ends after breakfast. Your guide will be on hand to help with airport transfers and onward travel plans.
  Breakfast is included.

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This itinerary is subject to change.