Unforgettable Japan and Kyushu

Day 1 Tokyo

Welcome to Japan!

On arrival, please make your own way from the airport to your hotel.

Your journey through this magical land of contrasts begins in Tokyo, a bustling metropolis known for its unique blend of tradition and modernity. As Japan’s capital, Tokyo offers an endless array of culinary delights. Indulge in its renowned street food such as yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), tempura (battered and deep-fried seafood and vegetables), or Tokyo-style ramen (rich and flavorful noodle soup). Explore the vibrant neighborhoods and savor the diverse food culture that makes Tokyo a paradise for food enthusiasts.

With friendly locals, it’s the perfect welcome to this lovely country.

Our tour will begin with a visit to Meiji Shrine, located within a 170 acre forest in the centre of the city. Constructed of cypress wood and copper, the shrine commemorates Emperor Meiji, Japan’s 122nd emperor, who presided over Japan’s industrial revolution and emergence onto the world stage.

We will then visit the Tokyo Skytree. Open since May 2012, the Skytree is a television and radio broadcast site, and contains a restaurant and two viewing platforms. At 634m, it's among the tallest structures in the world. Our entry ticket includes access to Floor350, giving us a birdseye view over the sprawling city.

Next we visit Asakusa district, and the Sensō-ji Temple. This is Tokyo’s oldest temple, and it's dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy. On the approach to Sensō-ji is Nakamise Shopping Street, a centuries-old promenade of shops selling traditional snacks and souvenirs like kimonos and bottles of saké.

We also spend some time exploring the grounds of the Imperial Palace. Here, we view the two bridges that form one of the entrances to the inner palace grounds. The current Imperial Palace is home to Japan's Imperial Family and is located in the former site of Edo Castle, surrounded by an imposing stone wall and moat system. 

Inspiring Highlights
 

• Meiji Shrine
• Tokyo Skytree
• Sensō-ji Temple
• Imperial Palace

Day 6 Takayama

Today is a full free day in Takayama. Be sure to ask your guide for their recommendations on must-see spots around the city.

Before leaving Takayama this morning we'll tour Kamisannomachi Street in Takayama’s Old Town, a wonderfully well-preserved slice of old Japan, with houses and shops dating back to the Edo period (1600-1868). As well as the charming architecture, there are several quaint cafés and a number of old saké breweries to explore.

We'll then travel to Shirakawa-gō Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has more than 100 'Gassho-style' houses, which feature steeply-pitched roofs. Built many hundreds of years ago, these historic houses stand together in a beautiful natural setting. Enjoy exploring this unique village with its thatched-roof houses sitting among gorgeous mountain scenery, and taking some time to have lunch.

Following this we will transfer to Kanazawa. On arrival we will take a brief tour around Higashi Chaya District, a beautifully preserved and picturesque historical area of Kanazawa.

Inspiring Highlights
 

• Takayama’s Old Town
• Shirakawa-gō Village
• Higashi Chaya District

Special information 

Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours. Today is a long travel day and we will arrive at our hotel at approximately 5pm.

This morning, after breakfast, we’ll visit the stunning Kenrokuen Garden – one of the most beautiful in Japan. Developed over more than 200 years, starting in 1620, the garden contains almost 9000 trees and 200 plant species.

We also visit Nomura Samurai House, the historic residence of the Nomura Samurai clan. The intriguing house and grounds provide an insight into the lifestyle of the samurai, or military nobility, during the 16-19th centuries. The residence features beautiful architecture, gardens and décor, such as intricately painted screen doors.

After a break for lunch at one of Japan's high quality service stops, we’ll transfer by coach from Kanazawa to Kyoto. Upon arrival in Kyoto, the rest of the day is yours to spend at leisure.

Inspiring Highlights
 

• Kenrokuen Garden
• Nomura Samurai House

Special information 

Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

This morning, after breakfast, we'll drive-by Heian-jingū (Heian Shinto Shrine) on our way to visit Kinkaku-ji Temple, otherwise known as the Golden Pavilion. This is a Zen temple and a UNESCO World Heritage Site with two floors covered entirely in thin layers of pure gold. The site is set within a beautiful classical Zen garden. The detailed architecture of Kinkaku-ji incorporates three distinct architectural styles – Shinden, Samurai, and Zen. We then travel the short distance to Nara for lunch at leisure.

Following this we'll wander through gorgeous Nara Park, where more than 1200 tame sika deer roam freely. We then visit Tōdai-ji (Great Eastern Temple), famed for its Great Buddha Hall, which remains one of the largest wooden buildings in the world. This impressive building houses a 15m-tall bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana. 

Back in Kyoto, you have the evening to yourself

Inspiring Highlights
 

• Tōdai-ji
• Kinkaku-ji Temple
• Heian Shinto Shrine

Special information 

Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.

After breakfast we begin a full-day coach tour of Kyoto. Our first stop will be Arashiyama, a stunning area known for its thick bamboo forest, which is also designated by the Japanese government as a Place of Scenic Beauty. Today's lunch will be in Arashiyama. 

Next we'll visit magnificent Fushimi Inari Shrine. Famous for its thousands of vermilion torii (shrine gates), which straddle a network of trails behind its main temples, the Fushimi Inari Shrine is incredibly photogenic. The trails lead into the forest of the sacred Mount Inari, which stands at 233m and belongs to the shrine grounds. Fushimi Inari is the most important of several thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. 

Following our tour we'll depart Kyoto and head to Osaka, where we'll check into our hotel and spend the evening relaxing.

Inspiring Highlights
 

• Arashiyama
• Fushimi Inari Shrine.

Special information 

Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.

Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Osaka Garden Palace or Similar

Day 12 Osaka| Himeji| Hiroshima

After breakfast we'll depart Osaka to visit the so-called 'White Heron Castle', Himeji – it's the largest surviving example of a traditional Japanese castle. Comprising 83 buildings, the white roof of this UNESCO World Heritage-listed complex is said to evoke the wings of a heron taking flight, hence the popular name Shirasagi-jō (White Heron Castle). This is the most visited castle in Japan and the site offers some wonderful views of surrounding Himeji city. We will have time in Hemeji for lunch around the castle area. 

After our visit here we'll transfer to our hotel in Hiroshima via Fukuyama. 

• Inspiring Highlights
  Himeji Castle

Special information 

Today your main luggage will remain at the hotel in Osaka to meet you upon your return in two days time. Please ensure you have an overnight bag packed for your two evenings in Hiroshima.

Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours.

Day 13 Hiroshima| Miyajima| Hiroshima

After breakfast this morning our guide will meet us in the hotel lobby. Together we'll board a ferry for the short trip to Miyajima, an island known for its forests and ancient temples. Just offshore, there's a 'floating' torii, which becomes partially submerged at high tide. It marks the entrance to the Itsukushima Shrine, which was first built in the 12th century. Nearby, the Museum of History and Folklore has cultural artifacts in a 19th-century merchant's home. We’ll take a walk along Omotesando Shopping Street where you can grab some lunch before returning to Hiroshima by ferry.

Once we're back in Hiroshima we'll visit the Atomic Bomb Dome, otherwise known as the Genbaku Dome, or the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. A shell of a building that was one of very few left standing after the United States bombed Hiroshima in 1945. In Hiroshima today, locals have mixed feelings about the UNESCO World Heritage-listed structure: some see it as a reminder of war, while others consider it a tribute to the lost that ensures we'll never forget the tragic events that took place here.

Later, we'll visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which contains many poignant, yet important, exhibits. The flame in the cenotaph is intended to burn until the last nuclear weapon has been destroyed.

Inspiring Highlights
 

• Miyajima Island
• Itsukushima Shrine
• Miyajima Museum of History and Folklore
• Atomic Bomb Dome
• Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

Special information 

Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours

This morning, after breakfast, we'll depart Hiroshima via the bullet train to Shin-Osaka Station. Upon arrival in Osaka we'll begin a coach tour with our guide, passing Osaka Castle, which played a major role in the unification of Japan during the Azuchi-Momoyama period in the 16th century.

After arriving at the Dōtonbori area, we will have a walk through one of Japan’s typical downtowns. One of Osaka's most popular tourist destinations, this street runs parallel to the Dōtonbori canal and is a hugely popular destination for shopping, street food, bars and entertainment. At night, the streets here are illuminated by hundreds of colourful neon lights and mechanised signs, including the famous running Glico Man sign and the Kani Doraku crab sign.

Inspiring Highlights
 

• Osaka Castle
• Dōtonbori area

Special information 

Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours

Today is a full free day in Osaka to spend at your leisure. Be sure to ask your guide for recommendations on great places to see and eat.

This evening we’ll enjoy dinner as a group at a local restaurant.

Inspiring Highlights

• Shinkansen Bullet Train

Special information

Total travel time today is approximately 4hrs

Start the day with a half-day guided tour of Beppu, including a visit to the famous "Hells of Beppu," a group of geothermal hot springs and bubbling mud pools. You might like to try some Jigoku Mushi, a traditional way of cooking using the heat from the hot springs. Return to Beppu in the afternoon for time at leisure.

Inspiring Highlights

• Geothermal Hot Springs

This morning you will have free time to explore Beppu. In the afternoon, take a 1.5-hour train ride to Yufuin. Check into your traditional ryokan, the Yufuin Iyotomi, and enjoy dinner at the hotel. This evening, you might wish to experience the onsen at your ryokan.

Inspiring Highlights

• Ryokan Onsen

Special information

Total travel time today is approximately 2 hours

After breakfast, take a 2.5-hour train ride to Fukuoka. Check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day at your leisure exploring the city or relaxing in your hotel. Fukuoka, Kyushu’s largest city, is a haven for food-lovers and the Hakata ramen is a dish not to be missed. Fukuoka is a laid-back and friendly city and is easy to explore with your Japan Rail pass.

Special information

Total travel time today is approximately 3 hours

Enjoy a guided day tour of Dazaifu, a historic town just outside Fukuoka. Visit Dazaifu Tenmangu, a famous Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of learning and scholarship, and the nearby Kyushu National Museum, which showcases the history and culture of the region. After Dazaifu, embark on a river cruise on the Yanagawa River, where you can enjoy a boat trip accompanied by the Funauta boatman's song, while taking in the beautiful scenery of each season.

Your return train ticket to Dazaifu is included.

Back in Fukuoka, spend your last evening in Japan at leisure. We recommend dining at a yatai, temporary restaurants that spring up and serve all kinds of delicious and inexpensive food options.

Inspiring Highlights
 

• Dazaifu Tenmangu - Shinto shrine
• Kyushu National Museum
• Yanagawa River Cruise

Special information

Total travel time today is approximately 1hr