Upon arrival at airport in Japan, you will be warmly met by a representative, who will provide assistance and transfer to your accommodation to check-in. (Transfer approx: 60 – 90 minutes).

Activities:

• The remainder of your day is at leisure.

Overnight: Tokyo

Activities:

• Days at Leisure.

Overnight: Tokyo – (B)

Activities:

• Take a day tour of this fascinating city with a local guide, making use of Tokyo’s comprehensive and user friendly public transport system.
• The day begins with a visit to Meiji Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deified spirit of Emperor Meiji and a popular place for traditional Japanese weddings.
• Take a walk down Omotesando shopping street, a broad tree lined avenue home to the flagship stores of the world’s top fashion brands.
• Head across town to Asakusa, Tokyo’s old town where you can soak in the atmosphere of the Tokyo of old.
• Visit Sensoji, Tokyo’s oldest temple and wander down Nakamise, a shopping street that has been providing temple visitors with a variety of traditional, local snacks and tourist souvenirs for centuries.
• Take a boat cruise on the Sumida River passing under 12 bridges.
• Disembark in Hamarikyu garden, an Edo Period Japanese garden surrounded by the Shiodome district’s futuristic skyscrapers, a great example of how Japan is the land of contrasts, where you will stop for a cup of steaming matcha and Japanese sweets in a tea house on a small island in the park’s lake.
• We have included a Japan Rail Pass 7 Days (Standard Class) that you can start using from today. Your guide will help you with the exchange of the vouchers.

Overnight: Tokyo – (B)

Activities:

• The world’s largest fish market, Tsukiji Market handles about 2,888 tons of marine products a day worth about 2.8 billion yen (US$20 million). Some 450 kinds of fish are received; from penny-per-piece sardines to golden brown dried sea slug caviar, a bargain at US$473 a pound. Some of the giant tuna go for well over 1,000,000 JPY each (US$8000). Take time to wander through this enormous market, exploring both the vegetable and fruit areas plus the impressive seafood section. There may also be an opportunity to see a complete tuna being cut and filleted.
• You will then visit a typical Japanese home.
• Your guide will answer all your questions about Japanese culture and everyday life in Tokyo during the transfer by public transportation.
• Learn to prepare maki sushi (rolled sushi), gunkan maki (sushi rice wrapped with a strip of seaweed and topped with soft ingredients), and nigiri sushi (sushi rice topped with a slice of raw fish). You will then get to enjoy your home made sushi for lunch.
• The afternoon is at your leisure.

Overnight: Tokyo – (B, L)

Activities:

• Travel on your own by train to Hakone, the gateway to the Mt Fuji region. Make your own way to Tokyo station from where you will ride the bullet train to Odawara. Armed with your Hakone Pass, take advantage of the extensive local transport network to explore this stunning region.
• A majestic replica pirate ship will sweep you across the volcanic Lake Ashi, so deep that it never freezes over in the winter.
• You can also ride switchback trains, ropeways and buses to get around to explore some of the museums, shrines, and shops scattered around the area.
• Make your own way to your ryokan. Tonight you will stay in a Japanese traditional ryokan, sleeping on futons laid out on tatami mats with delicious included meals and piping hot onsen (hot spring) baths.

Overnight: Hakone – (B, D)

Activities:

• Today you will ride Japan’s world famous Shinkansen bullet train to Kyoto. Capable of speeds of up to 185 mph (360 km/hr), the Shinkansen takes 2 hours to reach Kyoto. Make your own way to and from the station.
• This afternoon you will have the opportunity to experience Japanese culture hands-on. You can choose between one of the following two activities: Home Visit with Cultural Experience Or Japanese Cooking in Machiya Townhouse.

* Please inform us on moment of booking which activity you would like to do. Note that the whole group has to follow the same activity.

Overnight: Kyoto – (B, D) (Dinner included in Cooking Lesson Activity)

Activities:

• Today you explore the former imperial capital with a knowledgeable local guide, utilizing Kyoto’s comprehensive bus system to visit some of Kyoto’s World Heritage Sites.
• You will start your day with a visit to Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion), which was originally built as a retirement villa for the Shogun. After his death it became a Buddhist Temple at his request, and is now one of Kyoto’s most famous temples.
• Nijo Castle is an ornamental castle was built by the founder of the Edo Shogunate as his Kyoto residence and is surrounded by stunning surrounding gardens. The main building was completed in 1603, and is famous for its architecture, decorated sliding doors and ‘chirping’ nightingale floors.
• Take a walk down Nishiki Market, a narrow, five block long shopping street lined by more than one hundred shops and restaurants. Known as “Kyoto’s Kitchen”, this lively retail market specializes in all things food related, like fresh seafood, produce, knives and cookware, and is a great place to find seasonal foods and Kyoto specialties, such as Japanese sweets, pickles, dried seafood and sushi.
• Final stop today is Kiyomizu (Pure Water) Temple. From the 13 m high veranda jutting out from the Main Hall you can enjoy amazing views of the whole of Kyoto, whilst pondering the fact that both the Main Hall and Veranda were built without the use of nails or any kind of joiners.

Overnight: Kyoto – (B)

Activities:

• Transfer from your hotel to Nara by train (45 min) with a local guide. For 74 years during the 8th century Nara was Japan’s capital and many of the temples and shrines built at that time still remain.
• Visit Todaiji temple, the world’s largest wooden building and home to Japan’s largest Buddha.
• Next stop is Nara’s most celebrated shrine, Kasuga Taisha, established in 768 AD and famous for its hundreds of bronze and stone lanterns which have been donated by worshipers.
• Take a wander through Nara Park, called Deer park by locals due to the large population of more than 1,000 tame deer living there.
• On the way back from Nara, visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, which was used in the movie Memoirs of a Geisha. It is home to over 10,000 red tori gates, which form a path up the mountain behind the temple.

Overnight: Kyoto – (B)

Activities:

• Today you will go back to Tokyo. Make your own way to Kyoto station from where you will ride the bullet train to Tokyo station. Upon arrival, make your own way to your hotel.
• The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Overnight: Tokyo – (B)

Activities:

• Your day is free until your included shared transfer to Narita Airport (60-90 minutes).