22/02/2020
Discover the wonders of Japan
on a 12 day tour all the country's highlights.
Day 1 - 2
Fly overnight to Tokyo which is Japan’s capital, for a two-night stay. Tokyo used to be a small fishing village believe it or not.
Once you arrive soak up the local culture.
Day 3
Head to the top of Tokyo Skytree for amazing views of the city. Next, visit and wander through Nakamise shopping street and Senso-ji Temple, one of Tokyo’s most colourful and popular temples. Then be amazed at the Imperial Palace.
Then for dinner enjoy a dinner cruise around Tokyo Bay.
Day 4
Next travel to Odawara via bullet train and take a boat trip on Ashi Lake and take in spectacular panoramas of this beautiful area before journeying up the Komagatake Ropeway for beautiful views back over the lake and Mt Fuji.
Day 5
Now travel to Nagano to explore the formidable 16th century Matsumoto Castle. Enjoy the amazing architecture of the Castle and enjoy the surrounding gardens
Then travel for just over 2 hours to Takayama, nestled high in the mountainous Hida region.
Day 6
Explore Takayama by wandering to the Miyagawa morning market and sample some of the region’s fruit and vegetables. Later you will visit traditional houses and local museums. These include Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall, Kusakabe Folk Museum and the Takayama Jinya.
Also the shopping streets date back to the 17th century.
Day 7
Explore the UNESCO World Heritage listed village, Shirakawago, famous for its traditional farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old.
Then head to Kanazawa. On arrival then wander through the beautiful Kenroku-en, one of the ‘Three Great Gardens of Japan’.
Day 8
Stroll down the traditional Higashi Chaya (Eastern Teahouse District), visiting Ochaya Shima, a historical geisha house. Then travel about 4 hours to Kyoto, Japan’s ancient capital.
Day 9
Explore Kyoto as it was the capital for a thousand years. Today it is the legacy of ancient Japan, full of tranquil temples, silk-clad geisha and sublime gardens.
In the morning goto a Japanese wooden townhouse and try yourself at doing origami and marvel at the rituals of a tea ceremony.
Day 10
Visit the wonderful Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its thousands of orange torii gates and is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Then travel to Nara a sweet little town, home to much early art and architecture, you will stroll through Nara Park to Todai-ji Temple where you will meet the resident Sika deer. Then go on to explore Isui-en Gardens.
Day 11
Travel to the holy mountain of Koyasan which is home to a cluster of over a hundred monasteries nestled in a valley enclosed by peaks which is said to represent a lotus flower.
Explore Kongobu-ji Temple and the Garan Temple complex.
Then wonder at a vast forest cemetery of 200,000 stupas in Okunoin.
Day 12
Visit the famous Osaka Castle in the morning before taking a stroll around the Dotonbori district which is a restaurant mecca. Then go on a 20-minute cruise down the Yodogawa River. Then in the evening have a farewell dinner before flying home the next day.