9 Days Best of Japan Tour

Itinerary

Day 1: Tokyo
Konnichiwa! Welcome to Japan. Your adventure begins in Tokyo with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. Bursting with contemporary urban culture, Tokyo has many sides to explore, from fascinating museums and world-class shopping to neighbourhood backstreets lined with hole-in-the-wall eateries and bars. After your meeting tonight, you’ll head out for an included welcome dinner with your new trip leader and fellow travellers.

Accommodation
Hotel Gracery Asakusa (1 night)
Meals
Dinner
Included activities
Tokyo - Welcome dinner
Special information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Please note an arrival transfer is not included on this tour.

Day 2: Tokyo
This morning after breakfast at your hotel, you’ll head out for a leader-led walking tour of Asakusa – an area of Tokyo that retains the vibe of older Tokyo, lined with craft shops and street-food stalls. Asakusa’s main attraction is Sensoji Temple. You’ll explore this ancient Buddhist temple, the oldest and one of the most significant in the city and learn how it became independent from the Tendai sect of Buddhism after World War II. Then, head to a non-profit family-owned dojo boasting over 400 years of operation for an authentic samurai experience run by contemporary ninjas. Learn about the history and culture of Samurai, from a descendant of an original Samurai clan, see and touch real weaponry and try on some traditional costumes. Tonight, you’ll hop on a yakatabune (a traditional houseboat) for a dinner cruise down the Sumida River. Floating by some of Tokyo’s best sights, you’ll feast on teppanyaki and monjayaki (savoury pancake) and enjoy bottomless drinks.

Accommodation
Hotel Gracery Asakusa (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Dinner
Included activities
Tokyo - Authentic Samurai Experience
Tokyo - Sensoji Temple
Tokyo - Monja Boat Dinner Cruise

Day 3: Tokyo
This morning after breakfast, head out on a day trip to Kamakura – a small coastal town known for its historical treasures, sometimes called ‘the Kyoto of Eastern Japan’. See the sites with a unique mode of transport – a traditional rickshaw. Your knowledgeable driver (there are no wheels on this rickshaw, only your guide’s feet) will tell you all about the local history, the best spots to pick up some local favourites for lunch and maybe even take you to some secret spots along the way. See the Jufukuji Temple, the Eishoji Temple and Kawakita Film Museum. After, you’ll switch your guide’s feet for train tracks on a traditional Enoden ride – the electric railway that the Enoden travels on is the sixth oldest railway in all of Japan! This train will take you through some winding, narrow alleyways that no other train could ride through.

Accommodation
Hotel Gracery Asakusa (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Included activities
Tokyo - Kamakura Day Trip
Kamakura-Enoden Ride
Kamakura-Rickshaw Ride
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 2.5 hours.

Day 4: Yudanaka
This morning after breakfast, you’ll make the train journey to Yamanouchi – home of the famed snow monkeys who live at the Jigokudani Monkey Park. When you arrive, head to your Feature Stay to settle in – a traditional-style onsen (hot springs and the bathing facilities and inns that surround the springs). Head out on a group hike to the park. This is the only place in the world where monkeys bathe in hot springs! If the season’s right, you can watch the Japanese macaques (snow monkeys) bathing, pruning each other and relaxing in the steaming waters by the mountain. Back at the accommodation, maybe take a quick dip in the onsite hot springs, some overlooking the rolling greens of the mountain surroundings. Tonight, you’ll enjoy a group dinner at your accommodation of seasonal wild plants, fresh local vegetables and natural river fish from the Chikuma River nearby.

Accommodation
Issa no Komichi (Feature Stay) or similiar (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Dinner
Included activities
Yudanaka - Snow Monkey Park
Yudanaka - Onsen Experience
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.

Your luggage will be transferred today from Tokyo to Kanazawa. For your stay in Yudanaka you will take a overnight bag/backpack.
The snow monkeys are rarely seen during summer, so consider this when booking your travel time.

Day 5: Kanazawa
This morning after breakfast, take the train to Kanazawa, known for its well-preserved Edo-era districts, art museums, handicrafts, garden and castle. When you arrive, pick up some lunch, then you’ll visit Kenrokuen Garden – Japan’s most celebrated landscape garden, which began in the 17th century. This park is celebrated for its classic landscape designs that feature ponds and streams, promoting well-being, a clear mind and a connection to nature. After wandering through the garden, you’ll walk by the foot of the former Kanazawa Castle – this historic area was once a residential district for the city’s samurai. After exploring Nagamachi Samurai District and learning about the area’s past, continue exploring in the Higashi Chaya District – a small neighbourhood with teahouses, alleys and lots of shops and restaurants. Maybe ask your leader for recommendations on how to spend the late afternoon.

Accommodation
Intergate Kanazawa (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Included activities
Kanazawa - Kenrokuen Garden
Kanazawa - Samurai District Walking Tour
Kanazawa - Higashi Chaya District walking tour

Day 6: Kanazawa
After breakfast, you’ll continue exploring Kanazawa with a tour of Omicho Market – the hub of the local food culture, famous for its seafood and locally grown produce. With a local guide with all the insight into the region, the food and the market, you’ll wind your way through the stalls and learn how to spot the freshest ingredients. You’ll then choose some fish and vegetables for your lunchtime cooking class – then head back to your guide’s kitchen and learn some tips and tricks on how to cook a traditional Kanazawa meal. Sit down as a group and enjoy the fruits of your labour, before enjoying an afternoon at your leisure.

Accommodation
Intergate Kanazawa (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Included activities
Kanazawa - Market Visit and Home Cooking Experience

Day 7: Kyoto
Today, you’ll leave Kanazawa on the Thunderbird train, headed for Kyoto – once the capital of Japan, this city in Honshu is famous for its classic Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, gardens, imperial palaces and traditional architecture. When you arrive, you’ll head to Arashiyama – in the west, this area is a nationally designated Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty. Explore the Togetsu-kyo Bridge, the Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji Temple and Kameyama-koen Park on the hilltop. After some time for lunch, head to a townhouse for a hands-on workshop where you’ll learn how to make traditional Japanese confectionary, which are adorned with cute designs. Learn about mochi, dried sweets, fresh sweets and even make a matcha green tea to go with them!

Accommodation
Intergate Kyoto (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Included activities
Kyoto - Traditional Sweet Making Experience

Day 8: Kyoto
After breakfast this morning, visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine – known for the distinctly red tunnels of more than 10,000 vermilion torii gates that wind over the hills of Mount Inari. After, head to Nishiki Market, where you might like to grab a bite to eat from one of the hundred shops and restaurants that line this narrow shopping street. Your leader will know some of the best spots in the marketplace, so you don’t miss out on any must-try delights. Head to Gion, filled with shops, restaurants and teahouses. This area is a geisha district, meaning hostesses in colourful kimonos are often sighted on the Tatsumi Bridge and in the boutiques of Hanamikoji Street. Tonight, you’ll sit down for an included group dinner to say goodbye, share stories (and great photos) and celebrate a trip well-travelled.

Accommodation
Intergate Kyoto (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Dinner
Included activities
Kyoto - Fushimi Inari - Taisha
Kyoto - Nishiki market visit
Kyoto - Arashiyama Walking Tour

Day 9: Kyoto
With no activities planned today, your trip will come to an end. If you’d like to spend longer in Kyoto, just speak to your booking agent.

Meals
Breakfast

Inclusions
Meals
8 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 4 dinners

Transport
Train, Bus

Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights), Feature Stay (1 Night)

Premium Inclusions
Arrival airport transfer
Tipping for accommodation, activities and transport
Luggage transfer
Daily breakfast and signature local meal experiences
24/7 on-ground support
Activities
Tokyo - Welcome dinner
Tokyo - Authentic Samurai Experience
Tokyo - Sensoji Temple
Tokyo - Monja Boat Dinner Cruise
Tokyo - Kamakura Day Trip
Kamakura-Enoden Ride
Kamakura-Rickshaw Ride
Yudanaka - Snow Monkey Park
Yudanaka - Onsen Experience
Kanazawa - Kenrokuen Garden
Kanazawa - Samurai District Walking Tour
Kanazawa - Higashi Chaya District walking tour
Kanazawa - Market Visit and Home Cooking Experience
Kyoto - Traditional Sweet Making Experience
Kyoto - Fushimi Inari - Taisha
Kyoto - Nishiki market visit
Kyoto - Arashiyama Walking Tour