Essence of Japan

Arrival

Welcome to Tokyo - the ultramodern and the traditional at the same time capital of Japan! Your driver meets you at the arrivals hall and transfer you to your hotel.

Upon arrival at the hotel, you check in and have the rest of the day at leisure to relax after your trip or start exploring the vibrant city on your own.

Best of Tokyo Tour

In the morning, you meet your private guide and start your first half-day tour of Tokyo. 

First, you see from the outside the incredible Imperial Palace to get a taste of Japanese culture. Notably, The Imperial Palace has served as the residential place of successive Emperors since 1868.

Then you have a visit to the Tokyo Sky Tree, a television broadcasting tower, and the tallest structure in Japan. Its observation decks offering spectacular views over Tokyo are the highlights of the tower. You visit the deck located at the height of 350 meters (1148 feet), so make sure to have your camera and phone charged!

After that, you will visit Asakusa Temple, the oldest temple in Tokyo, and learn the legend of how this temple was built. The temple is known to bring good luck in almost anything, so make sure to make a wish! Here you can feel the traditional Japanese culture the moment you step onto the temple grounds. After the tour, you return to your hotel.

Diverse Tokyo Discovery: Meiji Shrine, Harajuku & Shibuya

Your first stop is Meiji Shrine. Located near Harajuku station and Yoyogi Park, this shrine is popular among travelers. In addition to its vast size, it includes a gorgeous, serene forest surrounding the sacred approach to the shrine. Meiji Jingu Shrine gives you the opportunity to experience a peaceful atmosphere in the heart of Tokyo, the largest city in the world. Then you visit Harajuku. Since Harajuku has its own charm, you can fully immerse yourself in the Japanese atmosphere and fully appreciate the surrounding.

The next stop on the itinerary is Shibuya, Tokyo's paradise for shoppers. Despite the abundance of stores, it's probably best known for its crosswalk. As soon as the traffic lights turn red, pedestrians are free to roam wherever they like. Moreover, it is a symbol of modern Japan and of Tokyo itself: action in all directions. People are constantly pouring across the street from all directions, three huge television screens mounted on the buildings flash all day, and the area is covered with lights. The intersection is a popular filming location for movies, and it has appeared in the films Lost in Translation and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, as well as numerous music videos and newscasts. Hence, this is one of the things that travelers can experience only in Japan. 

Before returning to your hotel, you explore Ginza, Japan's premier shopping, dining, and entertainment district, which has one of the most expensive real estate in all of Japan.

Departure from Tokyo

Today in the morning private guide/driver will meet you at the hotel lobby and takes you to an amazing trip to Hakone!

Hakone Shrine & Ashi Lake Cruise

Upon arrival at Odawara Station, together with your guide, you get to the hotel in Hakone and continue your exploration of Hakone Shrine. This day is full of amazing scenery and iconic views, so make sure to have your cameras and phones charged.

One of the classic images of Japan is the red shrine gates floating on the water with Mt. Fuji in the background. This is the Hakone Shrine, which you have a chance to see today, a place of history, culture, and tradition.

The high peaks of Hakone have been worshipped for thousands of years as a place where the souls of the dead would go to travel to the next world, for this reason, several shrines were established on the surrounding peaks and later combined at the Hakone Shrine, founded over a century ago. Hakone Shrine played an important role in the history of Japan, which you have a chance to discover during your visit. 

Then you enjoy a cruise on Ashi Lake. The lake was formed in the caldera of Mount Hakone after the volcano's last eruption 3000 years ago. Today, the lake with Mount Fuji in the background is the symbol of Hakone. The cruise gives you an opportunity to take in the best views of Mount Fuji and the lake.

After the tour, you take a public bus and arrive at your traditional Ryokan hotel overnight. 

Departure to Takayama

In the morning after breakfast you have some leisure time. Later you meet your private driver which takes you to the train station to catch your bullet train.

Arrival

Today you arrive in Takayama - an authentic city surrounded by mountains. Your driver takes you to your hotel and you spend the rest of the day at leisure. 

Takayama Sightseeing Tour & Sake Tasking

After breakfast at your hotel enjoy a walking guided tour through Takayama with your guide, where you will use taste to distinguish the town. Traditional Japanese sweets, or rakugan, will energize you for the day. A tofu maker will then explain the process and why this food is so important to Takayama.

Following a street of wooden shutters, you soon reach a sake brewery, where a variety of tastings helps you distinguish the fine from the everyday.

Then, together with the guide, you take a taxi and continue your tour to Hida no Sato. Hida no Sato is an open-air museum that showcases a collection of historic thatched-roof farmhouses.

During the tour, you can explore over 30 traditional buildings, some dating back to the Edo period (1603-1868).

Trip to Kanazawa with Shirakawa-go & Gokayama

After breakfast and check-out, a private guide/driver meets you at the hotel lobby and you set off on a trip to Kanazawa with a visit of Shirakawa-go and other tiny authentic villages. 

Arrival

Welcome to the Japanese capital of culture and science! Upon arrival, your private driver takes you to the hotel for check-in. The rest of the day you spend at leisure.

Exploring Kanazawa

After breakfast at the hotel, your private guide meets you at the hotel lobby and you head for the city tour.

Your exploration begins in the charming Higashi Chaya District, one of the few remaining geisha districts in Japan. Wander through atmospheric streets lined with teahouses and shops selling Kaga crafts, and step inside a preserved geisha house to discover the exquisite beauty and refined culture that define the geisha way of life.

Next, journey back to the era of the samurai in the Nagamachi Samurai District. Here, you'll visit a restored samurai residence, marveling at the architecture and the authentic artifacts that offer a glimpse into the daily lives and values of these legendary warriors. 

After the tour, you have free time.

Departure

In the morning you have breakfast and check-out from your hotel. Then your private driver takes you to the train station to catch a bullet train to Tokyo.