Grand Tour 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.

Highlights of Tokyo
In the morning, after breakfast, you meet your private guide and start your first full-day tour of Tokyo. 

First, you see the incredible Imperial Palace to get a taste of Japanese culture and glance at the precious building. Notably, The Imperial Palace has served as the residential place of the successive Emperors since 1868. It contains the Imperial Residence and the Imperial Palace Complex, where His Majesty the Emperor undertakes official duties. Moreover, various ceremonies and public activities are held there too.
After relishing this marvelous Palace, you will walk through the Nihonbashi district which is a business district that grew up around the bridge of the same name, which has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. After enjoying the atmosphere of the Nihonbashi district, you will have lunch.

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. A shopping street called Nakamise leads from the outer gate to the temple's second gate; here, you can find a great selection of souvenirs as well as local confectionaries that the locals admire so much.

After the tour, you return to your hotel and have the evening at leisure.

Diverse Tokyo: 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 the train station to continue your amazing trip!

Hakone Shrine & Ashi Lake Cruise
Upon arrival at Odawara Station, together with your guide you take a public bus to the 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, that 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 for overnight.

Morning at Leisure & Departure
In the morning after breakfast you have some leisure time to enjoy the hot spring baths at your ryokan hotel. 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 City Tour
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. And then it is onwards with sloping roofs greeting you in the village of Shirakawa-go. This village was so isolated and high in the mountains it came up with its own architectural style. Gassho-zukuri means “constructed like hands in prayer” and the steep thatched is ideal for balancing and removing the weight of snow in winter. Look more closely, and you will see that every single roof has been built without nails or mortar. Several houses are open to the public and can be visited on your private tour of Shirakawa-go, with Wado the grandest and most impressive. 

After your tour, you return back to your accommodation and have afternoon free.

Departure
After breakfast and check-out, you walk to the railway station and continue your journey. 

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 airport or train station depending on where you travel next.  

Arrival in Kyoto
Upon arrival in Kyoto, a private driver meets you at the train station and takes you to the hotel.

The rest of the day you can enjoy free time and some independent sightseeing or feel free to book any optional activities with us.

Kyoto City Tour & Tea Ceremony
In the morning after breakfast you meet your private guide and start your full day exploration of Kyoto.

You start with the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the Imperial Family's residence from 794 until 1868, during the times when Kyoto was the capital of Japan. Here you have a chance to explore the palace buildings (from the outside) and the gardens, which was just recently opened to the public.

Head to Arashiyama, the second-most important sightseeing district in Kyoto that is filled with temples and shrines. The highlight of the district is the famed Bamboo Forest, one of the most photographed sights in Kyoto. Standing in the midst of this sprawling bamboo grove is like being in another world, it has a sense of otherness that is very much unlike that of any other forest. This is an experience that is not to be missed!

Your tour continues with visiting Kinkakuji, one of the top UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the most remarkable Buddhist temples, and a gorgeous golden must-see attraction! So welcome to one of the most luxurious temples in Japan, also known worldwide, reflecting its fame in traditional arts and modern media. Here you will find peace, tranquility, and spiritual renewal.

Conclude your day with a Japanese tea ceremony experience, that provides an engaging induction to the traditional tea ceremony. This activity dates back hundreds of years and is the most idealistic pastime of ancient Japan. In this ceremony you will have an opportunity to wear traditional kimono robes, taste the green matcha tea and eat unique Japanese sweets specifically made to match the tea's flavour.

After the ceremony you return to your hotel and have the evening at leisure.  

Fushimi Inari Shrine & Sanjusangendo Temple
Today you have a half-day tour to explore Fushimi Inari Shrine and Sanjusangendo. 

Fushimi Inari Shrine is an important Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto. It is famous for its thousands of red torii gates, which stand astride a network of trails. The trails lead into the forest of the sacred Mount Inari. Fushimi Inari is the most important of several thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. You can take a hike on these trails and learn how the thousands of torrid gates appeared here. 

Then you proceed to the Sanjusangendo Temple, famous for its 1001 human-sized statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Once inside, you see a large wooden statue composition of the Kannon, equipped with numerous heads and arms, the goddess of mercy can better witness the suffering of humans and better help them fight the suffering.

After the tour, you return to your hotel in Kyoto and have the evening at leisure.

Departure
Today in the morning, you check out from the hotel and continue your trip.

Arrival 
Upon arrival in Osaka, your driver takes you to your centrally located hotel, you check in and have the evening at leisure.

Osaka City Tour
In the morning after breakfast you meet your private guide and to explore Osaka on a full day tour of the city. 

First you visit the Umeda Sky Building, a high rise building that consists of two towers connected with each other by the "Floating Garden Observatory" on the 39th floor. The observatory offers great views of the city through its windows and from its open-air deck.

Then you have a chance to see the Osaka Castle. The construction of the original castle, that was intended to become the center of a new, unified Japan under Toyotomi rule, started in 1583. It was the largest castle at the time. Your guide will share with you the history of the castle, that was destroyed and rebuilt since then.

After some time for lunch, you proceed to the Shinsaibashi shopping area, the best-known shopping area in Osaka, and a symbol of the city that has its own history of nearly 400 years. Among the numerous shops you can find here local specialties and great cafes and restaurants.

After having some free time at the Shinsaibashi, you return to your hotel.

Departure
After breakfast and check-out your private driver transfers you to the Osaka airport or train station depending on where you go next.