9 Days / 8 Nights
9 Days / 8 Nights
Arrive at Narita International Airport, meet English speaking assistant will help you board a private car. Transfer to your hotel for check-in.
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your guide at the hotel lobby and experience a full day of Tokyo highlights via public transportation, which is included. Begin with a visit to the Meiji Shrine, a prime example of Japanese shrine architecture in a serene and picturesque location. On the way, we pass by the Akasaka Guest House and National Diet Building, both notable landmarks in Tokyo. Then, stroll through the Imperial Palace East Garden, a historically significant area filled with lush greenery and beautiful scenery. Lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, visit the Sensoji Temple, also known as Asakusa Kannon, a stunning Buddhist temple with a rich cultural heritage. Then, explore the Asakusa Nakamise-dori traditional district, which offers a variety of local foods and souvenirs.
**Please note that lunch is not included in the tour price and will be paid on-site.
Breakfast
Meet your private guide at the hotel in the morning and take a train to Kamakura. This city was once the political center of Japan during the 12th and 13th centuries, known as the Kamakura period of Japanese history. Like the former capitals of Nara and Kyoto, Kamakura is home to a rich heritage of historic temples and shrines. Upon arrival at Hase station, visit Hasedera Temple, also known as Hasedera Kannon. This temple is famous for having one of the largest wooden statues in Japan, that of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy. Learn about the eleven-faced Goddess and how she represents different phases in the search for enlightenment. Next, head to Kotoku-in Temple, where you will find Japan’s famous Great Buddha, an imposing 13-meter-high statue with a history dating back to 1292. Visit Komachi-Dori Shopping Street. Enjoy a delicious lunch at one of Kamakura’s finest Japanese restaurants before heading to Kita Kamakura station to visit Engakuji Temple. This temple was founded in the Kamakura Period of Japanese history on the instructions of regent Hojo Tokimune, who successfully fought off two Mongolian invasions of Japan in the late 13th century with the help of fortuitous typhoons known as kamikaze, which destroyed the invading ships in the harbor. Engakuji became especially prominent as a major Zen temple in the 19th century when Zen began to spread to Western countries. After the tour, take a train back to Tokyo.
**Please note that lunch is not included in the tour price and will be paid on-site.
Breakfast
In the morning, meet guide at hotel’s lobby and transfer to Shinjuku train station using the included public transport. From there, take public transportation to Hakone Yumoto Station. Upon arriving in Hakone, you will enjoy a full-day tour using the Hakone Pass.
First, ride the world’s second-longest cable car up Mt. Owakudani, where you’ll pass over sulfurous fumes, hot springs, and rivers in this active volcanic region. Don’t miss the chance to sample Hakone’s famous black eggs from Owakudani. These eggs are hard-boiled in the area’s well-known sulfuric hot springs, and local legend claims that eating one will add seven years to your life.
After your exhilarating cable car ride, you will board a pirate boat and sail across Lake Ashinoko. This picturesque lake was formed by a volcanic eruption over 3,000 years ago and remains one of Japan’s most scenic attractions. While you may catch glimpses of Mt. Fuji throughout the day, keep in mind that she is known to be a shy mountain, so visibility depends on the weather.
Transfer by local bus from Hakonemachi Port to Hakone Yumoto Station. Reach to ryokan.
Check in ryokan. Tonight, dinner will be a traditional Japanese at the Ryokan
**Please note that lunch is not included in the tour price and will need to be paid on-site.
Breakfast, Dinner
Transfer to Odawara Station, you can use public transportation or take a taxi at your own expense. Once you arrive in the station, boarding a bullet train that will take around 150 minutes. Arrive in Kyoto Station, transfer to your hotel by public transport or take a taxi at your own expense.
Check in the hotel.
Breakfast
Meet your guide in the hotel lobby and embark on a full-day tour of Kyoto using public transportation, which is included in the tour price. After gathering at the lobby, we set out to explore the breathtaking sights of this historic city. Our first destination was Kiyomizu-dera, commonly referred to as the “Temple of Pure Water,” which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1994. Next, we visited Kinkaku-ji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion, a stunning Zen Buddhist temple. Following that, the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, where we meandered along Sagano Bamboo Path, which is a picturesque path surrounded by towering bamboo stalks. Afterward, we enjoyed a stroll through the charming Gion district, taking in the local tea houses that embody traditional Japanese culture. The tour left us feeling amazed and grateful for the beauty of Kyoto.
**Please note that lunch is not included in the tour price and will be paid on-site.
Breakfast
Kyoto – choose you own optional tours
Today is free on your own activities or take optional tour available
OPTION 1/Full Day Kyoto – Nara
Experience the wonders of Nara with a private guide on a full-day excursion. The express train ride from Kyoto takes only 45 minutes, bring you to Japan’s former capital in the 8th century. Admire the impressive shrines and temples that are a testament to Japan’s rich cultural heritage. Your first stop will be the iconic Todai-ji temple, renowned for its historical significance and remarkable architecture. Next, explore Kasugataisha, a World Heritage site that houses a Shinto shrine surrounded by parkland where deer roam freely. Your journey continues with a visit to Kofuku-ji, a Buddhist temple established over 1300 years ago in the year 669. Take express train ride back to Kyoto.
**Please note that lunch is not included in the tour price and will be paid on-site.
OPTION 2/ Kyoto – Afternoon Taiko, Japanese Drum Experience
Experience a full day of Kyoto with a private guide via public transportation. Joining Taiko, the Japanese drum. You learn to play the taiko, the Japanese drum, highly popular in Japan. An instrument that has always accompanied the events of Japanese life. The taiko can be heard during festivals, sumo tournaments or as an accompaniment to Kabuki or Noh plays.It can be played at any age and the stress-relieving effect is assured! With this activity, specially designed to introduce the joys of taiko to travellers, grab your sticks and let your energy flow under the guidance of real taiko players. We then proceeded to visit Nishiki market, “Kyoto’s Kitchen” of restaurants, stores, and stalls selling everything food-related.
OPTION 3/ Kyoto – Afternoon Cooking Experience
Afternoon, immerse yourself in the local culture by attending a cooking class at Izakaya Restaurant where you will learn the secrets of preparing authentic Japanese cuisine. Cook two or three delicious dishes, taste them, and then refine your skills by cooking them again. Don’t forget to let us know in advance if you have any food allergies.
OPTION 4/ Private Geisha Tea Ceremony & Dance Performance (90 – 120 minutes)
Come and enjoy an authentic traditional tea ceremony hosted by a real Kyoto geisha or their apprentice, called a maiko. It starts at 2:30 PM. This is a unique opportunity to experience the geisha culture of Kyoto, where young geiko women would serve tea to pilgrims visiting the historic temples in Eastern Kyoto. During the ceremony, you will be provided with a traditional kimono to wear and can choose from our selection of beautiful kimonos. Our staff will assist the ladies in arranging their hair to suit the design of their kimono. Once the tea ceremony begins, you will have access to tools and ingredients to learn and create your own perfect bowl of matcha. Additionally, you’ll be tasting the seasonal wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets best eaten with matcha tea, to experience the unique tastes of Japan. The geisha or maiko will be demonstrating and guiding you through the steps of the tea ceremony with the help of an interpreter or your guide. After the tea ceremony, a traditional dance performance will be held for you. Most of the performers at Maikoya are maiko, but we also have geisha performers on certain days. Notes: English-speaking staff of Gion Maikoya will be present to interpret for you.
Breakfast
Meet your guide at hotel lobby and transfer to Kyoto Station via public transport or take a taxi by your own expense. Once you arrive in the station, boarding a local train to Kyoto station that will take around 28 minutes via JR Tokaido Sanyo Main Line.
Arrive in Osaka, guide will take you to your hotel to drop off luggage and then, you have experience Osaka highlight half day via public transportation. Visit Osaka Castle and surrounding the lively district of Namba and Dotonbori street.
**Please note that lunch is not included in the tour price and will be paid on-site
Breakfast
Meet your driver at hotel lobby and transfer to Kansai International Airport (KIX) by private car.
Breakfast
