Japan Unveiled

Tour Itinerary

• Day 1 • Fly to Japan

  Today, you’ll set off on your East Asian adventure to the island country of Japan.

• Day 2 • Arrival in Japan

  You and your fellow travellers will touch down in the vibrant capital city, Tokyo, where you’ll be met by a friendly, experienced local destination expert. The group will then be transferred to your hotel. After checking in, the evening will be free to settle in your hotel (depending on your flight's arrival time).

• Day 3 • Tour of Tokyo, lunch and tea ceremony

  After breakfast, embark on a guided tour of Tokyo. Begin at Meiji Shrine, a forested Shinto landmark, before experiencing a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, where your guide will explain its spiritual roots in Zen philosophy. Continue to the Imperial Palace Plaza, home to the Imperial Family and once the site of Edo Castle, where you can stroll the scenic outer grounds lined with moats, stone walls, and seasonal cherry blossoms. In the evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel or join an optional night walk through Tokyo’s neon-lit streets, ending with dinner at a local restaurant.

• Day 4 • Tokyo day at leisure

  After breakfast, enjoy a full day of self-exploration. Wander through the historic neighborhoods of Yanaka and Nezu with their wooden houses, cafés, and izakayas, or head to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building for panoramic views. Stroll the gardens of Shinjuku Gyoen, shop along Harajuku’s Takeshita Street, or sample fresh bites at Tsukiji Outer Market. Optional excursions include the immersive digital art of teamLab Planets—where koi, orchids, and neon walls shift around you—and the Edo-Tokyo Museum, where exhibits trace the city’s history from Edo-era origins to modern Tokyo. In the evening, dine independently at the hotel or opt for a Yakatabune river cruise, savoring local cuisine while gliding past illuminated landmarks such as the Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Skytree.

• Day 5 • Included transfer to Mishima with a visit to Hakone, cruise and cable car ride

  After breakfast and checkout, transfer to the scenic city of Mishima with a stop in Hakone. Explore the hot spring town overlooking Lake Ashinoko and Mount Fuji, browse local shops, and enjoy a lake cruise with views of the iconic peak and Hakone Shrine’s floating torii gate. After lunch, ride the Hakone Ropeway to Owakudani, a volcanic valley of steaming vents and bubbling pools, where you can try the famous black eggs said to add seven years to your life. Continue to Mishima to check in and enjoy a free evening.

• Day 6 • Included travel to Matsumoto with visits to Oshino Hakkai and Lake Kawaguchi

  After breakfast, check out and travel to Oshino, a village famed for its eight crystal-clear springs, Oshino Hakkai, surrounded by thatched houses, shops, and restaurants where you may stop for lunch. Continue to Lake Kawaguchi, where calm waters reflect Mount Fuji, and stroll through Oishi Park with its seasonal flowers and mountain views. Nearby, visit the Itchiku Kubota Art Museum, showcasing exquisite silk-dyeing inspired by Fuji’s beauty. Later, journey on to Matsumoto to check into your hotel and enjoy a free evening.

• Day 7 • Tour of Matsumoto and aftetoon at leisure

  After breakfast, join a local expert for a morning tour of Matsumoto, known for its castle, mountain views, and connection to artist Yayoi Kusama. Visit 16th-century Matsumoto Castle, or “Crow Castle,” exploring its wooden interior and panoramic views before strolling Nakamachi Street with its Edo-era buildings, galleries, shops, and cafés. The afternoon is free to enjoy lunch and explore at your own pace, perhaps at the Ukiyo-e Ōta Memorial Museum of Art. Return to the hotel in the evening to relax and dine independently.

• Day 8 • Included visit to Takayama, lunch and Shirakawa-go

  After breakfast, check out and travel to Takayama, surrounded by mountain scenery. Stroll Sanmachi Street in the old town, lined with merchant houses, sake breweries, and artisan shops, before enjoying an included lunch at a local restaurant. Continue to Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famed for its gassho-zukuri farmhouses with steep thatched roofs. End the day in Kanazawa, where you’ll check into your hotel.

• Day 9 • Included morning tour of Kanazawa with afternoon at leisure

  After breakfast, join your local expert for a tour of Kanazawa, starting at Kenroku-en, one of Japan’s “Three Great Gardens,” with its ponds, bridges, and tea houses. After a break for lunch, explore the Higashi-Chaya District, once home to geisha performances, and browse Omicho Market, famed for fresh seafood and gold-leaf specialties. In the afternoon, transfer by coach to Kyoto, check into your downtown hotel, and enjoy dinner at leisure.

• Day 10 • Included full day tour of Kyoto

  Fuel up on breakfast before a full day of sightseeing in Kyoto, Japan’s cultural heart. Visit Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), a gold-leaf Buddhist temple reflecting on the Mirror Pond, then continue to Ryoanji Temple, famed for its minimalist Zen rock garden of 15 stones set in raked gravel. Pause at a nearby teahouse for matcha before heading to Nijo Castle, a UNESCO site built for shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, where you’ll explore the ornate Ninomaru Palace and hear the chirping “nightingale floors.” End the day in Gion, Kyoto’s historic geisha district, where lantern-lit streets of wooden houses preserve the city’s timeless charm.

• Day 11 • Included excursion to Nara and wagashi making experience

  After breakfast, set off for Nara, Japan’s former capital. Visit Todaiji Temple, home to the Great Buddha—the world’s largest bronze statue—housed in a vast wooden hall. Continue to Nara Deer Park, where over 1,000 sacred deer roam freely, before exploring Kasuga-taisha Shrine, known for its vermilion buildings, stone lanterns, and forest setting. Return to Kyoto for a wagashi-making workshop, learning the art of crafting traditional Japanese sweets before tasting your creations. The afternoon is free to relax, or join an optional evening tour of Kyoto, with a stroll along the Kamo River, a visit to Yasaka Shrine, and lantern-lit walks through the historic Gion district, Hanamikoji, and Yasaka Street. Enjoy dinner locally before returning to your hotel.

• Day 12 • Included bullet train to Hiroshima, ferry to Miyajima Island and tour

  After breakfast, check out and board the Nozomi bullet train to Hiroshima. From there, take a ferry to Miyajima Island, known for its forested hills, temples, and the iconic Itsukushima Shrine with its “floating” torii gate, partially submerged at high tide. Enjoy lunch at leisure—perhaps trying Hiroshima’s famous okonomiyaki, a savory layered pancake—before returning to the mainland to check into your hotel. The evening is free to spend as you wish.

• Day 13 • Visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and bullet train ride to Osaka with afternoon city tour

  After breakfast, check out and visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum to view exhibits on the city’s atomic bombing, then explore Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and the symbolic A-Bomb Dome. In the afternoon, board a bullet train to Osaka and meet your local expert for a tour of the city’s highlights. Explore Dōtombori, with its neon lights and the iconic Glico running man, followed by Shinsaibashi, a historic shopping district with arcades, boutiques, and department stores. Check into your hotel in the late afternoon and enjoy an evening at leisure.

• Day 14 • Day at leisure in Osaka

  Enjoy a relaxed breakfast before a full free day in Osaka. Revisit neighborhoods from yesterday or explore new highlights such as Osaka Castle, the Umeda Sky Building’s Floating Garden Observatory, or Shitenno-ji Temple, Japan’s oldest Buddhist temple. Optional experiences include a tabearuki (culinary tour) of Kuromon Ichiba Market, sampling local favorites like takoyaki and kushikatsu. In the evening, gather with fellow travelers for a farewell dinner, sharing memories from your journey.

• Day 15 • Day at leisure and fly to the UK

  It’s your last breakfast and opportunity to make the most of your time in Osaka. Store your luggage at the hotel and seek out more historical, cultural and culinary sights. When evening comes around, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight home.

• Day 16 • Land back in the UK

  Arrive back in the UK after your once-in-a-lifetime holiday.