Luxury Japan

Tour Itinerary

• Day 1-2 • Tokyo

  Arrive in Tokyo and meet your private driver for a smooth transfer to the hotel where your tour leader will be waiting in the lobby to welcome you. On your first evening, join your Insider for a short tour orientation and an included welcome dinner in the lively Akasaka district, where countless small restaurants line the side streets. On Day 2 you'll hop between Tokyo's neighbourhoods by bus. Many of them aren't as widely known, offering a window into the everyday undercurrents that give Tokyo its true character. Beginning at Koishikawa Korakuen Garden, an Edo-period landscape of carp ponds and maple-lined paths framed by skyscrapers, you'll then shift to the old quarter of Yanaka and the vermilion shrine-gate tunnels of Nezu Shrine. We'll break for lunch in Jimbocho, recently named ‘world's coolest neighbourhood' by Time Out magazine. We then continue to Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest temple in Asakusa, and Kappabashi Dougu-gai (cookware street), stacked with chef's knives and lacquerware. You'll have time to browse before heading back to the hotel, with a free night for dinner.

• Day 3-4 • Inuyama

  Board the Shinkansen bullet train to Nagoya and transfer by private coach to the Noritake Museum, tracing the Meiji-era story of porcelain innovation. You'll have lunch at the city's oldest restaurant, where European-inspired dishes are prepared with local ingredients. We'll continue to Inuyama, a riverside castle town backing onto forested hills. After check-in and some time to relax in the on-site onsen hot spring baths, we'll sit down to an included dinner at the hotel restaurant, complete with castle view. The morning of day 4 brings a mesmerizing blaze of flames at Inuyama's foremost Buddhist temple – a Buddhist goma fire ceremony shows off the rhythms and rituals of esoteric Buddhism. Your Insider will then take you for a wander through Inuyama's jokamachi castle town with some free time for lunch at one of the local restaurants. The afternoon includes a visit to Inuyama Castle, one of only twelve original samurai-era castles remaining in Japan. Later, try matcha and traditional wagashi sweets at Urakuen Garden. This evening is free, but you have the option to join your Insider (tour leader) for dinner at a local restaurant in the old town.

• Day 5-7 • Kyoto

  This morning we'll travel by private bus towards Kyoto, stopping in Otsu city on the shore of Lake Biwa. Here, we're treated to a refined kaiseki Japanese banquet lunch, before continuing to nearby Mii-dera, one of Japan's largest temple complexes with panoramic views over the lake. After arriving in Kyoto, tonight's highlight is an exclusive Kyoto geisha dinner. You'll have the chance to meet a maiko (young geisha), talk with her about her life and watch her perform. On day 6 you'll visit the quieter side of Kyoto, avoiding some of the more well-trodden sights that have become over touristed in recent years. At Sanjūsangendō, 1,001 life-size Buddhist statues line the temple hall, and Daigo-ji temple Kyoto's oldest pagoda backs onto forested slopes. We'll pause for lunch in the Fushimi-Momoyama sake district, before heading to Heian Shrine to explore the exquisite gardens. Returning to the hotel, you'll have a free evening to explore Kyoto's restaurant scene. Your third day in Kyoto is a free day to follow your interests, with guidance from your Insider. If you're feeling “templed out”, you might opt to spend the day browsing the city's antique districts. Or if you want to go further afield, your Insider will be happy to help you purchase train tickets. There's the nearby city of Himeji, home to the largest surviving samurai-era castle in Japan, or you could head further west to Hiroshima and visit the sobering Peak Park and Memorial Museum.

• Day 8-9 • Nagasaki

  You'll travel in style in the bullet train's first class ‘Green Car'. On arrival we'll take a short walk to Glover Garden with views across Nagasaki harbour. It was once home to Thomas Glover, a 19th century Scottish merchant – a key figure of Japan's early international trade and modernisation. Dinner tonight is included at one of your Insider's favorite local spots. You may get to try the classic Nagasaki dish champon – steaming, Chinese-style seafood noodles. On day 9, you'll begin at Dejima, the restored island trading post that was once Japan's sole gateway to the Western world. You'll then visit the Nagasaki Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum, a place for thoughtful reflection on the events of 9th August 1945. The afternoon is free for you to explore – your Insider will have suggestions based on your interests. You could wander the Teramachi temple district or explore the Gunkanjima digital museum, which showcases the history of an island coal mine which was mysteriously and suddenly abandoned overnight in the 1970s. Before a free evening for dinner, join your Insider for a trip up Mt Inasa by cable car. The panorama at the summit is ranked as one of the top three night views in Japan.

• Day 10-11 • Fukuoka

  This morning you'll leave the city behind, travelling by private bus into the rural Higashi-Sonogi district, home to Kyushu's “tea country” where you'll take a deep dive into the local tea farming culture. You'll walk between tea rows, learn how to brew the perfect cup, meet the farmers and finish with lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you'll continue to Okawachiyama, the “village of secret kilns”. You'll visit a potter's workshop before some free time to explore this secluded mountain town – no public transport reaches here. It's then a short drive on to Fukuoka, with dinner selected by your Insider. On day 11, you'll catch a local train to the quiet canal town of Yanagawa – known as the “Venice of Kyushu”. You'll take a leisurely ride along the traditional willow-lined waterways, passing under low bridges and alongside old merchant homes. You'll visit the Toshima Family Residence, an Edo-period samurai home, before returning to Fukuoka for a free evening. You might like to join your Insider for a night of Fukuoka fun – hopping between the yatai open-air food stalls. Rub shoulders with locals while slurping down piping hot noodles and let the rest of the evening's fun unravel from there!

• Day 12-13 • Osaka

  This morning we'll head back to Japan's main island by bullet train, arriving in Osaka, Japan's “merchant capital” by midday. On arrival you'll visit the Kinutani Koji Tenku Art Museum, celebrating a local artist who combined Italian fresco techniques with Japanese themes. Expect dragons, mythological deities riding jet skis, and Mt Fuji in bold, colourful, and almost cartoonish style. This evening, join your Insider for a street-food tour in the Shinsekai district – crisp kushikatsu skewers, takoyaki octopus balls, and savoury okonomiyaki pancakes are just some of the local Osaka specialties you might try. No one's going hungry. Day 13 is free for you to continue your cultural adventure, in Osaka or beyond. You may join your Insider on a day trip to Nara, Japan's first capital, where today, wild deer wander between ancient Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. Or staying in Osaka, you might explore vintage shops in Nakazakicho, the contemporary youth sub-culture of Amerika-mura, or continue your education into Osaka's food scene at the Kuromon Market. Regroup in the evening for a visit to TeamLab Botanical Garden, an open-air digital art exhibition where light installations transform Nagai Botanical Garden.

• Day 14-15 • Tokyo

  This morning you'll return to Tokyo by bullet train, arriving around midday with a free afternoon in the capital for any last-minute sightseeing or shopping. Your hotel overlooks Hamarikyu Garden, a serene spot with tidal ponds and pine groves. Or, you could head over to the upscale Ginza district for art galleries, historic department stores with hidden basement food halls, classic cafes and high-end boutiques. Tonight's farewell dinner brings the group together to raise a final toast to the journey. On your final morning, say sayonara to Japan and the group, as you return by private car to Haneda or Narita Airport for your flight home, or to continue your onward journey.