This 17 night journey takes in some of Japan’s finest World Heritage Sites, combining spectacular castles, ancient villages, beautiful gardens, mountain-top temple settlements and the history of Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima to create a unique and comprehensive experience.
You will begin in Tokyo, the neon-lit beating heart of Japan, home of the 200mph 'Bullet Train' and a city racing headlong into the future. The contrast with your later visit to the ancient capital of Kyoto is dramatic; a city where the legacy of the past is all around. Temples and shrines lie hidden down romantic backstreets and sliding wooden doors open to reveal exquisite gardens. The included Japan Rail Pass also opens up the possibility of day trips from Kyoto to Nara, Kobe or Osaka at no extra cost.
In the mountains of Tochigi you will find the town of Nikko; set in stunning natural surroundings, the sacred shrines and temples of the World Heritage Tosho-gu complex are a world apart. The retreat of Mt. Koya in the Kii Mountains of Wakayama Prefecture gives a chance to participate in the timeless Buddhist way of life that has spanned the centuries and to stay in an atmospheric temple lodging.
Your odyssey takes in Himeji and its spectacular samurai castle before skipping through the centuries with a two night stay in Hiroshima, a city which has blossomed in the sixty years since the devastation caused by the A-bomb. The skeleton of the A-bomb dome stands as a poignant reminder of the horrors of war, yet just off the coast on Miyajima Island the tranquil 'floating' tori gate of Itsukushima Shrine offers a place of quiet reflection and timeless beauty.
The garden of Kenroku-en, samurai houses and a charming geisha quarter are all to be explored in Kanazawa, whilst the World Heritage village of Shirakawa-go, in the heart of the spectacular Hakusan National Park, provides a breathtaking vision of old Japan and a chance to stay in one of the unique gassho zukuri thatched houses.
Guiding is included for one day in each of Tokyo, Nikko and Kyoto allowing the chance to make some Japanese friends as well as gain expert insights into each of these destinations. The World Heritage itinerary will enable you to experience the places that have shaped the Japanese nation, giving you a sense of the history and culture of this ancient land.
Prices:
2010
Standard:
Twin: £2599 Single: £3180
Upgrade:
Twin: £3197 Single: £4611
Click for full details of pricing including extra nights
What's Included:
- 17 nights accommodation (3 nights Japanese-style)
- Breakfast each morning
- 3 evening meals
- Meet and Greet upon arrival at Tokyo Narita Airport
- All transport between destinations including airport transfers
- Excursion day from Kyoto (using included Japan Rail Pass)
- Tokyo Pasmo card for use on subway
- 8 hours private guide service in Tokyo & Kyoto
- InsideJapan Tours Info-Pack
- International Flights
- Local transport (buses, subways, taxis) at any destination except for that covered by the Nikko Free Pass
- Any entrance fees including those for shrines, temples and museums (except for Nikko)
- Baggage handling - you will be expected to carry your own bags for the duration of the trip
OPTION
The Kumano Kodo (2 additional nights). Extend your stay with the chance to explore the Kumano Kodo, an ancient postal route south of Mt. Koya, designated a World Heritage Sight in 2004. Stunning mountain ranges make these ancient passes both beautiful and remote. From Kyoto travel by train to Kii Tanabe station where you will pick up a hire car to drive on to Yunomine Hot Springs and Hongu Taisha, an ancient shrine and staging post on the Kumano Kodo route. Stay here for 2 nights with a guided walk on the second day. You will then continue along some scenic roads to Mt. Koya, dropping the car off after your stay here.
STANDARD:
Twin share: from plus £399 per person
Single room: from plus £498 per person
UPGRADE:
Twin share: from plus £623 per person
Single room: from plus £800 per person
Supplements
No seasonal supplement
Black Out Dates
Please note that during certain Japanese holiday periods, the prices
detailed in this brochure are NOT valid for packages if any of the
nights' accommodation fall within the following dates:
29th December to 4th January New Year
29th April to 5th May Golden Week
9th August to 17th August Obon Festival
Included evening meals are in Koya-san (2) and Shirakawago (1) and for the Kumano extension in Yunomine (2).
The listed accommodation in Shirakawago is a very traditional inn and the rooms are NOT en-suite. An En-suite alternative is available however - please ask us for details.
BACK TO TOP
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1 Tokyo
Meals: None
On arrival in Narita Airport you will be met by our representative who will escort you to the platform for the Keisei Skyliner express train which makes the journey into Tokyo in 60 minutes. You will also be given taxi vouchers for the final transfer from the station to your hotel. Home for the next three nights is Asakusa, Tokyo’s historic district; an area where the bustle of street market traders, food stalls and traditional ryokan all set around the magnificent Senso-ji Temple reflects a way of life that, unlike the rest of the capital, hasn’t changed for centuries.
Day 2 Tokyo
Meals: Breakfast
To help you get the most out of your time in Japan’s capital, you will have a guide at your disposal today. The guide will take you to some of Tokyo’s most famous sights as well as some lesser known places of interest. Travelling around Tokyo by the efficient public transport network, this is your chance to get beneath the Japan’s surface with a knowledgeable local to answer your every question.
Day 3 Tokyo
Meals: Breakfast
There are so many sights, sounds and flavours to behold on your free day in Tokyo. From tasting the freshest sushi at Tsukiji Fish Market to testing the latest technology at the Sony Building, you won’t run out of things to do! See the skyscrapers from the water as you cruise down the Sumida River from Asakusa, take in some high culture at the elegant Kabuki-za Theatre or lose yourself in translation among the glittering neon of Shinjuku.
Day 4 Nikko
Meals: Breakfast
Speeding through the Tokyo suburbs by the Shinkansen ‘bullet’ train, you’ll travel north into the Japanese countryside and the small city of Nikko. Here you will be met by one of our tour guiding duo, Mr and Mrs Ota, who will take you on a tour of Nikko’s treasures. You’ll stop at Toshogu, Japan’s most lavishly decorated shrine complex and mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. Look out for the wood carving of three familiar monkeys, inspired by the Buddhist teaching that if we do not hear, see or speak evil, we ourselves shall be spared from evil. Lunch in a local restaurant is included on your tour.
Day 5 Nikko
Meals: Breakfast
Nikko, meaning ‘sun light’, is home to a national park situated in a volcanic plateau and dotted with lakes, waterfalls and hot springs surrounded by stunning mountain scenery. Today may be the day to pull on your hiking boots and explore the many trails which criss-cross the national park. Lake Chuzenji is particularly beautiful for its autumn foliage. At the east end of the lake, Kegon Falls, cascading 96 metres into the Daiya River, is a wonderful sight.
Day 6 Kyoto
Meals: Breakfast
Travelling back though Tokyo on the world famous Shinkansen, you’ll zoom along the eastern seaboard to the ancient capital of Kyoto. The futuristic station building heralds you to what is on first glance a modern city with its fair share of concrete and neon. But scratch the surface and you’ll soon sense the real heartbeat of this historic city, a place where tradition and culture pulsate through every aspect of Kyoto life. Thanks to the mysterious geisha, ritualised tea ceremonies, time-honoured festivals and 17 UNSECO World Heritage sites, you’re never far from the unique and the spectacular as you explore this wonderful city.
Day 7 Kyoto
Meals: Breakfast
Kyotoites take great pride in their sensitivity to the seasons and accordingly different temples come into their own at certain times of year. Spring brings plum and cherry blossoms to Maruyama Park and the spectacular Kiyomizu-Dera. Wild irises and chrysanthemums bloom at Kamigamo Shrine in summer and full moon parties dedicated to the Buddhist protector deity, Bishamonten, are held at Kurama Temple. In autumn catch the red and gold foliage at Eikan-do. And with a bit of luck in winter, you’ll witness the iconic image of snow on the rooftop of the Golden Pavilion. A full day with a guide will help you to get the most out of your visit to Kyoto at any time of year.
Day 8 Kyoto
Meals: Breakfast
You may wish to spend another day in the old Imperial capital, or alternatively take advantage of your included Japan Rail Passes to make an excursion out of the city. Just 40 minutes by train lies Nara. During its short 74 year reign as Japan’s capital, Nara avidly absorbed ideas from Asia, fixing itself as the Japanese centre for Buddhism and the far eastern end of the Silk Road. Today Nara makes a fascinating day trip, not least for the splendid bronze daibutsu or big Buddha which sits serenely in Todai-ji Temple, the largest wooden building in the world.
Day 9 Mt Koya
Meals: Breakfast/Dinner
Your Japan adventure delves further into the Buddhist religion as you travel to the sacred community atop Mount Koya where you will spend two nights in temple lodgings. Saint Kukai established a monastic retreat here in 816 which quickly became Japan’s most revered site in Shingon Buddhism. At 900m above sea level, the cedar lined peak has a magical tranquillity and as you wander among the 123 temples that make up the mountain village you’re sure to see monks going about their daily rituals just as they have for thousands of years.
Day 10 Mt Koya
Meals: Breakfast/Dinner
Enjoy the time to relax and reflect on Mount Koya. Stroll to Daimon, the great gate on the Western edge of Koya which on a clear day boasts unmatched views across to the distant Shikoku and Awaji islands. Visit the Reihokan or treasure house which holds over 5,000 paintings, statues and other Buddhist relics. For the more adventurous, follow any of the trails which lead out of the village up into the peaks of the Kii Mountains. As dusk falls take the eerie walk though the lantern lit cemetery of Okunoin before returning to your accommodation for Shoji-ryori, vegetarian Buddhist cuisine, and a relaxing soak in the temple bath.
Day 11 Himeji
Meals: Breakfast
Himeji Castle beckons visitors today. The ‘white heron castle’, so called for its resemblance to a bird taking flight, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and considered by many to be the ultimate samurai castle. The castle survives today as it was on completion in 1609. The many castle buildings and the complex, defensive maze of gates, baileys and outer walls give a real insight into how the samurai used to live and fight in days gone by. Next to Himeji Castle, the nine gardens of Kokoen, each reflecting a different garden style of the Edo Period (1603-1868) are well worth a look.
Day 12 Hiroshima
Meals: Breakfast
Leaving Himeji this morning, you will hop on the Shinkansen ‘bullet’ train for the short journey to Hiroshima. Hiroshima hardly warrants an introduction; the city is of course infamous for the tragic events of August 6th 1945. Yet the city has risen phoenix-like from the ashes and is now a bustling metropolis looking firmly to the future whilst still honouring the past. The skeleton dome of the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall remains in the centre of the city’s Peace Park as a moving reminder of that day. The Peace Museum in the centre of the park explains the lead up to the atomic bomb and provides a heartbreaking tribute to the victims and survivors of the attack. The citizens of Hiroshima work tirelessly to contribute to the abolition of nuclear weapons throughout the world in order to achieve world peace.
Day 13 Hiroshima
Meals: Breakfast
Miyajima, Japan’s most holy island, is just a short ferry ride across the water from Hiroshima and yet couldn’t feel further removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. The rural and mountainous island is home to many Shinto shrines, including the famous vermilion torii gate which appears to float in the sea in front of Itsukushima Shrine. The 2,000 locals work hard to preserve the maple leaf forests and animals are allowed to roam freely around the town, so look out for the sacred deer and wild monkeys! There are numerous walking trails among the shrines and a cable car will take you to within a 30 minute hike to the top of Mount Misen. At 535m, it is the highest peak on Miyajima and offers spectacular views across the Seto Inland Sea.
Day 14 Kanazawa
Meals: Breakfast
The journey to Kanazawa will see you travelling across western Japan, around the shores of Lake Biwa and along the northern Sea of Japan coastline. Sheltered by the sea and the Japan Alps, Kanazawa grew to prominence in the 15th century and remained unscathed from the warring samurai factions. The city’s lack of heavy industry meant Kanazawa also escaped the bombing of World War Two, allowing the city to maintain its vibrant culture to this day. Kanazawa is home to Kenrokuen, a garden made up of the six attributes (spaciousness, seclusion, artificiality, antiquity, abundant water and broad views) that make the perfect garden according to Chinese theory.
Day 15 Kanazawa
Meals: Breakfast
The Nagamachi samurai quarter and the old geisha area of the Higashi pleasure district offer an illuminating look at Japan’s past. In pretty wooden streets lit by old-fashioned street lamps, tea houses sit alongside craft galleries and elegant restaurants. Kanazawa is also home to many interesting museums including the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Ishikawa Prefecture Traditional Products and Crafts Museum and the Nagamachi Kaga Yuzen Silk Centre which demonstrates the 18 step dyeing process to produce yuzen silk for kimonos.
Day 16 Shirakawago
Meals: Breakfast/Dinner
The UNSECO World Heritage site of Shirakawa-go is a beautiful, rural village where 150 gassho-zukuri farmhouses remain. The village was historically a refuge for persecuted families who braved the harsh snowy winters under their steep-sided thatched-roof houses making a living by producing silk. Today the village is a popular tourist destination as visitors bus in to explore the farmhouses which are open to the public. However, you will stay long after the last tourist bus has left and overnight in a ¬gassho-zukuri house. A hearty home cooked dinner is included in your stay and your hosts will explain the history of the house, taking you up into the loft.
Day 17 Tokyo
Meals: Breakfast
Leaving behind the ancient, rural environment of Shirakawa-go, you’ll return to Tokyo for a day that truly highlights the contrasts that make Japan the country it is today. Your final night in Japan will be among the bright neon lights of Shinjuku, the perfect place for some last minute shopping, a great meal out and a taste of karaoke if you fancy!
Day 18 Depart
Meals: Breakfast
Sadly your Japan adventure must come to an end. You will take the Narita Express from Shinjuku Station out to Narita Airport. We wish you a pleasant flight home.
Photos
No photos currently available.
Pricing Information
| 2010 | |||
| Standard Price: | £2599 (Single Price: £3180) | ||
| Upgrade Price: | £3197 (Single Price: £4611) | ||
Extra Nights: |
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Standard Grade |
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| Start: Twin Share pp £65
Single pp £65
End: Twin Share pp £65 Single pp £80 |
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Superior Grade |
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| Start: Twin Share pp £90
Single pp £110
End: Twin Share pp £115 Single pp £175 |
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Accommodation
Asakusa Sunroute Hotel
Tokyo
Business Hotel
The Asakusa Sunroute hotel is a good quality business hotel in a fantastic location in Tokyo's oldest and most historic district. The hotel is located directly above Tawaramachi subway station on the Ginza Line and is just 5 minutes walk from Kaminarimon (Thunder gate) with its iconic huge red lantern. Rooms are Western-style and have en-suite facilities. A diner style restaurant is located on the 2nd floor.
Green Age Inn
Nikko
Pension
This family-run pension located on the road that leads up to Toshogu Shrine is perhaps the best located property in the town. The friendly owners speak some English. The rooms here are Western style, have en-suite bathrooms and there is also a private use wooden hot spring bath.
Aranvert Hotel
Kyoto
Moderate Hotel
The Aranvert Hotel is a comfortable city hotel in a great location in the centre of Kyoto. From the hotel you are within easy walking distance of Shijo, the main artery that runs east to west through the city. The rooms are nicely decorated and very comfortable and the hotel boasts a top-floor bathhouse so you can have a long soak in the large baths whilst surveying the night view of the city. The staff speak good English.
Fudoin Shukubo
Mt. Koya
Minshuku (JP)
The Fudo-in is a quiet Shukubo (temple lodgings) located on a small hill side near Okunoin cemetery in Koya-san. The large garden contains the tomb of the Empress of Toba (1101 - 1145) and so the Imperial family always visit this Shukubo when they come to Koya-san. This is a friendly small shukubo with some English speaking staff. The morning ceremony has some English translation and the bathing facilities are all well kept.
Hotel Claire Higasa
Himeji
Moderate Hotel
This newly refurbished hotel is in a fantastic location just a short walk from Himeji Castle and Kokoen Gardens and has compact but modern and stylish rooms, all en-suite and with flat screen TVs. The hotel features its own bath house as well as a fine restaurant serving kaiseiki cuisine. Free internet access is available and the hotel also has a coin laundry.
Hiroshima Sunroute Hotel
Hiroshima
Business Hotel
Located just 5 mins by taxi from Hiroshima station and in one of the best locations in the city opposite the atomic war museum and peace park, this is a good standard business hotel. The service is excellent and the rooms are all en-suite with some boasting lovely views over the Peace Park. The hotel also has an excellent top floor Italian restaurant.
APA Hotel Kanazawa Chuo
Kanazawa
Business Hotel
The APA Hotel Kanazawa Chuo is a modern business hotel situated in the centre of town. All the rooms are western style with en-suite bathroom and are of a moderate size. On the ground floor there is a branch of 'Seattle's Best' coffee shop and the hotel also boasts a top floor spa, sauna and relaxation space.
Minshuku Koemon
Shirakawago
Minshuku (JP)
The Minshuku Koemon is a thatched roof inn which is conveniently located in the southern half of the village close to the Doboroku Matsuri Exhibition Hall. Housed in a traditional Gassho Zukuri House, the inn offers warm welcome and traditional ambience. The inn has just 5 rooms and bathing facilities are shared use. Stays here include two home-cooked meals which use ingredients local to the area.
Kadoya Hotel
Tokyo
Business Hotel
The Kadoya is a quality business hotel located just 3 minutes walk from the west exit of Shinjuku station in the skyscraper district, but just 7 minutes walk from the entertainment area of Shinjuku. Rooms are tastefully decorated in a modern style and all rooms have flat screen TVs with free cable channels available including BBC World.
Ryokan Yoshinoya
Yonomine
Ryokan (JP)
Ryokan Yoshinoya is located in Yunomine Onsen, just a short distance from Hongu Taisha shrine. The Yoshinoya is a friendly, family owned ryokan with just 9 rooms. It has own indoor and outdoor hot spring baths for you to enjoy as well as great home cooked food.
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