13-Nights Discover Japan - Classic
From the towers and gadgets of Tokyo to the serenity of sacred shrines and the soaring beauty of Mt Fuji, this tour provides the perfect blend of guided excursions and free time to explore this fascinating region at your own pace. Linger in the gardens of Kyoto, shoot through the mountain air on a Shinkansen bullet train, and stay in a traditional Japanese Inn.
Highlights
Experience the past in Takayama's folk village and Kyoto's historic centre, explore Nijo Castle, lose yourself in the picturesque Kenroku-en Garden, marvel at iconic Mt Fuji and Miyajima's floating torii gate
Accommodation
Hotels (10 nts), traditional inns (1 nt), traditional inns with shared facilities (2 nts).
Group Leader
CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout.
Group Size Notes
Max 15, avg 12
Meals Included
1 breakfast, 1 dinner
What's Included
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group Your Wellness Moment: Onsen Spa Visit, Kawaguchiko Your Discover Moment: Tokyo. Higashi Geisha District visit. Kenroku-en garden visit. Nagamachi Samurai District walk. Hida No Sato folk village visit. Hiroshima Peace Park and Museum visit. Miyajima Island excursion. Nijo Castle and gardens visit. Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion visit. Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine visit. Lake Kawaguchiko (Five Lakes Region) walk. Kaiseki dinner. Japan Rail (JR) pass (14 days). All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
Itinerary
Featured Destinations
Hiroshima
Hiroshima in southwestern Honshu has grown rapidly as a commercial city, and after 1868 it was developed as a military base. Every August 6 since 1947, thousands participate in multidenominational services in the Peace Memorial Park built on the site where the bomb exploded. After the war the city was largely rebuilt, and commercial activity gradually resumed. Visit the Peace Park but also explore Miyajima Island and its colourful shrines and mysterious forests.
Tokyo
Huge department stores brim with shoppers, neon flashes from dusk to dawn, and the entire world pays heed to the slightest fluctuation on the Nikkei Index. From the Imperial Palace and Meiji Shrine to the fabled Ginza district, 20th-century Tokyo is an intriguing composite of East and West. Yuppies sporting Walkmen bow formally in greeting. Women in kimonos and Dior suits stroll side-by-side. Geishas play samisens while disc jockeys play the Top Forty. Japanese houses of wood and paper stand in the shadow of towering steel and mortar. Not far away, one of the world's most impressive sights soars 12,388 feet to its snow-clad peak: Mount Fuji, the majestic symbol of Japan.
Kyoto
Kyoto, as publicized in guidebooks and travel magazines, is a very special city in Japan. In Kyoto, the past still lives on in nearly 2,000 shrines and temples, six historical preservation districts and an abundance of beautiful natural scenery. Through close connections with other forms of culture such as the tea ceremony and performing arts and festivals, textile, dye, ceramics, 'sake'-brewing, fans, dolls, and lacquerware industries, which were supported by imperial, religious and political rulers throughout Kyoto's history, continue to thrive as they were passed down through generations. Kyoto's technological prowess continues to attract worldwide attention. Also, Kyoto is also known as a center of educational and research. It is therefore no surprise Kyoto became the first city in Japan to emerge as a major convention destination and continues to be unrivalled in its popularity. Kyoto has preserved and continues to develop those factors which make it the ideal convention destination: history, culture, tradition, academics, technological progress, accessibility and professional experience in conference management.
Kanazawa
Kanazawa's importance grew in the 15th century, when the powerful and militant Ikko sect established its new headquarters there after being chased out of Kyoto by the monks of Mt.Hiei. During the Edo Period, Kanazawa was the seat of the Maeda clan, the second most powerful clan after the Tokugawa in terms of rice production and fief size. Accordingly, Kanazawa grew to become a town of great cultural achievements, rivaling Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo). In World War Two, Kanazawa was Japan's second largest city (after Kyoto) to escape destruction by air raids. Consequently, parts of the old castle town, such as samurai, temple and pleasure districts, have survived in pretty good condition. Kanazawa is capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, a prefecture along the Sea of Japan.
Mt. Fuji
Mt. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and one of the most magnificent in the world. Points along the climbing trail are called “stations†and the fifth station is the highest point to which you can travel by road, located about halfway up the mountain. Here, weather permitting, you’ll have a magnificent panoramic view.
Takayama
Takayama is a settlement located in the heart of the Japanese Alps in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Also known as Hida-Takayama, this city beautifully preserves traditions of both Old and New World Japan. It was first inhabited primarily by carpenters from the Jomon Period (12,000 BC) who worked on the Imperial Palace in Kyoto and many temples of Kyoto and Nara. During the turn of the 16th century, Takayama’s Kanamori clan built the Takayama Castle enforcing control of the entire Hida Province. A hundred years later, feuds between the Japanese military government and Tokugawa shogunate dwindled and the Tokugawa shogunates claimed Takayama isolating them from the rest of Japan. Over a 300-year period, Takayama developed its own culture. In Takayama, visitors can experience the grace of Old Japan, participate in the Spring and Autumn festivals and witness the change of seasons amongst exotic floras and cherry blossoms, stroll through the temples and former castles, and relax in hot springs of the Japanese Alps.
Departure Dates & Pricing
Terms & Conditions:
Price are per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability and change without notice. Prices reflect land only accommodations, airfare is additional. Blackout dates/seasonal supplements may apply.
Information and pricing is subject to change without notice. While we do our very best to ensure that information and pricing appearing in this website is complete and accurate, we cannot be responsible for incomplete and inaccurate representations, which may or may not be under our control. In the event of a pricing error, misrepresentation or omission, we reserve the right to adjust the pricing or make any other corrections.
