Land of the Rising SunEscorted Tour, Japan

This tour of Japan is the perfect introduction to one of the world’s most enthralling countries, a heady mix of ancient shrines and modern developments, plus stunning works of nature.

You’ll start in bustling Osaka, from where you’ll explore Himeji’s awe-inspiring castle, Japan's 6th-century capital Nara, and ancient, mesmerising Kyoto. Kanazawa’s gardens, Shirakawa-Go’s traditional thatched gassho-zukuri houses and picture-perfect Takayama are followed by Nagoya’s museums of the modern age, and (hopefully) some unforgettable views of majestic Mount Fuji from Fujinomiya and Hakone. Two days in Tokyo's non-stop, neon futurescape – where gleaming modern towers and the latest technology share the landscape with temples and palaces – complete a fascinating journey.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Explore Himeji, Japan’s best-preserved feudal-era fortress

Take the train to Nara, Japan’s 6th-century capital with its sacred deer

Experience bustling Osaka, ‘Japan’s Kitchen’

Head to Kyoto and visit the famous red torii gates and Arashiyama bamboo forest

Journey to coastal Kanazawa with its famous gardens

Discover Shirakawa-Go’s traditional thatched houses and picture-perfect Takayama, gateway to the Japanese Alps

Stay in modern Nagoya, home of the Toyota Museum

Travel to Hakone National Park, where you’ll get a glimpse of fabled Mount Fuji, and enjoy a cruise on Lake Ashin

Spend two nights in futuristic capital Tokyo, with an included tour, time at leisure and a sushi-making lunch offering the perfect mix

WHAT'S INCLUDED

10 nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation, plus two on the aircraft

Return flights to Japan, outbound to Osaka and returning from Tokyo

11 tours and excursions

14 meals: 10 breakfasts, three lunches and one evening meal

Comfortable, air-conditioned coach travel and transfers

Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager

ITINERARY

Day One: Fly to Japan

Fly overnight from the UK to Osaka.

Day Two: Arrival

You'll meet your tour manager when you arrive in Osaka, and transfer into the city, heading to your hotel for a three-night stay. The rest of the day is at leisure, as you relax and unwind after the journey.

Day Three: Included Himeji Castle

Board the coach and head to Himeji’s extraordinary White Egret castle – perhaps Japan’s finest fortified palace and certainly the best-preserved feudal-era castle in the country. Enjoy a tour of the extraordinary 14th-century fortress and then take a relaxing stroll around the adjoining Kokoen gardens (entry included), before an included lunch and tour of a traditional sake brewery.

Day Four: Included Nara & Osaka sightseeing

This morning you'll board the train to Nara, Japan’s sixth-century capital, where sights include Todai-ji temple’s Great Buddha, the sacred deer of the Nara Koen Park and Kasuga Taisha shrine, one of Japan’s most important Shinto shrines and famous for its traditional lanterns.

Return to Osaka by train for a guided exploration of Dotonbori, known as ‘Japan’s Kitchen’, with its restaurants and street vendors.

Day Five: Included Kyoto tour

Head to Kyoto for a one-night stay. Discover the highlights of Japan's former imperial capital, including the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine’s red torii gates, the spectacular Kiyomizu-dera temple, which offers breathtaking views of the city, and the famous Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion. After lunch, enjoy some free time wandering the lovingly restored streets of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka before you head to Arashiyama's bamboo forest.

Day Six: Included Kanazawa sightseeing

Journey to coastal Kanazawa today and visit the exquisite Kenroku-en Garden, one of the world’s great horticultural treasures. Here you’ll get a glimpse of Japan's past at Nagamachi’s Nomura Samurai House and, if time allows, visit the Higashi Chaya-Gai geisha district, followed by a gold leaf-decorating class. Overnight in Kanazawa.

Day Seven: Included Shirakawa-Go & Takayama sightseeing

Board the coach for the scenic journey to the UNESCO-listed village of Shirakawa-Go, where several thatched gassho-zukuri farmhouses, built to withstand the snows of winter, are beautifully preserved. You’ll visit the Wada-ke house, built by one of the region’s wealthiest families, then enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before journeying to the picture-perfect surroundings of Takayama, a charming, laid-back gateway to the Japanese Alps, with its preserved Sanmachi-Suji area of streets lined with traditional streets and sake breweries.

Continue to Nagoya for an overnight stay.

Day Eight: Included Nagoya & Fujinomiya sightseeing

Join your guide this morning as you head to the nearby Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology, which documents the fascinating history and development of Toyota, which began life as a textile machinery company in the 1920s.

Continue to Fujinomiya and the Mount Fuji World Heritage Centre, where you’ll visit the Fuyinomiya Sengen shrine, which sits in the centre of the town and dates back to the 10th century.

Tonight, you’ll spend the night in nearby Mishima, where an included dinner and hot springs (onsen) await at your hotel.

Day Nine: Hakone National Park & Tokyo

Journey north today to beautiful Hakone National Park, dominated on clear days by the cone of Mount Fuji. You’ll visit the atmospheric Hakone Shrine, shrouded in dense forest, near the shore of Lake Ashin, then take a cruise on the lake and ride the cable car above the Owakudani Valley. After the tour, travel through the volcanic landscape to Tokyo for the first of two evenings in Japan’s pulsating capital.

Day Ten: Tokyo City tour

Join your guide for a fascinating day that will include Asakusa, ancient Buddhist Senso-ji temple and nearby, traditional Nakamise shopping street.

Enjoy an entertaining lunch that includes a sushi-making experience, a bird’s eye view of the city from the observation floor of Shinjuku’s government buildings, a stroll along the tree-lined avenues of Yoyogi park, the Meiji Shrine and a visit to world-famous Shibuya Crossing – a chaotic four-way sea of humanity.

Day Eleven: Tokyo at leisure

Make the most of the final day of your tour as you enjoy vibrant, cacophonous Tokyo at your leisure.

Day twelve: Departure & arrive back in the UK

Transfer to the airport for your return flight at the end of a fascinating adventure in Japan.

Land of the Rising Sun is located in Escorted Tour, Japan. Accommodation rating is the operators own rating and may not be the official rating. Hotel details correct at 10/01/2022