Grand Tour of Japan

DAY 1 – ARR. TOKYO (-)
Arrive in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. Meet your tour manager and transfer to hotel. Relax and recover from the jetlag.

DAY 2 – TOKYO (B,D) 
Today, follow the expert to experience the traditional Japan.

• Pass by Imperial Palace Plaza, the main residence of the Emperor of Japan.
• Enjoy a panoramic view of Tokyo from Tokyo Skytree. 
• Explore the Tokyo's oldest temple – Asakusa Kannon Temple and the famous “Nakamise” shopping arcade. 
• Enjoy a pleasant drive through Ueno, where Tokyo’s first coffee shop once stood.
• Spend time at the buzzing Akihabara, a renowned electronic town.
• Tonight, Welcome dinner to taste the special Japanese cuisine.

DAY 3 – TOKYO (B) 
Full day explore Tokyo at own leisure to discover Tokyo based on your own interests  or join the local guide to explore the city by public transportation (we will prepare a subway card for you).

DAY 4 – TOKYO TO MT. FUJI TO ATAMI (B,L,D)
Travel to Mt. Fuji.

• Head up to the 5th Station of Mt. Fuji; enjoy the spectacular and breathtaking views at 7,546 ft above sea level.
• Taste a delicious Japanese-style lunch before cruising on Lake Ashi, this crater lake was formed by a powerful volcanic eruption nearly 3,000 years ago, and provides postcard views of Mt. Fuji. 
• Take a ropeway ride to the peak of Mt. Komagatake to see the spiritual Hakone Shrine Mototsumiya (original shrine) that nestles at the mountaintop. 

DAY 5 – ATAMI TO TAKAYAMA (B) 

• This morning, travel to Nagoya, the headquarter of Toyota Factory. 
• Continue to Takayama, a beautifully preserved old town. 
• Explore Yatai Kaikan (Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall); it displays some of the colorfully decorated festival floats used in the famous Takayama Festival. Enjoy seeing the many intricately made floats. 
• Enjoy a visit to Kusakabe Heritage House, a historical Japanese-style townhouse and view a range of exquisite folk art and traditional handicrafts. 
• Weave through Kami-Sannomachi with a line of Edo period buildings that provides you a glimpse into the past. 
• This evening, feel free to enjoy a relaxing soak in the communal bath, a Japanese tradition

DAY 6 – TAKAYAMA TO KANAZAWA (B,L) 

• Enjoy walking around the bustling Takayama Morning Market, where a wide array of local specialties and other products are available.
• Get your camera ready for Shirakawago Observatory, an elevated view of the World Heritage-registered thatch-roofed village of Shirakawago. 
• Admire the Wada Residence (traditional thatch-roofed farmhouse). This is one of the thatch-roofed houses, also registered as a World Heritage Site. Look around and be fascinated by the culture and history of the village. Taste delicious regional cuisine dishes you can only enjoy in the countryside. 
• Head to Kanazawa.  During the Edo Period, Kanazawa was a town of great cultural achievements, rivaling Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo). Today, Kanazawa remains an important city in its region and serves as the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture.

DAY 7 – KANAZAWA TO KYOTO (B)

• Explore Nagamachi Samurai District, home to Nomura Residence, former residence of a samurai family from the Kaga Domain.
• Admire the traditional architecture and gaze at Kenrokuen Garden, this beautiful garden is considered one of the top three Japanese gardens.
• Visit Higashi Chaya–gai, an Important Traditional Building Preservation District, where you will see wooden-latticed exteriors of teahouses line both sides of the stone-paved street here where something from the Edo period still lingers in the air.
• Wander through Hakuza Honten, shop for handicrafts, accessories, cosmetics and other items made with gold leaf.
• After lunch at your own leisure, take the JR limited express train to Kyoto, the ancient capital. It is a lifetime experience to travel on the world’s first bullet train.
• Check in at your hotel. Relax for the rest of the day.

DAY 8 – KYOTO (B)

Experience Kyoto, an ancient capital of Japan for more than one thousand years. Kyoto is the best way to discover the “real Japan” and truly learn about its culture.

• Explore Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was built to provide lodging for Tokugawa Shogun and as a palladium for Kyoto Imperial Palace. 
• Admire the golden structure of Kinkaku-ji Temple, a world Heritage site that is covered in thin layers of pure gold and is surrounded by a beautiful pond. 
• Explore the Golden Pavilion of Kinkakuji, a Zen temple covered in gold leaf.
• Walk through the rows of torii gate at the charming Fushimi Inari Taisha. It is a custom to donate a tori to make your wish come true.
• Evening, experience the life of geisha at the Gion Area.

DAY 9 – KYOTO (B)

Full day free to explore Kyoto on your own leisure. You can join the Sushi making class or enjoy a half day Arashiyama to see the beautiful Bamboo Grove and natural scenery of Kyoto.

DAY 10 – KYOTO TO NARA TO OSAKA (B)

• Head to Nara, the ancient capital of Japan. 
• Visit Toda-ji Temple, a world heritage site, it is a symbol of the Nara Period and one of the world’s largest wooden structures. Its huge main hall and bronze Great Buddha are impressive to behold. 
• At Kasuga Taisha Shrine, you will find the deer of Nara Park, the shrine messengers. Stop by Nara Nagomikan, the largest souvenir shop in Nara. 
• Enjoy yourself in this spacious shop and look for the perfect local handicrafts. 
• End your day in Osaka, one of the largest cities in Japan.

DAY 11 – OSAKA (B)

• Start your day with a visit to Nambayasaka Shrine, see the impressive Ema-den lion head statue standing 12 meters high. 
• Explore Osaka Castle, one of the famous landmarks of Japan. It played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century.
• In the late afternoon, discover Dotonbori, the heart of Osaka and renowned for its gaudy neon lights, extravagant signage and the enormous variety of restaurants and the famous snack food.

DAY 12 – OSAKA TO HIROSHIMA TO OSAKA (B)

• Take a Shinkansen to Hiroshima. Discover the world heritage sites of Hiroshima and Miyajima. 
• Go to Miyajima by ferry. Miyajima, is known as the Sacred Island, and one of Japan’s most beautiful landscapes. 
• Itsukushima Shrine, a World Heritage site; established in the 6th century, this shrine is one of Japan’s finest, and is famous for its beautiful Shinden-zukuri style structure (architecture representative of a nobles’ residence in the Heian period). 
• Spend your afternoon at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park & Museum, this large-scale park was established in 1949 after the Pacific War ended, and is visited by countless visitors as a symbol of peace. 

DAY 13 – OSAKA DEPT. (B)
Transfer to the airport for your flight to home.

• All admission fees as noted in the itinerary
• Daily breakfasts and all meals as noted in the itinerary
• English-speaking guided 
• Hotel accommodations 
• Ground transportation