Tour Overview
| Duration | 12 Days / 11 Nights |
|---|---|
| Country | Japan — The complete experience: neon cities, ancient capitals, samurai districts, and a city reborn from ashes |
| Route | Tokyo → Hakone (Mt. Fuji) → Kanazawa (Kenroku-en Garden, samurai district) → Kyoto → Nara → Hiroshima (Peace Park, Miyajima Island) → Osaka departure |
| Tour Type | Small Group Tour (max 16), 4-star hotels + 1 night ryokan, English-speaking guide, 3 Shinkansen journeys, private coach |
| Best Season | April (cherry blossoms at Kenroku-en), November (autumn colors throughout, especially Kanazawa and Kyoto). May and October offer excellent weather with fewer crowds. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony is August 6 — a profound but somber experience |
| Price | From US$4,895 per person (twin-sharing, includes 11 nights accommodation (10 hotels + 1 ryokan), daily breakfast, 4 dinners, 3 Shinkansen rides, all guided tours, cultural experiences, airport transfers) |
Data source: InsideJapan Tours Grand Tour — Japan’s most comprehensive 12-day itinerary, extending the classic Golden Route with the beautifully preserved samurai city of Kanazawa and the profoundly moving Hiroshima.
Day 1: Arrival in Tokyo
- Arrive at Tokyo Narita (NRT) or Haneda (HND). Private transfer to your 4-star hotel in Shinjuku. The sheer scale of Tokyo hits you immediately — the endless urban landscape, the trains running with millisecond precision, the constant hum of the world’s largest city
- Afternoon orientation in Shinjuku: the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building’s free observation deck (202m, Mt. Fuji visible on clear days), the controlled chaos of Shinjuku Station, and the neon explosion of Kabukicho. Your guide will introduce the essential of Japanese etiquette: bowing (a slight nod for casual, deeper bows for formal situations), removing shoes before entering homes and some restaurants, and the proper use of chopsticks (never stick them vertically in rice — this is a funeral ritual)
- Welcome Dinner: Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane/Piss Alley) for yakitori and cold beer in Tokyo’s most atmospheric alley of tiny eateries. This is the Tokyo that doesn’t make guidebook covers — authentic, slightly grimy, and utterly unforgettable
Overnight at 4-star hotel in Tokyo.
Day 2: Tokyo — Asakusa, Akihabara & Sumo
- Morning at Asakusa — Senso-ji Temple, Nakamise-dori, and the Kaminarimon gate. Participate in traditional temple rituals: purification at the water basin, offering a coin and prayer, and getting your fortune. If your omikuji is unfavorable, tie it to the designated rack
- Akihabara — the electric town. Visit a multi-story arcade (the rhythm games, the crane machines, the retro classics), browse a manga superstore, and witness the fascinating otaku subculture. Even skeptics find Akihabara mesmerizing — it’s a concentrated dose of Japan’s unique pop culture
- Afternoon: Sumo Museum & Practice Stable Visit (subject to availability) — witness a morning sumo practice (keiko) if timing permits, or visit the Sumo Museum at Ryogoku Kokugikan (Japan Sumo Association headquarters). Sumo — a 1,500-year-old tradition with Shinto origins — is far more than a sport: it’s a living religious ritual. The wrestlers’ lives are strictly regimented, their topknots (chonmage) reminiscent of samurai, and every match begins with purification rituals (throwing salt, stamping feet to drive away evil spirits). If a grand tournament (basho) is in session (January, May, September in Tokyo), attending is an unforgettable experience
- Evening: Roppongi Hills — Tokyo’s most international district, with the Mori Art Museum (contemporary art, 52nd floor) and the Tokyo City View observation deck. Dinner: ramen — Tokyo-style shoyu (soy sauce) or tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen, where the depth of the broth and the springiness of the noodles reveal why this seemingly simple dish has inspired a global obsession
Overnight at 4-star hotel in Tokyo.
Day 3: Tokyo — Imperial Palace, Harajuku & Shibuya
- Imperial Palace East Gardens — the only publicly accessible part of Edo Castle, the seat of the Tokugawa shoguns. Walk the moats, see the foundations of the castle keep, and enjoy the manicured Japanese and Western gardens
- Meiji Jingu — the serene Shinto shrine in its ancient forest. Then plunge into Harajuku: Takeshita Street’s wild youth fashion, the elegant Omotesando boulevard, and the backstreets of Ura-Hara for streetwear and independent designers
- Shibuya — the Scramble Crossing (world’s busiest pedestrian crossing), the Hachiko statue, and Shibuya Sky observation deck for panoramic views. The crossing is most impressive viewed from above — the Shibuya Sky or the Starbucks overlooking the intersection reveal the ballet of organized chaos
- Evening: Shinjuku Golden Gai — six alleys, 200 tiny bars, each seating 5-10 people. Bar Albatross (a three-story wooden birdcage), Open Book (lemons and literature), or Hair of the Dog (punk records). Squeeze in, order a highball, and you’ll likely end up in conversation with whoever is sitting next to you. This is Tokyo at its most intimate and unexpected
Overnight at 4-star hotel in Tokyo.
Day 4: Hakone — Mt. Fuji, Hot Springs & Pirate Ships
- Morning drive to Hakone (approximately 1.5 hours). The day in Hakone follows a carefully designed circuit using different modes of transport — the “Hakone Round Course” — that showcases the region’s diverse beauty
- Hakone Ropeway — gondola ride over the Owakudani Valley, with its volcanic sulfur vents and the famous black eggs boiled in the geothermal waters. Mt. Fuji, when visible, dominates the horizon — its snow-capped perfection is almost hypnotic. The Japanese phrase for Fuji’s visibility is “Fuji-san ga mieta” — “I saw Mt. Fuji” — and it’s always expressed with a hint of gratitude
- Lake Ashi cruise on a replica pirate ship (a delightful example of Japanese quirkiness). The view of Fuji across the lake from the water is the classic photograph, with the red torii gate of Hakone Shrine at the water’s edge
- Hakone Open-Air Museum — sculpture garden, Picasso Pavilion, hot spring footbath. The integration of art and nature here is exceptional
- Shinkansen to Kanazawa via Tokyo (approximately 4.5 hours total, changing at Tokyo Station). The Hokuriku Shinkansen (opened 2015, extended 2024) cuts through the Japanese Alps, emerging on the Sea of Japan coast at Kanazawa — a city so beautifully preserved it’s often called “Little Kyoto.” Arrive in the evening. Dinner: Kanazawa’s famous seafood — the Sea of Japan is colder and richer than the Pacific, producing exceptional crab, sweet shrimp (amaebi), and the region’s prized nodoguro (blackthroat sea perch, known as the “queen of white fish”)
Overnight at 4-star hotel in Kanazawa.
Day 5: Kanazawa — Samurai, Geisha & One of Japan’s Three Great Gardens
- Kenroku-en Garden — one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens (along with Kairaku-en in Mito and Koraku-en in Okayama), a title it has held since the 19th century. “Kenroku-en” means “Garden of Six Attributes” — spaciousness, seclusion, artifice, antiquity, water features, and panoramas — the six qualities considered essential to a perfect garden. The garden was created by the Maeda clan, the second wealthiest feudal domain after the Tokugawa shoguns. In spring, cherry and plum blossoms; in summer, lush green; in autumn, fiery maple colors; in winter, the famous yukitsuri — rope supports radiating from poles to protect the pine trees’ branches from heavy snow. The Kotoji-toro — the two-legged stone lantern standing at the edge of Kasumigaike Pond — is one of Japan’s most iconic garden images
- Kanazawa Castle — the seat of the Maeda clan, rebuilt using traditional techniques with massive wooden beams and stone walls. The castle was never attacked by enemies — it was repeatedly destroyed by fire. The current restoration is ongoing and showcases the extraordinary traditional carpentry skills that built Japan
- Nagamachi Samurai District — the former residential area of the Kaga domain’s samurai retainers. The earthen walls (tsuchi-bei), narrow cobblestone lanes, and water canal edges are essentially unchanged since the Edo period. The Nomura-ke (Nomura samurai house) is open to visitors — its interior reveals the elegant simplicity of samurai life: tatami-mat rooms, a small but exquisite garden, and display cases with armor and swords. The garden, though tiny, was built with the skill and vision of its time, incorporating a stream, stone lanterns, and carefully placed trees
- Higashi Chaya District — Kanazawa’s beautifully preserved geisha district, with its dark wooden buildings and latticed windows. Chaya literally means “tea house” — these were the exclusive establishments where geisha entertained wealthy merchants (samurai were forbidden from entering). The Shima Teahouse is open as a museum — its interior, with the kitchen, the geisha’s dressing room, and the performance rooms, offers a rare look at this closed world. Window-shop for gold leaf — Kanazawa produces 99% of Japan’s gold leaf, used in temple decoration (Kinkaku-ji), traditional crafts, and even food items (gold leaf soft serve, gold-flecked sake). Try a gold leaf ice cream — it tastes metallic (gold is flavorless) but looks spectacular
- Evening: Omicho Market — “Kanazawa’s Kitchen” since the Edo period. The seafood here is legendary — the cold Sea of Japan produces incredible crabs (kani), the region’s sweet shrimp, and nodoguro. Dinner at a market restaurant: kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) piled with the day’s catch, or the winter specialty: snow crab (zuwaigani), sweet and delicate, a seasonal delicacy worth building a trip around
Overnight at 4-star hotel in Kanazawa.
Day 6: Kanazawa → Kyoto — Arrival in the Ancient Capital
- Morning free in Kanazawa: revisit Kenroku-en in the early morning light, explore the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art (the famous “Swimming Pool” installation by Leandro Erlich — where people appear to be walking underwater — is its most photographed work), or browse the craft shops for Kutani-yaki (Kanazawa’s distinctive colorful porcelain, produced for over 350 years, characterized by bold designs in greens, blues, yellows, and reds with gold accents)
- Thunderbird Limited Express to Kyoto (approximately 2 hours, a scenic JR train running along the shores of Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake). Arrive in Kyoto — the imperial capital for over 1,000 years. The transition from Kanazawa’s samurai elegance to Kyoto’s imperial refinement is subtle but profound — Kanazawa is a provincial interpretation; Kyoto is the original
- Afternoon: Nijo Castle (1603, UNESCO) — the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa shoguns, designed to demonstrate their power over the Emperor. The Ninomaru Palace is famous for its “nightingale floors” (uguisubari) — deliberately squeaky floorboards that functioned as a security system, impossible to walk on without chirping like a bird, alerting guards to intruders. The sliding door paintings (fusuma-e) by the Kano school are masterpieces of Japanese art — tigers, pine trees, hawks, and seasonal flowers on gold leaf backgrounds. The garden, with its large pond, islands, and carefully placed stones, is designed to be viewed from the palace rooms — a static composition to be contemplated, not explored
- Evening: Pontocho Alley — the narrow, atmospheric lane along the Kamogawa River. This is Kyoto at its most romantic — lanterns reflecting in the river, the sound of shamisen music drifting from upper-floor establishments, and the glimpse of a geiko (Kyoto geisha) or maiko (apprentice) slipping through a doorway. Dinner at a kappo restaurant — counter-style dining where the chef prepares each course in front of you, engaging in conversation (if you speak Japanese) and tailoring the meal to your preferences
Overnight at 4-star hotel in Kyoto.
Day 7: Kyoto — The Complete Immersion
- Pre-dawn at Fushimi Inari — arrive before sunrise for an experience few tourists get. The vermilion torii gates are lit by lanterns in the pre-dawn darkness, creating a mystical, almost otherworldly atmosphere. As the sun rises, light filters through the gates, and you’ll have the mountain path nearly to yourself. Walk as far as the Yotsutsuji intersection (about 45 minutes) for panoramic views of Kyoto awakening below
- Morning: the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji) — the gold-leaf-covered temple reflecting in its mirror pond. Then Ryoan-ji — the Zen rock garden where 15 stones on raked gravel invite contemplation. What you find in the garden says as much about you as it does about the garden
- Afternoon at Kiyomizu-dera — the hillside temple with its wooden platform, the Otowa waterfall, and the view over Kyoto that has inspired poets for centuries. Walk the preserved streets of Higashiyama: Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka slopes, traditional shops, and the giant Yasaka Pagoda (Hokan-ji, 46m, visible from miles around — the quintessential Kyoto photo spot, especially at sunset)
- Evening in Gion: Shirakawa Canal, willow trees, the possibility of glimpsing a geiko or maiko. Your guide will explain the geisha system — geiko are professional entertainers, highly trained in traditional arts (dance, music, tea ceremony, conversation), not the Western misconception. A maiko (apprentice) undergoes five years of training, living in an okiya (geisha house) with strict rules. Her elaborate kimono, distinctive makeup, and ornamented hair represent a significant financial investment by her okiya. Seeing one is a privilege, not a photo opportunity — be respectful
Overnight at 4-star hotel in Kyoto.
Day 8: Arashiyama & Nara — Bamboo, Deer & the Great Buddha
- Early morning at Arashiyama Bamboo Grove — arrive before crowds for the mystical experience of towering bamboo, sunlight filtering green, the stalks creaking and knocking in the wind (a designated “Soundscape of Japan”). Continue to Tenryu-ji garden and the Okochi Sanso Villa — the former home of silent film star Denjiro Okochi, with its exquisite gardens and matcha tea included in admission, offering panoramic views over Kyoto
- Midday: Nara (45 minutes by train). Feed the sacred deer in Nara Park, visit Todai-ji (the 15m Great Buddha), Kasuga Taisha (3,000 stone lanterns), and walk through Naramachi’s preserved merchant district. The contrast between Nara’s ancient, almost rustic atmosphere and Kyoto’s refined elegance is a window into Japan’s civilizational evolution
- Return to Kyoto. Evening: tea ceremony — a contemplative experience of the Way of Tea. Prepare to sit on tatami mats for an extended period, receiving the bowl of matcha with prescribed movements, and appreciating the utensils, the calligraphy scroll, and the flower arrangement chosen specifically for this moment, this season, this gathering — the essence of ichigo ichie (one time, one meeting — each encounter is unique and will never recur)
Overnight at 4-star hotel in Kyoto.
Day 9: Kyoto → Hiroshima — The City of Peace
- Shinkansen to Hiroshima (approximately 1 hour 40 minutes). The journey passes through Osaka and along the Seto Inland Sea, with views of the Inland Sea’s countless islands. Arrive in Hiroshima — a city whose name is synonymous with one of history’s darkest moments and its most profound response to tragedy
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park — a 122,000 m² park at the hypocenter of the atomic bombing. At 8:15am on August 6, 1945, the world’s first atomic bomb used in warfare detonated 600m above this spot, instantly killing an estimated 80,000 people and destroying 90% of the city. Today, the park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a powerful testament to peace
- Atomic Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dome) — the former Industrial Promotion Hall, one of the few buildings near the hypocenter that partially survived (because the blast came from almost directly above, some walls remained standing). It’s preserved in its ruined state as a stark reminder — the skeletal dome against the sky, the rubble, the contrast with the rebuilt, vibrant city around it. A group of schoolchildren will likely approach you (Japanese students often interview visitors about peace as part of their curriculum) — their questions and the exchange of perspectives is often one of the most moving moments of any trip to Japan
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum — a profoundly emotional experience. The museum presents the bombing and its aftermath through personal artifacts: a child’s tricycle, a wristwatch stopped at 8:15, melted roof tiles, and the shadows of people permanently etched into stone steps by the heat flash. The human stories — survivors’ testimonies, the crane origami sent by children around the world (inspired by Sadako Sasaki, a 12-year-old victim of radiation-induced leukemia who folded over 1,000 paper cranes before her death) — are devastating. The museum is not accusatory toward any nation; its message is universal: “This must never happen again.”
- Children’s Peace Monument — topped by a statue of Sadako Sasaki holding a golden crane. The inscription reads: “This is our cry. This is our prayer. For building peace in this world.” Surrounding display cases are filled with millions of paper cranes sent by children from around the world, replaced regularly to prevent fading
- Evening: Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki — Hiroshima’s layered savory pancake (distinct from Osaka style): batter, cabbage, bean sprouts, pork, soba or udon noodles, egg, and sweet-savory sauce, all constructed in layers on the griddle before you. It’s the city’s signature comfort food and a testament to the resilient spirit of Hiroshima’s people — okonomiyaki stalls were among the first businesses to reappear after the bombing, feeding a destroyed city. Eat at Okonomimura (Okonomiyaki Village) — a building with over 20 okonomiyaki stalls on multiple floors
Overnight at 4-star hotel in Hiroshima.
Day 10: Miyajima — The Floating Torii & Sacred Island
- Morning ferry (10 minutes) to Miyajima — officially Itsukushima, a sacred island in the Seto Inland Sea, considered so holy that common people were once forbidden to set foot on it. The island has been a Shinto holy place since the 6th century, and to preserve its purity, births and deaths were prohibited on the island until the 19th century — the elderly and pregnant were sent to the mainland
- Itsukushima Shrine (UNESCO) — a complex of vermilion buildings built over the water on stilts, connected by boardwalks. At high tide, the shrine — and its famous Great Torii Gate (16.6m tall, weighing 60 tons, made of camphor wood) — appear to float on the sea. The current torii is from 1875 (the 8th iteration — previous ones were destroyed by natural decay, typhoons, and fires). The shrine was designed so that the Emperor and his court could visit by boat without touching the sacred soil — they glided through the floating torii into the shrine complex. At low tide, you can walk out to the torii gate’s base, where people place coins in the cracks of its barnacle-covered pillars for good luck
- Daisho-in Temple — one of Japan’s most important Shingon Buddhist temples, at the base of Mount Misen. The temple features a cave filled with 88 icons representing the temples of the Shikoku pilgrimage — walking through it symbolically completes the entire pilgrimage. The spinning metal sutra cylinders (manji) lining the stairs — turn each one as you ascend, and you’ve read the complete sutra. Hundreds of stone statues wearing knitted red caps and bibs (offerings from devotees for the protection of children) line the temple paths
- Mount Misen — ropeway to the summit (535m) for panoramic views over the Seto Inland Sea’s scattered islands. On clear days, you can see Hiroshima and the mountains of Shikoku. The summit has been a site of Buddhist worship since 806 AD, when the great monk Kobo Daishi (founder of Shingon Buddhism) meditated here for 100 days. The eternal flame burning at the summit temple, lit by Kobo Daishi himself, was used as the pilot light for Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial flame
- Free-roaming deer (also sacred — messengers of the gods, though less assertive than Nara’s deer). Momiji manju (maple-leaf-shaped cakes filled with red bean paste, cream, chocolate, or cheese) are Miyajima’s specialty — they’re produced by over 20 shops on the island, and there’s a friendly rivalry over whose is best. Sample a few and choose your favorite
- Evening: Hiroshima’s Nagarekawa district for drinks and late-night okonomiyaki. Hiroshima’s nightlife is lively, friendly, and far less touristy than Tokyo or Kyoto — a chance to experience Japanese urban culture in a city that rebuilt itself from nothing
Overnight at 4-star hotel in Hiroshima.
Day 11: Hiroshima → Osaka — Japan’s Kitchen
- Morning Shinkansen to Osaka (approximately 1.5 hours). Arrive in Japan’s third-largest city — louder, funnier, and more food-obsessed than anywhere else in Japan. Osaka’s unofficial motto is “kuidaore” — eat until you drop — and the city’s culinary culture is legendary
- Osaka Castle — the reconstructed 16th-century fortress of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the peasant who rose to rule Japan. The museum traces his life: born to a foot soldier, he rose through genius and charisma to become Japan’s supreme ruler, unified the country, and then watched his dynasty disintegrate within a generation. His death poem: “Like dew I was born, like dew I vanish. All that I have done in Naniwa (Osaka) is a dream within a dream.” The castle’s massive stone walls — some individual rocks weigh over 100 tons, transported from quarries hundreds of kilometers away — testify to his ambition
- Afternoon food crawl in Dotonbori — Osaka’s neon-lit entertainment district. The Glico Running Man (illuminated since 1935), the giant mechanical crab, the octopus sign that breathes steam — Osaka’s advertising is as bold as its people. Eat your way through the city’s iconic dishes: takoyaki (octopus balls, crispy outside, molten inside, topped with dancing bonito flakes), okonomiyaki (Osaka-style savory pancake, where all ingredients are mixed into the batter before grilling), and kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers in Shinsekai — remember: NO DOUBLE DIPPING in the communal sauce)
- Shinsekai — the “New World” district, designed in 1912 with Paris and Coney Island as inspiration, now delightfully retro and slightly faded. Climb the Tsutenkaku Tower (the original 1912 tower was dismantled for steel during WWII, the current 1956 version is a beloved Osaka icon). The district is the heart of working-class Osaka, and the kushikatsu restaurants with their steam-covered windows and elderly proprietors serve food that hasn’t changed in generations
- Farewell Dinner: a final kaiseki or multi-course meal celebrating Japanese cuisine. Sake pairings, seasonal ingredients, and artistry on the plate that rivals anything in Kyoto or Tokyo. Osaka’s food scene is competitive and democratic — you eat as well for US$10 as you do for US$100, and the locals take immense pride in their food knowledge
Overnight at 4-star hotel in Osaka.
Day 12: Departure from Osaka
- Breakfast at the hotel. Depending on flight time, visit Kuromon Market for a final food experience — fresh seafood, wagyu skewers, mochi, and matcha. Or Sumiyoshi Taisha — one of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines (founded 211 AD, long before Buddhism arrived), famous for its uniquely Japanese architectural style (Sumiyoshi-zukuri) with straight roofs and no continental Asian influence. The vermilion arched bridge (Sorihashi) crossing the pond is Osaka’s most beautiful photo spot
- Transfer to Kansai International Airport (KIX). Your grand Japan tour concludes: Tokyo’s neon energy, Kanazawa’s samurai elegance, Kyoto’s thousand temples, Hiroshima’s profound peace message, and Miyajima’s floating torii. Japan leaves no traveler unchanged — it challenges your assumptions about time, beauty, respect, and service, and it will call you back. “Mata ne” — see you again
Depart from Osaka. End of tour.
What’s Included
- 11 nights accommodation (10 nights 4-star hotels + 1 night traditional ryokan) with daily breakfast
- Private airport transfers (arrival Tokyo, departure Osaka)
- Professional English-speaking guide throughout the tour
- 3 Shinkansen bullet train journeys (Tokyo→Kanazawa segment, Kyoto→Hiroshima, Hiroshima→Osaka, all reserved seats)
- Private air-conditioned coach for day excursions
- All attractions including: Senso-ji, Meiji Jingu, Imperial East Gardens, Tokyo Skytree, Hakone Ropeway & Lake Ashi cruise, Hakone Open-Air Museum, Kenroku-en Garden, Nomura-ke Samurai House, Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji, Ryoan-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, Fushimi Inari, Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha, Peace Memorial Museum, Miyajima ferry & Itsukushima Shrine, Mount Misen ropeway, Osaka Castle
- Sea of Japan seafood dinner in Kanazawa, Hiroshima okonomiyaki experience, Osaka street food tour
- Tea ceremony and cultural workshops
- Welcome and farewell dinners
What’s Excluded
- International flights
- Most lunches and dinners (allow US$20-50/day)
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Sumo tournament tickets (if applicable, ¥3,800-14,800)
- Personal expenses, shopping, gratuities (not customary in Japan)
All prices in US Dollars. Ryokan night may involve shared bathing facilities. Single supplement available.
