Experience 12 days exploring iconic landmarks and lesser-known cities through Japan’s central and western reaches. The journey includes a ride on the scenic ropeway in Hakone above Lake Ashi for clear views of Mt Fuji. The route wanders through Takayama’s Hida Folk Village, a preserved Edo period settlement, before experiencing incense making at Zenkoji temple. Moving to the coast, a stay with a local family in the ancient samurai town of Hagi provides deep insight into daily life alongside a visit with a regional female sake brewer. The itinerary moves to Hiroshima for an insightful visit to the Peace Park and the nearby Miyajima Island to see the famous floating torii gate. The travel explores the cultural capital of Kyoto, highlighting the historic Gion District and the red gates of Fushimi Inari.
Highlights
Explore Tokyo Urban Culture through backstreets and world class museums
Relax Hakone hot springs in the scenic foothills of iconic Mt Fuji
Discover Takayama Edo History at the preserved Hida Folk Village site
Visit Hiroshima peace park to see the enduring Genbaku Dome symbol
Experience Hagi local homestay with home-cooked meals and daily activities
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Welcome to Japan. The adventure starts in Tokyo with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. This city reflects contemporary urban culture and offers many districts to explore. You find fascinating museums, world-class shopping centers, and neighborhood backstreets lined with small eateries and bars. If you arrive early, you wander through the Hama Rikyu Garden, visit the Sumida Hokusai Museum, or explore Ueno Park. After the meeting, you join fellow travelers for dinner at a local restaurant.
You enjoy a free morning in Tokyo and travel to Hakone in the afternoon. This scenic hot spring town sits in the foothills of Mt Fuji. When you arrive, the day is free for you to explore at your own pace. You visit the iconic red gate that stands in the water of Lake Ashi, visit Hakone Shrine, wander through modern sculptures and beautiful gardens at the Hakone Open-Air Museum, or simply relax in one of Hakone’s numerous onsens. Tonight, you find a local restaurant for dinner and try black eggs, which are cooked in the hot springs of Owakudani, paired with a local beer.
Your travel time today is approximately 1.5 hours.
This morning, you hop on a boat across Ashinoko Lake, then ride the Hakone ropeway cable car to the top of the surrounding mountains. The area around the lake offers plenty of stunning views, and you catch a glimpse of Mt Fuji in the distance if the weather conditions are clear. The afternoon is free to further explore Hakone’s mountain scenery and volcanic sites. You visit the boiling sulphur springs of Owakudani, go for a walk through the hills of the famed grassland ecosystem of Sengokuhara, or discover a collection of art at the Pola Museum of Art.
You travel by a local train, then a Shinkansen towards Takayama. This is a charming Edo-period town in the Japanese Alps, famous for its traditional inns, sake breweries, and the Hida Folk Village. The village is your first stop. It is an outdoor museum where the traditional thatched roof architecture unique to the area is relocated to a mountain setting to preserve traditional Japanese culture. You discover the techniques used to build farmhouses that withstand fierce winters and long periods of isolation due to snow-closed roads. The thick thatching keeps in warmth, and the roofs are angled to minimize snow buildup. Each house is like its own self-contained museum, with displays of personal items and traditional tools. Tonight, you join your group for dinner at a local restaurant. Your leader provides the best recommendations.
This morning, you head to the markets in Gifu prefecture. These markets have existed for over 600 years and are known for their array of high-altitude vegetables. You browse the stalls of seasonal produce brought in from the surrounding countryside and set up by local farm women from 7 am every morning. You look out for the unique local style of pickles, the bags of miso wrapped in leaves, genkotsu ame, preserved fish, spices, and the delicious marshmallow treat, owara tamaten. Then, you head to Zenkoji Temple to learn how to make incense, which is believed to have purifying qualities. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the town at your own pace.
You travel by express train and Shinkansen to Hiroshima today. When you arrive, you visit Hiroshima’s Peace Park. The Genbaku (A-Bomb) Dome and Peace Memorial Museum stand as a testament to the fateful day in August 1945 when Hiroshima was chosen as the target for the first ever wartime use of the atomic bomb. The dome stands just meters from where the bomb detonated, so it retains its shape. The fact that it looks almost exactly as it did after the bombing makes it an enduring symbol of peace. The memorial park serves the same purpose and has museums, memorials, and monuments dedicated to the memory of victims. This evening, you head out with your leader for one of the city’s signature dishes for dinner, okonomiyaki, a savory pancake of egg, cabbage, soba noodles, and meat or seafood.
Today, you make your way to the nearby island of Miyajima with its famous floating torii gate. You might like to further explore the island by climbing to the top of Mt Miyajima, or hopping on the cable car instead, for 360-degree views of the Inland Sea. You keep your eyes out for inquisitive and hungry deer that roam the streets. You have the rest of the day free to enjoy some of the other sites. You stop by the five-storied Hiroshima Castle, which originally dates to the 1590s. It was destroyed by the bomb but reconstructed in all its glory in the 1950s and now holds an informative museum. The wonderful Shukkeien Garden, with teahouses and waterfalls, is also a perfect place to decompress
Your travel time today is approximately 2 hours.
Included Activities
Hiroshima - Miyajima Island
Day 8: Hagi
1 Dinner
This morning, you travel to Hagi. This is a coastal city known for its spring cherry blossoms and forested slopes of Mt Shizuki. When you arrive, you take a walking tour around the Samurai District. You wander through the middle and lower class samurai houses and merchants, then walk down the widest street and main road where the feudal lord’s processions passed. During your walking tour, you also visit the Former Kubota Family Residence. This is the old house of a former kimono and sake brewing businessman, which is very representative of life in the area over 100 years ago. Tonight, you meet your homestay family and sit down to a home cooked meal.
Your travel time today is approximately 4 hours.
Included Activities
Hagi - Former Kubota Family Residence visit and Samurai district walking tour
Hagi - Homestay and home-cooked meals
Day 9: Hagi
1 Breakfast, 1 Dinner
This morning, go with the flow and dive into the day to day life in Hagi with your host. Maybe check out their gardens and vegetables, visit the local supermarket for some shopping or walk around the neighbourhood. Each host will have their own plans. This afternoon, you’ll regroup and hop on a bike to explore the countryside of Hagi. But first, visit a local sake brewery and hear about the inspiring story of the local female sake brewer and how she’s broken the taboo and taken on the family business to continue brewing as one of the very few female sake brewers in the country. Then, continue your cycling tour to explore the countryside of Hagi. Later, head back to your homestay for another night with your host family.
The cycling tour lasts about 3 hours, including stops. If you are hesitant about cycling, you may also choose to ride an electric bike.
You leave Hagi today and travel to Kyoto. Originally founded as Heian kyo by Emperor Kammu in 794, Kyoto served as the capital of Japan for over 1000 years, though the emperor and government now reside in Tokyo. With over 2000 temples, shrines, and gardens, there is plenty to explore in this gorgeous city. Your leader takes you on a sunset walk through the Gion District. You look out for wandering Geisha and Meiko. Tonight, you find a local restaurant for dinner and try some traditional sushi or beef.
Your travel time today is approximately 4 to 5 hours.
Start your day with a visit to the iconic Kinkakuji Temple. It features the impressive Golden Pavilion, immortalized by Yukio Mishima’s novel. Then, you visit the red torii gates in Fushimi Inari. For the more active, hiking up the mountain following the red torii gates is a great way to enjoy the forest and the views over the city. Your afternoon is free to explore Kyoto at your own pace. You head out in the evening with your group to celebrate the end of your adventure together.
Included Activities
Kyoto - Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
Kyoto - Fushimi Inari-Taisha
Day 12: Kyoto
There are no activities planned for the day, and you’re free to depart the hotel at any time after check-out. If you would like to extend your stay, just get in touch with your Trip Planner ahead of time.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
Rates are dynamic and fluctuate based on capacity. Contact us for a specific quote.
Initial deposit is $400 per person, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days (10 weeks) prior to departure by bank transfer, check, or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and a maximum of $20,000 charge
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
