Classic Japan with the Japanese Alps and Countryside

Yokoso! Welcome to Japan! At your arrival at Narita Airport in Tokyo, a welcoming service will greet you at the airport arrival gate and escort you to the shuttle bus to your hotel.

Itinerary will be adjusted according to your flight schedule.

Accommodation in Tokyo Option 1: Hilton Tokyo Hotel

Accommodation in Tokyo Option 2: Park Hotel Tokyo

Accommodation upgrade in Tokyo: Mandarin Oriental Tokyo

In the next few days, you will discover Tokyo - the center of modern Japan. You will spend each day exploring the main sights of the city, getting a thorough introduction to a typical Tokyoite life by public transportation, one of the best subway systems in the world. Tokyo is a huge metropolis, which has surprises in store for us at every street corner. This is an exciting, vibrant and bustling city, where everything and everyone moves on high speed. At night, Tokyo reveals yet another side to it with its neon signs brightening the sky, thousands of lively restaurants and bars, and colorful entertainment districts, which you can explore independently.

Today, explore Tokyo with your private guide.

A special schedule for art lovers! Your guide will take you (by public transportation) to some of the leading modern and contemporary art museums in Tokyo and Japan, along with some sightseeing spots as time allows. Your guide is an art specialist who will explain more about contemporary art in Japan.

Independently, accompanied by our detailed instruction file, you will head north for a one-day excursion trip to Nikko – the famous World Heritage temple complex of the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, who unified Japan around 1600. The splendor of this lavishly decorated mausoleum is the origin of the noted Japanese saying - "Never say you're content until you've seen Nikko."

On this day you will take the train (in first class seats) to the "backyard" of Tokyo, Hakone. This nature reserve and hot springs area offers great museums as well as the possibility on a clear day to enjoy one of the best views of Mt. Fuji. Another highlight is the open-air museum, a renowned space for contemporary art which uses the beauty of the surrounding nature as a backdrop for the exhibits. In the evening, you can enjoy one of the highlights of any visit to Japan – the hot springs.

Accommodation: Hyatt

Accommodation upgrade option: Ryokan Ginyu

In the morning you will complete your sightseeing in Hakone by private car and then venture into the Japanese Alps area. En route you will stop at a Kimono museum, featuring unique fabric dyeing art done on silk Kimono. From there you will continue to Matsumoto, a typical castle-town. Matsumoto is famous for its black “crow castle,” one of the very few original castles which have remained complete from the feudal era. Along with the castle, you will visit Nakamachi, an atmospheric preserved district with a small market, interesting galleries and other hidden treasures.

Accommodation in Matsumoto: Bueno Vista

Continuing today by private car you will head deep into the Japanese Alps. Depending on the season, you can stop for a hike in the outdoors. The car will take you to a bus station, where you will board a bus to one of Japan’s most famous nature parks – Kamikochi, a valley set deep in the Japanese Alps with magnificent scenery, easy walking trails along a turquoise-colored river, active wildlife and an abundance of nature. From there you will continue to Takayama.

Takayama is a small town which has kept the charms of olden days with preserved areas from the feudal period, allowing you to soak in an atmosphere reminiscent of past centuries. The next day will be devoted to exploring the gems of the old town and its heritage, starting with the morning market. Takayama is renowned for this market, where you can find old ladies selling fresh fruit and mountain vegetables, flowers and other knick-knacks. In the evenings you can enjoy soaking in the hotel’s hot springs. In the evening, you can also indulge in one of Takayama’s delicacies – Hida beef, a high quality marbled beef equal to the famous Kobe beef.

Accommodation in Takayama: Hotel Associa Takayama Resort

Accommodation upgrade in Takayama: Wa no Sato Ryokan

The day will start with a bus ride to Shirakawa-go, one of Japan’s most scenic views, a delight for photographers. Shirakawa-go is a quiet, picturesque village located in a secluded area deep in the Southern Japanese Alps. The village is dotted with houses and small rice fields connected by a network of watercourses. A World Heritage Site, Shirakawa-go is best known for its Gassho-zukuri farmhouses, a traditional mountain farm house style featuring steep thatched roofs designed to withstand heavy snow. After walking along Shirakawa-go’s small streets and charming shops and going up to the viewpoint for a view of the whole village, you will continue by bus to Kanazawa, a charming countryside city.

Kanazawa has a rich artisan and crafts heritage, ranging from gold leaf production to kimono dyeing, ceramics, lacquerware decoration and more. It also boasts one of Japan’s most renowned gardens, an old Samurai quarter, a preserved Geisha district and a modern art museum, which has won international awards for its innovative architecture.

Accommodation in Kanazawa: ANA Crowne Plaza Kanazawa Hotel

The morning will be dedicated to completing sightseeing in Kanazawa, starting with the bustling fish and produce market. In the afternoon you will head by train (in first class seats) towards Japan’s old capital: Kyoto. You will dedicate these next days to Kyoto, the hub of traditional culture, a city that for hundreds of years has been and continues to be an island of tradition in the swirling whirlpool of progress. Kyoto has 17 World Heritage Sites – the most properties in one city – each a representative masterpiece of the era in which it was constructed. Over these days you will encounter the various tales that make up the Japanese puzzle and discover the past rippling through the everyday life of locals.

Accommodation in Kyoto: Kyoto Hotel Okura

Continuing your journey in Kyoto with your private guide by public transportation, you will be exposed to the fundamentals of esthetics, Zen, architecture, and horticulture through visits to famous places such as the distinguished stone garden at Ryoanji temple, the spectacular Golden Pavilion, the Shogun’s castle, and a downtown market as well as walking along picturesque streets trying to get a glimpse of a Geisha rushing on her way to work.

Today you will begin with a fascinating half-day guided walking tour exploring the tastes and flavors of the Japanese cuisine. The tour will take you to some famous food related places such as an old Sake brewery, Miso shop, tea shop, and a very esthetic food court as well as the famous food market, Nishiki, downtown. Through this tour, you will deepen your knowledge of the Japanese kitchen and you will be exposed to the variety of unique produce and other ingredients that make Japanese cuisine renowned around the world. In the afternoon, you can continue exploring this fascinating city, or wander around the downtown and do some shopping, or relax at your hotel.

Independently, with our detailed instruction file, you will visit the acclaimed Silver Pavilion and enjoy a leisurely walk along the celebrated Philosopher’s Path, continuing to one of Kyoto’s most photogenic slopes with winding streets filled with small specialized shops and cafés set against the backdrop of the Eastern Mountains.

Sayonara, Mata Ne! See you again!

Itinerary will be adjusted according to your flight schedule.

Today, you will start your way back home. A private car will pick you up for a private transfer to Kansai AP. We wish you a pleasant and safe trip.