Classic Japan

Start your introduction to Japan with an overnight flight to Osaka.

Land this morning in Osaka, Japan’s culinary capital, and travel to ancient Kyoto for an afternoon at leisure. After checking into your hotel, join the rest of the group for dinner at either the hotel or a local restaurant.

Get ready with breakfast ahead of a day's sightseeing in Japan’s former imperial capital. First, call at Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, one of Kyoto’s most recognisable landmarks and the first of three UNESCO World Heritage Sites on today’s tour. Reflected in the Kyoko-chi (Mirror Pond), this 14th-century Buddhist temple covered in shimmering gold leaf is surrounded by meticulously landscaped grounds.

Ryōan-ji, another UNESCO-listed temple, is next and is known for its minimalistic rock garden. Centred around 15 carefully placed rocks and white gravel, the garden is considered a masterpiece of Zen design and is arranged to evoke a sense of tranquillity and balance. There’s a nearby tea house, where you can sip matcha and admire the view.

Afterwards, stop at your third and final Buddhist temple, UNESCO-listed Kiyomizu-dera, which has watched over the city for over 1,000 years. This hilltop temple is a major point on the Saigoku Kannon pilgrimage route, and it boasts spectacular views from its gardens and terraces.

Your final stop will be the city’s entertainment and geisha district, Gion. Here, traditional wooden houses that once housed merchants and artisans line the lantern-lit streets. Also of interest here are the city’s geishas, and this is one of the few places where you can still encounter these skilled entertainers in their traditional attire.

A leisurely breakfast will be served at the hotel this morning and you’ll be free to spend the rest of the day as you see fit. If you’re keen to explore this former imperial capital under your own steam, why not visit Nijo Castle or perhaps wander around the famed Arashiyama Bamboo Grove?

Alternatively, you can join an optional tea ceremony with a maiko (apprentice geisha). Here, you’ll be introduced to the cultural significance and ritualistic preparation of tea in Japan, and you can speak to the maiko about her craft. After the ceremony, experience the elegance of an authentic geisha performance, courtesy of your maiko host, and then head back to the hotel.

There’ll be another opportunity to enhance your itinerary later this evening with an optional Kyoto by Night excursion followed by dinner in the city. At sundown, join a local guide for a stroll through the city streets and see Kyoto in a different light. Start on the Kamo Gawa riverfront and return to Gion to see its Machiya (traditional Japanese-style) buildings illuminated in the evening light. Continue to Yasaka Shrine, one of the city’s most significant Shinto buildings, before strolling down two of Kyoto’s oldest avenues, Hanamikoji and Yasaka Street. Return to Kiyomizu-dera to see the city’s skyline in the darkness, before stopping for dinner at a local restaurant.

Following breakfast, check out and head to the station to board the high-speed bullet train for Hiroshima while your luggage is sent ahead to your next hotel.

Once you’ve arrived at Hiroshima station, you’ll transfer to the ferry port for a crossing to enchanting Miyajima Island. Covered in forests and ancient temples, this island is home to Itsukushima Shrine, one of Japan’s most recognisable UNESCO World Heritage Sites. A vermilion ‘floating’ torii gate, which becomes partially submerged at high tide, serves as the entrance to this 12th-century shrine. After your visit, there’ll be time for lunch (on your own account).

The ferry will then return you to the mainland where you'll check into your next hotel ahead of an evening under your own steam.

After breakfast, visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which exhibits artefacts, photographic displays, and personal accounts of the atomic bombing's impact on the city and its people. You’ll also see Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, with the UNESCO-listed Genbaku Dome structure that symbolises the city’s resilience and peace efforts in memory of the atomic bombing during WWII.

After this morning’s tour, head to a local restaurant for an included lunch and enjoy Hiroshima’s signature dish, okonomiyaki, a savoury pancake dating back to the pre-war period. This afternoon will be at leisure, and you can venture further into Hiroshima if you’d like for some self-led exploration.

A particular highlight of the city is the imposing Hiroshima Castle, faithfully recreated after the original 16th-century building was destroyed by the atomic bomb. Though the building itself is closed to the public, you can view it from outside with a walk around the grounds. For a more relaxing afternoon’s activity, venture out to riverside Shukkei-en Gardens, where you’ll find a serene green oasis in the centre of the city. This evening, return to the hotel for another overnight stay.

Rise early this morning for breakfast and check out of your Hiroshima hotel. Pack an overnight bag and send your luggage ahead to Tokyo, before travelling through the Japanese countryside to Mishima, a city in the foothills of majestic Mt Fuji, by bullet train via Shin-Kobe.

Upon arrival, soak up the region’s scenic beauty at the Mishima Skywalk, Japan’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge. This walkway stretches more than 1,300ft and offers some of the region’s finest views of dramatic Mt Fuji, the Izu Mountains, and nearby Suruga Bay. Continue to Lake Ashi, one of Japan’s most dramatic crater lakes, where you can admire the views of Mt Fuji and Hakone Shrine’s striking Peace torii on a cruise.

Back on land, venture to Hakone Ropeway to board a cable car. This panoramic journey will carry you to Owakudani ‘Boiling Valley’, a volcanic crater dotted with sulphuric vents, hot springs, and bubbling pools. There’ll be some time to explore and sample the local speciality, kuro-tamago (black eggs), which are boiled in the sulphurous waters to give the eggshells a distinctive dark colour.

Later in the day, you’ll return to Mishima and check into the hotel.

Following breakfast this morning, board a coach for the drive northeast to Japan’s lively capital city, Tokyo. Today’s tour will start in the city’s entertainment hub, Shibuya, home to one of the busiest train stations in the world. Here, you’ll find the famous ‘Shibuya Crossing’, one of the city’s most photographed spots, before heading to Meiji Shrine, one of Japan’s most famous landmarks. Built in 1920 and dedicated to Japan's first modern emperor and empress, Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, this sprawling sanctuary is awash with traditional architecture and hosts many festivals throughout the year.

Next will be a visit to the gardens of Tokyo’s Imperial Palace, which offer some of the most picturesque vistas in the city. This serene parkland is home to ornate bridges, lakes, and imposing gatehouses, still guarding the palace’s inner courtyards, and offers the perfect contrast to the energy of the city.

After some time to explore, continue downtown to Asakusa. Call at Sensō-ji, the city’s oldest Buddhist temple, and Nakamise Arcade, one of Tokyo’s most famous shopping lanes, where you can browse artisan stalls and perhaps sample a few local delicacies.

Finish today’s excursion with a bird’s-eye view of the city below during a trip up to the Tokyo Skytree, the tallest structure in Japan. The Tembo Deck is a 360-degree viewpoint, allowing visitors to take in the sights like Tokyo Bay and Mt Fuji on clear days.

Later in the evening, you’ll have the option to have dinner locally or join an optional Yakatabune river cruise. This unique dining experience will introduce you to a wide variety of local flavours and delicacies against the backdrop of Tokyo’s evening skyline. As you glide along the River Sumida, enjoy a nine-course dinner, paired with authentic local sake, and you’ll see the city’s most iconic landmarks dressed in lights, from the Rainbow Bridge to the Tokyo Skytree.

Have breakfast ahead of a full day at leisure, perhaps heading out for some self-guided exploration or relaxing at the hotel. If you’d like, you can return to the downtown area, paying a visit to the historic neighbourhoods of Yanaka and Nezu. These quieter parts promise a warren of alleys, teahouses, and authentic izakaya, Japanese-style bars that are similar to gastro-pubs.

Alternatively, you can discover two contrasting sides of Tokyo with an optional half-day tour and lunch in the city. Start at teamLab Planets, a digital art installation which challenges perceptions with its reactive displays, ahead of a trip to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. Here, you’ll learn about Tokugawa Ieyasu’s decision to make Edo (later renamed Tokyo) the seat of the shogunate and how the city has evolved over the centuries.

Later on, you’ll have the option to join an experienced English-speaking guide for an evening of live sumo wrestling, one of Japan’s oldest and most iconic martial arts. This traditional sport, dating back over 1,500 years, evolved from ancient Shinto rituals and was popularised in Japan’s imperial court throughout the 8th century. After watching the show, enjoy an authentic kaiseki dinner, a form of fine dining similar to Western haute cuisine, before heading back to the hotel.

Return to the hotel later on for a final evening at leisure.

Enjoy your final morning in Japan with breakfast at the hotel and a few hours at leisure to tick off any remaining wish-list experiences.

Later, travel by coach to the airport for your overnight flight back to the UK via Dubai.

Land early this morning.