Journey Through Japan's Cultural Heart

Welcome to Osaka. On arrival we arrange your transfer to the hotel so you can relax, and in the afternoon we share practical details about the start of the tour.
Please note: This tour may have travellers joining or departing at various points along the route, meaning group composition can change during the tour. Please also be aware that depending on group composition, guiding may be in additional languages as well as English.

At 11:30 a.m. we leave the city for sacred Mount Koya, the foremost centre of Shingon Buddhism with around 120 temples and monasteries. We visit the Okuno Mausoleum – a profoundly spiritual woodland cemetery with more than 200,000 graves – and explore Kongobuji Temple, first built in 1593. We stay tonight in a Buddhist monastery, where monks guide us through Ajikan meditation, and a vegetarian dinner is included. If you wish, you can attend the temple’s religious ceremony before breakfast. Notes – In winter, earlier nightfall may mean there is not enough time to visit the interior of Kongobuji Temple. Staying in the monastery is a rewarding experience: rooms are simple, in traditional tatami style, without private bathrooms, and facilities are shared. Meditation sessions cannot be guaranteed during busy tourist periods. Accommodation on Mount Koya is limited – on some dates we may use nearby hotels instead, with half board.

We begin with a traditional Japanese breakfast at the temple before an early departure for Kyoto – Japan’s capital from 794 to 1868 and seat of the Imperial Court. Spared wartime bombing, the city preserves an extraordinary cultural heritage and gave its name to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions. We visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, the Imperial Palace and Kinkaku–ji, the “Golden Pavilion”, with its beautiful gardens. You have free time before we continue to Gion, the lively historic district famed for Geisha culture, where you have further free time to soak up the atmosphere. Note – If you have already visited Kyoto during your tour, our guide will offer suggestions to help you explore other parts of the city independently.

After breakfast we travel alongside one of Japan’s largest lakes, pausing at Shirahige Ginra, a small shrine by the water. We continue to Eihei–ji – a temple monastery founded in 1244 and a key centre of Zen Buddhism – with admission included. Its serene setting, architecture and gardens form an important training ground for monks who practise Zazen meditation and follow a strict daily diet. In Katsuyama we visit three highlights: the Dinosaur Museum – at Japan’s largest dinosaur fossil site – where you have free time for lunch and to explore exhibitions featuring more than 40 skeletons; the Great Buddha of Echizen and its grand temple; and a five–storey pagoda, which we can climb for panoramic views. We arrive in Kanazawa by evening.

We devote the day to Kanazawa, starting with a guided tour this morning. Once a rival to Kyoto and Tokyo, the city escaped wartime air raids. We explore the castle area with its imposing walls and stroll the historic Nagamachi district – where samurai families once lived – its earthen walls, private gates, narrow lanes and water canals still preserved. We include admission to Kenrokuen, one of Japan’s three most celebrated gardens. The tour ends at Omicho, a vibrant traditional market with many lunch options, and the afternoon is free for you to explore.

We journey through superb mountain scenery, forests and traditional villages in the Gokayama and Shirakawago regions – both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Their steeply pitched thatched houses are known as “praying hands” for their resemblance to monks’ hands joined in prayer, designed to withstand heavy winter snow. We stop in Ainokura, a charming small village, and in Shirakawa–go Ogimachi, a larger and busier settlement, with time to wander and enjoy lunch. We then continue to Takayama to visit the Hida Folk Village Museum, set in tranquil surroundings. This open–air museum brings together more than 30 traditional houses from the Edo Period, relocated here in 1971, displaying tools and utensils from daily life. We finish with free time for you to explore the old town with its wooden houses and traditional shops.

After breakfast we head to Hida Furukawa for a stroll in its delightful old town. The city’s festival is recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage – celebrated for its great drums and beautifully decorated floats – and we include admission to the museum showcasing the floats, costumes and drums. We then cross the Japanese Alps, famed for long–lasting snow cover, and on arrival in Matsumoto we visit the impressive castle, nicknamed the “Crow Castle” for its black colour, dating from the 16th century. You have free time for lunch and to explore the town before we depart in the afternoon for Tokyo, arriving by day’s end.

This morning we enjoy an extended guided tour – around seven hours – of this exhilarating city where cutting–edge districts sit alongside pockets of calm. We pause at Zojoji Temple for one of the loveliest views of Tokyo Tower, and we see hundreds of Jizo statues – guardians of children – adorned with knitted hats, bibs and pinwheels. We continue to the famous Shibuya Crossing, viewed from the bus, before visiting Meiji Shrine, dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife. Next is Tokyo Skytree – admission included to the Tembo Deck at 350 metres – for sweeping panoramas. We end in Asakusa to explore Sensoji Temple and Nakamise Street, then return to the hotel via the Akihabara district, the “Electric City” and a hub of manga and anime culture, and the Ginza district. At 6:30 p.m. we meet our guide in the hotel lobby and take the subway – tickets included – to Shinjuku for a walk through this lively area, followed by dinner at a local restaurant – included. We return to the hotel by subway with our guide. Note – The order of visits may vary depending on the admission time for Tokyo Skytree. In case of bad weather or other exceptional circumstances, access to Tokyo Skytree may be limited and an alternative iconic viewpoint will be offered.

Our journey concludes in Tokyo, leaving you with wonderful memories. Please check your flight time in case you need an extra night. Departure transfers are not included – our guide will advise on the best public transport for your plans.