Japan Elevated

Arrive in Tokyo and meet your private driver for a smooth transfer to the hotel. Your tour leader will be waiting in the lobby to welcome you, answer any questions, and offer advice for your free time if you have booked pre-tour nights.

On your first evening, join your tour leader for a short tour briefing followed by an included welcome dinner in the lively Akasaka district, where small local restaurants fill the side streets. This relaxed first evening is an easy introduction to Japan’s dining culture at an izakaya, where casual sharing plates offer the chance to sample a range of dishes, from fresh sashimi to grilled yakitori skewers. It is also a great opportunity to get to know the rest of the group

Today we explore Tokyo by bus, visiting neighbourhoods that are often overlooked and offer a glimpse into the city’s everyday character.

We begin at Koishikawa Korakuen Garden, an Edo-period landscape of carp ponds and maple-lined paths set against a backdrop of modern skyscrapers. From here, we continue to the old district of Yanaka and Nezu Shrine, known for its striking tunnels of vermilion torii gates.

Lunch is in Jimbocho, recently named one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods by Time Out. Here you will find trendy cafés, second-hand bookshops and galleries specialising in ukiyo-e woodblock prints. In the afternoon, we visit Senso-ji in Asakusa, Tokyo’s oldest temple, followed by Kappabashi Dougu-gai - also known as Cookware Street - lined with chef’s knives, lacquerware and specialist kitchen shops. There will be time to browse before returning to the hotel.

This evening is free for dinner, and your tour leader will be happy to suggest places to suit your tastes.

Tokyo - Nagoya - Inuyama. This morning we board the Shinkansen bullet train to Nagoya, then continue by private coach to the Noritake Museum, where we trace the Meiji-era story of Japanese porcelain innovation.

Lunch is included at the city’s oldest restaurant, where European-inspired dishes are prepared using local ingredients. We then continue to Inuyama, a riverside castle town backed by forested hills. After check-in, there will be time to relax in the hotel’s on-site onsen baths before an included dinner at the hotel restaurant, with views of the castle.

This morning begins with one of Inuyama’s most memorable cultural experiences - a Buddhist goma fire ceremony at the city’s foremost temple, offering an insight into the rituals of esoteric Buddhism.

Afterwards, your Tour Leader will lead a walk through Inuyama’s jokamachi castle town, with free time to stop for lunch at a local restaurant along the way. There will be time to admire the timber-fronted houses and historic merchant façades, and to visit Inuyama Castle - one of only twelve original samurai-era castles still standing in Japan.

Later, enjoy matcha and traditional wagashi sweets at Urakuen Garden, where stone lanterns, seasonal flowers and moss-covered grounds create a peaceful setting. This evening is free, though you may choose to join your tour leader for dinner at a local restaurant in the old town.

Inuyama - Otsu - Kyoto. This morning we travel west by private bus towards Kyoto, stopping first in Otsu on the shores of Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake. Here we enjoy a refined kaiseki lunch at a renowned local restaurant before continuing to nearby Mii-dera, one of Japan’s largest and most important temple complexes, with panoramic views across the lake.

Despite its historical significance and its proximity to Kyoto, Mii-dera remains off the typical tourist trail, allowing us to visit in relative peace. After arriving in Kyoto and checking in, there will be time to relax before this evening’s highlight - an exclusive geisha dinner experience.

At an elegant local restaurant, we will meet a maiko - a young geisha - and learn about her life and training. We will also watch her perform a dance, accompanied by a geiko providing musical accompaniment, before enjoying a multi-course dinner.

Today we discover a quieter side of Kyoto, avoiding some of the city’s most heavily visited sights.

Our first stop is Sanjusangendo, where 1,001 life-size wooden statues of Kannon line the length of the temple hall. We then continue to Daigo-ji in the far south-east of the city, where Kyoto’s oldest pagoda, dating from 951 AD, stands among forested slopes, vermilion bridges and tranquil ponds. This historic pilgrimage site has a history stretching back more than a thousand years.

Lunch is included in the Fushimi-Momoyama sake district before we return to central Kyoto to stroll through the gardens of Heian Shrine. Follow winding paths, cross stepping stones and walk past iris beds and still ponds in one of the city’s loveliest landscaped gardens. It was also used as a filming location for Memoirs of a Geisha.

After returning to the hotel, the evening is free for you to explore Kyoto’s restaurant scene, with recommendations from your tour leader.

Today is free for you to explore Kyoto at your own pace, with guidance from your tour leader.

You may wish to continue discovering the city’s many shrines and temples, or, if you are ready for a change, spend the day browsing antique shops and specialist stores selling textiles, washi paper or matcha. If you would like to travel further afield, your tour leader can help you arrange train tickets.

Options include nearby Himeji, home to Japan’s largest surviving samurai-era castle, or Hiroshima, where you can visit the Peace Park and Memorial Museum and perhaps try the local version of okonomiyaki. Whatever you choose, your tour leader will be able to offer suggestions tailored to your interests.

Kyoto - Nagasaki. This morning we travel from Kyoto to Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands. Here, historic port cities and a lively food culture offer a distinct contrast to the well-trodden routes of Honshu.

We travel in comfort in the first-class Green Car on the bullet train, covering around 700 kilometres and arriving in the early afternoon. On arrival, we take a short walk to Glover Garden, close to our hotel, for views across Nagasaki harbour. The garden was once home to Thomas Glover, a 19th-century Scottish merchant who played an important role in Japan’s early international trade and modernisation.

Dinner this evening is included at one of your tour leaders favourite local restaurants, where you may have the chance to try champon - Nagasaki’s famous noodle dish with Chinese influences and a rich seafood broth.

This morning we begin at Dejima, the restored island trading post that once served as Japan’s sole gateway to the Western world.

We then move closer to modern history with a visit to Nagasaki Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum, a place for thoughtful reflection on the events of 9 August 1945. The afternoon is free for you to explore based on your interests. Your tour leader can suggest options such as the Teramachi temple district, UNESCO-listed Oura Church, or the Gunkanjima Digital Museum, which tells the story of the abandoned island coal mine off the coast.

Before a free evening for dinner, you may wish to join your tour leader for a cable car ride up Mount Inasa, whose summit views are ranked among the top three night views in Japan.

Nagasaki - Fukuoka. This morning we leave the city behind and travel by private bus into the rural Higashi-Sonogi district, where the coastline rises into steep hills and tea fields. This is one of Kyushu’s key tea-growing areas.

With a local guide, we gain an insight into regional tea culture, walking between the rows, learning how to brew the perfect cup, meeting local farmers, and finishing with lunch at a nearby restaurant. In the afternoon, we continue to Okawachiyama, the so-called village of secret kilns, where fine Nabeshima porcelain has been produced for centuries.

Here we visit a potter’s workshop to learn how the region’s intricate patterns and glazes are created, with free time afterwards to browse the pottery shops along the narrow streets of this secluded mountain village. We then continue to Fukuoka, Kyushu’s largest city, for check-in and an included dinner chosen by your tour leader.

Today we take a local train to Yanagawa, a quiet canal town south of Fukuoka often known as the Venice of Kyushu.

Here we enjoy a leisurely ride along the willow-lined waterways by traditional wooden boat, passing under low bridges and alongside old merchant houses. We also visit the Toshima Family Residence, an Edo-period samurai home with tatami-floored rooms and tiny pocket gardens, before returning to Fukuoka for a free evening.

You may choose to join your tour leader for a night out exploring Fukuoka’s yatai - open-air food stalls that line the riverside and city streets. One of the local specialities is tonkotsu ramen, with its rich pork-broth soup. It is a lively and informal way to experience the city’s food culture alongside local people.

Fukuoka - Osaka. This morning we return to Japan’s main island by bullet train, arriving in Osaka - Japan’s merchant capital - around midday.

On arrival, we visit the Kinutani Koji Tenku Art Museum, dedicated to a local artist known for combining Italian fresco techniques with Japanese themes. Expect vivid, playful works featuring dragons, mythological figures and bold interpretations of Mount Fuji. After checking in, there will be time to rest before this evening’s food-focused adventure.

Osaka has long been known as Japan’s kitchen, a title rooted in its historic role as a hub for food distribution and rice trading. The city is still famous for its energetic food culture and warm, outgoing character. This evening, join your tour leader for a street food tour in the Shinsekai district, where local specialities may include crisp kushikatsu skewers, takoyaki octopus balls and savoury okonomiyaki. You certainly will not go hungry.

Today is free for you to continue your journey in Osaka or beyond.

You may wish to join your tour leader on a day trip to Nara, Japan’s first capital in the 8th century, where wild deer roam between ancient temples and shrines. The colossal bronze Buddha at Todai-ji is a particular highlight. If you prefer to stay in Osaka, you could explore the cafés and vintage shops of Nakazakicho, the youth culture and fashion of Amerikamura, or the food stalls and market atmosphere of Kuromon Market.

Other possibilities include the Minoh Falls walking trail, Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Shitenno-ji Temple or Expo ’70 Commemorative Park. Your tour leader will help you shape the day around your interests. In the evening, we regroup for a visit to teamLab Botanical Garden, an open-air night exhibition where digital light installations transform Nagai Botanical Garden.

Osaka - Tokyo. This morning we return to Tokyo by bullet train, arriving around midday. The afternoon is free for any last-minute sightseeing or shopping in the capital.

Your hotel overlooks Hamarikyu Garden, a peaceful landscape of tidal ponds and pine groves. Alternatively, you may wish to spend time in Ginza, known for its art galleries, historic department stores, food halls, classic cafés and high-end boutiques.

This evening, we come together for an included farewell dinner - a final chance to celebrate the journey and reflect on everything we have seen and experienced.

Say sayonara to Japan and the group as you transfer by private car to Haneda or Narita Airport for your flight home, or continue with your onward journey.

Happy travels!