Japan Tokaido Route in Style

Once you have arrived at Narita Airport and collected your luggage, a representative meets you in the arrival hall for your private transfer into central Tokyo (maximum two pieces of luggage per person). Pick-up is set for 12 pm, with up to 90 minutes' waiting time built in.

With three nights based centrally, the rest of the day is free to settle in - you might head out to the neon-lit streets of Shibuya or Shinjuku for your first taste of the city, or take an early stroll through the Ginza shopping district.

Today is free to explore Tokyo independently. The quieter Asakusa neighbourhood is well worth a visit, home to the Sensoji Temple and the Nakamise-dori shopping arcade, with the nearby Ameyoko market in Ueno a good spot for traditional gifts.

Tokyo blends the traditional and the futuristic in equal measure, so however you choose to spend the day, there is plenty to discover.

This morning is free to continue exploring at your own choosing. The Meiji Shrine in Shibuya offers a peaceful contrast to the surrounding city, while Akihabara's electronics district and the Tsukiji fish market area are both worth a wander for a different side of Tokyo.

This evening marks your final night in the capital before heading into the mountains tomorrow.

After breakfast, a private driver collects you from your hotel lobby at 8:30 am for a full day exploring the mountains beyond Tokyo. The scenic drive along the Tomei Expressway and Hakone Turnpike brings postcard views of Mount Fuji on clear days, with a stop at Daikanzan Viewpoint for panoramic photos over the surrounding peaks and Lake Ashi.

From here, you visit the Hakone Open Air Museum, a striking sculpture park blending modern art with the natural landscape, before continuing to the Owakudani Volcanic Valley. Here you can see the bubbling steam vents up close, try the area's famous black eggs, and take in the valley's surreal, volcanic scenery.

The day ends with your private drop-off at your accommodation in the Hakone area.

Please note: Mount Fuji's visibility can be limited between March and September; your driver will confirm the best route and conditions the day before the tour.

After breakfast, a representative collects you from your accommodation at 11:05 am (one piece of luggage per person) and transfers you to Odawara Station in time for your onward journey. From here, you board the Hikari 641 bullet train to Kyoto, departing at 12:05 pm and arriving at 2:15 pm after a journey of around two hours ten minutes.

With the afternoon free on arrival, this is a good time to wander the lantern-lit lanes of the Gion district, one of Kyoto's historic geisha quarters, before settling in for your three nights in the city.

After breakfast, your guide collects you from your hotel at 9 am for a full day discovering Kyoto and Nara, tailored around two to three of the following highlights. In Kyoto, options include the golden Kinkaku-ji, Nijo Castle with its ornate rooms and gardens, and the thousands of red torii gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine.

In Nara, you can spend time in the Nara Deer Park among the resident deer, and visit Todai-ji Temple to see its Great Buddha, housed in one of the largest wooden buildings in the world.

Today is free to continue exploring Kyoto independently. Among the city's many temples, Kiyomizu-dera is one of the most popular, while the Arashiyama district is home to the tranquil Tenryu-ji temple and the famous Bamboo Grove.

With thousands of temples and shrines across the city, there is no shortage of ways to spend the day.

After your final breakfast in Kyoto, you make your own way to Kyoto Station to board the Nozomi 23 bullet train to Hiroshima, departing at 12:45 pm and arriving at 2:30 pm after a journey of around one hour forty minutes.

With the afternoon free on arrival, you might spend time at the Peace Memorial Park, home to the A-Bomb Dome, or visit Hiroshima Castle in the centre of the city, before settling in for the night.

This morning, make your own way to JR Miyajimaguchi Station ahead of your 9:30 am half-day walking tour with a local guide. From here, you take the ferry across to Miyajima Island, beginning at the iconic Itsukushima Shrine and the Miyajima History and Folklore Museum.

You enjoy lunch together at a local temple as the tour continues, before visiting Daisho-in Temple and walking through Momijidani Park to the Five-Story Pagoda and Senjokaku. The tour wraps up with some food sampling along Omotesando, and you are free to keep exploring the island afterwards.

You then make your way back to Hiroshima Station to board the Nozomi 26 bullet train to Shin-Osaka, a journey of around one hour twenty-five minutes, before settling into your accommodation for two nights in Osaka.

Please note: Transport to and from the Miyajima tour meeting point is not included, so please allow enough time to reach the coin-operated lockers outside JR Miyajimaguchi Station for the 9:30 am start.

Please note: Vegetarian and vegan options on this tour are limited and gluten-free is not available; dietary requirements should be flagged at least a day in advance and cannot be guaranteed allergy-free.

Please note: This tour involves some walking and is not recommended for those with mobility restrictions, as not all locations are wheelchair or stroller accessible.

Please note: The tour starts on time and late arrivals cannot join or reschedule.

Today is free to explore Osaka independently. Dotonbori is the place to head for the city's famous nightlife and food scene, while Osaka Castle in the centre of the city is well worth a visit for those wanting a change of pace.

After your final breakfast, the rest of the day is free until your departure transfer. A last wander through the shops around your accommodation is a relaxed way to spend your final hours in Japan.

A representative collects you from your hotel lobby at 6 pm (one piece of luggage per person) for your private transfer to Kansai Airport, bringing your tour to a close.