Anime Flavor Tour : Tokyo & Kyoto

Tokyo (Ghibli Museum / Suginami Animation Museum / Nakano Broadway / Akihabara)

Today we will go to the Ghibli Museum and the Suginami Animation Museum. The Ghibli Museum has several exhibits featuring the works of Studio Ghibli. This includes Hayao Miyazaki’s work desk, some of his sketches, and an original film that cannot be viewed outside of the museum. At Suginami Animation Museum, you will have the opportunity to do a voiceover and learn to draw animation. Also learn about the history of animation in Japan and how it developed. Then we will shop for our hearts on Nakano Broadway which has many old school anime and idol shops for fans. The stores span more than three floors as related anime are scattered between the levels. No anime tour is complete without a visit to Akihabara. Here you will have the opportunity to shop for your Otaku needs. Don’t forget to see the UDX Building, the Kanda Myojin Shrine and so many cafes.

Breakfast lunch
Tobu Hotel Levant Tokyo or similar class

Tokyo (Asakusa Sensoji Temple / Ueno Park / Sushi Making Experience / Tsukiji Outer Market / Imperial Palace / Tokyo Tower)

In the morning, you will be taken to the Asakusa Kannon Temple, an active place of worship where you can see the largest paper lantern in Japan. You can also explore the Nakamise Market, which is located just past the outer gates of the temple. It is a traditional style shopping street with several centuries of history. Continue to Ueno Park, famous for its 1,000 cherry trees that line the central paths, making it a great place to look at cherry blossoms. Next, learn how to create your own sushi from a professional sushi chef. Whatever you do, you can eat for lunch! Afterward, head to the Tsukiji Outer Market, packed with shops and restaurants where you can sample fresh produce and other food-related products. Then, we will proceed to the Imperial Palace, the current residence of the Imperial Family of Japan and the former site of Edo Castle. It is surrounded by moats and stone fortifications, located in the heart of Tokyo. In the afternoon, we will visit the tallest self-supporting steel tower in the world, the Tokyo Tower. Here, you can walk 150 meters to the main deck of the observatory and enjoy an aerial view of Tokyo.
Note: For Sushi Making Experience, if you are vegetarian, have gluten-free diets, have a shellfish allergy, or don’t eat raw fish, contact us for other ingredient options.

Breakfast lunch
Tobu Hotel Levant Tokyo or similar class

Mt Fuji, Hakone (Hakone Ropeway / Owakudani), Shinkansen Bullet Train Ride

We will depart from Tokyo towards Mt. Fuji in our private coach. Along the way, enjoy the changing scenery, from thick vegetation to lowlands to rolling clouds. Stop at Mt. Fuji 5th station (depending on weather conditions) to admire the world famous peak. Next, travel to Hakone, one of the most popular hot spring resorts in Japan. You will also get to see the forested slopes of Hakone National Park. We will take a 20 minute cable car from Togendai to Owakudani. Most of Owakudani is considered an active volcanic area since its creation since the eruption of Mount Hakone some 3,000 years ago. Visitors will encounter hot springs and bubbling pools in the area, with sulphurous fumes and steam vents. If the weather conditions are in our favor, Owakudani also grants splendid views of Mount Fuji. Then, experience a Shinkansen bullet train ride, which can reach speeds of up to 300km / h. We will stay at the Onsen Hotel at Hamanako Kanzaiji Onsen, where you can soak in the therapeutic waters of a hot tub and enjoy a traditional Japanese Kaiseki banquet dinner.

Breakfast lunch dinner
Hamanako Royal Hotel or similar class

Hikone (Hikone Castle – Genkyuen Garden), Koka (Miho Museum)

After breakfast at the hotel, our group will visit Hikone Castle, an attractive place for hanami (flower viewing) during cherry blossom season. Hikone Castle is an original castle, which survived the post-feudal era without suffering destruction and reconstruction. The castle is considered a great impression of what a complete feudal castle looks like. It is also a national treasure, alongside four other castle fortresses in Japan, which is the highest designation a cultural property can achieve. Visitors will have the opportunity to climb to the top floor of the castle, where they can enjoy views of the castle grounds and the city. Then, head to Genkyuen Garden, a tranquil Japanese garden overlooking the castle. From there, head to the Miho Museum, known for its impressive architecture integrated into the surrounding nature. It displays works from different ancient civilizations, including Roman, Egyptian, and Asian cultures. There is also a tunnel that leads from the museum to a road lined with hundreds of cherry blossoms. It was designed by I. M. Pei, and has been listed as one of the “1000 places to see before you die”.

Breakfast lunch
Grand Prince Hotel Kyoto or similar class

Kyoto (Arashiyama – Tenryuji Temple Zen Garden – Sagano Bamboo Forest / Golden Pavilion / Nishijin Kimono Show / Kiyomizu Temple / Maruyama Park / Gion Geisha District)

Today, we will start our tour of Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan that has invaluable historical values. We will first visit Arashiyama, known for its natural landscapes and is particularly popular during the spring and fall season. Visit the Zen Garden of Tenryuji Temple, the first among the five great Zen temples in Kyoto. Then, enjoy a pleasant walk through the attractive Sagano Bamboo Forest. Head to the Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion), known for its upper two floors covered entirely in 18-karat gold leaf. See the elegant Nishijin Kimono fashion show and learn how kimonos are made. Continue to the famous Kiyomizu Temple, best known for its wooden stage that overlooks the picturesque hillside below. The stage offers visitors a beautiful view of the many cherry and maple trees below, as well as a beautiful scene of Kyoto in the distance. From the Kiyomizu Temple we will go to Maruyama Park, one of the most popular places to see cherry blossoms in Kyoto. Finally, we will visit Gion, the most famous geisha district in Kyoto. It is full of various restaurants and ochaya (tea houses), where maiko and geisha entertain their guests.

Breakfast dinner
Grand Prince Hotel Kyoto or similar class

Kyoto (Green Tea Ceremony with Maiko Interaction / Fushimi Inari Shrine), Nara (Todaiji Temple / Venado Park), Osaka (Dotonbori – Shinsaibashi)

The day begins with a green tea ceremony and a meeting with maiko. A maiko is simply an apprentice geisha. You will have photo opportunities and a chance to interact with the maiko. After that, head to the Fushimi Inari Shrine. The shrine is famous for its thousands of impressive vermilion torii that line the length of a 4 km long tunnel, which was even featured in the movie “Memoirs of a Geisha”. This resort surrounds a bamboo desert consisting of mountains, streams, and ponds, making it the perfect setting for a scenic hike. Then we will travel to Nara, where we will go to the Todaiji Temple, the largest wooden building in Japan. The temple also houses one of the largest bronze statues of the Buddha at 16.3 meters tall. Nearby, explore the surrounding Deer Park, filled with more than 1,000 Sika deer. Our last stop of the day will be in Osaka. We will spend time in Dotonbori, a popular shopping, entertainment and food district. It is known for the hundreds of mechanized and neon signs that line its streets. Our group will also pass through Shinasaibashi, one of Osaka’s oldest shopping destinations.

Breakfast lunch
Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport or similar class
Elsereine Osaka Hotel or similar class (NOTE 5 and 6)

NOTE 5: If you want to stay in downtown Osaka for the last night instead of the Nikko Kansai Airport Hotel, we can arrange for you to stay at the Elsereine Osaka Hotel (or similar class). In this case, the airport transfer is not included, but we will provide you with full instructions so that you can get to the airport in advance.

NOTE 6: If you are flying from Itami Airport (ITM) instead of Kansai International Airport (KIX), we can arrange for you to stay at Hotel Elsereine Osaka (or similar class) instead of Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport. In this case, the airport transfer is not included, but we will provide you with full instructions so that you can get to the airport in advance.

Tour ends

After breakfast, our tour officially ends. Check out time is at 11am. M. And Osaka Kansai Airport can be reached in three minutes on foot.

Breakfast

NOTE 7: If you want to stay longer in Japan, please contact us to reserve hotel accommodation.