The best of Japan with alps and Hiroshima

アルプスと広島のある日本一

Perfect for those who want to visit the well-known regions of Japan.

Like our other itineraries “The Best of Japan Tour”, it is designed for people who want to see the most popular places in Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima, as well as the opportunity to visit the regions of the Japanese Alps: Takayama and Matsumoto. Besides, you will also visit Shirakawa-go and Kanazawa on this tour. This tour caters to a wide variety of interests from culture, architecture, nature, onsen spa baths, and 21st-century sights to traditional Japanese cuisine.

17 Destinations – 16 Days Tour

Tour destinations
Tokyo
Nikko
Yokohama
Kamakura
Hakone
Mt Fuji
Matsumoto
Takayama
Shirakawa-go
Kanazawa
Kyoto
Nara
Osaka
Himeji
Kurashiki
Hiroshima
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Tour description

Our guides and private drivers will help you visit Tokyo’s cultural landmarks, trendy neighborhoods, and various shopping districts. Learn how to make your own sushi from a professional sushi chef and savor your delicious creations. Explore attractions like the Asakusa district with an old Tokyo atmosphere, Japan’s largest and busiest fish market, the historic Imperial Palace, and the record-breaking Tokyo Sky Tree. Continue your journey to Nikko and visit its designated World Heritage Sites. Take a look at one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Japan (Kegon Waterfall), enjoy the natural scenery of Lake Chuzenji, and discover the lavish Toshogu Shrine.

Kamakura is located an hour’s drive from Tokyo. It is a small coastal town dotted with temples with a quiet atmosphere. Due to the presence of the feudal government, which took possession of its neighborhoods in 1192, it preserves today a historical heritage of the utmost importance. The best way to discover Kamakura is to do it on your own. The 5 main famous temples take the wanderer back to the 12th century, in the middle of the Kamakura period.

See how awesome Mother Nature is at Hakone and Mt. Fuji. Stay at a ryokan (traditional inn), where you can relax in the hot springs (onsen) and dine on gourmet kaiseki cuisine. Visit the spectacular Black Crow Castle (Matsumoto Castle) on the way to Takayama, nestled among the Japanese Alps. Due to their remote location, these places are beautifully preserved and developed their own culture that is unique from the rest of Japan. Visit the charming town of Shirakawa-go and understand the architectural style of the Gassho-zukuri. In Kanazawa, take a walk through the beautiful Kenrokuen Garden and see what six attributes make a perfect landscape.

Spend two days in the ancient city of Kyoto. where you will have exclusive access to the gardens, temples, sanctuaries and specialized shops of the city. You will also have the opportunity to experience a green tea ceremony and see a kimono fashion show, and stroll through the beautiful Arashiyama, the outskirts of Kyoto, famous for its beautiful autumn leaves. In the ancient capital of Nara, you’ll visit the Todaiji Temple and a deer park where 1,000 Sika deer roam freely. You will also visit Osaka and have a chance to see why Osaka is called the “city of nightlife”.

Visit the famous Himeji Castle and the Kurashiki Canal area. In Hiroshima, visit the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, then head to Miyajima to see the famous vermilion Torii Gate of Itsukushima Shrine. At high tide, the gates seem to float in the sea.

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Keep in mind:

All prices are per person, based on a double room (double on request) or triple.
International flights are not included in our tours, this allows you the flexibility to choose your own departure and get the best value for your money!

Hakone, Mt Fuji

From Hakone, we will proceed to Mount Fuji. Along the way, enjoy the changing landscapes, from thick vegetation to lowlands and rolling clouds. Stop at Mt. Fuji 5th station (depending on the weather) to admire the world famous peak. We visit Nascentes de Oshino Hakkai, after the Oshino Lake dried up, the springs of Oshino Hakkai were formed, which have their origin in the water coming from Mount Fuji; the melted snow water for several decades has been seeping through the porous layers of volcanic earth originating eight springs of a water of unique purity. Oshino Hakkai is a pilgrimage site due to the religious belief in the spiritual power of Mount Fuji, and the water from these springs is believed to purify the body. With water of a color as clear as that of the Caribbean seas, it is a very famous place among tourists who come to enjoy the landscape of the four seasons of Mount Fuji and the beauty of these waters.

After the tour, we transfer to the hotel in Matsumoto.

Breakfast lunch
Matsumoto Hotel Kaguetsu or similar class

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Matsumoto (Matsumoto Castle), Takayama (Old Town / Takayama Jinya)

Today we will drive to Matsumoto, where we will visit the Matsumoto Castle, or Black Crow Castle, which dates back more than 400 years. Then, we will continue to Takayama. This city is located between the Japanese Alps and is known as “Little Kyoto” for its preserved historical structures and surroundings. Due to its remote position in the mountains, it was isolated from the rest of Japan for most of its history and thus has maintained a unique and traditional atmosphere. We will explore the old town of Takayama. Along the way you will notice the huge cedar balls hanging from the eaves of various stores, indicating that the stores are for sake. Then visit Takayama Jinya, the only traditional local government office in existence and a good example of a miniature palace containing offices, an interrogation room with torture devices, and a 440-year-old rice barn.

Tonight you will stay at a Ryokan, which is the traditional hotel. Enjoy sleeping Japanese way, you will sleep on a Futon on tatami.

Breakfast lunch
Oyado Koto No Yume or similar class

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Takayama (Morning Market), Shirakawa-go (Shiroyama Lookout – Gassho-zukuri Minkaen),

This morning we will enjoy the lively market of the city.

Then we go to the rural area of ​​Shirakawa-go, declared a World Heritage Site. Shirakawa-go is home to the UNESCO designated gassho-zukuri farms. Gassho-zukuri translates as “praying hands”, in which the roofs resemble praying hands. Visitors can see great views of the aldea de Ogimachi from the Shiroyama viewpoint. We will also tour the Gassho-zukuri Minkaen, an open-air museum of farms and other structures. From Shirakawa-go, we will depart for Kanazawa.

Breakfast lunch
Hotel Nikko Kanazawa or similar class

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Kanazawa

This morning we will enjoy the Jardín Kenrokuen, one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan. The name Kenrokuen literally means a garden that combines the 6 attributes of a perfect landscape: space, seclusion, artifice, antiquity, elements of water and panoramas. Here you will find the oldest fountain in Japan and Kotoji-toro, the two-legged stone lantern that is iconic of Kenrokuen and Kanazawa.

We will visit Higashi Chaya-Gai or district of the geishas of Kanazawa is one of the most charming neighborhoods in Japan. We visit the traditional gold foil factory.

We will visit the Barrio de Samurai where we can learn about the tradition, culture and life of the Samurai.

After the tour, transfer to the hotel.

Breakfast lunch
Hotel Nikko Kanazawa or similar class

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Kanazawa – Kioto (Templo Kiyomizu, Gion)

After breakfast, we will travel to Kyoto, a historical city. During the Second World War, it was saved from air raids and saved from the atomic bomb for its cultural and historical value.

Along the way we stopped at a viewpoint to see Biwako, the largest lake in Japan.

Arriving in Kyoto, we visit the famous Kiyomizu Temple, best known for its wooden stage that protrudes from its main hall, 13 meters above the slope below. The setting offers visitors a beautiful view of the many cherry and maple trees that open below into a sea of ​​color in spring and autumn, as well as the city of Kyoto in the distance.

Then, we will tour Gion, the old neighborhood of Geisha and Pontocho, whose cobbled alleys vibrate with nightlife.

breakfast lunch
New Miyako Hotel or similar class

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Kyoto (Nishijin Kimono Show / Golden Pavilion / Arashiyama – Tenryuji Temple Zen Garden – Bamboo Grove – Togetsukyo Bridge / Fushimi Inari)

Today we will begin our tour of Kyoto, which was once the capital of Japan and is still considered its cultural center. EAt the Nishijin Textile Center, you can see kimono displays and even see a kimono parade.Visit the Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion) covered in 18 karat gold leaf. This three-story structure was originally built by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in 1397. Then we will visit Arashiyama to see Tenryuji Temple where you can catch a glimpse of the traditional Zen landscape garden design. Then proceed through a dense bamboo grove, passing several small shrines, tea shops and private houses before reaching the Togetsukyo Bridge over the river Hozu.

Finally we visit the picturesque and historic district of Fushimi. We will visit the impressive vermilion-colored Fushimi Inari Shrine, whose 4 km tunnel of scarlet torii gates was featured in the movie Memoirs of a Geisha. This resort surrounds a bamboo wilderness that includes mountains, streams, and ponds, the perfect backdrop for a scenic hike.

Breakfast lunch
New Miyako Hotel or similar class

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Kyoto, Uji (Green Tea Ceremony), Nara (Todaiji Temple / Deer Park), Osaka (Dotonbori – Shinsaibashi)

We continue to Uji where we will experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. From Uji, our coach leaves for Nara, the oldest capital of Japan. We will visit the Todaiji Temple, the largest wooden building in Japan. This temple is also home to the largest bronze statue of the Buddha at 16.3 meters high, and the surrounding park is filled with more than 1,000 Sika deer.

Our last visit of the day is Dotonbori, which runs parallel to the Dotonbori canal. A popular shopping, entertainment, and food district, Dotonbori is known for the hundreds of mechanized and neon signs that line the street, including the famous Glico Running Man and Kani Doraku Crab signs.

Breakfast lunch
Hotel New Otani Osaka or similar class

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Himeji (Himeji Castle), Kurashiki (Canal Area / Ohara Museum of Art)

Today we take a 2 hour drive by private car to Himeji to visit Himeji Castle. It is known as “White Egret Castle” and “White Heron Castle” due to its bright white exterior, which resembles a flying bird. Himeji Castle is the largest and most visited castle in Japan, and is one of the few original castles left in Japan. This splendid example of traditional architecture was declared one of the first UNESCO World Heritage sites in Japan.

The following is a visit to Kurashiki. In merchandise days, this picturesque town prospered as a port for rice shipments. Several old rice barns and examples of historic architecture still remain, in addition to the stone-lined canal.

In the afternoon, we will continue our journey to Hiroshima.

Breakfast lunch
Hiroshima Washington Hotel or similar class

Hotel in Osaka
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Hiroshima (Peace Memorial Park / Atomic Bomb Museum / Miyajima – Itsukushima Shrine), Shimanami Kaido (Scenic Observatory / Kirosan)

Today we will visit the Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum. The Peace Memorial Park (Heiwa Kinen Kōen) was before the fall of the atomic bomb the financial and political center of the city. Today is the place to learn about what happened and remember the victims. Learn more about the historical events that led Japan to the War of the Pacific, the results of the bomb, and the effects on the population at the Peace Memorial Museum, a very interesting, but extremely harsh museum (hard not to miss a tear at some point).

After lunch, we will take a short ferry ride to Miyajima Island. At high tide, the famous vermilion torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine seems to float in the middle of the sea. The shrine complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Miyajima has been selected as one of the three most scenic places in Japan (nihon sankei).

Breakfast lunch
Hiroshima Washington Hotel or similar class

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Hiroshima – Bullet Train – Tokyo

After breakfast, experience a Shinkansen bullet train ride from Hiroshima to Tokyo, which can reach speeds of up to 300 km / h.

In Tokyo, enjoy shopping before heading back to the country or the places you don’t want to miss.

Breakfast
Park Hotel Tokyo or similar class

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Tour ends

After breakfast, our tour officially ends. Check-out time is 11:00 AM. Narita Airport can be reached by the hotel’s shuttle service.

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