The best of Japan with the Japanese Alps

Destinations

Tokyo / Hakone / Mt Fuji / Matsumoto / Takayama / Shirakawa-go / Kanazawa / Kyoto / Nara / Osaka / Himeji / Kurashiki / Hiroshima / Shimanami Kaido / Obokekyo Gorge / Kotohira / Takamatsu / Kobe

Simple itinerary

• Day 1 Arrival in Tokyo
• Day 2 Tokyo
• Day 3 Tokyo – Hakone – Mt. Fuji – Onsen
• Day 4 Matsumoto – Takayama
• Day 5 Takayama – Shirakawa Go – Kanazawa – Kyoto
• Day 6 Kyoto
• Day 7 Kyoto – Uji – Nara – Osaka
• Day 8 Himeji – Kurashiki – Hiroshima
• Day 9 Hiroshima – Shikoku (Shimanami Kaido)
• Day 10 Shikoku (Obokekyo – Kotohira – Takamatsu) – Kobe
• Day 11 End of the Trip

Trip description

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.

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 Tower.

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. Then drive through the Shimanami Kaido, a 60-kilometer toll road that connects the main island of Honshu in Japan with the island of Shikoku, passing six small islands in the Seto Inland Sea. Overlook views of the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridges from the Kirosan Observatory, along with hundreds of small islands beautifully scattered above the sea.

On Shikoku Island, you will visit the Ritsurin Garden in Takamatsu, climb the 1,368 stone steps to the Kotohira-gu Shrine, enjoy a relaxing boat ride, and enjoy panoramic views of the Oobokekyo Gorge. On this tour you will also have the opportunity to savor the world famous Wagyu beef in Kobe. This itinerary is perfect for those who want to visit the best known regions of Japan.

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!

Detailed itinerary

Day 1

Arrival at Narita Airport
Welcome to Tokyo! An OOT representative will meet you at the arrival gate with a “Only One Travel” sign.

Narita Excel Hotel Tokyu or similar class
Tobu Hotel Levant Tokyo or similar class (NOTE 1 and 2)

NOTE 1: If you want to stay in central Tokyo for the first night instead of Narita Excel Hotel Tokyu, we can arrange for you to stay at Tobu Hotel Levant Tokyo (or similar class). In this case, the airport transfer is not included, but we will provide you with directions to get to your hotel in advance.

NOTE 2: If you are flying to Haneda Airport (HND) instead of Narita International Airport (NRT), we can arrange for you to stay in central Tokyo (Tobu Hotel Levant Tokyo or similar class) instead of Narita Excel Hotel Tokyu. In this case, airport transfer and meetings are not included, but we will provide you with full directions to the hotel in advance.

NOTE 3: The meet and greet is ONLY available for flights arriving at Terminal 1 and 2 after 11:00 AM. For guests arriving at Terminal 3, airport pick-up service is not included, but we will provide directions to your hotel in advance.

NOTE 4: If you want to stay more nights before the tour starts, please contact us to book hotel accommodation.

Day 2

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

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 centuries of history. You will then have the opportunity to enjoy a sushi experience with a professional sushi chef. Whatever I prepare, you can eat! Then, we will head to the Tsukiji Outer Market, where various restaurants and shops line the streets. Then, pay a visit to the Imperial Palace, the former site of Edo Castle and the current residence of the Imperial Family of Japan. In the afternoon, we will visit the tallest steel tower in the world. At 333 meters high, the Tokyo Tower is 13 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower. You can admire 150 meters high on the main deck of the observatory and enjoy a panoramic view of the city.

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

Day 3

Hakone (Hakone Ropeway / Owakudani), Mt Fuji

We will depart from Tokyo to Hakone in our luxurious private coach. We will tour Hakone by taking a 20 minute cable car from Togendai to Owakundani. Most of the area around Owakundani is considered an active volcanic zone since its inception from the eruption of Mount Hakone some 3,000 years ago. Now, you can experience hot springs and hot rivers there, where sulfurous vapors still linger. Owakundani also has splendid views of Mount Fuji in good weather. From Hakone, we will proceed to Mt. 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 will stay at the Onsen Ryokan in Yatsugatake, where you can soak in the therapeutic waters of a hot tub and enjoy a traditional Japanese Kaiseki banquet dinner.

Breakfast lunch dinner
Yatsugateke Royal Hotel or similar class

Day 4

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

Today we will head to Matsumoto, where we will visit Matsumoto Castle, or Black Crow Castle, which dates back more than 400 years. Then, we will continue to Takayama. This city is nestled among 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 fine example of a miniature palace containing offices, an interrogation room with torture devices, and a 440-year-old rice barn.

Breakfast lunch dinner
Hotel Associa Takayama Resort or similar class

Day 5

Takayama (Morning Market), Shirakawa-go (Shiroyama Lookout – Gassho-zukuri Minkaen), Kanazawa (Kenrokuen), Shinkansen Bullet Train Trip from Maibara to Kyoto

This morning we will enjoy the lively market of the city before heading 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 Ogimachi Village from the Shiroyama Lookout. 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 to visit Kenrokuen Garden, 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’ll find Japan’s oldest fountain and Kotoji-toro, the two-legged stone lantern that is iconic of Kenrokuen and Kanazawa. Next, experience a Shinkansen bullet train ride from Maibara to Kyoto, which can reach speeds of up to 300km / h. We will stay two nights in 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.

Breakfast lunch
Grand Prince Hotel Kyoto or similar class

Day 6

Kyoto (Kiyomizu Temple / Nishijin Kimono Show / Golden Pavilion / Arashiyama – Tenryuji Temple Zen Garden – Bamboo Grove – Togetsukyo Bridge / Gion Geisha District)

Today we will begin our tour of Kyoto, which was once the capital of Japan and is still considered its cultural center. First is a visit to the famous Kiyomizu Temple, best known for its wooden stage that juts out 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 fall, as well as the city of Kyoto in the distance. At 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 get a glimpse of the traditional Zen landscape garden design. Then proceed through a dense bamboo grove, passing by several small shrines, tea shops and private houses before reaching the Togetsukyo Bridge over the Hozu River. Finally, we will tour Gion, the old neighborhood of Geisha and Pontocho, whose cobbled alleys vibrate with nightlife.

Breakfast dinner
Grand Prince Hotel Kyoto or similar class

Day 7
Kyoto (Fushimi Inari Shrine), Uji (Green Tea Ceremony), Nara (Todaiji Temple / Deer Park), Osaka (Dotonbori – Shinsaibashi)

The day begins with a visit to the picturesque and historic Fushimi district. 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. From there 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 Dodonbori, which runs parallel to the Dotonbori canal. A popular shopping, entertainment and food district, Dodonbori 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 Elsereine Osaka or similar class

Day 8

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. We will also visit the Ohara Museum of Art, considered the first Western art museum in Japan. It is a private museum consisting of three adjacent buildings next to the canal. In the afternoon, we will continue our journey to Hiroshima.

Breakfast lunch
Hiroshima Grand Prince Hotel or similar class

Day 9

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. 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). In the afternoon, we will drive through the Shimanami Kaido to Shikoku Island. The Shimanami Kaido is a 60-kilometer toll road that connects the main island of Honshu in Japan with the island of Shikoku, passing through six small islands in the Seto Inland Sea. It is also known as the Nishiseto Highway. We will stop at the Kirosan Observatory from where you can see the Kurushima Kaikyo bridges that are located among hundreds of beautifully scattered islands in the Seto Inland Sea. The modern observation deck was cleverly designed and built midway into the slope of the hillside so as not to spoil the natural environment.

Breakfast lunch dinner
Imabari Kokusai Hotel or similar class

Day 10

Oboke Gorge (Oboke Gorge Boat Ride), Kotohira (Kotohira-gu Shrine), Takamatsu (Ritsurin Park), Kobe (Wagyu Beef Dinner)

After breakfast, we continue our journey to Oboke Gorge, one of the three hidden mountain regions of Japan. Oboke is the valley located upstream of the Yoshino-gawa River. “Boke” means “dangerous to walk”, and Oboke (large “boke”) got its name from its jagged V-shaped rocks and narrow path that, no matter how carefully or slowly you walk, makes walking dangerous. Enjoy a relaxing boat ride and take in the panoramic view of the valley. Then, climb the 1,368 stone steps to the Kotohira-gu shrine, a Shinto shrine. In Takamatsu we will visit Ritsurin Park, a masterpiece of Japanese landscape with 100 years of history. This sprawling park features beautiful ponds and pavilions, with Mount Shiun as the perfect backdrop. From there, our private bus takes us across Awaji Island via a series of spectacular bridges. In the afternoon we will continue to Kobe, where we will savor the world famous Wagyu beef.

Breakfast dinner
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.

Day 11

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.

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