Included activities: Welcome dinner, Sensoji Temple, Shibuya walking tour, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Yoyogi Park, Shibuya Sky with drink, Tsukiji outer market, Tsukiji market cooking class

Konnichiwa! Welcome to Japan. Your adventure begins in the country’s lively capital, Tokyo. Your arrival transfer is included, and you’ll meet your small group and local leader for a welcome meeting at the hotel. 

Bursting with contemporary urban culture and historic temples and shrines, Tokyo has so much to uncover. Exploring the world’s largest city alone can be a daunting task, so you can relax in the knowledge that your tour leader will introduce you to everything Tokyo has to offer. From the more traditional temple district of Asakusa to buzzing, modern Shibuya, you’ll get under the skin of this city taking in quirky shopping streets and local cuisine as you go. 

Tokyo’s food scene is undoubtedly one of the world’s best, and the city truly celebrates the art of eating well. There will be ample opportunity to sample a range of regional and seasonal delights on your free afternoon exploring the city, including handmade soba noodles, crispy tempura and yakitori. You’ll also learn how to make nigiri sushi and hand-rolled sushi, then enjoy your fresh creations for lunch. 

Intrepid forward your luggage to the next destination through the trip allowing you to explore easily with your day pack.

Included activities: Cable car/ropeway, Lake Ashinoko boat cruise

Say sayonara to Tokyo this morning and board a train bound for the mountainous onsen (hot spring) town of Hakone. Away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, Hakone offers tranquillity among stunning natural scenery. In the afternoon, take a cable car up the mountains to the sulphur vents of Owakudani, followed by a boat trip across the serene Ashinoko Lake. Enjoy spectacular views, and on a clear day, you will catch a glimpse of Mt Fuji in the distance. 

In Hakone, you’ll stay in a traditional Japanese ryokan. Each room comes with a private onsen, and there are also larger public indoor and outdoor onsens that overlook the surrounding greenery to make use of. A highlight for many, you'll also get to have a traditional Japanese meal in these surroundings.

Included activities: Leader-led walking tour (with street food sampling), Showa museum, Shirakawago village, morning market visit

Today, travel to Takayama via shinkansen (bullet train). Takayama is a charming Edo-period town located in the Japanese alps. Renowned for its traditional inns, sake breweries and tranquil atmosphere, this riverside jewel of central Honshu may well be one of the most enjoyable stops on your trip. Learn how the town’s isolated location caused it to develop a unique culinary scene. Stop off on your tour to sample delicious Hida beef sushi or skewers, then pay a visit to the Takayama Showa-kan Museum. This is not your average museum – here you’ll find a celebration of pop culture from the turbulent period of Emperor Hirohito’s six-decade reign. 

From Takayama you’ll hop on a public bus and head to the village of Shirakawa-go, home to charming thatched-roof cottages built in the gassho-zukuri style. Learn about ancient countryside life with your leader and explore the fairy-tale village against the magnificent backdrop of the Japanese Alps.

Included activities: Okonomiyaki dinner, leader-led orientation walk, Miyajima island day trip, Peace Park & A - Bomb Dome, Peace Museum, Itsukushima-jinja Shrine

Today you will travel by train to Hiroshima, a friendly and cosmopolitan city with a tragic past. Today Hiroshima is thriving – the city is full of distinctive cuisine, tightknit communities and a focus on promoting world peace. You’ll visit the Genbaku (A-Bomb) Dome and the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, learning the devastating story of the fateful day in August 1945 when Hiroshima was attacked by atomic warfare. The dome was just metres from the atomic site and was able to retain its shape – serving as a reminder of the attack and now symbol of peace.

Only a short ferry ride away, the island of Miyajima is home to the Shinto shrine of Itsukushima, known for its huge bright orange gate (torii) that rises majestically out of the sea. Miyajima is an ideal place for walking. There is the lovely Momiji Park from where it is possible to walk or take a cable car up to the top of Mt Misen.

Included activities: Himeji Castle (en route), Gion District walk, Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), Daitokuji Temple, Zen Buddhism meditation session, Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Gekkei-kan Sake Brewery & tasting, Final dinner

As you speed north to Kyoto on shinkansen, you’ll stop en route at Japan’s most impressive samurai castle at Himeji – a particularly impressive sight during cherry blossom season. From there head to Kyoto for your final 3 nights, Japan’s ancient capital and cultural heartland. Explore Gion, Kyoto’s most famous geisha district, and learn about the history of geisha culture as you explore old wooden teahouses and exclusive restaurants. It's a great idea to return here in the evening when it really springs to life. 

You are spoiled for choice in Kyoto if you like history. From the elaborate Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) to the 800-year-old zen Bhuddist Daitokuji temple, you will witness the finest Japanese architecture from the past 1000 years. Kyoto’s famed Fushimi Inari Shrine – known throughout the world as the ‘Path of the Red Gates’ also provides stunning city views. 

Continue with a short train ride and walk to the renowned Gekkei-kan Sake Brewery. With centuries of local history built into its beautiful wooden halls, Gekkei-kan is considered Japan’s industry leader in both the tradition and innovation of sake creation. Back in town, head to Nishiki market for the finest Kyoto street food options.

3 nights in Kyoto allows you a perfect amount of time to explore the city at your own pace, and with easy access to Kansai International Airport near Osaka, it makes perfect sense to end your adventure here.