A Private Japan Tour of Food & Fun – Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka

Day 1 Arrive Tokyo
Upon arrival in Tokyo, be met and transferred to your hotel by reserved private taxi for your next 3 nights’ accommodations.

Day 2 Tokyo
Today, enjoy a morning walking tour of Tokyo accompanied by your private guide (using public transportation). Visit Meiji Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deified spirit of Emperor Meiji and a popular place for traditional Japanese weddings. Continue to Tsukiji Market, formerly the world’s largest fish market and now a vibrant local market lined with street food stands, seafood and produce vendors, and sushi stalls. Last and certainly not least, visit Sensoji, Tokyo’s oldest temple, and wander down Nakamise, a shopping street that has been providing temple visitors with a variety of traditional, local snacks and tourist souvenirs for centuries. Afternoon free at leisure to shop, eat and explore Tokyo on your own. (B)

Day 3 Tokyo
Full day free at leisure. This evening, choose from one of the below 3 options that most suit your interest:

Option 1 (Japanese Pop Culture): Take in three of Tokyo’s centers of youth fashion and pop culture. Start in Shibuya, Tokyo’s main center for youth fashion and culture, whose streets are the birthplace to many of Japan’s fashion and entertainment trends. It is also home to the famous 5-way “scramble crossing.”  Next is Harajuku and the famous Takeshita dori (Cat Street). Whether you are a goth, punk or anything in between, there is a shop in Harajuku that caters to you. Known as Electric Town, Akihabara was originally famous for its many electronics shops. However in more recent years, Akihabara has gained recognition as the center of Japan’s otaku (diehard fan) culture, and many shops and establishments devoted to anime and manga are now dispersed among the electronic stores in the district. You will end the evening with a cup of coffee or tea in one of Tokyo’s famous maid cafes where the waitresses dress up and act like maids. You will also have the opportunity to take a souvenir photo with one of the maids.

Option 2 (Locals’ favorite nightspots): Some say that Tokyo truly comes alive at night, and nowhere is this truer than Shinjuku. Almost a city within a city, Shinjuku is full of tens of thousands of bars, restaurants and clubs. It is the “bright lights big city” neon wonderland depiction of Tokyo that you see in the movies. Tonight, your local guide will take you on a walk through Shinjuku’s entertainment district of Kabuki-cho. Stop for a drink in a local bar, many of which are only large enough to fit 4 or 5 people, and have a chance to interact with the local Tokyoites relaxing after a hard day in the office. Finish the evening how the Japanese do, with an hour in a private karaoke booth.

Option 3 (All About Food): Japanese cuisine is not only the refined sushi and tempura, but it has a wide range of equally delicious, more casual dishes that the locals love. Discover these delicacies with a local guide. First, head to Yurakucho and mix with the “salarymen” (office workers) who relax with a beer and a grilled chicken skewer (“yakitori”) in the so-called yakitori alley. You will enjoy two yakitori of your liking and a drink in a typical yakitori establishment. Hop on the underground and head to Tsukishima, a “shitamachi” (popular) neighborhood just across the river from Tsukiji market. You will see that many of the retro restaurants that line its street offer a dish called “monjayaki.”  It is a tasty dish consisting of a flour and vegetable batter with different toppings cooked right on the table on a hot plate and eaten with small iron spatulas. At the end of the dinner, your guide can drop you off at an izakaya (Japanese pub) in central Tokyo (you will then be on your own and all orders will be on you – the guide will explain how to go back to your hotel) or take you back to your hotel.

Day 4 Tokyo
Full day free at leisure to explore Tokyo and nearby areas on your own. A day trip to Kawagoe, Kamakura, Hakone or Yokohama is highly recommended. (B)

Day 5 Tokyo / Kyoto
Today, travel on a 3-hour fascinating ride by bullet train to Kyoto. Upon arrival, proceed to your hotel on your own by taxi (10-15 minutes from Kyoto Station) for your next 3 nights’ accommodations. (B)

Day 6 Kyoto
This morning, visit two of Kyoto’s 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites beginning with Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion), which was originally built as a retirement villa for the Shogun. After his death it became a Buddhist Temple at his request, and is now one of Kyoto’s most famous temples. Continue to Arashiyama for a stroll through the beautiful Bamboo Forest before moving on to Fishimi Inari Shrine. This popular shrine is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates straddling a network of trails behind its main buildings leading into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari. We end the day at Kiyomizu Temple, one of the most celebrated temples of Japan founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto. This UNESCO world heritage site is best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 meters above the hillside below boasting panoramic views of Kyoto. (B)

Day 7 Kyoto & Osaka (All About Food)
This morning, make your own way to the Cooking Sun Studio (about a 10 minute taxi ride) and enjoy a fun-filled cooking lesson making your very own Japanese Bento Box lunch. This Class is a great way to learn about typical Japanese dishes such as sushi, tempura and miso soup. In addition, you will learn the cultural background of the well-known Japanese 'Bento'. During the 2.5-3 hour class, we will demonstrate and explain the tricks to making these beautiful dishes and then you will give it a try. After you finish cooking, you will enjoy the bento lunch you just made! Return to your hotel on your own. and enjoy the afternoon to relax or further explore Kyoto on your own.

Later this evening, get ready for a night out to Osaka’s Dotonbori district to experience Japan’s Food Capital. Dotonbori, a popular shopping and entertainment district is lit by hundreds of neon lights and mechanized signs, including the famous Glico Running Man sign and Kani Doraku crab sign. After enjoying the atmosphere and the shops, stroll through the hundreds of dining outlets featuring all kinds of local delights including Osaka’s famous takoyaki (octopus dumplings), okonomiyaki savoury pancakes, ramen noodles, kushikatsu fried skewers, and even Fugu (blowfish). Return to your hotel in the evening. (B,D)

Day 8 Return Home
Transfer to the Kansai or Itami Airport in Osaka by SHARED shuttle van for your departure flight home. (B)

****END OF PROGRAM****

• Price is per person, based on double occupancy and minimum of 2 passengers
• LS (Low Season): January -February; June, September; December. 7-28
• HS (High Season): March – May; October – December 6
• Price includes entrance fees, hotel taxes & service charges
• Price excludes all airfares, personal expenses, meals not specified, beverages during included meals
• Tour commences in Tokyo and ends in Kyoto
• Peak Season Surcharges or blackout dates apply during Sakura season (Cherry Blossoms in late March – mid April), Golden Week Holiday (April 29-May 6) & December Holiday period (Dec. 24- Jan. 03). Please contact us for details and restrictions.
• Tour prices are based on travel completing within the above said period. Due to hotel rate differences, pro-ration of tour price may be required for travel spanning two calendar months. Contact us for details.
• All services are subject to availability at time of reservation