A Private Japan Tour – Tokyo, Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka

Day 1 Arrive Tokyo
Upon arrival, be met by an airport representative and transferred to your hotel by reserved private taxi.

Day 2 Tokyo
Today, enjoy a full-day walking tour of Tokyo accompanied by your private guide (using public transportation). Visits include Tsukiji Outer Fish Market, the revered Meiji Shrine, Asakusa Kannon Temple and its colorful Nakamise Shopping Arcade, and the super cool Teamlab Planets, a fascinating digital art museum where visitors wade through mesmerizing light installations, interactive projections, and sensory experiences, blurring the boundaries between art and reality. (B)

Day 3 Tokyo
Enjoy the day at leisure to explore the city on your own. Later this evening, choose from one these following exciting outings:  

Option 1 (Fun Night Out around town): 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. (B)

Option 2 (Foodies Tour & Izakaya Experience): Embark on a classic Japanese culinary adventure through the vibrant streets of Shinjuku with this popular Izakaya food tour. Savor 7+ mouth-watering tastings across three handpicked local restaurants, offering a full Izakaya-style dinner paired with your choice of drinks, including beer, sake, or non-alcoholic options. Along the way, explore both iconic landmarks and hidden gems, soaking in the electric atmosphere of Tokyo’s famed neon-lit district, Kabukicho. (B,D)

***Note: This is a shared program joined by several of your fellow foodies (10 per group max). Guests are to make own to meeting spot in Shinjuku (our team will provide directions)***

Option 3 (Wagyu & Sake Tasting): This evening, indulge in an unforgettable culinary experience with this refined Tokyo dining tour featuring 8+ courses of premium wagyu beef, expertly sourced from top regional producers. Savor multiple cuts prepared in over five traditional and innovative styles, designed to highlight the rich, natural flavor of Japan’s most prized delicacy. Each course is thoughtfully paired with unique craft sake tastings to elevate your palate. Along the way, gain insight into the history, regional differences, and cultural significance of wagyu and sake, making this an immersive and luxurious journey for discerning food lovers. (B,D)

***Note: This is a shared program (operates Tue. – Sat.) joined by several of your fellow foodies (10 per group max). Guests are to make own to meeting spot in Shinjuku (our team will provide directions)***

Day 4 Tokyo
Full day at leisure to eat, shop and explore Tokyo on your own. (B)

Day 5 Tokyo / Takayama
This morning, make your way to Shinagawa Station by taxi for your train journey to Takayama (requires transfer at Nagoya Station), a heritage town steeped in rich history and nestled amidst stunning mountain scenery of the Japan Alps. Enjoy a tour of Takayama’s Old Town with a visit to the famed Takayama Jinya followed by sake tasting at a local brewery. Check-in at your ryokan and enjoy an authentic Japanese experience where an delectable Kaiseki Dinner (multi-course Japanese banquet meal) and soothing onsen (natural hot spring bath) await. (B,D)

Day 6 Takayama (Shirakawa-go)
Today you will take a tour with a local guide to the beautifully preserved old town of Takayama and the UNESCO site Shirakawa-go village. Start the day with a visit to the bustling morning market, which is lined with local crafts and farm products, along the Miyagawa River. Take a walk in the district called San-machi Suji, the traditional home of Takayama merchants and sake brewers, which has been preserved in almost exactly the same state for the past two to three hundred years. Visit the Takayama Jinya, which served as the former local government office headed by the officials dispatched from Edo. In the afternoon, catch the bus to Shirakawa-go region. Your guide will show you around the village, famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some dating 250 years back. Gassho-zukkuri translates as ‘Praying Hands,’ as the farmhouses’ steep thatched roofs resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer, and are designed to withstand the heavy snows which fall in the region. Return to Takayama for your overnight accommodation. (B)

Day 7 Takayama 
Enjoy a full day at leisure to enjoy Takayama or explore nearby areas such as a leisurely hike in Kamikochi Nature Preserve, a scenic cable car ride at Shinhotaka Ropeway, venture to the charming heritage town of Hida Furukawa, or simply discover the nooks-and-crannies (craft workshops, museums, archery ranges, markets, sake breweries) in and around Takayama. One thing for sure, there will be no shortage of amazing experiences here in Gifu! (B)

Day 8 Takayama / Kyoto
After breakfast, travel by rail to Kyoto. Upon arrival, proceed to your hotel by taxi for your next 3 nights’ accommodations. Enjoy the balance of the afternoon at leisure to relax and explore the city on your own. (B) 

Day 9 Kyoto
Today’s tour features a few of the ancient capital’s most celebrated sites starting with Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its red torii gates straddling a network of trails into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari. Here, enjoy an invigorating but leisurely hike that combines culture and nature through thousands of vermilion torii gates, creating a vibrant and mesmerizing tunnel-like path leading up Mount Inari. Afterwars, continue to Kiyomizu Temple, one of the most visited 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 City. Enjoy a stroll through the two famous shopping streets (Ninen-zaka & Sannen-zaka) for cherry blossoms view at Yasaka Shrine and Maruyama Park. Continue to Gion District before returning to your hotel. (B)

Day 10 Kyoto
This morning, enjoy a fascinating tour of Kyoto by bicycle (e-bikes also available) and by foot. Your tour includes visits to the Golden Pavilion, one of the most photographed spots in all of Japan; Ryoan temple, home of the most famous rock garden; and Arashiyama, famed for its bamboo forest. Enjoy the balance of the afternoon at leisure to explore Kyoto on your own. Optional activities such as Tea Ceremony & Kimono experience, Japanese cooking lesson, Samurai experience are available upon request. (B)

***Note: Bicycle tour is privately guided. Passengers are to make their own way (approx. 20 minute by taxi) to meeting point in Western Kyoto, and subsequently to the cooking school.  ***

Day 11 Kyoto / Nara / Osaka

Day 11. This morning, we journey to Nara, Japan’s first capital and a cradle of its cultural heritage. Stand in awe before Todaiji Temple, home to the nation’s largest bronze Buddha, and stroll Nara Park, where over a thousand sacred deer roam freely. Continue to the lantern-lined paths of Kasuga Taisha Shrine, one of Japan’s most revered.

A swift one-hour train ride then carries us forward through the centuries, from the sacred calm of Nara to the spirited energy of Osaka. Check into your hotel in the heart of vibrant Dotonbori before tonight’s culinary adventure. As night falls, taste your way through Osaka’s kitchen on a flavorful tour of handpicked restaurants and shops, savoring the city’s signature dishes with your choice of drinks. Between bites, explore both iconic and hidden corners of Kuromon, Namba, and Dotonbori, soaking in the neon-lit atmosphere that makes this city truly unforgettable. (B,D)

***Note: Food tour on shared basis with other fellow food lovers. Meeting place located a short walk from your hotel. ***

Day 12 Osaka
Full day free at leisure to eat, shop and explore Osaka on your own. Popular spots in and around Osaka include food markets (Kizu Market, Kuromon Ichiba), Osaka Castle, Den Den Town (anime district), Shinsaibashi (shopping) and nearby Himeji famous for its Himeji Castle. (B) 

Day 13 Depart Osaka
Transfer to Itami or Kansai Airport by private car for your departure flight home. (B)

***End of Program***

• Price is per person, based on double occupancy and minimum of 2 passengers
• Price includes entrance fees, hotel taxes & service charges
• Price excludes all airfares, personal expenses and beverages
• 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 sightseeing on private basis utilizing public transport
• All services are subject to availability at time of reservation