A Tour of Japan’s World Heritage Sites – Tokyo, Hakone, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto & Nara

Day 1 Arrive Tokyo
Upon arrival, be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel.

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 that is now a vibrant local market lined with street food stands, seafood, 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 to eat, shop and explore Tokyo on your own. (B)

Day 4 Tokyo / Hakone
This morning, travel by Shinkansen (Bullet Train) to Odawara Station in Hakone. Commence sightseeing of this scenic area, home to the ever-sacred Fuji San. Here, enjoy various sights within Owakudani Valley, known for its beautiful lush mountain scenery, and enjoy rides on the Hakone Mountain Rail and Hakone Ropeway, a boat cruise on Lake Ashi and a visit to Hakone Sekisho, an important site for the history of transport and communication during the Edo period.  We’ll also visit the Hakone Open Air Museum if time permits. Check in at your Ryokan (traditional Japanese Inn) where a Kaiseki dinner (Japanese banquet style meal) will be served. Overnight in Hakone. (B,D)

Day 5 Hakone / Takayama
Transfer to Odawara Station on your own by taxi (at your expense) and board a Shinkansen (bullet-train) for Takayama, 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 some 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 
Free day at leisure to relax, explore Takayama or venture out to nearby Hida-Furukawa Town or Kamikochi Nature Preserve to fully immerse in Gifu’s natural beauty and cultural gems. (B) 

Day 7 Takayama / Shirakawa-go / Kanazawa
Begin your day with a leisurely stroll through the renowned Takayama Morning Market, nestled alongside the picturesque Miyagawa river. This bustling market is a feast for the senses, offering an exquisite array of fresh fruits, verdant vegetables, fragrant flowers, and tempting street snacks. It’s a beloved gathering spot for both locals and tourists, each drawn in by the lively ambiance and the opportunity to savor the essence of the town.

Next, take a one-hour express bus ride takes you through the Japan Alps to Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage site, famed 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 snowfalls in this mountainous region. Enjoy a walk though this historical village and up the hill to the observation platform that offers a birds-eye-view of the village and surrounding region. Continue by bus to Kanazawa. Check-in at your hotel and enjoy the balance of the afternoon at leisure to eat, shop and explore the vibrant area surrounding your hotel. (B)

Day 8 Kanazawa
Today, enjoy a full day tour of Kanazawa. We’ll start a short walk to Omicho Market, — the hub of Kanazawa’s food culture with rows of fresh seafood and produce. Continue to Kanazawa Castle, the seat of the powerful Maeda Clan from 1583 to the end of the Edo Period. The castle burnt down several times over the centuries and was later rebuilt. On the grounds of Kanazawa castle lies Kenroku-en Garden, one of Japan’s most celebrated gardens, blending seasonal beauty, tranquil ponds, and centuries-old landscape artistry. After a peaceful stroll though the garden, sit back and private private tea ceremony at the oldest tea house in Kanazawa in Gyokusen-Tei set in a serene Japanese garden.

Afterwards, proceed to Higashi Chaya, Kanazawa’s famed Old Town lined with wooden homes and shophouses, even the occasional Geisha sighting, for a stroll through this beautifully preserved district. Time and energy permitting, continue to Nagamachi Samurai district and visit the Nomura Samurai House before returning to your hotel. (B)

Day 9 Kanazawa / Kyoto
This morning, travel by Shinkansen and Express Train (transfer required at Tsurua Station) to Kyoto. Upon arrival, bet met at Kyoto Station by your guide and commence sightseeing of Kyoto starting with Kinkaku-Ji (Golden Pavilion). Originally built as a retirement villa for the Shogun that later became a Buddhist Temple after his death at his request. Continue to 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 City. Enjoy a stroll through the two famous shopping streets (Ninen-zaka & Sannen-zaka), Yasaka Shrine and Gion District before returning to your hotel. (B)

Day 10 Kyoto (Nara)
This morning, enjoy a visit to Fushimi Inari Shrine, 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. Afterwards, travel via Express Train to Nara, on the outskirts of Kyoto. Nara is Japan’s first Capital from 710-784 A.D. and an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit Todaiji Temple, famed for being the world’s largest wooden building and houses one of the country’s largest Buddha statues. It is adjacent to Nara Park, where over 1,000 free-roaming deer abound. Last stop is Kasuga Taisha, one of the most celebrated shrines in all of Japan. Return to Kyoto in the afternoon. (B)

Day 11 Kyoto
Full day free at leisure to soak up Kyoto’s serene atmosphere and explore its many temples, shrines and heritage sites on your own. (B)

Day 12 Depart Kyoto
Transfer to Osaka Airport (Itami or Kansai) by shuttle van for your departure flight onward. (B)

****END OF PROGRAM****

• Prices are per person, based on double occupancy
• Price includes entrance fees, hotel taxes and service charges
• Price excludes all airfares, personal expenses, and meals not specified in itinerary
• All sightseeing on private basis via use of public transportation
• Tour commences in Tokyo and ends in Kyoto
• 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.
• 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.
• All hotels and tours are subject to availability at time of reservation