Japan Essentials

Following a replenishing breakfast, you’ll meet with your private guide and head to the Rail Pass exchange desk – located at any major station – to collect your 14-day standard class Japan Rail Pass, making sure to bring your passport with you as identification. Once you receive your Rail Pass, you can then make any seat reservations for your upcoming itinerary, should you wish to.

One-day transport passes and 2,000 JPY per person for entrance fees is included in the pass; it’s completely up to you where you want to go, but your guide can give you helpful suggestions.

You’ll then continue the day with a revealing full-day city tour through Tokyo’s thriving streets, beginning in Asakusa District, a hub of entertainment during Japan’s Edo Period. In modern times, Asakusa is known for its charming shops and restaurants, along with Tokyo’s oldest temple, the Senso-Ji Buddhist temple. In Asakusa, you’ll stroll along Nakamise Street, a centuries-old street lined with souvenir shops in which you can pick yourself up a souvenir or sample some of the local food delicacies.

After exploring Asakusa, you’ll travel across Tokyo to the Meiji Shrine, which is dedicated to the deified spirits of the former Japanese Emperor and his wife. Here you’ll enter through a 12-metre-high torii gate into the tranquil grounds of the shrine, where you’ll wash your hands in accordance with Shinto ritual before entering this sacred space. At the shrine, you can observe traditional Shinto rituals and prayers before exploring the shrine, connecting with the age-old traditions of this unique aspect of Japanese culture and history.

To finish the tour, you’ll dive headfirst into Tokyo’s trendy youth culture, discovering many of the city’s latest fashions in Shibuya, one of the most famous shopping locations in the city and home to the iconic Shibuya Crossing, the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world. Immerse yourself in the electric energy of Tokyo’s cultural epicentre before ending the tour at Shibuya Station, where you can choose to explore further by yourself or return to your hotel via public transport.


Accommodation: Park Hotel Tokyo (or alternative hotel of equal standard).

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before checking out and using your Rail Pass to travel to Odawara before continuing on to Hakone, a peaceful town located in the mountains of Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture, where serene forests and lakes are loomed over by the iconic snow-capped peak of Mount Fuji, visible on clear days.

After checking into your hotel in Hakone, you can enjoy spending the rest of the day at leisure, exploring the town or bathing in a traditional onsen (hot spring).


Accommodation: Ichinoyu Honkan (or alternative hotel of equal standard).

Using your Hakone Free Pass, you’ll travel first to the station in Odawara before continuing your journey to Kyoto aboard the Shinkansen bullet train. Travelling at speeds of up to 300km/hr, the Shinkansen covers the 430km distance to Kyoto in approximately 2 hrs.

After you arrive in Kyoto, you’ll make your own way to your next hotel and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

Once the capital of Japan, Kyoto is a city of evocative beauty and charm where ornate Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines meet leafy gardens, traditional kaiseki restaurants and grand imperial palaces.


Accommodation: The Gate Hotel Kyoto Takasegawa (or alternative hotel of equal standard).

The day is yours to soak up the sights around Kyoto, immersing yourself in the cultural charm and historic grandeur of this fabled Japanese city.

Must-see sights include the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, where you’ll pass through hundreds of red Torri gates that line a path which ascends to Mount Inari. You can also explore the otherworldly green ‘tunnels’ of the Arashiyama Bamboo Groove or choose a more relaxing approach to your day and unwind in a traditional onsen hot spring.


Accommodation: The Gate Hotel Kyoto Takasegawa (or alternative hotel of equal standard).

Journey through Hiroshima’s ancient and recent history on this unique full-day tour across the ‘City of Water’.

In the morning, you’ll meet your guide before transferring by public transit to the Memorial Peace Park, Hiroshima’s tribute to its tragic war-era past and hope for the future. Then visit the Peace Memorial Museum, whose poignant exhibits display photos and artefacts from the atomic bombing and its aftermath. Despite the harrowing nature of the subject, the museum is not aimed at being divisive or placing blame but instead serves as a reminder for us not to take peace for granted.

After the museum, you’ll have some free time to enjoy lunch before riding the train to the ferry, which will cross you to the shore of Miyajima Island. This picturesque island is an ancient holy site and a sacred national treasure of Japan that features beautiful Shinto shrines, Buddhist pagodas and temples and charming Edo-style walkways for an insight into ancient Japanese culture.

You’ll arrive at the main complex, Itsukushima shrine, a family Shinto shrine founded in the 6th century. At high tide, it appears as though it is floating above the water, along with its ‘floating’ torii gate, the iconic Otorii, one of the most photographed structures across Japan.

You’ll have plenty of time to explore the island, passing tame wild deer who roam freely. You can visit Daisho-in, a Buddhist temple with a trail of hundreds of happy Buddha statues, and stop at the charming souvenir shops in the town. You can also try some of the local delicacies; the island has farmed oysters for over 300 years, and another culinary option here is maple leaf castellas filled with a red bean paste, a classic snack that is unique to the island.

After exploring the delights of the island, you’ll return to the mainland and head back to your hotel.


Accommodation: Hotel Granvia Hiroshima (or alternative hotel of equal standard).

Discover the essence of Osaka by heading out on a private walking tour to explore the delicious local foods and main attractions of the city. You’ll travel to Shinsekai, or New World District, where you can sample the local specialty, kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers). Shinsekai was built in 1903, with half of the area drawing inspiration from Paris and the other half inspired by New York’s Coney Island.

From Shinsekai, you’ll venture on to the Namba area to take some pictures at Osaka’s most famous landmark, the Glico Man neon sign. In the area, you’ll head to Honzenji Yokocho, famous for its moss-covered statue in the centre of an alleyway where your guide will instruct you on prayer etiquette. Lastly, you’ll visit Kuromon Market top see where the locals acquire their fresh ingredients, with the opportunity to try takoyaki (doughballs filled with octopus) before the tour reaches its conclusion.


Accommodation: Hotel Vischio Osaka (or alternative hotel of equal standard).

At a prearranged time, you will be collected from your hotel by a private driver and transferred to Tokyo’s international airport to begin your onward journey.