Japan Traditions

After breakfast, you’ll meet with your private guide and head to the Rail Pass exchange desk at any major station, presenting your rail pass vouchers to receive your 14-day standard class Japan Rail Pass (be sure to bring your passport to use as identification). Once you receive your rail pass, you can then make any seat reservations for your itinerary should you wish to.

One-day transport passes and 2000 JPY per person for entrance fees is included. It's completely up to you where you want to go, but the guide can give you suggestions and ideas.

You’ll continue the day with a visit to Tokyo’s Asakusa District, a thriving hub of entertainment during Japan’s Edo Period. Nowadays, Asakusa is home to charming shops and restaurants, along with Tokyo’s oldest temple, Sensoji. Walk along Nakamise Street, a centuries-old street lined with souvenir shops, where you can pick up a souvenir or sample some of the local food delicacies.

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

To conclude the tour, you’ll dive headfirst into the pulsating centre of Tokyo’s youth culture, exploring many of Tokyo’s latest trends and 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 the Tokyo epicentre before ending the tour at Shibuya Station, where you can choose to explore further at your own pace.


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

Today you’ll depart Tokyo and use your Rail Pass to ride Japan’s iconic Shinkansen bullet train towards Takayama, a charming city in Japan’s mountain-dominated Gifu Prefecture that is known for its historic district’s narrow streets lined with Edo Period merchants’ houses.

Upon arrival, you’ll make your own way to your next hotel via public transportation, spending the remainder of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Hidatei Hanaougi (or alternative hotel of equal standard).

After breakfast, you’ll make your way to the train station to board the Shinkansen bullet train to Kanazawa, the capital of Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture that is renowned for its beautifully preserved Edo-era districts, the 17th-century Kenroku-en Garden and the impressive Kanazawa Castle, erected in the late 16th century.

Disembarking in Kanazawa, you’ll make your own way to your hotel in the city before enjoying the rest of the day to explore or relax at your own will.


Accommodation: Hotel Nikko Kanazawa (or alternative hotel of equal standard).

After breakfast, you’ll again board the bullet-fast Shinkansen and travel to the enchanting city of Kyoto. 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.

Arriving in Kyoto, you will make your own way to your hotel and spend the rest of the afternoon and evening at leisure.


Accommodation: The Gate Hotel Kyoto Takasegawa by HULIC (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 by HULIC (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 served 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).

After you enjoy breakfast and check out of your hotel, you’ll board the train heading towards Odawara station and pick up your Hakone 3-day Free Pass before continuing to your hotel in Hakone by train.

The rest of the day is then yours to spend at leisure.


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

Using your Hakone Free Pass, you make your way back to Tokyo to catch the train for your onward journey heading towards Shinjuku station.

The rest of the day is then yours to spend at leisure.


Accommodation: Keio Plaza Hotel (or alternative hotel of equal standard).