Splendors of Japan with Hiroshima
Splendors of Japan with Hiroshima
Splendors of Japan with Hiroshima
13 Days Starting in Tokyo, Japan and ending in Osaka, Japan
Visiting: Tokyo, Five Lakes District, Mt. Fuji, Gokayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Awaji Island, Hiroshima, Osaka
Tour operator:
Tour code:
JPHOZN19
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
15 - 28
Age range:
5-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishInterests:
Cultural, Foodie and Wine Tours, Gardens & Nature Tours, History, Rail Tours
Activities:
Tour Overview
Embark on an unforgettable journey through Japan with the "Splendors of Japan with Hiroshima" tour. This cultural adventure takes you from the bustling streets of Tokyo to the serene landscapes of Kyoto and the historic sites of Hiroshima. Discover iconic landmarks such as the Sensoji Temple, Tokyo Skytree, and the majestic Mt. Fuji. Immerse yourself in traditional Japanese culture with experiences like a washi paper workshop in Gokayama and a kaiseki lunch with the Nakamura Family in Kyoto. Explore the tranquil gardens of Kenrokuen, the spiritual Fushimi Inari Shrine, and the poignant Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Enjoy the comfort of cherry-picked hotels and savor authentic Japanese cuisine, including sushi-making in Ginza and Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. With expert guidance and luxury transportation, this tour offers a perfect blend of sightseeing, cultural immersion, and relaxation, ensuring a memorable exploration of Japan's rich heritage and natural beauty.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Konnichiwa Tokyo
Location: Tokyo
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: New Otani Garden Tower
Your in-depth exploration of Japan begins in Tokyo. On arrival at Narita or Haneda Airport, take a shuttle bus transfer to your centrally located hotel, where you’ll join your Travel Director and fellow guests for a welcome drink and local appetizers.
Day 2: Explore Vibrant Tokyo
Location: Tokyo
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: New Otani Garden Tower
Meals Included: Breakfast
We launch our city tour in the old-time entertainment center of Asakusa, where we’ll encounter the Sensoji Buddhist Temple. One of Tokyo's most colorful and popular temples, Sensoji has been rebuilt countless times since it was founded in 628, making it Tokyo's oldest temple site. Strolling down Nakamise next, immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of shitamachi (downtown Tokyo), admiring the wooden dolls, colorful chiyogami (origami paper) and traditional Japanese sweets. Ascend Tokyo Skytree, the world's highest free-standing broadcasting tower for panoramic views of the city.
Day 3: Off To The Five Lakes District
Location: Five Lakes District
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Fuji Marriott Yamanakako
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Our first stop today is the Imperial Palace Plaza from where the two bridges that form the entrance to the inner grounds of the Imperial Palace can be viewed. We'll have the opportunity to explore the leafy Imperial Palace East Gardens before continuing our city tour. At the Tokyo National Museum browse collections of Japanese art, then continue to the Ginza district where you’ll learn how to make sushi with a professional sushi chef. Venture to the Five Lakes District next, keeping a keen eye out for the UNESCO-listed Mt. Fuji which dominates the landscape.
Day 4: Majestic Mt. Fuji And Timeless Takayama
Location: Mt. Fuji
Accommodation: Resort
Accommodation Name: Associa Takayama Resort
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Visit Oshino Hakkai, a small rural village in the Fuji Five Lakes district, renowned for eight natural spring water ponds that are fed by melted snow from Mt. Fuji. Admire the reflections of the sky and landscapes in its clear waters, then ascend Mt. Fuji by road to 2,300 meters at the 5th station. Ride up Mt. Tenjo on the Kachikachiyama Ropeway next, for jaw-dropping views (weather permitting) of Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko. Then, journey through the Japanese Alps to the beautiful hillside town of Takayama, before enjoying dinner at the hotel.
Day 5: Experience Gokayama And On To Kanazawa Dive Into Culture Make Travel Matter
Location: Gokayama
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Kanazawa Tokyu
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Immerse yourself in tradition as you walk through the Edo-style streets of Takayama's Old Town. Indulge a lunch of Japanese Hida-gyu – beef from a black-haired Japanese cattle breed, renowned as one of the finest quality varieties of beef. Journey back in time this afternoon during a visit to the peaceful UNESCO-listed Gokayama, a mountain village set amidst five valleys. Admire the unique construction of the local Gassho-zukuri wooden houses that have been built without the use of nails with steeply sloped thatched roofs to prevent snow from building up on them. Meet with a local family in one of these houses. Observe local artisans making washi paper and try your hand at making your own. Make a difference to the sustainability of this small business during MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Stay overnight in Kanazawa.
Day 6: Traditional Kanazawa
Location: Kanazawa
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Kanazawa Tokyu
Meals Included: Breakfast
Join a Local Specialist this morning to learn the secrets of painting gold leaf, a delicate craft the Japanese have been perfecting since the 16th century. Continue to the tranquil gardens of Kenroku-en, which took shape over a hundred years to emerge as one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens. Connecting with your exquisite natural surrounds, you’ll stroll through ornate landscapes and past ponds and temples. Take a short walk through the Omicho market next to see the local fish catch and enjoy an insider’s view of everyday life in a busy coastal town. Then, visit the Nagamachi District with its beautifully preserved samurai houses that line the traditional stone streets. Here you will gain first-hand insights into samurai life during a visit to the Nomura house, an elegant samurai mansion.
Day 7: Onwards To Kyoto Connect With Locals
Location: Kyoto
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: The Hotel Higashiyama
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Board an Express train this morning to Kyoto, where you'll connect with locals at a traditional ryokan on your Be My Guest experience. You'll learn about local Japanese customs from your hosts. After lunch, visit the UNESCO-listed Kinkakuji Temple with its famous Kinkaku (Golden Pavilion), the proud symbol of Kyoto and a Zen temple, which has its origins as a 14th-century villa.
Day 8: Discover Enchanting Kyoto
Location: Kyoto
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: The Hotel Higashiyama
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
The blazing orange torii gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine guide our path through the forest, up into the mountains and to a sacred site that has heard prayers for prosperity and happiness since the 8th century. We continue to Sanjusangen-do Hall and admire the minute detail of each of its 1,001 “thousand-handed” goddesses of mercy statues, then enjoy a walking tour of the Gion area. This evening, we indulge in a Farewell Dinner with your Travel Director and fellow guests.
Day 9: Cross The Seto Inland Sea To Awaji Island Stays With Stories
Location: Awaji Island
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Kotohira Grand Sakuranosho Ryokan
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning we leave Japan’s main island Honshu behind, crossing the world’s largest suspension bridge over the Seto Inland Sea to Awaji Island. Enjoy free time for lunch, then take a walk around Yumebutai, a complex of buildings built on the side of the mountain. One of the most striking features is the ‘100 Stepped Garden’ — a group of 100 flowerbeds in small square gardens on an incline and arranged in grids spread over several levels. Visit the Water Temple and admire the reflection of the surrounding mountains, rice paddies and bamboo groves as you descend the steps to the Buddhist temple beneath its still waters. Journey to the small mountain hot springs village of Kotohira where our accommodation tonight is one of Trafalgar's Stays With Stories - a traditional Japanese ryokan. We’ll have some time this evening to climb the steps adjacent to the hotel to visit Kotohira-gu Shrine and be rewarded with breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. Later perhaps take a relaxing soak in the onsen (hot spring) bath at our hotel.
Day 10: Spiritual Kotohira And Onwards To Hiroshima
Location: Hiroshima
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Rihga Royal
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
This morning visit the Zentsuji Temple, birthplace of one of the most revered figures of Japanese Buddhism, the high priest Kobo Daishi. It is the 75th temple on the 88 temple Shikoku Pilgrimage, which covers approximately 1,200 kilometers and was traditionally done on foot taking up to 60 days to complete. It is still done by many people today although modern pilgrims use cars, taxis, buses, bicycles or motorcycles. Continue to Omishima Island and make a stop at a local restaurant for lunch. Drive to Hiroshima via the Setouchi Shimanami Kaido Expressway, a 60-kilometer highway that links the islands of the Seto Inland Sea with nine individual bridges. Check into your hotel for a relaxing evening.
Day 11: Set Sail For Miyajima Island Dive Into Culture
Location: Hiroshima
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Rihga Royal
Meals Included: Breakfast
We travel by ferry to the sacred Miyajima Island, where we’ll see the famous UNESCO-listed Itsukushima Shrine and elaborate torii gate that stands majestically in the sea. After some free time for lunch and to explore the island’s spiritual sanctuaries, we return to Hiroshima for a visit to the Peace Memorial Park and Museum. Imagine the devastation and horror that followed the world’s first atomic explosion in 1945 as you see the UNESCO-listed Peace Memorial, the only structure left standing in the area and an expression of hope for world peace. This evening, we’ll indulge in Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, a savory pancake made with egg, cabbage, soba noodles, and meat, seafood or cheese, grilled in layers on a hot plate.
Day 12: High Speed Bullet Train To Osaka
Location: Osaka
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Sheraton Miyako
Meals Included: Breakfast
Board the high-speed bullet train to Osaka this morning and enjoy some free time for lunch and shopping in the Dotonbori Street area. Visit Osaka Castle, which played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century. This evening, join your Travel Director and fellow guests for a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 13: Sayonara Osaka
Location: Osaka
Meals Included: Breakfast
Our encounter with Japan’s centuries-old traditions and modern cityscapes at its end, take a transfer by airport shuttle service to Kansai International Airport, or Osaka Itami Airport for your onward flight.
What's Included
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An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
The tour includes the services of an expert Travel Director and a professional Driver.
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Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
Accommodation is provided in carefully selected hotels that are tried and trusted.
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All porterage and restaurant gratuities
Porterage and restaurant gratuities are included in the tour package.
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All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
Hotel tips, charges, and local taxes are covered in the tour.
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Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
Daily breakfast and up to half of the evening meals are included.
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Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
The tour includes must-see sightseeing and surprise extras.
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Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
Audio headsets are provided for flexible sightseeing.
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Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
Transportation is provided by a luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi or alternative transportation such as rail journeys.
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Optional Experiences and free time
The tour offers optional experiences and free time for personal exploration.
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On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.
If necessary, hotels of similar standard and location may be used.
What's Not Included
Travel insurance is not included in the tour package.
Dining Summary
- 12 Breakfast (B)
- 4 Lunch (L)
- 4 Dinner (D)
- 1 Regional Dinner (RD)
- 1 Farewell Dinner (FD)
Dive Into Culture
- Ginza: With the guidance of your professional sushi chef, make your own selection of sushi specialties. Afterwards enjoy the fruits of your labor with a delicious lunch.
- Takayama: Sample Japanese sake during a walking tour in the Edo-style streets of Takayama Old Town.
- Hiroshima: Sample the famous Hiroshima style okonomiyaki.
Mode of Transport
Travel in luxury with a combination of air-conditioned coach journeys, high-speed bullet trains, and ferry rides, ensuring a comfortable and efficient exploration of Japan's diverse landscapes and cultural sites.
Accommodation
Experience a blend of modern and traditional Japanese hospitality with stays at the New Otani Garden Tower in Tokyo, Fuji Marriott Yamanakako, Associa Takayama Resort, Kanazawa Tokyu, The Hotel Higashiyama in Kyoto, Kotohira Grand Sakuranosho Ryokan, Rihga Royal in Hiroshima, and Sheraton Miyako in Osaka.
Check out our Q&As
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What unique cultural experiences are included in the tour?
The tour includes a visit to a washi paper workshop in Gokayama where you can try your hand at making paper, a kaiseki lunch with the Nakamura Family at a traditional ryokan in Kyoto, and a sushi-making class in the Ginza district with a professional sushi chef.
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What is the 'Be My Guest' experience in Kyoto?
In Kyoto, the 'Be My Guest' experience involves meeting the Nakamura Family for a kaiseki lunch at a traditional Japanese ryokan, where you will learn about local customs.
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What kind of accommodation can I expect during the tour?
The tour includes stays at cherry-picked hotels that are tried and trusted, and also features a stay at a traditional Japanese ryokan in the mountain hot springs village of Kotohira.
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Are there any special dining experiences included in the tour?
Yes, the tour includes a variety of dining experiences such as a sushi-making class in Ginza, sampling Japanese sake in Takayama, and enjoying Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki.
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What are some of the key historical sites visited on this tour?
The tour visits several key historical sites including the Sensoji Temple in Tokyo, the Kinkakuji Temple in Kyoto, the Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum.
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What is the significance of the visit to Gokayama?
In Gokayama, you will visit a UNESCO-listed mountain village known for its unique Gassho-zukuri wooden houses. The visit includes a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience where you support local artisans by participating in a washi paper-making workshop.
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What transportation is used during the tour?
The tour includes travel on a luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi, and also features a high-speed bullet train ride to Osaka.
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Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
The beauty of taking a guided holiday with us is that you’ll have the opportunity to meet and travel with people from all over the globe.
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Vaccination against Covid-19 is not mandatory to travel with Trafalgar. However, we strongly recommend that guests are vaccinated before travelling. Please note that airlines and/or other authorities may have different requirements. It is the guest's responsibility to comply with these requirements at all times.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 1947
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Trafalgar is a founding partner of the TreadRight Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation established in 2008. So far, the charity has donated more than US$2 million to help underprivileged communities and support sustainable tourism around the world.
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of trafalgar charges.
Up to 91 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 90 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 29 days before tour starts: Forfeit 80% of booking price.
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