Highlights of Japan

Arrive in Tokyo and transfer to your hotel. In the evening, meet your tour leader and fellow travellers for dinner.

Take a morning stroll to Tokyo’s oldest temple, Asakusa, in an introduction to Tokyo’s unique culture. Take a boat along the Sumida River for a different perspective of the city, arriving in the heart of the city near Hamarikyu Gardens. You may wish to visit the Meiji shrine and Shinjuku area, where the latest electronic gadgets dazzle from  glowing shop-fronts. (B)

This morning board the Shinkansen, Japan’s famous bullet train, for Kanazawa. This city retains the charm of winding back streets, delicate tea shops and the beautiful autumn maples and spring cherry blossoms of Kenrokoen Gardens, and has several traditional samurai districts which we explore. Tonight stay in a traditional inn, known as a ryokan, where we sleep on comfortable, folding futon mattresses on woven tatami mats. Learn about local etiquette including Japanese bathing. (B)(D)

Another train trip brings us to Kyoto, widely regarded as Japan’s loveliest city, with more than 2000 temples and shrines, many set in perfectly manicured landscaped gardens. Start with a visit to Nijo Castle, built in 1603 as a
Shogun palace. (B)(D) 

We spend today visiting some of the cities many temples: Ryoan-ji Temple with its beautiful Zen gardens and famous rock garden, then the famous Golden Pavilion. The temple’s top two tiers are covered in gold leaf, a spectacular sight beyond a tranquil duck-covered lake in a forest garden. Also enjoy a traditional tea ceremony, nd stroll along Kyoto’s charming streets with many traditional scenes on hand. (B)

An early morning train takes us to Hiroshima, where we will spend the morning exploring this thought-provoking  city. We visit the Peace Memorial Park and museum on the site of the 1945 A-bomb hypocentre. Just off the coast of Hiroshima is the tiny island of Miyajima with its famous floating torii gate, considered to be one of the most  beautiful sights in Japan. You can walk the island with its peaceful gardens and roaming deer. Overnight in Kyoto. (B)

Today we travel to the city of Himeji with its spectacular ‘White Egret’ castle, one of the few such structures to have escaped damage by war, earthquake or fires which often destroy these traditional wooden structures. Nearby are Kokoen Gardens where we can try green tea and wander through bamboo groves, before a final evening in Kyoto. (B)

After breakfast your journey ends. (B)