Discover Japan’s perfect balance of tradition and modernity, from Tokyo’s neon skyline to Osaka’s culinary delights. Unwind in Kotohira’s hot springs, stay overnight in a traditional ryokan, and reflect on history in Hiroshima. This Dynamic journey includes days with over four miles of walking and occasional steep hills.
Includes
13 Day Trafalgar Guided Holiday
12 Nights in cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
12 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 6 Dinners
Transport by luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
All porterage and restaurant gratuities
All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
Optional Experiences at an additional cost during your free time
Sightseeing Highlights
Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima
See the traditional Gassho-zukuri houses in Gokayama and the beautiful gardens of Kenrokuen in Kanazawa
View Mt. Fuji
Visit the Sensoji Temple, the Skytree Observation Tower, the Edo Tokyo Museum in Tokyo and much more!
Excludes
Flights
Arrival/ departure transfers
Visas
Travel Insurance
Spending money and items of a personal nature
Extras
On occasion, hotels of similar standards and location may be utilised
Optional Experiences are available at an additional cost
Not all departure dates are definite at the time of loading, please enquire with one of our agents
The Imperial Palace East Gardens are closed on Fridays so trips starting in Tokyo on Wednesdays will visit the Hamarikyu Japanese Garden instead.
Triple Rooms on Request - due to small room size these rooms are not recommended for 3 adults.
Highlights
13 Nights in cherry-picked hotels
22 Meals
Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
Itinerary
Day 1: Konnichiwa Tokyo
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 appetisers.
Accommodation: New Otani Garden Tower Tokyo
Included Meals: Welcome Reception
Day 2: Explore Vibrant Tokyo
We launch our city tour in the old-time entertainment centre of Asakusa, where we’ll encounter the Sensoji Buddhist Temple. One of Tokyo's most colourful 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, we immerse ourselves in the sights and sounds of shitamachi (downtown Tokyo), admiring the wooden dolls, colourful chiyogami (origami paper) and traditional Japanese sweets. We’ll ascend Tokyo Skytree, the world's highest free-standing broadcasting tower for panoramic views of the city, then enjoy the rest of the day at leisure or on an optional experience where a professional stylist will dress you in a traditional Japanese kimono.
Accommodation: New Otani Garden Tower Tokyo
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Off to the Five Lakes District
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 we’ll learn how to make sushi with a Local Specialist. We venture to the Five Lakes District next, keeping a keen eye out for the UNESCO listed Mt. Fuji which dominates the landscape.
Accommodation: Fuji Marriott Hotel Lake Yamanakako
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Majestic Mt. Fuji and Timeless Takayama
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 metres 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.
Accommodation: Hotel Associa Takayama Resort
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5: Experience Gokayama and on to Kanazawa
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. Next, meet a local family in one of these houses to observe local artisans making washi paper and trying your hand at making your own.
Accommodation: Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel Kanazawa
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 6: Traditional Kanazawa
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 Kenrokuen, 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.
Accommodation: Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel Kanazawa
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 7: Onwards to Kyoto
We board an Express train this morning to Kyoto. We’ll Connect With Locals at a traditional ryokan and enjoy a Be My Guest lunch, learning about local Japanese customs from our hosts. After lunch, we 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.
Accommodation: The Hotel Higashiyama
Included Meals: Breakfast, Be My Guest
Day 8: Discover Enchanting Kyoto
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.
Accommodation: The Hotel Higashiyama
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 9: Cross the Seto Inland Sea to Awaji Island
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.
Accommodation: Kotohira Grand Sakuranosho Ryokan
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 10: Spiritual Kotohira and Onwards to Hiroshima
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 kilometres 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-kilometre highway that links the islands of the Seto Inland Sea with nine individual bridges. Check into your hotel for a relaxing evening.
Accommodation: Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 11: Set Sail for Miyajima Island
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 savoury pancake made with egg, cabbage, soba noodles, and meat, seafood or cheese, grilled in layers on a hot plate.
Accommodation: Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 12: High Speed Bullet Train to Osaka
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.
Accommodation: Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 13: Sayonara Osaka
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.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Terms & conditions
Prices are per person twin share, include discounts, and are subject to availability and rate of exchange changes. Offers above are a guide only and will vary depending on departure date. Our guide price is based on the cheapest departure within the stipulated season, availability is correct at time of loading and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Visas may be necessary and insurance is essential. Pentravel and Tour Operator terms and conditions apply, and may be found on our website.
Package excludes extra nights’ accommodation, optional extensions, airfares, taxes and fees, flight supplements, surcharges and airport transfers. You can do optional free-time add-on experiences in your free time and pay for them as you travel (additional costs apply).
Full payment due 120 days prior to departure or at time of booking if booked within 120 days of departure; whichever comes first. Prices are in ZAR, are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and are subject to availability. R3000 per person deposit required at time of booking to hold space; some trips require payment in full at time of booking. If you need to cancel your booking after deposit, we'll give you a Future Travel Credit to use when you rebook with us. High season supplements and block out dates may apply. Supplier and tour operator is not responsible for technical or system errors that may interfere with or otherwise prohibit the use of promotion or sale.
Tour operator reserves the right to withdraw promotional offers and adjust savings anytime without notice. At time of loading this may not be a definite departure, please contact a travel consultant for more info. Other conditions may apply. These packages are based on CASH price. E&OE;.
Contact Us
