JapanDiscover Japan
Arrive to your starting hotel around 4:00 pm and join your group and CEO for a Welcome Meeting in the evening around 6:00 pm. There are no activities planned until an evening welcome meeting. Please ensure you arrive on time for the welcome meeting and bring your passport so your CEO can collect the required information for your train tickets. Refer to your voucher for the most up to date welcome meeting time.
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Accommodation
Below is an example of the hotel we may use in this city. For the actual hotel your specific departure will be using, please check your voucher.
The B Akasaka
In the morning collect your JR Pass. Board a bullet train for Kanazawa in the afternoon. The evening is yours to explore, or opt to attend a dinner with the group. Take a short train ride to Kanazawa. In the 17th century, this beautifully preserved castle town was Japan's wealthiest, and it became a thriving center for culture and arts.
Bullet Train
Get to your next destination faster than the speed of light (ok maybe not that fast) aboard a high-speed train.
Free Time
Spend the evening getting know Kanazawa. Opt to attend a group dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation
Garden Hotel Kanazawa
Explore the city's well-preserved geisha district. Then, stroll through Kenroke-en, ranked one of the nation's top three gardens before exploring the historic Nagamachi samurai district. After strolling through the expansive gardens of Kenrokuen, opt to stop at the massive Kanazawa castle next door. Kanazawa is also home to many interesting museums, opt to visit one or learn more about local crafts. Loving the food in the city? Take a trip to the local seafood market to see where some of the fresh, tasty ingredients come from.
Higashi Geisha District Visit
Step back in time with a visit to the Higashi Chaya geisha district of Kanazawa. Learn about the geisha culture, prevalent in Kanazawa since the 17th century. Visit the traditional two-story wooden houses decorated with lattice and discover the traditions behind this iconic Japanese way of life.
Kenroku-En Garden Visit
Walk around this breathtaking garden, ranked one of the top three in Japan. With unique bridges, ponds and fountains, pagodas and tea houses there's lots to see here in any season.
Nagamachi Samurai District Walk
Step back in time with a visit to the Nagamachi Samurai district of Kanazawa. Take a walk through the historic samurai district located just below the Kanazawa Castle, where traditionally samurai and their families lived in mud huts.
Free Time
Explore the city with some free time.
Optional Activities - Day 3Show
Accommodation
Garden Hotel Kanazawa
Arrive in picturesque Takayama and relax in the traditional Japanese inn. Arrive in Takayama in the afternoon and begin taking in the beautiful scenery of this traditional city.
Bullet Train
Get to your next destination faster than the speed of light (ok maybe not that fast) aboard a high-speed train.
Free Time
Explore this charming town with a free afternoon.
Optional Activities - Day 4Show
Accommodation
Minshuku Iwatakan
Explore the Hida No Sato traditional folk village, and walk the quaint streets of the old town – lined with sake breweries and craft shops. Enjoy the rest of the day to explore the area. Enjoy free time to explore this beautiful landscape. Discover traces of a feudal past in the thatched houses and rice fields. Opt to visit one of the markets or rent a bike and cycle out of the town centre and into the countryside.
Hida no Sato (Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village) Visit
Visit the Hida Folk Village, an outdoor museum where various buildings from the 1600s are open to tour. The steep, thatched roofs of the farmhouses are said to resemble praying hands. Take a peek inside to see tools and furniture from the original village.
Free Time
Use free time to enjoy the area, sample sake or visit a nearby hot spring for a soak.
Optional Activities - Day 5Show
Accommodation
Minshuku Iwatakan
Arrive in Hiroshima and visit the Peace Park and Museum to learn more about the tragic history of this city. The large Peace Park in the centre of the city is an extremely moving place dotted with memorials of those killed by the atomic bomb and others who subsequently died. The burning flame in the park will only be extinguished when all nuclear weapons in the world have been destroyed. Take a tram ride through the city to reach Peace Park.
Bullet Train
Get to your next destination faster than the speed of light (ok maybe not that fast) aboard a high-speed train.
Hiroshima Park and Peace Memorial
Walk through the Peace Park in the centre of Hiroshima, a living memorial dedicated to the tens of thousands who died from the atomic bomb blast in 1945. Visit the statue of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who died of leukemia as a result of the bomb blast, despite folding 1,000 origami paper cranes to appeal to the gods to make her well. See the frame of the Gembaku Dome, the sole building to withstand the explosion. Reflect, remember, and be reminded of the power we all hold to create peace.
Accommodation
Toyoko Inn Hiroshima-eki Shinkansen-guchi II
Take a ferry to the sacred island of Miyajima to see the famous floating Torii Gate and meet the friendly local deer. Take a short ferry ride to Miyajima Island, not far from the coast. Here, view one of the most photographed sights in Japan— the floating Torii Gate. The shrine itself dates back to the 6th century and is designed in a pier-like structure. Enjoy time to explore the island and its many shrines and temples. Sample local treats like maple leaf shaped cakes, and opt to hike up to the peak of the island, Mt Misen, to see spectacular views of the surrounding islands.
Ferry
Get to the next spot on your route aboard a convenient and efficient ferry boat.
Miyajima Island Visit
Take a trip to Miyajima Island, famed as one of Japan's most scenic spots, with a free afternoon to explore. See the famous floating Torii Gate, set out in the bay, which glows extraordinarily at sunset. The island is dotted with shrines and temples, populated by deer, and traversed with hiking trails for those who want to get some exercise. There are also lanes full of souvenirs and tasty treats. Visit Miyajima at your own pace, and have the option to hike up to the peak of the island, Mt Misen, to see spectacular views of the surrounding islands.
Free Time
Spend free time however you choose. Opt to hike, try the region's famed oysters, or check out the important sights and museums.
Ferry
Get to the next spot on your route aboard a convenient and efficient ferry boat.
Optional Activities - Day 7Show
Accommodation
Toyoko Inn Hiroshima-eki Shinkansen-guchi II
Travel to historic Kyoto. Explore the marvellous Fushimi Inari shrine and walk under thousands of torii gates. Continue on to Kyoto, the former imperial capital and home of the country's most treasured remnants of Japanese imperial life. Walk around Gion and perhaps catch a glimpse of a geisha going from teahouse to teahouse.
Bullet Train
Get to your next destination faster than the speed of light (ok maybe not that fast) aboard a high-speed train.
Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine Visit
Visit the Fushimi Inari shrine, located just outside of Kyoto. Walk under the thousands of iconic torii gates (as seen in the film Memoirs of a Geisha) and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. The shrine itself is at the base of the Inari mountain but includes many trails up to smaller shrines in the area.
Accommodation
Hearton Hotel Kyoto
Wander the impressive Nijo Castle and gardens before visiting Kyoto's iconic Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion.
Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion Visit
Explore Kinkaku-ji or the Golden Pavilion, named for the temple’s top two floors that are covered in gold leaf. The temple is surrounded by trees and sits on a reflective pond, making this must-see in Kyoto a perfect place for photos. While the temple can be busy, there are gardens around the area to explore once you’ve had enough of the view.
Nijo Castle and Gardens Visit
Visit the Nijo Castle, the residence of the first shogun of the Edo Period built in 1603. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the property is divided into three areas: the Honmaru (main circular fortification), Ninomaru (secondary circle of defense), and the gorgeous gardens that surround both.
Free Time
Discover more of this cultural city with some free time.
Accommodation
Hearton Hotel Kyoto
Spend a full free day discovering the Zen gardens, huge wooden temples, pagodas and shrines of Kyoto. Opt to enjoy the Zen gardens of Ryoan-ji and the Silver Pavilion, and take a leisurely stroll down the lovely Philosopher’s path to Nanzen-ji.
Free Time
Head out and explore this captivating city.
Optional Activities - Day 10Show
Accommodation
Hearton Hotel Kyoto
Travel to the Mt Fuji region and enjoy optional walks around Lake Kawaguchi. Savour an amazing Japanese kaiseki dinner. Leave Kyoto and travel to Kawaguchiko arriving mid afternoon. Take the rest of the afternoon to visit the Onsen Spa at tonight's accommodation before dinner.
Train
There are multiple train changes during this ride and a short taxi ride at the end.
Your Wellness Moment: Onsen Spa Visit
Visit the natural hot springs in traditional style and soak in the waters and feel all your troubles float away.
Accommodation
Royal Hotel Kawaguchiko
Enjoy a morning in Kawaguchiko exploring the Five Lakes region on foot. Later, travel to Tokyo by train.
Train
Climb aboard, take a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Lake Kawaguchiko Walk
Set out on a walk through this pocket of the Five Lakes region for unforgettable views of the local landscape. Depending on the weather, capture a glimpse of the snow-capped summit of Mt Fuji.
Accommodation
Toyoko Inn Tokyo Keihin Tohoku-sen Oji-eki Kita-guchi
Explore buzzing Tokyo with a free day. Opt take in some more sights, visit the museums and gardens, or do some shopping. Meet with the group later tonight for our final dinner together.
Free Time
Spend free time visiting any must-see sights you missed, touring a museum, or picking up souvenirs for friends back home.
Optional Activities - Day 13Show
Accommodation
Toyoko Inn Tokyo Keihin Tohoku-sen Oji-eki Kita-guchi
Depart at any time. We highly recommend booking post-accommodation to fully experience this vibrant city.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.
