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16-Day Authentic Explore Japan

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Overview

Mix up your Japanese experience with guided tours and free exploration of the country's most iconic destinations.

While you explore Japan you will be covering the most famous cities, as well as scenic viewpoints that will be forever ingrained in your mind, this trip aims to capture the beauty of Japanese culture: the peaceful calm of the countryside and the chaos of the city where neon signs are never too far away. You'll experience history presenting itself through visiting Japanese castles, exploring Hiroshima, Kyoto and Osaka, and you'll have lots of free time to sample Japanese food.

Sixteen days in Japan will show you all this beautiful country has to offer, and a sneak peek of what is yet to be explored.
Sightseeing
Culture & Arts
Outdoors & Nature
Hiking & Trekking

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival in Tokyo

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Arrival in Tokyo

A local assistant will be waiting for you upon your arrival at Tokyo Haneda Airport. They will help you collect your JR Passes and accompany you to your hotel by public transport. You'll have the rest of the day free to explore Japan.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Agora Tokyo Ginza4 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
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    Activities

    Tokyo

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Train from Haneda Airport to Tokyo

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Tokyo

    Chūō

Day 2

Guided Tour of Tokyo

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Guided Tour of Tokyo

Stroll through Hama Rikyu Garden and the Imperial Palace the gardens, which form the largest park in the capital. Discover the Hie Jinja Shrine, dedicated to the deity of Mount Hie. Take a stroll in the beautiful Gyoen Imperial Park and go to Meiji Jingu Shrine, one of the most famous places of worship in Japan. Take a stroll through Yoyogi Park, Shibuya –don't forget to visit the statue of the dog, Hâchiko–, Harajuku District and Omote-Sando street; immerse yourself in the diversity of Tokyo.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Agora Tokyo Ginza4 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Harajuku

    Yoyogi Park

    Hamarikyu Gardens

    Meiji Shrine

    Shinjuku Gyoen Garden

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Chūō

    Tokyo

Day 3

Free Day in Tokyo

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Free Day in Tokyo

Take a stroll through the Asakusa district, and discover the historic centre of Japan's capital. Visit the Sensô-Ji Temple which has stood for over 1,000 years, and don't forget to pass by Nakamise Street. Stroll through Akihabara, the capital of otaku, fans of virtual culture. Then go to the Zojo-Ji Temple, one of the largest Buddhist complexes in the capital. Finish the day by climbing the Tokyo Sky Tree Tower and take a closer look at the radio tower that is the pride of the Japanese people.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Agora Tokyo Ginza4 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
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    Activities

    AsakusaOptional Activity

    AkihabaraOptional Activity

    Ueno ParkOptional Activity

    Sensoji Temple and Nakamise StreetOptional Activity

    Nakamise Street

    Tokyo SkytreeOptional Activity

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Chūō

    Tokyo

Day 4

Explore Japan, Free Day in Hakone

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Explore Japan, Free Day in Hakone

Visit the famous Hakone Shrine, a Shinto shrine on the shore of Lake Ashi. Erected in 757, the main building in a beautiful cedar forest. Distinguished by its Torii, it is the best-known view of Mount Fuji. Take a stroll around Lake Ashi, a crater lake within a volcano that erupted 3,000 years ago. Take the cable car along Lake Ashi to Owakudani Volcanic Valley to admire its steam vents, hot springs and hot rivers. On clear days, you may see a spectacular panoramic view of Mount Fuji.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Gora Kansuirou3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
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    Activities

    Hakone Gora Park

    Owakudani ValleyOptional Activity

    Lake AshinokoOptional Activity

    Hakone ShrineOptional Activity

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Train from Tokyo to Hakone

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Chūō

    Ashigarashimo District

Day 5

Travel to Kyoto

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Travel to Kyoto

You'll have the morning free to explore more of Hakone. You may wish to check out the open-air museum, an outdoor art gallery that marries contemporary art with nature in a harmonious way that is only possible in Japan. In the afternoon, you'll take the train to Kyoto and have the remainder of the day to explore the city at your own pace.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hotel Intergate Kyoto Shijoshinmachi

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
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    Activities

    Hakone Open-Air MuseumOptional Activity

    Ninenzaka Street

    Sanneizaka

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Train from Hakone to Kyoto

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Ashigarashimo District

    Kyoto

Day 6

Kyoto

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Kyoto

Visit the famous Yasaka-Jinja Shrine, dedicated to the goddess of the sea and Maruyama Park, an essential place for the Ohanami during Sakura. Visit the Kodai-ji Temple, full of maple and bamboo trees and troll through the Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka alleys that look like they come straight out of a samurai movie. Visit the astonishing Kiyomizu-Dera Temple and walk through Gion District. You'll finish the day at the two of the most important temples in Japan, Higashi Hongen-ji and Nishi Hongen-gi.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hotel Intergate Kyoto Shijoshinmachi

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
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    Activities

    Nanzen-ji Temple

    Heian Shrine

    Philosopher's Path

    Ginkakuji

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Kyoto

Day 7

Explore Japan, Free Day in Kyoto

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Explore Japan, Free Day in Kyoto

Today is yours to enjoy. You could start the day out in Arashiyama, a part of the city that is known for its bamboo grove and monkey park. Then, you could go on a self-guide temple tour of the city, stopping at all the must-see sights such as Joakko-ji, Gio-ji temple and end the day in the preserved street of Saga Toriimoto.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hotel Intergate Kyoto Shijoshinmachi

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Arashiyama Bamboo GroveOptional Activity

    Arashiyama Monkey Park IwatayamaOptional Activity

    Jōjakkō-ji Temple

    Tempio di Gjō-ji

    Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Kyoto

Day 8

Outskirts of Kyoto

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Outskirts of Kyoto

Spend a full day exploring the Japanese tea fields. From central Kyoto, take a minibus to the countryside and the beautiful village of Wazuka. You will then head north towards Ujitawara where a very friendly Japanese couple will welcome you to their small tea factory in their Minka, a traditional country house. You will taste several types of tea from the fields around you. After lunch, take a walk on the vermilion bridges before exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Byodo-in Temple.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hotel Intergate Kyoto Shijoshinmachi

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Kinkaku-ji - The Golden Pavilion

    Maiko Tea Ceremony

    Nishi Hongan-ji Temple

    Shosei-en Garden

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and lunch

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Kyoto

Day 9

Explore Nara from Kyoto

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Explore Nara from Kyoto

Today is free to explore: stroll through the large park in the city of Nara, discover the Kasuga Taisha Shrine with its buildings painted in vermilion red and visit the large Todai-ji Temple, home to the Daibutsu-den building, the largest wooden construction in the world which houses a monumental Big Buddha. Admire the magnificent Nigatsu-Do Temple built on wooden stilts and visit the Hokke-Do Temple also called Sangatsu-do, the oldest building in Todai-ji.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hotel Intergate Kyoto Shijoshinmachi

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
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    Activities

    Isui-en Garden and Neiraku Museum of Art

    Nara Deer ParkOptional Activity

    Fushimi Inari Taisha

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Train from Kyoto Station to Nara StationOptional Activity

    Train from Nara to Inari

    Train from Inari to Kyoto

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Kyoto

    Nara

    Tenri

Day 10

A Free Day in Kurashiki

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A Free Day in Kurashiki

Stroll through Kurashiki's Bikan Historical Quarter, a timeless place! You will find many magnificent examples of 17th-century wooden warehouses painted white with traditional black tiles, stretching along a canal framed by weeping willows and filled with koi carp. Visit the Ohara Art Museum, the first to have a collection of Western art permanently exhibited in Japan. The Achi Shrine is on a hill overlooking the historic district. In 1990, the sanctuary celebrated its 1700th anniversary!

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Centurion Hotel & Spa Kurashiki

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Kurashiki Bikan Historical QuarterOptional Activity

    Ohara Museum of ArtOptional Activity

    Achi ShrineOptional Activity

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Train from Kyoto to Kurashiki

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Kyoto

    Kurashiki

Day 11

Okayama and Naoshima

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Okayama and Naoshima

Today is free for you to enjoy. From Kurashiki, you may want to take the short journey to Okayama, an old castle town that is a bustling transportation hub of the region and home to beautifully manicured gardens. In the afternoon, why not take the ferry to Naoshima? Famous across the world as an art island, Naoshima is home to artworks by Japan's most celebrated artists and architects.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Centurion Hotel & Spa Kurashiki

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    OkayamaOptional Activity

    Naoshima IslandOptional Activity

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Train from Kurashiki to Okayama

    Train from Okayama to Uno

    Ferry from Uno to Naoshima

    Ferry from Naoshima Island to Uno

    Train from Uno to Kurashiki

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Kurashiki

    Okayama

    Naoshima

Day 12

Free Day in Hiroshima

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Free Day in Hiroshima

A day in Hiroshima is a grim reminder of the not so distant past. You may want to get the difficult part over and done with by starting with the Atomic Dome, the only building to survive the A-Bomb that hit Hiroshima in 1945, destroying everything in its wake. Then, walk through the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, near the drop point of the Hiroshima. Discover Hiroshima Castle and its museum before finishing the day in the shopping arcade.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hotel Intergate Hiroshima3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Hondori Shopping Arcade

    Atomic Bomb Dome

    Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

    Hiroshima Castle

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Train from Kurashiki to Hiroshima

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Kurashiki

    Hiroshima

Day 13

Explore Miyajima

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Explore Miyajima

Often only visited to see the floating torii, today you'll take a guided tour of Miyajima. Start at the iconic symbol of the island before visiting the pagoda that was built to ensure Itsukushima-Jinja Shrine was always intact. Then, visit Senjokaku Shrine is a gigantic unfinished wooden temple built at the end of the 16th century by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the three unifiers of Japan. Stop at the Miyajima museum before exploring Mount Misen for stunning views to finish the day.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hotel Intergate Hiroshima3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Itsukushima Floating Torii Gate

    Daiganji

    Senjokaku Pavilion

    Mount Misen

    Museum of History and Folklore Miyajima

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Train from NIJI(合同会社) to Miyajimaguchi

    Ferry from Miyajimaguchi to Itsukushima

    Ferry from Itsukushima to Miyajimaguchi

    Train from Miyajimaguchi to Hiroshima

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Hiroshima

    Hatsukaichi

Day 14

Travel from Hiroshima to Osaka

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Travel from Hiroshima to Osaka

Enjoy a day in Osaka and explore the bubbly street of Dotonbori and visit the famous Namba Yasaka Shrine. After that, take a stroll through the Kita-Umeda district. An area in perpetual evolution, your wanderings will take you from department stores to underground commercial galleries in aerial walkways, all under the eye of glass and steel skyscrapers. End your day by enjoying a Food Tour and explore Osaka's cuisines.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Daiwa Roynet Hotel Osaka-Kitahama

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
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    Activities

    Dotonbori street

    Umeda

    Namba Yasaka Shrine

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    Restaurants

    Food Tour Osaka

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Train from Hiroshima to Himeji

    Train from Hiroshima to Osaka

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Hiroshima

    Osaka

    Osaka Prefecture

Day 15

Explore Osaka

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Explore Osaka

Visit the elegant Osaka Castle, home to a museum exhibiting samurai weapons, armour and information about the great samurai, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Take a stroll through Tenno-ji Park, which features a beautiful botanical garden. Late afternoon Visit the most futuristic building in the city, the Umeda Sky Building. Enjoy a unique view of the city from the top of its “floating” observatory at 173 meters.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Daiwa Roynet Hotel Osaka-Kitahama

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Osaka CastleOptional Activity

    Kuromon Ichiba Market

    Shinsaibashi-Suji

    Tennoji Park

    Umeda Sky Building

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Osaka Prefecture

    Osaka

Day 16

Depature from Osaka

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Depature from Osaka

You'll have some free time before your flight is scheduled. You'll make your own way to the airport, which is best done by train.

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Train from Osaka to Kansai International AirportOptional Activity

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Osaka Prefecture

Included in Price

  • 15 nights accommodation
  • 38 activities
  • 15 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 dinner
  • Entrance fees
  • Ground transportation
  • Licensed English speaking guides

Not Included in Price

  • Airport transfer
  • Alcohol beverages
  • Domestic flights
  • Entry visas / airport departure tax
  • Gratuities
  • International flights
  • Laundry
  • Personal expenses
  • Travel insurance
  • Trekking permits
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