The characters that make up Japan’s name mean “sun-origin”, which is why Japan is often referred to as the “Land of the Rising Sun.”

Japan is one of the most culturally homogeneous countries in the world. It is the exact opposite of multi-cultural. Everything about Japan is totally “Japanese” and our tour explores this deep and ancient culture. The first week of our tour co-ordinates with Tokyo’s spectacular Cherry Blossom Festival.

Japan is a country where the slow, precise ritual of the tea ceremony co-exists with shinkansen “bullet” trains which travel at over 250 Km per hour, delivering people from tiny villages of wooden houses to the world’s largest metropolis of over 30 million people! On our tour we stay mainly in ultra-modern hotels but we spend a couple of nights in traditional ryokan inns. We travel by “bullet” and other trains, coaches, boats and gondolas to see some of Japan’s most impressive scenery, including getting up-close to Mount Fuji. The focus of our tour is on what makes Japan so unique – early imperial palaces, traditional temples, Shintoism (Japan’s own adaptation of Buddhism), geishas, sake, samurai – and the gracious and refined Japanese people. The first week of our tour co-ordinates with Tokyo’s spectacular Cherry Blossom Festival.

Upon arrival at Narita Airport, we transfer to our hotel to relax and recover from our flight.

First of 3 nights in Tokyo. Shinagawa Prince Hotel or similar. No meals.

We enjoy a full day’s guided tour starting with a subway ride to the Asakusa traditional area, which is a well-preserved and still-lively old Edo (as Tokyo was known from 1600 – 1868) district. Exploring the over-1,400-year-old Senso-ji Temple, we see a golden image of Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy. We navigate the ancient Nakamise shopping street, which has been providing temple visitors with a variety of traditional local snacks and tourist souvenirs for centuries. We also wander the street where they sell the plastic food items that are displayed in almost every restaurant window throughout Japan. We enjoy the views from Tokyo’s tallest building, the Sky Tree Tower, over the world’s largest city – greater Tokyo is home to over 30 million people!

We make a short stop at the Imperial Palace Plaza & Nijubashi Bridge. We also visit the Imperial Palace East Gardens, a quintessential oasis engulfed within the city. We have co-ordinated our tour dates with Tokyo’s dazzling Cherry Blossom Festival. This afternoon we visit some of the places that best showcase the millions of pink and white blossoms. The Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden has over 1,000 trees of 68 varieties of sakura (ornamental cherry trees), which put on a spectacular display. In Chidorigafuchi Park the moat is flanked by hundreds of flowering cherry trees. We also explore the Shinjuku area, otherwise known as Tokyo’s playground. This district exemplifies modern Tokyo and boasts countless movie theatres, department stores, fashion boutiques, shopping plazas, neon signs, restaurants and a dizzying array of most everything Tokyo has to offer. At Shinjuku Station an estimated 3.3 million people push through each day, making it the busiest train/subway station in the world. After dinner we take a ferry across the Sumida River to our hotel.

Second of 3 nights in Tokyo. Shinagawa Prince Hotel or similar.  Breakfast & Dinner.

Today we take a 1-hour excursion on the Enoden line historic train to the coastal town of Kamakura, which served as the political centre for Japan from the 12^th to the 15^th Centuries. The Daibutso Temple Trail is a partially-paved track through lovely green gardens, past the Zeniarai Benten Shrine and finishing at a famous Buddha statue. This afternoon we take the train back to Tokyo.

Third of 3 nights in Tokyo. Shinagawa Prince Hotel or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

We drive to Mount Fuji with a stop at the 5th Station for breathtaking views of the mountain (weather permitting.) We enter Hakone National Park, which is located at the foot of Mount Fuji. With emerald-green Lake Ashi located right in the park’s centre and Mount Fuji rising in the background, the breathtaking scenery is regarded as among Japan’s finest. The view from the Chureito Pagoda in Arakurayama Sengen Park includes over 650 varieties of flowering cherry tree. We take the Hakone Ropeway cable car above Lake Ashi and see the steam emitting from the Owakudani Valley volcanic area (the “Valley of Great Boiling”), the result of a volcanic eruption over 3,000 years ago. This area is still active with many sulphur vents and bubbling hot springs. Our brief cable car ride up Mount Komagatake takes us to the Owakudani station for panoramic views (weather permitting) of the spectacular Mount Fuji area.  We also visit the small, but delightful, Kubota Icchiku Art Museum. Kubota revived the lost art of Tsujigahana silk dyeing and the museum exhibits several of the artist’s stunning kimono creations, which depict themes of nature, the cosmos and the seasons.  We spend the night at Hakone, wedged between Mt Fuji and the Izu Peninsula. In the feudal era, Hakone was a very important checkpoint that safeguarded the security of Edo (now Tokyo) as the seat of the Shogunate. This area has been popular for its famous hot springs (onsen) since the 1500s. Tonight we stay at a ryokan traditional inn where we enjoy Japanese home cooking and hospitality. Our rooms are traditional style with tatami flooring and futon beds.
Overnight in Hakone. Kinokuniya Ryokan Hotel. Breakfast & Dinner.

Before leaving Hakone, we visit the Hakone Outdoor Museum, a beautiful park filled with sculptures by renowned Japanese and international artists such as Rodin, Bourdelle, Moore, Zadkine and Picasso. Later this morning we board a limited-express train which transitions us between the modern Kanto region (eastern Japan) and the more traditional Kansai (western Japan) region. In Ise we visit the Ise Jingu Shrine, Shinto’s most sacred shrine. The Ise Jingu consists of two shrines: the Outer Shrine (Geku), which is dedicated to Toyouke, the kami of clothing, food and housing, and the Inner Shrine (Naiku), which enshrines Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. We continue to Toba and visit the Mikimoto Pearl Island, an excellent museum about pearls, pearl cultivation and Mikimoto Kokichi, the first person who succeeded in cultivating pearls – in 1893. The island is located in the Bay of Toba, accessible via a bridge. Here we watch Ama (lady pearl divers – literally “sea women”) dive and we learn about their culture and lifestyle. Later this afternoon we transfer to Toba Station and board a limited-express train for Kyoto, the capital of Imperial Japan for over 1,000 years and, today, Japan’s cultural capital. One of the city’s original names was “Heian-kyo”, which literally translates as ‘tranquillity and peace capital.’

First of 3 nights in Kyoto. Okura Hotel or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

This morning we visit the impressive UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kinkaku-Ji Temple, known as the ‘Golden Pavilion.’ As if constructed from a million golden sheets of origami, the temple seems to hover above the surrounding water. It now serves as a Buddhist temple. We also visit Nijo Castle, built in 1603 and designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1994. It is particularly known for its lavish interiors. The Gosho Imperial Palace was the Japanese Emperor’s residence till 1868. This afternoon we visit the Sanju-Sangendo Hall, a long wooden temple housing over 1,000 statues and dating back to the 13^th Century. The Kiyomizu-dera Temple (another UNESCO World Heritage Site) is the symbol of Kyoto. Founded in 778 AD, the most famous feature of the temple is its wooden veranda, standing some 13 metres above the ground, which affords great city views. We also explore the Sannenzaka shopping district which has been designated by Japan as an important historical architectural preservation district. The age of the district is evident and the shops that fill these streets sell local specialty goods from Kyoto such as Kiyomizu (pottery ware), Yusen-Zome (colourful hand-made tapestries), shichimiya (a type of seasoning), otabe (sweet snacks made of dough), tsukemono (pickled products), Kyogashi (an assortment of sweets), traditional hand-held fans, incense, green tea and more. In this area we also see the brightly-coloured Heian Shrine. Hopefully, most of the more than 500 somei yoshino cherry trees will be in bloom along the Philosopher’s Path. Here we stroll beside a stream past the Zen temple Ginkaku-ji, the Temple of the Silver Pavilion and Nanzen-ji Temple. This afternoon we enjoy a traditional Green Tea Ceremony and a Nishijin Kimono show.

Second of 3 nights in Kyoto. Okura Hotel or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

This morning we drive to nearby Nara, which is considered to be the “cradle of Japanese civilization” and the spiritual home of the Japanese people. The city has several UNESCO World Heritage sights centred around an attractive park area, which is home to thousands of sacred deer that roam freely through the city and have learned to bow for treats! We visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Toda-ji Temple, the world’s largest wooden building. Founded in 745 AD, the vast temple took over 15 years to complete. The main hall houses the colossal Nara Daibutsu, the world’s largest bronze Buddha statue. The temple is surrounded by a park which showcases many important historical monuments, including the Nara Public Museum and the colourful Kasuga Taisha Shrine. On our way back to Kyoto we visit the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine, famous for its more than 10,000 scarlet torii (square archways), each of which has been individually donated. This shrine is dedicated to Inari – the god of rice. Because foxes do the god’s bidding, there are many fox statues along the path to the shrine! This evening we visit the Gion District, Kyoto’s cultural centre and most famous geisha district. Here it is not uncommon to catch a glimpse of geishas in full regalia stepping lightly between teahouses, though much of this high-class world of “entertainment” is still off-limits to outsiders.

Third of 3 nights in Kyoto. Okura Hotel or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

Today we get off the “beaten path” for Westerners as we travel to the historic town of Kinosaki, picturesquely set on the Maruyama River as it enters the Sea of Japan on the north coast of Japan’s main island. Residents and travellers have been soaking in the town’s famous hot springs since 720 AD. Among other traditional experiences, we enjoy a calligraphy lesson. In the nearby town of Toyooka we explore Japan’s oldest wooden market, which offers local produce and flowers. This town has been producing high-quality bags and wicker trunks for over 1200 years! Today we include lunch together at an izakaya, a typical pub-style restaurant serving delicious local cuisine.

Nearby we visit the Genbudo Caves, where basalt columns rise to the sky, and learn how Toyooka saved the oriental white stork, which was once found all across Japan and a symbol of the country but was heading for extinction in the mid-20^th Century.

This evening you might like to enjoy your dinner (at your own expense) in town. Julie and Norman will suggest restaurants for this evening. Alternatively, you might choose to eat at our hotel (at your own expense.)

Overnight in Toyooka. Blue Ridge Hotel or similar. Breakfast & Lunch.

This morning we take a trip that epitomizes how “old” and “new” Japan co-exist day to day. We leave the traditional town of Toyooka and take a 2-hour trip by futuristic shinkansen “bullet” train to Hiroshima, travelling at over 200 miles per hour! The first atomic bomb was dropped over Hiroshima on August 6th 1945. The destructive power of the bomb was unprecedented and obliterated nearly everything within a two kilometre radius. Destroyed monuments of Hiroshima’s historical heritage, like Hiroshima Castle and Shukkeien Garden, were reconstructed. In the centre of the city a large park was built and given a name that would reflect the aspirations of the re-born city: Peace Memorial Park. On arrival in Hiroshima those who wish to can join our guided visit to Peace Memorial Park with over 120,000 square metres of trees, lawns and walking paths and our guided visit to the A-bomb Dome Museum [Hiroshima Peace Memorial.] This is what remains of the former Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. When the bomb exploded, it was one of the few buildings to remain standing. You may want to take some quiet time to absorb the atmosphere of this thought-provoking place, with its many monuments, memorials and statues. If you prefer not to visit this emotionally-complicated area, you have free time to visit sites such as Hiroshima Castle, Shukkeien Garden and the Orizuru Tower.

First of 2 nights in Hiroshima. ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

This morning we take the ferry over to scenic Miyajima Island, where we will see the UNESCO World Heritage ‘floating’ red torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine. Like the torii gate, the shrine’s main buildings are built over water. Miyajima is regarded as one of the “Three Most Beautiful Spots” in Japan and it’s maple trees are renowned throughout the country. Because the island is seen as sacred, trees cannot be cut for lumber. You will see many Japanese people taking the ten-minute ferry ride from mainland Japan to pray at Miyajima’s many shrines and temples and to enjoy the beauty of its forests. We take the scenic Miyajima Ropeway cable car to within a 30-minute hike from the top of Mount Misen (530 metres/1,739 feet) for panoramic views over many other islands in the Seto Inland Sea National Park. Today we include lunch together. Returning to Hiroshima, you have free time to explore places such as the Hiroshima Art Museum and Hiroshima Contemporary Art Museum.

This evening you might like to enjoy your dinner (at your own expense) in town. Julie and Norman will suggest restaurants for this evening. Alternatively, you might choose to eat at our hotel (at your own expense.) With some 2,000 okonomiyaki restaurants in Hiroshima, this pancake dish is adored by locals. You might like to try it tonight.

Second of 2 nights in Hiroshima. ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel or similar. Breakfast & Lunch.

From Hiroshima we drive to Onomichi on the “mainland”and start on the Shimanami Kaido Sea Highway, which connects 6 islands by 10 bridges across the Seto Inland Sea to Shikoku Island. Our first stop is Ikuchi-jima Island, where we visit the museum dedicated to Ikuo Hirayama, Japan’s most famous 20^th Century artist. Our next stop is at the Oyamazumi Shrine on Omishima Island, renowned for its collection of samurai weapons. The whole of Setonaikai Island is a national park. Upon reaching the large Shikoku Island, we travel through the Oboke Gorge into the picturesque Iya Valley and on to Takamatsu, the main town on the island.

Overnight in Takamatsu. JR Clement Inn or similar. Breakfast and Dinner. 

This morning we visit Ritsurin Koen garden, one of the most beautiful daimyo gardens in all of Japan. Near Naruto we visit the extraordinary Otsuka Museum of Art, which displays over 1,000 full-size ceramic reproductions of the world’s most famous works of art, including the whole Sistine Chapel, Scrovegni Chapel and Picasso’s Guernica! The idea behind this is to give Japanese people who cannot travel abroad the opportunity to see these famous pieces. Before leaving the island we hope to see the world-famous Naruto Whirlpools, where the sea flows strongly between the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacic Ocean. We cross the bridge to Awaji Island and on to the mainland via the Akashi Ohashi Bridge, the world’s longest suspension bridge.

We visit the town of Kobe, which was the hub of a thriving trade with China during the Southern Sung Dynasty. Our tour of Kobe includes a visit to the Earthquake Museum to learn about the city’s remarkable recovery from the devastating earthquake of 1995. We also explore China Town and the Motomachi shopping arcade. Kobe is famous for its steaks, coffee and pastries, which you might like to sample before we leave.

This afternoon we board a local express train for the vibrant metropolis of Osaka, which is famous for the down-to-earth attitude of its people and is considered one of the best places in all Japan for eating and drinking. Osaka had grown into the largest commercial centre in Japan by the 9^th Century. The Aerial Garden Observatory affords a commanding view of the city.

First of 2 nights in Osaka. Hotel Hanshin or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

Our full day tour includes Osaka Castle, the symbol of Osaka and the largest castle in Japan. This castle played a major role in the unification of Japan during the 16^th Century. We hope that the cherry trees in Nishinomaru Park, surrounding the castle, are in bloom. On a different note, we tour the Nada Sake Brewery Museum and learn about Japan’s national drink. We visit the Nishiji Textile Center, which was established by professionals within the textile industry to show the history and development of Nishijin fabric, a fine quality textile produced in the Nishijin district specifically to make kimonos. We see Todaiji Temple, Horyuji Temple and explore the Shinsaibashi shopping district, an area of Osaka famous for its major stores and specialist boutiques.

Second of 2 nights in Osaka. Hotel Hanshin or similar.  Breakfast & Dinner.

We board a shinkansen “bullet” train bound for Nagoya and transfer to a JR Limited train into the mountains. Mountains in Japan were once believed to be the sacred dwelling places of divine spirits and the Hida, Kiso and Akaishi ranges of Mountains, known collectively as the “Japan Alps”, rise majestically in northern Honshu. Takayama, in the heart of the Hida Mountains, is a delightful town, established in the 16^th Century as the castle town of the Kanamori family and now famous throughout Japan for its picturesque old town lined with traditional houses, shops, restaurants, sake breweries and cafes. Our stay in Takayama is a chance to get a feel for a way of life that really has all but disappeared from modern urban Japan. We visit the Kusakabe Folkcraft Museum, formerly the residence of powerful merchants under government patronage. We also explore the streets of Kami Sannomachi, the fascinating Hida Folk Village where traditional Japanese wooden houses from across the Hida region have been brought together and rebuilt (beam by beam) on a hillside overlooking the town. Tonight we stay at a ryokan traditional inn where we will enjoy Japanese hospitality, including home-cooked meals. You can relax in your yukata (casual kimono) and try the onsen (hot spring bath.) Our rooms are traditional style with tatami flooring and futon beds.

Overnight in Takayama. Ryokan Murayama or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

This morning we visit the famous “Asaichi” morning market on the bank of the Miyagawa River in Takayama to see the stands selling local farm produce, flowers and crafts. We make our way to the Takayama-Jinya, which served as government headquarters under the Tokugawa shogunate of 1692 to 1871. Later this morning we take a 1-hour scenic drive by Lake Miboro and along the Shokawa River to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go, This group of villages has a gorgeous setting surrounded by mountains and rice-fields. Mostly cut off until as recently as the 1960s, they are today famous for their traditional style of farmhouses, the Gassho-Zukuri, which means “like praying hands.” We visit the former Wada Family Residence, with its steep thatched roofs, and Gassho-zukuri Town. We then visit Gokayama, another World Heritage village, where we experience making Gokayama Washi, traditional Japanese paper. From Gokayama we drive 1 hour to Kanazawa and check into our hotel.

Overnight in Kanazawa. Nikko Hotel or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

We begin our morning with a visit to a local restaurant for a typical Japanese breakfast. Kanazawa is a lovely small city close to the Japan Sea coast. Its Omicho Market, a lively food market famous for its abundance of fresh seafood, has been in operation since 1721. Until the 20^th Century Kanazawa was the 4th biggest city in Japan. There are several small geisha districts including one where we go inside an old tea house and see where the clients were entertained and even take tea ourselves (no longer served by geishas!) There is also a ninja temple and the city’s most famous sight, the beautiful Kenroku-en Garden – rated as one of the three best traditional gardens in the whole of Japan. The name Kenroku-en means the “garden combining six”, referring to the six attributes all gardens should include: seclusion, antiquity, spaciousness, human ingenuity, water and scenic views. We see the Kutaniyaki Pottery Kiln and visit the Nomura Residence, an old samurai house, as well as strolling along Higashi-chaya Street and seeing the farmer’s house called “Shima.” The city is also famed for gold leaf and we visit a local establishment to learn about gold leaf production.

This afternoon we take a limited-express train to Echigo Yuzawa and then take the shinkansen “bullet” train to Tokyo.

Overnight in Tokyo. Shinagawa Prince Hotel or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

Depending on your homebound flight departure time, you may have free time to explore some more of the largest city in the world. You might like to visit the Ginza district, the quintessential high-end shopping mecca for people to see and be seen. It is famous for its gigantic department stores and has some of the most expensive real estate on earth.

Because your flight home recrosses the International Date Line, you will arrive in Vancouver earlier on the same day that you leave Tokyo.

Breakfast, if not leaving too early.