2023 TOUR DETAILS

Overview

Tour the must-see sights of Tokyo & Kyoto, enjoy cultural activities, and visit the best Japanese cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan.

March and April are historically the best times to see cherry blossoms around Japan. Gardens abound with many varieties of flowering cherry trees and are usually filled with Japanese families enjoying a picnic under falling petals. On this tour, we will take you to gardens and parks known to be the best places to view cherry blossoms.

Whether you're a seasoned traveler or a first time visitor to Japan, we recommend "The Golden Route" itinerary, our most popular tour. This tour gives you a sampling of all that Japan has to offer, from unique locales to "must see" tourist attractions in Tokyo and Kyoto. Our private guides and drivers will help you navigate Tokyo's cultural landmarks, fashionable neighborhoods, diverse shopping districts, and of course, the best places for cherry blossom viewing. Explore world famous attractions like Asakusa Sensoji Temple, Tsukiji Market, Imperial Palace, and Tokyo Tower. Learn how to make your own sushi with a professional chef and enjoy it for lunch. Spend a day at Hakone and Mt. Fuji, then take a Shinkansen (bullet train) ride for experience before transfering to Hamanako Kanzanji Onsen. There you'll stay at an onsen hotel (Japanese style room), where you can unwind in the hot springs (onsen) and dine on gourmet kaiseki cuisine.

Visit the Hikone Castle, an attractive hanami spot during the cherry blossom season and a national treasure of Japan. It stands as one of Japan's limited number of original castles, and is a great impression of what a complete feudal castle looks like. Next to it is the Genkyuen Garden, where you can stroll along its central pond and tranquil walking paths. Proceed to Miho Museum, best known for its unique architecture that accentuates the surrounding nature while exhibiting works from different ancient civilizations. It also features a tunnel that leads visitors to a road lined with hundreds of cherry blossom trees. The museum has been listed as one of the "1000 Places To See Before You Die".

Spend two days in the ancient city of Kyoto, where you will have exclusive access to the city's gardens, temples, shrines, and specialty shops. The gardens and temples in Kyoto that you will visit have been chosen because of their reputation as the "best places to view cherry blossoms." You will also have the opportunity to experience a green tea ceremony and meet a maiko (apprentice geisha), and watch a kimono fashion show. Visit Arashiyama, located on the outskirts of Kyoto, famous for its bamboo forest and traditional Zen landscape garden at Tenryuji Temple.

In Nara, be inspired by the intricate architecture of Japan's oldest wooden building and the towering Great Buddha statue. You'll understand why this city is considered the birthplace of Buddhism in Japan. From there, we will proceed to Osaka to experience the nightlife in Japan, where you will visit bustling entertainment districts illuminated with neon light signs.

ITINERARY

DAY 1: Tokyo Narita Airport

Welcome to Tokyo! You will be met at the arrival gate by an AJT representative holding an "All Japan Tours" sign.

Hotel Mystays Premier Narita or similar class
Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro or similar class (NOTE 1 & 2)

NOTE 1: If you wish to stay in the center of Tokyo for the first night instead of Hotel Mystays Premier Narita, we can arrange for you to stay at Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro (or similar class). In this case, airport transfer is not included. We will provide you directions to get to your hotel in advance, or we can arrange shared shuttle service for you at US$65.00 per person per way.

NOTE 2: If you will be flying into Haneda Airport (HND) instead of Narita International Airport (NRT), we can arrange for you to stay in the center of Tokyo (Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro or similar class) instead of Hotel Mystays Premier Narita. In this case, meet-and- greet and airport transfer are not included. We will provide with full instructions to get to the hotel in advance, or we can arrange shared shuttle service for you at US$60.00 per person per way.

NOTE 3: The meet-and-greet is ONLY available for flights arriving in Terminal 1 & 2 after 11:00 AM. For guests arriving in Terminal 3, airport pickup is not included, but we will provide you with directions to get to your hotel in advance.

NOTE 4: If you wish to stay extra nights before the tour starts, please contact us to book hotel accommodations.

DAY 2: Tokyo (Asakusa Sensoji Temple / Ueno Park / Sushi Making Experience / Tsukiji Outer Market / Imperial Palace / Tokyo Tower)

In the morning, you will be taken to Asakusa Kannon Temple, an active place of worship where you can see the largest paper lantern in Japan. You will also be able to explore the Nakamise Market, which is located right after the temple's outer gates. It is a traditional-style shopping street with several centuries of history. Continue to Ueno Park, famous for its 1,000 cherry trees that line the central pathways, making it an excellent cherry blossom viewing spot. Next, learn how to create your own sushi with a professional sushi chef. Whatever you make, you will get to eat for lunch! Afterwards, make your way to the Tsukiji Outer Market, filled with shops and restaurants where you can try fresh produce and other food-related goods. Then, we will proceed to the Imperial Palace, the current residence of Japan's Imperial Family and former site of the Edo Castle. It is surrounded by moats and stone fortifications, located in the heart of Tokyo. In the afternoon, we will visit the world's tallest self supporting steel tower, the Tokyo Tower. Here, you can tour 150 meters up to the main observatory deck and enjoy a bird's eye view of Tokyo.
Note: For Sushi Making Experience, if you are vegetarian, on gluten-free diets, have seafood allergy, or don't eat raw fish, please contact us for other ingredient options.

Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch

Hotel: Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro or similar class

DAY 3: Mt Fuji, Hakone (Hakone Ropeway / Owakudani), Shinkansen Bullet Train Ride

We will depart from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji on our private coach. Along the way, enjoy the changing scenery, from thick vegetation to lowlands and rolling clouds. Stop at Mt. Fuji 5th station (depending on weather conditions) to admire the world famous peak. Next, travel to Hakone, one of Japan's most popular hot-spring resorts. You will also get to view the forested slopes of Hakone National Park. We will take a 20 minute ropeway ride from Togendai to Owakudani. Most of Owakudani is considered an active volcanic zone since its creation from the eruption of Mount Hakone some 3,000 years ago. Visitors will encounter the area's hot springs and bubbling pools, complete with sulfurous fumes and steam vents. If the weather conditions are in our favor, Owakudani also grants splendid views of Mount Fuji. Then, experience a Shinkansen bullet train ride, which can reach speeds of up to 300 km/hr. We will stay at the Onsen Hotel at Hamanako Kanzaiji Onsen, where you can soak in the therapeutic waters of a spa bath and feast on a traditional Japanese Kaiseki banquet dinner.

Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner

Hotel: The Hamanako or similar class

DAY 4: Hikone (Hikone Castle - Genkyuen Garden), Koka (Miho Museum)

After breakfast at the hotel, our group will visit the Hikone Castle, an attractive hanami (flower-viewing) spot during the cherry blossom season. Hikone Castle is an original castle, surviving the post feudal era without undergoing destruction and reconstruction. The castle is considered a great impression of what a complete feudal castle looks like. It is also a national treasure, next to only four other castle keeps in Japan, which is the highest designation a cultural property can achieve. Visitors will have the opportunity to climb to the castle's top floor, where you may enjoy views of the castle grounds and city. Then, head next door to the Genkyuen Garden, a serene Japanese landscape garden with views of the castle. From there, proceed to the Miho Museum, known for its stunning architecture integrated into the surrounding nature. It exhibits works from different ancient civilizations, including the Romans, Egyptians, and Asian cultures. There is also a tunnel that leads from the museum to a road lined with hundreds of cherry blossom trees. It was designed by I. M. Pei, and has been listed as one of the "1000 Places To See Before You Die".

Meals included: Breakfast

Hotel: Grand Prince Hotel Kyoto or similar class

Note: If Miho Museum is close, we will visit Kyoto National Museum or Sagawa Art Museum instead.

DAY 5: Kyoto (Arashiyama - Tenryuji Temple Zen Garden - Sagano Bamboo Forest / Golden Pavilion / Nishijin Kimono Show / Kiyomizu Temple / Maruyama Park / Gion Geisha District)

Today, we will start our tour of Kyoto, the former capital of Japan that holds priceless historical values. We will first visit Arashiyama, known for its natural scenery and is particularly popular during the spring and fall season. Visit the Zen garden of the Tenryuji Temple, ranked first among Kyoto's five great Zen Temples. Afterwards, enjoy a pleasant walk through the attractive Sagano Bamboo Forest. Make your way to the Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion), known for its two top floors covered entirely in 18 carat gold leaves. Watch the elegant Nishijin Kimono Fashion Show and learn how kimonos are made. Continue to the famous Kiyomizu Temple, best known for its wooden stage that overlooks the scenic hillside below. The stage affords visitors a nice view of the numerous cherry and maple trees below, as well as a beautiful scene of Kyoto in the distance. From Kiyomizu Temple we will head to Maruyama Park, one of the most popular places for cherry blossom viewing in Kyoto. Lastly, we will tour Gion, Kyoto's most famous geisha district. It is filled with various restaurants and ochaya (teahouses), where maiko and geisha entertain their guests.

Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner

Hotel: Grand Prince Hotel Kyoto or similar class

DAY 6: Kyoto (Green Tea Ceremony with Maiko Interaction / Fushimi Inari Shrine), Nara (Todaiji Temple / Deer Park), Osaka (Dotonbori - Shinsaibashi)

The day begins with a green tea ceremony and a meet- and-greet with maiko. A maiko is simply an apprentice geisha. You will have photo-taking opportunities and a chance to interact with the maiko. After that, make your way to the Fushimi Inari Shrine. The shrine is famous for its thousands of stunning vermilion torii gates that are lined along a 4km long tunnel, which was even featured in the film "Memoirs of a Geisha". This complex wraps around a bamboo wilderness that consists of mountains, streams, and ponds, making it the perfect backdrop for a scenic hike. We will then travel to Nara, where we will go to the Todaiji Temple, the largest wooden building in Japan. The temple also houses one of the largest bronze statues of Buddha at 16.3 meters high. Nearby, explore the surrounding Deer Park, filled with over 1,000 Sika Deer. Our final stop of the day will be in Osaka. We will spend some time in Dotonbori, a popular shopping, entertainment, and food district. It is known for the hundreds of neon and mechanized signs that line its streets. Our group will also stop by Shinasaibashi, one of Osaka's oldest shopping destinations.

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Hotel: Nikko Kansai Airport or similar class
Hotel: Elsereine Osaka or similar class (NOTE 5 & 6)

NOTE 5: If you wish to stay in the center of Osaka for the last night instead of Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport, we can arrange for you to stay at Hotel Elsereine Osaka (or similar class). In this case, airport transfer is not included, but we will provide full instructions for you to get to the airport in advance.

NOTE 6: If you will be flying out from Itami Airport (ITM) instead of Kansai International Airport (KIX), we can arrange for you to stay at Hotel Elsereine Osaka (or similar class) instead of Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport. In this case, airport transfer is not included but we will provide full instructions for you to get to the airport in advance.

DAY 7: Tour Ends

After breakfast, our tour officially ends. Checkout time is 11 am and Osaka Kansai Airport can be reached in a three minute walk.

Meals included: Breakfast

NOTE 7: If you would like to stay longer in Japan, please contact us to book hotel accommodations.