11-Day Classic Japan Tour

Greater Tokyo is the world's most populous metropolitan city and is the center of Japanese finance, culture, and government. It is also a major transportation hub. If you want to fully understand Japan, it is worth staying there for a few days.

You will be transferred to your hotel from the arrivals hall at the airport in a shared van. Afterward, spend some time adjusting to your jet lag at the hotel if you want to.

In the evening, when the neon lights start to illuminate Shinjuku, wander around the bustling streets and immerse yourself into Tokyo's liveliness.

Accommodation in Tokyo

We can arrange several kinds and levels of hotels to meet your needs based on your requirements and budget. Please let us know what you prefer and your travel advisor can give you more suggestions so that you can choose the one you like.

You can consider staying in Shinjuku as there are many hotels so it is handy for you to go everywhere you want to, especially if the hotel is near Shinjuku Station. This is the main and most important train and subway transfer center in Tokyo.

Your local guide will help you discover Greater Tokyo.

Your first stop will be Meiji Shrine — this is one of the most worshiped shrines in Tokyo. You can take part in typical Shinto activities there, such as making offerings in the main hall, buying charms and amulets, or writing a wish on an ema. It is also a popular place for Japanese-style wedding ceremonies. You might see a traditional wedding procession (or two) through the courtyard.

Wander along Omotesando shopping street (one of the streets that lead to Meiji Shrine). There are many luxury flagship stores, restaurants, and art galleries there. Nowadays, it is a gathering place of the world's fashion trends. If you are a shopaholic, this is a shopping paradise for you.

Visit the oldest temple in Tokyo, Sensoji, which was built in 645 AD. Locals still go there to worship in a typical Japanese style. Stroll down Nakamise Shopping Street, which offers all kinds of traditional goods, such as belts, fans, wooden combs, and other little handicrafts.

Finish the day with a cup of matcha warming your body and try some Japanese desserts at a teahouse on an island with a peaceful view.

Collect Your JR Pass

Rail transit is well-developed and convenient in Japan and will be your best option during the trip.

Hand over a purchasing order and your passport to the JR Pass office in the station to get your JR Pass. Your guide will assist you to book seats during the trip.

If you are hooked on authentic food, the local cuisine, or wet markets, you can take a look at Tsukiji Outer Market and then learn how to make sushi with some local people in their home. This experience takes about 4 to 5 hours.

In the morning, you will head to Tsukiji Outer Market with your guide and see various local vegetables and fish. You can choose your sushi ingredients there.

Then, you'll visit a local's home and learn how to make sushi with them. You will learn to make different types of handmade sushi, then you can taste your finished products when you have lunch there. If you like the taste of it, you can take some sushi away with you.

Your guide will see you off at the station near the host's home. Return to the hotel on your own.

You will have a free afternoon at your disposal.

If you want to do some shopping and buy some souvenirs before you leave Japan, Ginza will be your best choice as it is not far away.

Ginza is a major business district in Chuo, Tokyo, symbolizing the prosperity of Japan. It is tied with Paris's Champs-Élysées and New York's Fifth Avenue as the world's three bustling centers. There are huge shopping malls on both sides of the street selling famous brands from all over the world. Fashion and personality can be seen everywhere. It can be regarded as a shopper's paradise.

There are Italian, French, Arabic, and other restaurants near the street. People can taste delicious foods from around the world in this area.

Alternatively, you can have a detour to the Imperial Palace and see Kokyo Gaien National Garden with a significant square and an ancient double-arched bridge as the local landmark.

Begin your adventure to Takayama. Go to Shinjuku Station by yourself in the morning and take a high-speed train to Takayama.

After you arrive, go to your hotel and then choose to explore the city or relax at your hotel.

You will be staying in the center of Takayama.

Your hotel is only 5 minutes' walk from the train station. Enjoy your relaxing time at Hida Hotel Plaza, which has mountain-view hot springs, an indoor swimming pool, and delicious meals.

Shirakawa Village is a Japanese mountain settlement in what was once considered a wild and unexplored region. Because of the area's natural environment, with high mountains and heavy snowfall, interaction with neighboring regions was limited. However, this also created the conditions for the development of unique cultural practices and lifestyles. It is now registered as a World Heritage Site and we hope that you will enjoy experiencing the culture and traditions that live on in Shirakawa-go today.

By the river, you can find many local handicrafts and farm produce at Miyagawa Morning Market.

Then walk around Sanmachi Suji. This area used to be the center of the castle town and has been developed as merchant streets. There are lattice windows on the outsides of the houses, drainage water flows under the eaves, balls of cedar leaves are hung outside the brewery, and gates and old curtains line the streets. There are many snack shops on the streets as well as traditional craft shops. You'll find shops selling the famous specialty mitarashi dumplings, which are crowded with tourists.

Visit the Takayama Jin'ya. This was the official government office from the Edo period until 1969 after which it became a museum. There were more than 60 jin'ya locations in Japan in the past but there is only one in Takayama. Among them were official residences and warehouses containing tax revenue.

Stop at a sake workshop and enjoy Japan's national wine. Takayama's sake is famous throughout the country for its pure spring water.

In the afternoon, visit Shirakawa Village. You can find the unique gassho-zukuri houses preserved in their original form since around 1800, which have a special shape.

The roof has a triangular shape, which is a design suitable for large families to withstand the severe cold and snow. Because the shape of the house is sharp, it resembles a pair of hands together, hence the name. This is one of Japan's most snow-covered areas and gassho-zukuri buildings can withstand severe weather and heavy snow. Nowadays, people still live in such villages.

You will go to Kanazawa after the tour by train or bus, then proceed to your hotel by yourself.

Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel is centrally located and close to many sites, which you can easily walk to.

Start your trip in a beautiful Japanese garden: Kenroku-en. It is the most famous attraction in the Kanazawa area. As a garden with beautiful scenes of the four seasons, it is loved by many residents and tourists from all over the world. It is one of Japan's top three famous gardens. Then head to the spectacular Kanazawa Castle not far from the garden. Afterward, visit Kaga Yuzen Kaikan and learn about the traditional Japanese cloth dyeing technique named yuzen, which is used when making kimonos — traditional Japanese clothing.

Visit the residences of the middle and upper-class samurai and experience life at the time at Nagamachi Samurai District.

Kanazawa has three major teahouse streets that have remained since the Edo period. East Chaya Street is the biggest one of these. At present, Higashi Chaya still maintains the style of the Edo period. The wooden houses on both sides of the stone roads are lined up in a row, and the ancient buildings that have been renovated are now restaurants and tea shops or local produce shops. This is a preservation area of important traditional buildings in Japan.

Stop at a shop named Hakuza, which has a warehouse that is completely covered with gold leaf.

Enjoy a cup of green tea in a local teahouse.

Enjoy your own adventure from Kanazawa to Kyoto. In the morning, go to Kanazawa Station by yourself and catch the high-speed train (Shinkansen) to the ancient capital, Kyoto.

Head to the hotel by yourself when you arrive. If you wish, you can choose to explore the city or relax in your hotel.

Hotels in Kyoto

You can choose your favorite hotel that suits your style and budget. Please kindly advise us of your requirements and we can help you choose a reasonable one.

It is recommended to stay in a hotel near Kyoto Station, which is convenient for transportation. If you want to experience the local lifestyle, you can choose a boutique hotel in the center of the Gion area. It is convenient for you to immerse yourself in Kyoto's culture and you can easily reach the well-known geisha district.

You can also consider the hotels near a subway station or the Kawaramachi block.

You will make some locally famous handicrafts.

Your guide will take you to a workshop in the pottery district where you can try to create a clay pot on your own. The workshop will help you fire your pot and arrange for it to be delivered overseas to your address.

Next, you will visit the yuzen gallery where you will learn about the history of yuzen (a Japanese dyeing technique used to make kimonos) and then try to dye some cloth yourself. You can keep the cloth you have dyed as a memento.

In the afternoon, visit Nijo Castle, which will take you back to 1603. It is an ornamental castle surrounded by stunning gardens and it records Japan's war history from another side.

It is not an exaggeration to call Nishiki Market the 'kitchen of Kyoto'. The bustling market is 400 meters long and each block sells all kinds of traditional goods from Kyoto, such as fresh seafood, desserts, and sushi, as well as knives and cookware.

Finish the tour at the geisha district in Gion. If you are lucky, you might see a well-dressed geisha on the street.

Arashiyama is a natural tourist attraction in the western suburbs of Kyoto. Since ancient times, it has been a place where many aristocrats have lived. The cherry blossoms in spring and the red maple leaves in autumn are very famous there. The beautiful wild bamboo forest exudes the unique charm of Kyoto.

The Okochi Sanso Villa, with its large garden, was built by the famous Japanese actor, Okochi Denjiro. He spends most of his performance fees on building the garden and it displays a beautiful landscape that blends with the natural surroundings of Arashiyama. Please take a leisurely walk there. After roaming around the garden, you can enjoy Japanese snacks and matcha for a break.

Then, walk through Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. It is one of Kyoto's top sights and for good reason: standing amid these soaring stalks of bamboo is like being in another world.

Nonomiya Shrine is a simple black shrine. The shrine is small but has a long history. It appeared for the first time in The Tale of Genji. The gods of fate and fortune are enshrined there, and there are many believers. It is the most popular shrine in the bamboo forest.

At the end of the path under the bamboo forest, you will arrive at Tenryu-Ji. It is the biggest temple on the Arashiyama mountain and a must-see attraction for visitors. It has been damaged several times in the past but the interior has always been rebuilt to maintain its original appearance.

Enjoy a traditional lunch of yuba (dried bean curd sticks), tofu, and fresh greens while you're in the temple.

The half-day tour will end after lunch. You will have free time in the afternoon to explore by yourself.

You can choose to take a trip on a retro train to go sightseeing in the afternoon. The Sagano Romantic Train travels a leisurely 25-minute route from Torokko Saga Station to Torokko Kameoka Station, following the scenic beauty of the Hozukyo Ravine on its route. With cherry blossoms in spring, lush greenery in summer, Japanese maples in fall, and perhaps a dusting of snow in winter, all four seasons are delightful.

Uji is a small city in the south of Kyoto, just 20 minutes away from Kyoto by train. The city is famous for its temples and matcha (a kind of green tea). Historians generally agree that Uji was the location of the earliest tea plantation in Japan and it is also the main stage for The Tale of Genji.

Start a half-day tour in Uji for some special events we have arranged for you.

You will join in with a tea-making experience. There is a lot of knowledge about how to make a good pot of tea. It's not just about boiling water and putting the tea in. You will learn about how to knead and dry the tea leaves from a local tea master. We hope you can appreciate the breadth and depth of the tea culture in this 1½-hour-long activity.

Then, take a walk through the quaint old town and sample tea from local vendors. Please note that shopping is not forced during this tour as it is a no-shopping tour. But if you like green tea, this is a good place to buy some and share it with your friends and family, and maybe teach them what you've learned about tea.

Activities for Your Free Time

This tour will end at Kyoto Station.

Have you watched the movie Memoirs of a Geisha? You will finish your day by visiting Fushimi Inari Shrine. You may recognize its elegant layout from the movie. The walking lane lined with red-painted toriis (memorial arches) is a good spot for photos. It will take about 10 minutes to get there from Kyoto Station.

Or you can visit the Philosopher's Path. Ask your guide to help you to catch the right sightseeing bus and arrive after 40 minutes.

The Philosopher's Path is named after the famous Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitaro who used to go there for walks and ponder the philosophy of life.

The trail is full of cherry blossoms so it is recommended as one of the most romantic walking paths and one of the best places to view cherry blossoms in Kyoto. When the wind blows, the snow-white petals flying in the sky are extremely gorgeous. When the flowers fade, the petals are scattered on the surface of the water and have a unique look.

In addition to looking at the cherry blossoms, you will pass several temples and shrines, such as Eikando, Prince Kumano Shrine, Otoyo Shrine, and Honen-in.

You will have a shared transfer from your hotel to the airport to catch your flight home at the appointed time. We, at Global Highlights, wish you a pleasant journey.