The Very Best of Japan

On arrival into Japan’s metropolitan capital, we transfer to the Sheraton Miyako Hotel Tokyo, our home for the next three nights. The remainder of the day is left free to relax.

We start our Japanese adventure in the district of Asakusa, home to Tokyo’s oldest temple, Sensoji, founded in AD645. The approach to the temple is through the Kaminarimon Gate, which leads to the Nakamise, a shopping street that has been providing temple visitors with a variety of traditional local snacks and tourist souvenirs for centuries. We make our way to a local restaurant where we will learn the art of Japanese sushi-making, before enjoying our own culinary creation for lunch. We finish our day with a visit to the Tokyo National Museum.

After breakfast, we make our way to Tokyo Tower. Standing at 333m, it’s 13m taller than the Eiffel Tower, which was the inspiration for its design. Although surpassed in height by Tokyo Skytree in 2012, Tokyo Tower remains a beloved symbol of the city. After a brief photo stop at the impressive Imperial Palace, we make our way to Japan’s most famous Shinto Shrine, Meiji Jingu. Dedicated to Emperor Meiji, the shrine sits in a large forest area that contains more than 100,000 trees, gifted by the people to their beloved emperor. We return to our hotel, where the remainder of the day is at leisure.

This morning we head to Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, famous for its hot springs and views of what is easily Japan’s most iconic image, Mount Fuji. Our first stop is Lake Ashi, a crater lake formed over 200,000 years ago. We board our boat for a short cruise on this beautiful lake before taking a cable car into the Owakudani Valley. The result of a volcanic eruption over 3,000 years ago, the area is still active with many sulphur vents and bubbling hot springs. We continue our journey through picturesque landscapes to the area known as Fuji Five Lakes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our home for the next two nights is the Fuji Marriott Hotel Lake Yamanaka or the Hotel de Yama, Lake Ashi. After settling into our accommodation, there is free time to relax before we dine together in the hotel’s restaurant.

This morning, we begin our journey towards the majestic Japanese Alps. We stop at Matsumoto castle, the oldest existing castle in Japan, for a fabulous photo opportunity and continue to a miso factory, to discover how this staple Japanese food is made. Afterwards, enjoy a spectacular journey through the mountains to Takayama. Our hotel for the next two nights is the Takayama Green Hotel, the Hilton Takayama Resort or the Hida Hotel Plaza. Alternatively, you may wish to experience a stay in a traditional Japanese inn (a Ryokan) for the evening.

Today we head to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go. The villages, mostly cut off until as recently as the 1960s, are today famous for their traditional style of housing, the Gassho-Zukuri, which means ‘like praying hands’. We continue to Kanazawa and the Omicho Market, a lively food market famous for its abundance of fresh seafood, which has been in operation since 1721. Later, we visit Nomura Samurai House, a restored samurai residence. Finally, we arrive at the Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel, where we will stay for the next two nights.

Following breakfast, we visit the delightful Kenroku-en garden, considered by the Japanese as one of the top three gardens in the country. 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. The city is also famed for gold leaf and it is used in abundance. We visit a local establishment to learn about gold leaf production, and decorate our own chopsticks in gold leaf – we even have the opportunity to purchase a gold leaf ice-cream. We head to the Higashi Chaya area of the city with its lovely neighbourhood of beautifully-preserved geisha houses and enjoy free time to explore. Many have now been converted into restaurants or teahouses, although some are still open to the public. This afternoon we visit the Kutani Pottery to witness how the skilled craftsmen create this famous style of Japanese porcelain.

This morning, we make our way to Kanazawa Station for our train journey to Kyoto. The capital of Imperial Japan for over 1,000 years, Kyoto is Japan’s cultural capital. This afternoon, we head to Arashiyama and its famous Bamboo Grove, where there will be plenty of time to wander through the impressive towering alley of bamboo. Our hotel for the next three nights is either the Kyoto Tokyu Hotel, the RIHGA Royal Hotel Kyoto or the Hotel Higashiyama.

Today, we head out of the city to the Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its tunnels of more than 10,000 closely-spaced torii gates, each of which has been individually donated. We finish our morning with a visit to a sake brewery to learn about the brewing and production process of this famous Japanese rice wine. Returning to the city, we have time to explore Gion, Kyoto’s famous Geisha district. Tonight, there is the option to try Japanese shabu-shabu at a local restaurant.

After a leisurely breakfast, we transfer to the station for our ride on Japan’s iconic Bullet Train. Running at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour, the train smoothly whisks us across the country to our next port of call, Hiroshima. Hiroshima is perhaps best known for being the place where an atomic bomb was dropped during the Second World War. This afternoon, we talk to a local about their recollection of the attack, visit the Memorial Peace Park and its moving museum, as well as the Atomic Bomb Dome. After a thought-provoking day, we transfer to the RIHGA Royal Hotel Hiroshima or the ANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima for the next two nights, ideally located for exploring the city.

This morning takes us to the peaceful and pretty island of Miyajima, famous for its giant torii gate, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Itsukushima Shinto Shrine. After viewing the shrine, there is plenty of time to wander around the city’s pretty streets before we return to the city in the early afternoon. Tonight we have the opportunity to taste delicious Okonomiyaki pancakes, a local speciality, at a restaurant just a short stroll from our hotel.

Travel to the old merchant settlement of Kurashiki, whose main draw is its beautiful willow-lined canal. Many former storehouses have been converted into museums, boutiques and cafes, providing the perfect backdrop for a leisurely stroll. This afternoon we visit Koraku-en Garden, another of Japan’s top three gardens. It is most aptly described as a “strolling garden”, due to its variety of views from the pathways which wind through the pond, stream, lawns and teahouse. We return to Kurashiki for an overnight stay at the Kurashiki Royal Art Hotel. Tonight, there is an opportunity to dine at a local restaurant.

Our sightseeing today takes us to Nara, Japan’s first permanent capital. One of the first sights we will experience is the 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 Todaiji Temple. Founded in AD745, the vast temple took over 15 years to complete. The main hall houses a colossal bronze Buddha statue and remains the world’s largest wooden building. After a morning of sightseeing, we return to Osaka, where our afternoon has been left free. Later, we take a stroll through the neon lights and buzzing streets of Dotonburi district as we head to a local restaurant to enjoy our farewell dinner and a chance to reflect on our adventures.

Our day is at leisure until we travel to Osaka Airport for our evening flight to the UK. All flights with Cathay Pacific travel via Hong Kong. Alternatively, if choosing Japan Airlines, you will fly to the UK via Tokyo.

After 20 spectacular days, we arrive into the UK, bringing our incredible Very Best of Japan tour to an end.