Feature
Multi Day Tours
11-Day Ultimate Japan Experience: Tokyo to Kyoto and Nara
11
DAY(S)
7
DESTINATION(S)
6
GUESTS (MAX)
Feature
Multi Day Tours
11-Day Ultimate Japan Experience: Tokyo to Kyoto and Nara
11
DAY(S)
7
DESTINATION(S)
6
GUESTS (MAX)
Feature
Multi Day Tours
11-Day Ultimate Japan Experience: Tokyo to Kyoto and Nara
11
DAY(S)
7
DESTINATION(S)
6
GUESTS (MAX)
From US$6620 per person
From US$6620 per person
Overwiew
What You’ll Discover
Overwiew
What You’ll Discover
We built this eleven-day journey to give first-time visitors the essential shape of Japan — from Tokyo and Yokohama to Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara, with seaside Kamakura and the lakeside torii of Lake Biwa along the way. A private vehicle and dedicated guide take you through nearly every day of sightseeing, with the Shinkansen carrying you from Yokohama to Kyoto midway through the journey. We start in Tokyo, taking in its oldest temple and one of its most immersive digital art experiences, then head to the port city of Yokohama, followed by the temples, shopping streets, and seaside atmosphere of Kamakura and Enoshima. From there we settle into Kyoto, exploring gilded pavilions, a torii gate rising from Lake Biwa, and an open-air film set where Japan's past has been brought to life on screen, before continuing to Osaka's neon streets and, finally, the free-roaming deer of Nara. This is the trip we recommend for anyone who wants Japan's major cities, historic sites, and coastal landscapes in one well-paced journey.
We built this eleven-day journey to give first-time visitors the essential shape of Japan — from Tokyo and Yokohama to Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara, with seaside Kamakura and the lakeside torii of Lake Biwa along the way. A private vehicle and dedicated guide take you through nearly every day of sightseeing, with the Shinkansen carrying you from Yokohama to Kyoto midway through the journey. We start in Tokyo, taking in its oldest temple and one of its most immersive digital art experiences, then head to the port city of Yokohama, followed by the temples, shopping streets, and seaside atmosphere of Kamakura and Enoshima. From there we settle into Kyoto, exploring gilded pavilions, a torii gate rising from Lake Biwa, and an open-air film set where Japan's past has been brought to life on screen, before continuing to Osaka's neon streets and, finally, the free-roaming deer of Nara. This is the trip we recommend for anyone who wants Japan's major cities, historic sites, and coastal landscapes in one well-paced journey.
A dedicated guide and private vehicle for nearly every day, with the Shinkansen carrying you west to Kyoto.
Wander teamLab Borderless, where digital art has no frames or fixed rooms.
Walk across Nijō Castle's famous "nightingale floors," which chirp beneath your feet as you move through the palace.
Stand before Kinkaku-ji's gold-leaf pavilion, mirrored in the still waters of its reflecting pond.
Climb through thousands of vermilion gates at Fushimi Inari, one of Japan's most iconic sights.
Walk among Nara's free-roaming deer, then stand beneath a 15-meter bronze Buddha.
Highlights
Explore the Highlights of Your Journey
Highlights
Explore the Highlights of Your Journey
Dōtonbori — Osaka's neon-lit canal district, alive with giant signboards, street food, and after-dark energy.
Tōdai-ji Temple — Marvel at the majestic bronze Great Buddha inside Nara's magnificent wooden hall.
Nijō Castle — A UNESCO World Heritage castle famed for its "nightingale floors" and gilded audience chambers.
Kyoto Imperial Palace — The former seat of Japan's emperors, set among raked gravel courtyards and cypress halls.
Tokyo Station — The city's grand red-brick railway landmark, beautifully illuminated after dark.
Information
Where This Journey Takes You
Information
Where This Journey Takes You
This itinerary connects some of Japan’s most distinctive regions, combining iconic highlights with lesser-known destinations to create a seamless travel experience from start to finish.
This itinerary connects some of Japan’s most distinctive regions, combining iconic highlights with lesser-known destinations to create a seamless travel experience from start to finish.
Area
Kanto
Kanto
•
Kansai
Kansai
•
City
Tokyo, Yokohama, Kamakura, Kyoto, Osaka and Nara
Duration
11 Day(s)
Group Size (Max)
6 Guest(s)
Destinations
7 Destination(s)
Accommodation
10 nights, Double/Twin room, 3–4 star hotels
Meal
Breakfast：10 | Dinner：1 (Day1)
Transport
Charter Vehicles + Shinkansen (Shin-Yokohama → Kyoto)
Pick-up
At hotel in Tokyo (23 Wards) or Tokyo Station
Drop-off
At hotel in Osaka City or Shin-Osaka Station
English/ Japanese/ Mandarin
English/ Japanese/ Mandarin
Itinerary
Explore Every Moment Along the Way
Itinerary
Explore Every Moment Along the Way
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Day 1 - Tokyo
Pass under the Kaminarimon, its huge red lantern hanging low overhead, and walk Nakamise through the crowds — past stalls of grilled rice crackers and paper fans — into Sensō-ji Temple, the oldest in the city. Next door, step into the Sumida Hokusai Museum and trace the life of the artist behind the Great Wave, the most recognizable image in all of Japanese art. Ride up the Tokyo Skytree to 350 meters and look out over a metropolis that runs to the horizon. After dark, step aboard a yakatabune, slip off your shoes, settle onto the tatami, and eat as Tokyo's lit-up bridges and towers slide past the window and shimmer on the black water.
Pass under the Kaminarimon, its huge red lantern hanging low overhead, and walk Nakamise through the crowds — past stalls of grilled rice crackers and paper fans — into Sensō-ji Temple, the oldest in the city. Next door, step into the Sumida Hokusai Museum and trace the life of the artist behind the Great Wave, the most recognizable image in all of Japanese art. Ride up the Tokyo Skytree to 350 meters and look out over a metropolis that runs to the horizon. After dark, step aboard a yakatabune, slip off your shoes, settle onto the tatami, and eat as Tokyo's lit-up bridges and towers slide past the window and shimmer on the black water.
Tokyo (Asakusa, Tokyo Skytree)
Tokyo hotel (3–4 star)
Yakatabune dinner cruise included
Day 1 - Tokyo
Pass under the Kaminarimon, its huge red lantern hanging low overhead, and walk Nakamise through the crowds — past stalls of grilled rice crackers and paper fans — into Sensō-ji Temple, the oldest in the city. Next door, step into the Sumida Hokusai Museum and trace the life of the artist behind the Great Wave, the most recognizable image in all of Japanese art. Ride up the Tokyo Skytree to 350 meters and look out over a metropolis that runs to the horizon. After dark, step aboard a yakatabune, slip off your shoes, settle onto the tatami, and eat as Tokyo's lit-up bridges and towers slide past the window and shimmer on the black water.
Pass under the Kaminarimon, its huge red lantern hanging low overhead, and walk Nakamise through the crowds — past stalls of grilled rice crackers and paper fans — into Sensō-ji Temple, the oldest in the city. Next door, step into the Sumida Hokusai Museum and trace the life of the artist behind the Great Wave, the most recognizable image in all of Japanese art. Ride up the Tokyo Skytree to 350 meters and look out over a metropolis that runs to the horizon. After dark, step aboard a yakatabune, slip off your shoes, settle onto the tatami, and eat as Tokyo's lit-up bridges and towers slide past the window and shimmer on the black water.
Tokyo (Asakusa, Tokyo Skytree)
Tokyo hotel (3–4 star)
Yakatabune dinner cruise included
Day 1 - Tokyo
Pass under the Kaminarimon, its huge red lantern hanging low overhead, and walk Nakamise through the crowds — past stalls of grilled rice crackers and paper fans — into Sensō-ji Temple, the oldest in the city. Next door, step into the Sumida Hokusai Museum and trace the life of the artist behind the Great Wave, the most recognizable image in all of Japanese art. Ride up the Tokyo Skytree to 350 meters and look out over a metropolis that runs to the horizon. After dark, step aboard a yakatabune, slip off your shoes, settle onto the tatami, and eat as Tokyo's lit-up bridges and towers slide past the window and shimmer on the black water.
Pass under the Kaminarimon, its huge red lantern hanging low overhead, and walk Nakamise through the crowds — past stalls of grilled rice crackers and paper fans — into Sensō-ji Temple, the oldest in the city. Next door, step into the Sumida Hokusai Museum and trace the life of the artist behind the Great Wave, the most recognizable image in all of Japanese art. Ride up the Tokyo Skytree to 350 meters and look out over a metropolis that runs to the horizon. After dark, step aboard a yakatabune, slip off your shoes, settle onto the tatami, and eat as Tokyo's lit-up bridges and towers slide past the window and shimmer on the black water.
Tokyo (Asakusa, Tokyo Skytree)
Tokyo hotel (3–4 star)
Yakatabune dinner cruise included
Day 2 - Tokyo
Start at the Imperial Palace, walking its broad stone moats and pine-lined gravel paths — an island of calm that the emperor's family still calls home, at the center of one of the busiest cities on earth. Cross into Nihonbashi, standing on the bridge from which every distance in old Japan was once measured, then browse Ginza block by block, past flagship stores and glowing displays. In the late afternoon, step into teamLab Borderless, where the artworks have no frames and no fixed rooms — walk through light and color that spill across the floor and shift in response to your presence. Linger among the shifting light until the artworks and your reflection blur together.
Start at the Imperial Palace, walking its broad stone moats and pine-lined gravel paths — an island of calm that the emperor's family still calls home, at the center of one of the busiest cities on earth. Cross into Nihonbashi, standing on the bridge from which every distance in old Japan was once measured, then browse Ginza block by block, past flagship stores and glowing displays. In the late afternoon, step into teamLab Borderless, where the artworks have no frames and no fixed rooms — walk through light and color that spill across the floor and shift in response to your presence. Linger among the shifting light until the artworks and your reflection blur together.
Tokyo (Imperial Palace, Nihonbashi, Ginza)
Tokyo hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 2 - Tokyo
Start at the Imperial Palace, walking its broad stone moats and pine-lined gravel paths — an island of calm that the emperor's family still calls home, at the center of one of the busiest cities on earth. Cross into Nihonbashi, standing on the bridge from which every distance in old Japan was once measured, then browse Ginza block by block, past flagship stores and glowing displays. In the late afternoon, step into teamLab Borderless, where the artworks have no frames and no fixed rooms — walk through light and color that spill across the floor and shift in response to your presence. Linger among the shifting light until the artworks and your reflection blur together.
Start at the Imperial Palace, walking its broad stone moats and pine-lined gravel paths — an island of calm that the emperor's family still calls home, at the center of one of the busiest cities on earth. Cross into Nihonbashi, standing on the bridge from which every distance in old Japan was once measured, then browse Ginza block by block, past flagship stores and glowing displays. In the late afternoon, step into teamLab Borderless, where the artworks have no frames and no fixed rooms — walk through light and color that spill across the floor and shift in response to your presence. Linger among the shifting light until the artworks and your reflection blur together.
Tokyo (Imperial Palace, Nihonbashi, Ginza)
Tokyo hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 2 - Tokyo
Start at the Imperial Palace, walking its broad stone moats and pine-lined gravel paths — an island of calm that the emperor's family still calls home, at the center of one of the busiest cities on earth. Cross into Nihonbashi, standing on the bridge from which every distance in old Japan was once measured, then browse Ginza block by block, past flagship stores and glowing displays. In the late afternoon, step into teamLab Borderless, where the artworks have no frames and no fixed rooms — walk through light and color that spill across the floor and shift in response to your presence. Linger among the shifting light until the artworks and your reflection blur together.
Start at the Imperial Palace, walking its broad stone moats and pine-lined gravel paths — an island of calm that the emperor's family still calls home, at the center of one of the busiest cities on earth. Cross into Nihonbashi, standing on the bridge from which every distance in old Japan was once measured, then browse Ginza block by block, past flagship stores and glowing displays. In the late afternoon, step into teamLab Borderless, where the artworks have no frames and no fixed rooms — walk through light and color that spill across the floor and shift in response to your presence. Linger among the shifting light until the artworks and your reflection blur together.
Tokyo (Imperial Palace, Nihonbashi, Ginza)
Tokyo hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 3 - Yokohama
Trade skyscrapers for sea air today. Duck into the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum first, down into a perfectly rebuilt 1950s streetscape — pick a shop, push through the curtain, and slurp a bowl from one region, then try another. Walk the harbor in the sea breeze, past cargo cranes and a Ferris wheel, and wander the red-brick warehouses that once loaded ships and now hold cafes and shops. As the lanterns come on, head into Yokohama Chinatown, the largest in Japan, and follow the crowds through the steam and the smell of the grills. Round off the night with a bowl of noodles or a bao bun eaten on the move.
Trade skyscrapers for sea air today. Duck into the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum first, down into a perfectly rebuilt 1950s streetscape — pick a shop, push through the curtain, and slurp a bowl from one region, then try another. Walk the harbor in the sea breeze, past cargo cranes and a Ferris wheel, and wander the red-brick warehouses that once loaded ships and now hold cafes and shops. As the lanterns come on, head into Yokohama Chinatown, the largest in Japan, and follow the crowds through the steam and the smell of the grills. Round off the night with a bowl of noodles or a bao bun eaten on the move.
Yokohama
Yokohama hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Ramen Museum admission is included; ramen tasting is at your own expense.
Day 3 - Yokohama
Trade skyscrapers for sea air today. Duck into the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum first, down into a perfectly rebuilt 1950s streetscape — pick a shop, push through the curtain, and slurp a bowl from one region, then try another. Walk the harbor in the sea breeze, past cargo cranes and a Ferris wheel, and wander the red-brick warehouses that once loaded ships and now hold cafes and shops. As the lanterns come on, head into Yokohama Chinatown, the largest in Japan, and follow the crowds through the steam and the smell of the grills. Round off the night with a bowl of noodles or a bao bun eaten on the move.
Trade skyscrapers for sea air today. Duck into the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum first, down into a perfectly rebuilt 1950s streetscape — pick a shop, push through the curtain, and slurp a bowl from one region, then try another. Walk the harbor in the sea breeze, past cargo cranes and a Ferris wheel, and wander the red-brick warehouses that once loaded ships and now hold cafes and shops. As the lanterns come on, head into Yokohama Chinatown, the largest in Japan, and follow the crowds through the steam and the smell of the grills. Round off the night with a bowl of noodles or a bao bun eaten on the move.
Yokohama
Yokohama hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Ramen Museum admission is included; ramen tasting is at your own expense.
Day 3 - Yokohama
Trade skyscrapers for sea air today. Duck into the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum first, down into a perfectly rebuilt 1950s streetscape — pick a shop, push through the curtain, and slurp a bowl from one region, then try another. Walk the harbor in the sea breeze, past cargo cranes and a Ferris wheel, and wander the red-brick warehouses that once loaded ships and now hold cafes and shops. As the lanterns come on, head into Yokohama Chinatown, the largest in Japan, and follow the crowds through the steam and the smell of the grills. Round off the night with a bowl of noodles or a bao bun eaten on the move.
Trade skyscrapers for sea air today. Duck into the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum first, down into a perfectly rebuilt 1950s streetscape — pick a shop, push through the curtain, and slurp a bowl from one region, then try another. Walk the harbor in the sea breeze, past cargo cranes and a Ferris wheel, and wander the red-brick warehouses that once loaded ships and now hold cafes and shops. As the lanterns come on, head into Yokohama Chinatown, the largest in Japan, and follow the crowds through the steam and the smell of the grills. Round off the night with a bowl of noodles or a bao bun eaten on the move.
Yokohama
Yokohama hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Ramen Museum admission is included; ramen tasting is at your own expense.
Day 4 - Kamakura
Slow right down in Kamakura, a seaside town of temples set in wooded hills. Come face to face with the Great Buddha of Kōtoku-in Temple — a great bronze figure seated in the open air — or, as an alternative, climb the flower-lined slopes of Hase-dera Temple with the sea glinting below. Bow at Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū Shrine at the heart of the old samurai capital, then graze your way down Komachi Street. In the afternoon, cross the short causeway to Enoshima, a little island of shrine steps, sea views, and a lighthouse looking out over the coast.
Slow right down in Kamakura, a seaside town of temples set in wooded hills. Come face to face with the Great Buddha of Kōtoku-in Temple — a great bronze figure seated in the open air — or, as an alternative, climb the flower-lined slopes of Hase-dera Temple with the sea glinting below. Bow at Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū Shrine at the heart of the old samurai capital, then graze your way down Komachi Street. In the afternoon, cross the short causeway to Enoshima, a little island of shrine steps, sea views, and a lighthouse looking out over the coast.
Kamakura (Kōtoku-in Temple, Enoshima)
Yokohama hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 4 - Kamakura
Slow right down in Kamakura, a seaside town of temples set in wooded hills. Come face to face with the Great Buddha of Kōtoku-in Temple — a great bronze figure seated in the open air — or, as an alternative, climb the flower-lined slopes of Hase-dera Temple with the sea glinting below. Bow at Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū Shrine at the heart of the old samurai capital, then graze your way down Komachi Street. In the afternoon, cross the short causeway to Enoshima, a little island of shrine steps, sea views, and a lighthouse looking out over the coast.
Slow right down in Kamakura, a seaside town of temples set in wooded hills. Come face to face with the Great Buddha of Kōtoku-in Temple — a great bronze figure seated in the open air — or, as an alternative, climb the flower-lined slopes of Hase-dera Temple with the sea glinting below. Bow at Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū Shrine at the heart of the old samurai capital, then graze your way down Komachi Street. In the afternoon, cross the short causeway to Enoshima, a little island of shrine steps, sea views, and a lighthouse looking out over the coast.
Kamakura (Kōtoku-in Temple, Enoshima)
Yokohama hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 4 - Kamakura
Slow right down in Kamakura, a seaside town of temples set in wooded hills. Come face to face with the Great Buddha of Kōtoku-in Temple — a great bronze figure seated in the open air — or, as an alternative, climb the flower-lined slopes of Hase-dera Temple with the sea glinting below. Bow at Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū Shrine at the heart of the old samurai capital, then graze your way down Komachi Street. In the afternoon, cross the short causeway to Enoshima, a little island of shrine steps, sea views, and a lighthouse looking out over the coast.
Slow right down in Kamakura, a seaside town of temples set in wooded hills. Come face to face with the Great Buddha of Kōtoku-in Temple — a great bronze figure seated in the open air — or, as an alternative, climb the flower-lined slopes of Hase-dera Temple with the sea glinting below. Bow at Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū Shrine at the heart of the old samurai capital, then graze your way down Komachi Street. In the afternoon, cross the short causeway to Enoshima, a little island of shrine steps, sea views, and a lighthouse looking out over the coast.
Kamakura (Kōtoku-in Temple, Enoshima)
Yokohama hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 5 - Kyoto
Board the Shinkansen and feel it pull away so smoothly that only the vanishing platform gives it away; two hours later, step off in Kyoto. Head straight for Sanjūsangen-dō Temple — walk the length of a wooden hall longer than a football field, past 1,001 gilded, life-sized Kannon statues ranked shoulder to shoulder in the low light. Then dive into Nishiki Market, a narrow covered lane four centuries in the making, and eat your way past pickle barrels, tofu stalls, and skewers before the streets of Kawaramachi carry you into the Kyoto evening.
Board the Shinkansen and feel it pull away so smoothly that only the vanishing platform gives it away; two hours later, step off in Kyoto. Head straight for Sanjūsangen-dō Temple — walk the length of a wooden hall longer than a football field, past 1,001 gilded, life-sized Kannon statues ranked shoulder to shoulder in the low light. Then dive into Nishiki Market, a narrow covered lane four centuries in the making, and eat your way past pickle barrels, tofu stalls, and skewers before the streets of Kawaramachi carry you into the Kyoto evening.
Kyoto (Sanjūsangen-dō Temple, Nishiki Market)
Kyoto hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Shinkansen (Shin-Yokohama → Kyoto) is included.
Day 5 - Kyoto
Board the Shinkansen and feel it pull away so smoothly that only the vanishing platform gives it away; two hours later, step off in Kyoto. Head straight for Sanjūsangen-dō Temple — walk the length of a wooden hall longer than a football field, past 1,001 gilded, life-sized Kannon statues ranked shoulder to shoulder in the low light. Then dive into Nishiki Market, a narrow covered lane four centuries in the making, and eat your way past pickle barrels, tofu stalls, and skewers before the streets of Kawaramachi carry you into the Kyoto evening.
Board the Shinkansen and feel it pull away so smoothly that only the vanishing platform gives it away; two hours later, step off in Kyoto. Head straight for Sanjūsangen-dō Temple — walk the length of a wooden hall longer than a football field, past 1,001 gilded, life-sized Kannon statues ranked shoulder to shoulder in the low light. Then dive into Nishiki Market, a narrow covered lane four centuries in the making, and eat your way past pickle barrels, tofu stalls, and skewers before the streets of Kawaramachi carry you into the Kyoto evening.
Kyoto (Sanjūsangen-dō Temple, Nishiki Market)
Kyoto hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Shinkansen (Shin-Yokohama → Kyoto) is included.
Day 5 - Kyoto
Board the Shinkansen and feel it pull away so smoothly that only the vanishing platform gives it away; two hours later, step off in Kyoto. Head straight for Sanjūsangen-dō Temple — walk the length of a wooden hall longer than a football field, past 1,001 gilded, life-sized Kannon statues ranked shoulder to shoulder in the low light. Then dive into Nishiki Market, a narrow covered lane four centuries in the making, and eat your way past pickle barrels, tofu stalls, and skewers before the streets of Kawaramachi carry you into the Kyoto evening.
Board the Shinkansen and feel it pull away so smoothly that only the vanishing platform gives it away; two hours later, step off in Kyoto. Head straight for Sanjūsangen-dō Temple — walk the length of a wooden hall longer than a football field, past 1,001 gilded, life-sized Kannon statues ranked shoulder to shoulder in the low light. Then dive into Nishiki Market, a narrow covered lane four centuries in the making, and eat your way past pickle barrels, tofu stalls, and skewers before the streets of Kawaramachi carry you into the Kyoto evening.
Kyoto (Sanjūsangen-dō Temple, Nishiki Market)
Kyoto hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Shinkansen (Shin-Yokohama → Kyoto) is included.
Day 6 - Kyoto
Wake to the Kyoto of a hundred postcards. Stand before Kinkaku-ji Temple, the Golden Pavilion, two floors of gold leaf doubled so perfectly in the pond you look twice to tell which is real. Climb the old lanes to Kiyomizu-dera Temple and step out onto its vast wooden stage, set high on tall pillars over a green wooded hillside, the whole city spread below. Then shift gears completely: at Matsui Sake Brewery, the oldest working sake brewery in central Kyoto, watch how rice, water, and time become sake, then taste one cup after another and decide for yourself which to carry home.
Wake to the Kyoto of a hundred postcards. Stand before Kinkaku-ji Temple, the Golden Pavilion, two floors of gold leaf doubled so perfectly in the pond you look twice to tell which is real. Climb the old lanes to Kiyomizu-dera Temple and step out onto its vast wooden stage, set high on tall pillars over a green wooded hillside, the whole city spread below. Then shift gears completely: at Matsui Sake Brewery, the oldest working sake brewery in central Kyoto, watch how rice, water, and time become sake, then taste one cup after another and decide for yourself which to carry home.
Kyoto (Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kiyomizu-dera Temple)
Kyoto hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Sake tasting involves alcohol.
Day 6 - Kyoto
Wake to the Kyoto of a hundred postcards. Stand before Kinkaku-ji Temple, the Golden Pavilion, two floors of gold leaf doubled so perfectly in the pond you look twice to tell which is real. Climb the old lanes to Kiyomizu-dera Temple and step out onto its vast wooden stage, set high on tall pillars over a green wooded hillside, the whole city spread below. Then shift gears completely: at Matsui Sake Brewery, the oldest working sake brewery in central Kyoto, watch how rice, water, and time become sake, then taste one cup after another and decide for yourself which to carry home.
Wake to the Kyoto of a hundred postcards. Stand before Kinkaku-ji Temple, the Golden Pavilion, two floors of gold leaf doubled so perfectly in the pond you look twice to tell which is real. Climb the old lanes to Kiyomizu-dera Temple and step out onto its vast wooden stage, set high on tall pillars over a green wooded hillside, the whole city spread below. Then shift gears completely: at Matsui Sake Brewery, the oldest working sake brewery in central Kyoto, watch how rice, water, and time become sake, then taste one cup after another and decide for yourself which to carry home.
Kyoto (Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kiyomizu-dera Temple)
Kyoto hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Sake tasting involves alcohol.
Day 6 - Kyoto
Wake to the Kyoto of a hundred postcards. Stand before Kinkaku-ji Temple, the Golden Pavilion, two floors of gold leaf doubled so perfectly in the pond you look twice to tell which is real. Climb the old lanes to Kiyomizu-dera Temple and step out onto its vast wooden stage, set high on tall pillars over a green wooded hillside, the whole city spread below. Then shift gears completely: at Matsui Sake Brewery, the oldest working sake brewery in central Kyoto, watch how rice, water, and time become sake, then taste one cup after another and decide for yourself which to carry home.
Wake to the Kyoto of a hundred postcards. Stand before Kinkaku-ji Temple, the Golden Pavilion, two floors of gold leaf doubled so perfectly in the pond you look twice to tell which is real. Climb the old lanes to Kiyomizu-dera Temple and step out onto its vast wooden stage, set high on tall pillars over a green wooded hillside, the whole city spread below. Then shift gears completely: at Matsui Sake Brewery, the oldest working sake brewery in central Kyoto, watch how rice, water, and time become sake, then taste one cup after another and decide for yourself which to carry home.
Kyoto (Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kiyomizu-dera Temple)
Kyoto hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Sake tasting involves alcohol.
Day 7 - Shiga
Leave the city today for the quiet lake country at Kyoto's edge. Stand before Shirahige Shrine, where a single vermilion torii gate rises from the water of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, seeming to float just offshore. Then climb Mt. Hieizan, following cedar-lined paths through cool mountain air up to Enryaku-ji Temple, a vast mountaintop monastery founded more than 1,200 years ago and once home to armies of warrior monks. From the heights, look out over the whole lake and the mountains beyond. Breathe the cool, resin-scented air and let the mountain quiet settle over you.
Leave the city today for the quiet lake country at Kyoto's edge. Stand before Shirahige Shrine, where a single vermilion torii gate rises from the water of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, seeming to float just offshore. Then climb Mt. Hieizan, following cedar-lined paths through cool mountain air up to Enryaku-ji Temple, a vast mountaintop monastery founded more than 1,200 years ago and once home to armies of warrior monks. From the heights, look out over the whole lake and the mountains beyond. Breathe the cool, resin-scented air and let the mountain quiet settle over you.
Shiga (Shirahige Shrine, Mt. Hieizan)
Kyoto hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 7 - Shiga
Leave the city today for the quiet lake country at Kyoto's edge. Stand before Shirahige Shrine, where a single vermilion torii gate rises from the water of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, seeming to float just offshore. Then climb Mt. Hieizan, following cedar-lined paths through cool mountain air up to Enryaku-ji Temple, a vast mountaintop monastery founded more than 1,200 years ago and once home to armies of warrior monks. From the heights, look out over the whole lake and the mountains beyond. Breathe the cool, resin-scented air and let the mountain quiet settle over you.
Leave the city today for the quiet lake country at Kyoto's edge. Stand before Shirahige Shrine, where a single vermilion torii gate rises from the water of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, seeming to float just offshore. Then climb Mt. Hieizan, following cedar-lined paths through cool mountain air up to Enryaku-ji Temple, a vast mountaintop monastery founded more than 1,200 years ago and once home to armies of warrior monks. From the heights, look out over the whole lake and the mountains beyond. Breathe the cool, resin-scented air and let the mountain quiet settle over you.
Shiga (Shirahige Shrine, Mt. Hieizan)
Kyoto hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 7 - Shiga
Leave the city today for the quiet lake country at Kyoto's edge. Stand before Shirahige Shrine, where a single vermilion torii gate rises from the water of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, seeming to float just offshore. Then climb Mt. Hieizan, following cedar-lined paths through cool mountain air up to Enryaku-ji Temple, a vast mountaintop monastery founded more than 1,200 years ago and once home to armies of warrior monks. From the heights, look out over the whole lake and the mountains beyond. Breathe the cool, resin-scented air and let the mountain quiet settle over you.
Leave the city today for the quiet lake country at Kyoto's edge. Stand before Shirahige Shrine, where a single vermilion torii gate rises from the water of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, seeming to float just offshore. Then climb Mt. Hieizan, following cedar-lined paths through cool mountain air up to Enryaku-ji Temple, a vast mountaintop monastery founded more than 1,200 years ago and once home to armies of warrior monks. From the heights, look out over the whole lake and the mountains beyond. Breathe the cool, resin-scented air and let the mountain quiet settle over you.
Shiga (Shirahige Shrine, Mt. Hieizan)
Kyoto hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 8 - Kyoto
Step straight onto a movie set today. Walk the streets of Uzumasa Kyoto Village, a working film studio built as a whole Edo-era town — wooden merchant lanes, a shrine gate, an old courthouse, even a ninja house of hidden doors and trick staircases. Watch costumed performers stage sword fights, try on period costume, or catch a live show between takes. Then finish at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine: climb through thousands of vermilion torii gates that form glowing tunnels up the sacred mountain — push past the first stretch, and the crowds thin, the forest closes in, and you climb on in near silence.
Step straight onto a movie set today. Walk the streets of Uzumasa Kyoto Village, a working film studio built as a whole Edo-era town — wooden merchant lanes, a shrine gate, an old courthouse, even a ninja house of hidden doors and trick staircases. Watch costumed performers stage sword fights, try on period costume, or catch a live show between takes. Then finish at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine: climb through thousands of vermilion torii gates that form glowing tunnels up the sacred mountain — push past the first stretch, and the crowds thin, the forest closes in, and you climb on in near silence.
Kyoto (Uzumasa Kyoto Village, Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine)
Kyoto hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 8 - Kyoto
Step straight onto a movie set today. Walk the streets of Uzumasa Kyoto Village, a working film studio built as a whole Edo-era town — wooden merchant lanes, a shrine gate, an old courthouse, even a ninja house of hidden doors and trick staircases. Watch costumed performers stage sword fights, try on period costume, or catch a live show between takes. Then finish at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine: climb through thousands of vermilion torii gates that form glowing tunnels up the sacred mountain — push past the first stretch, and the crowds thin, the forest closes in, and you climb on in near silence.
Step straight onto a movie set today. Walk the streets of Uzumasa Kyoto Village, a working film studio built as a whole Edo-era town — wooden merchant lanes, a shrine gate, an old courthouse, even a ninja house of hidden doors and trick staircases. Watch costumed performers stage sword fights, try on period costume, or catch a live show between takes. Then finish at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine: climb through thousands of vermilion torii gates that form glowing tunnels up the sacred mountain — push past the first stretch, and the crowds thin, the forest closes in, and you climb on in near silence.
Kyoto (Uzumasa Kyoto Village, Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine)
Kyoto hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 8 - Kyoto
Step straight onto a movie set today. Walk the streets of Uzumasa Kyoto Village, a working film studio built as a whole Edo-era town — wooden merchant lanes, a shrine gate, an old courthouse, even a ninja house of hidden doors and trick staircases. Watch costumed performers stage sword fights, try on period costume, or catch a live show between takes. Then finish at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine: climb through thousands of vermilion torii gates that form glowing tunnels up the sacred mountain — push past the first stretch, and the crowds thin, the forest closes in, and you climb on in near silence.
Step straight onto a movie set today. Walk the streets of Uzumasa Kyoto Village, a working film studio built as a whole Edo-era town — wooden merchant lanes, a shrine gate, an old courthouse, even a ninja house of hidden doors and trick staircases. Watch costumed performers stage sword fights, try on period costume, or catch a live show between takes. Then finish at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine: climb through thousands of vermilion torii gates that form glowing tunnels up the sacred mountain — push past the first stretch, and the crowds thin, the forest closes in, and you climb on in near silence.
Kyoto (Uzumasa Kyoto Village, Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine)
Kyoto hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 9 - Kyoto
Spend the last Kyoto morning inside the seat of a thousand years of imperial power. Walk the Kyoto Imperial Palace, where emperors held court for over a millennium, its broad white gravel courtyards and unpainted wooden halls embodying a quiet, understated grandeur. Then tour Nijō Castle, the shoguns' Kyoto stronghold and a UNESCO World Heritage site: cross its "nightingale floors," built to chirp like birds under the lightest step so no intruder could pass unheard, and stand in the great audience chambers where the balance of power once played out. In the afternoon, transfer to Osaka — louder, warmer, more open. Trace the painted screens and worn timber of halls where shoguns once held court.
Spend the last Kyoto morning inside the seat of a thousand years of imperial power. Walk the Kyoto Imperial Palace, where emperors held court for over a millennium, its broad white gravel courtyards and unpainted wooden halls embodying a quiet, understated grandeur. Then tour Nijō Castle, the shoguns' Kyoto stronghold and a UNESCO World Heritage site: cross its "nightingale floors," built to chirp like birds under the lightest step so no intruder could pass unheard, and stand in the great audience chambers where the balance of power once played out. In the afternoon, transfer to Osaka — louder, warmer, more open. Trace the painted screens and worn timber of halls where shoguns once held court.
Kyoto (Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijō Castle)
Osaka hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 9 - Kyoto
Spend the last Kyoto morning inside the seat of a thousand years of imperial power. Walk the Kyoto Imperial Palace, where emperors held court for over a millennium, its broad white gravel courtyards and unpainted wooden halls embodying a quiet, understated grandeur. Then tour Nijō Castle, the shoguns' Kyoto stronghold and a UNESCO World Heritage site: cross its "nightingale floors," built to chirp like birds under the lightest step so no intruder could pass unheard, and stand in the great audience chambers where the balance of power once played out. In the afternoon, transfer to Osaka — louder, warmer, more open. Trace the painted screens and worn timber of halls where shoguns once held court.
Spend the last Kyoto morning inside the seat of a thousand years of imperial power. Walk the Kyoto Imperial Palace, where emperors held court for over a millennium, its broad white gravel courtyards and unpainted wooden halls embodying a quiet, understated grandeur. Then tour Nijō Castle, the shoguns' Kyoto stronghold and a UNESCO World Heritage site: cross its "nightingale floors," built to chirp like birds under the lightest step so no intruder could pass unheard, and stand in the great audience chambers where the balance of power once played out. In the afternoon, transfer to Osaka — louder, warmer, more open. Trace the painted screens and worn timber of halls where shoguns once held court.
Kyoto (Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijō Castle)
Osaka hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 9 - Kyoto
Spend the last Kyoto morning inside the seat of a thousand years of imperial power. Walk the Kyoto Imperial Palace, where emperors held court for over a millennium, its broad white gravel courtyards and unpainted wooden halls embodying a quiet, understated grandeur. Then tour Nijō Castle, the shoguns' Kyoto stronghold and a UNESCO World Heritage site: cross its "nightingale floors," built to chirp like birds under the lightest step so no intruder could pass unheard, and stand in the great audience chambers where the balance of power once played out. In the afternoon, transfer to Osaka — louder, warmer, more open. Trace the painted screens and worn timber of halls where shoguns once held court.
Spend the last Kyoto morning inside the seat of a thousand years of imperial power. Walk the Kyoto Imperial Palace, where emperors held court for over a millennium, its broad white gravel courtyards and unpainted wooden halls embodying a quiet, understated grandeur. Then tour Nijō Castle, the shoguns' Kyoto stronghold and a UNESCO World Heritage site: cross its "nightingale floors," built to chirp like birds under the lightest step so no intruder could pass unheard, and stand in the great audience chambers where the balance of power once played out. In the afternoon, transfer to Osaka — louder, warmer, more open. Trace the painted screens and worn timber of halls where shoguns once held court.
Kyoto (Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijō Castle)
Osaka hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 10 - Osaka
Meet Osaka's quiet side and its roar in a single day. Start gently — walk through Kitahama, where elegant early-modern buildings line the river, and explore the world-class Museum of Oriental Ceramics. But Osaka is a city of the senses, so by evening, plunge into Dōtonbori: crane up at the towering neon, the famous running-man sign and the giant mechanical crab, the air thick with takoyaki and sizzling okonomiyaki. Follow the crowds from the glowing canal into Shinsaibashi, a covered arcade running half a kilometer, where Osaka's appetite for food, fashion, and fun runs late into the night. Snack your way down the arcade on takoyaki and skewers as the neon flickers overhead.
Meet Osaka's quiet side and its roar in a single day. Start gently — walk through Kitahama, where elegant early-modern buildings line the river, and explore the world-class Museum of Oriental Ceramics. But Osaka is a city of the senses, so by evening, plunge into Dōtonbori: crane up at the towering neon, the famous running-man sign and the giant mechanical crab, the air thick with takoyaki and sizzling okonomiyaki. Follow the crowds from the glowing canal into Shinsaibashi, a covered arcade running half a kilometer, where Osaka's appetite for food, fashion, and fun runs late into the night. Snack your way down the arcade on takoyaki and skewers as the neon flickers overhead.
Osaka (Kitahama, Dōtonbori, Shinsaibashi)
Osaka hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 10 - Osaka
Meet Osaka's quiet side and its roar in a single day. Start gently — walk through Kitahama, where elegant early-modern buildings line the river, and explore the world-class Museum of Oriental Ceramics. But Osaka is a city of the senses, so by evening, plunge into Dōtonbori: crane up at the towering neon, the famous running-man sign and the giant mechanical crab, the air thick with takoyaki and sizzling okonomiyaki. Follow the crowds from the glowing canal into Shinsaibashi, a covered arcade running half a kilometer, where Osaka's appetite for food, fashion, and fun runs late into the night. Snack your way down the arcade on takoyaki and skewers as the neon flickers overhead.
Meet Osaka's quiet side and its roar in a single day. Start gently — walk through Kitahama, where elegant early-modern buildings line the river, and explore the world-class Museum of Oriental Ceramics. But Osaka is a city of the senses, so by evening, plunge into Dōtonbori: crane up at the towering neon, the famous running-man sign and the giant mechanical crab, the air thick with takoyaki and sizzling okonomiyaki. Follow the crowds from the glowing canal into Shinsaibashi, a covered arcade running half a kilometer, where Osaka's appetite for food, fashion, and fun runs late into the night. Snack your way down the arcade on takoyaki and skewers as the neon flickers overhead.
Osaka (Kitahama, Dōtonbori, Shinsaibashi)
Osaka hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 10 - Osaka
Meet Osaka's quiet side and its roar in a single day. Start gently — walk through Kitahama, where elegant early-modern buildings line the river, and explore the world-class Museum of Oriental Ceramics. But Osaka is a city of the senses, so by evening, plunge into Dōtonbori: crane up at the towering neon, the famous running-man sign and the giant mechanical crab, the air thick with takoyaki and sizzling okonomiyaki. Follow the crowds from the glowing canal into Shinsaibashi, a covered arcade running half a kilometer, where Osaka's appetite for food, fashion, and fun runs late into the night. Snack your way down the arcade on takoyaki and skewers as the neon flickers overhead.
Meet Osaka's quiet side and its roar in a single day. Start gently — walk through Kitahama, where elegant early-modern buildings line the river, and explore the world-class Museum of Oriental Ceramics. But Osaka is a city of the senses, so by evening, plunge into Dōtonbori: crane up at the towering neon, the famous running-man sign and the giant mechanical crab, the air thick with takoyaki and sizzling okonomiyaki. Follow the crowds from the glowing canal into Shinsaibashi, a covered arcade running half a kilometer, where Osaka's appetite for food, fashion, and fun runs late into the night. Snack your way down the arcade on takoyaki and skewers as the neon flickers overhead.
Osaka (Kitahama, Dōtonbori, Shinsaibashi)
Osaka hotel (3–4 star)
Breakfast included
Day 11 - Nara
End where Japan's history began: Nara, the country's first permanent capital, more than 1,300 years old. Follow a path of hundreds of moss-covered stone lanterns up to Kasuga Taisha Shrine, pause at the Ukimidō pavilion floating on its own reflection, and walk into Nara Park, where more than 1,000 sacred deer roam free — hold out a cracker and a few will bow their heads before taking it. Then step inside Tōdai-ji Temple and look up: a bronze Great Buddha some 15 meters tall, seated in the dim, cavernous hall of one of the largest wooden buildings in the world. Feed the bowing deer a cracker before stepping into the hush of the Great Buddha hall.
End where Japan's history began: Nara, the country's first permanent capital, more than 1,300 years old. Follow a path of hundreds of moss-covered stone lanterns up to Kasuga Taisha Shrine, pause at the Ukimidō pavilion floating on its own reflection, and walk into Nara Park, where more than 1,000 sacred deer roam free — hold out a cracker and a few will bow their heads before taking it. Then step inside Tōdai-ji Temple and look up: a bronze Great Buddha some 15 meters tall, seated in the dim, cavernous hall of one of the largest wooden buildings in the world. Feed the bowing deer a cracker before stepping into the hush of the Great Buddha hall.
Nara (Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Nara Park, Tōdai-ji Temple)
Breakfast included
Day 11 - Nara
End where Japan's history began: Nara, the country's first permanent capital, more than 1,300 years old. Follow a path of hundreds of moss-covered stone lanterns up to Kasuga Taisha Shrine, pause at the Ukimidō pavilion floating on its own reflection, and walk into Nara Park, where more than 1,000 sacred deer roam free — hold out a cracker and a few will bow their heads before taking it. Then step inside Tōdai-ji Temple and look up: a bronze Great Buddha some 15 meters tall, seated in the dim, cavernous hall of one of the largest wooden buildings in the world. Feed the bowing deer a cracker before stepping into the hush of the Great Buddha hall.
End where Japan's history began: Nara, the country's first permanent capital, more than 1,300 years old. Follow a path of hundreds of moss-covered stone lanterns up to Kasuga Taisha Shrine, pause at the Ukimidō pavilion floating on its own reflection, and walk into Nara Park, where more than 1,000 sacred deer roam free — hold out a cracker and a few will bow their heads before taking it. Then step inside Tōdai-ji Temple and look up: a bronze Great Buddha some 15 meters tall, seated in the dim, cavernous hall of one of the largest wooden buildings in the world. Feed the bowing deer a cracker before stepping into the hush of the Great Buddha hall.
Nara (Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Nara Park, Tōdai-ji Temple)
Breakfast included
Day 11 - Nara
End where Japan's history began: Nara, the country's first permanent capital, more than 1,300 years old. Follow a path of hundreds of moss-covered stone lanterns up to Kasuga Taisha Shrine, pause at the Ukimidō pavilion floating on its own reflection, and walk into Nara Park, where more than 1,000 sacred deer roam free — hold out a cracker and a few will bow their heads before taking it. Then step inside Tōdai-ji Temple and look up: a bronze Great Buddha some 15 meters tall, seated in the dim, cavernous hall of one of the largest wooden buildings in the world. Feed the bowing deer a cracker before stepping into the hush of the Great Buddha hall.
End where Japan's history began: Nara, the country's first permanent capital, more than 1,300 years old. Follow a path of hundreds of moss-covered stone lanterns up to Kasuga Taisha Shrine, pause at the Ukimidō pavilion floating on its own reflection, and walk into Nara Park, where more than 1,000 sacred deer roam free — hold out a cracker and a few will bow their heads before taking it. Then step inside Tōdai-ji Temple and look up: a bronze Great Buddha some 15 meters tall, seated in the dim, cavernous hall of one of the largest wooden buildings in the world. Feed the bowing deer a cracker before stepping into the hush of the Great Buddha hall.
Nara (Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Nara Park, Tōdai-ji Temple)
Breakfast included
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Policies
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Talk to Our Team
Every journey is different. Our Japan Travel Specialists are here to answer your questions, refine every detail, and help you choose the itinerary that best matches your interests, travel style, and pace.
Inclusions
- Pick up and drop off service - Charter Vehicles - Tour Guide - Accommodations (10 nights, Double/Twin room, 3-4 star) - Meal (Breakfast / Dinner: Day1) - Entrance tickets in the itineraries. - Shinkansen (Shin-Yokohama - Kyoto) - Inbound Travel Insurance
Exclusions
Cancellation
Additional Info
Talk to Our Team
Every journey is different. Our Japan Travel Specialists are here to answer your questions, refine every detail, and help you choose the itinerary that best matches your interests, travel style, and pace.
Talk to Our Team
Every journey is different. Our Japan Travel Specialists are here to answer your questions, refine every detail, and help you choose the itinerary that best matches your interests, travel style, and pace.
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