Japan Onsen & Food Tour

Welcome to choose this Japan private tour! As soon as you land at the Tokyo Airport, you will be warmly greeted by our English assistant, who will guide you to the shared shuttle to the hotel. Check in to our carefully selected hotel in a great location, and you can have a good rest or take a stroll around.

➤ Heed the Experts’ Advice:
It is recommended that you bring comfortable hiking boots or sneakers when traveling in Japan, as you will be doing a lot of walking. Some temples and shrines have worship paths that are made of cobblestone, so please avoid wearing high heels.

Accommodation: Hotel Century Southern Tower (4 stars) or Hilton Tokyo (5 stars)

Today, our private guide will take you from the hotel on a tour of Tokyo by public transport. We’ll take a leisurely morning walk through the Kiyosumi Gardens with flourishing plants and wildlife, and then visit the nearby Fukagawa Edo Museum. Take a look at the museum’s life-size reproduction of 12 old houses in a rural setting, which perfectly restore the lifestyle of people in the late Edo period (1603 – 1867 AD). You will feel like walking in a small village. Wander around the old shops and see the fishermen’s homes and the everyday objects they used. You will get a very calm and immersive experience, as the lighting in the museum constantly changes, switching from day to night.

★ Special Lunch: Tokyo Food Tour
At noon, let’s head to the Tsukiji Outer Market, Japan’s premier seafood market. Its large scale and abundance of goods will open your eyes. Our guide will accompany you on a stroll around the market, and be more than happy to recommend the renowned restaurant selected by our experts after many field visits, for you to taste the local specialties – Sushi or Teppanyaki, along with the most authentic sake.

In the afternoon, we will visit the garden outside the Imperial Palace and learn about the residence of the Emperor of Japan. Take a photo in front of the famous Nijubashi Bridge before heading to the Asakusa area, Tokyo’s most popular tourist and business district. Follow our guide to enter from the giant red lanterns-draped Kaminarimon Gate, walk along the Nakamise-dori Street and be attracted by the array of small goods and souvenirs on both sides of the road. Then visit Tokyo’s oldest temple, the 1,400-year-old Senso-ji Temple. Admire the temple’s towering five-story pagoda, see the Kannon statue worshipped by the locals, and draw an Omikuji fortune sticks if you like. From an alley near the temple, our guide will show you the best angle to view the majestic Tokyo Skytree in the distance. Finally, be escorted back to your hotel.

➤ Tip: There are many kimono shops near the Senso-ji Temple. If you would like to rent a kimono for a tour or take photos, our guide will be happy to help you translate and negotiate the price.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Century Southern Tower (4 stars) or Hilton Tokyo (5 stars)

After breakfast, our guide will meet you at the hotel and accompany you on a train or bus to Hakone. Check into the hotel and then start our rich Hakone tour.

1. Lake Ashi Cruise: Head to the pier of Lake Ashi to take a 30-minute cruise by Hakone Pirate Ship, during which you can sit on the second floor or go up to the deck to enjoy the stunning view – the sparkling blue of the Lake Ashi and the graceful rise of the Mount Fuji in the distance, though its snow-capped summit is sometimes hidden in clouds.

2. Hakone Ropeway: After disembarking, take the Hakone ropeway up the mountain and enjoy the lake view, the valley below and Mount Fuji in the distance from a different angle.

3. Owakudani Boiling Valley: Take the ropeway to Owakudani, where you will get to see the extraordinary geothermal scene, with white smoke coming from the sulphur springs, making the entire valley eerie but attractive.

4. Try Black Egg: We’ll give you a special black egg, which is boiled in the local hot spring water. It is interestingly said that eating one can extend your life by 7 years. Don’t miss the delicious egg!

5. Stay at a Japanese Onsen Ryokan: At the end, our guide will take you back to the hotel, which is located on the bank of the Sukumo River and is well equipped with Japanese rooms with tatami floors and modern Western rooms to choose from. The open-air Japanese onsen on the roof provides a great mood and view. Glut yourself with the authentic Japanese dinner served at the hotel, and then enjoy a relaxing evening in the onsen.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Hakone Pax Yoshino (4 stars) or Yumoto Fujiya Hotel (5 stars)

➤ Our Thoughtful Planning: Mount Fuji can only be seen on sunny days, about 80 days a year, according to statistics. Therefore, we have specially arranged for you to stay an extra day in Hakone to give you a better chance of seeing the Mount Fuji. If the weather was not clear the day before, you have another chance today.

Free Morning in Hakone: Wake up to the murmuring river and the sound of birds, and you’ll feel refreshed. It’s a slow day, all up to you. In the morning, you can continue to rest in the hotel, soak in the onsen, or discover some of the forest hiking trails if you like, or visit the nearby art museums in the woodland, such as the Hakone Open-Air Museum, Pola Museum of Art, and Hakone Venetian Glass Museum (Glass Forest).

Train to Kyoto: In the afternoon, you need to take a train to Kyoto by yourself (train tickets reserved and included). Please ask the hotel staff to book you a taxi that will pick you up from the hotel one hour before the train departs and take you to Odawara Station within 20 minutes, from where you will take the bullet train to Kyoto in 2.5 hours. Upon arrival, walk a minute or two to the hotel on the east side of Kyoto Station to check in.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mitsui Garden Kyoto Station (4 stars) or The Thousand Kyoto (5 stars)

In the morning, our guide will pick you up from the hotel lobby and take you first to the Temple of the Golden Pavilion. Stand by the pond to admire the three-story gold foil-covered tower and its elegant reflection, and learn the historical stories behind this temple from the narration of the knowledgeable guide. Next, we’ll visit the Nijo Castle, the home of the shogun in Kyoto, built in 1603 AD. Marveling at the grand palaces and admiring the exquisite paintings of the Kano school artists in the Ninomaru Palace, you will understand the immense power and wealth of the shoguns, the Japanese military leaders during the age of the samurai from 1185 to 1868 AD.

★ Kyoto Food Tour at Nishiki Market
At noon, follow our guide into the Nishiki Market for a visit and lunch. Learn about its history from 1310, when it first opened as a wholesale fish market. Witness its current status as a narrow, bustling street lined with more than 100 shops and restaurants, specializing in all kinds of food and utensils. Get amazed by the variety of Japanese sweets, kimchi, seafood, sushi and various snacks, and know why it is called the ‘Kitchen of Kyoto’. Try Dango (dumplings), Tempura, Croquette and a Matcha Icecream for a rich and authentic Kyoto lunch.

In the afternoon, we’ll visit the famous UNESCO World Heritage site the Pure Water Temple. Explore the temple grounds from the main gate and prayer hall to the grand observatory. Overlooking the ancient streets, temples and shrines throughout the city, you will feel the connotation of Kyoto’s millennium history.

After leaving the temple, walk down the Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka streets, where you will find many interesting food and souvenir stores, take photos before the remarkable Yasaka Pagoda of the Hokan-ji Temple, and then visit the Yasaka Shrine located at the eastern entrance of Gion geisha district. Take a stroll through Gion and Hanamikoji Street to admire traditional Japanese architecture under conservation. Our experienced guide will also take you to some of Gion’s less frequented backstreets, where you might have a chance to see geishas and maikos dressed in kimonos preparing to perform in some teahouses. Afterwards, the guide will escort you back to your hotel; or, if you want to stay longer in Gion or watch a geisha show in the evening, you can talk to your guide and finally take a 10-minute taxi ride back to the hotel by yourself.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Mitsui Garden Kyoto Station (4 stars) or The Thousand Kyoto (5 stars)

In the morning, our guide will accompany you from the hotel for a 20-minute local train ride to the boarding site of the Hozugawa River Boat Ride (Hozugawa Kudari), from where you will have a wonderful boat trip, floating down 2 hours through the forest from Kameoka to Arashiyama. The seasoned boatmen paddle with their traditional techniques as you go through the thrilling rapids, mysterious pools, and huge rocks along the shore curved by the flow. Enjoy pleasant views along the way, including the Katsura River Bridge, Uketa Shrine, Hozukyo Gorge, Kameyama Park, and the little red train running along the Sagano Scenic Railway. Disembark after reaching Arashiyama. Next, our guide will take you to visit the Togetsu-kyo Bridge, Tenryu-ji Temple, and Arashiyama Bamboo Forest.

★ Special Gift: Arashiyama Rickshaw
A 10 to 15 minutes’ traditional rickshaw ride takes you to explore quiet paths by the river, into alleyways inaccessible by buses and taxis, and into the secret natural beauty of lush bamboo grove.

In the afternoon, follow our guide back to downtown Kyoto to visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine. In addition to the regular religious buildings, the Senbon Torii here is a scene you may have seen in a postcard, which is a path up the mountain, lined with continuous vermillion torii gates, very spectacular and photogenic. Remember to wear comfortable flat shoes, as there is quite a long walk up and down the steps.

Finally, our guide will escort you to Kyoto Station, from where you will take a half-hour train ride to Osaka by yourself (train tickets reserved and included). Upon arrival, please make your own way to the hotel. Have a good rest!

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Namba Oriental Hotel (4 stars) or Swissotel Nankai Osaka (5 stars)

➤ How to Get to Your Hotel from Shin-Osaka Station:
Take the Midosuji Line for 15 minutes (7 stops) to Namba Station, and then walk 5 minutes east to Namba Oriental Hotel or 2 minutes south to Swissotel Nankai Osaka.

After breakfast, the guide will pick you up from the hotel to start our Osaka city tour. The first stop is the Osaka Castle Park. Take a morning stroll through the scenic gardens and groves, and then visit the Osaka Castle, the central building of the park. Built in 1583, the five-story castle rising above a huge rock base was once the residence of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a great feudal lord and military strategist in ancient times. Step into the castle to see the rich exhibits to learn about the history of the castle and its owner, as well as ancient battles. Take in the amazing panoramic view of Osaka from the observatory on the top floor. Next, head to the nearby Osaka Museum of History, which gives you a better understanding of life in the city from ancient times to the present day.

Shinsekai and Tsutenkaku Tower – Good Old Days of Osaka
Next, the guide will lead you to the Tsutenkaku Tower, whose name literally means ‘a tall building to the heaven’. It is almost twice the height of the Osaka Castle, and the observation deck at the top of the tower, Tembo Paradise, offers an all-encompassing view. Descending from the tower, let’s stroll around the surrounding retro block, Shinsekai, which is filled with large retro signs, as well as many old-Japanese theaters and game centers. Many restaurants here serve food that will make your mouth water, but you’d better hold back, for the following food tour to Dotonbori would be the highlight of the day.

Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori – Ultimate Pleasure of Eating
Late in the afternoon, we’ll visit Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori, the most bustling business area in Osaka. Enjoy the feeling of being wrapped up in a lively atmosphere of extremely rich brand stores, boutiques, souvenir shops, and grocery stores. The huge advertising signs hanging from commercial buildings along the Dotonbori River give you a sense of the vitality of Japanese fashion and consumption. What’s more, it’s a foodies’ paradise. You can choose to follow our guide or tour on your own and enjoy a variety of delicacies, such as Takoyaki, Okonomiyaki, Kushikatsu, Sushi, and Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ). You can stay here late for the wonderful illuminated night view, and finally walk south to return to your hotel in 10 minutes.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Namba Oriental Hotel (4 stars) or Swissotel Nankai Osaka (5 stars)

In the morning, our guide will pick you up from your hotel for a 1.5-hour train ride to Himeji, where lies the ‘First Famous Castle in Japan’ and a World Heritage site – Himeji Castle. Unlike many other ancient castles that were destroyed during the wars and are now being rebuilt across Japan, the Himeji Castle is original and well preserved, first completed in 1346, with most of the existing buildings dating from the early 17th century. Look closely at its white exterior walls and curved eaves and you will understand why it is called the ‘White Egret Castle’. In our guide’s explanation, you can learn about its highly developed defense system and elaborate protective devices.

Next, visit the nearby Koko-en Garden. Pick some of its nine delicate courtyards with distinctive themes, be fascinated by their fine layout, and enjoy a relaxing afternoon. Finally, the guide will escort you on a train back to Osaka for another night.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Namba Oriental Hotel (4 stars) or Swissotel Nankai Osaka (5 stars)

Time flies and here comes the end of your trip. Check out and get to the Osaka Kansai International Airport by yourself. Have a nice trip! We hope our service will bring you good memories!

Meals: Breakfast

➤ If your departure flight is in the afternoon or evening and you need an extra half-day or full-day guided tour, or you want an airport see-off service, please feel free to contact us, as all parts of the itinerary can be tailored to your needs.

➤ How to Get to Osaka Kansai Airport:
1. Train: 50 minutes; USD 7 per person. Walk 6 minutes south from Namba Oriental Hotel or 3 minutes south from Swissotel Nankai Osaka to Namba Station, where you can take the train Nankai Line for 45 minutes to the airport.
2. Taxi: 45 minutes; about USD 130.