Panoramic Japan

► Attractions: Tsukiji Outer Market, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Imperial Palace, Senso-ji Temple, Kaminarimon Gate, Nakamise-dori Street, a distant view of Tokyo Skytree
► Inclusions: Hotel breakfast, morning pickup & evening return escort, full-day guide, entrance fees to attractions, public transport passes, hotel in Tokyo

Japan’s extensive public transportation network with exceptional punctuality attracts visitors to explore it in this efficient way, and today, your guide will accompany you to do so after the hotel pick-up. First, head to the Tsukiji Outer Market, where street foods, including artisan-crafted Edomae sushi, different cuts of tuna, and fluffy sweet egg omelet, will ignite your senses. Like other Japanese dishes, their natural seasonal flavors and healthy cooking methods help locals remain slender, which means that you can lower your guard on sculpting curves in the following days！

Let’s then visit the Meiji Jingu Shrine, built to commemorate Emperor Meiji (1852 - 1912 AD) and his wife, who led Japan to rise from a resource-poor nation into a prosperous capitalist society. Thus, over 100,000 trees donated by citizens from all over Japan stand in the highly prized heart of Tokyo to shade their souls.

Our next stop will be the Imperial Palace, which provides a tranquil escape after traversing through crowed concrete jungle, with swans and ducks resting in the defensive moat. Wandering among its courtyards, scattered with relics like the Kikyo Gate, Nijubashi Bridge, and Fujimi Turret, your guide will regale you with their links to Japanese history.

The afternoon tour extends to Senso-ji Temple. Passing through the Kaminarimon Gate, you’ll walk along the humming Nakamise-dori Street, where stall vendors are itching to hook visitors with decorative folding fans, clogs, and Doraemon-shaped treats, far from the ancient temple’s tranquil vibe. After reaching the main hall, you can admire the five-story pagoda. To the southeast, the Tokyo Skytree looms faintly among the cluster of skyscrapers. Perhaps rent a kimono at your own expense for a more immersive experience if interested. Later, your guide will escort you back to your hotel.

► Attractions: Hakone Owakudani Valley, a distant view of Mt. Fuji, Lake Ashi cruise
► Inclusions: Hotel breakfast, morning pickup & evening return escort, full-day guide, entrance fees to attractions, Hakone black egg tasting, public transport (including Tokyo-Hakone round-trip express trains, Hakone Tozan Train, Panoramic Ropeway, and Lake Ashi cruise ship), hotel in Tokyo

Gear up for a memorable day trip to Hakone with your guide! After reaching Odawara Station by train, we’ll hop on the Hakone Tozan Train and Tozan Cable Car, admiring densely wooded ravines and seasonal flowers during the 200-meter (656-foot) inclined ascent up the Hakone mountains. Want a next-level experience? Maybe plan your visit during June and July when thousands of hydrangeas line the tracks.

As we continue to the Owakudani Valley by ropeway, experience the earth’s raw power through continuously ‘breathing’ geothermal steam. On sunny days, its viewpoint offers a clear visual contrast between the hell-like volcanic relics and the snow-capped Mount Fuji in the distance. Another highlight is the shrine housing a statue of the Bodhisattva of longevity, which was carved by a famous Buddhist monk Kukai (774-835 AD), hoping that locals could escape the harsh living environment. Booming tourism makes his dream come true while attracting more visitors to marvel at this geological wonder. Here, we’ll treat you to the special hot-spring-boiled black eggs before continue the ropeway ride to Togendai Port by the Lake Ashi.

Later, you’ll embark on the 30-minute Lake Ashi cruise, during which all the area’s representative elements gradually unfold: deep blue waters, Mt. Fuji, and the Hakone Shrine Peace Torii, worthy for Instagrammable photos. Today’s sightseeing will end here, and your guide will escort you back to your hotel in Tokyo by train.

★ Exclusive Date Exchange Service for Visiting Mt. Fuji 

Did you know Mt. Fuji is completely clear on only 80 days a year? Rather than crossing your fingers, bet on us - the sole travel operator across Japan offering the date-changing service. You can pick the day with the better forecast during your two-day Tokyo trip and boost your success rate by 50%! While early morning is the prime viewing hour, the high humidity from June to August may introduce a morning haze, whereas the dry air from October to February brings sharp contours of the iconic summit.
► Tip: If you use this service, please note that the reserved bullet train tickets we booked for you one month in advance may be changed to non-reserved ones. But trust us, it’s 100% worth our efforts, as there’s only a 5% chance you’ll need to stand the entire journey in the off-season.

► Attractions: Golden Pavilion, Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, Pure Water Temple, Gion geisha district
► Inclusions: Hotel breakfast, Tokyo-to-Kyoto bullet train, Kyoto guide, entrance fees to attractions, public transport passes in Kyoto, evening return escort, hotel in Kyoto

After breakfast, travel independently onward to your next destination, Kyoto, with the train tickets provided by us. The Tokyo train station is a 9-minute walk from the 3-star hotel and a 7-minute walk from the 4-star hotel. After 2.5 hours’ train ride, Kyoto welcomes you with timeless Japanese charm, where the high-rises give way to rows of low-slung, dark-roofed townhouses.

After your guide picks you up at Kyoto Station, let’s proceed to the Temple of the Golden Pavilion. Behind the historic wooden main gate, elegant gardens and ponds serve as the backdrop to its eye-catching gold-leaf-covered appearance, perfectly reflecting what a famous shogun’s retreat should be. If the scenes ring a bell, you may remind the Japanese anime ‘Clever Ikkyu’. Right! Its owner, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358 - 1408 AD), is the shogun who often outsmarts the little monk Ikkyu. He unified Japan, fostered major economic growth, and took the Muromachi shogunate to its peak.

Later, follow the historic Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka to the Pure Water Temple while absorbing the vibrant stalls selling matcha-flavored treats, sake cups, and painted fans. Upon reaching the temple, walk on the Pure Water Stage for unobstructed views of downtown Kyoto and lush valleys. Guess what? Without nails, columns and beams interlocked in a lattice pattern have helped the stage withstand earthquakes for centuries, which even inspires the Grand Roof Ring of the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo.

Continue our way to the nearby Gion district, where Hanamikoji Street is often hyped up as the best site to spot geishas. Actually, those in kimonos are just tourists who want to integrate into the nostalgic atmosphere and pose for photos. Don’t give up yet! Utilize the following guide to encounter authentic geishas by yourself instead of returning to your hotel with your guide.

► Scoop from Experienced Geisha Hunters
Geishas often appear in the streets within 100 meters of the ‘Crown Restaurant’ around 21:00, and you can mark the area on Google Maps. They walk quickly toward private teahouses for work, never stopping for tourist photographs. Out of regular stage and tea ceremony shows, they ‘pander’ to guests through a private meeting and dinner. However, as the walking billboard for Japan tourism, their ‘extra efforts’ have been rarely mentioned, because their quiet grace feels like a true sign of elegance in East Asian culture. To return to your hotel, you can take the 25-minute 207 City Bus from nearby Shijo Keihan-mae Station to Subway Kujo Station near your hotel, or take a 15-minute taxi ride back.

► Attractions: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Nara Park, Great Eastern Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine (Goryo Shrine & Naramachi Lattice House if time permits)
► Inclusions: Hotel breakfast, morning pickup & evening return escort, full-day guide, entrance fees to attractions, Kyoto-Nara round-trip trains, other public transport passes, hotel in Kyoto

After the hotel meet-up, set off to Fushimi Inari Shrine with your guide early to avoid too many ambitious photographers at the Senbon Torii. Thousands of bright orange-red gates stretch into forests, with sunlight flittering through their gaps, quite photogenic for geometric images. Donated by worshippers as gratitude for answered prayers, each gate is inscribed with the donor’s name and the date. Even the smallest one costs about JPY 175,000 (USD 1,200)!Around noon, your guide will accompany you on a train ride to Nara and head straight for Nara Park to meet the city’s brand ambassadors - deer. Some will make a beeline for you the second they spot deer crackers in your hand, while others ignore everyone. But all are clever! On scorching summer days, they often press the automatic door button with their noses to walk in and cool off.

Then, let’s proceed to Great Eastern Temple, the 8th-century Japanese Buddhist central hub, followed by a visit to the Kasuga Taisha Shrine. Legend says that the enshrined deity arrived here riding on a white deer, and thus locals viewed all local deer as sacred messengers of him. You may spot free-roaming cuties among the trees and stone lanterns. In the late afternoon, hop on a train back to Kyoto with your guide.

* If time allows, we’ll also explore the Goryo Shrine and Naramachi Lattice House in Nara.

► Attractions: Nijo Castle, Osaka Castle, Dotonbori & Shinsaibashi, Hozen-ji Temple
► Inclusions: Hotel breakfast, morning pickup & evening return escort, full-day guide, entrance fees to attractions, Kyoto-to-Osaka bullet train, other public transport passes, hotel in Osaka

After greeting you at your hotel, your guide will accompany you for a final glimpse of Kyoto at Nijo Castle - the ultimate witness to the Tokugawa samurai’s golden age and Japan’s power shifting dynamics in the 17th-19th centuries. To flex their power, the Tokugawa family stamped their three-leaf hollyhock crest on roof tiles and beams almost everywhere, so the emperor later ordered it erased from any crest higher than the imperial symbol; only a few survived due to their unnoticed locations. Believe your keen eyes can find them!

We’ll then board a train to Osaka and visit Osaka Castle upon arrival. Is the city truly just about eating and shopping as rumored? Here, however, your perspective will shift. The monumental gates, towering stone walls, and the double moats are all steeped in the city’s defense history. Besides, from the central Main Keep’s observation deck, you can enjoy panoramic views of Osaka.

As the day winds down, let’s dive straight into the neon-soaked Dotonbori & Shinsaibashi for the Osakan philosophy of ‘nightlife is made for revelry.’ A stroll along Dotonbori Canal will also unveil the city’s juxtaposition: right near the retro-futurist Glico Man sign lies Hozenji Temple, offering a pocket of tranquility.

After a brief tour, your guide will escort you back to your hotel, or you can stay out to live your best nightlife. With endless shops and eats in nearby Shinsaibashi Street and our handpicked hotel only a 10-minute walk away, you can explore worry-free as you wish!

► Attractions: Miyajima Island, Itsukushima Shrine, Floating Torii Gate, Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park & Museum
► Inclusions: Hotel breakfast, Osaka-Hiroshima round-trip trains, Hiroshima guide, entrance fees to attractions, ferry to Miyajima Island, other public transport passes, hotel in Osaka

After breakfast, head to Shin-Osaka Station on your own to board the 1.5-hour bullet train to Hiroshima with the tickets we’ve pre-booked for you. Walk 3 to 5 minutes from your hotel to Shinsaibashi Station, and then the Midosuji Line will take you there in 12 minutes for 6 stops. Your local guide will meet you at Hiroshima Station and accompany you on a ferry trip to Miyajima Island.

The view as you approach is unreal: the vermilion Grand Torii Gate literally looks like a portal to another world. Upon reaching Itsukushima Shrine, observe its appearance changing with the tide: the sea surges beneath the pillars that support the whole shrine at high tide, creating the illusion of a floating sanctuary; at low tide, the receding waters reveal the seabed, allowing you to walk to the base of the Grand Torii Gate and admire the three mirror-like tidal ponds.

Our afternoon exploration focuses on downtown Hiroshima. The scars of this world’s first atomic bomb-stricken city have long been concealed by energetic parks, bustling markets, and communities dedicated to remembrance and education; however, some monuments are erected to remind everyone of the tragedy on August 6th, 1945 and evoke world peace. Your guide will show you around the Atomic Bomb Dome, followed by the adjacent Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which offers more in-depth insights into the tragedy and its aftermath through tattered clothing, melted objects, and survivor testimonies. Before departing, perhaps pen your reflections on peace and something touching you in the guestbook.

Today’s sightseeing will conclude here. Your guide will escort you to Hiroshima train station and provide you with the train tickets back to Osaka. After arrival, please make your own way back to your hotel.

► Inclusions: Hotel breakfast

On the final day, please check out on time and arrange your own transportation to Osaka Kansai International Airport. All guests, whether staying in the 3- or 4-star hotel, can take the Midosuji Line from the nearby Shinsaibashi Station for one stop to Namba Station, where the Nankai Line Airport Express will take you to the airport in about 45 minutes. We’re also happy to help reserve return tickets to Tokyo for more international flights if needed. Safe travels!