Essence of 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

After the hotel pick-up, your guide will accompany you to Tsukiji Outer Market, dubbed Tokyo’s stomach, via efficient public transportation. Abundant ultra-fresh seafood reflects a shift in Japanese dietary habits – from eating river fish to ocean fish – during the 17th and 19th centuries, which demands fluid knife skills to ensure the best taste. As we wander through its ‘intestinal tracts’, wow at how the knife dances through the ingredients, and treat yourself to samples of traditional food like tuna, sashimi, and seafood sushi.Next up is the forested Meiji Jingu Shrine, dedicated to Emperor Meiji (1852 - 1912 AD) and Empress Shoken, who spiritually supported each other as they made great contributions to the country’s modernization, female education, and medical aid. Consequently, it’s an honor for Japanese couples to enter into a lifelong covenant here. You may witness a traditional wedding ceremony if fortune favors us!

Later, let’s visit the Imperial Palace, home of the Emperor of Japan, hidden in Tokyo’s skyscraper jungle. Unique for its well-manicured Outer Garden, the palace presents seasonal beauty with blooming plums, azaleas, irises, and maple leaves.

We’ll conclude the day with a visit to the 1,400-year-old Senso-ji Temple, which exemplifies Tokyo’s nostalgic atmosphere best. After ticking off the iconic Kaminarimon Gate highlighted by a giant red lantern, you’ll be caught up in the Nakamise-dori Street lined with centuries-old stalls offering traditional handicrafts, toys, and authentic sweets. Strolling towards the main hall, get your camera ready for the five-story pagoda, which points straight to the futuristic Tokyo Skytree in the distance. Finally, 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

Embark on a day trip to Hakone area with your guide after a morning greeting at your hotel. Once at Odawara Station by train, the Hakone Tozan Train and Tozan Cable Car will take us up the mountain, with changing forest scenery and 3 exciting switchbacks over a 200-meter (656-foot) ascent. 

After arriving at Sounzan Station, let’s transfer to the ropeway to Owakudani Valley. Watch the white steam billowing from this volcanic valley below, while shielding yourself with the provided disposable towels from the strong sulfur smell. On sunny days, Mt. Fuji will reveal itself from afar, and you can capture it from the observation deck, along with a close-up look at active vents. Interestingly, local specialties, such as black eggs, ice creams, and curry bread, are all black after undergoing chemical reactions, triggering visitors’ curiosity about their tastes. Will you be one of the brave?

Next, continue our ropeway journey to Lake Ashi for a cruise. The deep blue waters mirror the traditional local dwellings and the red Great Torii Gate of Hakone Shrine, while at the far end of the lake stands the conical silhouette of Mount Fuji. Upon completion, we’ll escort you back to your hotel in Tokyo.

★ Exclusive Date-Exchange Service to Optimize Your Mt. Fuji Experience

Mount Fuji is notoriously shy, showing its clear peak on only about 80 days a year. To make sure no one leaves with regrets, we are the only Japan tour operator who offers a groundbreaking date-exchange service, encouraging our guests to select a better weather window during their two-day stay in Tokyo. During this period, our team will monitor real-time weather conditions and dynamically adjust your transport arrangements. We appreciate your understanding if you need to stand with non-reserved tickets due to the last-minute change, but rest assured, the probability of no seats during the off-season is only 5%. June through August trips often bring a bit of pity due to low visibility, so we strongly recommend planning your visit between October and February when Mt. Fuji is at its most generous under crisp and sunny weather.

► 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 KyotoAfter breakfast, please check out and independently head to Kyoto with the train ticket we’ve pre-booked for you. Our 4-star hotel is a 7-minute walk from Tokyo Station, while the 3-star hotel is about a 9-minute walk away. Got heavy luggage? Grab a 5-minute taxi ride for approximately USD 10-15, or ask your guide for the luggage delivery service to Osaka in advance.

2.5 hours later, your Kyoto guide will meet you at the train station. Unlike Tokyo’s visual explosion, Kyoto exudes a low-key vibe, where storefront signs perfectly match historic wooden townhouses. Our first stop is the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, commissioned by the famous Japanese shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358-1408 AD). The three-tier design indicates his political ambitions: the aristocracy on the ground floor, the samurai in the middle, and Zen Buddhism at the top. Crowning the roof stands a golden phoenix symbolizing the shogun himself, as if saying, “The whole era is under my control!”Kyoto’s street signage invites visitors to ‘enjoy life while walking’, and when we climb the slopes of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka towards our next stop, Pure Water Temple, you’ll experience this laid-back spirit through the traditional buildings and Japanese shops lining the way. Once there, capture Japan’s tallest three-story pagoda and overlook Kyoto from the Pure Water Stage. The cityscape harmonizes beautifully with the surroundings, especially framed by cherry blossoms from late March to early April and red maples from late November to early December. At dusk, let’s meander along the stone paths in the Gion geisha district, where visitors and geishas in kimonos add to its traditional vibe.

Your guide will then accompany you back to your hotel, or you can take a self-guided exploration further, and finally take a 15-minute taxi ride back. A more economical way is to take City Bus No.207 from the nearby Shijo Keihan-mae Station to Subway Kujo Station in 25 minutes, and walk 3 minutes to your hotel.

► Insider Tips for Self-Guided Exploration in Gion
Every visitor should encounter authentic geishas at least once in this area. Search ‘OKOSHIYASU Restaurant’ on Google Maps, and stroll around the streets within 100 meters. The best time is around 20:30 when geishas rush to their next appointments in a private teahouse. Beyond cultural performance, amorous affairs are also a part of their careers, and as the professional of arts, they reserve the right to refuse. However, this discreet aspect is rarely mentioned due to cultural differences. When Amsterdam’s De Wallen advertises bold shows, Japanese teahouses still choose to keep a mysterious Eastern vibe. 

► 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

Rise and shine! Your guide will pick you up early to visit Fushimi Inari Shrine before the rush. Although it’s dedicated to the goddess of rice, the real stars here are white fox messengers, frozen into statues across the shrine holding symbolic items in their mouths or paws: rice ears for harvest, keys for wealth, jewels for divine wisdom, and scrolls for sacred teachings. It’s said that fox messengers would carry your wishes to the gods if you find all four postures! Another site known for the efficacy of prayers is the Senbon Torii gates that wind like flames to the mountaintop. Built by believers as donations after their wishes come true, this tunnel directly leads you into a sacred realm where gods live. Next, hop on an express train with your guide to Nara and head to Nara Park for interactions with the free-roaming deer. A fun fact is that the deer population here has been booming thanks to more visitors treating them with deer crackers, easier to chew than dry grasses, which indirectly extends their lifespan. Access crackers from the nearby vending machines if you’re interested in feeding.

After paying homage to the 15-meter (49-foot) tall gilded bronze statue of the Vairocana Buddha at Great Eastern Temple, we’ll make our way to Kasuga Taisha Shrine. In the local lore, deer were revered as messengers of the local war god buried here, and even the highest-ranking landowners had to stop and bow when encountering them. Venturing deep along the path adorned with thousands of stone lanterns, you’ll unveil the shrine’s vermilion halls set against a primeval forest. Finally, your guide will accompany you back to your hotel in Kyoto.

* If time permits, the Goryo Shrine and Naramachi Lattice House will be on our Nara sightseeing list.

► Attractions: Nijo Castle, Osaka Castle, Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori, 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 the hotel pick-up, your guide will accompany you to Nijo Castle, the 17th-century Tokugawa shogunate’s residence, whose inner courtyard design defines Japanese garden art. The Ninomaru Garden is the ultimate fairyland centered around a pond, the Honmaru Garden features a unique dry landscape with some Western geometric elements, and the Seiryu-en Garden is a thorough hybrid of Japanese and Western style. 

Then, bid farewell to Kyoto and we’ll proceed to Osaka by train. Once checked into our well-selected hotel, your guide will show you around Osaka Castle, a magnificent symbol of a united Japan. Enjoy the city’s sweeping views from the Main Keep and browse through exhibits on samurai culture inside its modern museum. 

Osaka is called the kitchen of Japan, as the motto here is ‘eat until you drop’, and you’ll quickly get it when our journey continues to Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori districts. Under giant neon signs, stalls selling sizzling Octopus Balls, Deep-Fried Skewers, and Savory Cabbage Pancakes never lack eager foodies, while treasure diggers are busy in trendy boutiques, retail chains, and cosmeceuticals shops. Going south, you’ll find the Hozen-ji Temple and its moss-covered deity statues hidden among bustling streets.

Later, you can choose to be escorted back to your hotel by your guide, or stroll around on your own. To return to your hotel, just walk 5 to 10 minutes from Shinsaibashi Street.

► Inclusions: Hotel breakfast

On the final day, please arrange your own transportation to the airport. The route for a 50-minute metro ride is: walk 5 minutes from your hotel to Shinsaibashi Station, take the Midosuji Line to Namba Station, then transfer to the Nankai Limited Express to Kansai International Airport. Or, the 1-hour taxi ride costs about USD 110-140. We’re also happy to help you book train or air tickets back to Tokyo if needed.

Have longer holidays? Consider extending your trip to Kobe, Hiroshima, or Kanazawa, or planning an Asian exploration combining China and South Korea. Our mini-group and tailored private tours will make your inspirations come true!