12 days · Quoted per enquiry

Japan Golden Route

Make sushi in Tokyo, sit down to a tea ceremony in Kyoto and taste sake at the brewery. Twelve days by coach and bullet train through Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nara and Osaka.

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The classic first journey

Cities. Landscapes. Heritage. Experiences.

Cities
Tokyo · Osaka
Landscapes
Hakone · Miyajima
Heritage
Kyoto · Hiroshima · Nara
Experiences
Sushi-making · tea ceremony · sake brewery

days on the ground

stops on the route

Worth knowing

Sushi-making, a tea ceremony and a sake brewery

Planned for

May to July 2027. Departure dates to be confirmed.

Day by day

The complete journey.

Use this itinerary as your starting point. Your tailored proposal confirms accommodation, transport, included experiences and the price for your dates.

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Tokyo

Day 1–3

Day 1

Arrival in Tokyo

Arrival in Tokyo, where your English-speaking guide meets the group. Transfer by private coach to the hotel.

Day 2

Tokyo

A day between old and new Tokyo: Meiji Shrine in its forest, the streets of Harajuku and Omotesando, Shibuya Crossing, the Samurai Museum and an evening look at Shinjuku.

Day 3

Tokyo

Asakusa’s Kannon Temple and the Nakamise arcade, followed by a sushi-making experience that becomes your lunch. In the afternoon, go up to the 350-metre observatory of Tokyo Skytree and finish in Akihabara.

Hakone

Day 4

Tokyo – Hakone

Leave Tokyo for the village of Oshino Hakkai, then on to Hakone for a cruise on Lake Ashi and a ride on the Hakone Ropeway to the steaming volcanic valley of Owakudani. Dinner at the hotel. Your main luggage travels ahead to Kyoto, so pack a small bag for this one night.

Lake Ashi in the Hakone caldera, with Mount Fuji beyond — Lake Ashi

Kyoto

Day 5–6

Day 5

Hakone – Kyoto

Private coach to Odawara station and the Shinkansen bullet train to Kyoto. In the afternoon, visit Kiyomizu Temple and walk through the lanes of Gion.

Day 6

Kyoto

The bamboo grove of Arashiyama and Togetsukyo Bridge, then Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion. The day closes with a tea ceremony experience.

Miyajima

Day 7

Hiroshima & Miyajima

A full day out from Kyoto by bullet train. Cross to Miyajima Island for Itsukushima Shrine, then return to Hiroshima for the Peace Memorial Park and Museum before the evening train back to Kyoto.

Floating torii of Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima — Itsukushima Shrine

Nara

Day 8

Fushimi Inari & Nara

Begin at Fushimi Inari Shrine, then visit a sake brewery for a tour and tasting. Continue to Nara for Todai-ji Temple and the deer park, and on to Osaka for the night.

Osaka

Day 9

Osaka

Osaka Castle, with entry to the keep, and the observatory of the Umeda Sky Building, then free time among the lights of Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi. Main luggage goes ahead to Tokyo, so keep a small bag for tonight.

Tokyo

Day 10–12

Day 10

Osaka – Tokyo

Bullet train from Shin-Osaka back to Tokyo. Explore Tsukiji Outer Market and the Ginza district, with a photo stop at the Double Bridge of the Imperial Palace.

Day 11