Must-Do Japan

Must-Do Japan

From £6,485 per person – 9 Days

Much of Japan’s allure for first-time visitors rests in the country’s apparent paradoxes, such as its embrace of ultra-modern, high-tech life while allowing its most ancient and deeply established customs and heritage to flourish. Despite having a constitution that mandates pacifism and the highest concentration of martial artists in the world, Japan is home to some of the most sophisticated social mores in the world and subcultures like otaku, in which interests are pursued so obsessively that almost all social skills are lost.

This adventure kicks off in Tokyo, the world’s most populous city and home to towering skyscrapers, neon-fronted hypermarkets stocked with cutting-edge technology, cutting-edge contemporary art and architecture, delicious sushi, and kitsch maid cafés. A bustling metropolis full of karaoke bars, Sumo ringside seats, ramen shops, and purikura photo booths… After you’ve had your fill of the city’s glitz and glamour, take the bullet train out to the nearby mountains and relax in a ryokan (traditional inn) in Hakone, soaking in the hot geothermal spring waters of this onsen town and feasting on some of the finest traditional Japanese hospitality and multi-course kaiseki cuisine. The next stop on the bullet train will be Kyoto, the country’s cultural heart and the site of the country’s finest gardens, temples, and machiya townhouses.

Arrival In Tokyo

Park Hotel Tokyo

As you arrive in bustling Tokyo, take a shuttle into the vibrant city, where you will check into Park Hotel that has a lovely view of Tokyo Bay. When you have checked in, a representative will come to meet you and give you helpful information about Japan, walking maps, phrase sheets, and travel tips. You'll also receive pre-paid Pasmo passes so you can ride the ultra-convenient Tokyo Metro. Both the Shimbashi and Shiodome stations are directly connected to your accommodation via an underground passage.

Overnight Stay at Park Hotel Tokyo

DAY 1

Tokyo with a Local Expert

Your day will be spent with a wonderful private city guide for a tour of Tokyo. They will take you around the city and point out all the sights. To get around Tokyo, you will use public transportation. Hamarikyu Garden, with its tidal seawater ponds and lovely tea-house, is a great place to start your stroll down to Tokyo Bay. Afterwards, take a boat ride along the Sumida River to the Tokyo Skytree, the tallest structure in the world, where, on a clear day, you can see as far as Mt. Fuji. Start in Kappabashi, Tokyo's intriguing restaurant supply sector, and make your way to Asakusa, home to the Sens-ji, Tokyo's oldest and most famous Buddhist temple. Visit Japan's most upscale shopping district, Ginza, before heading back to your hotel.

Overnight Stay at the Park Hotel

DAY 2

Tokyo at your own pace

Than Sanctuary Spa

Enjoy a day spending it as you wish, perhaps relax and enjoy the hotel facilities such as the Spa, Thann Sanctuary, which was voted as one of the world’s top 55 spas in the world. Try traditional Japanese cuisine for lunch at Hanasanshou featuring a Shokado lunch box and Mini Kaiseki course. Head to The Society for a cocktail or a whiskey, which was the first bar in Japan that gained official recognition by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

If you are feeling lively, explore the city on your own now that you know your way around. Meijijingu, on the city's western reaches, is Tokyo's most revered shrine and home to the city's most stunning Gardens. See the trendy neighbourhoods of Harajuku and Omotesando for a glimpse of contemporary Tokyo, then head to Shibuya to have some fun at the fantastic game arcades and purikura photo booths. Visit Akihabara, the heart of Tokyo's electronics and geek culture, where you may also enjoy the special allure of a maid café. The name may be suggestive, but these are more kawaii kitsch meccas than anything else.

Extras : During your time in Tokyo, you may want us to arrange a special interest visit, such as a private tour of Tsukiji fish market followed by a sushi making lesson; a visit to the incredible immersive artwork space called teamLab Planets; a private Ninjutsu workshop; tickets to the Sumo wrestling or a private manga drawing session. Just let us know if any of these extras are of interest and we’ll slot it into your itinerary.

Overnight Stay Tokyo Park Hotel

DAY 3

Hakone

To get to Hakone, a spa town on the forested slopes of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park known for its hot-spring resorts, take the bullet train to Odawara Station and transfer to your magnificent traditional ryokan (Japanese Hotel) (onsen). The Hakone Open-Air Museum houses an impressive collection of works by renowned artists including as Picasso, Henry Moore, Taro Okamoto, Yasuo Mizui, and many more, and is well worth a visit. Set in a forest of 300-year-old beech trees, the stunning Pola Museum of Art in neighbouring Sengokuhara showcases a wide selection of works by both Japanese and Western artists. The museum's glass and concrete building was created to blend in with the surrounding nature. Then, unwind in your ryokan with a soak in the onsen and some kaiseki dishes.

Overnight Stay at Ryokan Yamanochaya

DAY 4

Hakone

Relax and enjoy the picturesque countryside of Hakone for the day. Do the circular tour of the area by mountain train, funicular railway, cable car, and boat across Lake Ashi if you want to try to see Mt. Fuji.

Overnight Stay at Ryokan Yamanochaya

DAY 5

Kyoto

From Odawara, take the bullet train west to Kyoto, Japan's former capital and the site of the Imperial Court between the years of 794 and 1869. To the right, you'll see Mount Fuji. You'll be picked up at the airport and driven straight to your quaint boutique hotel in the city centre, which is conveniently situated right next to the Imperial Palace Gardens.

Overnight Stay at Noku Kyoto

DAY 6

Kyoto Sightseeing Tour

Golden Pavillion Kyoto

Your private guide will show you about Kyoto and point out the sights of interest. You'll also get access to a private car with a driver so you can go where you need on demand. Begin your exploration of Kyoto by visiting the city's most famous sights, the Golden Pavilion and Ryoanji Zen Garden, before continuing on to Ninnaji Temple, home to one of the city's most beautiful gardens. If you want to see some stunning scenery, visit Arashiyama and its bamboo gardens and river bridge. At Iwatayama Monkey Park, you can get up and personal with Japanese macaques, and while visiting Japan's stunning temples, be introduced to the country's spiritual side. Visit Otagi Nenbutsuji after stopping at the temples of Tenyu-ji (renowned for its Cloud Dragon ceiling) and Gio-ji (for its amazing moss garden). The 1200 stone statues of the rakan, followers of the Buddha, are the main attraction at this modest temple.

Overnight Stay in Noku Kyoto

DAY 7

Free time in Kyoto

You should spend a day wandering the city on your own now that you know your way around. Take a walk down the Philosopher's Walk, which connects two of Kyoto's most significant temples—Ginkaku-ji, with its beautiful moss garden, and Nazenji Temple—via a canal lined with cherry trees. Or begin in Gion, where you might see some of Kyoto's apprentice geisha on their way to classes, a truly magical sight. Next, continue on to Yasaka-jinja Shrine and through Maruyama Park, where you'll find a route that takes you past Kodai-ji Temple and on to Kiyomizu Temple. And while you're there, check out the incredible variety of fresh produce sold in Nishiki Market.

Extras : We can arrange for you to have a private calligraphy class with a master calligrapher or one of our favourites is to attend a traditional tea ceremony in a machiya townhouse while dressed in a kimono during your time in Kyoto.

Overnight Stay in Noku Kyoto

DAY 8

Travel to Osaka Kansai Airport for your departure home.

Extra : If you want to remain longer in Japan, you can always go to Hiroshima and the sacred island of Miyajima, Osaka, and even the agricultural island of Kyushu in the south.

Depart

DAY 8