9 Days in Japan: Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, Hakone & Kyoto

Welcome to Japan. On arrival at Narita or Haneda Airport, our representative meets you and transfers you by private vehicle to your Tokyo hotel. The rest of the day is yours. Rest after the flight, or take a first walk through the neighbourhood and let the city introduce itself.

Overnight: Tokyo
Note: Depending on operational arrangements, the airport transfer may be accompanied by an English-speaking assistant.
Meals: None

Tokyo holds two cities inside one, and today you see both. Begin in Asakusa at Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple, then walk Nakamise Shopping Street — a lane of traditional sweets, handicrafts and souvenir stalls running to the temple gate. Continue to Meiji Shrine, a forested sanctuary in the middle of the metropolis, before crossing into Harajuku and Omotesando, where youth fashion, contemporary architecture and designer boutiques sit side by side.

Next, Shibuya Crossing — the scramble intersection that has become shorthand for modern Tokyo. Finish in Ginza, the city's most elegant shopping district, known for luxury boutiques, department stores and galleries.

Optional — Tokyo Local Food Tour (additional charge) Taste your way through a lively Tokyo neighbourhood: yakitori, sashimi, okonomiyaki, ramen or udon, and a traditional Japanese dessert.

Overnight: Tokyo

Meals: Breakfast

A full free day to explore Tokyo at your own pace — neighbourhoods, shopping, food, or simply the atmosphere of the city. Three optional experiences are available.

Optional — Sumo Experience with Lunch (additional charge · guided, public transport) Step into Ryogoku, Tokyo's sumo district, for a close look at the discipline and tradition behind Japan's national sport, followed by lunch.

Optional — Kamakura Day Trip (additional charge · guided, public transport) Travel to Kamakura, Japan's former samurai capital, for ancient temples, coastal air and the Great Buddha of Kamakura.

Optional — Tokyo Skytree or Tokyo Tower (additional charge · main deck admission included) Rise above the city for panoramic views across the Tokyo skyline. On a clear day, Mount Fuji appears on the horizon.

Overnight: Tokyo

Meals: Breakfast

Leave Tokyo behind for the Fuji–Hakone region and its mountains, volcanic valleys and lakes. Ride the Hakone Ropeway for sweeping views over the range, then reach Owakudani Valley, an active volcanic zone of steaming vents and sulphur air.

In the afternoon, cruise Lake Ashi, ringed by the Hakone mountains. On clear days, Mount Fuji rises above the far shore.

Optional — Ryokan Stay (additional charge) Spend the night in a traditional Japanese inn with natural hot spring baths and kaiseki dining.

Overnight: Hakone

Meals: Breakfast

This morning, travel to Kyoto by Shinkansen, with reserved seating included — Japan's bullet train, and the fastest way to cross the country. On arrival, step straight into Kyoto's older self in the Gion District: preserved streets, wooden machiya townhouses and centuries-old teahouses. The rest of the day is at leisure, with two optional cultural experiences available.

Optional — Traditional Tea Ceremony (additional charge) Learn the rituals and hospitality behind Japanese tea culture in an authentic ceremony.

Optional — Kimono Experience (additional charge) Dress in a traditional kimono and walk Kyoto's historic streets.

Note: transfers may be provided with an English-speaking assistant depending on operational arrangements.

Overnight: Kyoto

Meals: Breakfast

A full day across Kyoto's landmarks.

Begin at Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion — gold leaf above a still pond, and the most photographed building in the city. Continue to Nijo Castle, the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa shoguns and one of Japan's clearest surviving statements of samurai-era power.

Finish at Nishiki Market, known as Kyoto's Kitchen — a narrow covered street of stalls selling seafood, seasonal produce, pickles and Japanese sweets.

Optional — Geisha Dinner Experience (additional charge) An intimate evening of traditional performing arts and conversation, and a glimpse into Kyoto's living geisha culture.

Overnight: Kyoto

Meals: Breakfast

A free day in Kyoto, with two guided options for those who want to travel further.

Optional — Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Fushimi Inari Shrine (additional charge · guided, public transport) Walk the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, then continue to Fushimi Inari Shrine and the thousands of vermilion torii gates climbing the sacred mountain behind it.

Optional — Nara Day Trip (additional charge · guided, public transport) Travel to Nara, Japan's first permanent capital, for Nara Park and its free-roaming deer, and the great wooden temples at the root of early Japanese culture.

Overnight: Kyoto

Meals: Breakfast

Another free day, with three optional experiences.

Optional — Osaka Day Trip (additional charge · guided, public transport) Visit Osaka Castle and the neon streets of Dotonbori, Japan's most famous street-food quarter.

Optional — Sake Tasting (additional charge · guided, public transport) Taste a range of sake and learn the brewing process and regional differences behind Japan's rice wine.

Optional — Taiko Drumming Workshop (additional charge · guided, public transport) A hands-on session with an instructor on Japan's traditional drums.

Overnight: Kyoto

Meals: Breakfast

A final free morning in Kyoto for last-minute shopping or a quiet walk. Make your way to Kyoto Station, where the airport shuttle bus takes you directly to Kansai International Airport (KIX) for your departure flight.
We hope you leave Japan with memories worth returning for.

Meals: Breakfast