Discover Japan
$8580
per person
Japan is a country of contrasts, where ancient gods rub shoulders with modern technology, skyscrapers give way to paddy fields and crowds disperse into the tranquillity of a classical garden. This tour is the perfect introduction to this fascinating archipelago.
Inclusions
- Return international economy flights, taxes and current fuel surcharges (unless a land only option is selected)
- All accommodation
- All meals (From dinner on day 2 to breakfast on the last day)
- All sightseeing and entrance fees
- All transportation and transfers
- English speaking National Escort
- Specialist advice from our experienced travel consultants
- Comprehensive travel guides
Highlights
- Discover the delights of futuristic Tokyo
- Admire breath-taking Mount Fuji
- Experience the speedy Bullet Train
- Get a glimpse of Buddhist life in Koya-San
- Explore the vibrant city of Osaka
$99 deposit is required to secure your spot, price twin share*
Our Discover Japan itinerary has been intricately designed for those who wish to see iconic sites and magnificent treasures. You’ll travel with the assurance that all your arrangements are taken care of, with international flights, accommodation and all the touring listed below. You will be accompanied by our industry-leading National Escorts whose unparalleled knowledge and talent will turn your tour into an unforgettable experience.
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Departure/Return Location
Brisbane -
Departure Time
Tours Dates Commencing from March 2019 -
Return Time
Tour Dates Concluding November 2019 -
Included
AccommodationFlightsMealsTour GuideTransport -
Not Included
Family FriendlyInsuranceSolo TravellerTwin Share
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Tour Plan
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DAYS 1-2: FLY TO TOKYO
Fly overnight to Tokyo, Japan’s capital, for a two-night stay. Tokyo was once known as Edo and was a small fishing town. Depending on your time of arrival the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture.
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DAY 3: VIBRANT TOKYO
Head to the top of Tokyo Skytree for sweeping views of the city. Next, visit Asakusa and wander through Nakamise shopping street and Senso-ji Temple, one of Tokyo’s most colourful and popular temples. Enjoy lunch and stop at the Imperial Palace to view the Nijubashi, two bridges that form an entrance to the inner palace grounds. This afternoon, stroll through the Hamarikyu Gardens and in the evening, enjoy a dinner cruise around Tokyo Bay.
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DAY 4: MT FUJI
Take the super-fast bullet train to Odawara for a boat trip on Ashi Lake, which gives spectacular panoramas of this beautiful area before venturing up the Komagatake Ropeway for amazing views back over the lake and Mt Fuji. Heading up to the 5th Station (weather permitting), take in the breathtaking views over the Fuji Five Lakes below. Stay overnight in either Kofu or Suwa.
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DAY 5: MATSUMOTO CASTLE
This morning, drive 2 hours to Nagano to explore the formidable 16th century Matsumoto Castle. There are steep ladder-style steps in the Matsumoto Castle that you must climb up and back down again. If you choose not to look inside the castle, you can enjoy the surrounding gardens, moat and architecture of Matsumoto Castle. After lunch, stop at a Miso House to learn about the process of making this Japanese seasoning. Try Miso soup before travelling a further 2 and a half hours to Takayama, nestled high in the mountainous Hida region
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DAY 6: TAKAYAMA
Wander to the Miyagawa morning market and sample some of the region’s fruit and vegetables. Later you will visit traditional houses and local museums, including the Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall, Kusakabe Folk Museum and the Takayama Jinya. Enjoy some free time to explore the local shopping streets, which date back to the 17th century.
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DAY 7: CHARMING SHIRAKAWA-GO VILLAGE
Travel to the UNESCO World Heritage listed village, Shirakawago, famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. Try your hand at making traditional Japanese washi paper before continuing to Kanazawa, where you will visit the Nomura Samurai House. The garden inside the residence has a Japanese bayberry tree, which is over 400 years old and a meandering stream surrounded by ancient and strangely shaped rocks.
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DAY 8: TRAVEL TO KYOTO
This morning, wander through the beautiful Kenroku-en, one of the ‘Three Great Gardens of Japan', before strolling down the traditional Higashi Chaya Street. Get a feel for Japan's past and visit Ochaya Shima - a historical Geisha house. Sightseeing this morning will be approximately 3 hours. After lunch, drive 4 hours to Kyoto, Japan's ancient capital, check in to your hotel and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.
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DAY 9: EXPLORE KYOTO
Kyoto was capital for a thousand years; today it is the legacy of ancient Japan, full of tranquil temples, silk-clad geisha and sublime gardens. This morning, head to a restored Japanese wooden townhouse and try your hand at origami and enjoy the rituals of a tea ceremony. In the afternoon, visit Ryoanji Temple, which means 'temple of the peaceful dragon', and the famous Kinkakuji, a Zen temple known as the 'Golden Pavilion'.
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DAY 10: NARA
Visit the unforgettable Fushimi Inaritaisha Shrine, which features in the movie Memoirs of a Geisha. It is famous for its thousands of orange torii gates and is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Foxes are thought to be Inari’s messengers, and you will see many fox statues here. Later travel to Nara, a charming town virtually untouched by the ravages of modernity. Home to much early art and architecture, you will stroll through Nara Park to Todai-ji Temple, meeting the resident Sika deer en route, before exploring Isui-en Gardens.
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DAY 11: KOYASAN
The holy mountain of Koyasan is home to a cluster of over a hundred monasteries nestled in a valley enclosed by peaks said to resemble a lotus flower. Full of atmosphere, savour the tranquillity and spectacular views as you discover Kongobu-ji Temple and the Garan Temple complex before wandering around Okunoin – a vast forest cemetery of 200,000 stupas. Continue on to Osaka.
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DAY 12: OSAKA CASTLE
This morning, visit the famous Osaka Castle before taking a stroll around the Dotonbori district, a restaurant mecca, where you can sample delicious local delicacies. Next, enjoy a 20-minute cruise along the Yodogawa River. Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure before a farewell dinner this evening.
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DAY 13-14: FLY OSAKA TO AUSTRALIA
Fly to Australia, arriving home the same or following day.
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