Itinerary
Day 1: Fly to Tokyo via Dubai
Overnight flight from London (regional
connections available) to Tokyo Haneda airport
with British Airways. (N)
Day 2: Tokyo
Arrive and transfer to the Grand Prince Hotel
New Takanawa for 3 nights. (N)
Day 3: Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
Full-day excursion to the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park for views of Mount Fuji, a
cruise on Lake Ashi and a ride on the Mount
Komagatake Ropeway (cable car) and a visit to
the Hakone Open-Air Museum. (B, L)
Day 4: Tokyo
Full-day tour visiting Asakusa Kannon temple,
Tokyo National Museum, the Imperial East
Garden and the peaceful Meiji shrine. Lunch
will be a kushiage meal of fried meat and
vegetables. (B, L)
Day 5: Kanazawa
Morning departure by shinkansen (bullet train)
to Kanazawa. Visit Kanazawa castle park and
the Kenroku-en garden. Stay 2 nights at the
Crowne Plaza ANA Kanazawa (or similar). (B)
Days 6: Kanazawa Shirakawago
Early morning stroll in the Higashi-Chayamachi
district, home to various traditional buildings,
then visit the busy Omi fresh food market.
Afternoon excursion to Shirakawago to see the
Unesco-listed gassho-zukuri houses and their
unique architectural style. (B)
Days 7-8: Kyoto
Travel by express train to Kyoto. Visits include
Nijo castle, a walking tour of Nishiki market
to tour the numerous food stalls, and the
WAK cultural centre, housed in a wooden
townhouse known as a machiya, for a
cooking class and a traditional tea ceremony
experience. The following day is at leisure to
explore Kyoto at your own pace. Stay 2 nights
at the New Miyako Hotel (or similar). (B)
Day 9: Kyoto Hiroshima
Mornig visit to Kinkakuji temple (Golden
Pavilion), then Ryoanji temple, famous for its
Zen rock garden. Afternoon tour of the historic
city of Nara, then continue to Osaka to catch
the bullet train south to Hiroshima. Stay 2
nights at the Granvia Hiroshima / Sheraton
Hiroshima. (B)
Day 10: Miyajima island Hiroshima
Take the ferry to Miyajima island to visit the
Itsukushima shrine and see the Torii gate.
Return to the mainland and take the train
back to the city to visit the Hiroshima Peace
Memorial Park and the Memorial Museum. (B)
Day 11: Himeji Tokyo
Board a bullet train for the journey north
to Himeji city. Take a tour of Himeji castle,
which, unlike most castles in Japan, is still in
its original form and is arguably the finest
example of medieval castle architecture in
the country. Afterwards, take a stroll in
the Koko-en gardens, which consist of
nine separate, walled gardens with ponds,
waterfalls and a tea ceremony house. Travel by
train on to Tokyo, and stay at the Royal Park
Haneda (or similar) for 1 night. (B, L)
Day 12: Fly to London
Transfer to the airport and board a British
Airways flight back to London, arriving later the
same day. (B)
