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Japan, 12 Days · Classic tour
Sapporo, North Honshu, Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka
Because Japan is much more than sushi, neon lights and cutting-edge technology
Every country has its own symbols, and if there is one that stands out in Japan above many others, it is the majestic Mount Fuji, elusive and famously fond of hiding in low clouds and mist. FGetting a picture of Fuji-san in the clear on a sunny day is an achievement for many. This will be one of our objectives on this route, which starts in Sapporo, on the island of Hokkaido, and runs through the north of the island of Honshu, the main island of the archipelago, through Yamadera, Aizuwakamatsu and Mito before arriving in the great capital, Tokyo. From there we head to Kawaguchiko, north of Mt. Kawaguchiko, a spectacular area where nature and tradition go hand in hand, and where we also experience sleeping in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese lodge. Nara and Kyoto, the former imperial capital with its rich cultural heritage, will be our last stops. How about some photo-hunting with us?
Departure date
Departures from June 2024 till November 2024
From
London, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow...
Travel details
City of origin - Sapporo
Departure with destination Sapporo. Night on board.
Sapporo
Arrival at the Sapporo airport, on the island of Hokkaido, in the north of Japan. Transfer to the hotel, with free time to start getting to know the city and get acquainted with the country. Accommodation.
Sapporo - Otaru - Sapporo
Breakfast. Today we have the visit of the city. We will make stops by the Clock Tower and Odori Koen Avenue, which is dominated by the Television Tower. We will pay a visit to the beautiful Shinto shrine of Hokkaido Jingu and attend a 'kito', a type of ceremonial prayer. On the outskirts of Sapporo we'll also see the Hill of the Buddha, an avant-garde architecture centre opened in 2015. The lavender-covered hill is the site of a giant Buddha statue, while on the complex we'll also see the replicas of the Moai statues (Easter Island). We continue towards Otaru, a small city with European flavour that is rich with little streets full of commercial life, an old canal and small museums. Lunch at a local restaurant. Return to Sapporo and rest of the afternoon free. Accommodation.
Sapporo - Toyako Onsen - Porotokotan - Tomakomai - ferry
Breakfast. Amidst beautiful scenery in the interior of the island of Hokkaido, we arrive at the spa town of Toyako, at the foot of an impressive volcano and on the shores of a beautiful lake occupying an ancient crater. Time to stroll along its banks. We then visit the volcanology museum, which serves as a reminder of the eruptions that have occurred in this region. Afterwards, we take a cable car to the summit of the Usu volcano, where we have time to walk around the volcanic landscape and enjoy the magnificent scenery. Lunch at a local restaurant. We travel on to Shiraoi where we visit the Porotokotan, the Ainu village museum, to learn about the culture of the Eskimo people who inhabited this island before the arrival of the Japanese. Then it's on to Tomakomai, where we board an overnight ferry. Accommodation in double cabins with private bathroom. Dinner included. Night sailing on the Pacific Ocean.
ferry - Sendai - Yamadera - Yonezawa - Aizuwakamatsu
Mid-morning, we'll reach the port town of Sendai on the island of Honshu. From there we'll continue our journey to Yamadera, a beautiful complex of temples dating back more than a thousand years and nestled among mountains and lofty forests. We'll have time here to explore this magical place. Lunch included. Onward to Yonezawa, one of the main sake-producing regions, where we'll stop at a museum with a small-scale distillery. Finally, we'll head to Aizuwakamatsu to spend the night.
Aizuwakamatsu - Ouchijuku - Oya Museum - Tokyo
Breakfast. In Aizuwakamatsu we will visit the Samurai Mansion to learn more about these ancient warriors. Afterwards, we will take a walk through the Castle garden, where we may see children practising martial arts in the dojo. We will go up to Iimoriyama, where we will see sculptures donated by Mussolini and talk about the martyr children of the city. We continue our route to Ouchijuku, a picturesque village of traditional thatched-roof houses. Later we journey to the Oya Museum, with its impressive old stone quarries. Arrival at the end of the day in Tokyo. Accommodation.
Tokyo
Breakfast. We dedicate the morning to an extended, five-hour tour of this impressive city, accompanied by our guide. The frenetic buzz and ultramodern neighbourhoods of the city coexist in harmony with fantastically peaceful areas. We start with a brief stop at the Zojoji Temple to take a good photo of the Tokyo Tower. In this temple hundreds of jizo statues stand out, serving as guardian stone deities of children, to whom wool hats, bibs and windmills are given as offerings. We will then go to the famous Shibuya crossing, the busiest crosswalk on the planet. We'll pay a visit to the Meiji Shinto shrine, which is dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife. From there we continue with our bus through the elegant Omotesando Avenue, which serves as an important commercial hub. We will skirt the Imperial Palace and its gardens and make a stop to visit the famous Nijubashi Bridge. We will cross the neighbourhood of Akihabara, known as the city of electronics and the home of manga and Japanese anime; we then pass by the Kokugikan, the Sumo stadium, the king of Japanese sport. We will also pay a visit to the Buddhist temple of Sensoji, also known as Asakusa Kannon, the oldest and most important temple in Tokyo with its 55-metre-high pagoda, and the Nakamise Shopping Street, full of small stalls ideal for buying souvenirs. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we take the underground to the Shinjuku area, which has a lively nightlife. Dinner at a local restaurant. Return to the hotel by underground accompanied by our guide. Accommodation.
Tokyo - Mount Fuji - Kawaguchiko
Breakfast. We make our way towards the beautiful area of Mount Fuji, travelling through beautiful landscapes. Kawaguchiko awaits us, an idyllic town of small houses, flowers and mountains by the lake. Upon arrival we will visit the Fuji Sengen Shrine, a special place where, traditionally, the pilgrimage road to the mountain began. In the sanctuary we can give thanks for being able to visit this magical place. We will take a boat trip on the lake and, later on, we will head up to Mount Fuji 5th Station, which is 2305 metres high. In the afternoon we return to Kawaguchiko, where we will stay in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese-style overnight stay. There, we can enjoy the hot springs in their onsen and a traditional Japanese dinner. Accommodation.
Kawaguchiko - Iyasi no Sato Nenba - Toyota - Nagoya - Kyoto
Breakfast. In the morning, we drive along a beautiful road that runs alongside lakes to visit Iyashi No Sato Nenba, a small village destroyed by a cyclone in 1966 and later restored as an open-air museum. Its classic houses have been converted into artisan shops, restaurants, and traditional museums. We then visit the Shiraito Falls, considered to be one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Japan, with a 20-metre drop. Then it's on to Nagoya, Japan's third largest city, which sits on the shores of the Pacific. There we will visit the Toyota Museum, a must for car lovers. Onward journey to Kyoto, check-in, and overnight stay.
Kyoto
Breakfast. We'll spend the whole day exploring what was the capital of Imperial Japan between 794 and 1868. It was the only large Japanese city that did not suffer bombing during the Second World War, so it retains a rich artistic heritage. What is more, in 1997 a protocol was signed there which seeks to limit emissions of greenhouse gases. We start off with a trip to Arashiyama, just outside of Kyoto. We cross the Togetsukyo bridge, which means "moon crossing bridge", from where you can take in the wonderful panoramic view. We will then visit the Tenryuji temple, one of the five great Zen temples of Kyoto, and take a stroll through the bamboo forest. We will visit the Fushimi Inari Shinto Shrine - whose pathways are guarded by thousands of 'vermilion torii' gates, making it one of the most photographed places in Japan - the Imperial Palace and the Kinkakuji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion, with its magnificent gardens. Later on we will take a stroll through Gion, which is full of life and one of the city's most traditional neighbourhoods. With a bit of luck we can see some elusive geisha. Accommodation.
Kyoto - Nara - Osaka
Breakfast. We will go to Nara to visit the Buddhist temple of Todaiji, which dates back to the year 752, to marvel at its giant Buddha, and enjoy the park well known for its sacred deer. Lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch we will visit the Buddhist temple of Horyuji, a complex that brings together a seminary, monasteries and temples. Its main pagoda is one of the oldest preserved wooden buildings in the world and is considered the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan, besides being an important place of worship. Continue to Osaka. At night we will walk through the neighbourhood of Dotonbori, glistening with neon lights and buzzing with all sorts of nightlife. Accommodation.
Osaka - City of origin
Transfer to the airport at the prearranged time. Flight with destination the city of origin. Arrival. End of the trip and our services.
Your trip includes
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Return flight.
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Overnight stay in the listed hotels, or similar.
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Ferry crossings according to the itinerary.
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Transport in vehicles appropriate to the size of the group.
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Transfers according to the itinerary.
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Regular tours mentioned in the itinerary, not stated as optional.
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Bilingual Spanish- and English-speaking local guides.
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Diet: 10 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners.
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Insolvency protection.
Your trip doesn't include
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Any other service not previously mentioned as included.
Destinations Visited
Expected Hotels (or similar)
In this section you will find a selection of hotels according to the category specified in the itinerary.
Flight
Overnight stay on board.
Important remarks
- Triple rooms in Japan are generally rooms with twin beds or a double, in which a folding bed is installed to accommodate the third person. Due to the inconvenience this causes, we advise against using this option as far the possible.
- Please check with your international vaccination centre about the recommended healthcare measures in Japan.
- Depending on the return flight, the trip may be one day longer.
- In Japan double beds are not common. If you want to have rooms with double beds during your trip, you must let us know in advance. We will do everything possible so that you can enjoy them, but we can not guarantee their use in advance in any case; They will always be subject to availability upon arrival at each of the hotels. Individual rooms may be, in some cases, smaller than the double rooms.
- In general, people with tattoos are not accepted in the onsen for cultural reasons. If they're small tattoos, they could be covered with a plaster, but access isn't guaranteed if the tattoos are large.
- Please check which documents are required to enter the country.
- In winter, the route that leads to Mount Fuji 5th Station is often closed by snow or as a result of other weather-related reasons. If this happens on your trip, you will reach the point permitted by the authorities.
- IAt the planned Ryokan some rooms may be Japanese style with tatami mat accommodation and others may be Western style. On some occasions, accommodation may be provided in a western-style hotel.
- To make it easier to meet up with the transfer staff, we will need your mobile phone number.
- The view of Mount Fuji depends entirely on the weather and can never be guaranteed.
- The order of the itinerary may be altered for logistical reasons, without prior notice, but no scheduled trips will be cancelled (except in the case that adverse weather conditions prevent its realisation).
- A credit card is considered a guarantee, so sometimes you will need one for check-in at hotels.
- Prices are calculated based on admission fees to the sights as of the date of publication. If there is an increase in these prices, you will be promptly informed.
- If you are a person with reduced mobility, please contact us to confirm the suitability of the trip.