Day 1: Arrival Tokyo

You arrive in the sprawling capital of Japan: Tokyo! On your first day in the country you can explore the older areas of Tokyo:

• Asakusa: charming district with the oldest temple in Tokyo: Senso-ji.
• Ueno: home to Ueno Park, Ueno Zoo, and various museums.

Day 2: Tokyo

Today you will visit the modern part of Tokyo by train and/or subway. For example:

• Shibuya: with the famous Shibuya Crossing and the statue of the loyal dog Hachiko.
• Shinjuku: a bustling district with plenty of shopping and eating opportunities.
• Harajuku: thé area to experience Japan’s youth culture. You can find many colorful shops in Takeshitadori street, or take a break in the huge Yoyogi Park close by. Don’t miss out on visiting the beautiful Meiji Jingu Shrine, an peaceful oasis in the middle of busy Harajuku.
• Akihabara: also known as ‘electric town’, and thé place to find anything and everything related to electronics, manga and anime.

Day 3: Tokyo

Today you can take your time and visit the places you have not been able to visit yet, or take a day trip to one of the nearby places of interest:

• Kamakura: a coastal town south of Tokyo, famous for the large Buddha statue, and several temples worth visiting (such as the Hokokuji Temple and its bamboo garden).
• Mount Fuji: the iconic Mt. Fuji and its surrounding areas can be visited on a day trip. Of special interest are the lake at the foot of the mountain (Fujigoko Lake), Kawaguchiko and Hakone. In July and August, it is also possible to climb the mountain.

Day 4: Tokyo

Today as well you have the opportunity to explore Tokyo at your leisure or you can make a day tour to the following beautiful location:

• Nikko: in the nearby Nikko National Park you can not only find beautiful nature landscapes including the Kegon Waterfall, it is also the location of UNESCO listed Toshogu Shrine and the mausoleum of the famous Tokugawa Shogun (warlord) Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Day 5: Takayama

Day of travel from Tokyo to Takayama through the Japanese Alps. In Takayama you can admire the well-preserved areas of the city, as well as the surrounding mountainous landscapes. Here you will get a good idea of what the more remote areas of Japan look and feel like. When travelling in spring or autumn, there is also the chance of witnessing the Takayama Matsuri, known as one of the best festivals in the country. During the festival, intricate old-fashioned floats will be pulled through the streets, and you will be able to see Karakuri doll performances.

Day 6: Takayama

On your second day in Takayama you can enjoy the lovely natural surroundings of the Kamikochi area. You can make a walk alongside the Azusa river, where you can explore the area without any problems. In this area you get the chance to discover all sorts of flora and fauna found in the area around Takayama and Kanazawa. For example, not only are there monkeys to see, but also many different kinds of birds.

Day 7: Kyoto

After travelling for about 3 hours by train, you will arrive in the historical city of Kyoto, the former capital of Japan. Areas such as the famous Gion will take you back to this time, and if you’re lucky you will see a Maiko, or Geisha, hurrying off to an appointment in the early evening. Visit the awe-inspiring Kiyomizudera Temple and wander around the surrounding little streets leading up to it to experience more of Kyoto’s traditional atmosphere. In the evening, the Kawaramachi and Sanjo areas are the best place to find a multitude of local bars and restaurants, as well as plenty of Karaoke opportunities and Gamecenters.

Day 8: Kyoto

Today you have the option to choose between 2 trips. First, you can choose for a cycling tour through the picturesque streets of Kyoto. You will cycle through the streets of Kyoto with the guidance of an English guide and experience the nice authentic atmosphere of Kyoto. Second, you can choose for a half a day tour through Kyoto, where you will visit all kinds of sights with a guide who will tell you all kinds of stories and facts. After this trip you can visit the following places:

• Kinkakuji (the Gold Pavilion): the famously beautiful temple entirely inlaid with gold, and surrounded by a peaceful garden.
• Ryoanji Temple: famous for its Zen style garden. The temple itself was built in the Heian period, originally as the residence of a wealthy aristocrat.
• Philosopher’s Path: the path is named for the philosopher Nishida Kitaro, who was said to meditate on the path while on his way to school. The path is particularly beautiful in spring, when the cherry blossom trees lining it are in full bloom. At the start of the path the Silver Pavilion (Ginkakuji) can also be found. Though it was never finished in silver as planned, the temple features a charming garden.
• Nijo Castle: a small castle and grounds in the southern part of Kyoto

Day 9: Kyoto

Today you will make a trip to Nara: another former capital city of Japan, and home to many beautiful temples (including the Todaiji temple, one of the oldest temples in Japan, naturally on the UNESCO World Heritage list). Be sure to buy some deer crackers to feed to one of the many deer freely wandering around Nara Park.

Day 10: Kyoto

Make a day trip to one of the following places of interest in the area:

• Fushimi Inari Shrine: this shrine dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice, has become more popular recently, and with good reason! It features over 100 so-called Torii gates winding their way up the mountain, interspersed with several small shrines.
• Arashiyama: located just outside Kyoto, this area is famous for its bamboo forest. There are also several temples and historic villa’s worth visiting. A trip to Arashiyama can also be done in half a day.

Day 11: Hiroshima

In Hiroshima you will visit the Peace Memorial Museum and Park. This special park is a reminder of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945. Previously, this area used to be the commercial and political centre of Hiroshima, but was changed to become a memorial park after the bomb. You can also visit the A-Bomb Dome that lies near the park. This is one of the few buildings that survived the explosion. At the same time it also functions as a ‘tomb’ to the people who died of the explosion or of the consequences hereof.

Day 12: Hiroshima

On your second in Hiroshima you will use the ferry and your JR pass to travel to the extraordinary Miyajima island, where you will find the Itsukushima shrine. The view on this shrine that is partially in the water is known as 1 of the 3 most beautiful views of Japan. After visiting this shrine you will have plenty opportunity to visit the little shops and restaurants to take in the unique island atmosphere.

Day 13: Kurashiki/Okaymama

Today you will have a look around the historical city of Kurashiki. This city functioned as a very important rice distribution centre during the Edo period. Even the name of the city refers back to this period, as Kurashiki roughly means ‘city of storage houses’, what of course refers to the many rice storage houses that used to be there. Many of these storage houses have nowadays been converted into shops, museums and cafes. You will also bring a visit to Korakuen, a beautiful landscape garden in Okayama. Here you will find ponds, mysterious paths and viewpoints. The unique thing about this garden is that there are also vast fields stretching across the garden, which is very rare in Japanese gardens.

Day 14: Himeji/Osaka

In Himeji you will visit the imposing Himeji Castle. This castle is known for its beautiful white exterior, its size, and for the fact that it is one of the 12 castles that remains intact. This means that the castle has never been destroyed, rebuild or burnt. Next to the castle itself, there are also the beautiful castle grounds to visit. These castle grounds have also been well preserved and are a nice example of what the surroundings looked like in the past.

Day 15: Osaka

On your last day in Japan you will reach Osaka in about half an hour by train. You will close off your trip by visiting the lively Shinsaibashi district and Osaka Castle. In and around Shinsaibashi there is a lot to explore. You can visit numerous shopping streets where there are a lot of different products and dishes for purchase. It is also possible to visit Dotonbori, which is located a little bit south of Shinsaibashi. There are huge screens there that projects a variety of things and of course you can take a picture with the famous Glico man. Osaka Castle is also a must-see when visiting Osaka. Though it has been rebuilt, the exterior has been faithfully reconstructed to the original from 1583, and is that of a classic Japanese castle. The interior has been made into a museum, and you can go all the way to the top of the castle for an incredible view of the surroundings.

Day 16: Osaka departure

On this final day of your journey, you will fly back home from Osaka’s nearby Kansai International Airport.