Discover the magic of “Cool Japan”! Visit the lively districts of Tokyo, take a moment to relax in the Japanese Alps and discover the charm of cultural cities such as Kyoto, Hiroshima, as well as the historical city of Kurashiki. Highlights of the trip are among others, a cycling tour through Kyoto, bus tours to Mt. Fuji and Hakone, as well as an excursion to Shirakawago. This travel is an excellent starting point for creating your own itinerary. Of course we can arrange extras to your travel, such as tours, tickets and activities, to make it even more authentic or exciting. Every aspect can be adjusted to your preferences.
Itinerary Overview:
DEPARTURE/RETURN: | Departure: Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Narita/Haneda Airport (Tokyo). Return: Kansai International Airport (Osaka) to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. |
BASED ON: | 2 Travelers |
INCLUDED: | Accommodation |
OPTIONAL: | Flights |
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You arrive in the sprawling capital of Japan: Tokyo! On your first day in the country you can explore the older areas of Tokyo:
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Today you will visit the modern part of Tokyo by train and/or subway. For example:
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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:
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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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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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.
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Make a day trip to one of the following places of interest in the area:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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On this final day of your journey, you will fly back home from Osaka’s nearby Kansai International Airport.
Prices depend on the season in which you would like to travel. Prices in the low season (December, January, February) will be different from prices in the high season (March, April, August, Holidays).
Low season | from €2399,- p.p. | |
Mid-high season | from €2599,- p.p. | |
High season | from €2799,- p.p. |