Travel to Japan’s main cities and rural regions with a chance to see the Great Wisteria Tree and captivating Shibazakura with a maximum group size 18 guests.
Smaller Group Departures – Guaranteed a limit of 12 guests are priced from US$6,598 per person.
This tour combines modern city attractions, historical landmarks, and lesser known areas of Japan in one trip. This itinerary also focuses on seeing the Great Wisteria and breathtaking shibazakura (pink moss flowers).
Begin your tour at the Ashikaga Flower Park, where you will discover the 150 year old Great Wisteria Tree and a cascading tunnel of wisteria flowers. Afterwards, head to the Omiya Bonsai Museum, featuring over a 100 bonsai masterpieces. Tour through the busiest city in Japan, Tokyo, where our private guides and drivers will help you navigate through the city’s top attractions. Visit the historical Imperial Palace, the informative Tokyo Edo Museum, the ancient Asakusa Sensoji Temple, and the towering Tokyo Skytree.
Spend time in Hakone by boarding a pirate ship cruise around Lake Ashi. Afterwards, make your way to the Fuji Five Lakes for the Fuji Shibazakura Festival. This stunning festival is the best way to see blooming shibazakura, or “pink moss” in English. Next, get a closer look at Mt. Fuji from its 5th Station, then travel through the ever-changing scenery to Matsumoto. See the original-standing Matsumoto Castle, and visit one of Japan’s largest wasabi farms.
Journey through Takayama, a secluded “old” town that has maintained a traditional atmosphere and unique culture. Here, you will get experience its fresh Morning Market and view beautifully preserved merchant homes. Afterwards, travel to the quaint village if Shirakwa-go, famous for its UNESCO designated gassho-zukuri architecture. Head to Kanazawa and stroll through Kenrokuen Garden, one of Japan’s top three gardens.
Spend four nights in Kyoto, where you will get to visit the city’s top temples and shrines. You will also have the chance to learn about origami, calligraphy, and the art of Ikebana. Wear a kimono for an entire day, practice Zen meditation in a temple, participate in a traditional green tea ceremony, and enjoy Kyoto cuisine with entertainment by an apprentice geisha (maiko). Make your way to Nara and visit the Todaiji Temple, home to the towering Great Buddha statue. Then, see some of the freely roaming Sika deer at Deer Park. In Osaka, you will get to make your own sushi with a professional sushi chef, enjoy a taiko (festival drums) lesson, and a visit to Osaka Castle.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1
Tokyo Narita Airport or Haneda Airport
Welcome to Tokyo! You will be picked up from the Airport and taken to the hotel.
Imperial Hotel Tokyo or similar class
NOTE 1: If you wish to stay extra nights before the tour starts, please contact us to book hotel accommodations.
Day 2
Tochigi (Ashikaga Flower Park), Omiya (Omiya Bonsai Museum)
Today we will first visit the Ashikaga Flower Park in the Tochigi Prefecture. There, you will find the Great Wisteria Tree of more than 150 years of age, which is designated as a Natural Monument in Tochigi. Not only will you be shaded by the Great Wisteria Tree, but as you venture through the park the different colored wisteria will decorate your walk from above. Below the various flowers, like azaleas, will complement the hanging wisteria throughout the Ashikaga Flower Park. Next, we will head to the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum where you will learn about bonsai. There over 100 bonsai masterpieces at the museum. Then after we will have the chance to go around the Omiya Bonsai Village where we will enter the 5 nurseries kept by 5 different artisans.
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Imperial Hotel Tokyo or similar class
Day 3
Tokyo (Imperial Palace / Tokyo Edo Museum / Asakusa Sensoji Temple / Tokyo SkyTree)
The Imperial Palace is located on the former grounds of the Edo Castle, and it is the current residence of the Imperial family. The Edo-Tokyo Museum provides an interactive exhibit to Tokyo’s past. Then, onwards to Asakusa Sensoji Temple, site of the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo and the Kaminarimon (“Thunder Gate”) is symbolic of Asakusa and all of Tokyo. The newest addition to Tokyo is the Tokyo Skytree, which is the new television broadcasting tower. Now, the Tokyo Skytree is the tallest building in the city. You’ll have a great view from the highest observation decks in Japan.
Breakfast / Lunch
Imperial Hotel Tokyo or similar class
Day 4
Hakone (Lake Ashi Cruise), Fuji Five Lakes (Fuji Shibazakura Festival)
Travel to Hakone, which is among Japan’s most popular hot-spring resorts, and view the forested slopes of Hakone National Park. The cruise around Lake Ashi will not be taken on just any boat, but on a pirate ship. There are three different ships called Royal II, Victory, and Vasa. Each ship has something unique as with each port. Lake Ashi is famous for having Mount Fuji as the background to its serence waters. Afterwards we will head to Fuji Five Lakes located at the base of Mount Fuji. The Fuji Shibazakura Festival will be near Lake Motosu. There are about 800,000 stalks of shibazakura, “moss phlox,” on display for the Fuji Shibazakura Festival. Shibazakura fields are adorned in hues of purple, pink and white, which contrasts to the greenery of Mount Fuji in the background. Tonight, enjoy unparalleled service and kaiseki cuisine at a top- rated ryokan (traditional inn) in Mt Fuji area.
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Fujisan Onsen Hotel Kaneyamaen or similar class
Day 5
Mt Fuji, Matsumoto (Matsumoto Castle / Wasabi Farm)
We will stop at Mt. Fuji 5th station (depending on weather) to admire the world famous peak and enjoy spectacular views over the Fuji Five Lakes. From there, we drive across Honshu to the breathtaking Japanese Alps. Rice farms dominate the valleys, while lush forests blanket the mountains. We will visit Matsumoto Castle, also known as, Crow Castle for the black color adorning the exterior walls. Close to the Matsumoto area is Azumino City where one of the largest wasabi farms is located. The wasabi fields are maintained with networks of small streams utilizing the water from the Northern Alps. The shops and restaurants feature a wide variety of wasabi flavored products including wasabi ice cream.
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Assiocia Takayama Resort or similar class
Day 6
Takayama (Morning Market / Takayama Yatai Kaikan / Kusakabe Heritage House / Old Town)
Takayama is famous for the artisans and craftsmen with traditions continuing to this day from the 9th century. The day starts off with a visit to the Morning Market, where snacks, farm products, and local crafts are sold. The Takayama Yatai (floats) Kaikan Museum features elaborately decorated floats, which are over 700 years old. The yatai demonstrate the legendary craftsmanship of Takayama. Afterwards is a visit to the Kusakabe Heritage House, which is one of the oldest merchant homes in Takayama open to the public. Lastly, the exploration of Sanmach Suji, one of the three Old Town streets that have survived in beautiful state with some businesses that have been around for centuries.
Breakfast
Assiocia Takayama Resort or similar class
Day 7
Shirakawa-go (Shiroyama Viewpoint – Gassho-zukuri Minkaen – Wada-ke House), Kanazawa (Kenrokuen Garden). Train to Kyoto.
Shirakawa-go is home of the UNESCO designated Gassho-styled (“praying hands”) farmhouses. First is the Shiroyama Viewpoint, where great views of Ogimachi Village can be seen. Next is the Gassho-zukuri Minkaen open air museum where farmhouses and other structures were relocated to the area. The Wada- ke House was owned by the one of the wealthiest families in Ogimachi, and is now a public museum. The Kenrokuen in Kanazawa is classified as one of the three most beautiful landscape gardens in Japan. This afternoon we board the Thunderbird train for a rail journey to Kyoto for four nights.
Breakfast / Lunch
The Okura Kyoto or similar class
Day 8
Kyoto (Fushimi Inari Shrine / Nijo Castle / Golden Pavilion / Visit to a Traditional Wooden Townhouse to learn about Origami, Calligraphy and the art of Ikebana)
The day begins with a visit in the scenic and historic Fushimi district. We will visit the stunning vermilion colored Fushimi Inari Shrine, whose 4km long tunnel of scarlet torii gates was featured in the film “Memoirs of a Geisha”. This complex wraps around a bamboo wilderness that includes mountains, streams, and ponds, the perfect backdrop for a scenic hike or a nostalgic photograph. Then we travel to the Nijo Castle, a former residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, first Shogun of the Edo Period. Afterwards is the Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) known for the upper two stories that are covered in gold leaf designs, which creates a beautiful reflection on the water surrounding it. Continue on to a traditional wooden townhouse to learn about origami, calligraphy, and the art of Ikebana. Let your hands bend and fold traditional paper into an crane, rabbit, or a flower with a bright designs. Then, learn swift brush movements for Japanese characters and understand why calligraphy is considered one of the best arts of Asia with every stroke. Lastly, experience the art of flower arrangments and harmonize the delicate flowers with one another in this peaceful and traditional practice.
Breakfast / Lunch
The Okura Kyoto or similar class
Day 9
Kyoto (Kimono Experience / Sanjusangendo Hall / Kiyomizu Temple / Kodaiji Temple – Zen Meditation, Tea Ceremony / Gion – Kyoto Cuisine with Maiko Dinner)
Finally, everyone will experience wearing kimonos (Japanese traditional garments), and wear it for the entire day. Start the tour with a visit to the Sanjusangendo Hall, where 1001 statues of Kannon, Buddha of compassion, are housed. Next is a visit to the famous Kiyomizu Temple, best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 meters above the hillside below. The stage affords visitors a nice view of the numerous cherry and maple trees below that erupt in a sea of color in spring and fall, as well as of the city of Kyoto in the distance. A scene often photographed for its majestic features. Then at the Kodaiji Temple, belonging to the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism, experience Zen meditation in a real temple. After practicing meditation, participate in a real tea ceremony. The ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, ground up green tea was influenced by Zen Buddhism. Lastly, we will tour Gion, the old Geisha Quarters, along with Pontocho, whose cobblestone alleys vibrate with night life. For dinner the finest Kyoto Cuisine made with ingredients representative of the season will be served, and a Maiko (apprentice Geisha) will provide entertainment for her guests. You will have the opportunity to ask questions about her profession and learn why they must train for years before finally becoming Geisha.
Breakfast / Dinner
The Okura Kyoto or similar class
Day 10
Nara (Todaiji Temple / Deer Park), Osaka (Sushi Making Experience / Taiko Lesson / Osaka Castle)
We begin the day with Nara’s Todaiji temple, which is over 1000 years old and home of the Daibutsu, world’s largest bronze Buddha statue. Around the temple is the Nara Deer Park where visitors can feed the free-roaming deer with biscuits sold in the vicinity. The deers are considered to be sacred messengers of the gods in Shinto religion and thus have been designated natural treasures. Afterwards, we go onto Osaka where we will learn how to make sushi, and play the traditional taiko (festival drums). Our last visit for the trip is Osaka Castle, whose construction began in 1583 on the ruins of the Ishiyama Honganji Temple. The castle was the largest of its time and played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century.
Note: For Sushi Making Experience, if you are vegetarian, on gluten-free diets, have seafood allergy, or don’t eat raw fish, please contact us for other ingredient options.
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Hilton Osaka or similar class
Day 11
Tour Ends
After breakfast, our tour officially ends. Checkout time is 11 am, free for leisure until transfer to Osaka Kansai Airport or Itami Airport for departure.
Breakfast
NOTE 2: If you would like to stay longer in Japan, please contact us to book hotel accommodations.