Summer 2023 Best of Japan Tour (11d/10n)

Summer 2023 Best of Japan Tour (11d/10n)

Join us on this Best of Japan Tour in summer 2023!

When summer arrives, Japan’s landscapes are enveloped in a brighter light. You will not only visit the famed tourist spots like sacred Mt Fuji and the ancient city Kyoto, but you will also experience the mystical Mt K0yasan. The main highlights of this tour are 8 impressive UNESCO World Heritage sites. You will surely enjoy the contrast between Japan’s urban and natural sceneries on this exciting and comprehensive Japan tour!

Wifi is available on the private coach.

Tour Date and Price

Arrival and Departure: Starts in Tokyo and ends in Osaka
Tour date: Summer* in 2023 (10 nights and 11 days)
Tour price: USD 3,700 per person (based on twin/triple room)
Single room: USD 4,500
Child price (age 4-11): USD 1,925 (if no extra bed is needed for the child)

*Exact dates TBA. If you want to be updated on this tour’s schedule and price once it’s been decided, please fill out the inquiry & request form below and we will let you know once there is news!

Best of Japan Tour Highlights

Itinerary

Day 1: Airport (Narita or Haneda) – Tokyo

Welcome to Tokyo! You will be greeted by an English-speaking assistant at the airport. The assistant will help you on the bus to your hotel. If you’d like to extend your vacation before/after the tour in Tokyo, Osaka, we can accommodate that too.
Shinagawa Prince Hotel or similar
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Day 2: City tour in Tokyo

Today, you get to experience all Tokyo’s highlights. We first head to the Imperial palace. After that, we will visit the Tokyo Skytree, which is Tokyo’s highest point from where the sweeping views are amazing. Then we proceed to traditional Asakusa where you will enjoy the famous Sensoji Temple, the Five Storied Pagoda, and the traditional Nakamise shopping arcade. We will finish the day in Akihabara where you can enjoy Japanese pop culture zone, a large electronic district, and all things anime and manga.
Shinagawa Prince Hotel or similar
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Day 3: Tokyo – Mt Fuji (Lake Kawaguchiko) – Hamamatsu

This is the day when we visit Kawaguchiko, from where we can beautifully observe the magnificent Mt Fuji. We then head to Hamamatsu for the night and enjoy a Japanese-style dinner at the hotel.
Hamanako Royal Hotel or similar
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Day 4: Hamamatsu – Kyoto

Today you will get to ride the fastest shinkansen to Kyoto. Once you arrive in Japan’s old capital you will feel that you have traveled back one thousand years, and we will start our discovery of Kyoto in the hauntingly beautiful Golden Pavilion, also known as Kinkaku-ji. Next, we will stop by the Nishijin Textile Center where you will learn more about Japan’s traditional garment, the kimono.

Next on the program is Nijo-jo castle, the Kyoto home of the Tokugawa shogun which stands in stark contrast to most of Japan’s other remaining castles. In the evening, you will be taken to Gion, which is Kyoto’s famous “Geisha district”. Those who have seen “Memoirs of Geisha” will be fascinated by its atmosphere in the early evening. We stay in Kyoto for the night.
Daiwa Roynett Hotel or similar
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Day 5: Kyoto – Nara – Osaka

Before leaving Kyoto, we will visit the famous red torii gates of the “Fushimi Inari Taisha”. If you like drinking sake you will love the next stop, a sake brewery! The guide gives you a little tour inside the brewery followed by a tasting.

Visiting the other ancient capital of Japan, Nara, is a must. You will be greeted with cute deer bowing to you in the park around the Todaiji temple. After our visit to Nara we head to Osaka. Before we check in at our hotel, we will take you for an experience of lively neighborhood Dotonbori.
Sheraton Miyako Hotel or similar
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Day 6: Osaka – Himeji – Matsue

Leaving Osaka for Matsue, we will make a stop at the impressive Himeji Castle that was built in early 17th century. Then, we will ride to the prestigious Adachi Museum that is famous for its beautiful art works and Japanese garden. The collection includes over 100 paintings by Yokoyama Taikan and a good selection of works by other major 20th century Japanese painters.
Matsue Tokyu Hotel or similar
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Day 7: Matsue – Izumo – Hiroshima

Today’s excursion starts from Matsue Castle, completed in 1611 and one of only 12 remaining original castles nationwide. Our next destination is the Izumo Taisha in Izumo, a shrine with a long history. TAt the end of the day, we will ride to Hiroshima.
Hiroshima Prince Hotel or similar
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Day 8: Hiroshima – Takamatsu

Hiroshima is well-known all around the world for having been the first city to ever be destroyed by an atomic bomb. It is an important and precious experience to visit the Peace Memorial Park and museum as well as the A-bomb Dome. Near Hiroshima city we will visit the ‘floating torii gate’ of the Itsukushima Shinto shrine. We will take a boat to the small sacred island to see it from up close. We will then continue on to Shikoku island, don’t forget to admire the view from the many bridges made with latest Japanese technology that we will cross! The climate of this area is similar to that of the Mediterranean, making it suitable for growing fruits like grapes and oranges.
JR Hotel Clement Takamatsu or similar
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Day 9: Takamatsu – Tokushima – Koyasan

Today we will discover the best spot in Takamatsu, Ritsurin Park, a beautiful Japanese garden. We will enjoy picturesque scenes of ponds, small bridges, and a tea house. Then we ride to Tokushima , where you can enjoy an interactive show of Awaodori, the area’s traditional dance. Leaving Shikoku by boat, we continue our tour to the sacred training spot of Buddhist monks in Koyasan. The 117 temples are located at 1,000m (about 3,000ft) above sea level, and the legendary monk Kobodaishi of Koyasan is one of the most famous historical religious figures in Japan. Tonight, you spend the night in the Shukubo temple accommodation and you will enjoy a healthy vegetarian dinner.
Shukubo
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Day 10: Koyasan – Osaka

In the morning, you will have the privilege to witness a thousand-year old ceremony in the shukubo’s temple. After a hearty vegetarian breakfast, we will do sightseeing in Koyasan. The mausoleum of Kobodaishi, Okunoin, and the row of tall cedar trees on its approach give the area a sacred atmosphere. We also can’t miss the Danjo garan and Kompon Daito pagoda which they started building in 816. We will also see the Kongobuji, which is the administrative head temple of Koyasan’s Shingon Buddhism. Then we will head back to Osaka, where you can enjoy a free evening.
Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka or similar
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Day 11: Osaka – Kansai Airport

Feedback from Clients

Lyn H. – 2019 Summer –

The guide was well-informed, patient and very helpful
We were very satisfied with every aspect of the tour, it was great value for money, and we would recommend the tour to anyone. Both the guide and the driver were excellent, very skilled, and patient. There was a good variety of sights and the hotels were consistent with high standards.

Adam J. – 2019 Summer –

The sights were diverse with many beautiful shrines
The guide was knowledgeable, helpful, made funny jokes, and even helped us fold cranes. The sights were diverse and we saw many beautiful shrines. I tried many different foods that I would normally not eat, and the hotels were roomy and very good.

Michelle B. – 2019 Summer –

We got to experience different culinary specialties per city
I’m not one to normally try new food, but during this tour I did and it was definitely interesting to experience many different Japanese specialties. Guide Hide-san was very knowledgeable, helpful and a great communicator. I liked that he taught us how to make cranes to offer in Hiroshima.