Off the beaten track
Off the beaten track Tour
24 days
Gain an understanding of both historical and contemporary Japan: the world of merchants and samurai, the history of Buddhism and Shinto, the Japanese natural environment of mountains, seas and lakes, and the art of the Japanese garden and contemporary Japanese art.
Included :
- The visits and activities mentioned in the itinerary
- The assistance of a bilingual specialist in Japanese culture
- 3* accommodation (prices based on twin-share, €860 single supplement)
- Full board (except meals in your free time, as mentioned)
- Internal transport by minibus, train and ferry
- Bus transfers between the airport and your hotel
Not included :
- Airfare to and from Japan
- Travel insurance
- Meals & drinks bought in your free time
- Personal expenses
Accommodation:
Hotels used are examples only, if unavailable, an equivalent hotel will be substituted by us.
Transportation
Detailed Itinerary
TOKYO - NIKKO - HOSHI - SADO - MATSUMOTO - MAGOME - TAKAYAMA - KANAZAWA - KYOTO - AMANO-HASHIDATE - TOTTORI - MATSUE - NAOSHIMA - TAKAMATSU - KURASHIKI - HIMEJI - OSAKA
Day
1
TOKYO
Arrive at either Narita or Haneda airport in Tokyo, (depending on your own arrangements).
Transfer to your central Tokyo hotel and check-in, followed by your tour briefing.
Visit Yasukuni Shrine and the Japanese War Museum.
Stroll through the narrow streets of Kagurazaka, the French quarter of Tokyo where you will have dinner.
TOKYO
Night in a 3* hotel in Tokyo. Breakfast included.
Day
2
NIKKO
Depart for the small town of Kawagoe, or "Little Edo", where you will have lunch in the traditional commercial district of Kuratsukuri-Machinami with its old houses, and visit a traditional sweetshop (Kashiya Yokocho), the old clock tower, (Toki no Kane), and Kitain temple, with one of the original buildings of Edo Castle, moved here in the 17th Century.
Continue the journey to Nikko.
NIKKO
Night in a 3* ryokan (traditionnal inn) in Nikko. Half-board.
Day
3
HOSHI
In the morning visit the main sights of Nikko: the sacred Shijkyo bridge, the tea garden and exhibitions of Rinnoji Temple, Toshogu Shrine where the first Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, is entombed.
Continue on to Lake Chuzenji by way of the Irohazaka route, a winding road with 48 hairpin turns, and then see the famous Kegon Falls, fed by Lake Chuzenji.
Have lunch on the shore of the lake.
Take the Romantic Scenic Highway to the hot spring resort town of Kawafuru.
HOSHI
Night in a 3* onsen ryokan (traditionnal in with hot springs) in Hoshi. Half-board.
Day
4
SADO
Drive along the Romantic Highway for the length of Lake Chuzenji.
Continue on into Niigata, passing Eirinji Temple (Uonuma) and the famous wood carvings therein and having lunch on the road.
In Niigata, visit the Cultural Museum of the North, former residence of the Itoh family.
Take the two and a half hour ferry to Ryotsu, the main port on Sado Island.
SADO
Night in a 3* ryokan (traditionnal inn) in Ryotsu. Half-board.
Day
5
SADO
Visit Sado Island: the Osado Skyline Parkway; the Sodayu-Ko Aikawa mine, once the main source of gold for Japan during the Edo period; Senkaku Bay and the picturesque fishing village of Shukunegi.
SADO
Night in a 3* ryokan (traditionnal inn) in Ryotsu. Half-board.
Day
6
MATSUMOTO
After breakfast, depart for Ogi and then take the ferry to Naoetsu.
Lunch on board the ferry.
In Nagano, host city of the winter Olypmics, visit Zenkoji Temple, one of the most important Buddhist temples in Japan.
Carry on to Matsumoto, visit the site of Morishogunzuka, a reconstruction of an authentic protohistoric burial mound.
Dinner in the area around the station.
Stay at Matsumoto in a 3* hotel.
MATSUMOTO
Night in a 3* hotel in Matsumoto. Breakfast included.
Day
7
MAGOME
Visit Matsumo Castle, one of the largest and best preserved castles of Japan, and then visit the Ukiyoe Musuem of woodblock prints.
Lunch in Matsumoto and then onward travel to Magome, one of the well preserved towns on the the old Nakasendo post road. See the sights of Magome.
MAGOME
Night in a 3* traditional accommodation in Magome. Half-board.
Day
8
TAKAYAMA
Continue the journey to Takayama passing through Gero Onsen, a hot spring town, and the Hida Gassho-zukuri village of old traditional buildings.
Lunch on the road.
In Takayama visit the temple area of Teramachi, the commerce area of Sannomachi, and the old administration complexes of Kokubunji.
TAKAYAMA
Night in a 3* minshuku (Japanese B&B) in Takayama. Half-board.
Day
9
TAKAYAMA
Sightseeing around Takayama; The Inro Musuem, the old Kasukabe house and the Takayama festival float exhibition.
Lunch, and then a free afternoon for exploration at your leisure.
TAKAYAMA
Night in a 3* minshuku (Japanase B&B). Half-board.
Day
10
KANAZAWA
Visit the morning markets of Takayama.
Depart for Shirakawago (Ogimachi) a village of preserved old silkworm farms and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tour around the village and visit an old gassho-zukuri traditional thatched house as well as Myozenji, the village Zen temple.
Later head for Kanazawa, once one of the most important feudal strongholds of Japan.
Dinner in Kanazawa.
KANAZAWA
Night in a 3* hotel. Breakfast included.
Day
11
KYOTO
Tour of Kanazawa; the morning market of Omicho, the Geisha districts of Kazue/Higashichaya-machi, the Musuem of Contemporary Art.
In the afternoon visit the stunning Kenrokuen Garden, one of the top three in Japan, the Samurai district of Nagamachi, the former residence of the Nomura family, restored to show the traditional Samurai life of the time.
Dinner in Kanazawa.
KYOTO
Night in a 3* hotel. Breakfast included.
Day
12
KYOTO
Journey to Fukui in order to visit Eihiji Buddhist Temple, one of the leading Zen educational centres in Japan. Lunch and a tour of Eihiji.
Take in the panoramic views of the five lakes of Mitaka.
Continue on to Kyoto.
Dinner in Kyoto.
KYOTO
Night in a 3* hotel. Breakfast included.
Day
13
KYOTO
Take a trip on the Romantic Sagano Train to Kameoka. Return by boat on the Arashiyama river.
Lunch followed by a visit to Arashiyama to see the famous Togetsukyo Bridge and Tenryuji Temple.
Dinner in Kyoto.
KYOTO
Night in a 3* hotel. Breakfast included.
Day
14
AMANO-HASHIDATE
Visit the sights of Takao, with the temples of Kozanji and Jingoji.
Leave for Amanohashidate with lunch on the way.
Visit the unspoilt village of Miyamacho near Nantan before continuing on to Amanohashidate, one of the top three scenic views in Japan.
AMANO-HASHIDATE
Night in a 3* ryokan (traditional inn). Half-board.
Day
15
TOTTORI
Depart for Kasumi where we will visit Daijoji.
Drive along the San-In coast, one of the best coasts in Japan, all the way to Tottori with lunch on the road and enjoying the Uradome coastal panorama.
In Tottori see the famous sand dunes and and the craft museum.
Dinner in town.
TOTTORI
Night in a 3* hotel. Breakfast included.
Day
16
MATSUE
Depart for Misasa with Sanbutusji, a national treasure founded by a hermit.
Visit Lake Tago and then follow the coast to Matsue. On the way stop at Mt. Daisen, the third most beautiful volcano in Japan, and the Adachi Museum of Art, which houses one of the largest and most beauitful private gardens of Japan.
Dinner in Matsue.
MATSUE
Night in a 3* hotel. Breakfast included.
Day
17
MATSUE
Visit Matsue Castle which has the oldest keep in Japan. See the samurai district of Bukeyashiki-machi and the house of the Irish/Greek/Japanese writer Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904).
Lunch in Matsue.
In the afternoon visit the Shinto shrine of Izumo, one of the most sacred shrines in the country, dedicated to Ookuninushi.
Travel along the coast to Cape Hinomisaki and the shore of Lake Shinji.
Free evening for dinner at your leisure (not provided).
MATSUE
Night in a 3* hotel. Breakfast included.
Day
18
NAOSHIMA
Head to the island of Naoshima, taking in the village of Bittchu-Takahashi on the way where you will have lunch. Visit Matsuyama-jo Castle, the most ancient in Japan, the old town and Raikyuji Temple and zen garden, designed by Kobori Enshu.
Continue to Uno port for the ferry to Naoshima, formerly an industrial island now dedicated to contemporary art.
NAOSHIMA
Night in a 3* minshuku (Japanese B&B). Half-board. (In the case of there being no accommodation on the island, the group will stay at Uno.)
Day
19
TAKAMATSU
A free day to tour the main sights of the island, the Art House Project, Lee Urfan Museum, Benesse Art Museum and Chichu Art Museum.
Lunch and dinner at your leisure (not provided).
TAKAMATSU
Night in a 3* minshuku (Japanese B&B). Half-board. (In the case of there being no accommodation on the island, the group will stay at Uno.)
Day
20
KURASHIKI
Take the ferry to Takamatsu on the island of Shikoku. Visit Ritsurin’en, one of the three most beautiful gardens of Japan.
In Kotohira visit the site of the Shinto temple Kompira, one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in Japan, and the old Kabuki theatre of Kanamaruza.
Head back to Kurashiki on the main island of Honshu by the Seto Oohashi bridge.
Visit the Bikan port district with its preserved canals of the former port.
Dinner in the Bikan area.
KURASHIKI
Night in a 3* hotel. Breakfast included.
Day
21
HIMEJI
Take a morning visit to the Buddhist Temple of Kanryuji and the Shinto Shrine of Achi, which overlook Bikan.
Visit the Ohara Musuem of Art.
Depart for the neighbouring town of Okayama to see Korakuen garden, the second largest garden in Japan, and enjoy lunch here.
Continue on to Himeji and take the cable car up to the summit of Mount Shosha.
HIMEJI
Night in a local temple. Half-board (vegetarian meals).
Day
22
OSAKA
Visit Engyoji Temple on the heights of Mount Shosha and enjoy panoramic views across the region.
Head back down using the cable car to the minibus for the journey to Osaka, the final stop on the trip.
Check-in to your 3* hotel in the Dotombori, Namba area.
Lunch (not provided) and the afternoon free to explore the area.
Farewell dinner in Namba.
OSAKA
Night in a 3* hotel. Breakfast included.
