Japanese spring
From
2 268
$
Japanese spring Tour
14 days
Explore Japan's essential cities at their most colourful. Enjoy the season of blossom and the many spring festivals, not forgetting a night in traditional accommodation at the foot of the majestic Mount Fuji.
The loveliest floral scenery:
- Tokyo (5 nights),
- Hakone - Mount Fuji (1 night),
- Kyoto (3 nights),
- Hiroshima (2 nights),
- Kanazawa (1 night)
Included :
- Round-trip flight tickets from/to Los Angeles, Sydney or Paris
- 12 nights in 3* equivalent hotels, including 1 night with dinner in a ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel)
- Breakfast in Hakone, Hiroshima and Kanazawa
- Airport transfers
- 1 prepaid travel card to travel around the cities, already loaded with ¥1,500
- 1 7-day Japan Rail Pass for the train and Shinkansen (bullet train) and 1 Hakone Free Pass
- 1 Pocket wifi (with unlimited internet access) for the duration of the trip
- 1 travel guide, sent to you at least 20 days before your departure, detailing the tour itinerary, how to get to your hotels, and the tourist sights not to be missed.
- Helpline assistance 24/7 in English
Not included :
- Insurance
- Personal expenses
- Public transportation in cities*
- Tourist tax in Kyoto and Kanazawa**
- Anything not listed in the "included" section above
Customization:
Contact us for:
- Flights from London, New York or any other city required
- Direct flights
- Flight upgrades to premium-economy or business class
- Upgrade to a 4* hotel
- Traditional accommodation
- Private rotenburo (tarditional Japanese bath) in your room in Hakone ($72USD - depending on availability)
- Child price (11 y/o or younger)
- Extending your stay before or after the tour
- Guided activities
- Other activities (Disneyland, Hello Kitty theme park, robot restaurant, tea ceremony, sake tasting…)
Flights:
The departure and end dates of the tour include your flight and arrival from/to your departure country.
Most flights will require one transfer (less than 5 hours) in Asia or the Gulf States before landing in Tokyo.
Examples of airlines we use:
- Air France
- All Nippon Airways
- Finnair
- Korean Air
Accommodation:
The basic price includes one room for 2 adults in 3* equivalent hotels.
Single room: If a triple room is not available, a single room supplement may be required for any booking with an odd number of participants.
Please note that in case of a single supplement, it will be applied to all accommodation except the ryokan in Hakone, since in traditional accommodation like this there are no single rooms. However you will find spacious rooms that can welcome up to 5 people. To learn more about what a stay at a ryokan entails, see the "Hakone" step of our "Detailed Itinerary" below.
In Japan, a high-density country where everything is more compact, the 3* hotels are good quality but the rooms can be quite small (12 to 24m2) depending on the hotel. For more comfort and space, don't hesitate to contact us for a quote with 4* hotels.
The rooms for 2 people in western-style hotels have 2 separate single beds (twin rooms) as standard. Contact us to request a double bed; there is no supplementary charge but we cannot guarantee availability. Note that double bed rooms are smaller in size than twin rooms.
Terms of payment:
- 35% deposit paid upon booking
- Balance paid 35 days before departure
Note:
Recommended dates for seeing blossom:
- Plum tree blossom: Mid-February to mid-March
- Cherry tree (sakura) blossom: Period of 10 days between 20 March and 15 April (the dates change from year to year)
- Wisteria, irises or azaleas: Mid-April to late May
- Hortensias: June
This tour is not suitable for people with reduced mobility.
*transportation not covered by the JR Pass (about 80% of public transport within most cities) and after using up the ¥1,500 pre-loaded on your travel card
**$1.70 USD/person/night to be paid directly to the hotel in cash
Detailed Itinerary
TOKYO - HAKONE - KYOTO - HIROSHIMA - KANAZAWA - TOKYO
Day
0
Flight to Tokyo.
Overnight on the aeroplane, arrive the next morning at Tokyo.
Day
1
TOKYO
Arrive at Tokyo at Narita or Haneda Airport.
Transfer to central Tokyo by shared limousine bus.
Note: The limousine bus shuttle leaves from the airport and stops either in front of your hotel or at a stop located 1-15 minutes on foot from your hotel.
Detailed explanations are included in your travel guide booklet, with pictures:
- How to find the Limousine Bus at Tokyo Airport
- How to get from the bus stop to your hotel
This transfer is not a private transfer with reception. If you wish to be met personally at the airport you can choose our "airport reception" service as an option.
In rare cases, depending on the arrival time of your flight, it may be the case that the limousine bus is unavailable. In that situation an alternative route using public transport would be offered, the price of which would be included in your package. A detailed explanation of the route, with pictures, would be provided in your travel guide booklet.
Check in to your hotel.
TOKYO
Night in your 3* hotel in the Akasaka or Ikebukuro district.
Example of 3* hotels (depending on availability):
- Monterey Akasaka Hotel
- The B Akasaka Hotel
- The B Tokyo Ikebukuro Hotel
Examples of 4* hotels: (optional, contact us to upgrade)
- Metropolitan Tokyo Marunouchi Hotel
- Keio Plaza Hotel
- Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro Hotel
Note: Breakfasts not included in the package can be added at the reception desk upon arrival at the hotel. However, in Tokyo and Kyoto, you will find many cafes near your hotel serving generous (and often tastier) breakfasts menus.
Day
2
TOKYO
Self-guided visit of Tokyo and the surrounding region.
The best spots to see the flowers:
- Yoyogi Park, one of the biggest in the city with its 700 cherry trees
- Hanegi Park which has more than 600 plum trees
- Meigutsu-in temple in Kamakura with its array of hortensias
...and other sites which are listed in your travel guide.
TOKYO
In the evening, do not miss the illumination of the blossoming cherry trees along the Meguro river or the Ueno lanterns (only in late March and early April).
Day
3
TOKYO
Continue exploring the capital:
- The Asakusa district and Senso-ji temple
- The Tokyo Skytree, 634 metres high, and Tokyo Tower, a symbol of the city
- Ueno Park and its many museums
- The party districts of Shibuya and Shinjuku
Or why not try a guided tour of the city with one of our guides? (optional, contact us)
Day
4
HAKONE
Transfer to Tokyo Station (not included).
Take the Shinkansen to Odawara station - included in your Japan Rail Pass (about 40 minutes), then change trains to travel to Hakone (this train is not included - ¥310 supplement to be paid on site).
Check in at your ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel).
Explore Hakone at your leisure:
- Gora-koen Park and its greenhouses with thousands of colours and scents
- The Chokoku-no-mori outdoor museum
- The Hakone-jinja sanctuary
- Mount Fuji from Lake Ashi-no-ko
Things to do in Hakone:
- Boat ride across Lake Ashi
- Walk along the old Tokaido road that linked Kyoto to Edo, lined with cedars and pines
- Pass through the former border post of Hakone
If you'd prefer a guided tour, check our tours (optional, contact us).
HAKONE
Dinner and overnight in your ryokan (traditional rooms with baths and toilets on the first floor).
In a 3* ryokan you'll sleep on comfortable futons on top of traditional tatami mats. The bathing facilities, onsen, are shared unless you request the "traditional bath in the room" option (+$72USD/person).
In a 4* ryokan you'll sleep on either on futons or beds in a traditional tatami room. The bathrooms are private, with access to the shared hot springs also available.
Day
5
KYOTO
Enjoy a traditional Japanese breakfast at your ryokan.
Transfer to Hakone station and train journey to Odawara (included in the Hakone Free Pass).
High-speed train journey from Odawara to Kyoto included in the Japan Rail Pass (approximately 2hrs 15mins)
Check-in at your hotel.
KYOTO
Free evening and night at your 3* hotel in the city centre, Gion district or near the central station.
Examples of 3* hotels (depending on availability):
- Mitsui Garden Kyoto Shijo
- Hedistar Hotel Kyoto Nijo
- Hokke Club Kyoto Hotel
Examples of 4* hotels: (optional, contact us)
- Monterey Kyoto Hotel
- New Miyako Hotel
- Kyoto Okura hotel
Day
6
KYOTO
Visit Kyoto and the surrounding area.
Don't miss:
- Okazaki Canal, with blossoming cherry trees lining its banks in early spring
- Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) and Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)
- The traditional Gion district
- Kiyomizu-dera, the incredible thousand-year-old temple that overlooks the city
Or enjoy a new experience with one of our many activities. (optional, contact us)
KYOTO
In the evening, do not miss the night-time illumination of the park at Kodai-ji temple! (From mid-March to early May only)
Day
7
KYOTO
Possible day trips from Kyoto:
- Nara, the first permanent capital of Japan. Visit its emblematic sites which have been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, such as Todaiji temple or the Kasuga Taisha shrine, and visit Mount Yoshino, the site with the most cherry trees in all of Japan. (30-45 minutes by train)
- Osaka and its finest array of flowers in the park at Osaka Castle, Banpaku Park and Shi-Tennoji temple. (30 minutes by train)
- Fushimi-Inari Taisha, an essential place to visit south of Kyoto. Pass through the many hundreds of red torii at this exceptional shrine. (approximately 5 minutes by train)
- Hikone Castle, surrounded by its 1,200 cherry trees. (approximately 1 hr by train)
KYOTO
Free evening and night at your hotel.
Or why not enjoy the unique experience of a night walk in Kyoto's traditional district? (optional, contact us)
Day
8
HIROSHIMA
Shinkansen and express train ride from Kyoto to Hiroshima included in the Japan Rail Pass (about 2.5hrs).
Check-in at your 3* hotel.
Explore Hiroshima and the surrounding area.
Don't miss:
- The Memorial Peace Park and its museum.
- Shukkei-en garden, an unspoilt garden which reveals new surprises as you walk along its pathways.
- Motoyasu river, along which you can take a cruise to admire the flowers
- Ikari shrine, built long ago by sailors in honour of the god of the sea.
HIROSHIMA
Free evening and a night at your hotel.
Try Hiroshima's okonomiyaki!
Day
9
HIROSHIMA
Breakfast at the hotel.
Essential trip from Hiroshima: Miyajima Island
- Itsukushima-jinja shrine and its huge red gate (ootorii) which rises from the sea. (Note: The ootori may be closed)
- Daisho-in temple
- The magnificent park of Momijidani – the "valley of maples". Stunning in fall!
HIROSHIMA
Free evening and a night at your hotel.
Day
10
KANAZAWA
Breakfast at the hotel.
Shinkansen journey to Kanazawa, included in the Japan Rail Pass (approx. 4.5hrs).
Check-in at your 3* hotel.
The essentials and the best spots to see the flowers:
- Kenrokuen garden, one of the three finest gardens in Japan, featuring 10 different species of cherry tree and over 420 trees in total
- The park at Kanazawa Castle and its flowers which are illuminated in the evening
- Sagawa river with cherry trees lining its banks
- The districts of Higashi-Chaya and Nagamachi
KANAZAWA
Free evening and a night at your hotel.
Day
11
TOKYO
Breakfast at the hotel.
Shinkansen journey to Tokyo included in your Japan Rail Pass (about 3hrs).
Check-in at your hotel.
TOKYO
Free evening and night at your hotel.
Day
12
TOKYO
Possible excursions from Tokyo:
- Ashikaga Flower Park and its incredible wisterias
- Kamakura, former capital of Japan with its huge bronze statue of Buddha
- Nikko, a jewel of spirituality
TOKYO
For your last dinner in Tokyo, try "Kaitenzushi" (conveyor belt sushi) for a fun and tasty meal!
Day
13
Transfer to Tokyo Haneda or Narita Airport from Tokyo by Limousine bus.
Return flight.
Arrival.
