Tohoku: Traditional Japan
- Duration : 18 days
- Locations : Kyoto, Tokyo, Nikko, Sendai, Tohoku, Aomori
Discover the many faces of the Land of the Rising Sun in a single trip to Japan : Kyoto, the elegant former capital, Tokyo, the electric capital, and the little-known, rural Tohoku.
Unspoilt nature, mountainside temples, spa towns and charming Japanese countryside: these are the attractions of this private tour in "Japan from the inside out".
3 week itinerary (18 days)
- Departure city/airport : Osaka (Kansai international airport : KIX)
- Kyoto (3 nights)
- Tokyo (3 nights)
- Nikko (1 night)
- Sendai and Matsushima bay (2 nights)
- Several stages in Tohoku including Aomori (7 nights)
- Tokyo (1 night)
- End Return airport : Tokyo (Narita : NRT or Haneda : HND)
Please find below the itinerary details.
Tour length : 17 nights / 18 days (+ 1 day at the beginning if you leave from Europe)
Indeed, the tour departure and end dates presented on this page relate to your stay in Japan. On departure, you will have to leave Europe on the day before. The return flight is on the same day due to the time difference.
Example :
- Departure from Europe : January 1st
- Arrival Osaka (date to be selected in the tour calendar while booking) : January 2nd
- Return flight from Tokyo : January 19th
Why this trip to Japan ?
- An original circuit combining Kyoto, Tokyo and the traditional region of Tohoku
- Welcomed at the airport by our team, you will be taken to your hotel in Kyoto by shuttle bus
- In Kyoto, a travel angel will welcome you to a traditional Japan Experience house
- In Kyoto, a night-time guided tour of the Gion district awaits you
- Then head to Tokyo, for 2 days in the heart of the capital
- Reach Nikko, in the heart of the forest for a stay in a ryokan
- Sendai and Matsushima Bay offers one of the 3 most beautiful views in Japan
- Climb to the top of Honshu, to Aomori and its unspoilt nature
- Take the train back down the coast of the Sea of Japan to the Samurai region
- Discover the haiku of Matsuo Basho at the Yamadera Temple, the symbol of Tohoku
- Thermal baths and a hike in a volcano crater await you before reaching Tokyo
- Transportation and special accommodation included (ryokan & Japan Experience house)
- Recommendations available in your travel diary
- Enjoy unlimited internet access thanks to your pocket Wi-Fi
- If necessary, contact our assistance from 8am to 10pm Japanese time, 7 days a week, in English or Japanese.
- Benefit from the expertise of Japan Experience, European leading travel agency in Japan.
Your trip in detail
Itinerary
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Day 1 : Wake up in Kyoto 京都
Arrival at Kansai International Airport (KIX).
Welcome to Japan! Yokoso 日本へようこそ!Pocket Wi-Fi collection at the airport.
Reception at the exit from Customs in English by our airport assistant, who will give you all your travel documents.
Unaccompanied transfer from the airport to your traditional Japan Experience house!Check in before 8 p.m. in your accommodation. A Travel Angel will welcome you, show you some unique details and help you to have an unforgettable stay in Kyoto. You will be able to "live the Japanese way" for a few days, with a space much bigger than a hotel room and a kitchen to prepare good Japanese food!
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Day 2 : First steps in the old capital
We advise you to start your visit to Kyoto slowly by visiting the city centre and the Gion district:
- The Nijo castle, former shogun's residence
- Nishiki, Kyoto's culinary market
- Kiyomizu-Dera, the great water temple
- The historical streets of Sannen-zaka & Ninnen-zaka
- Kodai-ji, the maple and bamboo temple of KyotoFinish off seeing the sunset in Gion.
Meet your guide at 19:00 to start your late stroll around Gion, Kyoto's historic district.At the end of this 1 hour 30 walk, your guide will be able to advise you on the best places to eat out!
Please note that it is strictly forbidden to take photographs in the historic district of Gion. -
Day 3 : Gold and Silver Treasures
We recommend the following itinerary for this second day's visit to Kyoto:
- Ryoan-ji Zen Garden
- The Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
- Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)
- The bewitching path of philosophy
- The Nanzen-ji templeOne of our many experienced English-speaking guides can accompany you on a tour of these symbolic sites (optional, from 9:00 to 17:00).
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Day 4 : First steps in the capital
From Kyoto Station, get to Tokyo in 2 hours 40 minutes on the Shinkansen high-speed train, included in your package.
We advise you to slowly start visiting Tokyo from its western districts:
- Harajuku: the avant-garde district
- Meiji Jingû, the imperial shrine
- Takeshita-Dori: the most famous street in Japan
- Omotesando: Tokyo's Champs-Élysées
- Shibuya and its unmistakable "crossroads"Check-in at Hotel OMO3 Tokyo Akasaka by Hoshino Resorts or same category hotel 3*.
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Day 5 : The big loop
For this third day of visiting Tokyo, we recommend the following "loop".
Start from Tokyo Central Station, with its original architecture, then go to visit:
- Ginza, Tokyo's chic district
- Tsukiji, the small outdoor food market
- Hamarikyu, the Japanese garden between Tokyo's buildings
- Asakusa, a traditional district and place of pilgrimage, accessible by a cruise on the Sumida River
- Sensô-ji Buddhist temple, one of the oldest in the city
- Tokyo Sky Tree reaching a height of 643m, and its panoramic view of Tokyo at sunsetEnjoy a cruise on the Sumida River between Hamarikyu and Asakusa.
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Day 6 : Now for some activity...
This is your last full day to visit Tokyo, so make the most of our many optional activities:
- Are you looking more for fun? Ghibli Museum, Disneyland or Hello Kitty Park are waiting for you!
- Do you prefer a themed activity? Book a visit on an architecture tour, gardens, home cooking or Noh's theatre.
- Chasing thrills? Let yourself be tempted by a helicopter ride or a sumo tournament (in season)!If you wish to continue the visits at your own pace, Kamakura will seduce you. This small coastal town just 45 minutes by train (no reservations required) from Tokyo was once a shogun capital. The great Buddha of Kamakura is the symbol of the city. Our English-speaking guides can help you discover this city full of history.
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Day 7 : The mountain at the gateway to Tokyo
In the morning, we advise that you have your luggage sent to the hotel in Sendai (details in your travel diary, check with the hotel reception) and that you travel light for your night in Nikko.
Go to Tokyo station to take the Shinkansen to Nikko. After one change and a total of 1 hour 30 of travel time (all included with your Japan Rail Pass), you will arrive in a valley in the middle of a lush Japanese mountain.
Settle in your ryokan in the heart of the valley (ryokan Kozuchi no Yado Tsurukame Daikichi or same category hotel 3*).
In the afternoon, visit Nikko, with its many UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Toshogu and Futarasan - Jinja shrines and the Buddhist temple (Rinno-ji) located in the heart of an outstanding natural setting.
At night at the ryokan, you will be treated to a tasty traditional Japanese dinner before retiring to your tatami room.
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Day 8 : The capital of Tohoku
Traditional Japanese breakfast at the ryokan.
In the morning, travel from Nikko to Sendai along the Pacific coast. 2 hours by train and Shinkansen. 1 change, included in your package. Arrival in this lively student city and check into your 3* hotel or same category hotel. In the afternoon, enjoy the charms of a lush, green and vibrant city, as medieval as it is modern!
We recommend the following spots :
- Sendai Media Library
- Kamei Museum
- Aobajo, site of the ancient castle, from where you can see the whole town of Sendai
- Zuihoden, mausoleum of the Date clan, branch of the Fujiwara
- Private collection of Tansu (traditional Japanese furniture) from Monmaya
- An outing in the Kokubuncho district -
Day 9 : One of Japan's most beautiful landscapes
For this day we recommend a 40 min JR train ride from Sendai to see the pine-lined bay that makes this area so famous.
Cruise through Matsushima Bay, one of Japan's three most beautiful panoramas since the 18th century.
Visit of the Zuiganji Buddhist temple, rebuilt in the 17th century by craftsmen from Kyoto, and stroll through the center of Matsushima.
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Day 10 : The Discreet Sacred City
In the morning, we advise that you have your luggage sent to the hotel in Aomori (details in your travel diary, check with the hotel reception) and that you travel light for your night in Hiraizumi.
Travel to Hiraizumi (45 minutes by train, 1 change, all included), a village whose religious heritage is classified by UNESCO: Chuson-ji temple and its golden pavilion, the ancestor of the Kyoto temple, as well as the temples and magnificent Motsu-ji gardens.
In the afternoon, we recommend an excursion to the Geibi Gorge or...the Genbi Gorge! Just one letter of difference and yet they differ on every count: the first, in the East, is peaceful and classified among the 100 most beautiful landscapes in Japan. The second, to the west, is winding but features an original cafe, which delivers your order to the other side of the river by zip line, to the sound of your national anthem!Upon arrival in Hiraizumi, you can check into your same category 3* ryokan. This is an opportunity to try out the hot springs (onsen), which are common in the region!
The ryokans of Hiraizumi are scattered within a 15km radius of the village station. Some, such as the Shizukatei ryokan, offer free shuttle buses, while others require a taxi, which you will have to pay for yourself (about €15).In the evening, traditional Japanese dinner in your ryokan.
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Day 11 : Tohoku's most beautiful spa village
Traditional Japanese breakfast at the ryokan.
You will then need to head to the north of Honshu island and its capital Aomori. However, we recommend a "stopover" in the area of Hanamaki, a pleasant spa town located 40 minutes by train (direct, included) from Hiraizumi, where you will have spent the night.
In Hanamaki there is a museum celebrating the literary works of the writer Kenji Miyazawa known for "Night on the Galactic Railroad". This is also the departure point for the SL Ginga steam train, which has a planetarium and is a weekly trip popular with Japanese people from all over the country!
This is an opportunity to reach a superb nature destination: Tono, 1 hour by train from Hanamaki (direct, included in your tour). This region is the birthplace of many legends, including that of the kappa. Several points of interest are scattered along the stops of this small train line: a sanctuary in the middle of the fields, a cave with a waterfall of over 800m, an old renovated farm etc. You can also discover them by bike.At the end of the afternoon, reach Aomori, in the northern part of Honshu Island, by train and Shinkansen (1 or 2 changes, journey included in your offer).
Settle in your 3* hotel in the heart of the capital of the North of Honshu Island.
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Day 12 : Heading north!
Breakfast at the hotel.
Discover this port city surrounded by snowy peaks, with a strong cultural and spiritual identity !
We recommend the following:
- The town centre and its port, where the memorial boat Hakkôda-maru is moored
- The fish markets
- The museum dedicated to the popular Nebuta Matsuri festival
- The museum of the printmaker Shiko Munakata
- The Aomori Art Museum, which preserves works by both artists from the prefecture and great international artists, such as Marc ChagallSecond night in your hotel in Aomori.
We also offer you, as an option, a getaway by car to discover the region's nature (snow-covered peaks, dense forests, volcanic lake, bucolic gorges). You will spend the night and evening in a fabulous ryokan in the middle of the countryside with all the necessary comforts but... by candlelight, because everything works without electricity!
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Day 13 : In front of the sea
Breakfast at the hotel.
Head to Akita, the other city in northern Tohoku.
2 options for the journey:
- Direct train, 2 hours 30 (included in your offer). A stop in Hirosaki, to visit its (small) castle amidst a pleasant park is an interesting stop.
- Gono train line, the "Resort Shirakami" hybrid energy train, which runs along the coast for over 5 hours. Allow for a full day if you stop at one of the 43 stations along the coast, such as the one where you can bathe in an onsen facing the sea. The railway also passes close to the Shirakami-sanchi nature park, a UNESCO-listed primary beech forest.
One of the most beautiful railway lines in Japan, with unspoilt seascapes. Even the sunset here is considered by many to be the most beautiful in Japan!Arrive in Akita in the afternoon and check into your 3* hotel.
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Day 14 : Following in the footsteps of the samurai
Breakfast at the hotel.
A visit to Akita, a prefecture in one of the less visited regions by foreign tourists. Yet its central park, the imposing remains of its feudal castle and its new art museum built by Tado Ando are well worth visiting. One of the most famous paintings by the French-Japanese painter Foujita is on display in this museum.
A 45-minute Shinkansen train ride, included in your package, will take you to Kakunodate, one of Japan's best preserved samurai towns. Worth a visit:
- The samurai quarter: Aoyagi residence and cherry bark craft museum
- The shopping district: Nishinomiya residenceYou can also visit a soy sauce factory and/or a sake brewery outside the city (accessible by train).
Stay overnight at a western-style ryokan in the city's samurai district.Traditional Japanese dinner at the ryokan.
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Day 15 : The haiku temple
Traditional Japanese breakfast at the ryokan.
In the morning, continue south to Yamagata, in the heart of Tohoku! 3 hours 30 by Shinkansen and train (1 change, all included in your package). The prefectural capital of this rural area is a pleasant base for exploring the surrounding area, including the fabulous Yamadera hilltop temple and the Zao volcanic area.
At noon, after dropping off your belongings at your 3* hotel, we recommend that you explore the Risshakuji (also called Yamadera temple): one of the most famous perched temples in Japan, which inspired several poems by Matsuo Basho. A breathtaking view awaits you. 20 minutes by direct train, included.
Overnight stay in Yamagata.
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Day 16 : Crater and volcanic water
Breakfast at the hotel.
From Yamagata station, reach the village of Zao in 40 minutes (not included in your offer, €8 to be paid on the spot). You are in the heart of nature in this spa village. Choose from a number of options to recharge your batteries:
- Cable car and a short hike to the crater of a volcano, where a lake with an amazing green colour is located
- Foot baths in the volcanic water
- Or an onsen accessible to all that can hold up to 200 people at a timeAfter this day in the fresh air, return to Yamagata for the second night in your hotel.
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Day 17 : Return to civilisation
Breakfast at the hotel.
You have arrived for your last day of your Japan tour.
After a visit to the pottery district of Yamagata, head back to Tokyo on the 2 hour 40 hour direct Shinkansen train, included in your tour.
Settle into your 3* hotel before doing your last bit of souvenir shopping and packing your bags!
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Day 18 : Sayonara, and see you next time!
Transfer to Haneda or Narita airport (included but not accompanied).
Return flight to Europe, North America, Australia.


















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Accommodation
- 3 nights in a traditional Kyoto house
- 3 nights in a 3* hotel in the heart of Tokyo, close to public transport
- 1 night in a 3* ryokan in Nikko, traditional half-board
- 2 nights in a 3* hotel in Sendai
- 1 night in a 3* ryokan in Hiraizumi, traditional half-board
- 2 nights in a 3* hotel in Aomori
- 1 night in a 3* hotel in Akita
- 1 night in a 3* ryokan in Kakunodate, traditional half-board
- 2 nights in a 3* hotel in Yamagata
- 1 night in a 3* hotel in the heart of Tokyo, close to public transport
The basic rate includes a twin room for two people.
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Transport
- Airport transfers
- Prepaid public transport card
- Japan Rail Pass for 14 days
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Experiences and meals
- Airport welcome
- Traditional dinner and breakfast in the 3 traditional lodgings of the tour
- Breakfast except in major cities (Tokyo, Kyoto, Sendai)
- Welcome to Kyoto by a travel angel
- Guided night tour of Gion (1h30)
Included in your self-guided tour
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Additional services
- Unlimited Wi-Fi access with pocket Wi-Fi
- Complete e-travel diary
- The helpline is available from 8am to 10pm Japanese time, 7 days a week, in English and Japanese. The number will be given to you in your travel pack. It is valid for telephone calls and Whatsapp.
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Not included in the price of your trip
- Flights Europe <> Japan
- Optional insurance policies
- Personal expenses including meals (breakfast optional)
- Public transport when your transport cards have run out (see details)
- Anything not included in the "included in your tour" section
When you buy, Japan Experience offers you 2 types of protection:
Japan Experience Flex :
Cancellation insurance before departure under conditions.
Japan Experience Protect :
Pre-departure cancellation insurance under conditions and on-site assistance under conditions.
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