Compare 6 Day Touch of Japan Escapade Experience by Pacific Delight Tours vs Highlights of Japan by Exodus Travels
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 7 days | 8 days |
| Price From | Check price | $ 4,500 |
| Price Per Day | Check price | $ 563 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | No |
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| Meals Included |
All Meals: 5 Breakfasts and 1 Lunch |
All breakfasts and one dinner are included. The cuisine is usually a highlight of any Japan trip. It is based on rice with miso soup and other dishes, usually prepared with seasonal ingredients. Seafood is common and usually comes grilled or deep fried. Sushi and sashimi aside, other staple dishes include soba, ramen or udon noodles, sukiyaki (meat, fish and vegetables cooked in broth) and yakiniku (grilled meat). When food is not included, your leader is always available to recommend the best local eateries and arrange group meals for a full immersion in the varied and excellent cuisine of Japan. Please note, the availability of certain specialised products for restricted diets, eg gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan, is minimal or non-existent in Japan. The group meals arranged by the tour leader are in traditional eateries where the choices of vegan dishes may be limited to simple salads or boiled rice. However, there are several vegan restaurants in Kyoto and Tokyo. It may also be a good idea to bring some foodstuffs with you or to supplement meals with snacks purchased in local convenience stores. |
| Description |
During this tour Explore the "Land of the Rising Sun" and view the beauty of Mt. Fuji, and enjoy the traditional culture of Kyoto and sightseeing includes a visit to the imposing Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site |
Commencing in electric Tokyo, this cultural highlights adventure is the ideal way to experience some of Japan’s most iconic cities and sites in just eight days. Visit atmospheric Kyoto to delve into the heart of the nation’s cultural heritage, taste the amazing and diverse cuisine, uncover beautiful nature and Unesco World Heritage sites in Nikko, discover the historic Peace Memorial Park and Museum in Hiroshima and visit captivating Miyajima. This rich journey through the Land of the Rising Sun ends in lively Osaka before we head home with memories to last a lifetime.From Tokyo to Osaka, discover cultural wonders in the Land of the Rising Sun |
Day 1: Depart USA
Depart USA cross the international dateline.
Day 2: Arrive Tokyo
Upon arrival, our representative will assist you to the airport bus for transfer to your Deluxe accommodations.
Day 3: Tokyo
Meals: Breakfast
This morning, visit Japan's dynamic capital city. Begin at Tokyo Tower for a stunning panoramic vista. Then tour Meiji Shrine, a monument of respect to two influential Japanese figures: Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Also, visit Imperial Palace East Garden and Double Bridge. You will pass Akasaka Guest House, a former imperial residence and National Diet Building, where the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors meet. Your guide will lead you to the Ginza Shopping District, with the balance of the day at leisure.
Day 4: Tokyo / Mount Fuji / Hakone / Tokyo
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
After breakfast at the hotel, drive through the beautiful countryside to Mount Fuji and stop at the 5th station, halfway up the mountain, for breathtaking views (weather permitting). Enjoy a ride on the double-wired Hakone. Continue on with a cruise on Lake Ashi. Return to Tokyo in the late afternoon.
Day 5: Tokyo / Kyoto
Meals: Breakfast
Following breakfast, you will be transferred to Tokyo Station to board a tourist class bullet train. Arrive at Kyoto Station, where you will be met by our English-speaking escort and transferred to you hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure.
Day 6: Kyoto
Meals: Breakfast
This morning, your sightseeing includes a visit to the imposing Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will then visit the spirit of old Japan at Kinkakuji Temple replicating itself and its lush park setting in a pond. Afterward, visit the Kyoto Imperial Palace. The balance of the day at your leisure.
Day 7: Journey Home
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, bid farewell to Japan, as you transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Day 1 Start Tokyo
The trip begins this afternoon in Tokyo, the futuristic capital of Japan. Later this afternoon, we have a group welcome meeting with the tour leader followed by an optional group dinner and casual tour around Shinjuku, the nightlife district of Tokyo. Accommodation: Dormy Inn Kodenmacho (or similar)
Day 2 A full-day Tokyo tour by metro including Senso-ji Temple
Today we utilise the efficient Tokyo metro system and enjoy a full-day city tour. We start with an early morning visit to Meiji Shrine, the most famous in the city and dedicated to the spirit of the late Emperor Meiji. The surrounding park is a forest of some 120,000 trees of 365 different species, making you forget you are in the most populated city in the world. Outside of Meiji Shrine is Harajuku, a shopping haven for fashionistas and the popular meeting place for teenagers who are usually in eccentric clothing. The landmark of Harajuku is Takeshita Street, a long alley filled with boutiques, shops and cafes. Neighbouring Harajuku is Omotesando, commonly referred to as the Champs-Elysée of Tokyo. This broad, tree-lined avenue features several flagship fashion stores designed by internationally renowned architects. From Omotesando, we can take the metro to Ginza, one of the most famous upscale shopping, dining and entertainment districts in the city. It is said that 11sqft (1sqm) of land in Ginza is worth more than 10m yen (US$71,540). Our last stop Asakusa, the oldest Geisha district in Tokyo and home to Senso-ji Temple, the oldest Buddhist temple in the city. The streets around Senso-ji have many traditional shops that sell Japanese crafts and souvenirs – a delight to wander through. Please note, the order of activities and areas visited today may change depending on the weather conditions and other factors. Your tour leader will provide full details of the schedule during the initial trip briefing. Accommodation: Dormy Inn Kodenmacho (or similar)
Day 3 Travel by train to Nikko; enjoy nature and Unesco sites; overnight in a traditional-style guesthouse
After breakfast, we bid farewell to Tokyo and travel by train (approximately two hours) to beautiful Nikko, known for towering cedar trees and Unesco World Heritage sites, such as the Toshogu Shrine. Upon arrival, we visit a few of the most popular sites. The Shinkyo Bridge is one of the most iconic landmarks in Nikko. This bright, vermillion bridge spans a river on the outskirts of the main shrine complex and is (aside from Toshogu Shrine) the most photographed attraction in Nikko. Often featured in traditional Japanese art prints known as ukiyoe, it is considered one of the most beautiful bridges in Japan and is photogenic in all seasons. No visit to Nikko would be complete without a visit the Toshogu Shrine, which was built as a mausoleum for Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate who ruled Japan for more than 250 years. This lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen Shinto and Buddhist buildings in a beautiful forest setting. We spend the night in Nikko in a traditional-style guesthouse. Accommodation: Turtle Inn Nikko/Annex Turtle Hotorian (or similar)
Day 4 Train to Kyoto; delight your senses in Nishiki Market; explore the traditional Gion district
Today we set out on a longer journey (approximately 4hr 30min) west to Kyoto, the former capital of Japan, by local train and shinkansen. As we arrive in Kyoto after 2pm, we can enjoy a bento lunch on the train. After checking into our hotel, we visit Nishiki Market, where we embark on a tour that will delight our senses. We walk through the narrow, covered food markets, where there are many interesting food shops to explore. This is a great opportunity to learn about Japanese produce and snap some photos of goods you won’t find back home. Some of the shops give out or sell samples, so leave space in your stomach. The late afternoon is the best time to visit the Gion district, also known as the Geisha District for being one of the hanamachi (flower towns) where Geisha live and work. The highlight is Hanami-koji, the most popular street in Gion where lavish teahouses and machiya (old houses) are lined up. In the early evening, you may see a Geiko or Maiko on the way to her engagement. Accommodation: Resol Kyoto Shijo Muromachi (or similar)
Day 5 Experience some Kyoto highlights on foot and by public transport
Today, along with your tour leader, enjoy an exploration of the Kyoto highlights while using the comprehensive bus and metro systems. The tour starts with an early morning visit to one of the most unusual Shinto shrines in Japan. Fushimi Inari is composed of thousands of vermilion torii gates following trails inside the forests of Mount Inari. The Shrine, which was featured in Memoirs of a Geisha, is famous for the impressive contrast and mystical atmosphere created by the colours of the torii gates and the surrounding nature. Next on our schedule is Arashiyama, one of the richest areas in Kyoto for sightseeing, which contains some of the most stunning scenery in the area. Starting at Togetsukyo Bridge, a local landmark, we make our way to the bamboo forest path on the west side of the river before stopping at Nonomiya Shrine. After a lunch break, we continue to the serene Ryoan-ji Temple, which has a well-maintained rock garden. Nearby is the stunning golden pavilion collectively known as Kinkaku-ji Temple. The temple grounds are relatively smaller than that of most temples and shrines in Kyoto but what is undoubtedly impressive is the pavilion completely covered in handmade gold leaves. Accommodation: Resol Kyoto Shijo Muromachi (or similar)
Day 6 To Hiroshima to visit the Peace Park and Museum; discover the beautiful Himeji Castle en route
Following breakfast, we move further west by Shinkansen to Hiroshima (approximately three hours). Along the way, we break our journey to visit one of the most beautiful castles in Japan, Himeji Castle. Also called Shirasagi-jo (the White Heron Castle) or Hakuro-jo (the White Egret Castle), it resembles a white bird in flight with a white exterior and distinctive roof design. After, we pick up lunch to enjoy on the train and continue to Hiroshima. Perhaps more than any city in the world, Hiroshima is famous for one moment in history; on 6 August 1945, it became the first target of an atomic bomb. However, Hiroshima has risen phoenix-like from its ashes, and rebuilt itself as one of the most laid back and vibrant cities in Japan, full of wide boulevards and museums and famous for great food and welcoming people. This afternoon, we visit the Peace Memorial Museum for a sobering reminder of the events of 1945 before experiencing the surrounding Peace Park, where the atmosphere is one of hope and peace. We spend the night in Hiroshima. Accommodation: Daiwa Roynet Hotel Hiroshima Ekimae (or similar)
Day 7 Morning trip by ferry to Miyajima; bullet train to Osaka for final evening
This morning, we take a short ferry trip to Miyajima, a wooded island in the Inland Sea near Hiroshima. Here is, perhaps, the most photographed site in Japan: the Floating Torii Gate. Please note, while the floating tori of Itsukushima-jinja Shrine is currently undergoing renovation works, we still recommend a visit to this enchanting island. Deer roam freely and we spend time at leisure before we make our way by Shinkansen (approximately 2hr 30min) to our final destination, Osaka. The second-largest metropolitan area in Japan, Osaka has a distinct, vibrant character. The residents are lively and known to work hard and play hard. Osaka is also known as the shopping, dining and nightlife capital of Japan. It’s a good place to buy souvenirs and enjoy our last dinner together or sing in a karaoke box before heading home. Accommodation: Karaksa Hotel Osaka Namba (or similar)
Day 8 End Osaka
The tour ends this morning after breakfast. If you have a late flight or are staying longer, your tour leader will happily give suggestions for your sightseeing plans.
