19 Day Treasures Of Japan Small Group Tour

Welcome to Japan!

On arrival, please make your own way from the airport to your hotel.

Once you check in and collect your welcome pack, the rest of the day is free for you to explore the capital of Hokkaido.

Perhaps you could start with Odori Park, a popular picnic and relaxation spot in the centre of the city. A popular spot year-round, it's about 1.5km east to west (12 blocks) and the site for major events like the Snow Festival in winter.

Sapporo is also home to the Historic Village of Hokkaido, an open-air museum featuring historical buildings to show Hokkaido as it was in the Meiji and Taisho eras. The village is divided into four sections: a city area, farm village, fishing village and mountain village. There is a horse-drawn trolley in summer and horse-drawn sled in winter.

Arrival & Check-in information

The easiest and most convenient way to travel from Sapporo New Chitose Airport (CTS) is to book airport transfers using your Traveller Hub (booked 7+ days in advance). Alternatively, the airport has reliable public transport services into central Sapporo as well as the Limousine Bus which services many hotels in the central Sapporo area. For more information or assistance with these services, please check with the Passenger Information Desk after leaving the Baggage Claim area.

Special information

There are no scheduled activities today. If arriving prior to check-in time, which is usually from 2-3 pm, you are welcome to leave your luggage with hotel reception and explore your surroundings until check-in becomes available. Use this time to familiarise yourself with the hotel and rest before touring commences tomorrow.

Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.

After breakfast we’ll enjoy a walking tour of Sapporo. Visit Hokkaido Jingu Shrine, the Sapporo Beer Museum and the lively Susukino district. It’s a haven for food, shopping and entertainment. It’s positively buzzing, with neon signs, noise, shopping and nightlife.

You will have evening at leisure to explore the city at your own pace

Inspiring Highlights

• Hokkaido Jingu Shrine
• Sapporo Beer Museum
• Susukino District

Special Information 

Please note, the Sapporo Beer Museum is closed on Mondays. If your tour falls on a Monday we will visit the Museum the following day. 

After breakfast, we’ll embark on an exciting journey to Shiraoi, a charming town located in the heart of Hokkaido. Our first stop will be the Upopoy Ainu Museum and Park, a cultural hub dedicated to the preservation and celebration of the Ainu people, the indigenous group of the region.  The park surrounding the museum enhances the experience with its picturesque landscape, offering a tranquil environment to learn and reflect on the cultural significance of the Ainu heritage.

Later, we will continue our journey onto our next destination, Hakodate, where you can enjoy some free time in the evening.

Inspiring Highlights

• Upopoy Ainu Museum and Park

Special Information 

Please note -  your travel time today 1.5 hrs and 3 hrs

Please note - Today your luggage will be transferred to Sendai in preparation for our arrival. You will need to pack a bag for two nights and your luggage will arrive on Day 5 in the evening.

After breakfast we’ll visit the Goryokaku Tower and Hakodate Morning Market – be sure to check out the live crabs and shellfish in their massive tanks.

For the afternoon, we will enjoy a walk through the city and catch a glimpse of Motomachi – this Western-influenced neighborhood was the heart of the city's foreign settlement, one of only three allowed in Japan some 150 years ago. We'll also visit Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse, a quaint shopping mall housed in a complex that dates back to the 1860s.

We’ll then ride up the 334m Mt Hakodate on the Hakodate ropeway, an aerial lift that takes about three minutes. On a nice day the views are spectacular across the city.

Inspiring Highlights

• Goryokaku Tower
• Hakodate Morning Market 
• Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse
• Mt Hakodate Ropeway
• Motomachi Neighbourhood 

This morning, we take a four-hour train ride to Sendai, for an evening arrival. In the north of Honshu island, Sendai is famous for several traditionally significant monuments. It’s home to the remains of 17th-century Sendai Castle, built for samurai lord Date Masamune on Aoba Hill, which overlooks the city.

You’ll have free time to explore this city. Perhaps head to the top of the AER building to get a birds-eye view of the ‘city of trees’ from the observation terrace on the 31st floor.

Special Information 

Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours

After breakfast we’ll take a day trip to Matsushima. It’s known for the hundreds of forested islands that dot Matsushima Bay, and is regarded as one of Japan's three most scenic views; here, we'll enjoy a cruise around the islets.

Next, we'll visit the Zuiganji Temple – one of the most famous in the Tohoku region. The Zen temple is designated as a National Treasure of Japan and was first founded in 828 CE. You will find yourself mesmerised by the exquisite artwork on the sliding screen doors in the Main Hall.

We’ll then return to the hotel this evening and suggest finding a local eatery for dinner.

Inspiring Highlights

• Matsushima Bay cruise
• Zuiganji Temple

Special Information 

Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours

After breakfast today’s bullet train ride takes us right across Japan to the city of Kanazawa on the western coast.

During World War II, Kanazawa was Japan’s second largest city (after Kyoto) to escape destruction by air raids. This means that parts of the old castle town, such as the Nagamachi samurai district and chaya entertainment districts, have survived.

On arrival, we’ll enjoy a short visit to a samurai residence and Higashi Chaya district. The rest of the day is free for your leisure. You’ll have a one day bus pass to explore this city.

Inspiring Highlights

• Ride On A Bullet Train
• Samurai Residence
• Higashi Chaya District

Special Information 

Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours

Please note: Today your luggage will be transferred to Osaka in preparation for our arrival in two days time. You will need to pack a bag for the two nights in Kanazawa and your luggage will be waiting for you on arrival in Osaka.

After breakfast we'll visit Kenrokuen Garden, one of the most beautiful in Japan. Developed over the course of more than 200 years, starting in 1620, the garden contains almost 9000 trees and 200 plant species.

We'll also enjoy a walking tour of Omicho Market – Kanazawa's largest fresh food market since the Edo Period. Today, it is a busy and colourful network of covered streets lined with some 200 shops and stalls.

We’ll finish our sightseeing with a visit to the Higashi Chaya District, famous for its well-preserved wooden teahouses where geisha perform.

The rest of the day is free for you to relax or explore at your leisure.

Inspiring Highlights

• Kenrokuen Garden
• Omicho Market
• Higashi Chaya District

After breakfast we’ll board a new type of train today, the Thunderbird, and pass through the picturesque Japanese Alps on our way south to Osaka. Your luggage will arrive today.

This afternoon, we will head to Osaka Castle and explore the Dōtonbori area – one of the city's most popular tourist destinations, Dōtonbori Street runs parallel to the eponymous canal. It’s a popular shopping and entertainment district and an area famed for its street food and plentiful restaurants. At night the streets here are illuminated by hundreds of colourful neon lights and mechanised signs, including the famous running Glico Man sign and the Kani Doraku crab sign.

Inspiring Highlights

• Osaka Castle
• Dotonbori Area

Special Information

Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours

After breakfast we’ll leave for Koyasan today, one of the most spiritual locations in all of Japan, and the centre of Shingon Buddhism – an important Buddhist sect that was introduced to Japan in 805 CE by Kōbō-Daishi, also known as Kūkai. A small, secluded temple town has developed around the sect's headquarters that Kōbō-Daishi built on Mount Kōya's wooded mountain top.

Here you’ll experience an Inspiring Stay at a Monastery (Shukubo) in Koyasan, where you’ll get a taste of a monk’s lifestyle. Enjoy vegetarian monk’s cuisine (shōjin ryōri), sleep on futons laid on the Tatami floor and attend the morning prayers.

Upon arrival, we'll take the scenic and monumental walk to Okunoin Temple, one of the holiest locations in Japan; it's said to be Japan's largest cemetery with memorials and monuments to more than 200,000 souls.

Inspiring Highlights

• Okunion Temple
• Shojin Ryori Dinner

Special Information 

Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours

Please note: Today your luggage will be transferred to Hiroshima in preparation for your arrival. You will need to pack an overnight bag for Koyasan.

Today starts with a prayer ceremony and breakfast at the temple. We'll then make our way along the coast of Honshu to Hiroshima. Your luggage will arrive today.

A modern city on Japan’s Honshu Island, Hiroshima was largely destroyed by an atomic bomb during World War II.

We’ll see the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, home to the ruins of Genbaku Dome, one of the few buildings that was left standing near ground zero. In Hiroshima today, locals have mixed feelings about the UNESCO World Heritage Site structure: some see it as a reminder of war, while others consider it a tribute to the lost that ensures we'll never forget the tragic events that took place here.

This afternoon we’ll then have a town orientation walk.

Inspiring Highlights

• Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

Special Information

Please note - the morning prayer ceremony in Koyasan may not be available and will depend on the temp schedule and temple location. Temple locations will differ for all tour departures. 

Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours

This morning, after breakfast, you’ll board a ferry for the short trip to Miyajima.

Known for its lush forests, ancient temples, and freely roaming sika deer, this island is just as popular with Japanese tourists as it is with international visitors. Just offshore we'll spy a 'floating' vermilion torii, which becomes partially submerged at high tide. It marks the entrance to the Itsukushima Shrine, which was first built in the 12th century. Nearby, the Museum of History and Folklore houses cultural artifacts in a 19th-century merchant’s home.

Inspiring Highlights

• Ferry trip to Miyajima
  
  

Special Information

 Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours

After enjoying our breakfast, we will travel to Kyoto. Kyoto, considered by many to be the jewel in Japan’s crown and one of the only cities in Japan to escape destruction during World World II, leaving its countless relics intact.

As we arrive in Kyoto, we will visit Ninnenszaka and Sannenzaka which are the historic old part of the city. Following our time in this district, we will then move on to Gion which is famous for it's Geishas. 

With the evening at leisure to explore the city at your own pace

Special Information 

Please note: Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours

Please note: Today your luggage will be transferred to Kyoto (arriving on Day 15). You will need to pack an overnight bag.

After breakfast we’ll visit some of Kyoto’s most iconic sites, like the Tenryuji Temple in the Arashiyama district of Kyoto. Founded in 1339 by Ashikaga Takauji, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. The temple is famous for its beautiful gardens, designed by Muso Soseki, a famous landscape designer who also designed the gardens of Saiho-ji (Moss Temple).

We'll also take in breathtaking Nijō Castle. Constructed in the 17th century under the orders of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Nijō Castle's buildings are arguably the best surviving examples of castle palace architecture of Japan's feudal era, and as such it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

We’ll visit Ryoanji Temple, the site of Japan’s most famous rock garden and finish at Nishiki Market, a five-block long shopping street where everything from seafood to handmade Japanese knives are sold.

Inspiring Highlights

• Tenryuji Temple
• Nijo Castle
• Ryoanji Temple
• Local Food Markt

Special Information 

Your luggage will arrive today

After breakfast we’ll leave for a day tour to historic Nara, ancient capital of Japan.

We’ll visit Todaiji Temple, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Japan and home to the country’s largest Buddha statue. We’ll then see Kasuga Shrine, featuring over 3000 stone and bronze lanterns.

Our last stop is at Nara Park, one of the oldest parks in Japan, to see over one thousand tame deer roaming freely in this vast, tranquil space.

We’ll take the local train back to Kyoto and the evening is free time for you. Perhaps stroll the streets of Gion, Kyoto's most famous geisha district. With any luck you might spot a geisha, otherwise known as a geiko or maiko.

Inspiring Highlights

• Nara Park
• Todaiji Buddhist Temple
• Kasuga Shrine
• Roaming Deer

Special Information

Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours

It’s a free day in this historic city until your walking tour in the evening. You’ll have a one day bus/subway pass to get around Kyoto.

After breakfast, it's time for your last bullet train trip to Tokyo. On the way you might even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Mt Fuji. 

Upon arrival, the rest of the day is free time until dinner.

Tokyo is arguably one of the most extraordinary capital cities on the planet. It’s the world’s most populous metropolis but very modern and efficient – it’s a breeze to get around on its excellent subway network. To get a view of this buzzing city, head to the Tokyo Skytree for incredible panoramic views from its observation decks, at 350 and 450 metres high. Tokyo Tower – a bright orange Eiffel Tower-inspired structure – also has two observation decks. The Shibuya Crossing is a must-see, with its neon displays and hordes of people crossing the intersection. It’s hectic, crazy and so Tokyo.

The Imperial Palace, previously home to samurai warriors, is a sprawling complex with its beautiful 17th-century parks in the heart of the city. Sensō-ji Temple is the oldest and most important Buddhist temple in Tokyo – which means it’s very busy. If you can head there at night, it’s much less crowded and very pretty with its lights. The Meiji Shrine, surrounded by a 175-acre evergreen forest, is an important religious site where visitors can write and hang their deepest wishes on the wishing tree.

If it’s shopping you’re interested in, Tokyo is home to some of the world’s biggest and most unusual shopping experiences. The Akihabara district is known for tech shops and otaku and anime culture. The Ginza district, the city’s busiest shopping area, is also a great spot to just stop and watch the world go by. Or rush by, rather. If you need some respite from the frenetic pace of this city, head for the serenity of Ueno Park, the city’s largest green space and home to numerous temples and museums. There’s even a zoo here.

Special Information 

Your travel time today will be approximately 2.5 hours

Please note: Today your luggage will be transferred to Tokyo in preparation for your arrival. You will need to pack an overnight bag.

It’s a free day for you to explore this energetic, fascinating city. 

This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner with the group and tour guide to celebrate your time in Japan.

Special Information

Your luggage will arrive today.

Today marks the end of your spectacular journey through Japan. 

At the appropriate time please make your own way to the airport for your flight home or embark on your own independent onward journey.

Check-out and Departure Information

Travellers will be departing at various times throughout the day. Standard hotel check-out is from 10am-12pm. You are welcome to leave your luggage at the hotel reception and spend your final moments of free time exploring the area or alternatively please speak with hotel staff if you would like to extend your check-out time. Please note this service is subject to availability and will likely come at an additional cost.

The easiest and most convenient way to travel from your hotel to Haneda International Airport (HND) or Narita International Airport (NRT) is to book airport transfers using your Traveller Hub (booked 7+ days in advance). Alternatively both airports have reliable public transport services from central Tokyo as well as the Limousine Bus which services many hotels in the central Tokyo area. For more information or assistance with these services, please speak with your hotel reception or tour leader.

Special Information

Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.

Thank you for travelling with Inspiring Vacations.  We hope you had a memorable experience.