Tour the Essence of Japan with Hiroshima and Fuji
🕐 DURATION
13 days, 12 nights
📅 DEPARTURE MONTHS
Multiple Departures are available between 8 Jul 2025 & 12 Nov 2026
From $8,005 $6,985 per person twin share*
From $10,074 $9,054 per person, sole traveller*
Marvelling at the harmonious contrast of Japan’s old and new. Enjoying three exhilarating rides on the modern marvel that is the bullet train. Experiencing a traditional Japanese tea ceremony in Kyoto, the country’s ancient capital (and birthplace of this refined ritual).
Ancient and ultra-modern sit shoulder to shoulder in Japan. On this Japan itinerary, we’ll experience both over two weeks, exploring high-paced cities, hushed shrines and temples, and serene gardens. We’ll attend a traditional tea ceremony, learn a little about geisha and samurai culture, catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji, and whizz between cities on the sleek, slick Shinkansen (bullet train). This special departure coincides with the Gion Matsuri (Gion festival) in Kyoto, undoubtedly the country’s biggest festival.
Inclusions/Exclusions:
◾ 13 meals – 12 breakfasts, 1 lunch
◾ Titan tour manager and local guide
◾ Headset system on excursions
◾ Services included
18 excursions & visits
◾ City tours of Tokyo, Kanazawa (including Kenroku-en Garden), and Kyoto
◾ Mount Fuji Visitor Centre
◾ Visits to Matsumoto Castle, Shirakawago Village, Miyajima Island, and Nara (including Todaiji Temple and Nara Park)
◾ Experience the Takayama Festival
◾ Sake tasting at a traditional brewery
◾ Walking tours of Takayama and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
◾ Three journeys on the bullet train
◾ Traditional tea ceremony
◾ Lake Ashi cruise
◾ Cable car to the Owakudani Valley and hot springs
Our team can also assist with booking International flights and accommodation as part of your overall travel plans.
Please note: prices are subject to availability at the time of booking and may change or be withdrawn at any time without notice.
Itinerary
| Arrive | Details | Depart | Day 1 | Tokyo - Join your tour group at the hotel. | 12:00 | Day 2 | Tokyo - A tour guide helps us to embrace this dazzling city. As we walk out amidst skyscrapers and the world’s tallest self-supporting tower (the Tokyo Skytree), we find Tokyo’s traditional side. Learn the stories behind legendary landmarks like the moated Imperial Palace, Tokyo’s oldest temple - Sensō-ji, and Meiji Shrine, a serene Shinto shrine set on a tree-lined avenue. | Day 3 | Mount Fuji - Matsumoto Standing out from its surroundings at 3,776m high, Japan’s tallest mountain has inspired countless artists and photographers. Clouds often linger around this active volcano, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed for you to catch a sight of the iconic snow-capped peak as you travel from Tokyo to Matsumoto. If the weather is clear, you’ll see the volcano’s image reflected on the placid waters of Lake Jawaguchi. | Day 4 | Matsumoto - Takayama Known as one of the most beautiful castles in Japan, Matsumoto is a striking timber and stone structure with a unique moon-viewing turret. In the spring, take your time to stroll among the cherry blossoms in the spacious castle gardens. Stop to sample sake (Japanese rice wine) in a traditional brewery, before we take the breathtaking journey through thick pine forests and snow-tipped peaks of the Japanese Alps to the hill town of Takayama. We’ll call in at the Hida Folk Village, an open-air museum with a collection of antique houses from the region and displays highlighting crafts and ancient traditions. | Day 5 | Takayama - Meiji-era inns, hillside shrines and a pretty riverside setting - the hamlet of Takayama is traditional Japan at its finest. Soak in the local character on our walking tour, when we’ll see highlights such as the open-air flower and fruit market and government house. | Day 6 | Kanazawa - Next on our Japan itinerary, we transfer by coach to Kanazawa, visiting the World Heritage Shirakawago Village en route. Kanazawa is a historic castle town, boasting beautifully preserved samurai and geisha districts. Our sightseeing tour includes Omicho market and Higashi Chayagai (the ‘teahouse district’). | Day 7 | Kanazawa - Hiroshima We pack overnight bags whilst our luggage is transferred to Kyoto. We’ll have another sweep of the city, stopping at the gorgeous Kenroku-en Garden and BukeYashiki (Samurai’s house). Located outside the gates of Kanazawa Castle and covering an area of 11.4 hectares, the Kenroku-en Garden was created in the 1620s and opened to the public in 1874. It’s the epitome of a traditional Japanese garden with plum and cherry blossoms, artificial ponds, hills and buildings. From the quaint, quiet streets of Kanazawa, we’ll go full throttle into one of Japan’s other passions. The Shinkansen (bullet train) will hurtle us from Kanazawa to Hiroshima in perfect comfort. | Day 8 | Hiroshima - Leafy Hiroshima, with its wide boulevards and friendly locals, might not be what you expected. It’s a vibrant and cosmopolitan city of peace with a devastating history. Today we’ll catch a ferry over to Miyajima Island to admire the ancient Itsukushima Shrine and its torii gate. We'll spend some time strolling through the park. In autumn, the maples here are ablaze with rich reds and oranges. Back in Hiroshima, we’ll take a walking tour around the Peace Memorial Park and take some time for reflection at the Atomic Bomb Museum. | Day 9 | Nara - Kyoto Another bullet train takes us to Osaka, where we’ll board our coach for the onward journey to Nara, a former capital of Japan. The 8th-century Todaiji temple - supposedly the oldest wooden structure in the world - is wondrous, but the real highlight here are the adorable deer roaming through Nara Park. You can buy a packet of crackers to feed them - they’ll even bow to you before you feed them. We arrive in Kyoto this afternoon. With its wealth of shrines and temples, colourful gardens and variety of arts and crafts shops, it's a real highlight of our Japan tour package. We’ll uncover geisha culture with some time in the Gion area - Japan’s most famous geisha district. | Day 10 | Kyoto - Highlights of this morning’s tour include the wonderful Ryoanji Temple (a Zen temple with a famous rock garden), and the beautiful Kinkakuji Temple, or ‘Golden Pavilion’, whose top two floors are completely bedecked in gold leaf. We also visit Nijo, a fortified castle with unique ‘nightingale’ floors designed to replicate the sound of the nightingale song when stepped on. | Day 11 | Kyoto - Mishima We’ll sit down for a cuppa before leaving Kyoto this morning - it is the birthplace of the traditional tea ceremony, after all. Learn the intricacies of this graceful discipline, considering simple details like holding the bowl so your friends can enjoy the beauty of its decoration. You can read about these rituals in any Japan travel guide, but there's nothing quite like experiencing it first hand. You’ll never drink tea at home the same again! Another bullet train whisks us from Kyoto to Mishima. We’ll check into our hotel and if the weather is kind you’ll have views of Mount Fuji from your room. | Day 12 | Hakone - Tokyo We drive to Hakone and embark on a cruise on Lake Ashi for stunning views of the snow-capped mountains. We’ll jump in a cable car all the way up to the Owakudani Valley and Hot Springs, in the crater of Mount Hakone. Later, we’ll arrive in Tokyo. | Day 13 | Tokyo - Say goodbye to your tour group for your onward travel. Exact itineraries may vary slightly depending on departure date - your full itinerary will be shown on your confirmation invoice. | 06:00 |
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Highlights
- Delve into the history of Hiroshima
- Explore the beautiful temples and shrines in Kyoto
- Hop on the Bullet Train, the fastest train
- City tours of Tokyo, Kanazawa (including Kenroku-en Garden), and Kyoto
- Mount Fuji Visitor Centre
- Visits to Matsumoto Castle, Shirakawago Village, Miyajima Island, and Nara (including Todaiji Temple and Nara Park)
Inclusions
- 13 meals – 12 breakfasts, 1 lunch
- Titan tour manager and local guide
- Headset system on excursions
- Services included
Exclusions
- Airfares
- Travel Insurance
Fine Print
- Prices are subject to availability
- Fare includes all taxes and port charges
- Travel insurance not included; customers are advised to purchase appropriate cover after booking
- Itinerary is subject to change without notice
- Visas/ESTA’s are not included
- All travellers must have a valid passport for international travel and many countries require at least 6 months validity from the date of return and some countries require a machine-readable passport.
Extras
Accommodation
- Keio Plaza Hotel, Tokyo (4-star)
- Matsumoto Buena Vista (3.5-star)
- Takayama Green Hotel (3-star) or Associa Takayama (3-star)
- Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel (4-star)
- Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima (4-star)
- Kyoto Hotel Okura (4-star)
- Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel (3.5-star)
- Kawasaki King Skyfront Tokyu Rei Hotel, Tokyo (3-star)
🕵️ Suggested arrival & departure airport – Tokyo
Each of our tours has been given a rating from 1 to 3, with 3 being the most strenuous. It’s really important that you discuss with us your suitability for this tour prior to booking.
The above tour has been classified as:
- Level 2 – A moderately paced holiday with more days that are longer and excursions may require moderate walking at a steady pace. You might be required to walk further distances, including over mixed terrain and up and down stairs.
Please note: This is a guide only. Please be aware that for each level you should also be comfortably able to manage the requirements set out in the lower levels.
TRAVEL ADVICE: We recommend that you contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or visit their website at www.smartraveller.gov.au for general travel advice, as well as specific advice (including safety alert levels) relating to the destination you wish to visit. You can also register your travel plans with DFAT, so that you may be more easily contacted in an emergency.
Travel insurance is strongly recommended, and we provide exclusive discounts on travel insurance policies for our clients.https://goinsurance.com.au/?PromoCode=tc
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