Welcome to Japan.
Arrive at Osaka.
Own time on arrival. If you have the time and energy to explore, don't miss the Shinsaibashi shopping street full of small stalls and food stalls or head to Nakanoshima Island.
Explore Osaka's vibrant metropolis, with old and new in an exciting mix.
Start your day with a visit to Osaka Castle. The castle's ancestry goes back to the 16th century, although today it has been rebuilt. It was once the seat of power of the samurai Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a powerful samurai and the one who united Japan, until the destruction in 1615 of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun (military ruler) of a long series of shoguns.
Here you will experience the pink "sea" in the spring when hundreds of cherry blossoms bloom. See the castle from the nearby Osaka History Museum, where you will learn about the history and growth of the city itself. Just outside the castle, you board a boat and cruise down Osaka's canals to the lively and colorful area of Dotombori.
Discover Osaka's iconic "Glico man" sign - (a famous big neon billboard, with a running man, who has been hanging there for 80 years) and taste local specialties such as takoyaki (fried dough balls filled with octopus) and okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes ). Head up to the Umeda Sky Building in northern Osaka, to the 39th floor of the Garden Observatory and experience an unforgettable view of the city.
Short trip from Osaka to the ancient city of Kyoto, by express train.
Visit Nishiki Market to explore what is called the "Kyoto Kitchen". Here everything from tea to tamagoyaki (rolled egg omelette) and tofu donuts is sold.
Have lunch in one of the many excellent restaurants that surround the market before strolling across the Kamo River to the Higashiyama district.
Visit the Yasaka Shrine, where Kyoto's famous festival celebrated for more than 1,000 years, Gion Matsuri, takes a seat and stroll along the cobblestone streets of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka. There you will find traditional Japanese buildings and homes.
Enjoy a traditional Japanese tea ceremony in a machiya (Kyoto-style town hall) before ending the day at the nearby Kiyomizu Temple (on the UNESCO World Heritage Site). If you are lucky, you can catch the sunset over the city from the temple's iconic porch. Dine in the nearby geisha district of Gion before returning to the hotel.
Discover Kyoto and its surroundings. Take a bus or local train out to the western suburb of Arashiyama. This leafy neighborhood hides a host of attractions, from a park with a monkey to the Togetsukyo Bridge, which is over 1000 years old.
Visit the gardens of the Tenryu-ji Temple, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, try eating a meal of shojin ryori (from Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) in the garden restaurant. During the fall and spring you can also visit the nearby temple in Hogon-in and is a hidden gem.
Stroll or cycle through the famous bamboo forest, one of Kyoto's most photographed places. If you have time, some of the temples north of the bamboo forest in the Sagano area are worth exploring, such as Gio-ji, which is softly embedded among moss and trees. Return to Kyoto for an evening stroll along the charming Pontocho Alley, one of Kyoto-hamamachi (geisha neighborhoods).
Free day. Enjoy a day trip out to Nara, Japan's first capital on the Kansai Plain. The highlight here is the Todai-Ji Temple with its massive Buddha statue - the building is one of the world's largest wooden structures. A short walk from Todai-ji to the traditional gardens of Isui-en and Yoshiki-en, both of which are particularly beautiful in late fall.
On the east side of Nara Park, you can also visit the Kasugi Shrine with its 3,000 lanterns, a popular spot for local couples to conduct their traditional wedding ceremony. You can see when the park deer are fed, they are protected, because they have long been considered the messengers of the gods. On the way back to Kyoto, exit at Fushimi Inari Shrine to see the beautiful Torii portals that wind up at the Higashiyama Mountains.
Wake up early and take the Thunderbird Express train to Kanazawa, a 2.5 hour journey. After checking in at the hotel, take the bus to the Higashi Chaya Geisha district.
Wander the cobblestone streets, stop by for some of the old geisha tea houses that have now been transformed into a museum or visit the Golden Leaf Museum before enjoying a lunch with a traditional Kaga Ryori (Kanazawa cuisine).
Then take the Kanazawa Loop Bus to Kenroku, a garden that is considered one of Japan's finest. Don't miss a millimeter of the garden as it is amazing. Visit the Shiguri-tei Tea House with its own hidden garden. Cross the bridge to see Kanazawa Castle before visiting the ancient samurai area, Nagamachi.
Visit the samurai mansion Nomura Samurai, do not miss the garden and the mansion's hidden tea room. Enjoy dinner in the nearby Katamachi district before returning to the hotel.
Schedule an early visit to Omicho Market, where all types of visitors buy the freshest Japanese Sea products and Ishikawa's excellent farms.
You then take the bus to and through the so-called Japanese "Alps".
You can stop halfway to visit the village of Shirakawa-go, known for its thatched roofs. The village is on UNESCO's World Heritage List as an architectural gem, the roofs are built in gasho-zukuri style or as "hands praying". You arrive at Takayama in time for dinner - the city is known for its meat "Hida", often cooked on a magnolia leaf in a hoba miso glaze.
Free day. Don't miss visiting the morning market along the river to see the local specialties found here.
Visit the fascinating Takayama Jinya, an edo-era government building, the last of its kind, and also visit one of the city's old merchant houses to appreciate the architectural style of this charming mountain town.
Don't miss Yatai Kaikan to be impressed by the massive fleets used in the city's annual spring and fall festivals. In the afternoon, stroll along the temple-filled Higashiyama footpath and up to the ruins of Shiroyama Castle or visit Hida Folk Village just outside the city, where historic Japanese buildings have been relocated from the entire region and opened to visitors.
You will take the train back to Japan's modern capital Tokyo. Think if you want to try an ekiben (special lunch box for train travelers) during your trip or when you arrive have lunch at Tokyo Ramen Alley.
On arrival, visit the Meiji Shrine, dedicated to the Emperor, who is considered to be the one who modernized Japan in the late 1800s. Today, the sanctuary is a popular venue for traditional weddings and several unique cultural events are held throughout the year, including a display of yabusame (or archery on horseback) in November.
Eat some good food in the Shibuya or Ebisus neighborhood of izakaya (Japanese pubs) before returning to your hotel for the evening.
Start the day with a fresh sushi breakfast at Tokyo's famous Tsukiji fish market. Find kitchen utensils and food products used in Japanese homes as well as Michelin-starred restaurants. Stroll in the tranquil Hamarikyu Garden, once part of the imperial palace. The teahouse here serves visitors a traditional cup of matcha tea and a Japanese sweet in a sublime setting. At the end of February, the garden grove of plum trees and bright yellow rapeseed flowers gives a sparkling color range during gray winter days.
From the garden slope, you board a riverboat for a cruise up Sumidagawa, the main route of Tokyo's trade during the Edo period. Cruise past sights such as the Kokugikan sumo arena in Ryogoku before arriving at the port outside Asakusa. This lively shitamachi (traditional city center) is best known for Tokyo's oldest temple, Senso-ji. The temple, also known as Asakusa Kannon, was built in 645 AD and hosts many festivals throughout the year. Head to the neon neighborhood of Akihabara District for a look at Japan's otaku culture (exciting and different youth phenomenon, a kind of Japanese subculture in manga, electro-multimedia and computer technology - clothing, appearance and art) and enjoy dinner in one of the many restaurants in the neighborhood.
Free day. Tokyo is a fairly new capital and was created about 150 years ago, but can trace its history back to at least four centuries. Learn more about the city and its origins at the Edo-Tokyo Museum in the Sumo neighborhood of Ryogoku.
Take the subway two stops south to Kiyosumi Garden, one of the city's hidden gems previously owned by the Mitsubishi Corporation.
The neighborhood surrounding the garden has become a hub for all coffee lovers in recent years, with plenty of coffee roasteries everywhere. Take a few stops south to Tsukishima to enjoy a lunch of monjayaki, Tokyo's local okonomiyaki, pancake that you cook at your own table.
Take the opportunity to visit the temples, temples and museums of Ueno Park, or venture out and shop a bit in Ginza, Tokyo's famous shopping district for many years, known for its department stores and a host of large shopping complexes.
Depending on flight time, there may be time for some final visits to Tokyo's exciting neighborhoods. Visit the garden of Kyu Shiba Rikyu or the eastern parts of the royal gardens or enjoy the Roppongi Art Quarter.
Transfer to the airport for departure.
