Compare Highlights of Japan by Exodus Travels vs 8 Days Japan Delight with Hiroshima by Tours4Fun

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.

Day 1 Osaka Arrival

Upon arrival, a tour representative will meet you at the airport and then transfer you to check into your hotel via a bus or public transfer. Please note the check in time in japan is always after 3pm.

Day 2 Osaka-Kobe Sake Brewery-Hiroshima

After breakfast travel to Fukuyama with a stop in Kobe, a region famous for its sake production. Visit the famous Nadagiku Shuzo Sake Brewery and learn how traditional Japanese sake is made. ​Drive to Kurashiki and make a brief stop at the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter. With its scenic canals lined with weeping willows, Edo-period gardens and historic merchant houses, the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter offers an authentic feel of old Japan in the heart of one of the oldest merchant towns. Arrive in Hiroshima in the afternoon.

Day 3 Hiroshima-Miyajima-Himeiji

Head to Miyajimaguchi by coach then board a boat to the sacred Miyajima Island, hailed as one of Japan’s most beautiful landscapes. Discover the natural and cultural treasures of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed island for 45-minutes with your guide. See the Itsukushima Shrine, then revitalise with a delicious lunch in a local eatery (own expense). Re-board the boat and cruise back to Hiroshima to reflect on the heartbreaking history of the region. Take a moment of contemplation at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, a historical site near to where the atomic bomb exploded. See exhibitions that articulate the destruction the bomb caused and the city’s regenerative recovery. Finally, board a bus to the Atomic Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dome), a skeletal structure that survived the 1945 attack. ​Depart Hiroshima for Himeji in the afternoon.

Day 4 Himeiji-Nara-Kyoto

This morning Visit the Himeji Castle.Himeji Castle (姫路城, Himejijō), also known as White Heron Castle (Shirasagijo) due to its elegant, white appearance, is widely considered as Japan's most spectacular castle for its imposing size and beauty and its well preserved, complex castle grounds. The castle is both a national treasure and a world heritage site. Visit the famous Nara Deer Park and maybe feed deers. Upon arrival in Kyoto make a stop at Fushimi-Inari Shrine, an important Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto. It is famous for its vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings. The trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari, which stands at 233 meters and belongs to the shrine grounds.

Day 5 Kyoto -Hamamatsu

Today before leave Kyoto for Hamamatsu you will have a half free day discovering this cultural city on your own Or you can also join an Kyoto Half Day Optional Tour with us. Overnight in Hamamatsu.

Day 6 Hamamatsu-Mt.Fuji-Tokyo

Drive to Shizuoka City, the capital of Japanese tea production and visit a local tea house. Shizuoka Prefecture contains 40% of the total area of tea plantations in Japan. Black tea, Taiwan tea, and Chinese tea are all fantastic, but after trying some of the best Japanese tea in Shizuoka City, you will find yourself loving Japanese green tea the most. Then drive through the countryside and mountains to reach Lake Yamanaka, the largest of all the Fuji Five Lakes, and enjoy views of Mt. Fuji. The lake is located in the village of Yamanakako, home to a large population of swans. Thus, it has been unofficially called “Swan Lake.” Some of these swans are real, others are man-made such as swan-like paddled boats. Take a scenic boat ride to tour around the lake. Drive all the way to Mt Fuji 5th Station (weather permitting) At 2300 meters above sea level, the Fuji 5th Station offers a commanding view of the Fuji Five Lakes area below, making it a popular spot for those who are not intent on climbing the mountain. An observation point with unobstructed views of Fujiyoshida City and Lake Yamanaka can be found at Komitake Shrine behind the shops.

Day 7 Tokyo

Enjoy a free day at leisure in Tokyo. Overnight in Tokyo. Or attend our Tokyo One Day Optional Tour. 09:00am-10:00am Imperial Palace 10:30am-12:00pm Asakusa temple and Nakamise Shopping area 12:30pm-01:30pm Take the famous metro from Asakusa to shibuya 02:00pm-03:30pm A secret Japanese traditional rock garden. 04:00pm-05:00pm Tokyo tower (include the admission tickets) 05:30pm-07:00pm Free at Shinjuku Kabukicho area (enjoy the colorful night life of japan)

Day 8 Tokyo Depart

Today after breakfast ​the tour guide will give you information for how to get to your hometown airport.