Compare Japan in 15 days - Land of the Rising Sun - Charm by Exoticca vs 8 Days Japan Delight with Hiroshima by Tours4Fun

Day 1: US - Night on board

Arrival at your departure airport ready to check-in for a flight to Tokyo. Night on board.* * If either your outbound or inbound flights depart in the early hours (before 4:00 a.m.) you must arrive at the airport the night before the indicated departure day.

Day 2: Tokyo

Arrive in the capital of Japan and self-transfer to the hotel. Tokyo is a dazzling metropolis rich in history and tradition. Rest of the day free to start discovering this exciting city of contrasts and its delicious cuisine. Overnight stay in Tokyo.

Day 3: Tokyo

Today, take a half-day tour of the city of Tokyo including many of the most emblematic sights in the city. See the vibrant neighbourhood of Harajuku, the charming Meiji Shrine and the National Diet Building. Discover the magnificent Imperial Palace, the primary residence of the Japanese Emperor, before passing through the varied districts of the city and arriving in Asakusa. Asakusa retains all the charms of 'old Tokyo', with its traditional architecture, craft shops and food stalls. Here you can marvel at the magnificent Senso-ji temple and Kaminari-mon Gate. End the tour at Tokyo Station and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. Overnight stay in Tokyo.

Day 4: Tokyo

Enjoy a day at your own pace. Spend the day exploring Tokyo's fascinating city-scape at your leisure. Why not visit Odaiba island high-tech entertainment hub or climb the Skytree Tower for a panoramic view of Tokyo? We recommend an exciting full-day tour to Mount Fuji and Hakone*. Overnight stay in Tokyo. * Optional full-day tour to Mount Fuji and Hakone: The bus heads up to the 5th Station along the Subaru Line, at 2,300 metres above sea level. At this height, you will be amazed by the breathtaking views from above the clouds. After lunch at Samurai Restaurant, visit scenic Owaku-dani Valley in Hakone and enjoy a peaceful boat trip on Ashi Crater Lake to admire the superb views of Mt. Fuji. Return to Tokyo by bus with the option to end the tour at Odawara station if you prefer. Please note: If road conditions or unforeseen circumstances restrict the ascent to the 5th station, you will instead travel the highest elevation possible considering the circumstances. The same also applies for the cruise on Ashi Crater Lake; if conditions or circumstances prevent sailing on the lake, alternative visits and experiences will be taken to replace the activity.

Day 5: Tokyo

Enjoy a day exploring Tokyo at your leisure, getting to know the shopping districts, discovering new parts of the city or simply soaking up the culture and sampling the cuisine. Overnight stay in Tokyo.

Day 6: Tokyo - Kanazawa

Using your Japan Rail Pass, travel to Kanazawa, a historical jewel of a city and home to some of Japan's most beautiful landscaped gardens. We recommend visiting the historic Higashi Chaya district, filled with traditional tea houses where you will be able to see the celebrated geishas perform. Overnight stay in Kanazawa.

Day 7: Kanazawa

Spend the day on a self-guided tour of the sights of Kanazawa. Catch the Kanazawa Loop Bus for an overview of the city before admiring the pristine landscaped gardens and Japanese architecture of the Kenrokuen Gardens & Seisonkaku Villa. Soak up the artistic atmosphere at a traditional Gold-Leaf Experience and refresh with tea coupons to redeem at Kikantei. Overnight stay in Kanazawa.

Day 8: Kanazawa - Hiroshima

Today, travel to Hiroshima using your Japan Rail Pass. Arrive in the modern city of Hiroshima, sadly destroyed in the most part in 1945 by an atomic bomb, making it a moving destination to explore. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure. Overnight stay in Hiroshima.

Day 9: Hiroshima

Today you will have the opportunity to be your own guide with a self-guided tour of the main attractions of Hiroshima. Begin at the Atomic Bomb Dome, passing by Hiroshima Castle along the way, to contemplate one of the few structures that survived the devastating explosion. Continue to the Peace Memorial Park and stop for a traditional Okonomiyaki lunch. Afterwards, head to the port for a short ferry ride to Miyajima to see the Otorii Gate and the beautiful Itsukushima Shrine. End the tour with a visit to Daishonin Temple. This tour includes a full-day ticket for Hiroden (tram and bus network in and around Hiroshima, and roundtrip ticket for Miyajima ferry), and a voucher for lunch at Okoromi-mura. The tour will take place in the order that you prefer. Overnight stay in Hiroshima.

Day 10: Hiroshima - Kyoto

Using your Japan Rail Pass, travel to Kyoto, the capital of the Japanese Empire for 11 centuries. We recommend exploring the emblematic neighborhood of Gion, known for its traditional architecture and admired geishas. Overnight stay in Kyoto.

Day 11: Kyoto

Set off this morning on an exciting half-day Kyoto tour to discover the beautiful and historical districts of Sagano. Ride the Sagano Romantic Train (trolley train), enjoy a walk through the enchanting Sagano bamboo forest, wander round Arashiyama's Tenryuji Temple and admire its famous garden and lake. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure. Overnight stay in Kyoto.

Day 12: Kyoto

Spend today at your leisure, exploring the delights of Kyoto at your own pace. Perhaps explore the Kiyomizu temple, part of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage site, or walk through the tranquil Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. We recommend an optional afternoon excursion to the peaceful sanctuary of Nara.* Overnight stay in Kyoto. * Optional Nara Excursion: Head to Nara on the Kintetsu Express Train, for a tour of two World Heritage Sites: Todai-Ji Temple and Kofukuji Temple. Encounter wild deer up close while walking through Nara Park, a rarity in Japan and worldwide and discover Todai-Ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world's largest wooden structures.

Day 13: Kyoto - Osaka

Today, take a local train to travel to Osaka. Upon arrival, the rest of the day is free to discover this charming city. We recommend visiting the Kuromon local market and its Floating Garden Observatory in the Umeda Sky Building, from which there is an unforgettable panoramic view of the city. Overnight stay in Osaka.

Day 14: Osaka

Spend the day on a self-guided tour of the sights of Osaka. You will have at your disposal an Osaka Metro + City Bus card to discover the city on your own. You will also have an admission ticket for the Abeno Harukas 300 Observatory. At 300m above ground, you’ll be able to see the incredible borderless day & night scenery of the city. It also includes the ticket for Osaka Castle, where you have the chance to learn about the history of one of Japan's most famous landmarks. Overnight stay in Osaka.

Day 15: Osaka

Spend the day at your leisure exploring the cultural delights of Osaka. Get to know the local area and sample the iconic local cuisine. In fact, the street food markets of Osaka are said to be the best in the country! Overnight stay in Osaka.

Day 16: Osaka - Night on board

Sadly it's time to say goodbye to the Land of the Rising Sun. At the indicated time, self-transfer to the airport for a flight** back to the US. Night on board. * If either your outbound or inbound flights depart in the early hours (before 4:00 a.m.) you must arrive at the airport the night before the indicated departure day.

Day 17: US

Arrive in the US and end your unforgettable Japanese adventure.

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.