Discover the incredible breadth of Japan’s culture and history, from the contemporary flair of Tokyo to the charms of traditional Kyoto, visiting historic temples, overnighting at a sought-after ryokan and sampling its culinary treasures.

Overview

Discover the incredible breadth of Japan’s culture and history, from the contemporary flair of Tokyo to the charms of traditional Kyoto, visiting historic temples, overnighting at a sought-after ryokan and sampling culinary treasures.

Journey Highlights

• Behold the exalted flowering cherry trees, known locally as sakura, or view the vivid red leaves of autumn
• Experience neon-lit Tokyo and feel the vitality of this buzzy world capital, playing taiko drums and visiting a seafood market
• Stay at Gôra Kadan, one of the country’s most exclusive ryokans (traditional inns), thanks to A&K’s small group size
• Zoom by bullet train along the classic stretch past majestic Mount Fuji to Osaka, where you savour a foodie experience in the renowned Dotonbori district
• Immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of Kyoto as you discover the art of the tea ceremony, witness sumo wrestling and take part in a special geisha dinner

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Tokyo, Japan

Arrive in Tokyo, Japan’s exciting and modern capital. Transfer to your hotel, located near the Imperial Palace.

Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi

Day 2: Tokyo | Spiritual Centres & Exclusive Workshops

This morning, visit Asakusa Kannon Temple. This colourful pagoda-style temple was completed in 645 and is dedicated to Kannon, the goddess of mercy in several East Asian spiritual traditions. Continue to a family-owned workshop that specialises in Japanese drum making — and try your hand at playing the taiko — on an A&K-exclusive experience. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before exploring the Tokyo National Museum, the oldest national museum in Japan and home to a vast collection of Japanese art and antiquities. Continue to Meiji Shrine, a Shinto complex dedicated to an emperor that was rebuilt after World War II. Tonight, gather for a welcome dinner.

Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi | Meals: BLD

Day 3: Tokyo | Design Your Day

Start your day at a local fish market, a bustling hub of Japanese daily life boasting a dizzying array of seafood. Then, receive a lesson in sushi making, followed by lunch, during a Chef ’s Table experience. This afternoon, enjoy one of these Design Your Day activities.

• Explore the Mori Art Museum to take in local contemporary art.
• Learn the Secrets of the Samurai Warriors and test your sword skills during a private class led by a modern-day master samurai.
• Indulge in a Sake Tasting, sampling some of Japan’s finest sake and learning about its cultural importance.

Return to your hotel for an evening at leisure.

Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi | Meals: BL

Day 4: Hakone | Traditional Ryokan

Travel to Hakone, among Japan’s most popular hot-spring destinations, and immerse yourself in the stunning beauty of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Board an aerial tram rising above the wooded slopes for inspiring views of Mount Fuji. Enjoy lunch before strolling the grassy hillsides of Hakone’s Open-Air Museum. Admire the impressive contemporary sculptures and artwork on display, including pieces by Henry Moore and Rodin. The museum also features one of the world’s finest Picasso exhibits, with over 100 works by the cubist master. Tonight, experience unparalleled service and traditional Japanese cuisine at Gôra Kadan, a top-rated ryokan (traditional inn), which is also your accommodation for the night.

Gôra Kadan

Day 5: Osaka | Dotonbori District Delicacies

After breakfast at your ryokan, visit the Okada Museum of Art to view its stunning collection of paintings, ceramics, lacquerware and bronzes from Japan, Korea and China. Then, Ride Like a Local by bullet train to Osaka. Historically known as a merchant city, it is today renowned as Japan’s undisputed culinary capital, where diners indulge in everything from octopus dumplings to okonomiyaki, a battered, grilled concoction of chopped cabbage, meat or seafood, and seaweed, topped with mayonnaise. This evening, take in city views, refreshing drink in hand, on a Scenic Sundowner, before you set out on a foodie tour in the popular Dotonbori District, sampling dishes from the brilliantly lighted and gastronomically creative restaurants that line the street.

The St. Regis Osaka | Meals: BL

Day 6: Nara | Insights into a Profoundly Spiritual Heritage

Travel to Nara, Japan’s first capital, to visit Todai-ji, a temple complex and UNESCO World Heritage Site that contains the largest bronze Buddha statue in Japan. Proceed to Nara Park, home to hundreds of deer, venerated here as divine spirits, which you have the opportunity to feed by hand. Complete your Nara excursion with a visit to celebrated Kasuga Taisha Shrine and experience a Shinto ceremony firsthand. Pause for lunch at a local restaurant before proceeding to the Kehaya-za Sumo Pavilion, where you observe a demonstration of this fabled Japanese sport by two sumo wrestlers. Return to your hotel, where you enjoy dinner.

The St. Regis Osaka

Day 7: Kyoto | The Golden Pavilion & Bamboo Grove

Travel into Kyoto early this morning to contemplate the iconic Zen rock garden at Ryoan-ji, the perfect spot for a meditative moment, and discover the glittering Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion) — covered with gold leaf and surrounded by green gardens — casting its delicate reflection in the tranquil pond beside it. After lunch, explore the Arashiyama neighbourhood, including the garden of Tenryu-ji Temple. Later, bask in the magical atmosphere of Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, strolling along a winding path as sunlight filters down through towering bamboo shoots, considered by many a healing experience.

Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto

Day 8: Kyoto | Hillside Views & Tea Traditions

Visit Kiyomizu-dera Temple for stunning views of Kyoto. Proceed to a local temple to experience the art of the tea ceremony, noting its refined sense of hospitality and etiquette, which dates to the time of the samurai. Tonight, savour traditional Japanese cuisine, while an attending geiko (as a geisha is known in Kyoto) and maiko (apprentice geisha) dance, sing, pour sake and share stories about life in modern Kyoto.

Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto | Meals: BD

Day 9: Depart Kyoto

After breakfast, transfer to Kansai International Airport or Itami Airport, both located just outside of Osaka, for your flight home, or begin a post-tour extension to Hiroshima.

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