Japan - Land of the Rising Sun

Fly overnight to Osaka, via Beijing.

You'll meet your tour manager when you arrive in Osaka, and transfer by coach into nearby Nara, Japan’s original Sixth-century capital.

Join your guide for a sightseeing tour of Nara to see the Great Buddha at the Todai-ji temple, the sacred deer of Nara Koen Park and Kasuga Taisha shrine, famous for its many bronze and stone lanterns. Later, continue to Kyoto, Japan’s former imperial capital, to visit Fushimi Inari Taisha, one of Japan’s most-visited shrines, and to take part in a traditional tea ceremony – the perfect end to a memorable day.

Today's guided tour will introduce Kyoto’s treasures, including the famous Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion, the Zen Buddhist rock garden of Ryoan-ji and colourful Nishiki market. Visit the spectacular Kiyomizu–dera temple, which offers breath-taking views of the whole city, and stroll the lovingly restored streets of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka.

Later board a bullet train to Hiroshima, the site where the first atomic bomb was dropped, on August 6th, 1945.

Catch a ferry from Miyajimaguchi to the tiny island of Miyajima, where one of Japan’s most famous sights – the 'floating' torii gate – acts as a ceremonial entrance to Itsukushima Shrine. Return to the mainland to visit the Peace Memorial Park, where the startling ruins of the UNESCO-listed A-Bomb Dome and the Cenotaph, under which the names of over 220,000 victims are recorded, serve as poignant reminders of the destruction of the now-rebuilt city.

Later, take another bullet train to Himeji, where you will stay for the night and enjoy dinner in a local restaurant.

After breakfast, enjoy an included visit to Himeji’s extraordinary White Egret castle – perhaps Japan’s finest fortified palace. Entry to the fortress and its adjoining Kokoen gardens is included, and after your visit you'll travel to Tamba-Sasayama. This city is most famous for its eco-tourism and home-grown products such as black beans and soya beans, and after a locally-sourced lunch you'll continue to Kanazawa.

This morning, you'll visit Kanazawa’s exquisite Kenroku-en Garden, one of the world’s greatest horticultural treasures, the Samurai House at Nagamachi and the Higashi Chaya geisha district. This afternoon, journey through mountains to the UNESCO-listed village of Gokayama. Visit a washi – a traditional Japanese paper-making centre – and make your own washi postcards before returning to Kanazawa.

Today we head to UNESCO-listed Shirakawa-go to see its beautifully preserved, thatched gassho-zukuri farmhouses. We'll then proceed to Takayama, in the heart of the Japanese Alps. Here, the streets of Sanmachi Suji are lined with traditional buildings and sake breweries, one of which you'll visit with your guide for a tasting.

This morning, make the scenic journey into the Japanese Alps, passing Matsumoto's ancient castle and pausing for lunch at Daio Wasabi Farm, where you'll learn about this iconic Japanese food, which is also one of the world's most expensive vegetables.

From here we'll continue to Fujikawaguchiko in the Five Lakes region, to stay close to the sacred mountain. On arrival, visit stunningly beautiful, flower-decked Oishi Park, on the shore of Lake Kawaguchiko.

You'll travel to beautiful Hakone National Park, this morning. Keep your eyes on the horizon in hopes of a view of Mount Fuji as you cruise beautiful Lake Ashi and take a cable-car ride above the Owakudani Valley.

This afternoon, head to Tokyo, the extraordinary Japanese capital.

This morning's sightseeing will take you to Ginza (Tokyo’s Fifth Avenue) and the gardens of the Imperial Palace. Later, you will have the chance to learn about the traditional art of sushi-making, before enjoying an lunch.

Join your guide for a fascinating day of exploration. Start with a bird's-eye view of the city from the observation floor of Shinjuku’s government buildings, and visits to Yoyogi park and shrine. Visit trendy Harajuku, and join the throng at world-famous Shibuya Crossing.

In the afternoon, discover Asakusa, one of Tokyo’s most traditional neighbourhoods, and the ancient Buddhist Senso-ji temple. Then transfer back to the airport to check in for your overnight flight home, via Beijing.

Arrive home in the mid-morning, at the end of a truly unforgettable holiday in Japan.