Epic Japan

Dive straight into the buzz and throng of life in Japan with this epic trip full of immersive experiences. Staying in the very best spots for cultural highlights and unique diversity, this trip is also perfect for foodies, venturing through the country led by your taste buds. With such an array of regional cuisines and cooking styles, you’ll be able to experience some its many delicious bites alongside mesmerising scenery and exciting nightlife like you have never experienced before.

1. Fly to Osaka

2. Days 1-4: Osaka

   Jumping straight into the buzz of Japanese life you will be starting in the fun, quirky and edgy city of Osaka. Here you’ll have three nights to explore this whacky city that is on the rise in popularity and ‘the ‘place to go.  It has one of the best foodie scenes in Japan and home to 97 Michelin stars and a famous street food area to explore.  You will be staying at the slick and modern city hotel Conrad Osaka, located on the top floors of the Nakanoshima Festival West Tower, with views of the Dojima or Tosabori rivers, as well as wonderful views of the illuminated city skyline at night. The rest of the building consists of shops, restaurants and an art museum and is one of the city’s most renowned structures.
   
   On your first day in the city, with your private guide, using the public transport system you’ll explore Osaka taking in the famous sights and the less travelled tourist areas, learning all the key highlights as you go. In the evening you will join your expert guide for a sensational night street food safari of Osaka’s famous Dotonbori area. The brightly lit street alongside the canal is packed with restaurants and food stalls serving up some of Osaka’s tastiest food, making it a foodie’s paradise. During the three-hour tour you will head off the regular tourist track to the backstreets to find hidden izakaya (pub-restaurants) and bars, while enjoying Osakan specialities like takoyaki (octopus dumplings), and kushikatsu fried skewers. It’s a great chance to experience Osaka’s nightlife like a fun-loving local, rather than as a tourist.  You will also have the option the following day to take a trip to Himeji, home of Japan’s samurai castle just 35 minutes by bullet train.
   

   Accommodation: The Ritz-Carlton Osaka (3 nights)

3. Days 4-5: Toyooka, Japan

   Next up, zoom by bullet train from Osaka to Kinosaki Onsen, the quintessential Japanese hot spring destination.  You will feel relaxed from start to finish, renowned as the best onsen town in Japan with its beautiful willow-lined river canal which runs through the town. 
   
   Absorb a slice of traditional Japanese style and culture whilst staying in the charming Japanese inn, Nishimuraya Honkan. Part of the prestigious Relais and Chateaux group, the property has a maze-like layout which affords guests the utmost peace and privacy. The traditional and elegant décor includes sliding paper doors, tatami mats, futon beds and wooden terraces, many with private onsen and sumptuous cuisine is served at low tables in tatami rooms.  You can relax in your private onsen, tour the onsen of Kinosaki or visit the sister hotel, Nishimuraya Hotel Shogetsutei, just 700-metres away to enjoy communal and private bathing. Afterwards you dress in the provided ‘yukata’ and ‘geta’, light kimonos and wooden sandals, and take to the streets for a pleasant evening stroll around town.  Men and women separate and enter the bathhouses for several dips in the different hot springs.  
   

   Accommodation: Nishimuraya Honkan (1 night)

4. Days 5-8: Kyoto

   Feeling rejuvenated you will train from Kinosaki Onsen over to Kyoto, taking just under an hour. Kyoto is known worldwide as Japan’s cultural heart with over 1,000 temples and shrines to visit and a wealth of history and culture to explore. Alongside these, Kyoto boasts some incredible restaurants serving Kobe Beef which is one of the region's specialities and we can of course make some fantastic recommendations for you. We have included three nights for you here, staying at The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto, a first class location on the banks of the Kamo River and walking distance to reach the heart of the city.   
   
   On your first full day in the city we have included a day of guiding so that you can explore some of the historical gems in the city alongside a visit to Nishiki Market. Your expert guide will reveal Kyoto’s intricate culture, introducing you to famous must-see spots as well as secret corners of the city that only the locals know. A truly fantastic immersive experience, you will be sure to have a soft spot for this sacred city.
   
   Get a glimpse into the secret life of a geisha, as you take part in a traditional tea ceremony. You will have the honour of a visit to the Gion Maruume teahouse, where you’ll enjoy traditional dance, green tea and Japanese cake served by the geisha or her maiko. While they will not speak any English, your guide will be on hand to translate and this a fascinating opportunity to step into an ancient world of Japanese traditions shrouded in mystery. Bento boxes are central to Japanese cuisine, typically holding sushi, pickles and cooked meat, fish and vegetables. Learning how to prepare them, in the surroundings of a traditional wooden townhouse in downtown Kyoto, makes for a truly unique and memorable gourmet experience, and then taking time to devour your delicious creation. 
   

   Accommodation: The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto (3 nights)

5. Days 8-11: Takayama

   Next up, you will head from Kyoto to Takayama in the Japanese Alps. An exhilarating and interesting journey taking the high-speed bullet train and a more leisurely Hida Express through the stunning scenery into the Alps.  Takayama, in the heart of the Hida Mountains is a delightful town, famous throughout Japan for its old town area of narrow streets containing many well-preserved inns, tea houses, shops and merchants houses with overhanging roofs characteristic of the Edo period.  Staying at Wanosato Takayama, one of the few remaining high-quality ryokans with a traditional Gassho-zukuri thatched roof.  Traditional and spacious rooms, as well as an irori fireplace at the centre, creating a warm and cosy atmosphere each evening and the perfect place to enjoy sake and share stories. Dining is an elaborate affair, with the hosts serving local and traditional Japanese cuisine. There is a beautiful communal onsen for you to relax.
   
   You will have an amazing private food and culture walk around Takayama, where you will get to sample local foods, such as Hida beef, sake, and sweets. Your expert guide will tell you all about the history, culture, and daily life of the town as you’re led through the traditional wooden streets, and you’ll be taken to the shops which are popular with the locals. This impressive tour also includes a Sake brewery tour, where you can experience this Japanese tipple of choice.
   

   Accommodation: Wanosato Takayama (3 nights)

6. Days 11-14: Tokyo

   Time for some Tokyo action! As one of the largest cities in the world, Tokyo oozes a unique vibrant energy with buckets of charm that you won’t find anywhere else. Home to some of the best restaurants and major sights in the world, you can see why we saved this one to last. With three nights in Tokyo you’ll have plenty of time to indulge in this vibrant capital.  
   
   Delve into the booming cocktail culture at some of the most underrated bars in the city with a fabulous sake, cocktails and whisky pairing tour. Start the evening at a friendly, vibrant bar for some casual, seasonal cocktails paired with delicious bar snacks, before moving on to another hidden gem drinking spot where you can sample beer made at micro-breweries across the country. Finish off the evening at two unique bars where you’ll try some highly creative cocktails and world-famous Japanese whisky. A fun, quirky and interesting night out like no other.
   
   Like in your other stops in Japan, we have included one day of private guiding for you so that you can experience the culture and history of the city with a local but also have some time to explore on your own. During the day with your guide, we have included a private sushi lesson with a chef in the city, uncovering the secrets behind this incredible art form and globally loved cuisine. Together with your guide you will travel around the city by public transport as the Tokyoites do, stopping at the iconic highlights of this mesmerising city. In the evening take your pick of the vast choice of restaurants to dine and have a fun evening soaking up the individual culture of Tokyo.  The next day brings a fun cultural twist to observe a morning’s training session with a sumo wrestler, Japan’s national sport and some say obsession.  Your guide will explain all about the sport and the strict etiquette for spectators watching the sumo wrestlers train, so you'll avoid any faux pas! To become a wrestler requires years of strict training at a heya, or stable as it is known in English. This is where the wrestlers eat, sleep and train, and you will get an insight into this fascinating world.
   

   Accommodation: Park Hyatt Tokyo (3 nights)

7. Fly home from Tokyo

Osaka, Toyooka, Kyoto, Takayama & Tokyo