UK
Canada
USA
Luxury Tailormade Trip
Hidden Corners of Japan
from AU$25721 per person (twin share)
12 Nights Trip Code: LTT07
From Japan's classic stops to the undersold beauty of its west coast, Hidden Corners of Japan goes beyond the usual routes, and grants access to the local artisans, guides and craftspeople that make this hidden corner of Japan very special. Read more >
Beginning in Tokyo, you’ll join a sushi workshop – shaping and rolling rice with the precision that only a true master could teach. Then, in Kanazawa, a geisha will host you for an evening of elegantly presented food, traditional dance and music.
Heading further into rural Japan, your Kaga Onsen guide will lead you to the mountain temples, deep river gorges and Zen monasteries you’d otherwise spend hours trying to find. This is widely considered one of Japan’s best hot spring regions, so there’s plenty of time for onsen dips, too.
Moving south along the coast, you’ll stop in Amanohashidate, for one of Japan’s top three views, before heading deeper into the coastal region of Kyoto by the Sea. Meet artisans weaving mother of pearl into kimono and visit a katana sword forge.
In Kyoto, you’ll put the ‘gold’ into Golden Route, at a kintsugi workshop, mending broken pottery with lacquer mixed with gold, with plenty of time to explore the ancient capital’s shrines and temples.
Hidden Corners of Japan is for travellers who still want to experience some of Japan’s best-known places, but are looking for the cultural moments that happen in between, with private guiding and exclusive experiences along the way.
What's included
12 nights of luxury stays
Airport transfers by private vehicle
Breakfast daily, five lunches, four evening meals
All transfers using luxury, 0hartered vehicles and first class Shinkansen
Full day private guides in Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyotango and Kyoto including entrance fees & lunch
Sushi mastercalss including lunch
Exclusive Kanazawa geiko experience
Kintsugi gold leaf workshop
Your personalised InsideJapan Info-Pack
Pocket WiFi device
What's NOT included:
Local transport (buses, subways, taxis) at any destination unless otherwise stated
Baggage handling and luggage forwarding (details will be highlighted in your Info Pack to pay locally)
Trip Highlights
- Sushi masterclass with an expert chef
- Meet artisans of the Kyotango Peninsula
- Kintsugi gold repair workshop
- Evening with a geiko in Kanazawa, including dinner
- Full day with an Insider, Kyoto
- Deluxe ryokan stays with private onsen
Ready to plan your trip?
For more information email us: [email protected] or call: + 61 7 2104 5561
What, where, when and how...
Hidden Corners of Japan - 13 Days
Hidden Corners of Japan - 13 Days - Day by Day
Hidden Corners of Japan - 13 Days - Accommodation
Hidden Corners of Japan - 13 Days - Experiences
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Day 1-3
Meet your Insider guide for a personalised tour of the city, and learn the philosophy behind the traditional techniques of sushi making, with a master chef.
Tokyo is so often the introduction to Japan, but your Insider guide will lead you away from the well-trodden tourist trail, on a day tailored to your interests. Perhaps you'll visit Yanaka, one of Tokyo's few surviving historic districts, browse independent shops and cafés in Nakameguro, or head into smaller streets for shrines and food markets locals love. Then, pop on your apron and get ready to roll your own sushi, in the precise way taught by an experienced sushi chef.
Suggested Accommodation: Palace Tokyo
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Day 4-5
Travel first class by bullet train to Kanazawa, a beautifully preserved castle town often known as "Little Kyoto".
Kanazawa is home to Kenrokuen Garden, widely considered one of Japan's finest gardens, as well as the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. But the part we think you'll remember most is an evening hosted by a geisha, with traditional entertainment and an elegant dinner.
Having escaped much of the wartime destruction experienced by other Japanese cities, Kanazawa still has several historic neighbourhoods. Your local guide will lead you through Higashi Chaya and Nishi Chaya, where traditional teahouses still operate today, and the Nagamachi Samurai District, a window into Japan's Edo-period past.Suggested Accommodation: The Hotel Sanraku Kanazawa
-
Day 6
Travel by private car into the Kaga Onsen region, arriving in the hot spring town of Yamanaka Onsen.
Surrounded by forests and river gorges, this is one of Japan's most atmospheric onsen destinations. Meet your guide who will lead you to some of the best spots for natural beauty, and perhaps a gentle hike to to Kakusenkei Gorge's cedar groves, waterfalls and a pretty funky bridge.
Come evening, settle into a traditional ryokan inn, with a high level of service, warm hospitality, meals prepared with seasonal ingredients and you own, private hot spring baths.Suggested Accommodation: Kayotei Ryokan
-
Day 7-8
Continue to Amanohashidate, home to one of Japan's three most celebrated scenic views.
Overlooking the famous pine-covered sandbar, your accommodation provides an ideal base from which to explore Kyoto by the Sea, a region renowned for its coastal beauty, traditional communities and a long-standing artisan heritage. During your explorations, you may learn more about the intricate and beautiful mother-of-pearl inlay techniques of Tamiya Raden, or visit Nippon Genshosha, a working katana forge where master swordsmiths continue the centuries-old art of Japanese sword making, or explore Kojima-an, where the traditions of Tango silk weaving continue to flourish. The exact schedule will depend on artisan availability, your travel consultant will arrange everything for you.
Suggested Accommodation: Monjusou Ryokan
-
Day 9-11
Visit a quieter side of Kyoto – smaller temples, a hands-on kintsugi workshop and a free day for a slow wander.
Discover temples beyond the classic Kyoto tick-list and quieter corners of the ancient capital with your Insider guide. You'll then join a kintsugi workshop, repairing pottery with gold lacquer. Rooted in Japanese philosophy, the practice embraces imperfections, transforming broken ceramics into works of art while celebrating resilience and renewal. Take a free day to explore Kyoto at your own pace, whether that's visiting museums, nosing through local shops, or simply grabbing a kakigori shaved ice, or hot ocha tea, and watching the world go by. We'll add some suggestions to your Info-Pack to guide you.
Suggested Accommodation: Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto
-
Day 12
Zip back to Tokyo in the first-class Green Car of the Shinkansen.
It's your final night in Tokyo – take the opportunity to revisit a favourite neighbourhood, eat chicken skewers and sip sake at a traditional izakaya bar, or make the most of your luggage allowance and hit the shops.
But your Japan adventure doesn't have to end here. Speak to your travel consultant about adding a couple more days here, or branching out further.Suggested Accommodation: 1 Hotel Tokyo
-
Day 1-3
Meet your Insider guide for a personalised tour of the city, and learn the philosophy behind the traditional techniques of sushi making, with a master chef.
Tokyo is so often the introduction to Japan, but your Insider guide will lead you away from the well-trodden tourist trail, on a day tailored to your interests. Perhaps you'll visit Yanaka, one of Tokyo's few surviving historic districts, browse independent shops and cafés in Nakameguro, or head into smaller streets for shrines and food markets locals love. Then, pop on your apron and get ready to roll your own sushi, in the precise way taught by an experienced sushi chef.
Suggested Accommodation: Palace Tokyo
-
Day 4-5
Travel first class by bullet train to Kanazawa, a beautifully preserved castle town often known as "Little Kyoto".
Kanazawa is home to Kenrokuen Garden, widely considered one of Japan's finest gardens, as well as the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. But the part we think you'll remember most is an evening hosted by a geisha, with traditional entertainment and an elegant dinner.
Having escaped much of the wartime destruction experienced by other Japanese cities, Kanazawa still has several historic neighbourhoods. Your local guide will lead you through Higashi Chaya and Nishi Chaya, where traditional teahouses still operate today, and the Nagamachi Samurai District, a window into Japan's Edo-period past.Suggested Accommodation: The Hotel Sanraku Kanazawa
-
Day 6
Travel by private car into the Kaga Onsen region, arriving in the hot spring town of Yamanaka Onsen.
Surrounded by forests and river gorges, this is one of Japan's most atmospheric onsen destinations. Meet your guide who will lead you to some of the best spots for natural beauty, and perhaps a gentle hike to to Kakusenkei Gorge's cedar groves, waterfalls and a pretty funky bridge.
Come evening, settle into a traditional ryokan inn, with a high level of service, warm hospitality, meals prepared with seasonal ingredients and you own, private hot spring baths.Suggested Accommodation: Kayotei Ryokan
-
Day 7-8
Continue to Amanohashidate, home to one of Japan's three most celebrated scenic views.
Overlooking the famous pine-covered sandbar, your accommodation provides an ideal base from which to explore Kyoto by the Sea, a region renowned for its coastal beauty, traditional communities and a long-standing artisan heritage. During your explorations, you may learn more about the intricate and beautiful mother-of-pearl inlay techniques of Tamiya Raden, or visit Nippon Genshosha, a working katana forge where master swordsmiths continue the centuries-old art of Japanese sword making, or explore Kojima-an, where the traditions of Tango silk weaving continue to flourish. The exact schedule will depend on artisan availability, your travel consultant will arrange everything for you.
Suggested Accommodation: Monjusou Ryokan
-
Day 9-11
Visit a quieter side of Kyoto – smaller temples, a hands-on kintsugi workshop and a free day for a slow wander.
Discover temples beyond the classic Kyoto tick-list and quieter corners of the ancient capital with your Insider guide. You'll then join a kintsugi workshop, repairing pottery with gold lacquer. Rooted in Japanese philosophy, the practice embraces imperfections, transforming broken ceramics into works of art while celebrating resilience and renewal. Take a free day to explore Kyoto at your own pace, whether that's visiting museums, nosing through local shops, or simply grabbing a kakigori shaved ice, or hot ocha tea, and watching the world go by. We'll add some suggestions to your Info-Pack to guide you.
Suggested Accommodation: Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto
-
Day 12
Zip back to Tokyo in the first-class Green Car of the Shinkansen.
It's your final night in Tokyo – take the opportunity to revisit a favourite neighbourhood, eat chicken skewers and sip sake at a traditional izakaya bar, or make the most of your luggage allowance and hit the shops.
But your Japan adventure doesn't have to end here. Speak to your travel consultant about adding a couple more days here, or branching out further.Suggested Accommodation: 1 Hotel Tokyo
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