UK
Australia
USA
Luxury Tailormade Trip
Japan by Design
from CA$30459 per person (twin share)
13 Nights Trip Code: LLT09
Discover Japan through the people, places and traditions that make it extraordinary. Private geisha dining, a Bizen pottery atelier and a Seto Inland Sea cruise are paired with exceptional hotels and characterful ryokan on a beautifully paced journey. Read more >
Japan has a remarkable ability to turn even the most functional spaces into something beautiful. Japan by Design tour explores the people, places and ideas behind the country's distinctive approach to architecture, craftsmanship and contemporary design.
Begin in Kyoto, where exquisite temple gardens, traditional architecture and the refined worlds of geisha and kaiseki reveal the legacy of the Heian period, when the city was Japan’s imperial capital. Continue to Kobe to discover the precision behind Japanese carpentry and sake making, before slowing down among the narrow lanes, traditional ryokan and hot springs of Arima Onsen.
In Kurashiki, beautifully preserved merchant warehouses have been transformed into galleries, museums and artisan shops. For a different perspective on the Seto Inland Sea, board a private catamaran and sail to Inujima art island, through one of Japan’s most scenic stretches of coastline.
Continue west to Hiroshima, staying at the remarkable Simose Art Garden Villa, where contemporary architecture, art and landscape come together on the shores of the Seto Inland Sea. From here, travel privately to the sacred island of Miyajima.
Journey north to Matsue, a region renowned for some of Japan’s most beautiful gardens. Experience the celebrated landscapes of the Adachi Museum of Art and Yuushien Garden, alongside Izumo Taisha, one of Japan’s oldest and most important Shinto shrines.
Finally, fly to Tokyo, home to around a quarter of Japan’s population with over 12 million inhabitants. Discover the city’s bold architecture, art, fashion and design alongside your guide, who will bring its many contrasts to life and reveal what makes Tokyo so captivating. The perfect way to end your journey.
What's included
13 nights' luxury stays
Airport transfers by private vehicle
Breakfast daily, 3 lunches, 8 evening meals
All transfers using luxury-chartered vehicles and Grand Class shinkansen
Rickshaw Pick Up from Hotel to Gion, Kyoto
Kyoto Geisha Dinner
Full day private guides in Kyoto, Matsue, Tokyo including entrance fees & lunch
Half day private guides in Kobe, Hiroshima, Miyajima Island
Bizen Pottery Atelier Visit with driver and guide
Private boat trip to Inujima art island including lunch
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
- Insider Day - Hidden Temples of Kyoto
- Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens & Ropeway, Carpentry Museum & Sake Distillery
- Inujiima Art Island by private catamaran boat
- Matsue Castle, boat ride, and Peony Garden [Yushien Garden]
- Rickshaw ride to private audience and dinner with Geisha
- Kurashiki Bizen Pottery Atelier Visit
- Izumo Grand Shrine & Adachi Museum of Art and Gardens
- Tokyo Insider Architecture Tour
Ready to plan your trip?
For more information email us: [email protected] or call: +1 778 381 7800
What, where, when and how...
Japan by Design - 14 Days
Japan by Design - 14 Days - Day by Day
Japan by Design - 14 Days - Accommodation
Japan by Design - 14 Days - Experiences
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Day 1-3
Begin in Kyoto, Japan's Imperial capital. Escape the crowds and discover some of the city's more secluded temples with your Insider guide.
Set off by private rickshaw for Kyoto's Gion district, where you'll enjoy a private audience with a young maiko. Hear about her life, training and traditions, gaining a fascinating insight into a centuries-old world that remains carefully protected today. An intimate encounter that may well leave you wishing you could stay a little longer.
Suggested Accommodation: The Shinmonzen
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Day 4
Drive from Kyoto to Kobe, discovering its port-city charm, Nunobiki Herb Gardens and sake heritage. Visit a carpentry museum before continuing into the hills to Arima Onsen.
From Kyoto, drive to Kobe, a charming port city with a more relaxed feel. Take the ropeway up to Nunobiki Herb Gardens for wonderful views across the city, then discover Kobe's long-standing sake-making tradition with a tasting of some local varieties. Visit Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum for an insight into the extraordinary craftsmanship and precision behind this ancient art. Continue to Arima Onsen, one of Japan's oldest hot spring towns. Settle into your traditional ryokan and unwind with a soothing onsen experience and beautiful dinner, surrounded by the tranquillity of this historic mountain retreat.
Suggested Accommodation: Arima Onsen Tocen Goshoboh
-
Day 5-6
Explore Kurashiki's historic warehouses, enjoy lunch and a private Bizen pottery experience, then discover the celebrated contemporary art on Inujima with beautiful island landscapes of the Seto Inland Sea.
Move on to Kurashiki and explore the beautifully preserved Bikan Historical Quarter, where white-walled merchant houses and black-tiled warehouses line willow-fringed canals. Discover the town's rich artistic heritage before continuing to Bizen for a private visit to a local pottery atelier. Meet the potter, share lunch together and gain a deeper understanding of the centuries-old Bizen craft, known for its unglazed finish and traditional wood-fired kilns. The following day, take to the calm waters of the Seto Inland Sea aboard a private catamaran. Cruise to Inujima, one of the region's lesser-visited art islands, where former industrial sites have been reimagined as contemporary cultural spaces. Visit the acclaimed Inujima Seirensho Art Museum and explore the Art House Project before enjoying lunch on board in a secluded cove, surrounded by the island-dotted scenery of the Inland Sea.
Suggested Accommodation: Ryokan Kurashiki
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Day 7-8
Bullet train to Hiroshima to reflect on its profound history, stay amid art and architecture at Simose Art Villa, then discover Miyajima's timeless beauty, culture and island landscapes.
The next morning, take the bullet train to Hiroshima, where your guide will explore the city's poignant history and the events of August 1945. Visit the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, gaining a deeper understanding of the atomic bombing and its lasting impact. Later, continue to Simose Art Villa, a striking blend of contemporary architecture, art and nature, where you'll spend the night. The following day, take a private tour of Miyajima Island, discovering its ancient shrines, forested hills and iconic floating torii gate. A peaceful change of pace, with beautiful scenery and a chance to experience another side of Japan.
Suggested Accommodation: Simose Art Garden Villa
-
Day 9-10
Exquisite gardens and galleries with National Cultural Treasures await. Discover a quieter side of Japan, rich in artistry, beauty and tradition.
Journey to Matsue, a beautifully preserved castle town on the shores of Lake Shinji. Explore Matsue Castle before taking a leisurely boat ride along the city's historic waterways. Discover the former home of Lafcadio Hearn, the Irish-Greek writer who lived in Matsue and became one of Japan's earliest Western chroniclers. Continue to the Adachi Museum of Art, celebrated for its exceptional Japanese garden and modern Japanese art collection, followed by serene Yushien Garden, famed for its seasonal beauty and peonies. Visit Izumo Taisha, one of Japan's oldest and most revered Shinto shrines, steeped in mythology and centuries of tradition. Stay two nights in a beautiful ryokan, immersing yourself in Matsue's rich blend of history, art, gardens and Japanese tradition.
Suggested Accommodation: Kasuien Minami
-
Day 11-14
Fly to Tokyo for three final nights, returning to the city's dynamic world of architecture, art and design.
Spend a day with a local insider, exploring striking contemporary buildings in Ginza and Omotesando areas. Have free time to explore your own Tokyo.
Suggested Accommodation: 1 Hotel Tokyo
-
Day 1-3
Begin in Kyoto, Japan's Imperial capital. Escape the crowds and discover some of the city's more secluded temples with your Insider guide.
Set off by private rickshaw for Kyoto's Gion district, where you'll enjoy a private audience with a young maiko. Hear about her life, training and traditions, gaining a fascinating insight into a centuries-old world that remains carefully protected today. An intimate encounter that may well leave you wishing you could stay a little longer.
Suggested Accommodation: The Shinmonzen
-
Day 4
Drive from Kyoto to Kobe, discovering its port-city charm, Nunobiki Herb Gardens and sake heritage. Visit a carpentry museum before continuing into the hills to Arima Onsen.
From Kyoto, drive to Kobe, a charming port city with a more relaxed feel. Take the ropeway up to Nunobiki Herb Gardens for wonderful views across the city, then discover Kobe's long-standing sake-making tradition with a tasting of some local varieties. Visit Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum for an insight into the extraordinary craftsmanship and precision behind this ancient art. Continue to Arima Onsen, one of Japan's oldest hot spring towns. Settle into your traditional ryokan and unwind with a soothing onsen experience and beautiful dinner, surrounded by the tranquillity of this historic mountain retreat.
Suggested Accommodation: Arima Onsen Tocen Goshoboh
-
Day 5-6
Explore Kurashiki's historic warehouses, enjoy lunch and a private Bizen pottery experience, then discover the celebrated contemporary art on Inujima with beautiful island landscapes of the Seto Inland Sea.
Move on to Kurashiki and explore the beautifully preserved Bikan Historical Quarter, where white-walled merchant houses and black-tiled warehouses line willow-fringed canals. Discover the town's rich artistic heritage before continuing to Bizen for a private visit to a local pottery atelier. Meet the potter, share lunch together and gain a deeper understanding of the centuries-old Bizen craft, known for its unglazed finish and traditional wood-fired kilns. The following day, take to the calm waters of the Seto Inland Sea aboard a private catamaran. Cruise to Inujima, one of the region's lesser-visited art islands, where former industrial sites have been reimagined as contemporary cultural spaces. Visit the acclaimed Inujima Seirensho Art Museum and explore the Art House Project before enjoying lunch on board in a secluded cove, surrounded by the island-dotted scenery of the Inland Sea.
Suggested Accommodation: Ryokan Kurashiki
-
Day 7-8
Bullet train to Hiroshima to reflect on its profound history, stay amid art and architecture at Simose Art Villa, then discover Miyajima's timeless beauty, culture and island landscapes.
The next morning, take the bullet train to Hiroshima, where your guide will explore the city's poignant history and the events of August 1945. Visit the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, gaining a deeper understanding of the atomic bombing and its lasting impact. Later, continue to Simose Art Villa, a striking blend of contemporary architecture, art and nature, where you'll spend the night. The following day, take a private tour of Miyajima Island, discovering its ancient shrines, forested hills and iconic floating torii gate. A peaceful change of pace, with beautiful scenery and a chance to experience another side of Japan.
Suggested Accommodation: Simose Art Garden Villa
-
Day 9-10
Exquisite gardens and galleries with National Cultural Treasures await. Discover a quieter side of Japan, rich in artistry, beauty and tradition.
Journey to Matsue, a beautifully preserved castle town on the shores of Lake Shinji. Explore Matsue Castle before taking a leisurely boat ride along the city's historic waterways. Discover the former home of Lafcadio Hearn, the Irish-Greek writer who lived in Matsue and became one of Japan's earliest Western chroniclers. Continue to the Adachi Museum of Art, celebrated for its exceptional Japanese garden and modern Japanese art collection, followed by serene Yushien Garden, famed for its seasonal beauty and peonies. Visit Izumo Taisha, one of Japan's oldest and most revered Shinto shrines, steeped in mythology and centuries of tradition. Stay two nights in a beautiful ryokan, immersing yourself in Matsue's rich blend of history, art, gardens and Japanese tradition.
Suggested Accommodation: Kasuien Minami
-
Day 11-14
Fly to Tokyo for three final nights, returning to the city's dynamic world of architecture, art and design.
Spend a day with a local insider, exploring striking contemporary buildings in Ginza and Omotesando areas. Have free time to explore your own Tokyo.
Suggested Accommodation: 1 Hotel Tokyo
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