Meet your tour leader and group, and get to know the many different faces of Tokyo.

On arrival in Japan you'll be met at the airport by your driver and travel by shared shuttle bus to your hotel in the Asakusa district of Tokyo, where your tour leader will be waiting for you in the lobby. If you think Tokyo is all skyscrapers and neon — think again. The traditional, low-rise district of Asakusa is known for bright-red Sensoji Temple swathed in incense, Kaminari gate with its giant paper lanterns, and streets lined with street-food snacks and trinket stalls. Spend the afternoon exploring the area, then join your tour group for a welcome meal at one of our favourite local restaurants. On day two you'll head out on a full-day tour of the city. Tokyo contains multitudes — from the manga and tech hub of Akihabara to the wacky youth cultures of Harajuku — and your tour leader will make sure you get to see a great mix of classic sights and lesser-known gems. A visit to Hamarikyu Gardens offers a break from the madness of the city and the chance to admire an abundance of red maple and yellow gingko trees. Your evening will be free to relax or head out on the town — your tour leader will have plenty of suggestions for either! On day three you will be free to continue exploring Tokyo under your own steam or make a day trip to one of the many lovely destinations within easy striking distance of the capital. Nikko's forest temples and leafy Mount Takao are particularly popular at this time of year for their spectacular fall colours.

Overnight: Gracery Asakusa Hotel

Leaving the madness of Tokyo behind, journey into the mountains to the castle town of Matsumoto.

On day four you'll travel by coach through the seemingly endless suburbs of Tokyo and into the beautiful, mountainous countryside of central Honshu, stopping in the small city of Matsumoto. Until the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Japan was ruled by warrior lords who presided over their clans from magnificent samurai castles. Few of these architectural masterpieces survive today, but one of the most beautiful is Matsumoto's “Black Crow”, so-named for its distinctive black wainscoting. For us, climbing the steep, worn stairways and looking out over the plateau and the mountains beyond is a highlight of a visit to Matsumoto. That said — Matsumoto is also something of an art-lover's paradise, so you might prefer to spend your time here visiting the wonderful ukiyo-e woodblock print museum or the City Art Museum (featuring the works of Matsumoto native Yayoi Kusama). There are no planned activities for this evening, but your tour leader will be able to recommend plenty of great spots to eat, drink and be merry.

Overnight: Marunouchi Hotel

Head deeper into the Japan Alps to explore sake breweries, craft workshops and thatched-roof farmhouses in Takayama.

On day five you'll continue your journey by coach, heading deeper into the mountains to the alpine craft town of Takayama. Autumn leaves turn later the higher you climb in altitude, so expect a shifting palette of reds, golds and umbers as you head higher and higher into the Alps. Takayama is renowned for its highly skilled craftspeople, many of whom were involved in building the spectacular temples and shrines of Kyoto. There's not much call for temple-building today, but Takayama's strong craft tradition is still visible in its pretty, wood-panelled streets and traditional trinkets. This is one of the best places in Japan for souvenir-shopping. You'll have the afternoon free to explore the town's workshops and sake breweries (pop in for a tour and a taste!) before joining your group for a multi-course kaiseki meal at your Japanese-style inn this evening. On day six, you'll be joined by a local guide for a tour of the town, starting down by the river at the morning market and continuing on to the Hida no Sato Folk Village. Here, a collection of thatched-roof “praying hands” farmhouses have been lovingly preserved to give a sense of life in the mountains of pre-industrial Japan. Dinner is not included this evening, but we highly recommend seeking out the local delicacy: Hida beef. It's not as well-known as its Kobe cousin, but it's every bit as melt-in-the-mouth delicious. As ever, your tour leader will have plenty of ideas as to where and how you spend your evening.

Overnight: Tanabe Ryokan

Eat ocean-fresh seafood among the teahouses and gardens of one of our favourite Japanese cities.

On day seven, you'll continue your journey by private coach from Takayama to Kanazawa, a charming city on Japan's west coast. Though you may never have heard of it, Kanazawa is well-known amongst the Japanese for its delicious fresh seafood, world-class modern art, beautifully preserved old town and exquisite landscaped gardens. For us, it has everything you could possibly wish for in a Japanese city, and it's the perfect size to be explored in a day. Like Kyoto, Kanazawa was spared bombing during World War Two, leaving it with some of the best examples of feudal-era samurai residences and chaya teahouses in all of Japan. You'll have time today to explore these atmospheric traditional districts, as well as to pay a visit to Japan's most celebrated garden, Kenrokuen, where cherry and maple trees provide stunning autumn colours. We've left the evening free for you to spend as you choose, but you tour leader will certainly be able to introduce you to some of our favourite eating and drinking spots in the city.

Overnight: Mitsui Garden Kanazawa

Explore bamboo groves and experience geisha culture in the City of Ten Thousand Temples.

If Tokyo is the glowing beacon of modern Japan, Kyoto is its bastion of traditional art and culture. The city doesn't instantly divulge its secrets (arriving into Kyoto Station you'd be forgiven for thinking this was any modern Japanese city) — but head out of a walking tour of Gion this evening and you'll soon discover the beating heart of this historic capital. Gion is Japan's last working geisha district — its streets and alleys lined with wood-panelled teahouses that have changed little in the past century or two. You'll have the privilege of an audience with one of these highly skilled artists before a meal with your group this evening. On day nine, you'll be joined by a native Kyotoite for a full day's exploration of the city by private minibus. You could spend a lifetime visiting all of Kyoto's magnificent shrines and temples, so with just a day to spend a local's insight is worth its weight in gold! The day's itinerary is flexible but will include a boat trip on the Hozugawa River, where you'll float past hills aflame with reds, oranges, golds and yellows to the bamboo groves of Arashiyama. The evening will be free to spend as you choose. There are no group activities planned for day ten, so you're free to continue exploring the city — or make an independent day trip. Thanks to the bullet train, you could travel as far afield as Hiroshima and Miyajima Island (famous for its “floating” torii gate) and still be back in time for dinner — but you might prefer somewhere closer, such as street-food hotspot Osaka, or the White Heron castle at Himeji. Your tour leader will have plenty of suggestions and will help you with logistics if this is something you'd like to do.

Overnight: Intergate Kyoto Shijo Shinmachi

Relax like the Japanese as you stay at a ryokan inn, relax in onsen baths and soak up the stunning scenery of Hakone.

Japan has holidaying down to a fine art, and there's no better place to experience a traditional Japanese getaway than at the historic hot spring resort of Hakone. Shoot here on the bullet train and arrive in time to spend the afternoon at one of our favourite art museums in all of Japan: the Chokoku no Mori open-air sculpture park. The Japanese judge the quality of a traditional holiday on the food, hospitality and onsen baths — and you'll have the best of all three this evening. Join your group for an included meal at one of our favourite restaurants before retiring to your Japanese-style inn, where both private and shared hot-spring baths are superb. On day twelve you'll have the full day to explore the Hakone region using a combination of cable cars, ropeways, funicular trains and even a pirate ship across Lake Ashi. This beautiful, mountainous region has plenty to see and do, including remnants of old samurai checkpoints, intricate marquetry crafts, and springs so hot you can boil an egg in them (eat one and legend has it you'll extend your life by a year). Travelling in autumn means you're much more likely to see Mount Fuji than in the cloudier spring and summer months — though a sighting is never guaranteed!

Overnight: Laforet Club Hakone Gora Yunosumika

Return to Tokyo for a last hurrah in the big city and some time to check off any last-minute bucket-list experiences.

On day 13 your trip comes full circle as you travel back to the capital by bullet train. Now's your chance to tick off anything you missed last time around — perhaps peruse the second-hand shops of Shimokitazawa, do a little retro gaming at Nakano Broadway, or head to the dizzying heights of the Tokyo Skytree, the third-tallest structure in the world. We've included a last-night meal with your tour leader and group this evening to toast the end of a fantastic trip. Where you go after that is up to you, but we can guarantee you won't be short of options in this city that never sleeps! On day 14 it's time to say goodbye to Japan as you travel to the airport for your flight home. If you'd like to extend your trip, talk to one of our travel consultants and we'd be glad to help you plan the next leg of your journey.

Overnight: JR Kyushu Blossom Shinjuku