Traditional Japan

Kick off your adventures with a stay in one of Tokyo's premier hotels before making a day trip to Nikko for a guided tour of some of Japan's most ornate religious architecture.

Welcome to Japan! To begin your Japanese adventures you will be staying at one of Japan's most famous hotels in Ginza. The rest of your first day in the city will be at leisure to start exploring, so stroll the Imperial Palace gardens, witness the spectacle of a traditional kabuki performance or discover the newest products available in Ginza's huge department stores. A little further from your hotel is the Skytree, towering 634 m above the Sumida River and offering spectacular panoramas of Tokyo (and Mount Fuji when the weather is clear).

Your first full day will be spent in the company of a private guide who will ensure that you maximise your time in the city by introducing you to some of Tokyo's main attractions as well as some of its lesser-known gems. The itinerary will be flexible so feel free to offer your own suggestions!

Some highlights might include the bustling lanes surrounding Senso-ji Temple in the traditional district of Asakusa, a cruise down the Sumida River to Hamarikyu Gardens, or a gentle stroll though Ueno Park to visit the Tokyo National Museum. To witness a truly Japanese tradition, visit the sumo stables to watch the wrestlers' early morning practice session. Lunch will be included during your tour today.

On day three of your itinerary you will be whisked north on the Shinkansen bullet train to Nikko, where you'll explore the UNESCO-registered shrine complex with an expert local guide. Your guide will be able to offer some fascinating insights into the places you will be visiting as well as into everyday life in Japan, and lunch will be included in the tour. After taking the train back to Tokyo, you will have the evening at leisure.

Overnight: Imperial Hotel

Discover the old teahouses and samurai residences of Kanazawa, one of Japan's best-preserved historical towns.

Leaving the bright lights of the capital behind, today you will take a scenic train journey through Japan's mountainous interior to Kanazawa, a small city on the Japan Sea Coast that retains much of its traditional charm. Arriving here in the afternoon, we suggest taking a stroll around one of the small geisha districts lined with old teahouses or visiting the excellent 21st Century Art Museum.

Following a night in Kanazawa you will have a full day to explore the town, using your personalised Info-Pack to guide you. Don't miss Kenroku-en, one of Japan's top three strolling gardens situated next to the remains of Kanazawa Castle.

We can also arrange a visit to Kanazawa's “Ninja” Temple, the Kutani pottery kiln, Nagamati samurai district or the Sakuda Gold Leaf Workshop if any of these appeal to you.

Overnight: Nikko Hotel Kanazawa

Stay at a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Japanese Alps as you visit Shirakawa-go, one of the most picturesque rural communities in all Japan.

The next stop on your adventure is Shirakawa-go, a picturesque mountain village designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. A driver will meet you at your hotel and take you through rolling fields and mountain scenery to what is widely regarded as one of the most scenic places in Japan.

The village has 180 unique gassho-zukuri thatched farmhouses with steeply sloping roofs designed especially to cope with the heavy snowfall that affects this area every winter. Whilst most visitors pass through the village for only a couple of hours, you will be spending the night in a family-run guesthouse in one of the traditional farmhouses, with a delicious home-cooked meal included for dinner.

Overnight: Gassho Minshuku Ootaya

Continue your exploration of rural Japan in the historic craft town of Takayama, packed with Edo Period inns, breweries, teahouses and merchant residences.

Today you will continue into the Japanese Alps by private car to Takayama. A charming town established as the home of the Kanamori family in the 16th century, Takayama is known throughout Japan for its skilled craftsmen, many of whom had a hand in building the famous temples of Kyoto.

The old area of the town is full of narrow streets lined with well-preserved inns, teahouses, sake breweries and merchant residences. We suggest that you spend the rest of your day today exploring some of the sights before retiring to your exclusive ryokan inn for a sumptuous kaiseki dinner this evening.

On your second day in Takayama we recommend starting your day at the lively riverside market, where locals sell a diverse selection of goods from foodstuffs to traditional crafts. Afterwards you might like to walk or cycle around Takayama's many temples and shrines or visit the Float Museum, which houses the ornate floats that form the focal point of Takayama's famous spring and autumn festivals. Dinner at your ryokan will be included again tonight.

Overnight: Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama

Relive history at Matsumoto's imposing “Black Crow” castle before spending a relaxing night at an exclusive onsen resort outside the city.

A private car will pick you up this morning to take you to Matsumoto, surrounded on all sides by the towering alpine peaks and famous for its distinctive “Black Crow” castle – one of the best-preserved original castles in Japan. Sake breweries abound here, and art lovers will be well provided-for with a wealth of top-class museums.

After some time to explore these sights, your driver will take you to your exclusive Japanese inn in a hot spring village on the edge of Matsumoto, where you can spend the evening relaxing in the onsen waters and sampling the local meibutsu specialities created by the inn's top chefs.

Overnight: Kai Matsumoto

Be taken back in time as you visit Magome and Tsumago, meticulously preserved former post towns on the old Nakasendo Highway.

Returning to Matsumoto by private car, you will take a limited express train south to Nakatsugawa in the Kiso Valley. Tsumago, a small village and former post town along the ancient Nakasendo Highway, is a short bus or taxi from here.

Local residents here have banded together to preserve the area's Edo Period atmosphere, meaning that Tsumago is a lovely town packed with traditional buildings. Today we recommend retracing the steps of the samurai by walking the eight-kilometre trail from Tsumago to Magome, where you'll be staying at a tiny family-run minshuku inn with dinner included.

Overnight: Fujioto

Enjoy an exclusive private audience with an apprentice geisha in Kyoto, the “City of Ten Thousand Temples”.

Arriving on the bullet train today, your first glimpse of Kyoto will be Kyoto Station –an ode to futuristic architecture and worlds apart from the city's rich collection of traditional buildings. Nevertheless, after spending the afternoon meandering from the Silver Temple along the Path of Philosophy to the 400-year-old Sanmon Gate, you'll soon feel the ancient heartbeat of this very special city.

This evening you will take a walking tour of the backstreets and alleyways of Kyoto's famous geisha district with a professional guide before having an exclusive private audience with a maiko (apprentice geisha), a truly rare experience and sure to be one of the highlights of your trip. A translator will be on hand to help you ask questions about this notoriously secretive profession, giving you a fascinating insight into a mysterious world.

For your first full day in Kyoto you'll have a private guide and driver at your disposal for eight hours. With so many temples, gardens and shrines hiding around each corner, your guide will help you get the most out of your time and show you some classic sights as well as some real hidden gems.

You might start by marvelling at Kinkaku-ji's Golden Pavilion, trying out the defences at Nijo Castle or wandering around Nishiki food market. For lunch your guide will take you to discover some of the very best in Kyoto cuisine.

Your final full day in Kyoto will be free for you to continue exploring the city independently or to venture a little further afield. Nearby Nara, an ancient capital only 40 minutes away by train, is a popular choice for its free-roaming deer population and the giant bronze Buddha at Todai-ji temple. Vibrant Osaka, famed for its fabulous food, is equally easily reached and makes a fun final evening in the Kansai region.

Overnight: Granvia

Return to Tokyo for a stay in Shinjuku, the capital's sprawling business and entertainment hub and the perfect contrast to your traditional tour of Japan.

Your adventures in Japan will come full circle today as you return to the capital, whizzing eastwards at speeds of up to 300 kph! A taxi will then take you from Tokyo station to one of the city's most luxurious hotels.

You will be perfectly located for some final sightseeing in the city and any last-minute souvenir shopping in the many shops and department stores nearby. Perhaps head to Shinjuku to spend your final evening in one of Tokyo's most famous entertainment hubs.

Sadly your time in Japan must come to an end, and on your final morning you will be met at your hotel by a driver who will take you directly to Tokyo's Narita Airport. Have a safe flight home.

Overnight: Mandarin Oriental Tokyo