9-Day Contrasts of Japan Tour Package: Tokyo - Mount Fuji - Nagoya - Kyoto - Osaka - Hiroshima

Welcome to Japan! Upon arrival we'll transfer you by coach to your hotel where you'll meet your guide and check-in. Later in the afternoon, we will pay a visit to this fascinating country by taking a trip on the metro (tickets included) to the Shinjuku District and see the crowds of people who use this modern and efficient collective transport system. Shinjuku is one of the most important nightlife districts. The visit includes an ascent to the Metropolitan Tower, which has a wonderful view of the city from the 46th floor. We'll enjoy dinner and then return to hotel.

In the morning, we'll take part in a 5-hour trip with our guide to see this amazing city, with its hustle and bustle and extremely modern districts that coexist with quiet, peaceful areas. We will pass near the walls and gardens of the Imperial Palace and visit the Shinto shrine dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and his wife, and their spirits. In Yasukuni Jinja shrine we will have the chance to reflect on peace in this shrine, built in remembrance of the 2.5 million Japanese citizens who lost their lives in World War II. Passengers who wish to do so can visit the War Museum. We will pass through the district of Akihabara, the “electric town” with icons from the popular Japanese Manga and Anime culture and then see Kokugikan, the Sumo stadium, home of this Japanese sport. We will also visit the Buddhist temple of Sensoji, the oldest and most important temple in Tokyo, with its 55-metre high pagoda. Then we will have some free time to visit the traditional commercial district of Asakusa. After lunch, you will have your free time in the afternoon.

We set out for the beautiful region of Mount Fuji, passing through pretty countryside on our way. We reach the idyllic city of Kawaguchiko with its tiny houses, flowers and mountains, and its beautiful lake. On our arrival, we will visit the Fuji Sengen Shrine set in a magical site surrounded by tall trees, and the starting point of the traditional pilgrimage to the mountain. At the shrine, we will express our thanks for being able to visit this wonderful place. The trip includes the ascent by cable car to Mount Tenjo. The views of the neighboring lakes and Mount Fuji are spectacular. The visit also includes a delightful boat trip on Kawaguchiko Lake. After lunch, we start to ascend Mount Fuji on the road that takes us to the “fifth station”, surrounded by spectacular forests and views, to a height of 2,305 metres. (Note: In winter, the route is frequently closed due to snow or other adverse weather conditions; during this season, we will ascend as far as the authorized point.) Return to Kawaguchiko, with time to stroll near the lake. We will stay at a Ryokan (a traditional Japanese hotel), and have the chance to enjoy its onsen (public baths).

We are only 130km (81 miles) from Kyoto. In the morning, we continue along the pretty road bordered by lakes to Iyasi no Sato Nenba, a tiny village destroyed by a typhoon in 1966 and later restored as a traditional open-air mountain village and museum. Its traditional houses have been transformed into arts and crafts shops, restaurants and traditional museums. We then have the opportunity to admire the Shiraito Falls, considered done of the most attractive sites in Japan, with a waterfall height of 150 metres. We will then continue to Nagoya, the third most important city of Japan, on the shores of the Pacific. Here we will visit the Toyota Museum (admission included), a must-see for motor lovers. We continue to Kyoto, accommodation.

We spend all day in the city that was the capital of Japan from the year 794 to 1868 and home to the Imperial Court. During World War II the city was the only major Japanese to escape the bombardments, and so it still preserves its wealth of artistic heritage; the famous protocol restricting greenhouse gas emissions was signed in Kyoto in 1997. We head for the outskirts of Kyoto to Arashiyama, where we cross the Togetsukyo Bridge ("bridge over the moon"), which has fantastic views. We will visit the Tenryuji temple, one of the "five major Zen temples of Kyoto" and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, followed by a walk through its mystic bamboo forest. The visit includes a trip to one of the most important parts of the city. We will see the marvellous Shinto Shrine of Fushimi Inari, the Imperial Palace and Kinkakuji temple, “the golden pavilion” and its wonderful gardens. Free time before visiting GION, a busy traditional quarter famous for its Geisha. Free time.

We head for the outskirts of Kyoto to Arashiyama, where we cross the Togetsukyo Bridge (“bridge over the moon”), which has fantastic views. We will visit the Tenryuji temple, one of the ¨five major Zen temples of Kyoto¨ and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, followed by a walk through its mystic bamboo forest. Then we leave for Nara and visit Todaiji, a magnificent Buddhist temple built in 752, which has a giant Buddha and where passengers can take photos and touch and feed the deer that wander through the park. After the visit, we will see Horyuji Buddhist temple, a World Heritage Site that includes a seminary, monasteries and temples. Its main pagoda temple is one of the oldest wooden buildings in the world and is the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan and an important place of worship. We continue to Osaka, where we arrive in the evening. Accommodation in this modern city (Japan’s second city). In the evening we will visit Dotonbori, a colorful district filled with nightlife.

We leave for Mount Shosa, and its Engyo-Ji complex of temples dating back more than 1,000 years, which was the place where the film “The last Samurai” was made. Cable car ride. After this we will see Himeji, where we will include entry to its immense complex that shows us the architecture of Japanese castles. Lunch included in a local restaurant. We go on to Okayama, where we will visit Korakuen, one of the most beautiful gardens in Japan, with its lakes, waterfalls and traditional teahouses.

We leave for Kurashiki, a city with a very well preserved historical center. Time for a stroll in this charming place with its atmosphere from the past. We continue on our way to Hiroshima, a city sadly known for the atomic bomb that fell on it in 1945 and which levelled the city. We will stroll around the Peace Memorial, the Dome of the bomb and we will visit the impressive Museum of Peace.  After the war we will seek peace by embarking on a ferry to the island “where men and gods live together”, with the sanctuary of Itsukushima dedicated to the guardian of the seas, built partially over the sea. Time to visit the temple, to stroll around its pretty center and have lunch. Return to our hotel in Hiroshima.

After breakfast, we'll say farewell and end our tour at the hotel.