10-Day Japan Cherry Blossom Spring Mini-Group Tour from Tokyo: Fuji Five Lakes Area, Kyoto and Osaka

Konichiwa! Welcome to the capital city of Japan!

To reach your hotel from the airport, we recommend opting for a taxi. This choice offers the utmost convenience and ease.

Explore the fascinating city of Tokyo with its top attractions: Meiji Shrine, Omotesando avenue, Asakusa old district, and Hamarikyu garden:

- Walk among the history and be a part of the story of Meiji Shrine.

- See the world's top fashion trends at the Omotesando.

- Soak in the atmosphere of the Tokyo of old at Asakusa.

- Taste a cup of steaming matcha at the Edo Period Hamarikyu Garden, which is surrounded by futuristic skyscrapers.

Have a day excursion out of Tokyo by private car with a personal guide, and discover the beauty and stories of the Fuji Five Lakes area.

- Board a cruise, and sail around Lake Kawaguchiko.

- Admire the works of Kubota Itchiku, one of Japan's greatest kimono artists, at Kubota Itchiku Art Museum.

- Drive by Lake Saiko and Lake Shojiko to enjoy two other scenic lakes in the area.

- Get a glimpse of Aokigahara 'Sea of Trees' Forest - a mysterious forest that was born after an eruption of Mt. Fuji.

- Enter the Sengen Shrine in the thick cedar forest below Mt. Fuji, constructed in 788 AD.

Dive into the daily life of local Japanese, and enjoy a cheerful view of the sakura (cherry blossom) along the Sumida River.

- Pay a visit to the world's largest fish market - Tsukiji Market, and witness the daily life of locals.

- Sample some of the freshly-prepared finger foods at the market if interested.

- Enter a typical Japanese home and learn to prepare maki sushi (rolled sushi), gunkan maki (wrapped rice balls), and nigiri sushi (rice fingers topped with raw fish).

- Enjoy a river boat ride on the Sumida River, smell the atmosphere of sakura and get great views of the cherry blossom along the river side for your hanami.

Travel from Tokyo to Kyoto by the fastest train - a Nozomi (with private hotel transfer). Explore the back streets of Kyoto's geisha districts with the leading foreign geisha-culture expert. Sample traditional song and dance, and do games, which make great photo opportunities at a private ochaya (Geisha teahouse).

Start the day trip by visiting one of Kyoto's most famous temples - Kinkaku-ji ('Golden Pavilion'). Continue to Nijo Castle - a two-ring-fortfied, 400-year-old castle built by the founder of the Edo Shogunate as his Kyoto residence, surrounded by stunning gardens. Walk down Nishiki Market, a narrow, five-block-long shopping street lined by more than one hundred shops and restaurants. It's known as 'Kyoto's Kitchen'. Choose between visiting Kiyomizu ('Pure Water') Temple - under repair, but still enjoyable and a Kyoto landmark, or visit Sanjusangen-do - a temple that is Japan's longest wooden structure (120 m) instead.

Enter Fushimi Inari Shrine, which was used in the movie "Memoirs of a Geisha". Quench your thirst at a sake brewery. Learn about the traditional brewing process, and then sample the different types of Japanese sake. Lose yourself on the Philosopher's Path, and enjoy the blossom of hundreds of cherry trees. Wander between Ginkaku-ji ('Silver Pavilion') and the neighborhood of Nanzen-ji and try not to count the small temples and shrines during the walk.

Have a good rest after a week's travel. Our local guide and the hotel would be glad to provide suggestions for your own discovery of the city. Optional day-trips are avaliable!

Step into the magnificent Osaka Castle as well as into the history of Osaka. Taste the famous street food takoyaki (octopus dumplings) in the bustling district of Dotonbori. Take the chance to admire famed Japanese prints from the 18th century, and make your own woodblock print at Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum. Astonish yourself with the panorama of Osaka City by standing in Floating Garden Observatory.

We hope your journey home provides a happy conclusion to your holiday! For your transfer to the airport, we recommend securing a taxi - our hotel staff are readily available to assist with this booking.