Arrive in Osaka and be greeted at the airport by your Tour Manager. Once on your tour bus heading to Kyoto, via Nara where we make a longer visit. Your Tour Manager will brief you and explain details about your travel plans, give advice on how to adapt to the local culture and outline how you will stay safe during your travels.  In Nara, we visit the Todaiji Temple, see the world's largest Buddha statue and encounter deer as you explore the temples and halls (including Kasugataisha Shrine) in the surrounding grounds of Nara Park. You might even feed the deer with their favorite snacks - Japanese Senbei! Deer cookies. 

Welcome to your hotel in Kyoto and enjoy your first Japanese, Yakuniko, welcome dinner at night.… Nihon e yōkoso!

Meals: In-flight, D

Enjoy a half-day sightseeing tour of Kyoto. You'll experience Japanese culture as you board the bus with our expert local guide and be part of your own private tour! After a break for lunch, we continue. Walk through quaint side streets to the 1,200-year-old Kiyomizu Dera Temple, and enjoy postcard-worthy views over Kyoto. Stroll around Higashiyama District, one of the city's best preserved historic districts, authentic souvenirs can be purchased from traditional merchant shops. Next, treat the tastebuds at Nishiki Market - with over 100 stalls and shops lining the covered, narrow street, it has been nicknamed 'Kyoto’s Kitchen'. Take a stroll through this thriving 400-year old market and taste some regional treats. Discover the city that served as Japan's capital and the Emperor's residence from 794 until 1868. Explore Pontocho Ally to find great dinner options or the Gion District at night.

Meals: B

This morning we leave Kyoto by bullet train to Hiroshima, 2 hours train ride. Learn about Hiroshima’s tragic past connected with the atomic bomb - and its subsequent recovery and pacifist mission - at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and & Museum.  Audio guide will be available in English for an extra fee. Our local guide will lead us through the park and onwards to the Hiroshima Castle, for an inlcuded entrance. Unwind all together with an included dinner at night, enjoying a lovely buffet dinner with a variety of choices from Japan and international kitchen, something for everyone. 

Meals: B, D

Explore Miyajima, an island where tame deer accompany you as you explore the stunning shrines, beaches, and mountains. You’ll get an iconic glimpse at the UNESCO World Heritage Itsukushima Shrine and the large torii gate - a sight which is ranked as one of Japan’s best views. See the giant, “floating” orange gate, which at high tide seems to float on the water and which marks the entrance to the 12th-century Itsukushima Shrine.

For an incredible view of Miyajima Island and the surrounding waters, take the ropeway to the summit. There's then an opportunity to stretch your legs on the way down with a two-hour hike back to sea level. We head back ferry and train in the afternoon for an evening at leisure at night. 

Meals: B

Board a bullet train for a speedy journey through the Japanese countryside and onto Tokyo, around 4 hours train ride. At dusk, take in the best of the capital of Japan from up high as you ascend one of Tokyo’s high towers,  Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, and watch the sun as it sets over the buzzing city below. Next, explore the buzzing Shinjuku and take a walk through Golden Gai. Enjoy an included dinner all together at night as you delight in some more traditional Japanese cuisine. This evening we return to hotel by Tokyo metro for the experience!

Meals: B, D

Start your day with Tokyo underground trip and find your zen with an included entrance to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, home to more than a dozen different cherry tree varieties. Then spend time discovering the “old Tokyo” area of Asakusa where an atmosphere of the Tokyo of past decades survives. Discover the charming streets lined with traditional craft shops and street-food stalls and visit Sensoji Temple, one of Tokyo's most colorful and popular Buddhist temples. While in Asakusa, head for a fun sushi-making experience! Create a new signature dish with a nationally-accredited instructor. Experience hands-on training and learn how to create beautifully shaped sushi using simple utensils.

Visit Tokyo Sky Tree, one of the city's landmarks which towers at a height of 634 meters. It is the tallest structure in Japan - and it was the second tallest in the world at the time of its completion.

Meals: B, D

Spend your last full day to explore Tokyo on your own, why not visit TeamLab Planets or Mori Tower Art Museum or any of the other futuristic installations in the city. Otherwise, chose to join an optional day excursion heading to the seaside town of Kamakura to see the Great Buddha and Kotoku-in Temple. Return to Tokyo for your Farewell dinner in the evening and reflect on the past days you’ve spent travelling and learning about this exotic and ancient country. Farwell dinner at night at a landmark Izakaya restaurant.

Meals: B, D

Transfer to the airport for your return flight to USA. 

Meals: B