10-day Charming Japan- Tokyo, Nagano, Kanazawa, & Kyoto

The Adventure Begins

Welcome to Japan!

Welcome to Tokyo!  Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met with an English-speaking assistant holding a sign with your name on it. Together with the driver, they will take you to the hotel in downtown Tokyo.  

Where you’re staying

Hotel in Tokyo
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For today, we recommend a private Kamakura Full-Day Tour via Public Transportation. We will take the local train for the 1 hour trip to the former de facto capital of Japan from 1185-1333. Kamakura was once the largest city in the world, but today it is a small, sleepy seaside town with numerous temples, shrines, and other attractions. A local guide will take you to Kotokuin Temple, home of the Daibutsu, a giant bronze Buddha who stands (or rather sits) 44 feet tall. The Hasedera Temple of the Jodo sect is best known for its statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. The statue portrays Kannon with eleven heads, each representing a characteristic of the goddess. This shrine dates back to the 12th century and is one of Kamakura's most popular attractions. 

If you have time, you might like to stop for lunch at nearby Komachi-dori, a fashionable street with historic restaurants and stylish shops. There are more than 250 restaurants, boutiques, fancy cafes, Japanese sweet cafes, and stores selling souvenirs and other items unique to the ancient city along the street. By exploring narrow alleys, you'll find Western-style houses with an historic atmosphere and traditional shops hidden away. Also present are incensed shops, a soba noodle restaurant with a strong Japanese influence, and French restaurants with a retro feel. Travel back to Tokyo by train at the end of the day.

Where you’re staying 

Hotel in Tokyo Premium with Breakfast  

 Begin your day with an English-speaking guide for a full-day tour of Jigokudani Monkey Park and Obuse. Travel by public transportation to see the famous Snow monkeys. Japan's Jigokudani literally means "hell's valley" because of the steam and boiling water that bubbles out of crevices in the frozen ground, and it is here that the resident Japanese Macaques enjoy bathing in this bubbling water. Monkeys live in large social groups, so it is quite entertaining to watch them interact. Since they are accustomed to humans, they can be observed closely and ignored almost completely. From the closest parking area, the entrance to the park is around a 20-minute hike away. However, the hike is scenic and leisurely, and there are no steep slopes.

During the afternoon, we will stop at the nearby village of Obuse, known for its chestnuts and also for being the home of Hokusai, the famous painter and printmaker of Japan's Edo period. There are over 100 houses in the town participating in an "Open Garden" theme. You can enter the property and enjoy the gardens if you see this sign in front of the house, giving you a unique insight into Japanese home life. You must taste the local saké during your visit to Obuse. Sake is Japanese rice wine, a beverage made from fermented rice that has been polished to remove the bran. 

 Where you’re staying 

Hotel in Nagano  Premium with Breakfast    

Your English-speaking guide will meet you after breakfast for a full-day excursion to Shirakawa-go. We will be traveling by public transportation for the 90-minute trip and your guide will explain some of the attractions we will see. Shirakawa-go, located at the foot of Mount Haku-san, is a quiet mountain village with rice fields and a river running through it. 

The village is home to 114 thatched roofs and has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. You will be escorted through the village, which is famous for its gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. Gassho-zukuri means Praying Hands in Japanese since the steep thatched roofs of the farmhouses resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer, and they are built to endure the heavy snowfall in the area. Lunch will be served at a delicious local spot where meat and fish are grilled on a magnolia leaf over an open flame.  

 Where you’re staying 

Hotel in Kanazawa  

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Join your guide for a full-day tour of Kyoto via subway and bus*. Our first stop will be the Ryoanji Zen Temple, which is home to Japan's most famous rock garden, which draws hundreds of visitors every day. The site was originally a villa built by aristocratic families during the Heian Period, then converted into a Zen temple around 1450. Located in a rectangular plot of pebbles, the garden is surrounded by low earthen walls with 15 rocks arranged in small groups on patches of moss. The Kyoto Imperial Palace was formerly the residence of Japan's Imperial Family until 1868 when the capital was moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. In the spacious Kyoto Imperial Garden that encompasses the Sento Imperial Palace, it can be found.

After lunch, we will stroll along the Philosopher's Path, a pleasant stone path that runs through the northern part of Kyoto's Higashiyama district. The path follows a canal lined with cherry trees. The path is about two kilometers long and starts around Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) and ends in Nanzenji. Nishida Kitaro, one of Japan's most prominent philosophers, is said to have walked this path every day on his way to Kyoto University while practicing meditation. You will have dinner on your own tonight after returning to your hotel.

During the busy season (March 20 - May 8, October 10 - November 30), the tour will be conducted by taxi.