Japan, 12 Days · Classic tour

Tokyo, Hiroshima, Mt. Koya, Kyoto and the Japanese Alps

The trip around Japan that you've always dreamed about

Keen to discover the places that make Japan the country of every traveller's dreams? Join us and explore Tokyo, with its traditional temples and multicoloured neon lights; Miyajima and its serene torii peering out of the sea; Hiroshima and its Peace Memorial Park; Matsuyama and its thermal springs; the traditional dances of Tokushima; the spirituality of Mt. Koya; the serene beauty of Kyoto; the Japanese Alps; towns like Tsumago or Matsumoto that seem lost in time; Nagano, where we'll attend a ceremony to attract good luck; the Jigokudani Monkey Park; Kusatsu and its onsen (hot springs); and the spectacular Nikko, where nature and art become one.

Tokyo, Hiroshima, Mt. Koya, Kyoto and the Japanese Alps

Departure date

Departures from April 2024 till February 2025

From

Dublin, Knock, Galway, Shannon, Donegal, Cork, Kerry County...

With train

Travel details

Day 1 City of origin - Tokyo

Day 2 Tokyo

Day 3 Tokyo

Day 4 Tokyo - Hiroshima - Miyajima - Hiroshima

Day 5 Hiroshima - Matsuyama

Day 6 Matsuyama - Kotohira - Takamatsu - Naruto - Kobe

Day 7 Kobe - Osaka - Mt. Koya

Day 8 Mt. Koya - Kyoto

Day 9 Kyoto - Tsumago - Matsumoto - Nagano

Day 10 Nagano - Monkey Park - Kusatsu - Ikaho Onsen

Day 11 Ikaho Onsen - Takasaki - Nikko - Tokyo

Day 12 Tokyo - City of origin

City of origin - Tokyo

Departure with destination Tokyo. Night on board.

Tokyo

Arrival in Tokyo and transfer to the hotel on public transport. Meet-up with the guide. Late in the afternoon (6. 30 pm), we'll head out to start discovering this fascinating country by taking the metro (tickets included) to the Shinjuku district. We'll be able to see the sheer number of people who use this ultramodern and efficient public transport system, and we'll also soon discover that Shinjuku is one of the liveliest places to visit at night. Welcome dinner (included). Return to hotel. Accommodation.
Tokyo

Tokyo

Includes: BreakfastLunch
Breakfast. In the morning, we'll set out on a five-hour tour of this impressive city with our guide. The city's frenetic activity and ultramodern neighbourhoods stand alongside in perfect harmony with fantastically peaceful areas. We start with a brief stop at the Zojoji Temple to take a good photo of the Tokyo Tower. This temple is home to hundreds of jizo statues (stone deities that act as guardians of children), to which knitted hats, bibs and windmills are given. We will then go to the famous Shibuya crossing, the busiest crosswalk on the planet. We'll pay a visit to the Meiji Shinto shrine, which is dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife. We'll then head on to the lively Harajuku neighbourhood, where we'll find some of the most dramatic street fashion in the city, with shops and boutiques displaying the most eccentric styles. From there we continue with our bus through the elegant Omotesando Avenue, which serves as an important commercial hub. We will skirt the Imperial Palace and its gardens and make a stop to visit the famous Nijubashi Bridge. Afterwards, we'll cross through the Akihabara district, known as Electronics City and the centre of Japanese manga and anime. Later, we'll pass by the Kokugikan Sumo Stadium, the sport of sports in Japan. We'll also pay a visit to the Buddhist temple of Sensoji, the oldest and most important temple in Tokyo with its 55-metre-high pagoda, and the Nakamise Shopping Street, full of cute stalls ideal for picking up some souvenirs. Lunch at a local restaurant included. Return to hotel. Afternoon at leisure. Accommodation.

Tokyo - Hiroshima - Miyajima - Hiroshima

Includes: BreakfastDinner
Breakfast. Today, we'll take a bullet train down to Hiroshima. In just over four hours, we'll have travelled the almost 800 km that separate us from this city, sadly known for the atomic bombing of 6 August 1945. We'll take a walk through Peace Memorial Park, see the Atomic Bomb Dome, and visit the Peace Memorial Museum. Next stop is Miyajima, the island where 'people and Gods live together', with the shrine of Itsukushima dedicated to the guardian of the seas and built partially on the waters of the bay. We'll get to the island by ferry. Time at leisure to visit the temple and stroll around the beautiful town centre. Afterwards, we'll head back to Hiroshima for dinner and overnight stay.

Hiroshima - Matsuyama

Includes: BreakfastLunch
Breakfast. Today we'll take a very pleasant two-and-a-half-hour ferry to the island of Shikoku, where we'll get to know more about Japan, a country formed of many islands. In Matsuyama, we'll take a cable car up to its magnificent castle. We'll then visit Ishite-ji, a stunning Buddhist temple and place of pilgrimage. Lunch at a local restaurant included. We will end our afternoon in Dogo Onsen, a traditional Japanese hot spring built in the 19th century. Accommodation.

Matsuyama - Kotohira - Takamatsu - Naruto - Kobe

Includes: BreakfastLunch
Breakfast. We'll set off for Kotohira, the site of a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of sailors and a place of pilgrimage. Built atop Mount Zozu, we'll get there by climbing 785 steps. Later on in Takamatsu, we'll head over to Ritsurin Garden, one of the most beautiful in Japan. Lunch at a local restaurant. Once in Naruto, where an impressive bridge crosses the sea, we'll stop to learn about its construction and step out onto its glass walkway, taking in the dramatic whirlpools in the sea below from a height of forty-five metres. Afterwards, having driven across huge bridges from island to island, we'll arrive in Kobe. Accommodation.

Kobe - Osaka - Mt. Koya

Includes: BreakfastDinner
Breakfast. We'll leave first thing in the morning and travel along a pretty motorway that includes enormous bridges spanning the sea. In Kobe we visit the Kobe Earthquake Memorial Museum, which serves as a memorial to the tragic earthquake that devastated the city in 1995 and a record of its impeccable reconstruction. Onward journey to Osaka, time for a walk, and departure at 1.00 pm towards the sacred mountain of Koya, the most important centre of Shingon Buddhism in Japan. This mountain, a place of pilgrimage and magic, boasts 120 temples and monasteries. We'll visit the Okuno Mausoleum, a spiritual site and a vast cemetery surrounded by nature that is home to over 200,000 tombs. We'll then visit the Kongobuji Temple, built in 1593. We will also visit the temple of Kongobuji, which was built in 1593. We'll then spend the night in a Buddhist monastery, where the monks will give us a lesson in Zen meditation (Ajikan). Evening meal included (vegetarian). If we wish, we can attend the religious ceremony of the temple at dawn.

Mt. Koya - Kyoto

Includes: Breakfast
Japanese breakfast at the temple. Early morning departure to Kyoto. We'll have all day to spend in the city that was the capital of Japan from 794-1868, when the seat of the Imperial Court was located there. This was the only major Japanese city that escaped bombing in the Second World War, and has therefore retained its rich artistic heritage. What's more, the Kyoto Protocol, designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, was signed here in 1997. We'll also get to see the main sights in the city. We'll visit the wonderful Shinto shrine of Fushimi Inari, the Imperial Palace, and the Kinkakuji Temple, better known as the Golden Pavilion, with its truly magnificent gardens. After that, we'll take a stroll through Gion, the city's most traditional neighbourhood and where, if we're lucky, we might spot some elusive geishas. Free time. Accommodation.

Kyoto - Tsumago - Matsumoto - Nagano

Includes: BreakfastLunch
Breakfast. We'll then travel through rural landscapes to Tsumago, a pocket-sized wood-built town and one of the most beautiful in the whole of Japan. Time at leisure to stroll around. Lunch at a local restaurant included. We'll then continue on to Matsumoto, where we'll visit a striking sixteenth-century castle also known as the Crow Castle. Time at leisure in this lively tourist-friendly city. Overnight stay in Nagano.

Nagano - Monkey Park - Kusatsu - Ikaho Onsen

Includes: BreakfastLunchDinner
Breakfast. Today we'll venture into the stunning Japanese Alps. In Nagano we'll see Zenko-ji, a place of pilgrimage which is home Japan's first Buddhist image, and attend the Gomakuyo ceremony which will bring us good fortune. Then we'll travel through tall mountains to the Jigokudani Monkey Park. Then we'll travel by soaring mountains to the Jigokudani Monkey Park. We'll have lunch and stroll through its forests, admiring as we go the rivers and thermal springs where colonies of macaque monkeys live and bathe. After that, we'll drink in the mountain scenery (we'll be 2,172 metres up) as we pass by semi-active volcanoes on our way to Kusatsu, a delightful spa town with a lively central square. We'll go to the Yumomi show where the actresses will tell us about the traditional method used for cooling the hot springs. We'll then take a walk through the park, which has an open-air onsen. Continue to Ikaho. Arrival at Ikaho, a picturesque thermal city. We will take a stroll through its historical centre and we will stay in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese-style accommodation, where we can enjoy its thermal baths. Traditional Japanese dinner included.

Ikaho Onsen - Takasaki - Nikko - Tokyo

Includes: Breakfast
Breakfast. In Takasaki we'll climb the hill up to the site of Byakue Dai-Kannon, a giant statue of the Goddess of Mercy. Afterwards, we continue to Nikko, where we will visit the impressive temple of Nikko-Toshogu, in which the room with the sound of the dragon is a highlight. We'll also visit the Taiyuinbyo mausoleum, an impressive and wonderfully peaceful place. We'll also take a stroll along the river in Kanmangafuchi. Time at leisure in the city centre before setting off on the return journey to Tokyo, where we'll arrive at around 7.00 pm. Accommodation.
Tokyo

Tokyo - City of origin

Includes: Breakfast
Breakfast. Free time until the agreed time for the transfer to the airport. Flight with destination the city of origin. Arrival. End of the trip and our services.

Your trip includes

  • Return flight.

  • Overnight stay in the listed hotels, or similar.

  • Train segments as per itinerary.

  • Transport in vehicles appropriate to the size of the group.

  • Transfers according to the itinerary.

  • Regular tours mentioned in the itinerary, not stated as optional.

  • Bilingual Spanish- and English-speaking local guides.

  • Diet: 10 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners.

Your trip doesn't include

  • Any other service not previously mentioned as included.

  • Insolvency protection.

Expected Hotels (or similar)

In this section you will find a selection of hotels according to the category specified in the itinerary.

Day 1

Days 2 - 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Flight

Overnight stay on board.

Flight

Important remarks

- Triple rooms in Japan are generally rooms with twin beds or a double, in which a folding bed is installed to accommodate the third person. Due to the inconvenience this causes, we advise against using this option as far the possible.

- Please check with your international vaccination centre about the recommended healthcare measures in Japan.

- Depending on the return flight, the trip may be one day longer.

- In Japan double beds are not common. If you want to have rooms with double beds during your trip, you must let us know in advance. We will do everything possible so that you can enjoy them, but we can not guarantee their use in advance in any case; They will always be subject to availability upon arrival at each of the hotels. Individual rooms may be, in some cases, smaller than the double rooms.

- In general, people with tattoos are not accepted in the onsen for cultural reasons. If they're small tattoos, they could be covered with a plaster, but access isn't guaranteed if the tattoos are large.

- Please check which documents are required to enter the country.

- The visit and the dinner on the day of arrival in Tokyo will depend on the flight arrival time. Failure to attend due to a delayed flight will not result in compensation.

- Due to the shorter daylight hours in winter, there is not enough time to enter the Kongobuji temple.

- Sleeping in a monastery is an experience of great experiential value. The existing rooms are simple, without private bathrooms and designed in a traditional Japanese style with tatami mats. In addition, the dinner is vegetarian.

- In autumn in Jigokudani, depending on the abundance of fruit of the mountains, the movement of the monkeys is unpredictable: they may not travel down to the park, so the park could be kept closed. In winter, meteorological factors may affect the monkey park, leading to the planned park visit being suspended. Furthermore, from November to April the Kusatsu visit and the Yumomi show do not operate.

- Due to high hotel occupancy and limited availability in some seasons, hotels selected may be different from those mentioned.

- To make it easier to meet up with the transfer staff, we will need your mobile phone number.

- The order of the itinerary may be altered for logistical reasons, without prior notice, but no scheduled trips will be cancelled (except in the case that adverse weather conditions prevent its realisation).

- A credit card is considered a guarantee, so sometimes you will need one for check-in at hotels.

- Prices are calculated based on admission fees to the sights as of the date of publication. If there is an increase in these prices, you will be promptly informed.

- If you are a person with reduced mobility, please contact us to confirm the suitability of the trip.