Best of Japan
Self Guided Adventure

15 day/14 night self-guided adventure from
$9919
per person share twinFlying Air New Zealand

Best of Japan

This is the perfect itinerary for first-time visitors to Japan: cities, countryside, hot springs, great food, history and culture. Locations you will visit include Japans historic capital, Kyoto; the modern metropolis of Tokyo; the Fuji-Hakone National Park; Takayama in the Japanese Alps; and Hiroshima.
This self-guided adventure is the best of both worlds - you've got all the accommodation sorted, guidance on what train to take and sightseeing organised, yet, you can travel each day at the pace you like. 

Deal Includes
✔ Return Economy airfares flying Air New Zealand from Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch to Tokyo
✔ Return Airport transfers
✔ 14 nights accommodation (6 nights Japanese style)
✔ Breakfast daily and five evening meals
✔ All transport between destinations
✔ Hakone Free Pass for local transport in the Hakone region
✔ Manaca transport card with 2,500yen credit for city transport
✔ Eight hour private guide service in Tokyo and Kyoto
✔ Group Waling tour of Gion
✔ Half-day cycle ride in Hida, Takayama
✔ Pocket Wifi device
✔ Your personalised Inside Japan Information Pack


15 days/14 nights
From $9919 per person share twin
Travel: 05 May-26 Jun & 14 Jul-31 Aug 25

Ask us about other travel dates.

Itinerary
Day 1-3: Tokyo
Welcome to Japan! We will provide you with a Manaca transport card that you will use to take a train to central Tokyo. You will be based in Tokyo's historic Asakusa, famed for its bustling market street, Nakamise Dori, which leads up to the oldest temple in the city: Senso-ji. Here you can wind your way through curious streets filled with Kabuki theatres and rustic bars that reflect Asakusa's glory days as the entertainment district of Edo (old Tokyo). From Asakusa you might also like to board a boat down to Tokyo Bay, passing under the famous Rainbow Bridge to the man-made island of Odaiba – a glowing, futuristic paradise.
You will spend your second day with a private guide on a tour of the city, making use of Tokyo's world-class public transport network. Marvel at the green haven of Hamarikyu gardens surrounded by high-rise buildings, watch out for a wedding party at Meiji Shrine or visit Akihabara to wander through the electronic shops and manga cafes – your guide will take you anywhere you'd like to go.
If you fancy a break from the big city, on day three you'll have the chance to head out of Tokyo to one of the many fascinating destinations that lie just an hour or two away by train.
Nikko, to the north of Tokyo, is the final resting place for members of the most powerful clan of Japan's past – the Tokugawa family. The elaborate shrine complex here is a stark contrast to the more modest temples you will see during the rest of your trip!
South of Tokyo, coastal Kamakura is equally worthwhile as a day trip, offering a laid-back atmosphere, several temples, and a giant stone Buddha.
Overnight: Gracery Asakusa Hotel

Day 4-5: Hakone
Your first trip on the bullet train will take you to Odawara, the gateway to Fuji-Hakone National Park. After a scenic bus journey into the mountains, you will arrive the hot spring town of Hakone where a stay at a traditional ryokan awaits.
Your afternoon will be free to spend exploring this area using your Hakone Free Pass and your personalised Info-Pack as your guide.
Hakone has plenty to see and do, from tasting eggs boiled in volcanic waters to taking a boat trip across beautiful Lake Ashi.
The outdoor sculpture park and Picasso gallery are great to wander around for an afternoon – or maybe you will just sit back and relax in one of the many therapeutic hot spring baths that the area is famous for.
Hakone also boasts some of the best views of Mount Fuji – but make sure you have your camera at the ready as Fuji-san is notoriously shy!
Overnight: Ichinoyu Susukinohara

Day 6-8: Kyoto
On day six you will be whisked southwards on the bullet train to Kyoto, a must for all trips to Japan. Arriving at the massive architectural masterpiece that is Kyoto Station you would be forgiven for thinking that this is just another modern, glass-and-concrete city, but a short walk from your hotel will quickly prove otherwise.
Kyoto is a city alive with history and culture with a temple on every corner, and you'll spend your first evening on a group walking tour through Kyoto's Gion district. Here, if you're lucky, you'll catch a glimpse of one of Kyoto's elusive geisha making her way between her evening appointments!
On day seven you will have a full day to explore Kyoto – and the options are endless. To help you maximise your time, a private guide will meet you at your hotel and take you on a tour of the city's top spots – from world-famous heritage sites like the Golden Pavilion to little-known hideaways such as Tofuku-ji Temple.
If you have any particular preferences for the day feel free to let us know in advance, or you can just take advantage of your guide's local expertise. On your third day in Kyoto you will have more time to explore the delights of the city independently. Perhaps you'd like to go food shopping at Nishiki Market, or hire a bike to discover the spacious Imperial Palace grounds.
Or, perhaps you'd prefer to visit Ryoan-ji's Zen garden, count the vermillion torii gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine, and test the anti-ninja security measures at Nijo Castle. A day trip to Nara, another ancient capital of Japan, is also highly recommended. The choice is yours! Overnight: Intergate Kyoto Shijo Shinmachi

Day 9-10: Miyajima
More enchanting scenery and culture awaits you on Miyajima Island, just off the coast of Hiroshima in the Seto Inland Sea National Park. Here you will be staying in a Japanese-style ryokan with a treat of an evening meal included.
This tranquil island is famous for Itsukushima shrine with its "floating" red torii gate - and for the resident monkeys and deer!
On your second day in Miyajima we recommend taking a trip to Hiroshima, where a visit to the Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum are a must. The city will be forever linked to the tragic events of August 6th 1945, yet today you will find a friendly, bustling city many times the size of wartime Hiroshima.
Don't forget to try Hiroshima's famous savoury pancakes - okonomiyaki - for lunch.
Overnight: Yamaichi Bekkan

Day 11: Osaka
Travelling back to the mainland, you will head back east to the vibrant, laid-back city of Osaka. Here you will be staying in the exciting Nanba district – a short walk from the iconic Glico "running man" in the heart of Dotonbori's entertainment arcades.
Don't forget to head over to Osaka castle, set in a lovely park, where street food stalls abound.
Overnight: Cross Hotel Osaka

Day 12-13: Takayama
On day twelve, hop on board the Shinkansen and speed west to Nagoya, before winding your way through beautiful alpine scenery on an express train to Takayama.  Takayama was renowned throughout the Edo Period (1603-1868) for the high quality of its craftsmen, many of whom worked on some of the great temples of Kyoto. During your stay we recommend that you visit the Hida Folk Village, an open-air museum filled with traditional rural buildings, and take some time to learn about the town's famous festivals at the Festival Float Museum.  A delicious kaiseki-style meal is included at your family-run inn tonight.  After a restful night's sleep you will have the opportunity to head deeper into rural Japan and take a cycling tour through the rice fields and farming villages of Hida, accompanied by an English-speaking guide.  As well as the beautiful mountain scenery the tour will visit a natural spring, a local temple, minka farmhouses and an orchard. After this insight into traditional life, your afternoon will be free to continue exploring Takayama.  Meat lovers must try the local Hida beef – arguably as good as the more famous Kobe variety.
Overnight: Sumiyoshi Ryokan


Day 14-15: Tokyo
Leaving the Japanese Alps behind, today you will return to Tokyo for a taste of the high rise area of West Shinjuku, the location of several scenes from the famous film Lost in Translation.  Although skyscrapers now appear all over the city, this area still holds its own in terms of modern architecture, crowded with monolithic structures such as the NS building with its giant pendulum, the award-winning Cocoon Tower, and the towering Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building with its dizzying views across the city.  On the east side of Shinjuku you will find Tokyo's largest entertainment district, Kabuki-cho. There's never a dull moment in Shinjuku and your stay here will certainly leave an indelible impression!  
Day 15 will see your adventures in Japan come to an end, and this morning you will be catching a shared shuttle bus from your hotel to the airport in plenty of time for your flight home.

Our packages are based on dynamic pricing which means you get the best available rates of the day at the time of booking. Pricing is subject to current availability and pricing may change without notice.

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