Japan

A journey into Japan

For tea, temples, and lakeside onsens
japan

A journey into Japan

Japan – with its 3,000 tightly-packed islands – can easily exceed attempts to describe it. Some things you “know”. Like high-tech sushi bars, the intricacies of teahouses, its love of baseball, its candy-coloured Edo castles. Other things are harder to unravel.

On this epic journey, we’ll take an elegant, electric slice through the knowns and the unknowns, bringing you into contact with some of Japan’s most unique cities and sites. The izakaya of Tokyo’s Ebisu, the red “torii” tunnels of Kyoto, the Kenroku-en gardens of Kanazawa. Throughout, you’ll be led by some of Japan’s best and most in-the-know guides; helping you to sort your “ma” from your “wabi-sabi”. You’ll see.

When

March to May | October to November

Price

From $20,130pp excl. flights
(based on 2 ppl sharing)

How long

10 nights
Ideal length
Days 1-4

Tokyo

Tokyo is a big deal. A sleepless, sprawling subwaypolis of 23 districts, or ku. And each neighborhood has its own personality. The retro streets of Nezu, the sumo haunts of Ryogoku, futuristic Shinjuku, and Shimokitazawa (“the town of plays”). There’s a lot to see. And lots to do. We’ll take you behind the scenes, experiencing the city through the eyes of people who know it best: locals.

Day 1
Amid the bustle

Arriving in Japan’s capital, your private driver will take you to one of Tokyo’s most prestigious addresses: The Palace Hotel Tokyo, in the shadow of the central Imperial Palace itself. This will be your home for the next four nights and you’ll spend your first day settling in. Unwinding at Japan’s first Evian Spa, dining in one of the hotel’s ten restaurants, and admiring the scenic Wadakura Fountain Park and the Imperial Palace Plaza from your private balcony. At night, the view alters, unveiling a twinkling skyline stretching from Marunouchi to Toranomon and beyond.

Omotesando-in-tokyo-in-japan
sensoji-temple-in-japan
Day 2
Of shrines and skyscrapers

An interlocking maze of neighborhoods, palaces, shrines, and game arcades, you’ll explore the western neighborhoods of central Tokyo with an expert local guide. The spiritual forestland of Meiji Jingu, the animal cafes of Harajuku, and the modern architecture and tree-lined avenues of Omotesando. Then there’s the organized chaos of Shibuya with neon lights and purikura photo booths, and the nightlife hotspot, Shinjuku.

Day 3
A taste of Tokyo

Waking at sunrise, your private guide will take you to the bustling Tsukiji Outer Market. Here, you’ll discover the freshest fish as well as a dazzling array of Japanese delicacies. Fried tamagoyaki, sweet wa-gashi, Tsukemono (Japanese-style pickles), ocha (Japanese green tea). And then lunch will made by you, under the guidance of an expert sushi chef. In the afternoon, you’ll follow the Sumida River to the Asakusa district where you’ll explore the traditional shops of Nakamise and Sensoji, the ruby-red 7th-century Buddhist temple.

Sumo-wrestler-in-tokyo-in-japan
izakaya-restaurant-in-tokyo-in-japan
restaurant-in-tokyo-in-japan
enjoy some authentic sake
Day 4
Of sumo stables and izakaya

Today, you’ll head behind the scenes. With insider access to a sumo stable, you’ll watch these wrestlers undergo their morning training while stable masters offer them advice. It will be fascinating – and thrilling. In the evening, you’ll set off to Ebisu – and three very different authentic izakaya (tiny Japanese-style pubs). Enjoying yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), draft beer, sashimi, fried noodles, and plum wine, you’ll eat and drink to your heart’s content.

chef in tokyo japan
tokyo cityscape at night in japan
sushi in tokyo in japan
sumo stables in tokyo in japan
shibuya crossing in tokyo in japan
sensoji temple in tokyo in japan
restaurant-in-tokyo-in-japan
Day 5

Kanazawa

Serene and traditional, Kanazawa – once the seat of the feudal Maeda Clan – is best known for Kenroku-en (or, the “garden of the six sublimities”). Welcome to the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, and the historic home of geisha, samurai, and gold leaf.

kanazawa-castle-in-kanazawa-japan
Kenrokuen-garden-in-kanazawa-japan
streets in kanazawa in japan
Day 5
A touch of Zen

Waving farewell to Tokyo (for now), you’ll hop on the train to the historical city of Kanazawa. You’ll spend the day exploring Kenroku-en garden, gold leaf workshops, and Nagamachi (the old samurai district). We’ll then take you to Beniya Mukayu, a beautifully restored ryokan (and spa retreat) encircled by weeping sakura trees. With private outdoor spring baths, you’ll rest here for the night. As you look out at the Yakushiyama hillsides, you’ll dine on kaiseki, the Japanese “tasting menu”. Precise, ornate, ceremonial. And, of course, delicious.

kanazawa traditional streets in japan
Kenroku-en garden in kanazawa in japan
Nagamachi samurai district in kanazawa in japan
samurai house zen garden in kanazawa in japan
Kenrokuen garden in kanazawa japan in the snow
gold leaf workshop in kanazawa japan