This is a great itinerary for those wanting to simply experience Japan's major highlights. Taking in the neon lights of Tokyo, the ethereal gardens of Kyoto, views of Mt Fuji as well as Hiroshima/Miyajima, this is a fantastic first time visit to Japan.
This classic itinerary takes in Japan's major highlights, such as Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo and Hakone (Mt Fuji), but is designed with Japan's cherry blossom season in mind as it really makes the most of Japan's beautiful gardens and outdoors.
Gliding into the forefront of train travel in 1964, the bullet train, or Shinkansen, has continued to wow the world with its blistering speed and soundless stealth ever since. Now linking the very north to the south, the Bullet Train has become the reliable backbone of Japan, joining the rural to the cosmopolitan in the blink of an eye. Snaking its way across Honshu, the largest island in the Japanese archipelago, the bullet train rattles up and down the country at a staggering speed of up to 320km an hour. As synonymous with the Land of the Rising Sun as Mount Fuji, sumo or sushi, the bullet train is arguably the only way to travel in Japan.
Found across Japan, ryokans are traditional Japanese guesthouses which offer the perfect glimpse into Japanese history and culture. Most predominantly located near onsen towns, they are the perfect place to rest travel weary legs along the Nakasendo Way or as an addition to your itinerary on a tour of Japan’s highlights.
Offering a unique blend of age-old customs and cutting-edge modernism, this island nation along the Pacific coast of East Asia is as intoxicating as its national drink, sake.
Head to neon-lit capital Tokyo for skyscrapers, state-of-the-art shopping malls, luxury hotels, trendy restaurants, and much more. Savour sashimi and sushi from Tsukiji fish market, see sporting giants complete at a sumo tournament, experience kabuki at the National Theatre, and don’t miss the Imperial Palace and the Sensoji Temple.
For some 2,000 shines and temples that are a legacy of Japan’s imperial past, visit Kyoto. Here you can dine with a geiko (geisha) and maiko (apprentice geisha) in the Gion district, marvel at thousands of orange torii gates at Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine, see cherry blossoms at Maruyama Park, and visit both the Golden Pavilion and the Shogun’s residence, Nijo Castle.
To reconnect further with Japan’s past, pay your respects to WWII victims at the Peace Memorial Park and Museum at Hiroshima, explore Osaka Castle in Osaka, relax in the Kenrokuen Garden at Kanazawa, and visit the sacred island of Miyajima to see its giant red ‘floating’ Otorii gate.
Beyond the urban centres, there is much to discover; from Hakone, crowned by the 12,388-foot-high Mount Fuji, to Nikko - a pilgrim town that is home to the sumptuous Tosho-gu shrine. Also impressive is Takayama, where April’s annual Sanno Matsuri is the beloved festival to celebrate the return of spring to a snow-covered town.
Other highlights include taking the bullet train from Tokyo to the ski resort of Hakuba in the Japanese Alps, spotting snow monkeys at Yudanaka, basking in the springtime beauty of cherry blossoms, and experiencing hospitality known as omotenashi at a ryokan - a Japanese-style inn. For beach thrills, hit the southernmost islands of Okinawa for white sands and turquoise waters.
Did you know?
There are over 6800 islands in Japan yet only around 430 of them are inhabited.
Did you know?
The motorway intersects the Gate Tower Building in Osaka and passes through the sixteen storey building.