13 Day Japan in Depth

Welcome to Japan! Today you arrive in Tokyo, the lively capital where centuries of tradition sit alongside the energy of a modern city. Make your way to your hotel and settle in. If you arrive earlier in the day, you might like to take a walk around the surrounding neighbourhood, find a local cafe, or relax at the hotel after your journey. Tomorrow begins your journey to discover Japan in depth. Special Information Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.Hotel check-in time is at 3pm. If arriving prior to this, you will be able to leave your luggage with hotel reception and explore your surroundings until check-in becomes available. The hotel may grant early check-in, however this is strictly subject to availability and at the hotel's discretion.

This morning after breakfast, meet your tour leader and the rest of your group for a welcome meeting and a briefing of the days ahead. You will then set off for Kawagoe, an old castle town often referred to as Little Edo. Stroll through the merchant streets lined with traditional clay-walled storehouses and period buildings, and enjoy a Japanese sweet during your visit. Continue on to Kinugawa Onsen, a riverside hot spring town set among the mountains. This evening, gather for a welcome dinner for a chance to get to know your fellow travellers. Inspiring Highlights Kawagoe Castle area Kawagoe old town walking tour with Japanese sweet Welcome dinner Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

This morning after breakfast, depart Kinugawa Onsen for Nikko. Nestled in the forested mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, Nikko has been a place of worship for over a thousand years and is home to a UNESCO World Heritage-listed collection of shrines and temples that rank among the most spectacular in the country. Visit Toshogu Shrine, an ornate mausoleum complex set among towering cedar trees, and Tamozawa Imperial Villa, a residence that blends traditional Japanese design with Meiji-era architecture. Set among towering cedar trees, the complex is a masterpiece of intricate woodcarvings, gilded details, and vivid colours. Later, continue your journey onwards to Nagano, where you will arrive at your hotel for the evening. Inspiring Highlights Toshogu Shrine Tamozawa Imperial Villa Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 3.5 hours.

This morning after breakfast, head out for a half-day trip to Azumino, a tranquil rural region nestled in the foothills of the Japanese Alps.Here, you'll be able to experience true local life, with a visit to the Daio Wasabi Farm, one of Japan's largest, set against a backdrop of clear streams and sweeping mountain scenery. Wander the paths winding between carefully tended wasabi fields, sample unique treats like fresh wasabi ice cream, and admire the traditional waterwheels made famous by legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Return to Nagano for lunch to enjoy a group meal of the local speciality, Soba Noodles.This afternoon is at leisure. You might like to wander Zenkoji Temple, one of Japan's most important Buddhist temples and just a short walk from central Nagano. The surrounding Nakamise shopping street offers a mix of traditional shops and tea houses, ideal for a relaxed afternoon. Inspiring Highlights Daio Wasabi Farm visit Soba Noodle Lunch Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.

This morning after breakfast, leave Nagano and travel to Tsumago, a well-preserved post town on the old Nakasendo highway that once connected Edo with Kyoto. Wander the cobbled main street lined with timber merchants' houses and traditional wooden inns, and enjoy a lunch of local specialities in the area. From here, continue on to Nagoya - a city that rewards the curious traveller with a rich samurai heritage, a distinctive regional cuisine all its own, and a noticeably more relaxed pace than Japan's better-known metropolises. This afternoon, visit Nagoya Castle, one of the great castles of Japan, before settling into your hotel for an evening at leisure. Inspiring Highlights Tsumago post town visit Nagoya Castle Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

After breakfast, set off on a full-day journey into the Ise-Shima region, where a dramatic, deeply indented coastline of pine-clad islands and quiet bays meets one of Japan's most sacred landscapes. Begin in Ise, crossing the wooden Uji Bridge over the Isuzu River and walking through a peaceful forest of ancient cedars, some over a thousand years old. Continue on to the coastal town of Toba and Mikimoto Pearl Island, regarded as the birthplace of cultured pearls, where Kokichi Mikimoto first coaxed an oyster into producing a perfect sphere in 1893. Visit the Pearl Museum and watch a demonstration by the famous Ama divers — the "sea women" who have free-dived these waters for pearls and shellfish for generations. Return to Nagoya in the evening. Inspiring Highlights Ise Shrine Mikimoto Pearl Island and Pearl Museum Ama divers demonstration Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 3.5 hours.

Today the city is yours to explore. Step into the sacred grounds of Atsuta Shrine, one of Japan's most revered sites, where ancient camphor trees tower over wooded paths just minutes from the city centre. Dive into samurai history at the Tokugawa Art Museum, home to a remarkable trove of swords, armour, and treasured heirlooms from one of Japan's most powerful ruling clans. Wander the buzzing streets of Sakae, Nagoya's stylish shopping and dining heart, or lose yourself in the colourful arcades of Osu — a lively warren of vintage boutiques, street food stalls, and centuries-old temples sitting side by side. Prefer something more structured? Choose from one of our optional guided tours and let us show you the city's hidden corners. Tonight is at your leisure. Special Information: Please note - only one optional tour can be chosen, as they run at the same time

This morning after breakfast, leave Nagoya and travel west to the fascinating Miho Museum. Tucked into the forested mountains of Shigaraki, Shiga Prefecture, the Miho Museum is an I.M. Pei–designed sanctuary, reached via a cherry-lined tunnel and suspension bridge inspired by the Shangri-La fable. The museum's collection spans ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, Asia, and Japan, and is housed in a building largely buried beneath the landscape, blending architecture, nature, and art into a single journey. Continue on to Otsu, a town on the shores of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest freshwater lake, your home for the next two nights. Otsu offers a peaceful, local-feeling base with sweeping water views and easy access to the city's sights.You will have some time to relax at the hotel and enjoy your surroundings. This evening, gather for a dinner featuring a local speciality of this region.Inspiring Highlights Miho Museum Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.The local speciality tonight will be Omi Beef or Kyōdo Ryōri, depending on the season and availability of resources.

This morning after breakfast, head to Uji, a tranquil riverside town on the southern outskirts of Kyoto. Refreshingly quiet compared to its famous neighbour, Uji retains an unhurried, local feel — a place where residents still gather along the riverbanks and tea has been cultivated for nearly a thousand years. The swift, jade-green Uji River winds beneath wooden bridges, while family-run tea shops perfume the streets with the scent of roasting leaves. Visit Byodoin Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back to the 11th century and one of Japan's most iconic landmarks, featured on the 10-yen coin. Its graceful Phoenix Hall appears to float above a mirror-still reflecting pond. Afterwards, take part in a matcha-making experience, where you'll learn the time-honoured art of whisking Japan's beloved green tea into a vivid, frothy bowl.Return to Lake Biwa for a relaxing evening. Inspiring Highlights Byodoin Temple Matcha making experience Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.

This morning after breakfast, journey south to Bizen, a small fishing town on the Seto Inland Sea with a long maritime tradition and a refreshingly local feel, far from the well-trodden tourist trail. Begin at Hinase Fish Market, where weather-worn fishermen haul in the morning's catch and locals barter over crates of glistening oysters, sea bream, and octopus straight off the boats — an authentic glimpse of everyday coastal life that few visitors ever experience. Continue on to Shizutani School, regarded as the first public school in Japan, founded in the 17th century to educate commoners as well as samurai. Wander its serene landscaped grounds, where elegant tile-roofed halls and a striking stone perimeter wall sit framed by ancient maples that blaze crimson in autumn. In the afternoon, continue on to Okayama and return to your hotel, with the rest of the day at leisure to explore the city at your own pace. Inspiring Highlights Hinase fish market Shizutani School Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.

This morning after breakfast, set off for a day exploring Kurashiki and Okayama. Begin in Kurashiki's Bikan historical quarter, one of Japan's most picturesque old towns, where elegant whitewashed warehouses line a willow-fringed canal crossed by graceful stone bridges. Wander the boutique-lined lanes, pause for tea in a restored merchant house, or browse for local crafts in the artisan galleries tucked along the way. Continue on to Okayama's Korakuen Gardens, ranked among the three great gardens of Japan. Laid out in the late 17th century by the local feudal lord, Korakuen unfolds across sweeping manicured lawns — a rarity in traditional Japanese gardens — with winding paths leading past lotus ponds, plum and cherry groves, and elegant wooden teahouses, all framed by the dark silhouette of Okayama Castle rising just beyond. Here, enjoy a group lunch of demi-katsu, a much-loved Okayama speciality of crispy pork cutlet served over rice with a rich, savoury demi-glace sauce. The afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure. Lose yourself in the lively shopping streets around Omotecho, where local boutiques, cosy cafes, and traditional sweet shops offer a relaxed way to soak up everyday Okayama life. Inspiring Highlights Kurashiki Bikan historical quarter Korakuen Garden

This morning after breakfast, board the Shinkansen bullet train and speed south to Kobe, a sophisticated port city beautifully framed by the Rokko mountains on one side and the sparkling waters of Osaka Bay on the other. Take a stroll through Nankinmachi, Kobe's vibrant Chinatown, with its red lantern-lined streets and steaming food stalls, or wander the elegant harbour area around Meriken Park, where you'll have free time to choose a spot for lunch. After lunch, visit the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery, one of Japan's most renowned sake makers, where an included tasting offers the chance to sample a range of their finest brews and learn about the centuries-old craft of sake making in the Nada district - Japan's most celebrated sake-producing region. Later, transfer onwards to Osaka and check in to your hotel. This evening, gather for a farewell dinner of okonomiyaki - a much-loved Osaka speciality and the perfect way to toast the journey's end. Inspiring Highlights Shinkansen ride to Kobe Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Kobe Chinatown and harbour stroll Farewell okonomiyaki dinner Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 1.5 hours.

After breakfast, your journey through the hidden corners of Japan draws to a close. We hope your travels through Japan have left you with wonderful memories of its culture, scenery, and warm hospitality. Thank you for travelling with Inspiring Vacations. We hope you had a memorable experience. Special Information Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed. If Inspiring Vacations has not provided your international airfares, please ensure you provide your flight details via your Traveller Hub portal no later than 90 days prior to travel so that your transfers can be confirmed.