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Tour

Japanese Art and Culture Tour, Japan (12 days)

Tour Operator
Remote Lands, Inc

Tokyo, Japan to Kyoto, Japan

Valid for Departures Now Through: 01 Jun 2027
Virtuoso Benefits
For availability and pricing:

This luxury 13-day tour explores Japanese art, history and culture in its most iconic cities. Beginning in Tokyo, you’ll visit unforgettable sites such as the Meiji Shrine and the colorful shopping streets of Harajuku, before traveling via bullet train to Hiroshima and Kyoto. Ancient townships, majestic temples, art galleries and royal gardens are all part of this fantastic journey through Japanese culture and heritage. Each night, enjoy the luxury of staying in a traditional ryokan guesthouse, dining on world-renowned kaiseki cuisine.


Highlights

  • Walking tours of Tokyo, Hiroshima and Kyoto, seeing shrines, temples and historic landmarks

  • A side-trip to Nara, Japan’s first capital, replete with stunning architecture

  • A visit to the sacred island of Miyajima with forests full of shrines and sika deer

  • Traveling first-class on the Shinkansen - the bullet train - Japan’s most efficient mode of transport

Itinerary

Day 1
Tokyo, Japan

Hotel: The Peninsula Tokyo
Meals: Dinner

You’ll begin your luxury 13-day tour in Tokyo, Japan’s vibrant capital. Upon arriving at the airport you’ll be met by your driver who will take you to your five-star hotel in Tokyo city center. We recommend The Peninsula or Mandarin Oriental, both of which offer world-class dining and luxurious amenities. You have the remainder of the day to spend at your leisure, free to explore your surrounds or book a pampering spa treatment in your hotel.

Day 2
Hakone, Japan

Hotel: None
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you’ll explore Tokyo with a full-day guided tour. Tokyo is a huge city with a lot of ground to cover, so it’s up to you and your private guide as to which parts you choose to see. Some of its most famous attractions include the Tsukiji Fish Markets, the serene Meiji Shrine, and the luxury shopping of Omotesando and Harajuku. In the evening, try some ramen in Shinjuku or take part in an iconic Japanese pastime - karaoke.

Day 3
Hakone, Japan

Kamakura, Japan

Hotel: None
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

See some of Japan’s most spectacular countryside with a private day-trip to Kamakura or Hakone. Both locations are famed for their natural beauty - Hakone is a popular location for viewing Mount Fuji, and the seaside city of Kamakura offers lush forests and temples. After enjoying some of the world’s most unique landscapes, return to your luxury hotel in Tokyo for the night.

Day 4
Kurashiki, Japan

Hotel: Hotel Nikko Kurashiki
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Take the Shinkansen to the historic town of Kurashiki today. This scenic old town in Okayama Prefecture is an unusual location for Western art, including a gallery with works by Matisse, Gauguin, Renoir and Monet, amongst others. The old merchant quarter - Bikan - is also a beautiful place to explore with its 17th-century architecture, canals and European-style town hall. Tonight, you’ll check into a ryokan - a traditional guesthouse - to enjoy old-fashioned Japanese hospitality and a gourmet kaiseki dinner. Kaiseki meals are famous for their immaculate presentation and the freshness of ingredients, garnering praise - and Michelin stars - for restaurants throughout Japan.

Day 5
Kurashiki, Japan

Hotel: Hotel Nikko Kurashiki
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you’ll explore Kurashiki in more depth, on a half-day guided walking tour of the city. The immense Great Seto Bridge is one of the city’s must-see attractions, as is the Ohara Spinning Mill - a holdover from the Meiji period. You might also like to visit Kurashiki City Hall, designed by award-winning modernist architect Kenzo Tange. In the evening, you’ll return to your ryokan for another night, enjoying another fantastic kaiseki meal.

Day 6
Miyajima, Japan

Hotel: Iroha Kurayado
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Start your day with a trip to Koraku-en, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan. Completed in 1700, this meticulously-tended garden houses Okayama Castle and features extensive grassy zones and a 2,100-feet-long stream. Next, you’ll hop aboard the Shinkansen to Hiroshima, then on to Miyajima - Shrine Island. A ten-minute ferry ride from the train station, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to one of the three iconic views of Japan - a torii (gate) rising out of the water against the backdrop of Mount Misen. Check into a local ryokan tonight and enjoy a kaiseki meal for dinner.

Day 7
Miyajima, Japan

Hotel: Iroha Kurayado
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Explore the island today with a half-day walking tour of Miyajima. This sleepy, mountainous island is considered sacred and its forests are full of monkeys and sika deer, the latter of which carry particular spiritual significance. Discover the many shrines and temples that dot the landscape here and enjoy serene views of Hiroshima Bay. Return to your ryokan for the evening.

Day 8
Kyoto, Japan

Hotel: HOSHINOYA Kyoto
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you’ll take a private city tour of Hiroshima. There are numerous sites worth visiting here, among them the Children’s Peace Monument, the Peace Memorial Museum and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima’s ground zero. After your tour, catch the Shinkansen to Kyoto, the old imperial capital of Japan.

Day 9
Kyoto, Japan

Hotel: HOSHINOYA Kyoto
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

As Japan’s old capital, there is much to see in Kyoto - the city is home to 20 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. You’ll start with a full-day tour with your own private guide, visiting attractions such as Daitoku-ji Temple, Nishiki food market and the iconic Fushimi Inari Grand Shrine. Enjoy lunch at one of the city’s many historic temples before settling into your Kyoto hotel for another night.

Day 10
Kyoto, Japan

Hotel: HOSHINOYA Kyoto
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Continue exploring Kyoto today, with another full-day tour with a private guide. You can shop for handicrafts, visit a historic noodle restaurant or delve into one of Japan’s traditional arts, such as ikebana - flower arranging, calligraphy or a tea ceremony. You can also wander along the Philosopher’s Walk, a scenic trail along the canal, lined with cherry blossom and maple trees. Return to your hotel in Kyoto tonight.

Day 11
Kyoto, Japan

Hotel: HOSHINOYA Kyoto
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you’ll be transferred to the train station to head back to Tokyo on the Shinkansen. In Tokyo, check into your luxury hotel for the final night of your journey. You have the evening free to catch up on souvenir shopping, enjoy a dinner of world-class sushi or just soak up the atmosphere of one of the world’s most compelling capitals.

Day 12
Kyoto, Japan

Hotel: None
Meals: Breakfast

You’ll be chauffeur-driven to the airport today in time for your departure flight to your next onward destination.

Virtuoso Benefits

VIP Arrival

The following VIP services are complimentary for all Virtuoso guests upon arrival at participating airports.

  • Meet and greet as you disembark the aircraft
  • Luggage assistance
  • Escort through immigration and customs formalities
  • Escort to your private guide

Further services may be available, contingent upon individual airport regulations. Please enquire for further details.

Product Terms & Conditions
Payment Notes
  • Payment by wire transfer or by cheque; American Express, Visa and MasterCard also accepted.
  • 25%

Refund Policy
  • Fully refundable, less a 15% of total trip price cancellation fee, if cancelled 91 days or more before departure, subject to the refund policies of each hotel, airline and other vendor
  • 50% of total trip price refundable if cancelled 30-90 days before departure, subject to the refund policies of each hotel, airline and other vendor
  • No refund less than 30 days before departure

  • Please note that some vendors have onerous cancellation policies with substantial penalties for changes where funds paid are non-refundable


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