Maple leaves in fall

The day begins with a trip to the Imperial Palace. You will enjoy Japanese matsu pines growing in its park, and the Nijubashi stone arch bridge, one of Tokyo’s symbols.

Then, you will relocate to the nearby Ginza, the most luxurious district of Tokyo. Ginza’s vibes are the mix of “high fashion” and “haute cuisine”.. The hieroglyphs “Gin-Za” mean “Silver Workshop”, because once upon a time silver coins had been minted here... You will enjoy watching plenty of fancy flagship stores by leading Western and Japanese fashion brands, such as Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, and Mikimoto, designed by famous architects. Ginza is also home to luxurious, elegant restaurants, some of them are marked with Michelin stars. By the way, Tokyo ranks first in the world in the number of such “star” restaurants, ahead of Paris!

Choose from one of these restaurants for a gourmet afternoon lunch in Ginza.

After lunch, you will transfer to the trendy Harajuku and Omotesando Boulevard. These areas challenge Ginza in a fashionable way, with multi-storey boutiques lined up there. It would be a good idea to visit Omotesando Hills shopping center, too.

In the evening, you will visit a traditional Japanese inn, izakaya. Such places are always busy, noisy, fun, and the food is simple but delicious!

First thing in the morning, you will meet your guide at the reception. Then, you will have a two-hour drive to the Nikko National Park – a place that, as its name suggests in Japanese, means sunshine. Since the temple with the great Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu's tomb was built here in the 17th century, Nikko has been synonymous with splendor and grace.

The red Shinkyo Bridge, which could only be crossed by representatives of the Shogun or Emperor, was constructed on the spot where the founder of Nillo's first temple, the Buddhist monk Shodo, crossed a stormy mountain stream on the backs of two gigantic snakes. At least, this is what the local legend says.

The famous Hall of Three Buddhas in the Rinnoji Temple has a unique composition of three statues: Buddha Amida, the Goddess of Mercy Kannon, and the thousand-armed Kannon. Just behind the temple, there is a classic Japanese Shoyo-en landscape garden. Nearby is the sacred stable with a world-famous bas-relief of three wise monkeys, whose poses say: "I see no evil, I hear no evil, I speak no evil."

The Great Hall of the main shrine, Honden, contains the deified spirits of the three great shoguns of Japan: Ieyasu Tokugawa, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and Yoritomo Minamoto. Those who wish to worship it can climb 200 stone steps to the bronze Hodo Pagoda, where Ieyasu's ashes are buried. Climbing along the mountain track, you will see the cascade of Kagon waterfalls.

Nara was Japan’s first permanent capital. During its foundation, several majestic temples have been built here. For example, the Todaiji Temple, which was completed in 725. This is one the greatest wooden structures on Earth. Todaiji now is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This temple is dedicated to the Buddha of Infinite Light incarnation, embodied in the sun. Inside, there is a gigantic bronze Buddha statue, the largest in Japan.

In the 5th century AD, Japan borrowed a lot from China and Korea in terms of civilizational development. Religion was one of these gifts from Asia's mainland. Japanese have also borrowed writing, architecture, and even urban planning that dominated the Chinese Tang Dynasty style back then. This is why Nara, as Japan's first permanent capital, was built on the model of Changyan, the capital of China at the time.

Near Todaiji, another Buddhist temple, Kofukuji, is located; it was built in the 7th century. Its pagoda, Goju-no-to, is one of the tallest in the country. This "skyscraper from the past" is 55-meter high! The Goju-no-Pagoda is the most famous graphic symbol of Nara.

Thanks to Nara's compact site, people usually come here for just a day, which is enough to see all the sights. Of course, the Kasuga Taisha Shinto Shrine is also worth your attention. At the entrance to the temple, there is a wisteria tree, whose age is estimated to be 800 years! Inside, on the temple grounds, is a Japanese cedar tree, which is around ten centuries old! All year round, the temples in Nara host various Buddhist and Shinto religious festivals.

You will enjoy a day trip to Kyoto with lunch at a traditional Japanese restaurant.

Kyoto is the ancient imperial capital of Japan, one of the oldest cities in the country, the entire historical part of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kyoto was founded in the 8th century and served as the Imperial residence for almost twelve centuries. Among its numerous temples and sacred sites in Kyoto, one can highlight the Sanjusan-gendo temple, built back in 1164. Even today, it is the longest wooden structure in the world. In the long central hall, in the twilight, there are 1001 statues of the goddess Kannon the Merciful. You will have a lunch break then at a traditional Japanese restaurant.

Another Kyoto gem is the Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, an elegant three-level temple with its roof covered with thin sheets of gold. The building is also topped with a traditional bronze phoenix. The temple is located in a magnificent garden from the Muromachi period. Nearby is the world-famous Zen rock garden of Ryoanji: its fifteen stones seem to be randomly scattered on the white gravel, but from any point only fourteen are visible...

The Silver Pavilion, Ginkaku-ji, is another architectural masterpiece. The temple is gracefully reflected in the adjacent lake, making it a classic Kyoto view... Finally, you will walk down the open veranda of Kiyomizudera, or the Temple of Pure Water. You will enjoy a stunning Kyoto panoramic view. The local legend says that if you take three sips from the adjacent spring, your wish will come true! You will wrap up your Kyoto’s experience by visiting the legendary Geisha Gion quarter, which has been a center of entertainment since ancient times. You will come back to your hotel after that.

You will meet your guide at your hotel in Osaka around 9 am.

Osaka is the Kansai region’s main city, a true metropolis. The city is the industrial and commercial heart of the whole Western Japan. Osaka has been playing a major role in Japan’s history even since it was founded. Osaka’s most famous landmark, a city that rivals Tokyo, is Osaka-jo, or the Osaka Castle. It is a majestic eighth-floor structure, three of which are underground. The castle was erected in 1586 as a Shogun Toytomi Hedeyoshi’s stronghold, and the main castle of Japan of the time. In the lower floors there is a museum, exposing a medieval collection of armor, artifacts, and documents.

The next part of the trip will be visiting Osaka downtown. You will check out the famous Umeda Sky skyscraper, with its Sky Gardens observation deck located on the roof. Its unique architecture resembles hanging gardens. A must have for any Osaka tour is walking down the legendary Dotonbori Street, the local “Broadway”. This central street of the city is famous for its exquisite restaurants and boutiques, representing world's leading fashion brands.

At the end of the tour, you will move to the hotel.

Enjoy your free day in Osaka!

You will meet your guide at your hotel in Kobe around 9 am.

The city is famous for its unique sake flavors and the most exquisite marble beef in the world, Wagyu. For a closer acquaintance, it is worth visiting a sake distillery to taste a selection of local products. For a Wagyu experience, we recommend stopping at a Teppanyaki restaurant to try its delicious beef meals.

One of the city’s main attractions is Marikan Park, a favorite place for admiring maples, especially in late fall. The Kobe Maritime Museum is also interesting; it is made of glass, and its roof resembles a gigantic ship. In the local Chinatown, there is a picturesque Nanjing Park. The Nunobiki Waterfall, sung by ancient Japanese poets, is also worthy of a separate walk. Another Kobe attraction is the Akashi Kaiko suspension bridge, the longest bridge of its kind. It leads to the fairy-tale island of Awajima, known from Shinto mythology. Your Kobe tour will end with a cable car ride up to Mount Rokko, a local natural landmark with stunning views of the Inland Sea and the whole city. By the end of the trip you will ride the Shinkansen to get back to your hotel in Tokyo.

Enjoy your free day in Tokyo during the momiji season!

After check-out, you will have a transfer to the airport for departure.