Welcome to Japan! Upon arrival at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, you will be greeted by a local representative, holding a sign with your name on it. For a smooth and comfortable start to your adventure, you will be driven by private vehicle directly to your hotel in Tokyo. Depending on traffic conditions, this journey will take around 30 minutes. Sit back, relax and admire the views of Tokyo's skyscrapers as you approach the city! (This service is on a private basis.)

You will be provided with Manaca cards today, Nagoya’s version of the IC card. You will be able to use this throughout your time in Japan for traveling on buses, subways, overground railways and in some places you will even be able to pay for taxis, buy drinks from vending machines and pay for your bento in a convenience store! Your card comes with 2,500 yen of credit and can be topped up in any major city at the automatic ticket machines at any station. And don't worry - instructions in English are provided! We are sure you will get great use out of this during your trip and can have that satisfying feeling of travelling like a local! All in all, an essential accessory for any visit to Japan.

We have also included for you the rental of a mobile wi-fi device which we will arrange to be delivered to your first hotel. This will mean that you can have wi-fi on the move and at all of your accommodation making staying in touch with friends or browsing the internet on your smartphone or laptop a breeze! The wi-fi can be shared between up to 10 devices. We have included full insurance for you in case of loss or damage. At the end of your stay simply return the device in the pre-paid envelope provided. The internet provider for your WiFi device is AU. This has wide coverage across Japan including most small islands and rural areas. There is unlimited data usage.

Tokyo

One quarter of all Japanese live in Tokyo or the near vicinity and with a population of over 12 million inhabitants, Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world. With its huge skyscrapers, underpasses, overpasses and crowds of pedestrians, Tokyo may not seem the most attractive city on the surface, but the city has a vibrant charm all of its own. The street level detail is what makes Tokyo such an incredibly interesting place to explore and at every turn you will be met with an array of sights, sounds and smells to enliven the senses. The city has many major sights to visit such as Senso-ji Temple in the old downtown area of Asakusa or the fashion hub of Shibuya from where all new trends are said to emanate. All in all a stay in Tokyo is to experience one of the world's most vibrant and interesting cities; a capital hurtling headlong into the future while maintaining its links with the traditions of ancient Japan.

Tokyo Full Day Guided Tour

Today, you will be taken on a full day private tour of the city with a local guide. In order to get a real feel for Japan's capital, you will travel by public transport, just like the locals. On this fascinating introduction to Tokyo, you will have the chance to explore the classic highlights and best kept secrets. Following in the footsteps of your expert guide, you will discover the exclusive features of Tokyo, known only to locals. You are free to set the pace of the day to be as busy or relaxed as you want, as you get to grips with the excellent transport network.

In addition to learning the history and culture of Tokyo, your guide will sure to include some pop culture sights related to Japan’s famed manga/anime industry, such as ultra- trendy Harajuku and Shibuya as well the electronics and anime district of Akihabara, which is home to lots of game centers where you can test your skill on a variety of games!

Your guide will meet you at the hotel around 9:00 AM this morning, or any other time you may prefer. Rather than making a fixed itinerary in advance, you will have full flexibility to select the attractions and activities that interest you. This means that you will need to pay for any entrance fees on the day of your tour, in addition to your transport costs. In order to make the most of this experience, please let us know if you have any specific areas of interest, and we will pass that on to your guide in advance. Around 5:00 PM, your tour will end either back to your hotel, or anywhere else in the city that you may wish to spend the evening. (This service is on a private basis.)

Chillin Out In Shimokitazawa

Shimokitazawa (known as Shimokita by those in the know) is one of IJT’s favorite areas in Tokyo. Most of the shops here are independent: vintage clothing stores, cool cafes and bars, and a wide variety of restaurants (incidentally, this is one of the best places to find a good curry)! It’s one of the best places in Tokyo to eat and drink outside in the warmer months, as many of the izakaya bars and restaurants have small patio areas. It’s also a great place to catch live music, either in a music venue or on the streets themselves in the form of buskers and street performers. Less than ten minutes from the crowds and lights of Shinjuku, it has a much more bohemian, laidback vibe. Just don’t tell everyone about it…

You’ll find that the Shimokita locals keep to their own clock and many stores don’t open up until midday or sometimes later, so be sure to adjust your ETA accordingly. Quite a lot of places close on Tuesdays, so do bear that in mind.

From Shinjuku station you can take the Odakyu Odawara Line, either the Rapid Express or Local services.

Today, you will leave Tokyo behind, as you board the modern Hakutaka Shinkansen line. This route will take you on a journey straight to Toyama, where you are invited to see some of the more rural, scenic parts of Japan. It takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes to cover the 244 mile trip.

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is a spectacular region of the Northern Japanese Alps, which features gorgeous scenery and many modes of transportation! In order to make this journey, you will need to buy a Tateyama Kurobe Option Ticket from Toyama Station. The ticket costs 9,000 yen per person and is valid for five days. You will need to show your passport at the time of purchase, as this discount ticket is only available for overseas visitors. Unfortunately, we cannot buy this ticket in advance for you, as it can only be sold to the passport holder.

Beginning at sea level in Toyama, you’ll tackle the first half of the route which climbs to Murodo at 2,450m. Here you will be rewarded with glorious Alpine vistas with Mount Tateyama towering above. To reach Murodo you will travel by train, funicular train, and bus. Total journey time is around three hours and all transport is covered by the Tateyama Kurobe Option Ticket.

From mid-April to mid-June the bus will take you through the Tateyama snow corridor, where 20m high walls are carved out of snow. (Please note that by mid-July most of the snow will have melted, so it's not possible to see the snow corridor at this time.)

Murodo

Murodo is the highest point on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, a place of starry skies and fantastic views across the Tateyama mountain range. In summer and autumn, hiking trails lead to the surrounding peaks and to bubbling volcanic pools. But Murodo's most famous attraction is the snow corridor - a road flanked with walls of snow up to 20 meters high, which opens in April each year after months of heavy snowfall. Due to all this winter snow, Murodo is completely inaccessible in winter!

Climbing Mt. Tate

Murodo is the highest point along the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route and is home to an extensive network of hiking trails of various lengths and difficulty levels. One of these trails will take you along the 2-hour ascent to the top of Tateyama itself.

Tateyama (also known as Mt. Tate) is one of Japan's three holy mountains, along with Mt. Haku in Ishikawa Prefecture and Mt. Fuji near Tokyo. It has several peaks, and the most spiritually significant of these peaks is called Oyama.

From Murodo, follow the trail signs and paved path to Ichinokoshi saddle, where you will find a bathroom and small hut where you can purchase drinks. From Ichinokoshi, the climb becomes much steeper with multiple switchbacks and loose rocks. Watch your step!

Near the top of the mountain, you will reach a small, flat area where you can rest for a bit before making the final short climb to Oyama peak. There is a small shrine on the peak where you can undergo a purification ritual in exchange for about 500 yen.

You will return to Toyama today on the reverse route via bus, funicular, and train.

Your package includes the 7 Day Rail Pass (Ordinary Car). This pass entitles you to unlimited travel on any trains within the extensive Japan Railways (JR) network. This includes all of the famous Shinkansen "Bullet" Trains, with the exception of the Nozomi Shinkansen. You will be provided with an exchange voucher, which must be exchanged for the pass itself, once you have arrived in Japan. Full details of when and how to do this will be included with your travel documents. You can also use your Rail Pass to make seat reservations for no extra charge. However, this cannot be done until you have exchanged the voucher.

Following a spectacular time in Toyama, you will take the Shinkansen bullet train from onward to Kanazawa today. This short trip will take just under 25 minutes.

From Kanazawa, your journey will continue on a 2 hour direct train to Kyoto, using your Japan Rail Pass.

Kyoto

Kyoto is one of the most culturally rich cities in all of Asia. Home to 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, over 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines, this ancient city showcases the heart and soul of traditional Japan. Kyoto boasts a variety of world class gardens, majestic festivals and delicate cuisine, which collaborate into something truly beautiful. The colorful changing seasons, feature a different adventure in itself, during every time of year. At first glance, Kyoto appears to have its fair share of neon and concrete, typical of large Japanese cities. However, you will quickly be able to pick out Kyoto’s charming treasures - sacred shrines tucked between shopping arcades, time-honored tea houses nestled amidst modern businesses and mysterious geishas scuttling down backstreets between tourists.

Kyoto Full Day Guided Tour

Today, you will be taken on a full day tour of Kyoto by public transport. Learning through the eyes of a local guide offers the best way to discover this city, that is so rich in UNESCO World Heritage sites, it can be hard to know where to begin! Your guide can offer the insight of a local's perspective, to truly reveal the city's authentic culture, iconic highlights and best kept secrets.

Your guide will meet you at the hotel around 9:00 AM, or any other time you choose this morning, from where you will begin your tour by public transport. Although Kyoto does offer an extensive bus route, we recommend taking a few taxis along the way as well, in order to speed things up and make the most of this experience. Please note that you will need to pay for your own lunch, transport costs, and entrance fees on the day of your tour. It will be time to say goodbye to your guide around 5:00 PM, either back at your hotel, or anywhere else in the city you may wish to spend the evening. (This service is on a private basis.)

Suggested Day Trip to Arashiyama

Literally meaning "Storm Mountain", Arashiyama is a charming district in the northwest city of Kyoto. Although it is technically part of the city, Arashiyama feels more like a small town, with its quiet backstreets, cozy cafes and peaceful atmosphere. The main temple, Tenryu-ji, is one of Kyoto's finest Zen Temples. Behind it, you will find a winding pathway that leads through the enchanting bamboo groves towards the surrounding hillsides. The focal point of this area is the Kogetsukyo Bridge across the Hozugawa River, that runs through a picturesque gorge on its way to central Kyoto.

You may want to board the charming Romantic Train from Arashiyama, along a dramatic gorge, before returning by traditional Japanese boat. Another idea for nature lovers is to visit Iwatayama, known locally as "Monkey Mountain". In this inspiringly reverse world, humans stand in cages to feed the friendly monkeys, who roam free across the hillside!

Suggested Hike from Kibune to Kurama

A great day trip from Kyoto is to escape up into the mountains surrounding the city for a half day hike. We'll give you instructions for the rink-a-dink local train that potters from Demachiyanagi Station in central Kyoto. A 30 minute ride will bring you to Kibune-Guchi, the penultimate stop. First take a look around the hamlet of Kibune and visit the shrine home to a pair of 700 year old cedar trees. Then follow the trail up the steps over the mountain pass, then down past mountain temples to arrive into Kurama. According to local folklore this area is home to the mythical tengu or red-faced goblins with long noses who trained the samurai hero, Minamoto Yoshitsune. The hike takes two to three hours and the first part is quite steep in places. But your efforts will be rewarded; Kurama boasts a lovely outdoor onsen, perfect for resting tired feet.

Sightseeing in Kyoto

Make the most of this free day in Kyoto to continue exploring on your own. This charming city has a tremendous amount to offer, whether you retreat to some of the smaller temples and hidden shrines, or stroll through the bustling Nishiki Shijo Market in search of tasty treats. The Kimono fashion show in the Nishijin textile district is a great way to spend an afternoon, or a traditional boat ride down the lovely Hozugawa River showcases some of the area's finest natural beauty. If you have any special requests for today, please ask and we will see what we can do.

Today, you will use your Japan Rail Pass to travel to Hakone National Park, located in the foothills of Mount Fuji. From Kyoto, you will board the Shinkansen to Odawara Station, the gateway to the National Park. This journey will take about 2 hours and 10 minutes.

Upon arrival at Odawara station, you will be greeted by a private taxi driver, who will be holding a sign with your name on it. Although your driver will probably not speak that much English, they will make sure you are transferred to your accommodation in Hakone safely and comfortably. This ride will take between 40-60 minutes. (This service is on a private basis.)

Hakone

Hakone is a beautiful National Park region nestled beside Mount Fuji, Japan's most sacred peak. The area showcases a handful of small villages and hamlets, all connected by a variety of local transport routes that wind through the charming hillsides and valleys. Hakone offers plenty to see and do, from tasting eggs boiled in volcanic waters, to boarding a boat cruise across Lake Ashi. The outdoor sculpture park and Picasso gallery is a great place to spend a unique afternoon. An enticing dip in one of the famous therapeutic hot spring baths is always a good idea as well! However, it is Hakone's close proximity to the iconic Mount Fuji, that truly makes this destination so popular. With its near perfect symmetrical form, soaring through the sky above the surrounding hills, it is an attraction that makes a trip to Japan complete. From Hakone, you have one of the best chances to admire Mount Fuji's epic beauty, although she is a notoriously shy mountain!

After an enchanting experience in Hakone, you will be driven by private car from your hotel to Odawara Station. This transfer will take between 35 and 45 minutes. (This service is on a private basis.)

From Odawara Station, you will use your Japan Rail Pass for the journey to Shinagawa Station.

Today you will use your rail pass to take the train to Haneda airport for your departing flight.

We hope you had a wonderful time exploring Japan and wish you a safe journey home!