Sakura in Japan

Tour members from across Canada depart for Tokyo.

Upon arrival in Tokyo, we'll transfer to our centrally located hotel. 

New Otani Garden Tower (3 nights)     
 

We enjoy a full-day Tokyo highlights tour, beginning in Asakusa where we explore Nakamise-dori and the ancient Senso-ji Buddhist temple. After learning about Japan’s unique blend of religious practices, we stop for photos at Asakusa Shrine before heading to Tokyo Skytree for stunning panoramic city views. Following a delicious lunch of kushiage (crispy skewered meat and vegetables), we continue to the Ginza district, renowned for its upscale shopping and among the most expensive real estate in the world, with time to explore at leisure. Next, we visit the Imperial Palace Eastern Gardens, a 210,000 square metres public oasis. Our tour concludes at the legendary Shibuya Crossing, often considered the world’s busiest pedestrian intersection, where hundreds cross from all directions. Tonight, we gather for a welcome dinner.  

We spend the day in Kamakura, the 13th-century capital that remains a sanctuary for poets and artists. We’ll visit Kotokuin Temple to witness the Great Buddha, a 13.35-metre-high bronze masterpiece. We continue to Hasedera Temple, renowned for its 9.18-metre-high gilded wooden statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. At Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, we’ll see the 12th-century shrine dedicated to Hachiman, the Shinto god of war. Before returning to Tokyo, we enjoy time on Komachi Street to browse for local delicacies and handcrafted souvenirs.   
 

Departing Tokyo, we drive south to Hakone. First, we’ll visit Owakudani. Walk the trails around the volcano crater to see steam vents and bubbling pools. Try the eggs boiled in natural hot springs, believed to prolong life! Continue via ropeway to Togendai. After a lunch break, we’ll visit Hakone Shrine, a popular 12th-century Shinto shrine among samurai, hidden in a dense forest with magnificent torii gates. Then, board a boat to Hakone-En. Tonight, we’ll stay in a traditional Japanese ryokan, enjoying tatami mats, futons, onsen baths (filled with mineral water from the naturally heated springs), and a delicious dinner.

Susukinohara Ichinoyu (1 night) 

Today we board a bullet train to Nagoya, then switch to a limited express train to Takayama. Upon arrival, our private coach will take us sightseeing to explore the traditional wooden houses and shops on Kami Sannomachi Street and visit the Kusakabe Folk Museum, once the Kusakabe family's residence (merchants who worked for the shogunate in Takayama) and now an important cultural property. We continue to our hotel for dinner. 

Wat Hotel & Spa Hida Takayama (2 nights) 

We spend the morning at the Miyagawa Morning Market, one of Japan's largest, browsing unique crafts and fresh produce from independent farmers and local artisans. At Takayama Jinya, we visit a rare historic landmark serving as the only surviving provincial government office from the Edo period. We then visit the Festival Floats Museum to admire the towering, intricately ornamental floats used in the Takayama festival. After some time at leisure to enjoy the city's quiet charm, we gather for dinner.

Our first stop today will be at the mountain village of Shirakawago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site noted for its traditional gassho-zukuri (thatched roof) farmhouses, some of which are over 250 years old. Later we visit Gokayama to observe the intricate art of making traditional washi (Japanese paper) at a historic family-run factory. After a guided tour through the facility to learn about this ancient craft, we enjoy a hands-on experience by creating our own customized, postcard-sized paper to take home. 

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kanazawa Miyabi (1 night)

We stroll through Kenroku-en, one of Japan’s premier gardens, to admire its masterful landscaping, flowering trees, and serene lakes. At the Hakuichi Gold Leaf Museum, we witness a demonstration of the delicate art of gold leaf application before boarding a high-speed bullet train to Hiroshima. 

Hotel Granvia Hiroshima (2 nights)

We cross the Inland Sea to Miyajima Island, celebrated as one of the three most scenic places in Japan. While on the island, we ascend by cable car to witness magnificent panoramas and visit the iconic Itsukushima-jinja Shrine, a coastal masterpiece dating from 1168 AD. Returning to the mainland, we explore Hiroshima, a city forever defined by the devastation of the atomic bomb. The Peace Memorial Museum and Peace Memorial Park serve as powerful testaments to the event and its aftermath. Time permitting, we stroll through the historic Shukkei-en Garden, providing a quiet sanctuary for reflection.  

Travel by bullet train to Himeji to see the exterior of Himeji Castle, a 400-year-old UNESCO World Heritage Site and national treasure. Continue by coach to historic Kyoto, once the capital of Japan for almost 1,000 years until 1868. 

Doubletree by Hilton Kyoto Station (3 nights) 

Our day begins with a walk through the unique Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, one of Kyoto’s most popular attractions, followed by Kinkaku-ji Temple, the famous Golden Pavilion. This three-story masterpiece, covered in brilliant gold leaf, sits beside a tranquil reflecting pool surrounded by lush pine forests. We continue to the gardens and palace of Nijo Castle, a UNESCO site noted for the Ninomaru Palace and its legendary nightingale floors. Next, we stroll through the narrow cobblestone streets and tiny shops of the Higashiyama District, leading us into Gion where geisha still live and work. Tonight, we gather for a special kaiseki dinner at a local restaurant. 
 

We'll start our day with a tea ceremony experience, learning about the various types of tea and the instruments used to prepare it. You'll discover the significance of each movement and the cultural importance of serving tea in Japan. Next, we'll visit Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto's Fushimi ward, famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates that form an iconic pathway through the sacred forest of Mount Inari. Then, we'll head to the gracious town of Nara to visit Kasuga Taisha Shrine, founded in the 8th century to protect the capital. The shrine grounds feature around 3,000 stone lanterns, which are lit during special festivals. At Todaiji Temple, we'll explore Daibutsuden Hall, once the largest wooden building in the world, housing a great bronze seated Buddha. Take a stroll through the Deer Park. Tonight, we gather for a shabu-shabu dinner. 

Our exploration of Osaka features the historic Osaka Castle, the largest of its kind when constructed in 1583. This fortress is surrounded by formidable stone walls and moats, sitting within a sprawling park that covers two square kilometres. We also experience the vibrant energy of Dotonbori, a famous shopping and entertainment district celebrated as a premier food destination. Here, we encounter the city's obsession with kuidaore, the philosophy of "eating until you drop," amidst iconic mechanized signs and neon lights. Another highlight includes the Cup Noodle Museum, where we discover the science and history behind this global phenomenon. We walk through the Instant Noodles Tunnel and enjoy a hands-on experience by creating our own customized cup of ramen to take home as a unique souvenir. 

Royal Park Osaka Midosuji (1 night) 

Enjoy a leisurely start to the day before we gather for our afternoon departure back to Canada, arriving home the same day.