Summary
This Japan tour is a must for value-minded travelers who enjoy history, beautiful settings, and fascinating architecture. You’ll start in Tokyo, end in Osaka, and overnight along the way in the Mount Fuji area, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. Highlights of this tour through Japan are the UNESCO World Heritage Sites you’ll visit. Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain, has long been worshipped as a sacred mountain; you’ll enjoy views of majestic Mount Fiji and Lake Kawaguchi during your cable-car ride (weather permitting). In Kyoto, visit Nijo Castle, built in 1603 as the shogun’s official residence, and the Temple of the Gold Pavilion, a Buddhist temple overlooking a large pond and covered in beautiful gold leaf. In Hiroshima, visit Peace Memorial Park and see the only remaining structure—the Atomic Bomb Dome—that predates the 1945 atomic blast. An excursion from Hiroshima takes you to Miyajima Island and the Itsukushima Shrine, built over water and known for its iconic floating Torii gate. In addition to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, famous shrines, and other historic sites, this Japan tour also includes visits to two of Japan’s beautiful gardens: Koraku-En, dating to 1686 and considered one of Japan’s three most beautiful gardens, and Shinjuku Gyoen, dating to 1603 when it was a feudal lord’s home. You’ll enjoy a local lunch and taste the “Japanese pizza” of Hiroshima: the legendary okonomiyaki dish. Plus, you’ll ride on the famous bullet train. History, scenery, and fun experiences…this Japan vacation has it all!
Short Itinerary
- Day 1.
- Tokyo, Japan
- Day 2.
- Tokyo
- Day 3.
- Tokyo–Mount Fuji Area
- Day 4.
- Mount Fuji Area–Kyoto
- Day 5.
- Kyoto
- Day 6.
- Kyoto–Hiroshima
- Day 7.
- Hiroshima
- Day 8.
- Hiroshima–Okayama–Osaka
- Day 9.
- Osaka
- Day 10.
- Osaka
Visited cities (7): Hiroshima, Kawaguchi, Kyoto, Mount Fuji, Okayama, Osaka, Tokyo