Highlights

Japan is a year round destination with something in store for every season: cherry blossoms in spring, stunning leaves in autumn and snow and ice in winter.

This trip is a great balance of included activities in each destination, big cities and smaller gems, plenty of free time for other optional fun, all backed by a helpful leader to steer you in the right direction of the best experiences.

There’s no better way to get around Japan than the country’s famous railway system. Be impressed by the efficiency and ultra-modernity as you zip from place to place with your included 7-day Japan Rail Pass. Here is why you don't want to miss train travel in Japan: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/japan-trains/

Surrounded tranquil scenery and an overnight temple stay in Koya-san is as peaceful and unique as it sounds and the perfect place to stop between Kyoto and Hiroshima. See some of what to expect from your monastery stay here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/japanese-monastery/

A visit to the Hiroshima Peace Park is a sobering but important experience for understanding the tragedies of Japan’s not so distant past.

Spend a memorable night in a ryokan (traditional Japanese-style inn) in tiny Tsumago, one of the best preserved Edo-era towns along the ancient Nakesendo Highway. Enjoy a traditional dinner here and take a short walk to a nearby village.

You will visit the following places:

Kyoto

Kyoto is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area. The city is known for being the headquarters of the famous video game company Nintendo. 

Tokyo

Tokyo - officially Tokyo Metropolis, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. It is located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū and includes the Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands. It is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family. The city is famed for its vibrant food scene, and its Shibuya and Harajuku districts are the heart of its trendy teen fashion scene.

Hiroshima

Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M. on August 6, 1945, near the end of World War ll. Although many only know it for the horrific split when it became the site of the world's first atomic bomb attack, it is now a modern cosmopolitan city with excellent cuisine and a bustling nightlife.