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 and 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.

The town of Hakone is one of our favourite destinations. Not only are there glimpses of Mt Fuji from here on a clear day and picture perfect hiking trails, this is also one of the best places to experience an outdoor onsen – hot springs bath.

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 Japan Rail Pass. Here is why you don't want to miss train travel in Japan: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/japan-trains/

Stay in a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) and sample simple home-cooked fare in Edo-era Takayama, explore local markets, the Hida Folk Village and perhaps stop by a sake brewery.

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

You'll have abundant time to explore Kyoto without a rush, the country’s “cultural capital” and home to a stunning selection of temples, tea houses and frozen-in-time zen gardens.

Explore the unique island of Naoshima, transformed from a sleepy fishing community into a world class art destination, with sleek and stylish museums and artworks that sit in harmony with the landscape

Join locals hiking along trails to hidden temples, being awed at some of the country's impressive castles or in one of Japan's oldest hot spring baths - Dogo Onsen.

Feel like Indiana Jones as you cross the kazurabashi (vine bridges) of the hidden Iya Valley, a remote retreat of deep gorges and lush mountains on Shikoku island.

Uncover the different characters of the cities of Nagasaki and Osaka, from the former’s thought-provoking Peace Park and Museum to the latter’s busy streets where the motto is ‘eat until you drop’

Venture into the thick and mysterious cedar forests on Yakushima, relax at the seaside onsen or see giant turtles lay eggs in the night in the summer months

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.

Osaka

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Japan. Located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, it is known for its modern architecture, rip-roaring nightlife and delectable street food. Historically a merchant city, Osaka is traditionally considered the "nation's kitchen" (天下の台所 tenka no daidokoro) or the gourmet food capital of Japan that served as a center for the rice trade during the Edo period. The city has a long history and is home to many ancient shrines and temples, and to the famous Osaka Castle, built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the late sixteenth century.

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.