10 Day Cultural Japan

Arrive in Osaka and take a private transfer to your downtown hotel. Enjoy a relaxed evening before tomorrow’s city exploration.

Overnight – Hilton Osaka

Meals included – none

Tour Osaka sustainably by using the city’s excellent public transport system. Discover the turbulent history of Osaka Castle as it stands beautifully restored and towering over the cherry trees of Nishinomaru Garden. Enjoy panoramic views of the bay and city from the distinctive Floating Garden Observatory. Finally, head to the colourful Dotonbori district to browse shops, graze street food stalls, and find evening entertainment in its theatres, arcades, bars, and more.

Overnight – Hilton Osaka

Meals included – Breakfast

Leave your luggage and take a small overnight bag on a train journey from the city to the mountains. Ride the Nankai Cable Line to the peak of Mount Kōya. Visit Kongōbu-ji, the ecclesiastic head temple of Kōyasan Shingon Buddhism. Stroll the Danjo Garan sacred temple complex, wander through Japan’s largest rock garden, and find the mausoleum of Kobo Daish at Okunoin Cemetery. Tonight, you’ll stay in a shukubo temple lodge and dine on a shojin ryori Buddhist meal.

Overnight – Buddhist Temple Lodge, Mount Kōya

Meals included – Breakfast, Dinner

Rise early to witness the morning prayers of the local monks. After breakfast, the day is yours. Perhaps see the 10,000 lanterns that have kept Torodo’s hall illuminated for 900 years, hike the mountain trails, or grab a final photo at the Daimon Gate. Once your exploring is done, make your own way back to Osaka to retrieve your luggage and return to your city hotel.

Overnight – Hilton Osaka

Meals included – Breakfast

Make the short journey northeast to Kyoto, the old imperial capital and cultural hub of Japan. Join a guided tour of the city from the golden temple of Kinkaku-ji to the historic Nijō Castle of the Tokugawa shogunate. After calling in to sample the flavours and fragrances of Nishiki Market, finish your tour at the wooden temple of Sanjūsangen-dō and its many effigies of the goddess Kannon. The evening is yours to enjoy Kyoto as you choose.

Overnight – Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

Meals included – Breakfast

Today you are free to explore Kyoto your way. Cycle around the city’s Golden Route, take a tour of Arashiyama and its bamboo forest on the banks of the Katsura River, or visit the Kyoto Imperial Palace and the beautiful gardens that surround it. When evening comes, perhaps take a walk down the narrow alley of Pontocho for dinner in one of its many atmospheric restaurants.

Overnight – Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

Meals included – Breakfast

Take a train north to the historic town of Kanazawa. As soon as check-in at your hotel is complete, the exploration can begin. Wander Kenroku-en, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, and discover the neighbouring Kanazawa Castle. Browse the exhibits at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art or find a little serenity in the D.T. Suzuki Museum of Buddhist philosophy. Kanazawa is also home to well-preserved geisha and samurai districts, which you might choose to visit.

Overnight – Kanazawa Sainoniwa Hotel

Meals included – Breakfast

Dive deeper into Kanazawa on a guided tour highlighting the traditional arts and crafts celebrated throughout the region. Try your hand at decorating chopsticks or a small lacquer plate and apply a kimono cloth dyeing technique to create your own one-of-a-kind handkerchief. On your second evening in the city, perhaps try the local sushi, renowned across Japan for its quality.

Overnight – Kanazawa Sainoniwa Hotel

Meals included – Breakfast

After breakfast, you might take an hour to experience the lively atmosphere of Omicho Market before boarding your express train back to Kyoto. Make the most of one more day in the city. If you haven’t yet, walk through the many red gates of the Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine, participate in a tea-making ceremony, or climb to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kiyomizu-dera. Why not finish the day by toasting your adventures with a traditional glass of sake?

Overnight – Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

Meals included – Breakfast

After breakfast, enjoy a few more hours in Kyoto or transfer to the airport for your onward flight. Perhaps head to Tokyo for a few days in the Japanese capital or pass by Mount Fuji for a glimpse of Japan’s most iconic peak.

Meals included – Breakfast