Journeys: Iconic Japan

5.0Based on

Carbon neutral

12 daysDuration

Small Group TourUsually 8-12 participants

15 peopleMaximum group size

12 - 100 yearsAge range for participants

EnglishGuide language

Moderate

Involves sustained activity requiring a reasonable level of fitness and endurance.

Starts

Tokyo, Japan

Ends

Kyoto, Japan

Highlights

Explore the modern and traditional sides of Japan.

Relax at a traditional Inn.

Ride a ferry to Miyajima to see the famous floating torii.

Learn the art of meditation from a local monk

Itinerary

Japan’s seamless blend of old and new comes alive on the Journeys: Iconic Japan tour, a 12-day cultural exploration from Tokyo to Kyoto. Immerse yourself in the vibrant energy of one of the world’s most innovative cities before trading neon lights for tranquil countryside retreats.

Visit traditional villages, serene shrines, picturesque gardens, and historic geisha districts. From savoring exquisite Japanese cuisine to wandering through age-old temples and bustling markets, every day offers new insights into the nation’s unique heritage. You’ll travel by rail, ensuring a comfortable and efficient journey between destinations.

What sets this trip apart is its thoughtful balance of cultural immersion—delivering a true taste of both Japan’s futuristic pulse and its enduring traditions. This tour package is ideal for curious travelers seeking an authentic, in-depth experience of Japan’s many faces.

day 1 - Tokyo

Arrive to your start hotel around 4:00 pm and join your welcome meeting at 6:00 pm.
There are no activities planned today until your evening welcome meeting. Please ensure you arrive on time for the welcome meeting and bring your passport so your National Geographic Expedition Leader can collect the required information for your train tickets. Refer to your voucher for the most up to date welcome meeting time.

Accomodation:Shizutetsu Hotel Prezio Tokyo Tamachi (or similar)

Included Activity:Welcome Moment - Meet Your Expedition Leader and Group Duration : 1.0 hr

day 2 - Tokyo

Spend the Day exploring vibrant Tokyo—one of the world’s most populous cities—by public transit. Experience the traditional side of the Japanese capital on a visit to the Meiji Shrine, dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife. We then get a glimpse of the city’s quirky, modern side on a walk through Harajuku, a centre of Japanese pop culture and a great place to sit back and people watch.
In Harajuka we catch a glimpse of the pop culture phenomenon of Kawaii. Directly translated as "cute," this Japanese cultural movement is reflected through various avenues of entertainment, toys, personal style, attitude, and cuisine.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:Shizutetsu Hotel Prezio Tokyo Tamachi (or similar)

Transport:Metro

Included Activities:Orientation Walk, Harajuku Visit, Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jingū) Visit

day 3 - Tokyo

This morning, set out to visit the Tsukiji fish and seafood outer market. Learn about Japan’s massive fishing industry, and round off the experience with a sushi-making class. Learn how to identify the freshest fish, prepare, fillet, and present; then enjoy a taste of your tasty creations.

After your sushi lunch, take a stroll in Asakusa, the historic heart of Tokyo.
Opt to visit Ueno park and the museums, Akihabara for cutting edge electronics, Harajuku for funky fashions, Ginza for the highest of the high end, walk the grounds of the Imperial Palace East Garden, or just stroll the streets, looking for the traditional life that still lies just under the modern surface.

Meal:Breakfast and Lunch

Accomodation:Shizutetsu Hotel Prezio Tokyo Tamachi (or similar)

Transport:Metro

Included Activities:Tsukiji Fish Market, Tsukiji Sushi Experience, Asakusa Walk

Optional Activities:Ginza Shopping The Ginza district is Tokyo’s equivalent of Fifth Avenue in New York. Window shop at Chanel, Dior, Gucci and Louis Vuitton, then check out the latest electronics at the Sony showroom or Apple store. Visit the Wako department store with its historic clock tower, housed in a building that dates back to 1894. If you are there on a weekend, head to Ginza’s main street where pedestrians rule without Tokyo’s traffic. , Ueno Park Visit Park entrance is free, as are many of the shrines. However, some shrines and museums charge an entry fee of 500JPY.

day 4 - Tokyo/Tsumago

Depart Tokyo by train. Disembark at Nagiso and continue to a local minshuku, a traditional Japanese bed-and-breakfast, where we’ll spend the night. Enjoy a walk through the countryside, passing lush farms and rice paddies into Tsumago, a protected cultural area dating to the Edo period. Explore the charming town, where motorized vehicles are prohibited on the main street during the Day and phone lines and power cables hidden from view to preserve its traditional feel. Back at our minshuku, feast on a kaiseki meal—a ritualistic multi-course dinner emphasizing artful presentation and fresh ingredients.

Meal:Breakfast and Dinner

Accomodation:Hanaya Tsumago Ryokan (or similar)

Transport:Metro, Train

Included Activity:Tsumago Countryside and Village walk Duration : 1.5 hr - 2.0 hr

day 5 - Tsumago/Kanazawa

Continue by train to the historic city of Kanazawa, the seat of the powerful Maeda clan during the Edo period. Venture to Nagamachi, the city’s well-preserved samurai district located at the foot of Kanazawa Castle, and learn about the lifestyle of Japan’s ancient, elite warrior class. We’ll also visit the Nomura residence, the beautifully restored home of a wealthy samurai family, boasting a collection of antique heirlooms and a stunning garden.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:ANA Crowne Plaza Kanazawa (or similar)

Transport:Train, Taxi, Local Bus

Included Activities:Nagamachi Samurai District Walk Duration : 0.5 hr, Visit Nomura Family Samurai Residence

day 6 - Kanazawa

Spend the Day exploring Kanazawa. Visit the Myoryuji Temple—commonly known as the Ninja Temple—which doubled as a military outpost, and discover its many hidden defenses and escape routes. Take a walk through the Higashi Chaya geisha district and gain insights into geisha culture, viewing one of the district’s traditional wooden houses. Then visit a local craft studio, where we’ll learn about the city’s time-honoured crafts and learn to paint chopsticks with gold leaf.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:ANA Crowne Plaza Kanazawa (or similar)

Transport:Local Bus

Included Activities:Myoryuji Ninja Temple Visit, Chopstick and Gold Leaf Painting Experience, Higashi Geisha District Visit

Optional Activities:Kanazawa Castle Visit Entry to the castle grounds is free. Entry to Gojukken Nagaya storehouse and turrets is 310JPY., Kenroku-En Garden Visit 400yen Keroku-en only, 560yen Keroku-en and Okayama Castle (not available during special exhibitions at the castle).

day 7 - Kanazawa/Hiroshima

Travel by bullet train to Hiroshima. Here, we’ll pay a visit to the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, located in the heart of the city, which commemorates the tragic atomic bombings of 1945. Take your time to wander through the park, pausing at memorials dedicated to the victims of the attack, and visit the moving statue of Sadako Sasaki at the Children’s Peace Monument, a reminder of the thousands of young lives lost as a result of the bombings.
The large Peace Park in the centre of the city is an extremely moving place dotted with memorials of those known to have been killed in the explosion and others who died as a result. A burning flame waits in the park to be extinguished when all nuclear weapons in the world have been destroyed.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:ANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima (or similar)

Transport:Taxi, Train, Tram

Included Activity:Hiroshima Park and Peace Memorial

day 8 - Hiroshima

Catch a ferry to Itsukushima Island, popularly known as Miyajima. Here, you’ll find one of Japan’s most beautiful and sacred temples, the 12th-century Itsukushima Shinto shrine. This UNESCO World Heritage site is built over the water, with a red torii or wooden gateway that appears to float at high tide. Spend the afternoon at leisure and explore on your own.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:ANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima (or similar)

Transport:Ferry

Included Activity:Miyajima Island Visit

day 9 - Hiroshima/Kyoto

This morning, visit the World Heritage-listed Himeji Castle, widely considered Japan’s most spectacular and best-preserved castle. The castle was completed in the early 17th century and features an elegant white facade with multiple wooden roofs. Later, we hop on a train to Kyoto, which served as Japan’s imperial capital for more than a thousand years. Explore the city’s stunning temples, shrines, and gardens at leisure. This afternoon, take a guided stroll through the lantern-lined streets of Gion, Kyoto’s renowned geisha district.
As the Imperial capital, Kyoto is an essential part of any visit to Japan. Kyoto has some of the most magnificent temples in Japan which date back centuries. There are said to be 2,000 temples, shrines, palaces, museums and traditional gardens in Kyoto. Use your time to wander past huge wooden structures and multi-storied pagodas, all linked with famous walkways.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:Hilton Garden Inn Kyoto Shijo Karasuma (or similar)

Transport:Bullet Train

Included Activities:Himeji Castle, Gion Walk

day 10 - Kyoto

Venture to the breathtaking Fushimi Inari shrine just outside of Kyoto, dedicated to the Shinto god of rice. Walk under the temple’s iconic red gates, where a scene from Memoirs of a Geisha was filmed. Spend the rest of the Day discovering ancient Nara, the site of Japan’s earliest capital. Visit the impressive Todaiji temple—home to the largest bronze Buddha statue in the world—and wander the walkways of Kasuga Taisha, one of Japan’s most sacred Shinto shrines.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:Hilton Garden Inn Kyoto Shijo Karasuma (or similar)

Included Activities:Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine Visit, Day Trip to Nara, Tōdai-ji Buddhist Temple Complex, Kasuga Grand Shrine

day 11 - Kyoto

This morning, we visit a local temple to learn about the history and practice of Zen Buddhism in Japan. Meet with a local monk for a lesson in Zen meditation and calligraphy; then head to the shimmering Kinkakuji, or “temple of the golden pavilion,” one of Kyoto’s most magnificent sites. Later, we’ll learn the basics of samurai etiquette and the practice of kembu, or traditional Japanese swordplay. Try your hand at this delicate art form, and witness a memorable performance by kembu masters.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:Hilton Garden Inn Kyoto Shijo Karasuma (or similar)

Included Activities:Zen Buddhist Meditation and Calligraphy, Zen Tea Experience, Kembu Masters, Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion Visit

day 12 - Kyoto

Depart at any time.

Meal:Breakfast

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What's Included

Accommodation

Hotels – 10 nts, traditional Inn – 1 nt, shared facilities,

Meals

11 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
Note: Allow USD475-620 for meals not included.

Transport

Bullet train, express train, local train, ferry, metro, taxi, public bus, walking.All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Guide

National Geographic Expedition Leader

Included activities

Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Tsukiji Sushi Experience, TokyoYour Journeys Highlight Moment: Zen Buddhist Meditation and Calligraphy, KyotoYour Journeys Highlight Moment: Kembu Masters, KyotoYour Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your Expedition Leader and GroupYour Hands-On Moment: Chopstick and Gold Leaf Painting Experience, KanazawaTour of Tokyo including Meiji Jingu Shrine and Asakusa and Harajuku districtsWalking tour of Tsumago Village and countrysideKaiseki dinnerVisit Kanazawa samurai and geisha districtsVisit Nomura Family Samurai Residence and Myoryuji Ninja TempleVisit Himeji CastleVisit Hiroshima Peace MemorialExcursion to Miyajima IslandZen meditation experienceTour Kyoto and Nara including Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion, Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha ShrineVisit Gion Geisha districtJapan Rail (JR) pass (7 days)

What's Excluded

Customer Reviews

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5.0

based on 48 reviews

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