Your journey to Japan begins with your flight to Osaka.

Welcome to the vibrant metropolis of Osaka – “Konnichiwa”! You travel independently to your 5-star hotel using the excellent public transport network or by taxi, immersing yourself in everyday Japanese life on the way. If you wish, you can book a transfer. The rest of the day is free to recover from the journey and get ready for the very active days ahead. If you’d like to stretch your legs, take a walk through the spacious Osaka Castle Park with its imposing main keep. 2 nights in Osaka. (Distance by public transport: approx. 60 km; travel time: approx. 75 min, depending on arrival time)

2 nights · Double room · With breakfast Hotel New Otani Osaka is located right next to the spacious Osaka Castle Park and offers wonderful views of greenery and the castle; thanks to good transport links you quickly reach shopping districts and sights. It has numerous restaurants and bars serving Japanese and international cuisine, a pool and a fitness and spa area. The elegant rooms have large windows, air conditioning, flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, desk and a spacious bathroom with bathtub.

By comfortable coach you travel to Himeji. From afar, the snow-white Himeji Castle, also known as “White Heron Castle”, is impressive – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a masterpiece of traditional Japanese architecture and the largest and best-preserved castle in the country. If you like, climb the narrow, partly steep wooden stairs to the upper floors and enjoy the view over the town and castle grounds; alternatively, admire the building from outside. Next door, Koko-en Garden with its ponds, waterfalls and pavilions invites you for a stroll. Afterwards there is time for lunch on your own. In the afternoon you return to Osaka. From the Umeda Sky Building you enjoy the view of the city lights, and then your guide leads you through the lively streets to a local bar, where you review the day over a drink. If you like, stay on; the others return to the hotel together by coach. (B) (Distance: approx. 180 km; driving time: approx. 3 hrs; walking time: approx. 1.5 hrs, approx. 2 km)

Early in the morning you take the Shinkansen to Hiroshima. There the coach takes you to Miyajimaguchi pier, and in about 10 minutes you cross to the sacred island of Miyajima. On arrival you are greeted by the famous “floating” torii of Itsukushima Shrine, which appears to stand on the water at high tide – one of Japan’s best-known photo motifs. Past small shops and craft stalls you walk to the shrine, which you also visit inside. After your guide’s explanations you spend the time on the island as you like – perhaps with grilled oysters in a restaurant by the water. In the early afternoon you return to the mainland and Hiroshima. The Peace Museum conveys the events of 1945 in a moving way, and on a walk through the Peace Park with its memorials and Peace Flame you remember the victims of the atomic bombing – a moving place that also stands for hope and peace. In the evening the Shinkansen takes you to Kyoto. 3 nights in Kyoto. (B) Your suitcase is transported separately from the hotel in Osaka to the hotel in Kyoto; you only need a daypack for the day. (Distance by public transport: approx. 800 km; travel time: approx. 4.5 hrs; walking time: approx. 3 hrs, approx. 2 km)

3 nights · Double room · With breakfast Dusit Thani Kyoto is centrally located in Kyoto near historic temples and gardens and combines Thai hospitality with Japanese tradition and great attention to detail. It has several restaurants and bars, a lounge, an indoor pool, a fitness area and a spa. The rooms have free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, flat-screen TV, fridge, tea and coffee making facilities and a bathroom with shower or bathtub.

In the morning you visit Ryoan-ji temple, famous for its Zen rock garden: between raked gravel and harmoniously arranged rocks, an atmosphere of deep calm unfolds. A short walk takes you to Kinkaku-ji, the “Golden Pavilion”, which rises above a pond and is reflected in the water; the interior is not accessible, but the garden offers many atmospheric perspectives. After lunch on your own in the Teramachi shopping street you visit Nijo Castle, which reflects the power and lifestyle of the Tokugawa shoguns. Particularly famous are the “nightingale floors”, which chirp softly when walked on. Finally you stroll through Nishiki Market, “Kyoto’s kitchen”, with pickled vegetables, fresh fish and sweets. If you like, stay on; the others return to the hotel with the guide. (B) (Distance: approx. 20 km; driving time: approx. 1.5 hrs; walking time: approx. 4 hrs, approx. 3.5 km)

Today you travel to Nara, Japan’s first permanent capital and an important centre of Buddhism. In Todai-ji, one of the largest wooden halls in the world houses a monumental bronze Buddha statue. A walk through Nara Park takes you to viewpoints at Nigatsu-do Hall and Wakakusa Hill; the tame sika deer are an integral part of the townscape. At lunchtime you eat on your own or stroll through the lanes of the historic Naramachi district. Back at the hotel in Kyoto a special experience awaits: a maiko prepares matcha with almost meditative concentration, you enjoy traditional wagashi sweets and have the chance for a personal exchange. (B) (Distance: approx. 80 km; driving time: approx. 2 hrs; walking time: approx. 3 hrs, approx. 4.5 km)

In the morning you visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, where thousands of vermilion torii line the path up Mount Inari. You decide how far to go – from a short walk to the climb to the summit (approx. 3 hrs, steep in places). Around midday you take the Shinkansen to Shizuoka, the city of green tea; your guide has a bento box for you as a snack on the way. After check-in you have time to explore the area or drink tea in a café. In the evening a kaiseki dinner awaits – a traditional multi-course menu that places great emphasis on seasonality and artful presentation. 1 night in Shizuoka. (B/P/D) Your suitcase is transported separately from the hotel in Kyoto to the hotel in Shizuoka. (Distance: approx. 340 km; travel time: approx. 2 hrs; walking time: approx. 3 hrs, approx. 5 km)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast Hotel Associa Shizuoka is centrally located right at the station yet offers a quiet retreat, with views of Mount Fuji on clear days. The restaurants serve local and international dishes. The cosy rooms have TV, air purifier, fridge, tea and coffee making facilities, Wi-Fi and private bathroom.

Today you drive to the region around Mount Fuji, Japan’s sacred mountain – instead of high-rises, lakes and wide views now shape the scenery. Depending on the weather and the group’s wishes, you stop at Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park and at quiet Lake Motosu, which offers particularly impressive views of the volcanic cone on clear days. The schedule is deliberately flexible to leave enough time for nature and views (views of Fuji depend on the weather). In the late afternoon you reach Tokyo. The evening is at your leisure. 3 nights in Tokyo. (B) (Distance by coach: approx. 230 km; driving time: approx. 5 hrs; walking time: approx. 2.5 hrs, approx. 2.5 km)

3 nights · Double room · With breakfast Hotel New Otani Tokyo Garden Tower combines a Japanese garden around 400 years old with views of the skyline – an appealing contrast in the heart of the metropolis. It has several restaurants, a bar, lounges, a seasonal outdoor pool and a spa. The rooms have free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, flat-screen TV, safe, minibar, kettle and bathroom with shower/WC.

Partly on foot, partly by coach, you explore Japan’s capital today. From the free observation deck of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (waiting times possible) you look out over the seemingly endless sea of buildings, and your guide shows you where the districts you will visit today are located. Meiji Shrine, one of the most important Shinto shrines in the country, is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his consort; on its shady paths the noise of the city seems far away. In Shibuya you visit the Hachiko statue and experience the famous crossing, where crowds surge across in time with the traffic lights. Lunch is up to you, perhaps together in a local restaurant. In the afternoon you experience traditional Tokyo in Asakusa around Senso-ji, the city’s oldest temple, reached via a lane full of stalls. To finish, you take a break on the riverbank by Azumabashi Bridge with a view of the Tokyo Skytree. Your guide is sure to have a restaurant tip for the evening. (B) (Distance: approx. 40 km; driving time: approx. 1.5 hrs; walking time: approx. 3 hrs, approx. 2.5 km)

Optionally, take a day trip to Nikko (bookable in advance): by express train you travel north from Asakusa into the mountains in about 2 hours. There the magnificent Toshogu Shrine (UNESCO World Heritage), resting place of the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, awaits, surrounded by mighty cedars. As the site is extensive with many stairs, good fitness and sturdy shoes are recommended. In autumn especially, the forests glow in red, orange and gold. In the late afternoon you return to Tokyo. Alternatively, explore Tokyo on your own – there is enough to see for a whole week. (B) (Nikko excursion by public transport: approx. 280 km; travel time: approx. 4.5 hrs; walking time: approx. 4 hrs, approx. 6.5 km)

After ten varied days in Japan you travel to the airport by public transport or taxi and start your journey home. If you wish, you can book a transfer. (B) (Distance by public transport: approx. 70 km; travel time: approx. 1.5 hrs)

Today you land back home.