Best Japan Tour

Welcome to Japan! When your flight lands in Tokyo, we will offer you a worry-free airport-hotel transfer by shared car. Our English-speaking assistant will hold a paging board to welcome you, show you the way to the well-prepared car which runs directly to the hotel. You will stay in our handpicked 4 or 5 stars hotel, open to your choice, which is conveniently located in central Tokyo.

Accommodation: Hilton Tokyo (5 stars) or Hiyori Hotel Ginza East (4 stars) in Tokyo

► If you want to upgrade your airport-hotel transfer to a private car with driver for an additional fee, please contact our travel consultant to make arrangements for you in advance. If you want to save money, as pick-up service in Japan is notoriously expensive, then you can take public transport to your hotel. The Airport Limousine Bus, rail transit and taxi are all good choices. For more tips on how to get to your hotel by public transport, please refer to ‘Our Insights’ below the itinerary details.

Our guide will be ready early in the morning waiting for you in the hotel lobby. Follow the guide to experience Tokyo’s well-developed public transport. Half an hour’s rail transit will take you to the first destination of the day, Asakusa. Passing through the busy Nakamise-dori Street, which connects the iconic Kaminarimon Gate to the main hall of the Senso-ji Temple, our guide will show you around this oldest temple in Tokyo, built in 628 AD and full of typical Edo culture. You can draw an Omikuji fortune slip like the locals do. If you get an ominous one, just tie it to a nearby railing to relieve the bad luck. Next, pay a visit to the Imperial Palace, the residence of the Emperor and Japanese Imperial Family. Instead of a simple tour of the Front Gardens arranged by other travel agencies, we will specially take a route off the beaten track to the front square and the secluded East Gardens of the Imperial Palace. Our guide, who is well versed in Japanese history and architecture, will give you a thorough understanding of this elegant and classical building from the Showa Period. Let’s walk along the scenic moat and take pictures at the remarkable Niju-bashi Bridge.

★ Travel Different: Food Tour to Tsukiji Outer Market
At lunch time, we’ll have a special visit to the famous Tsukiji Outer Market. Built in 1935, it is one of the largest fisheries markets in the world and a popular destination for a feast of sushi and sashimi. Here you can see many Japanese seafood restaurants. Our guide will take you to one of the most popular eateries to try the authentic Japanese sushi or teppanyaki.
► Privilege of AgateTravel's Guests: Our proper arrangement in advance will save you 1 to 2 hours of queuing time at this acclaimed sushi restaurant.

After lunch, walk to the nearby Ginza, the most representative business district in Japan. A dazzling array of the world’s top brand stores would let you know the modern and prosperous side of Tokyo. Later, we will explore the Akihabara Electric Town, filled with models, toys, garage kit figures, animation products and game equipment, making it an anime fans’ paradise and the best place to experience the otaku culture of Japan. Finally, our guide will accompany you to the city landmark Tokyo Tower and show you the best places around to view the red and white tower with a height of 333 meters (1,093 feet). The guide will give you ticket(s) to the tower and leave. Climb the tower yourself for a panoramic view of the city from the observation deck, and even the Mt. Fuji on a clear day. Enjoy your free time to watch sunset and the night scene, and stay as long as you like as it doesn’t close until 23:00 at night.

After a fulfilled day feeling the clash of classic and modern Tokyo, return to the hotel by yourself. To the 5 stars Hilton Tokyo, a taxi takes 20 minutes and costs USD 33, while the rail transit takes 33 minutes and costs USD 2 per person. Please walk 10 minutes south to Akabanebashi Station, take the Oedo Line for 16 minutes (7 stops) to Tochomae Station, and walk 7 minutes north to the hotel. To the 4 stars Hiyori Hotel Ginza East, a taxi takes 15 minutes and costs USD 15, while the rail transit takes 23 minutes and costs USD 2 per person. You need to walk 12 minutes east to Daimon Station, take the Asakusa Line for 6 minutes (3 stops) to Takaracho Station, and walk 6 minutes southeast to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hilton Tokyo (5 stars) or Hiyori Hotel Ginza East (4 stars) in Tokyo

Today will be the highlight of your Japan tour, as we’ll make a pilgrimage to the Mount Fuji, one of the largest active volcanoes in the world and a symbol of Japan.

Express Bus Ride Accompanied by Private Guide: In the morning, our guide will pick you up from your hotel and lead you to the Tokyo Tourist Information Center, aka Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, from where we’ll take an express bus out of the hustle and bustle of Tokyo and head west to the Lake Kawaguchi. After a 2 hours’ scenic drive, we’ll arrive at the Lake Kawaguchi right at the foot of the Mount Fuji, which is the best place to see the mountain.

★ What Makes Us Different:
1. Secret photo locations: Our veteran guide, who visits here more than 100 times a year and is very familiar with different views of the Mount Fuji, will take you on a walk by the lake and point out some of the best photo spots.
2. Sightseeing cruise: We are different from other travel agencies that offer only a distant travel by bus. Board a majestic ship for a relaxing cruise on the Lake Kawaguchi, and enjoy the Mount Fuji from different angles. On a clear day, you may catch a glimpse of the mountain covered in snow, just like a postcard landscape.
3. Mount Fuji Panoramic Ropeway: We have generously included this ropeway in the cost of your tour, making it easy for you to go up to the Fujimidai Station near the peak of the Mount Tenjo, where there is an observation point with stunning panoramic views of the Mount Fuji and the Lake Kawaguchi below.

★ Try Regional Food of Fuji: Hoto Noodles
For lunch, the guide will take you to a traditional local restaurant, to try its most distinctive Hoto Noodles. Originated in Yamanashi of Japan, it is a type of flat udon noodles stewed with vegetables in miso soup. The perfectly cooked noodles in the broth would be worth the possible wait we might need. What a treat, especially in the cold autumn or winter!

Finally, the guide will accompany you on an express bus back to Tokyo for the night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hilton Tokyo (5 stars) or Hiyori Hotel Ginza East (4 stars) in Tokyo

Today, you will enjoy a special experience of riding the Japanese Shinkansen bullet train. Our guide would give you the train ticket(s) from Tokyo to Kyoto the day before and advise you on the matters needing attention.

► 8:30: Please check out, take your luggage and go to the train station by yourself.
1. From Hilton Tokyo: It is recommended that you leave one hour ahead of the scheduled departure time indicated on your train ticket, providing half an hour on the way, and half an hour for check-in and boarding. Walk 5 minutes north from the hotel to Nishi-shinjuku Station, take the Marunouchi Line for 20 minutes (10 stops) and get off at Tokyo Station. Follow the signs to find the right bullet train platform.
2. From Hiyori Hotel Ginza East: Leave half an hour ahead of the scheduled departure time of the train. Walk 12 minutes northwest to Tokyo Station, or take a taxi there if you have big luggage.

It would be an extraordinary experience on the Shinkansen bullet train, traveling 470 km (292 mi) from Tokyo to Kyoto in just 2.5 hours.

• Fushimi Inari Taisha
• Pure Water Temple (Kiyomizu-dera)

On arrival at around 11:30, our guide will pick you up at the Kyoto Train Station and escort you to the hotel within 8 minutes’ walk. Once you’ve put your luggage down and finished your lunch, our guide will be eager to show you the attractions of Kyoto. As the old imperial capital of Japan for over a thousand years and the spiritual home of the Japanese people, Kyoto boasts a large number of ancient shrines and has been listed as a World Heritage Site since 1994. Our guide will first show you around the Fushimi Inari Taisha, a shrine honoring the kami of rice and agriculture, who blesses the prosperity of commerce and crops. Climb up the mountain through the striking path lined with thousands of vermilion traditional torii gates, known as Senbon Torii, which is one of the top sights of Kyoto. Next, we’ll visit the ancient Pure Water Temple (Kiyomizu-dera Temple), a great place for appreciating cherry blossoms in spring and maple leaves in autumn. Take in the beautiful view of the Mount Otowa from the temple’s veranda.

★ Gion Walking Tour with Geisha (Maiko) Show
Step out of the Pure Water Temple and follow the guide to wander through the Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, which are distinctive walking ramps lined with traditional wooden houses and shops selling a variety of Japanese snacks, groceries and souvenirs. We will then see the Yashaka Shrine from outside and the famous Gion on its doorstep, the largest geisha district in Kyoto. Here you might bump into a geisha with elaborate makeup on the Hanamikoji Street.

Be curious about these graceful geisha girls with amazing skills? We will arrange a geisha (maiko) show especially for you. Our guide will take you to a handpicked tea house and leave, and here you will stay 1 hour in a traditional tatami room and enjoy 2 dried sweets and matcha green tea served by lovely maikos from Gion or Miyagawa, who will also perform the traditional dance and tea ceremony for you. Have a pleasant chat, take commemorative photos with a maiko, and get a senjafuda gift, which is the special business card of a maiko. What an unforgettable time!

• Sannenzaka
• Geishas

After the show, you can wander around the bustling Gion area before getting back to the hotel on your own expense. A bus takes half an hour and costs USD 2 per person. Take the bus Shiei 206 (Higashiyama Shichijo/Kyoto Eki Yuki) from Gion. Ride for 17 minutes (9 stops) to Karasuma Nanajo and walk 4 minutes southeast to the 5 stars hotel The Thousand Kyoto; while ride for 21 minutes (10 stops) to Kyoto-ekimae and walk 8 minutes west to the 4 stars hotel Rigah Royal Kyoto. Otherwise, you can take a taxi back to the hotel in about 10 minutes at a cost of USD 10.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: The Thousand Kyoto (5 stars) or Rigah Royal Kyoto (4 stars)

Feel Nature and Green in the Morning

At 9:00 am, our guide will pick you up from your hotel lobby for a 40-minute local train ride to Arashiyama. Once you arrive, visit the Moon Crossing Bridge (Togetsu-kyo Bridge), a wooden bridge spanning the Katsura River that provides a brilliant view. Then we’ll visit the Temple of the Heavenly Dragon (Tenryu-ji Temple) to appreciate the extensive gardens in this Zen Buddhist temple. Take a leisurely stroll along the sightseeing path with the guide or you can take a rickshaw ride on your own expense to go deep into the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, where green masses of towering and dense bamboo stalks create a quiet world. Have lunch at a riverside restaurant, trying the yummy hand-cut soba noodles, tempura, buckwheat tofu or other local food.

Heritage Tour in the Afternoon

After the noon break, follow the guide back to downtown Kyoto to visit the Temple of the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji Temple), also known as the Deer Garden Temple (Rokuon-ji). With a special ticket of the temple, a lucky charm with a message of blessing and a temple stamp on it, you will enter the temple to see the iconic 3-story Sarira Hall covered with gold leaf, with its ornate reflection in the Mirror Pond surrounded by lush gardens.

Finally, our guide will take you to the most vibrant Nishiki Market, the food paradise of Kyoto. The guide will leave then, allowing you enough time to explore this interesting market. You can have dinner or buy snacks as you like and then make your way back to the hotel.

A taxi takes 10 minutes and costs USD 10 while a bus or subway takes 20 to 30 minutes and costs USD 2. To the 5 stars hotel The Thousand Kyoto, you can walk 10 minutes southwest to Shijo Station, take the Karasuma Line for 4 minutes (2 stops) to Kyoto Station, and walk 3 minutes east; while to the 4 stars hotel Rigah Royal Kyoto, please walk 5 minutes southwest to Shijo Takakura to take the bus Shiei 207 (Kyoto Suizokukan/Kujo Omiya/Kujo Shako Yuki) for 17 minutes (8 stops) to Nanajo Omiya Kyoto Suizokukan mae, and walk 6 minutes southeast to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: The Thousand Kyoto (5 stars) or Rigah Royal Kyoto (4 stars)

Pack your luggage and have breakfast at the hotel. At around 9:00, meet our guide in the lobby who will accompany you on the half-hour train ride to Osaka. Check into a local hotel, and then the guide will lead you to the 450-year-old Osaka Castle, which is one of the three great castles in Japan and plays an important role in the history of Japanese samurai. We’ll take a look at the Main Tower of the castle from the outside and stroll through the beautiful Osaka Castle Park that surrounds it. Next, visit the nearby Osaka History Museum, where you can not only see a magnificent model of the Namba Palace, gain insight into the city’s history through various artifacts, but also try on the traditional kimonos to take photos.

★ Try Traditional Takoyaki at Dotonbori:
At noon, the guide will take you to Dotonbori, one of Osaka's most popular gourmet districts. At our well-selected traditional Japanese restaurant, you will find great satisfaction in tasting the authentic Takoyaki, Osakan Kushikatsu or other local delicacies.

After lunch, we’ll walk from the Ebisu Bridge of Dotonbori to the nearby Shinsaibashi, a bustling and prestigious business district. Appreciate the distinctive exterior of the Hozenji Temple while wandering through the narrow historic alleyways of Hozenji Yokocho. Afterwards, follow the guide on a metro ride to the Shitennoji Temple, one of Japan's oldest architectural complexes built in 593 AD. You would be surprised to find such a secluded Japanese courtyard in the heart of the bustling, modern Osaka. Late in the afternoon, we will go to the Umeda Sky Building. Enjoy the spectacular sunset and night views from its circular observation deck that offers a 360-degree bird’s-eye view of Osaka. Finally, our guide will accompany you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hilton Osaka (5 stars) or Namba Oriental Hotel (4 stars)

After breakfast, you are free to arrange your last hours in Osaka. Your room can be used up to 11:00 noon, and our service will end here. We hope you enjoy this trip!

Meals: Breakfast

Transfer to Osaka Airport by Yourself:
Please leave for Osaka's Kansai International Airport according to the scheduled departure time of your flight, in any of the following ways: (with prices for your reference)
1. From Hilton Osaka: The Airport Limousine Bus takes 60 minutes and costs USD 12 per person; or walk 5 minutes north to Osaka Station to take the train Osaka Loop Line running directly to the airport, 70 min, USD 9 per person; or you can take a taxi to the airport in 50 minutes at a cost of USD 150 per car.
2. From Namba Oriental Hotel: Walk 6 minutes south to Namba Station to take the train Nankai Line for 45 minutes to the airport, costing USD 7 per person; or take a taxi for 45 minutes at a cost of USD 130 per car.

► Tip: If your flight is at night, you may consider a day trip to the Universal Studios in Osaka. If you would like to extend your trip to more destinations in Japan or other countries, please feel free to contact our travel consultants.