Classic Japan: Land of the Rising Sun

from€4799
for 11 nights

This Japan tour is perfect for value-minded travel lovers who enjoy history, beautiful settings, and fascinating architecture. You’ll start in Tokyo, end in Kyoto, and overnight along the way in the Mount Fuji area, Osaka, and Hiroshima. Highlights of this tour through Japan are the UNESCO World Heritage Sites you’ll visit. Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain, has long been worshipped as a sacred mountain; you’ll enjoy views of majestic Mount Fiji and Lake Kawaguchi during your cable-car ride (weather permitting). In Hiroshima, visit Itsukushima Shrine, built over water and known for its iconic floating Torii gate, and Peace Memorial Park to see the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, the only remaining structure from the first atomic bomb in 1945. In Kyoto, visit the Temple of the Gold Pavilion, a Buddhist temple covered in beautiful gold leaf, and participate in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. In addition to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, famous shrines, and other historic sites, this tour includes visits to two of Japan’s premier gardens dating back to the 1600’s. Walk the tranquil Koraku-En to enjoy the ponds, bridges, waterfalls, and tea house and the Shinjuku Gyoen or “Imperial Garden,” formerly a feudal lord’s property and home to one thousand cherry blossom trees. You’ll enjoy a local lunch and taste the “Japanese pizza”, the legendary okonomiyaki dish. Plus, you’ll ride on the famous bullet train, or shinkansen. History, scenery, culture, cuisine, and fun experiences…this Japan vacation has it all!

What’s Included:

  • Booking advice from your Travel Escapes travel advisor
  • Return direct flights from Dublin
  • All Airport taxes
  • 23kg checked-in bag per person
  • 11 nights in hotels in Tokyo, Mount Fuji Area, Osaka, Hiroshima & Kyoto
  • Bed and breakfast & 4 lunches
  • Guided city sightseeing of Tokyo including admission to Meiji Shrine, Shinjuku Gyoen Garden, Asakusa Kannon Temple, and Nakamise Shopping Arcade
  • Admission to Mt. Fuji ropeway and Chureito Pagoda
  • Bullet train ride from Mt. Fuji area to Osaka
  • Guided city sightseeing of Osaka including admission to the Open-Air Museum of Old Japanese Farmhouses, Osaka Castle, and Koraku-en Garden
  • Guided city sightseeing of Hiroshima including admission to Peace Memorial Park, Miyajima Island and visit to Itsukushima Shrine
  • Pottery workshop
  • Admission to Himeji Castle
  • Guided city sightseeing of Kyoto including admission to the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Sanjusangendo, and Fushimi Inari shrine
  • Guided walking tours of Nishiki Market and the Gion district
  • Traditional tea ceremony
  • Services of local tour guide

Hotels:

Tokyo – Mitsui Garden Hotel Shidome

Mount Fuji Area – Fujisan Mishima Tokyo Hotel

Osaka – Shin-Osaka Esaka Tokyu REI Hote

Hiroshima – Daiwa Roynet Hotel Hiroshima Ekimae

Kyoto – Hilton Garden Inn Kyoto Shijo

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Holiday Highlights
NEW Tour for 2026
Prices
Dates Cabin Type Price
05 Jul 2026 Twin sharing €5029 Enquire Now
09 Aug 2026 Twin sharing €5335 Enquire Now
30 Aug 2026 Twin sharing €4799 Enquire Now
13 Sep 2026 Twin sharing €5239 Enquire Now
20 Sep 2026 Twin sharing €5239 Enquire Now
04 Oct 2026 Twin sharing €5239 Enquire Now
11 Oct 2026 Twin sharing €5239 Enquire Now
08 Nov 2026 Twin sharing €5239 Enquire Now
Agent
Chloe B
Chloe B
Phone:
01-2941000
Email:
book@travelescapes.ie
Booking Remarks
Booking deposit enquire at time of booking
Prices are per person based on two sharing.
Single Supplement applies
A non-refundable / non-transferable deposit is required at the time of booking.
Balance due 16 weeks before departure
Optional insurance available (terms & conditions apply)
Taxes, prices & itinerary subject to change
Booking terms & conditions apply
Travel Insurance is not included
COS

A passport is required for travel. Some countries require that the expiry date is valid for a certain period after your return date. Extra months on an adult passport due to early renewal will not count, so some passport holders will need more months remaining to travel.

Republic of Ireland passengers https://www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/overseas-travel/advice/

Itinerary
Day 1

Toyko (Yokohama), Japan

Depart Dublin for Toyko

Day 2

Welcome to Japan’s capital city. Hotel rooms are available for mid-afternoon check-in.

Day 3

Toyko (Yokohama), Japan

Meet your Tour Director and travel companions prior to morning sightseeing in Tokyo. Your tour starts with a visit to Meiji Shrine, a magnificent 20th-century Shinto monument set in a man-made forest. Next, visit Shinjuku Gyoen Garden. Originally dating from the early 1600s, the garden was destroyed in World War II and reopened in 1949 as a public park, home to one thousand cherry blossom trees. Today, it remains an immensely popular stop for locals and visitors alike. Last stop is the vibrant Asakusa Kannon Temple and the bustling Nakamise shopping arcade. The balance of the afternoon is at leisure.
breakfastlunch
Day 4

Toyko (Yokohama), Japan

Enjoy the day at your leisure to explore this sprawling metropolis.
breakfast
Day 5

Shimizu, Japan (for Mt. Fuji)

This morning, leave Tokyo and head south along the coast to the beautiful Five Lakes region. Take a cable-car ride (weather permitting) for panoramic views of Lake Kawaguchi and spectacular Mount Fuji, or Fujisan as the locals call it, Japan’s highest mountain. You’ll also visit Chureito Pagoda for a chance to snap your own iconic image of the pagoda with Fujisan in the background!
breakfastlunch
Day 6

Osaka, Japan

This morning, board Japan’s famous shinkansen (bullet train) for Osaka. Upon arrival, join your Tour Director for a walking tour in Minami. Made up of Shinsaibashi, Namba, and Dotonbori, this area is home to great dining and nightlife and some of the city’s most fashionable shops and department stores. This evening is free to explore the city on your own.
breakfast
Day 7

Osaka, Japan

Your sightseeing tour starts at the Open-Air Museum of Old Japanese Farmhouses, where traditional thatched-roof farmhouses dating from the Edo period have been restored. Be transported back in time as you explore the old architecture. Visit Osaka Castle, then enjoy the afternoon and evening at leisure. Perhaps return to Dotonbori this evening to sample local cuisine and see the sparkling neon lights.
breakfast
Day 8

Hiroshima, Japan

This morning, drive south to Okayama and visit Koraku-en, one of the “Three Great Gardens of Japan.” The 30-acre garden features ponds, plum groves, and tea fields. The wide lawns, believed to uplift the spirit and promote open mindedness, are unique to Koraku-en and not a traditional feature of Japanese gardens. In Kurashiki, enjoy free time in the Bikan Historical Quarter, once the political and commercial center of the city. The canal-lined, white-washed, stone streets reflect the Edo period (1603-1867) and are quintessentially Japanese. Continue to Hiroshima.
breakfast
Day 9

Hiroshima, Japan

Today’s full day sightseeing includes two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Peace Memorial Park, and Itsukushima Shrine. Start at Peace Memorial Park where you’ll visit the Peace Memorial, commonly referred to as the Atomic Bomb Dome, that is preserved and is just as it was on August 6, 1945, immediately after the bombing. You will also visit the Memorial Museum and Memorial Hall, which commemorate the lives lost that day. For lunch, enjoy the country’s legendary dish of okonomiyaki, a delicious Japanese-style savory pancake. Then, travel to Miyajima Island to visit Itsukushima Shrine, known for its beautiful floating Torii Gate.
breakfastlunch
Day 10

Kyoto, Japan

Drive north to Bizen, where you’ll visit a traditional pottery workshop to learn more about Bizen-yaki, one of Japan’s six ancient pottery styles dating back over 1,000 years. Stop in Himeji to visit Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and see the finest surviving example of early 17th-century Japanese castle architecture that combines function with elegance. Continue to Kyoto. This evening, you may choose an optional style of accommodation at a traditional Japanese ryokan (additional fee and pre-booking required).
ACCOMMODATION HIGHLIGHT
FUTON, ANYONE? Choose an overnight stay at a ryokan to fully immerse yourself in the Japanese culture and hospitality. Your ryokan features traditional touches like tatami mat floors, a thin sleeping mattress, and the chance to experience a Japanese-style bath – as well as the modern convenience of a private bathroom. Traditional Japanese dinner and breakfast are included in your stay. Please note that space is very limited. You must pre-book this ahead of arriving in Japan for your tour, and an additional fee applies.
breakfast
Day 11

Kyoto, Japan

Your day begins with a visit to stunning Kinkakuji, the Temple of the Gold Pavilion, covered in shimmering gold leaf. Walk through bustling Nishiki Market, a narrow, five block long shopping street lined by more than one hundred shops and restaurants. Participate in a tea ceremony, a time-honored tradition, and wonderfully choreographed ritual of preparing and serving Japanese green tea. After lunch, visit Sanjusajendo Temple, famous for its 1,001 statues of Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy and Fushimi Inari Shrine, renowned for the thousands of brightly hued Torii Gate. Then, take a walking tour through Gion, Kyoto’s most famous geisha district, and sample a local Japanese treat.
breakfastlunch
Day 12

Kyoto, Japan

Full day at leisure to explore more of Kyoto’s historic sites and shrines. Oh, deer! Consider an optional afternoon trip to the expanses of Nara Park, famous for its free-roaming deer who wander freely amid its shrines and temples.
breakfast
While we include select excursions on your trip, you may wish to explore other options to enhance your free time. Below is a selection of excursions that may be available for purchase on your tour.
Day 13

Kyoto, Japan

Your tour ends with breakfast this morning then transfer to the airport for your return flight.
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