Your local guide will meet you in the hotel lobby after breakfast. Together, you will explore Takayama on foot, visiting:

• Takayama Morning Market
• Kusakabe Folk Park
• Takayama Yatai Kaikan (Festival Float Hall)
• Takayama Jinya (preserved Government town hall)

You will have free time in the afternoon to walk through the streets by yourself, sampling the street food and visiting local artisans’ shops. During festival tours (April & October) this itinerary will be subject to our guide’s recommendations. The night-lights and entertainment during festival season brings great excitement to the tour. Highly recommended.

Japan Discovered comes to an end after breakfast today and you will be provided with an airport transfer service from your hotel. If you would like to stay longer in Tokyo, discuss some post-tour options with your travel consultant. Don’t forget to send us your flight details as soon as you know them. Transfers need to be booked early!

Shibuya Tokyu Excel Hotel (or similar)

We will base you smack bang in the centre of the worlds busiest crossings in Shibuya for your first two nights. What better way to start your trip to Japan with – great shopping, variety of restaurants and entertainment areas, impressive buildings and an atmosphere that says so many things about Tokyo…. Vibrant, wacky, non-stop, crowded, busy, but serviced like no other city in the world! Conveniently accessed by many of the JR subway lines, it is a very handy place to be based for the duration of your stay in Tokyo.

Kanbayashi Senjukaku (or similar / Japanese Style)

Founded in 1928, Senjukaku was a famous rural retreat of the Meiji Era and one of the earliest hotels to introduce a mix of Japanese and Western aesthetics. It has been the favorite of many cultural figures historically. During the post-War Occupation, it was also used as a resort by the American army. Rebuilt in 1989, with its wooden beams and family treasures on display, this expansive ryokan resort very much retains the same “modern” mood as the original. Senjukaku’s offerings include garden walks on site, indoor and outdoor hot spring baths and a massage service, as well as superb service from the staff and delicious and generous multi-course meals. In short, Senjukaku continues to uphold its proud tradition as a perfect country getaway.

Takayama Green Hotel (or similar)

This large-scale hotel is located in the city center of Hida Takayama and features 7 restaurants. The hotel is equipped with a spacious large communal hot spring bath, 2 open-air baths, and the Hida Bussankan, a souvenir shop modeled after the Takayama Festival.

Kanazawa Nikko Hotel (or similar)

Featuring panoramic views, 8 dining options, and shops, Nikko Kanazawa is conveniently located right in front of JR Kanazawa Train Station. Rooms are located all above the 17th floor, offering beautiful views.  Concierge services and a beauty shop are available at the hotel. Guests can browse the gift shop and other stores. A Japanese/Western buffet breakfast is available. La Plage offers 30th-floor views and French cuisine, while Benkei serves sushi beside a Japanese garden. A Chinese restaurant and a bar are also available.

Kyoto Okura Hotel (or similar)

Okura Hotels are Japan’s finest traditional hotels providing 5* service throughout. Kyoto Okura is centrally located, just a short walk from downtown.

Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto  (or similar / Japanese Style)

A  few minutes stroll from Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto boasts an outdoor hot spring bath, 3 restaurants and karaoke. It offers luxurious Japanese-style and Western rooms, massages and a free shuttle from Miyajima Pier. Spacious rooms feature either traditional futon bedding on a tatami (woven mat) floor, or carpeting and twin beds. All feature a minimalist interior in neutral colours, with a Japanese-style as well as a Western seating area and an LCD TV. Unwind in a soothing natural hot spring, which is separate for men and women.

Authentic Japanese cuisine featuring fresh seafood is served at restaurant Shioji in a stylish contemporary setting, and in more traditional surroundings at Kappo Karaku. The Miyajima Arimoto also offers a coffee lounge, a bar, and a Japanese noodle restaurant. Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto is less than a 5-minute walk from the beautiful Pagoda Goju-no-To and historical Senjokaku Hall. The Miyajima Ferry Terminal is a 10-minute walk away.

Setsugetsuka (or similar / Japanese style)

Setsugetsuka boasts a public hot spring bath with free flowing natural spring water, drawn from 2 different hot springs. The property operates a 24-hour front desk in addition to 2 restaurants and a souvenir shop on site. Guests can try yukata robes offered for rental at the souvenir shop on site, or grab a drink anytime from the drink vending machines in the building. A luggage storage desk and ironing services are available, while fax and photocopying are offered at an extra charge. Hakone Open-Air Museum is 600 m from the property, while Pola Museum is 2.5 km away.

Shibuya Tokyu Excel Hotel (or similar)

Return to the same hotel that you stayed in at the start of the trip. You will thus be somewhat familiar with the area surrounding the hotel and can use it as a base to explore one of the world’s most vibrant cities.