Best of Japan World Heritage

After clearing customs and immigration formalities you will be met by Goway's local representative and transferred to your accommodation in the city.

The balance of the day is at leisure to relax or explore Tokyo at your own pace.

A 7-Day Japan Rail Pass is included in the tour price. You may exchange your voucher and validate the pass at most Japan Rail Stations. Ensure the pass is validated prior to use.

Take a day tour of fascinating Tokyo. First up is Asakusa, Tokyo's old town where you can soak in the atmosphere of old Tokyo. Visit Sensoji, Tokyo's oldest temple, and wander down Nakamise, a shopping street that has been providing temple visitors with a variety of traditional, local snacks and tourist souvenirs for centuries. Next, travel down the Sumidagawa River on Tokyo's Water Bus, a unique means of transportation. You'll arrive directly at Hamarikyu garden, an Edo Period Japanese garden surrounded by the Shiodome district's futuristic skyscrapers, a great example of how Japan is the land of contrasts. Enjoy a cup of steaming matcha in a tea house in the garden. After lunch, enjoy a visit to Meiji Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deified spirit of Emperor Meiji and a popular place for traditional Japanese weddings. Finally, as the sunlight dims, take a walk down the sparkly Omotesando shopping street, a broad tree-lined avenue, home to the flagship stores of the world's top fashion brands and some fantastic modern architecture.

Today you will travel to the ancient city of Nikko to experience the local history and delicacies. Firstly, you will stop at the nearby town of Imaichi, once a rest town for those travelling from Tokyo (then known as Edo) to Nikko. In Imaichi you will visit the Watanabe Sake Brewery which has been brewing delicious sake for over 150 years. You will enjoy a tour of the brewery followed by a sampling session of some of their most beloved products! 

Next, board a local train to Nikko and walk on the scenic Shinkyo Bridge for a quick photo stop before enjoying a local lunch. "Yuba" is a vegetarian dish unique to Nikko and is essentially a thin tofu skin, seasoned and prepared in a multitude of ways. After lunch, journey to the grand Toshogu Shrine. Built as a mausoleum for Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate which ruled Japan for over 250 years, this lavishly decorated shrine is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Finally, you will head to the beautiful Taiyuinbyo, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is a smaller but equally grand mausoleum dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu's son, Tokugawa Iemitsu. Located in the middle of a peaceful forest, the decor is reminiscent of the Toshogu but is a little more modest due to Iemitsu's respect for his grandfather. After exploring Nikko, you and your guide will head back to Tokyo.

Travel from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji by bus this morning and head up to Mt. Fuji's 5th Station. The 5th Station is 2,300 meters (7,546 ft) above sea level. You will be amazed at spectacular, breathtaking views from above the clouds at this height. Afterward, have lunch and then continue by bus to Hakone. Take a cruise on Lake Ashi, a crater lake formed by a powerful volcanic eruption nearly 3,000 years ago. On clear days, admire superb views of Mt. Fuji from aboard a ship. Then take a ropeway to the peak of Mt. Komagatake where you can walk around the mountain and visit the spiritual Hakone Mototsumiya Shrine. At the end of the tour, a taxi will be arranged to drop you off at your hotel or ryokan in Hakone.

Today, start to use your Japan rail pass to travel independently to Takayama, a 5 hour journey by train. Takayama is a city in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. To differentiate it from other places named Takayama, the city is also commonly referred to as Hida-Takayama. Takayama retains a traditional touch like few other Japanese cities, especially in its beautifully preserved old town. It now ranks as one of the prime candidates among travelers wishing to add a rural element into their itineraries. 

Accommodation: Chisun Grand Takayama 

Today you will take a tour with a local guide. Start with a visit to the Takayama Festival Float Museum, where the magnificent floats for one of Japan''s most important festivals are preserved. Your guide will explain the festival's traditions and symbolism. Then, take a walk in the district called San-machi Suji, the traditional home of Takayama merchants and sake brewers, which has been preserved almost exactly as it was 200 - 300 years ago. There are inns, shops and taverns here which trace their history back several generations. We'll make a stop at one of these sake breweries and enjoy a tasting. Takayama''s sake is renowned nation-wide, thanks to the clear water of the surroundings.

Today, depart Takayama and visit the UNESCO site of Shirakawa-go village with your private English speaking guide.

Upon arrival, your guide will show you around the village, famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. Gassho-zukkuri translates as "Praying Hands", as the farmhouse steep thatched roofs resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer, and are designed to withstand the heavy snows which fall in the region. You will be able to look around inside one of these and will see how life in Japan's mountainous region used to be.

Your tour will end at Shirakawago bus terminal where you will part with your guide and depart by public bus for Kanazawa. Your bus tickets are included however you will be unaccompanied on the bus. Upon arrival in Kanazawa (at the bus station at JR Kanazawa Station), make your way independently to your hotel.

Meet your guide in the lobby of your hotel in Kanazawa or at Kanazawa JR train station and then begin your walking tour using public bus transit. Your first stop is Kanazawa's star attraction, Kenrokuen garden which is regarded as one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan. Walk through the garden grounds and enjoy the flora and fauna which changes depending on the season. Continue your tour to the Higashi Chaya district, the historical geisha district where you will learn about geisha lifestyles and have the opportunity to visit a gold leaf store, a specialty of Kanazawa. Your last stop today is the Nagamachi district, where samurai and their families used to reside. While there visit the Nomura Samurai House. Your guide will escort you back to your hotel or the train station at the end of the tour.

Make your own way to Hiroshima using your rail pass, approximately 5 hours. We suggest you stop en-route in Himeji to visit Himeji Castle, one of Japan’s most famous castles and a UNESCO site. The castle is about a 5 minute taxi ride from Himeji station, making it a very convenient stopover.

Meet your guide in the lobby of your hotel in Hiroshima or at Hiroshima JR train station in the morning and then begin your walking tour using public transit (streetcar, train and ferry). Your first stop is Peace Memorial Park. Walk through the park to see the Atomic Bomb Dome and the other monuments and then visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Afterwards, go for lunch at an okonomiyaki cuisine restaurant, one of Hiroshima's specialties. Then transfer to Miyajima island, home to one of Japan's most photographed sites - Itsukushima Shrine with the floating tori gate. During high tide the tori gate appears to be floating in the sea. After visiting the shrine, the rest of the day will be spent exploring the quaint town of Miyajima. Choose to visit the lesser known Daishoin temple, perched on a hillside overlooking the sea or explore the shops and food stalls in town. At the end of the tour, your guide will either escort you back to your hotel or the train station.

In the morning make your own way by train to Kyoto, approximately 2 hours. Meet your private guide at your hotel and then travel together to the Arashiyama area, where Kyoto's renowned bamboo forest is located. Walk along the pathway through the bamboo forest to admire the groves and capture the perfect photo. Then visit Tenryuji temple, one of Kyoto's main zen temples and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Walk through the temple grounds and see the zen garden. Afterwards, discuss with your guide to decide what to see and do next, since Arashiyama offers a lot of options. Choose to shop along Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street, visit lesser known temples or go to Monkey park. At the end of the tour your guide will escort you back to your hotel.

Start your full day tour at one of Kyoto’s most celebrated sites, the world-famous Fushimi Inari Shrine. The shrine complex spans over the entire Mt. Inari (233m/765ft) and thousands of bright red torii gates line the mountain trail. You will visit the main shrine hall and the famed vermillion gate tunnel.

Next, travel to central Kyoto to visit Sanjusangendo Temple, the longest wooden structure in Japan. Inside, you will find 1001 statues of Kannon, the Buddhist saint of Mercy.

Then visit another celebrated site, Kiyomizu-dera Temple. This temple is older than Kyoto as the capital of Japan and is famous for its wooden platform stage, the Kiyomizu Butai. The massive stage was constructed out of wood and joints – no nails. At four story’s high, it was once a popular wish-making spot.

In the afternoon visit Kinkakuji Temple, a favorite to millions of visitors each year. You will quickly see why this jewel set into the northern hills is one of the most visited sites in Japan, it is covered in real gold leaf and vibrant at any time of year no matter the weather.

Continue to Kintano-tenmangu, a remarkable shrine to scholarship that was built to appease the spirit of an angry ghost. The shrine’s surrounding entertainment district was first built after a fire in 1444, when a large section of the temple had to be rebuilt, and the remaining timber was used to construct 7 tea houses that became the first ‘flower town’ or Geisha district in Kyoto.

Explore the Kamishichiken district, every bit as charming as its more touristy cousin the Gion district, with the added bonuses of fewer crowds and excellent photo opportunities.

For 74 years during the 8th century, Nara was Japan's capital and many important religious and traditional sites still remain. First, you will visit beautiful Isuien Garden which is divided into two distinct parts that were built two centuries apart. Next, take a wander through Nara Park, called Deer Park by locals due to the large population of more than 1,000 tame deer living here. Within the park is Todaiji Temple, the world's largest wooden building and home to Japan's largest Buddha. The next stop is Nara's most celebrated shrine, Kasuga Taisha, established in 768 AD and famous for its hundreds of bronze and stone lanterns which have been donated by worshipers. To contrast the many temples and shrines you have enjoyed today, you will end the day with a stroll around Naramachi, a charming historic merchant district showcasing some exceptionally well-preserved "machiya'' Japanese town houses. If you have some time to spare, a few of these beautiful houses offer free entry to give you a chance to peek inside and get a feel for traditional Japanese home architecture. Your guide will take you back to your hotel at the end of the day.

Following breakfast, transfer to Osaka's Kansai Airport for your onward flights.