Secrets of Honshu

After breakfast, your guide will meet you at the reception.

Hakone is a lovely forested hilly area, full of onsen and ryokan, located in the Five Lakes area nearby Mt. Fuji, famous for its scenery and natural beauty. It’s been known as a place for leisure for Japanese for centuries.

Your first stop is the Hakone Shrine, hidden in a picturesque cedar forest. This beautiful Shinto shrine is a well-known power spot. You are in a great position to get some ancient energy there.

Then, you will have a joyful ride on the Hakone Ropeway down to the famous Owakudani Valley. On the way, you will enjoy a fantastic Mt. Fuji view if the weather permits. Try a local specialty: black eggs cooked in natural volcanic vents. Boil your egg in one of the vents; according to the local legend, eating an egg adds seven years to your life!

For lunch, you will have hoto, a hot udon noodle dish historically served in an iron cast pot for lunch. Finally, you will visit Hakone Open-Air Museum to enjoy viewing various installations while strolling down the stunning landscapes of Hakone.

At the end of the day, you will come back to your Tokyo hotel.

Drive by car to Nikko National Park, a place that, as its name suggests, exudes sunshine. Ever since a temple complex with a mausoleum for the great shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu was built here in the 17th century, Nikko has been synonymous with splendor. The red Shinkyo Bridge, which could only be crossed by envoys of the shogun or emperor, was built on the spot where the founder of the first temple in the Nikko Mountains, the Buddhist monk Shodo, according to legend, crossed a stormy mountain stream on the backs of two giant snakes. The Hall of Three Buddhas in the Rinnoji Temple, where there is a unique composition of three three-meter statues - Buddha Amida, the Goddess of Mercy Kannon with the head of a horse and the thousand-armed Kannon. Just behind the temple is a bronze peace pillar in which 1,000 Buddhist sutras are walled up. A classic Shoyoen landscape garden, designed in such a way that it delights the eye with the subtle beauty of nature in all four seasons of the year. A sacred stable with a world-famous bas-relief of three wise monkeys, whose poses say: “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.” Honjido Singing Dragon Temple, where a huge dragon is painted on the ceiling. He gives a voice when the monk standing under him strikes the wooden planks in a special way.
The main gate of Yomeimon, richly inlaid with fine wood carvings. On one of the columns the drawing is placed upside down to avoid the envy of evil spirits. Honden - The main hall of the shrine, where the deified spirits of the three great shoguns of Japan rest - Ieyasu Tokugawa, Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Yoritomo Minamoto. Those who wish can climb 200 stone steps leading to the bronze Hodo Pagoda, under the arches of which Ieyasu’s ashes are buried. Climbing along the mountain serpentine you will see the cascade of Kegon waterfalls.

You will start your day with visiting Tsukiji, the largest fish market not only in Japan, but in the whole world. After the morning auctions, the fresh catch is sent to restaurants in Tokyo and the rest of the world, as well as to the local venues in Tsukiji. At one of such sports, you can try the freshest sushi and sashimi!

After that, you will relocate to Yokohama, Japan’s second largest city, and an epicenter of new trends and ideas. You will walk into Minato Mirai 21, meaning the Port of Future 21, full of ultramodern architectural masterpieces.

Minato Mirai’s centerpiece is the Landmark Tower, built in 1993 by the American Hugh Stubbinson architectural bureau. It is a 300-meter-high skyscraper, one the tallest buildings in the country. You will walk through Yamashita Park, one of the most beautiful parks in the city. From its observation deck, you will enjoy an unforgettable view of Yokohama Bay and the 890-meter-long bridge. You will also check out  "Hikawa Maru" (Queen of the Pacific Ocean) ship, now a museum, forever moored to the pier. You will transfer to your hotel in Tokyo after the tour.

Kamakura is the medieval military capital of Japan. It was founded by Minamoto Yoritomi, the first shogun of Japan. The era when Kamakura was the capital gave its name to the historical period of the same name in the history of Japan.

After meeting the guide at the reception, you will start your excursion to Kamakura, the ancient military capital of Japan. The city is located on the Pacific coast and surrounded by picturesque mountains, making it an impregnable fortress for enemies. You will see the Shinto shrine Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, which is dedicated to the god of war. Then, you will walk the famous Wakamiya Oji road, which splits the city and leads to the shrine. The road runs between two ponds: one is called "Genji," which means life, and another is "Heike," which means death.

The next spot, the Kotoku family temple, includes the Great Bronze Buddha Daibutsu, which is 13.5-meters-high. The shrine was created in 1252 and survived severe fires, powerful earthquakes, and tsunamis. Then, you will see the three-level Hasedera temple. On top of a sacred hill is the famous gilded sculpture of the eleven-faced goddess Kannon, the tallest wooden sculpture in Japan, 9.5-meters-high. Buddhist monks carved the sculpture from a single trunk of a camphor tree. Then, you will enjoy your lunch.

Moving to Fujisawa, the island of the samurai, on the top of the hill, you will see a sanctuary of the dragon of the seas, revered as the deity of loyalty and devotion. You will then visit the Cape of Love, where all lovers strive to strengthen their feelings. Iwaya Cave was carved out by water and served as a natural shelter during the samurai wars. After the tour is completed, you will come back to your hotel.

You will arrive in Kyoto by Shinkansen and enjoy your day trip there.

Kyoto is the ancient imperial capital of Japan, one of the oldest cities in the country, the entire historical part of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kyoto was founded in the 8th century and served as the Imperial residence for almost twelve centuries. Among its numerous temples and sacred sites in Kyoto, one can highlight the Sanjusan-gendo temple, built back in 1164. Even today, it is the longest wooden structure in the world. In the long central hall, in the twilight, there are 1001 statues of the goddess Kannon the Merciful. You will have a lunch break then at a traditional Japanese restaurant.

Another Kyoto gem is the Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, an elegant three-level temple with its roof covered with thin sheets of gold. The building is also topped with a traditional bronze phoenix. The temple is located in a magnificent garden from the Muromachi period. Nearby is the world-famous Zen rock garden of Ryoanji: its fifteen stones seem to be randomly scattered on the white gravel, but from any point only fourteen are visible...

The Silver Pavilion, Ginkaku-ji, is another architectural masterpiece. The temple is gracefully reflected in the adjacent lake, making it a classic Kyoto view... Finally, you will walk down the open veranda of Kiyomizudera, or the Temple of Pure Water. You will enjoy a stunning Kyoto panoramic view. The local legend says that if you take three sips from the adjacent spring, your wish will come true! You will wrap up your Kyoto’s experience by visiting the legendary Geisha Gion quarter, which has been a center of entertainment since ancient times. You will come back to your Kyoto hotel after that.

The city is very close to Kyoto, just half an hour away. During its foundation, several majestic temples have been built here. For example, the Todaiji Temple, which was completed in 725. This is one the greatest wooden structures on Earth. Todaiji now is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This temple is dedicated to the Buddha of Infinite Light incarnation, embodied in the sun. Inside, there is a gigantic bronze Buddha statue, the largest in Japan.

In the 5th century AD, Japan borrowed a lot from China and Korea in terms of civilizational development. Religion was one of these gifts from Asia's mainland. Japanese have also borrowed writing, architecture, and even urban planning that dominated the Chinese Tang Dynasty style back then. This is why Nara, as Japan's first permanent capital, was built on the model of Changyan, the capital of China at the time.

Near Todaiji, another Buddhist temple, Kofukuji, is located; it was built in the 7th century. Its pagoda, Goju-no-to, is one of the tallest in the country. This "skyscraper from the past" is 55-meter high! The Goju-no-Pagoda is the most famous graphic symbol of Nara.

Thanks to Nara's compact site, people usually come here for just a day, which is enough to see all the sights. Of course, the Kasuga Taisha Shinto Shrine is also worth your attention. At the entrance to the temple, there is a wisteria tree, whose age is estimated to be 800 years! Inside, on the temple grounds, is a Japanese cedar tree, which is around ten centuries old! All year round, the temples in Nara host various Buddhist and Shinto religious festivals.

You will be transferred by car to the railway station, where you will board the Shinkansen super express to Tokyo. Upon arrival in Tokyo, you will check in to your hotel.

You will meet your guide at your hotel in Osaka around 9 am.

Osaka is the Kansai region’s main city, a true metropolis. The city is the industrial and commercial heart of the whole Western Japan. Osaka has been playing a major role in Japan’s history even since it was founded. Osaka’s most famous landmark, a city that rivals Tokyo, is Osaka-jo, or the Osaka Castle. It is a majestic eighth-floor structure, three of which are underground. The castle was erected in 1586 as a Shogun Toytomi Hedeyoshi’s stronghold, and the main castle of Japan of the time. In the lower floors there is a museum, exposing a medieval collection of armor, artifacts, and documents.

The next part of the trip will be visiting Osaka downtown. You will check out the famous Umeda Sky skyscraper, with its Sky Gardens observation deck located on the roof. Its unique architecture resembles hanging gardens. A must have for any Osaka tour is walking down the legendary Dotonbori Street, the local “Broadway” This central street of the city is famous for its exquisite restaurants and boutiques, representing world's leading fashion brands. It is highly recommended to try perfect local cuisine.

At the end of the tour, you will transfer to the hotel.

- Check out from the hotel, transfer by car to the airport.
- Departure on any flight.