Tokyo → Fuji → Takayama → Shirakawa-go → Kanazawa → Kyoto → Nara → Osaka → Hiroshima → Miyajima → Tokyo
Cosmopolitan, spiritual, traditional! From the heights of Mount Fuji to the Zen gardens of Kyoto!
Recommended period:
Beginning of November – End of November, for the suggested itinerary.
Unlike the Sakura season, Momiji, as the maple tree is called, retains its spectacle for a longer period. Depending on the region of Japan you plan to visit, you can admire the colours from October to December.
Recommended for:
- Travellers who love autumn and nature;
- Active travellers;
- Travellers who have at least two weeks to dedicate to visiting Japan;
- Tourists who love freedom, adventure, and novelty;
- Tourists who want to see a lot and experience complexity, from contemporary to rural areas.
Why Autumnal hues in cosmopolitan and traditional Japan?
- For cosmopolitan, lively, vibrant Tokyo and the unique activities you can do here.
- For Mount Fuji and Hakone Park against the backdrop of maple leaves, for relaxation in a hot spring bath, gazing at the magnificent landscape, in a traditional Japanese inn.
- For a visit to Takayama, which shows you a less touristy and closer to the Japanese soul side.
- For traditional Kyoto with serene temples in tune with Zen.
- For Shirakawa-go and the mountainous landscape painted in autumn colours, and for Kanazawa and the delicacies made with gold leaf.
- For the deer of Nara, long considered sacred, and for Hiroshima, full of history.
*We continue below by presenting the recommended itinerary with the mention that it can be modified and personalised according to your own desires.
Day 1 Home → Tokyo
Nihon e yokoso!
- You’re boarding the flight to Tokyo.
Day 2 Tokyo
Lively, cosmopolitan and vibrant Tokyo!
- A day where you get lost in Tokyo or discover it guided by our colleagues. Your list of objectives in exploring the city with crazy energy begins with a “technical” stop at Shinjuku Station to exchange JR vouchers for passes and continues with:
- Shinjuku;
- Yoyogi Park;
- Meiji Jingu – a Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife;
- Harajuku District – a meeting point of urban fashion trends, between eccentricity and kawaii, with dozens of cafes and clothing stores;
- Shibuya District, in the evening – known for the busiest intersection in the world, where over a million people gather daily, home to the well-known statue of the loyal dog Hachiko;
- Accommodation Tokyo
Day 3 Tokyo → Fuji Hakone
Mount Fuji amidst autumn colours and onsen relaxation
- After a day full of positive excitement, but still overwhelming, you board the shinkansen, and after just an hour, you arrive near Japan’s symbol, Mount Fuji.
- If you still have energy, we suggest a sightseeing route with some fun means of transportation: from tourist trains to funiculars, cable cars and even a boat ride in Fuji Hakone National Park, a route that will give you the opportunity to see the landscapes of the mountains painted in autumn colours and, if it’s clear, Mount Fuji in all its splendour.
- If you’re low on energy and just want to relax, no other place can be more suitable than a traditional Japanese inn with an onsen amidst the maple leaves. The onsen is the Japanese spa where you’ll have the chance to relax in thermal water, outside, enjoying a Japanese garden or a perfect panorama.
- Accommodation Hakone – a traditional Japanese inn with a spa
Day 4 Fuji Hakone → Takayama
From nature to tradition
- You start the day with a journey on the shinkansen train to Nagoya and then to Takayama, the mountain town proud of its best-preserved old town centre.
- You’ll stroll among the traditional houses and visit some museums, trying not to get lost in the area, tempted by sake breweries. In the evening, you’ll continue the onsen experience, as Takayama also boasts its hot springs.
- Accommodation Takayama
Day 5 Takayama → Shirakawa-go → Kanazawa
Rural and traditional urban
- You’ll start the morning with a short but impressive stop in the traditional village of Shirakawa-go. The unusual architectural style of the houses will give you a unique glimpse of Japan, as you’ll weave your way through these houses, accompanied everywhere by the piercing colours of autumn offered by the splendid mountain views.
- You’ll continue your journey to Kanazawa, where the maple leaves will delight your eyes again, with Kenrokuen Garden being the first place to visit.
- You’ll wander through the city’s tea district in search of local delicacies, some of them prepared with gold leaf.
- Accommodation Kanazawa
Day 6 Kanazawa → Kyoto
The old capital under the autumn pastels
- After a day spent in Kanazawa, you board the train and head to the old capital of Japan, Kyoto. This traditional city is visited by thousands of tourists who admire and take walks through temples and gardens, once meant to relax the mind and enlighten the soul. It may be the best place to experience Japanese Zen. Alone or accompanied by our colleagues, for an afternoon in Kyoto we suggest to visit Ginkakuji – the Temple of the Silver Pavilion, a Zen Buddhist temple built in 1460, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Higashiyama District with its narrow streets and traditional houses, is one of the best-preserved historical districts of the city.
- Kiyomizu-dera – the Pure Water Temple, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a history of over 1200 years, the temple has been burned or destroyed numerous times, but always rebuilt. With original architecture, the temple features a veranda located 13 metres above the ground, from where you can enjoy a unique view.
- Gion District – formerly known as the pleasure district, Gion still retains its former charm.
- Accommodation Kyoto
Day 7 Kyoto
Zen and maple leaves
- Today you will head to Arashiyama, a place appreciated for its mountain views since the Heian Period.
- Get acquainted with the sound of the leaves in the Bamboo Forest, a sound that has been included in the top 100 heritage sounds that must be preserved in Japan.
- Then take a stroll through the Zen gardens of Tenryuji Temple, which becomes especially beautiful during autumn, and where there is even a designated room for viewing the garden.
- If you wish to spend more time in Arashiyama, then the Sagano Romantic Train is a perfect activity before leaving, as the train route runs through a gorge along a river, offering a stunning view of the reddening maple trees
- After a short walk through the centre of Arashiyama, where there are plenty of traditional shops and boutiques, the afternoon of this day is dedicated to two temples, Kinkakuji and Ryoanji, in the northern part of Kyoto.
- Accommodation Kyoto
Day 8 Kyoto → Uji → Nara → Osaka
Following the deer
- You’ll start your morning with a bit of hiking on the mountain that houses the Fushimi Inari Shrine, known for its thousands of large vermilion gates positioned side by side.
- With your warming up done, you’ll head to the city of Uji to learn more about the history of Japanese green tea, also known as “matcha.”
- You can enjoy a snack with matcha powder while visiting the Byodoin Temple, an important point of Buddhism, which you’ll also find on the 5 yen coins. After a brief stop in Uji, you’ll head to Nara, the sacred place of the deer that roam freely through the city streets.
- Nara Park not only shelters deer, once considered messengers of the gods in history, but also the temple Todaiji, the largest wooden building in the world, and the Kasuga Taisha Shrine, known for its collection of metal lanterns and stone lantern-lined paths.
- Accommodation Osaka
Day 9 Osaka
From traditional to modern
- This day you will dedicate to exploring the city of Osaka, the second largest city in Japan.
- Dotonbori District – a commercial area, popular for its colourful lights and neon signs, is the ideal destination to taste the best local culinary specialties.
- Abeno Harukas Building – considered a symbol of the city, with a height of 300 metres, it offers the opportunity for an impressive panoramic view of the surroundings.
- Shinsekai District – the most picturesque district of the city, is the perfect place to discover Osaka’s nightlife ambiance.
- Accommodation Osaka
Day 10 Osaka → Hiroshima → Osaka
The peace after the storm: Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima Island
Today you’ll travel to Hiroshima, the capital of a highly industrialised area on the coast, a new and thriving city whose optimistic residents rarely mention the bomb. The afternoon in Miyajima will gently soothe any possible wounds or suffering caused by the visit to Hiroshima.
- Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park offers warnings of the past to current and future generations. The shell of a building known as the Atomic Bomb Dome appears in history textbooks worldwide.
- Miyajima Island, reached by ferry from Peace Park, is one of three places traditionally designated as having the most beautiful scenery in Japan, and Itsukushima Shrine is internationally recognized for its torii gate seemingly floating on the water.
- Accommodation Osaka
Day 11 Osaka → Kurashiki
Authentic Japan
- Today you’ll head to Kurashiki, whose old centre from the Edo Period has been well preserved, and discover the history of the city that was once a rice distribution centre. First, you’ll take a boat ride on the city’s canals and admire Kurashiki under the shade of rust-coloured leaves. Around the main canal, you’ll find plenty of museums, such as:
- The Momotaro Museum, as Okayama (the city near Kurashiki) is believed to be the birthplace of the popular legend of Momotaro (translated as “Peach Boy”),
- The Toy Museum,
- The Folk Crafts Museum,
- The Ohara Western Art Museum,
- At the end of the day, you’ll visit the well-preserved house of a mercenary called “Ohashi House,” representing a fine example of the city’s history.
- Accommodation Osaka
Day 12 Osaka → Tokyo
Shopping time
- Today you’ll dedicate your last day to shopping in Osaka before boarding the shinkansen for your final day in the Land of the Rising Sun.
- Accommodation Tokyo
Day 13 Tokyo
Best of Tokyo
- You’ll start your day with a visit to Hamarikyu Gardens, where you’ll have the opportunity to deeply admire the maple leaves.
- You’ll explore the Asakusa district, first heading towards Nakamise Street, a bustling street full of various shops and food stalls, where you can buy souvenirs. At the end of this street lies the famous temple Senso-ji, known for the legend of the two fishermen brothers who found a statue of the goddess Kannon in the Sumida River.
- The afternoon will be dedicated to the last souvenir shopping and for the final Japanese-style meals.
- Accommodation Tokyo
Day 14 Tokyo → Home
Last day on Planet Tokyo
Today, you will bid farewell to dear Japan and head to the airport for the flight home. Sayonara!
For this itinerary, you can choose one of our consultancy and services packages!
Ideal for a journey you’ll remember as the most spectacular, well-organized and balanced, we recommend the JBM PREMIUM package, which includes:
Dedicated consultation meetings for crafting the program down to the smallest detail.
All tourist services: flight tickets, accommodation, travel passes, transfers, local guides, restaurant reservations, portable WiFi device.
A personalised travel guidebook with information to guide you throughout the entire experience.
A WhatsApp group where we communicate daily and send you audio information about the next day to ensure you have a smooth journey without any unpleasant events and make the most of your time and the Japanese experience.
A customised itinerary based on your interests and passions.
24/7 consultancy at the destination.
