Tokyo →Nagano →Yamanouchi → Toyama → Ainokura →Shirakawa Go → Kanazawa → Kyoto →Osaka →Fuji San→Tokyo
Cosmopolitan, nature, technology, gastronomy! From manga and anime to the heights of Mount Fuji!
Recommended period:
Beginning of June through the end of September for the itinerary presented.
We’ve avoided recommending travel to Japan in the summer for many years, but now we’ve realised that if you take the time to cater to the desires of any tourist, you’ll also find the advantages of this hot season.
Recommended for:
- Travellers who love freedom, adventure and novelty;
- Travellers who enjoy hiking in nature;
- Travellers who have at least two weeks to dedicate to exploring Japan;
- Active travellers;
- Travellers who love nature and air conditioning;
- Families, teenagers and those who desire an experience where all members of the group return enriched.
Why Summer holidays in Japan?
- For cosmopolitan, lively, vibrant Tokyo and the unique activities you can do here.
- For J-pop, manga, anime and everything that falls under Japan's subculture that has inspired teenagers worldwide.
- For the Nagano area and nature walks in Yamanouchi, a famous hot spring resort known for the snow monkeys indulging in hot baths.
- For the Tateyama Kurobe alpine route where the flora is exceptional in the summer.
- For the Ainokura village with its traditional farmhouse architecture.
- For traditional Kyoto with serene temples in tune with Zen.
- For a day of street food in Osaka and a Kobe beef dinner in Umeda.
- For Mount Fuji and Hakone Park, for relaxation in a hot spring bath, gazing at the magnificent scenery in a traditional Japanese inn.
*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 grab your family and your bags, add a touch of emotion, enthusiasm and adventurous spirit and embark on the flight to Tokyo. You’re all ready, from young to old, to discover your passions for the new destination and you’re open to experiencing novelty and learning something new every day.
Day 2 Tokyo
Lively, cosmopolitan and vibrant Tokyo!
- A day of exploring Tokyo guided by one of our colleagues. Your list of objectives in this bustling city includes: Shibuya District and the intersection known for the sea of people crossing from five corners simultaneously, the artificial island of Odaiba and a sunset from Rainbow Bridge, an evening full of lights, noise and colour in Shinjuku, the district that never sleeps.
- Accommodation Tokyo
Day 3 Tokyo
From Edo to Manga
- We’ll only tell you this much: today you’ll traverse 400 years, from areas reminiscent of Tokyo from the 1600s during the Edo period to the shockingly fascinating Tokyo of passionate anime, manga or Jpop enthusiasts. All these sights await you in Tokyo on the route from Asakusa to Akihabara. Don’t miss the chance to visit the Ghibli Museum, but be sure to make reservations well in advance.
- Accommodation Tokyo
Day 4 Tokyo → Nagano → Yamanouchi
- Your first trip on the Shinkansen will take you to Nagano, where you’ll spend a few relaxing hours with activities for the whole family, then in the afternoon, you’ll head to Yamanouchi for a relaxing evening in a traditional Japanese inn in the Joshinetsu Kogen.
- Accommodation Yamanouchi
Day 5 Yamanouchi → Toyama
- The first part of the day is dedicated to a hike in the Jigokudani Monkey Park for a meeting with the snow monkeys. Then, you’ll take a train journey to Toyama.
- Accommodation Toyama
Day 6 Toyama → Korube Gorge → Toyama
- You have an exceptional day ahead, with a nature spectacle presented from the sightseeing train. During an 80-minute route you’ll admire the deepest gorge in Japan. In the evening, you’ll return once again to Toyama.
- Accommodation Toyama
Day 7 Toyama → Alpine Route → Toyama
- The train, cable car, funicular and bus are the means of transport you’ll use to enjoy the alpine route. The highest and culminating point is Murodo, which offers a fantastic view of the Tateyama mountain range.
- Accommodation Toyama
Day 8 Toyama → Ainokura → Shirakawa-go → Kanazawa
- Start your morning with a short but impressive stop in the farming village of Ainokura, nestled in a beautiful valley. The settlement is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site but is the least touristy of the villages in the Gokayama region because it’s quite difficult to access.
- Continue the day with a 45-minute bus journey to 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 by splendid mountain views
- You’ll continue the journey to Kanazawa, so that tomorrow morning you can visit Kenrokuen Garden.
- Accommodation Kanazawa
Day 9 Kanazawa → Kyoto
Traditional rural and urban
- After visiting Kenrokuen Garden, you’ll wander through the tea district of the city in search of local delicacies, some of them prepared with gold leaf.
- At noon, you’ll board the train and head to the ancient capital of Japan, Kyoto. You’ll have lunch on the train, just like most Japanese travellers do.
- Alone or accompanied by one of our colleagues, we suggest spending the afternoon in Kyoto visiting: the Higashiyama District with its narrow streets and traditional houses, the Pure Water Temple – Kiyomizu-dera and in the evening, the Gion district in search of geishas.
- Accommodation Kyoto
Day 10 Kyoto
Zen and bamboo
- 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.
- 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 11 Kyoto → Osaka
Kyoto for teenagers
- In the morning, you will discover another side of the traditional capital of Japan, the modern face dedicated to contemporary culture. Your first visit will be to the International Manga Museum. Then, continue with a coffee at Shiba Inu Cafe, one of the most famous dog cafes in Japan.
- In the afternoon, once you reach Osaka, immerse yourself in the city’s atmosphere with a visit to the Osaka Science Museum, designed especially for children. We continue with a stroll to the Abeno Harukas Building. What sunset could be more beautiful than one seen from the top floor of the building that has become a symbol of the city, being the tallest building in Japan?
- In the evening, venture into the nostalgic streets of the Shinsekai District and taste local specialties, such as “kushikatsu” – meat and vegetables fried in special batter.
- Accommodation Osaka
Day 12 Osaka
From traditional to modern
- This day you will dedicate to exploring the city of Osaka, the second largest city in Japan.
- The first stop on today’s list of attractions will be Osaka Castle, built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who wanted this castle to become the centre of a new Japan united under his rule.
- Continue with Universal Studios, the first theme park of the company built in Asia.
- In the evening, the sunset awaits you at the Umeda Sky Building.
- Accommodation Osaka
Day 13 Osaka → Hiroshima → Osaka
The peace after the storm
- You will travel to Hiroshima, the capital of a highly industrialised coastal area, a new and flourishing city whose optimistic residents rarely mention the bomb. “Hiroshima” is synonymous with the horrors of war. Your first stop will be at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which offers warnings of the past to current and future generations. The skeletal remains of a building known as the Atomic Bomb Dome appear in history textbooks worldwide.
- The next stop will be Miyajima Island, reached by ferry from Hiroshima. Miyajima Island is one of the three places traditionally designated as having the most beautiful landscapes in Japan, and Itsukushima Shrine is internationally recognized for its “torii” gate seemingly floating on the water.
- Accommodation Osaka
Day 14 Osaka → Fuji Hakone
In the cool shade of Mount Fuji and onsen relaxation
- After a day full of positive but overwhelming excitement, you board the shinkansen and you arrive near Japan’s symbol, Mount Fuji. If you still have energy, we suggest a sightseeing route with various fun modes of transportation: from tourist trains to funiculars, cable cars and even a boat ride in the Hakone Fuji National Park. This route will give you the opportunity to see magnificent landscapes and, if the weather is clear, Mount Fuji in all of its splendour. If you’re low on energy and just want to relax, there’s no better place than a traditional Japanese inn with an onsen. The onsen is the Japanese spa where you’ll have the opportunity to relax in thermal water, outdoors, while enjoying a Japanese garden or a perfect panorama.
- Accommodation Hakone in a traditional Japanese inn
Day 15 Fuji Hakone → Tokyo
Shopping time
- Today, you’ll board the Shinkansen again to return to the vibrant metropolis of Tokyo, where you can fill any remaining space in your luggage with whatever you desire.
- Accommodation Tokyo
Day 16 Tokyo
Disney magic
- If curiosity drives you and your group feels enthusiastic, a day at Disneyland or DisneySea is guaranteed to be a Japanese influenced experience.
- Accommodation Tokyo
Day 17 Tokyo → Home
Sayōnara, Japan
Today you will bid farewell to Japan and head to the airport for the flight home.
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.
