Get to know Japan Dazzling Japan’s beguiling combination of ancient traditions, jaw-dropping scenery and mouth-watering food have made it the hot ticket for travel in 2021. As the UK’s Number One Tour Operator to Japan we know that it can be difficult to know where to start. Here’s our handy guide to the top attractions.
Golden Route
Japanese Alps
Combining Tokyo, Mount Fuij and Kyoto, the Golden Route encapsulates Japan’s must-see attractions.
Running along the spine of Honshu, the Japanese Alps are home to spectacular mountain scenery and provide an idyllic taste of rural Japan. Nestled amongst the peaks, Shirakawago is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its traditional GasshoZukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old.
Tokyo blends the ultimate futuristic cityscape of soaring glass towers and neon with tranquil pockets of history, whilst just a short journey away on the bullet train, Hakone National Park boasts incredible natural beauty, famed for its bubbling volcanic hot springs and picture-perfect views of Mount Fuji. The image of classical Japan, Kyoto was Japan's capital for over 1,000 years and is home to no less than 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, whilst Nara, Japan’s first capital, remains full of historic treasures including magnificent temples and adorable semi-tame deer. The Golden Route is featured on almost all of our Japan tours but if you really want to immerse yourself in Japanese culture along the way our new Off-Beat Japan tour is for you. Visiting: Tokyo – Mt Fuji – Nagano – Yudanaka – Takayama– Kyoto – Koyasan – Himeji – Osaka. 13 Days from £5,690pp
Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, is renowned for its beautiful samurai and geisha districts, as well as its stunning 17th-century Kenrokuen Garden, one of Japan’s ‘Three Great Gardens’. At the heart of the city, Higashi Chaya Street is a traditional Japanese street with historical rows of houses offering visitors delicious treats and tea. Experience The Japanese Alps on our Discover Japan tour. Visiting: Tokyo – Mt Fuji – Suwa – Takayama – Kanazawa – Kyoto – Nara – Koyasan – Osaka. 13 Days from £5,690pp
Nagano
Hokkaido & Northern Honshu
Nagano is a popular gateway to the Japanese Alps and Jigokudani Yaen-Koen, home of the adorable Japanese macaques, or snow monkeys, that take advantage of the region’s natural hot springs to bathe and escape the chilly mountain air. Other local highlights include Zenkoji Temple, built in the 7th century and thought to contain the first Buddhist statue brought to Japan, and the magnificent 16th-century Matsumoto Castle, the oldest wooden castle in Japan.
Hokkaido is Japan’s second largest yet least developed island and its unspoiled vistas draw outdoor enthusiasts from far and wide. The food is excellent, the capital city Sapporo is one of the most vibrant in the country and the cultural remnants of the island’s indigenous people, the Ainu, unique. Northern Honshu boasts old samurai strongholds, relaxing hot springs resorts and coastal scenery so pretty it has inspired poets for centuries.
Discover Nagano on our Experience Japan tour. Visiting: Osaka – Nara – Kyoto – Nagano – Matsumoto – Mt Fuji – Kamakura – Tokyo. 11 Days from £5,590pp
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Experience Hokkaido & Northern Honshu on our Journey through Japan tour. Visiting: Sapporo – Shiraoi – Noboribetsu – Hakodate – Hirosaki – Kakunodate – Tsunagi – Hiraizumi – Sendai – Nikko – Tokyo – Mt Fuji – Kyoto – Osaka. 14 Days from £6,390pp
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