Japan Express: Osaka to Tokyo

Day 1: Osaka

Arrive at any time.

We highly recommend booking pre-accommodation to fully experience this lively city

Accommodation: -

Hearton Hotel Nishi Umeda (or similar)

Included Activities: -

Welcome Meeting - Meet Your CEO and Group

Day 2: Osaka/Kōyasan (1B, 1D)

Travel to the centre of Buddhism in Japan and sleep in a temple atop the 800m Mt Koya. Savour a traditional dinner of shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine). Watch the monks pray in the morning.

Journey to Mt Koya, a religious centre founded in 816 by the Buddhist monk Kobo Daishi. The train ride up the mountain is possibly one of the finest rail journeys in Japan. For the final steep ascent, switch to funicular and then hop on a bus to reach the monastery

In the evening, dine on shojin-ryori, typical vegetarian cuisine, and relax in a yukata, or kimono.

Accommodation: -

Sekishoin (or similar). 

Meals Included: -

Breakfast - Dinner

Transport: -

Train 03:00 Hr(s)

Included Activities: -

Overnight in Mount Kōya Temple

Additional Notes: Please note that the new JR Pass validation policy asks travellers to come to the office counter to activate their JR Pass.

Day 3: Kōyasan/Hiroshima (1B)

Watch the monks pray in the morning and enjoy a traditional breakfast. Have some time to enjoy Koyasan this morning, before travelling to Hiroshima this afternoon.

Early morning offers the chance to observe the monks praying. Breathe in some fresh mountain air before a vegetarian breakfast, then start the journey back down the mountain via bus, train and funicular.

Later, board a train to Hiroshima, a historically significant city, marked by the explosion of the first atomic bomb in 1945.

Accommodation: -

Via Inn Hiroshima Shinkansenguchi (or similar).

Meals Included: -

Breakfast

Transport: -

Bullet train: Kōyasan to Hiroshima 05:00 Hr(s)

Included Activities: -

Oku-no-in Cemetery Visit

Day 4: Hiroshima

This morning, visit the Peace Park and Memorial Museum commemorating the events of 1945. In the afternoon, take a ferry ride over to the sacred island of Miyajima to see the famous floating Torii Gate. Opt to hike around Mt Misen. 

Accommodation: -

Via Inn Hiroshima Shinkansenguchi (or similar).

Transport: -

Ferry: Hiroshima to Miyajima

Included Activities: -

Hiroshima Park and Peace Memorial

Miyajima Island Visit

Day 5: Hiroshima/Kyoto

Travel to Kyoto and start exploring. Visit the impressive Nijo Castle and gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the evening, explore the geisha district of Gion on a CEO-led walking tour.

Accommodation: -

Hotel Gracery Kyoto Sanjo (or similar).

Transport: -

Bullet Train 01:30 - 02:00 Hr(s)

Included Activities: -

Gion Walk 

Nijo Castle and Gardens Visit 

Additional Notes: Please note the Ninomaru Palace at Nijo Castle will be closed from Dec 26-Jan 3. Groups travelling during this time will visit the Kiyomizu-dera Temple. 

Day 6: Kyoto

Enjoy a visit to the beautiful Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine and walk under the bright torii gates. Opt to shop, stroll along the riverbank, or explore another of Kyoto's many temples with free time.

Accommodation: -

Hotel Gracery Kyoto Sanjo (or similar)

Included Activities: -

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine Visit

Day 7: Kyoto/Hakone (1D)

Take a boat ride on Lake Ashino-ko, and hopefully catch a glimpse of majestic Mt Fuji. Enjoy a feast on a Japanese multi-course kaiseki meal then soak in the natural hot springs. Travel to Hakone, a town in the hills famous for its onsens, or natural hot springs

In the evening, enjoy savouring a complex meal of traditional Japanese foods, followed by a recommended soak in the onsen.

Accommodation: -

TKP Hotel & Resort Rekutore Hakone Gora (or similar).

Meals Included: -

Dinner

Transport: -

Bullet train: Kyoto to Odawara 03:00 Hr(s) 

Local bus: Odawara to Hakone 00:30 Hr(s)

Included Activities: -

Lake Ashino-ko Boat Ride 

Traditional Kaiseki Meal 

Day 8: Hakone/Tokyo (1B)

Head to Tokyo with time to do some last-minute shopping.

Arrive before noon to Tokyo, with time to explore this energetic metropolis.

Opt to visit Ueno park and the museums, Akihabara for cutting edge electronics, Harajuku for funky fashions, Ginza for the highest of the high end, walk the grounds of the Imperial Palace East Garden, or just stroll the streets, looking for the traditional life that still lies just under the modern surface

Accommodation: -

Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku (or similar). 

Meals Included: -

Breakfast

Transport: -

Bullet train: Hakone to Tokyo 02:00 Hr(s)

Day 9: Tokyo

Depart at any time.

 Additional Notes: We highly recommend booking post-accommodation to fully experience this vibrant city.