8 Days Japan Sakura Tour

Tokyo-Hakone- Kyoto-Nara -Osaka-Hiroshima

Tour Code: TAT-Japan-03

Tour Type: Private Tour

Price from: US$2147 Free Inquiry

Tour Feature

  • Enjoy full cherry blossom in Japan
  • Exciting experience of Shinkansen in Japan
  • Explore Hiroshima where the first A-bomb was dropped
  • Visit the world heritages like Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Mt. Fuji

Tour Itinerary Expand All

Day 1 Arrival Tokyo

Transfer to hotel

Meal: No meals
Hotel: In Tokyo

Welcome to Tokyo! Our local representative will wait for you at the NRT/HRD airport and our driver will transfer you to hotel. Check in hotel and enjoy your leisure time.

Tokyo City View
Tokyo City View

Day 2 Tokyo

Ueno Park, Toshogu Shrine, Hanazono Inari Shrine, Ameyoko old market, Meiji Jingu, TMGB(Observatory in 45th Floor)

Meal: Breakfast
Hotel: In Tokyo

Today is your time to explore the Tokyo city. Our local guide will meet you at the lobby of the hotel. First we will go to the Ueno Park, famous for being the best palace to enjoy the cherry blossom among the local residents. We will walk around in Ueno Park and visit Ueno Toshogu Shrine and Hanazono Inari Shrine. Then we walk to the Ameyoko old market, an open-air market with approximately 164,227 square feet. Once a black market, it has become one of Tokyo’s most vibrant places with a huge array of food, clothing, jewelry, toys and cosmetics. You will be recommended to the local restaurant for lunch.

After lunch time, we head to the Meiji Jingu, a large Shinto shrine in Tokyo, built in 1920 to venerate the Emperor Meiji (1852-1912) under whose reign Japan became a modern state. Surrounded by the huge Yoyogi Park, Meiji Jingu is in a green setting - almost with a rural calm feel, making it the most visited religious site in Japan.

After it, we get to the Observatory in 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Buildings (TMGB) to enjoy the 360-degree Tokyo city view including the Tokyo Tower and Mt. Fuji if the weather permits.

Tour ends by getting back to hotel with your guide.

Meiji Shrine
Meiji Shrine

Day 3 Tokyo-Hakone-Kyoto

Owakudani Valley, Hakone Ropeway, Mt Fuji View, Lake Ashi Cruise

Meal: Breakfast
Hotel: In Kyoto

Today we will head to Hakone by taking the Express train-Romance Car View wide(1.5hrs). We arrive at Hakone Yumoto station, we take Hakone Ropeway to Owakudani Station, we could visit the Owakudani Valley there for around 10 minutes and taste the special black onsen egg there. Then we continue to take the Hakone Ropeway to Togendai Station. The peaceful Lake Ashi will come into our sight and we take Lake Ashi cruise to see the splendid scenery from an observatory deck, Mt.Fuji, Gulf of Sagami and Lake Ashi when the weather is clear.

We get back to Odawara station for the Shinkansen(2hrs) to Kyoto without guide. Our Kyoto guide will meet you at Kyoto Station and help you to check in hotel.

Mt Fuji
Mt Fuji

Day 4 Kyoto

Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Nijo-Castle, Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine

Meal: Breakfast
Hotel: In Kyoto

Today we are going to explore the historical and cultural Kyoto by visiting world heritages Kiyomizu Temple, Nijio-Castle and Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine.

Kiyomizu Temple
is the oldest temple in Kyoto, known for "stage of the Kiyomizu". It was listed as one of the world cultural heritage sites in 1994. Stage of the Kiyomizu (clear water stage) is Japan national treasure level cultural relic with the main hall constructed over a cliff and featuring a large wooden veranda supported by 139 pillars, each 49 feet high. The cherry blossom is in full bloom in spring and red maple is valiant in autumn here. The Yinyu waterfall under the stage of Kiyomizu, whose three sources respectively represent health, study and marriage, is where many people line up to receive water for drinking and praying.

Nijo Castle is in north of downtown, once Kyoto imperial castle with stunning Tamami rooms with beautiful paintings of the Edo period. It's forbidden to take pictures indoor, but you'll come across banquet halls and even the Shogun's private apartments where his wives lived. Walking in the gardens of Nijo castle is very nice: the lawn, trees and plants are well maintained. As a bonus, an alley strewn with Sakura is of course to visit during spring when they blossom.

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is the head shrine of about 30,000 Inari shrines across Japan, with a compound of 870,000 square meters. This shrine is dedicated to the rice lotus god to bless the commercial prosperity, financial success and grain prosperity. It is renowned especially for hundreds of the dense vermilion Torii gates is one of the representative landscapes in Kyoto and also appears in the film “Memoirs of a Geisha”, lining up along the pathway to Mt. Inari, each of which bear the name of its donor.

Tour ends by getting back to hotel with your guide.

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine

Day 5 Kyoto

Sanjusangen-do Temple, Kinkaku-ji Temple, Arashiyama, Sagano Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji Temple, Togetsukyo Bridge

Meal: Breakfast
Hotel: In Kyoto

Today we will continue to be impressed by the world famous sights in Tokyo. They are Sanjusangen-do Temple , Kinkaku-ji Temple, Arashiyama

Kinkaku-ji Temple
means the “Temple of the Golden Pavilion”. Built in 1379, it was originally the mountain villa of shogun, and later changed into the Buddhist temple "Bodhi house". This high profile and gorgeous temple, and the mirror lake pool in front of each other, become one of the most classic scenes in Kyoto. KinKaku-ji Temple is a three-story pavilion, the first floor for the water court; The second layer for chao Yin hole, dedicated to the goddess of mercy; On the third floor is a square hall dedicated to the three Maitreya Buddha statues.

Sanjusangen-do Temple(33rd hall) is the main hall of the lotus king courtyard, which refers to "the hall with 33 sections of space between the beams and pillars". It is the longest wooden building in the world, as long as 120 meters, with the amazing Guanyin group inside. Its subjective image is a thousand-hand guanyin sitting statue, which is also regarded as a national treasure of Japan. There are 1001 of upright Guanyin statues in the hall, carved out of cypress wood and wrapped in gold foil. Each statue has more than 20 pairs of arms. It is also the Japan national treasure will amaze anyone fist eyes on.

We will continue to Arashiyama by train for less than 15mins. There are not only rich cultural attractions, but also natural scenery changing with the seasons and small trains restoring ancient ways in this area. There are many ancient temples, shrines, and breathtaking Sagano Bamboo Grove. Among them, Tenryu-ji Temple is a world heritage site, the headline attraction in Arashiyama, a sprawling Zen temple with one of the finest gardens in Kyoto and wonderful mountain views. There is a famous bamboo forest path is about 500 meters long leading to Tenryu-ji Temple. Walking through the bamboo forest, you can hear the natural sound of the wind blowing through the bamboo leaves. This sound is also rated as one of the 100 best sounds to keep in Japan. It is also the place where Ang lee shot “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”. Togetsukyo Bridge spans the Hozu River, which usually has at least a bit of water in it but being a great picture shooting area.

Tour ends by getting back to hotel with your guide.

Kinkaku-ji Temple
Kinkaku-ji Temple

Day 6 Kyoto-Nara-Osaka

Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Todai-ji Temple(Great Buddha), Deer Park

Meal: Breakfast
Hotel: In Osaka

Today we will take a local train(about 45mins) to Nara for the Todai-ji Temple(Great Buddha),Nara Deer Park, Kasuga Taisha Shrine. Once we arrive Nara station, we can take a public bus directly to Nara Deer Park.

Nara Deer Park is in the front of Todai-ji Temple. There is a walking street to the temple where we could see some deer leisurely sitting on the ground, freely walking and wishing passers-by feeding them by bowing heads.

Todai-ji Temple is the head temple of Japanese temples. It was built in 752 by emperor Seibu in order to worship the Giant Buddha and was listed as a world cultural heritage site. Two fires in history destroyed the building. The present building was rebuilt in 1692. It is only two-thirds the size of the original building. The great Buddha hall in the temple is the largest wooden ancient building in the world. Inside, there is a 16-meter-high Buddha statue of lushana, which is the largest bronze Buddha statue in the world. It’s really a place where highly worthy a visit.

We will take a scenic bus(less than 5mins) to the Kasuga Taisha Shrine nearby. It was established at the same time as the capital and is dedicated to the deity responsible for the protection of the city.

Kasuga Taisha is famous for its lanterns, which have been donated by worshipers. Hundreds of bronze lanterns can be found hanging from the buildings, while as many stone lanterns line its approaches. The lanterns are only lit twice a year during two Lantern Festivals, one in early February and one in mid August. There are many smaller auxiliary shrines in the woods around Kasuga Taisha, twelve of which are located along a path past the main shrine complex and are dedicated to the twelve lucky gods. Among them are Wakamiya Shrine, an important cultural property known for its dance festival, and Meoto Daikokusha, which enshrines married deities and is said to be fortuitous to matchmaking and marriage.

Our guide bring you to take the Shikansan to Osaka(15mins), the local guide in Osaka will meet you at the station and check in hotel with you.

Nara Deer
Nara Deer

Day 7 Osaka-Hiroshima

Miyajima, Itsukushima Shinto Shrine, Peace Memorial Park and Museum, A-bomb Dome

Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: In Osaka

Today our guide will meet you at the hotel and head to Shin-Osaka station for Hiroshima with bullet train. The first visit on arrival is Miyajima, which is known as one of the three most beautiful scenic spots in Japan. We take a boat from the main land to a small sacred island, on whose beach stands the vermillion color Torri gate. The gate and main hall of the shrine look floating in the water when the tide is high. Itsukushima Shinto Shrine is set up over the sea. You can find many shops and restaurants on the island. Enjoy lunch on the island could be a nice choice.

When we return to central Hiroshima by boat and train, we will visit Peace Memorial Park and Museum as well as A-bomb Dome that is nominated as World Heritage of UNESCO. We will return to Osaka by bullet train.

Tour ends by getting back to hotel with your guide.

Torri Gate
Torri Gate

Day 8 Departure

Transfer to airport by sharing shuttle bus/airport limousine

Meal: Breakfast

Our local representative will meet you at the lobby of the hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight to your next destination. 

Service Ends

Notice:

Due to the uncertainties of this tour, such as special local conditions , the changes of accommodation rate, etc, the tour has to be tailor-made and its price is on request. Please tell us in advance your group information inclusive of departure date, number of pax, and other individual needs, which will be helpful to work out a fit program and the right price.

What our clients say

4.9/5.0 | Excellent

M

Melissa Dixon

5.0

Jul 07 ,2022

Thank you Yuki - she made this trip perfect. My highlight was seeing a geisha and Mt Fuji.

T

Thaneshan

5.0

Jun 30 ,2022

Special mention of "very good" guide Emiko, she stopped lots to check on us all, which was much appreciated as no one got lost or late for trains, etc. Yuki was friendly and helpful throughout the tour and made our first experience if Japan an excellent experience.

D

David Jaeger

5.0

May 18 ,2020

In case I don’t get a chance to say it in person, I want to thank you personally for a wonderful introductory trip to Japan. I know that I speak for the four of us when I say that we have thoroughly enjoyed this trip from start to finish and we are very grateful for your personal service and the extreme care that you took at every turn. Miki was the best guide we could have wished for – so knowledgeable and so candid – a delightful person.
We will be very happy to recommend Top Asia Tour to our friends, acquaintances, and colleagues in the Canadian civil service.
Many thanks again and I hope that we will have the opportunity to travel with you again in the future.

J

Jessa s.

5.0

Mar 26 ,2020

The Japan trip was fantastic! Due to the virus, we were only 4 girls + our amazing tour guide and we had a blast! A lot of the tourist places were empty which made our trip easier and more relaxing. A huge thank you to our tour guide, Becca, for all of the great memories, advice, and laughs.

P

Peter A. Garza

5.0

Mar 15 ,2020

This has been one of the best tours I've been on, and despite being in Japan during the Corona pandemic Brooke our tour guide managed to make it the best tour ever. There were so many things we saw that normally would have been swarming with people but we had it all to ourselves. It was so amazing especially, with the Senso-Ji Temple in Tokyo, it was nothing short of magical seeing the temple and wandering around with so few people around, it was magical. And the pattern kept repeating itself throughout the tour it really was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure(pun most definitely intended). This tour exceeded all of my expectations and I'm so happy that I chose to go on this adventure.  I'm grateful that I had this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience Japan.

M

McGuinness

5.0

Mar 12 ,2020

This is our 2nd trip with TopAsiaTour. We went to China with them in 2017. And we have always been delighted by the experiences and by our tour guides. This trip to Japan was no exception. Lily is an experienced and considerable travel advisor in Top Asia Tour, putting together excellent itineraries, lodgings, transports, and guides.

M

Mircea Ardelean

5.0

Jan 19 ,2020

Rebecca was excellent. She gave clear daily itineraries. She was very organized and friendly! The tour was good. I especially liked the sushi and calligraphy classes and the monkey park. The shrines and palaces; as well as the hikes on the old highways, gave me a historical background for me. I also enjoyed the natural beauty of Japan. The steam vents of the volcano and Mt. Fuji! Rebecca exposed us to different restaurants allowing us to try different foods. All were fantastic!

A

Amritpal Singh

5.0

Jan 03 ,2020

I did this tour in Nov/Dec and had an absolutely amazing time. Japan is a fascinating country and we visited a mix of urban and rural areas. As a keen walker, the highlight for me was walking the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route on the Kii peninsula walking through the mountain valleys between the 3 holy shrines. The train journey from Osaka to Tanabe on the Kii peninsula is stunning. Another highlight was walking part of the Nakasendo trail an ancient route between Kyoto and Tokyo that is now a walking route in the Kiso valley visiting the old post stations (juku) such as Magome and Tsumago. At Kawaguchiko we were lucky to have a perfectly clear view of Mt Fuji. Travel was mostly by train including bullet trains and buses in some mountainous areas that the train does not go to. Our accommodation was a mix of western-style hotels in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nagoya and ryokan(traditional Japanese style) in the rural areas. We had private guides in nearly all the locations we went to. Each day of walking was followed by a delicious Japanese-style dinner and soaking in the onsen - pure bliss. I would highly recommend this tour if you enjoy walking and would like to see a lesser-known part of Japan.

N

Nadine Engonge

5.0

Nov 28 ,2019

What a great trip. There were some changes needed due to a typhoon arriving the first day...however, Pablo did a great job of adjusting schedules and accommodating everything!

M

Mahdi Ashtari

5.0

Oct 14 ,2019

Very interesting and enjoyable
Very professional from the time I started my inquiry about the tour, everything was detailed and clear. The agent of TopAsiaTour was very helpful and cooperative to solve any issue I had. My Japan tour was very informative and the tour guide was knowledgeable of the subjects that were explored

C

Cami Chau

5.0

Sep 27 ,2019

I have had the most fabulous tour. My guide Yuki made the tour easy with her fantastic organization skills, great sense of humor, and caring nature. I appreciated the balance of guided aspects and free time. Yuki was so helpful and accommodated the needs of all group members. She was so knowledgeable and efficient which meant we could make the most of our time at each place. My first trip with Top Asia Tour has been a blast. A big Thanks to the company and THE BEST tour guide!

S

Stephen

5.0

Sep 15 ,2019

Great way to see the major sights & experience traditional food & culture.
Wow!!! Our Japan and Korea tour has a good balance of historical, traditional, and contemporary sights or experiences. TopAsiaTour managed the logistics of getting around cities and countries which made this effortless for us. The guide was incredibly helpful and always went that extra mile for the group. The size of the group was good and ensured you never missed anything.

A

Anila Ruparelia

5.0

Aug 21 ,2019

We did this tour for our honeymoon and it was fantastic! I'd recommend this trip to everyone. Our tour guide made Japan extra special. She went above and beyond to find information and recommendations for anything not included on the tour. She was polite, accommodating, and very informative and was one of the main reasons our experience was so very special. We look forward to visiting Japan again and would love to have Lily as our host again. 

S

Sabina Sapkota

5.0

Jun 18 ,2019

Every aspect of planning our trip to China was seamless. Joyce has been amazing. She responds to any and every request immediately and has been incredibly informative about every aspect of our trip. I would definitely recommend the Top Asia Tour team

M

Mike Chaloner

5.0

May 18 ,2019

A very interesting time in Japan - the people were great and very experienced guides made it very easy and enjoyable.

D

Dale Tyler

4.0

Nov 12 ,2018

The Tour was excellent, surpassing my expectations. Our guide Yumi was so knowledgeable, attentive, and caring that we learned so much about Japan, its people, and culture than we ever would have done as independent travelers.

Touring is tiring, You pack so much in but the tour had ample free time for further exploration or resting for those who needed it.

I would certainly recommend Top Asia Tour and would use it again. 

A

Anat Segal

5.0

Oct 10 ,2018

The tour was very enjoyable. Pablo, our Guide was superb in providing information regarding Japanese culture and history. The fact that he is passionate about the subject and his job made the tour great.

L

LISA CARON

5.0

May 06 ,2018

The views, meals, service, and onsen at the Ryokan were excellent. Both guides were absolutely wonderful. This was my first experience on an overseas tour and I loved it. I can't speak highly enough of Yuki and Ako. They were both professional, organized, and just fun to hang out with.

R

Roshni Ladva

5.0

Apr 08 ,2018

Our Japan tour was amazing, filled with wonderful sights of Japan. The trip was filled with wonderful sights to see. Our guide Yoko was very knowledgeable and accommodating. She gave us a great insight into the wonderful country.

R

Ruth Ndila Ndeto

4.0

Mar 16 ,2018

I really enjoyed the tour. Most of the arrangements and organization were very good and our tour guide Yuki was amazing, super polite, the patient really took care of us, and went over and above in making our holiday so enjoyable. From the daily well written with cute drawings on her daily schedules, and tiny treats she bought us, to the knowledge and expertise in the way she took us through all the public transport so efficient, I give her top marks.

Train rides were fine and agree the most efficient. I have a few suggestions...If the tour could add a few alternatives like visiting The monster cafe, team lab, and robot restaurant, just to give it a mix of temples and museums and considering the varying age groups and interests.

On the hotels, Kyoto and the traditional were good and location of hotel accommodations were very good, Tokyo hotel rooms were very tiny and I a single occupant found it difficult so can only imagine how the couple's managed but I guess it's usual and the location was really good so its a plus.

Overall I did have a great holiday. I enjoy using your tours and will continue to do so. Thank you very much and please share our sincere appreciation with Yuki.

H

Hari Chaturvedi

5.0

Dec 05 ,2017

One of the best trips I have done. Our tour guide, Hana, was exceptionally knowledgeable in local culture, places to eat, activities and optional activities, local transportation, etc. Her natural caring for people has shown throughout the trip. She always reassured each member of the group that they are enjoying the time and don’t feel left out. The tour was very well planned and I feel I have learned a lot more about the culture and people of this country. I would strongly suggest anyone do this tour.

M

Marta Alves Pereira

5.0

Apr 13 ,2017

Special mention of "very good" guide Emiko, she stopped lots to check on us all, which was much appreciated as no one got lost or late for trains, etc. Yuki was friendly and helpful throughout the tour and made our first experience if Japan an excellent experience.

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