On arrival at Narita Airport, be met in the arrival hall by today's driver who will assist with the included transfer to the hotel (60 - 90 minutes). The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Take a day tour of this fascinating city with a local guide, making use of Tokyo's comprehensive and user friendly public transport system. The day begins with a visit to Meiji Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deified spirit of Emperor Meiji and a popular place for traditional Japanese weddings. Take a walk down Omotesando shopping street, a broad tree lined avenue home to the flagship stores of the world's top fashion brands. Head across town to Asakusa, Tokyo's old town where one can soak in the atmosphere of the Tokyo of old. Visit Sensoji, Tokyo's oldest temple and wander down Nakamise, a shopping street that has been providing temple visitors with a variety of traditional, local snacks and tourist souvenirs for centuries. Take a boat cruise on the Sumida River passing under 12 bridges. Disembark in Hamarikyu garden, an Edo Period Japanese garden surrounded by the Shiodome district's futuristic skyscrapers, a great example of how Japan is the land of contrasts, where one will stop for a cup of steaming matcha and Japanese sweets in a tea house on a small island in the park's lake. ...read less

The guide for the morning will meet at the hotel and take Yampu Travelers to the Ryogoku, the center of Japan's sumo world. As well as the Kokugikan Sumo Stadium, Ryogoku is home to most of Tokyo's sumo heyas. All rikishi (wrestlers) belong to heyas, or sumo stables, where they live, train and eat. Visit one of these heya to get up close and personal with these giant men and watch their asa geiko (morning training). The day begins in the early morning, when the lowest ranked men wake up and put in some practice before going about their assigned duties, which include cleaning the building and preparing the food for the main meal of the day. Higher ranked sekitori appear at a more reasonable hour, and they begin a practice session that runs from about 7am until about 10am. After several hours of warm up and technique practice, the wrestlers play an exciting "King of the Castle" game where one wrestler stays in the ring fighting bouts without any rest until he is defeated. After training, it is time to eat like sumo at a local restaurant specializing in chanko nabe. Chanko nabe is a Japanese stew with chicken, fish, tofu and vegetables. Whilst a very healthy dish, when eaten in sumo sized amounts it helps sumo to gain weight. Many of the restaurants in the area that serve chankonabe are run by ex-sumos.
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Travel by train to Hakone, the gateway to the Mt Fuji region. Armed with a Hakone Pass, take advantage of the extensive local transport network to explore this stunning region. Ride the world's second longest cable car to the top of Mt Owakudani, passing over the pools of boiling hot water belching steam which give the mountain its name "Hells Valley". At the top one can sample a black egg, cooked in the hot springs and said to add 7 years to one's life. A majestic replica pirate ship will sweep visitors across the volcanic Lake Ashi, so deep that it never freezes over in the winter. One can also ride switchback trains, ropeways and buses to get around to explore some of the museums, shrines, and shops scattered around the area. Tonight, stay in a Japanese traditional ryokan, sleeping on futons laid out on tatami mats with delicious included meals and piping hot onsen (hot spring) baths. ...read less

From Hakone, take the world famous Shinkansen bullet train, which reaches speeds of up to 300km/h. Next, change onto the Limited Express Hida Wideview for the one of the most scenic train journeys in Japan, winding through tall mountains and stunning gorges to Takayama. This afternoon, Yampu recommends visiting one of the town's many sake breweries for a taste of the local drop, its high quality due to the area's clean water sources.

Today is at leisure. After breakfast Yampu recommends heading up to the Miyagawa morning market with stalls selling local crafts and produce. This is a great opportunity to try some of the region's delicious fruit and vegetables. A short bus ride will take Yampu Travelers to Hida No Sato Folk Village, an open air museum exhibiting over 30 typical farmhouses and other traditional buildings from the Hida region. There is also a workshop in the village illustrating how many of Japan's famous handicrafts are made, including wood carving, tie-dying, weaving, and lacquering. In the afternoon one can visit the Takayama Festival Floats museum, displaying floats from the famous Takayama festival, or simply wander through the beautifully preserved old town. ...read less

Travel by coach (1hr) to Shirakawago, and spend the day exploring this quaint mountain village. In the afternoon, continue on by coach to Kanazawa.

The highlight of any visit to Kanazawa is Kenroku-en garden. Ranked one of the top three in Japan, its breathtaking beauty shines through in any season. We would also recommend visiting imposing Kanazawa castle, located next to the garden. One can also visit the Nagamachi Samurai district, Saihitsuan Yuzen Silk Center, offering demonstrations of the centuries-old Yuzen silk painting technique, and the Nomura Samurai House, a traditional Japanese home with tea-ceremony room, an interior courtyard garden and artifacts from the Edo period ...read less

Travel by train to Hiroshima (4 hours with one change in Shin Osaka). Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure.

Today enjoy a day tour of Hiroshima with a local guide, starting with a visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The area where the park now lies was ground zero for the Atomic Bomb on 6th August 1945. After the bombing the Memorial Park was created and dedicated to those who lost their lives in the attack. Stroll through the park and discover the many memorials, monuments and statues in the park before heading into the Museum itself. From Hiroshima, a short ferry ride will take visitors to Miyajima Island. A small sacred island located in the Inland Sea, it has been a holy place of Shintoism since the earliest times. Here one will find perhaps the most photographed site in Japan - The Floating Torii Gate. Designated as one of Japan's '3 Most Beautiful Views', the shrine it belongs to dates back to the 6th century with the present structure dating back to the 12th century. The harmoniously arranged buildings reveal great artistic and technical skill, and have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mere 'commoners' were not allowed to set foot on this holy place, and even now it is forbidden to give birth or die on the island! Enjoy some time to explore the island and its many shrines and temples, sample local goodies like maple leaf shaped cakes before heading back to the hotel. ...read less

Back on the Shinkansen to Kyoto (2hrs).
In the afternoon, take part in a private cooking lesson. Japanese cuisine has such high reputation that it was declared UNESCO Intangible World Heritage. In this tour one will be able to try their hand in making some of the dishes that made this cuisine so popular in the world and in particular learn about Kyoto's typical kappo cuisine. In Japanese, kappo means to cut ingredients with a knife and cook them over a fire. At a kappo style restaurant, fine seasonal cuisine is served over a counter where diners sit face to face with a chef. In this class Yampu Travelers will be the chef!
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Today, explore the former imperial capital with a knowledgeable local guide, utilizing Kyoto's comprehensive bus system to visit some of Kyoto's World Heritage Sites. Start the day with a visit to Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion), which was originally built as a retirement villa for the Shogun. After his death it became a Buddhist Temple at his request, and is now one of Kyoto's most famous temples. Nijo Castle is an ornamental castle, built by the founder of the Edo Shogunate as his Kyoto residence and is surrounded by stunning gardens. The main building was completed in 1603, and is famous for its architecture, decorated sliding doors and 'chirping' nightingale floors.
Take a walk down Nishiki Market, a narrow, five block long shopping street lined by more than one hundred shops and restaurants. Known as "Kyoto's Kitchen", this lively retail market specializes in all things food related, like fresh seafood, produce, knives and cookware, and is a great place to find seasonal foods and Kyoto specialties, such as Japanese sweets, pickles, dried seafood and sushi. Final stop today is Kiyomizu (Pure Water) Temple. From the 13m high veranda jutting out from the Main Hall one can enjoy amazing views of the whole of Kyoto, whilst pondering the fact that both the Main Hall and Veranda were built without the use of nails or any kind of joiners.
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Transfer from the hotel to Nara by train (45min) with a local guide. For 74 years during the 8th century Nara was Japan's capital and many of the temples and shrines built at that time still remain. Visit Todaiji temple, the world's largest wooden building and home to Japan's largest Buddha. Next stop is Nara's most celebrated shrine, Kasuga Taisha, established in 768 AD and famous for its hundreds of bronze and stone lanterns which have been donated by worshipers. Take a wander through Nara Park, called Deer park by locals due to the large population of more than 1,000 tame deer living there. On the way back from Nara, visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, which was used in the movie Memoirs of a Geisha. It is home to over 10,000 red tori gates, which form a path up the mountain behind the temple. ...read less

Today is free until the included airport train to the airport for the flight home.