Ultimate Japan: Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kaga Onsen & More

On arrival at Tokyo's Haneda Airport you will be met by Goway's local representative and transferred to your accommodation in the city.

The balance of the day is at leisure to being your explorations of this cosmopolitan city.

This is the perfect introduction tour to Tokyo. Travel around Tokyo using the cities sophisticated and efficient subway and train lines together with your private guide visiting some of Tokyo`s main sites. Meet you guide in the morning in the lobby of your hotel and then walk to the train station to begin your adventure. Start the day with a visit to Sensoji Temple, Tokyo`s oldest Buddhist temple. After visiting the temple grounds take time to stroll along Nakamise shopping street to look for souvenirs or maybe purchase a snack. Then continue to Tsukiji Outer fish market (many shops are closed on Sundays and on some Wednesdays). Along the market streets you will find many different types of food stalls selling fish, seafood, vegetables, fruit, dried goods, as well as kitchenware shops. Stroll through the market with your guide and choose to sample food from the food stalls or visit one of the small restaurants for lunch (hint hint...this is the place to try the freshest sushi and sashimi so we recommend you go to a restaurant). After lunch hop back on the train to travel across the city to Shibuya Crossing, the largest pedestrian crossing in the world and a fun place to people watch. This will be a short visit to walk across the busy crossing, see the neon signs and cross it off the bucket list. While there you will also visit Hachiko Square. Then take a short train transfer to Meiji Shrine. Meiji Shrine is a Shinto Shrine surrounded by Meiji Jingu forest and it will suddenly feel like you are no longer in metropolitan Tokyo. Walk through the peaceful shrine grounds and if you are lucky, you may see a Shinto priest. After visiting the shrine, stop for a latte or green tea break at a café in Harajuku, the pop culture neighbourhood (time permitting). We suggest an art café that specialises in 3D foam art. The rest of the day is free for you to explore bustling Harajuku or the upmarket Omotesando avenue. Your guide will either say goodbye so you can continue exploring or escort you back to your hotel.

During the day, activate your 14 Day Japan Rail Pass.
Japan has one of the most extensive, comfortable and modern rail systems in the world. The Japan Rail Pass offers foreign visitors the opportunity to travel on the extraordinary network of the JR Group at an economical price. The JR Pass allows travel on most JR trains, including Shinkansen bullet trains, limited express, express, rapid and local trains, as well as some local JR buses and the ferry to Miyajima island (near Hiroshima).

Today is at leisure to discover Tokyo at your own pace. 

Following breakfast transfer to the Tokyo Bullet Train Station were you board the train to Kanazawa an approximately 3 hour journey.

On arrival meet your guide at Kanazawa JR train station and then begin your walking tour using public bus transit. First, visit the Kaga Yuzen Kimono Center to learn about the process of kimono dying and the history of kimono making in Kanazawa. Then, you will have the very special experience of dressing in a kimono! Once dressed, choose to visit either Kenrokuen Garden or the Higashi Chaya district for photo taking. Return to the center afterwards to return your kimono. Your next visit is Gyokusen-en Garden, where you will partake in a traditional matcha green tea ceremony and learn about the tradition and etiquette of drinking green tea in Japan. If time permits, you can discuss with your guide what you would like to see and do next in Kanazawa.

Following breakfast meet your guide in the lobby of your hotel in Kanazawa or at Kanazawa JR train station and then begin your walking tour using public bus transit. Your first stop is Kanazawa's star attraction, Kenrokuen garden which is regarded as one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan. Walk through the garden grounds and enjoy the flora and fauna which changes depending on the season. Continue your tour to the Higashi Chaya district, the historical geisha district where you will learn about geisha lifestyles and have the opportunity to visit a gold leaf store, a specialty of Kanazawa. Your last stop today is the Nagamachi district, where samurai and their families used to reside. While there visit the Nomura Samurai House. Your guide will escort you back to your hotel or the train station at the end of the tour.

This afternoon you will be transferred to the Kaga Onsen Station for your Ryokan stay.

After checking in at the resort, the balance of the day is at leisure.

Day at leisure to enjoy the onsen baths at your ryokan and explore Yamashiro Onsen hot spring town.

Make your own way to Kyoto using your rail pass. Take the Ryokan’s shuttle bus back to Kaga Onsen station and then take the train to Kyoto (approx. 2 hrs). On arrival in Kyoto make your own way to your hotel located next to the train station.

Tonight, we can arrange a special maiko and geisha dining experience. Please ask your Goway destination expert for more information.

The is the perfect introduction to Kyoto, visiting some of the cities most iconic sites. Meet your guide in the morning in the lobby of your hotel and then begin your walking tour using public transit (subway and bus). Your first stop is the renowned Kinkakuji temple, better known as the Golden Pavilion, one of Kyoto's UNESCO World Heritage sites. Walk through the temple grounds to admire the gold leaf decorated temple and visit the teahouse for a matcha green tea tasting and Japanese sweet. Afterwards, choose to visit either Nijo Castle, one of the best examples of castle palace architecture from Japan's feudal era or Kyoto's Imperial Palace, the once residence of Japan's Imperial family. Your guide will then escort you to a restaurant for lunch as you will have surely worked up an appetite from all the morning explorations. The type of cuisine you have for lunch will depend on your preferences, but your guide will be able to make some recommendations. After lunch, travel to the Southern Higashiyama district to visit another one of Kyoto's most famous sites, Kiyomizu-dera temple, located on a hillside overlooking the city and also a UNESCO site. Explore the temple grounds and see Otowa Waterfall. Then you may decide to explore the souvenir shops in Higashiyama (time permitting). Your guide will escort you back to your hotel at the end of the tour or you may choose to end the tour in the Gion district, the historical geisha district of Kyoto.

Meet your private guide at your hotel and then travel together to the Arashiyama area, where Kyoto's renowned bamboo forest is located. Walk along the pathway through the bamboo forest to admire the groves and capture the perfect photo. Then visit Tenryuji temple, one of Kyoto's main zen temples and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Walk through the temple grounds and see the zen garden. Afterwards, discuss with your guide to decide what to see and do next, since Arashiyama offers a lot of options. Choose to shop along Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street, visit lesser known temples or go to Monkey park. At the end of the tour your guide will escort you back to your hotel.

After breakfast take an early morning bullet train from Kyoto to Hiroshima an approximately 2 hour journey.

Meet your guide at Hiroshima JR train station in the morning and then begin your walking tour using public transit (streetcar, train and ferry). Your first stop is Peace Memorial Park. Walk through the park to see the Atomic Bomb Dome and the other monuments and then visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Afterwards, go for lunch at an okonomiyaki cuisine restaurant, one of Hiroshima's specialties. Then transfer to Miyajima island, home to one of Japan's most photographed sites - Itsukushima Shrine with the floating tori gate. During high tide the tori gate appears to be floating in the sea. After visiting the shrine, the rest of the day will be spent exploring the quaint town of Miyajima. Choose to visit the lesser known Daishoin temple, perched on a hillside overlooking the sea or explore the shops and food stalls in town. At the end of the tour, your guide will escort you back to the train station.

Make your own way to Osaka today using your rail pass (approx. 2 hrs). We suggest you stop en-route in Himeji to visit Himeji castle, one of Japan’s most famous castles. The castle is about a 5 minute taxi ride from Himeji station, making it a very convenient stopover.

Move away from the basic idea of Japanese cuisine on this food adventure! Osaka is known as the soul kitchen of Japan, and Kuromon Market is renowned as the kitchen of Osaka. This morning you will seek out traditional family businesses and sample local favourites such as fresh seafood, okonomiyaki, homemade oden stew, and juicy grilled wagyu beef skewers, and a historical or modern Japanese sweet. Then explore 'Doguyasuji' (Osaka's kitchenware street), home to everything and anything you need to open a restaurant. Strolling through this shopping arcade, you will come across family-run kitchen knife makers, and artificial food display makers. Finish the tour by grilling your own Takoyaki! Upon request, your guide can also show you a secret takoyaki flavour called "ponzu", a citrus vinaigrette sauce. Your guide will leave you in Osaka to continue enjoying the city at your leisure.

Today is free at leisure. Choose to spend more time exploring Osaka or take an excursion to nearby Nara, Kobe or Mt. Koya.

Following breakfast, transfer to Osaka's Kansai Airport for your onward flights.