Classic Japan

Konnichiwa! Welcome to Kyoto. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you have some free time, step out onto the streets for your first taste of this beautiful city. Originally called Heian-kyo (literally 'peaceful and tranquil capital'), Kyoto was named the national capital by Emperor Kammu in AD794. The city had its golden age as Japan’s capital for over 1000 years before the emperor and government were moved to the new capital of Tokyo. After the meeting tonight, perhaps head out for your first taste of traditional Japanese food. As the former millennium-long home of the imperial kitchen, Kyoto is known as the centre of Japanese culinary tradition, so you should begin this trip with a delicious meal!

You’ll begin the day with a visit to some of Kyoto’s most important sites. Visit the opulent Nijo Castle – home to the Tokugawa Shoguns who ruled the country during the Edo period. Check out the ‘nightingale floors’ of Ninomaru Palace, which squeak to warn of intruders (like otherwise silent ninjas). From the castle, you’ll take a short bus ride to Ryoan-ji – perhaps Japan’s most famous Zen garden – where carefully placed rocks sit in an immaculately raked bed of gravel. Also nearby is the partially gold leaf-covered Kinkakuji Temple, immortalised in Yukio Mishima’s novel 'The Temple of the Golden Pavilion'. This evening, take a step back in time on a walk through the narrow streets of Kyoto's charming Gion district. An entertainment district and the centre of geiko culture, Gion comes alive at night. If you’re lucky, you might spot geiko (geisha) or maiko (apprentice geisha) in their elaborate dress and make up. If you’ve got the budget, perhaps attend a tea ceremony at one of the district's teahouses or splash out on a kaiseki meal in a ryotei (small restaurants serving traditional multi-course cuisine).

Today is a full free day and there’s so much for you to explore. With its many cultural landmarks, historical sites, an abundance of traditional arts and a rich literary history, Kyoto is regarded as the cultural heart of Japan. Maybe visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its thousands of torii (gates) that line a path up Mt Inari. Kyoto is a city that lends itself to walking – it’s highly recommended you take a gentle stroll through the nearby eastern hills along the Philosopher’s Path that links Ginkaku-ji (the Temple of the Silver Pavilion) with Nanzen-ji Temple. This walk can be extended south through well-preserved Old Town areas to Kiyomizu-dera (Temple of Pure Water) from which there’s an acclaimed view across a wooded gorge toward Kyoto. Also recommended, for those visiting in April, is a visit to the theatre for a presentation of Miyako Odori (the Cherry Blossom Dance) performed by elaborately dressed geikos and maikos. Close to Kyoto station, you'll also find the architecturally impressive Higashi Honganji Temple and Sanjusangendo Temple, home to 1001 gold statues of Kannon. In the late afternoon, you might like to return to the Kawaramachi or Shijo Dori area of central Kyoto to browse the shops or enjoy dinner in one of the many restaurants in these buzzing districts.

Take a train into Koya-san, spotting as many of the 120 temples dotted around the region as you can. Founded in the 8th century by the Buddhist saint Kobo Daishi, Koya-san has been the centre of Shingon Buddhism for over 1200 years. The last leg of the train journey takes you through some of Japan’s finest scenery, on a mountain road rising through the clouds, 915 m above sea level. The most impressive sight on Mt Koya is Japan’s largest cemetery – Okunoin – the resting place of many of Japan's most famous people. Some 200,000 stone statues, wooden totems and sometimes unusual memorials (a rocket marks the site of a mausoleum for the workers of an aerospace company) lie throughout this moss-laden forest. After visiting the mountain’s sights, make your way to the comfortable Shukubo (temple lodging) for the night. Here, you might interact with some of the monks that run the lodgings and learn about the customs of traditional Japanese accommodation. Tonight, experience a taste of shojin ryori – Buddhist vegetarian cooking made with fresh, simple ingredients.

Return by cable railway to Gokurakubashi, then travel to Osaka to board your first shinkansen (bullet train), headed for Hiroshima – you’ll reach speeds of up to 270 km per hour! As you speed south, stop to visit Japan’s most impressive samurai castle at Himeji. The building, which has survived earthquakes and war since the mid-16th century, was restored to its full glory in 2015. The moats, baileys, towers and walled alleyways were ingeniously designed to trick attackers – perhaps so intimidatingly that they were never tested. Explore the castle that was once home to over 10,000 samurai families and look out over the city from the seventh floor. Continue to Hiroshima and join your group for a dinner of okonomiyaki – Japan’s signature savoury pancake made of batter, cabbage, egg, customisable toppings like seafood, meat or vegetables and the traditional Hiroshima-style addition of yakisoba noodles.

This morning, you’ll visit the Genbaku (A-Bomb) Dome and the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, both of which memorialise the fateful day in August 1945 when Hiroshima was chosen as target for the first ever wartime use of the atomic bomb. Today, the dome serves as a reminder of the devastation of nuclear warfare and a symbol for world peace. At the memorial park, you’ll see museums and monuments in memory of the victims and learn about the events leading up to the bombing. In the afternoon, you’ll hop on a short ferry ride to the enchanting island of Miyajima. The island is home to the floating Itsukushima Shrine, famous for its bright orange torii (gate) that rises majestically out of the sea. Miyajima’s an ideal place for walking – maybe check out Momiji Park (AKA Maple Valley), where you can take a cable car up to the top of Mt Misen. Return to Hiroshima for the night and maybe explore more of the local cuisine for dinner – ask your leader for suggestions!

Board a bullet train to Nagoya, then change to an express train and continue north to the mountainous centre of Japan. You’ll spend a memorable night in a ryokan (a traditional Japanese inn) near the village of Tsumago. Once a post town (where travellers could rest on their journeys) during the Shogunate period, Tsumago is the best preserved of the many posts along the historic Nakasendo Highway. The highway once connected Tokyo with Kyoto and is depicted in Hiroshige’s famous woodblock prints. Cars are prohibited in the main street and cables run underground to maintain the medieval atmosphere of the town. You’ll walk along a short section of the highway, from the post town of Magome to your accommodation at Tsumago. In tonight’s ryokan, rooms are equipped with thin futon mattresses that are spread on tatami mats. Tonight, you’ll enjoy a traditional dinner cooked in the ryokan.