• Day
• 1

• Western-style hotel
• Welcome Dinner

Meet your guide and other group members at the tour hotel in central Tōkyō in the evening. There will be a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. 

• Day
• 2

•  Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn)
• Breakfast, dinner

We travel this morning to Zenkō-ji in Nagano Prefecture, northwest of Tōkyō.
Zenkō-ji is a historic temple in Nagano City, boasting a history of approximately 1,400 years. Its principal image is said to be the oldest Buddhist statue in Japan, and is worshipped by many people regardless of sect. The main hall has been designated as a national treasure and is a sacred site; many say that one should visit Zenkō-ji Temple at least once in one's lifetime.

Afterwards we make the short journey to Yudanaka Onsen, a hot spring village famous for its ‘snow monkeys’. The Japanese macaques originally came here to warm themselves in the outdoor hot spring bath during the cold winters and now come all year round.

• Day
• 3

Head to Matsumoto and the Nakasendo Post Town of Narai

• Ryokan (Traditional Japanese Inn) 
• Breakfast, Dinner

We travel first to the city of Matsumoto to see its beautiful castle, built in the 16th century. After lunch we continue to the Kiso Valley and the small town of Narai, an atmospheric example of a post town on the ancient Nakasendō Way between Kyōto and Tōkyō (or Edo as the city was known in the feudal period). There are many well-preserved houses and former inns.

Accommodation: Minshuku (family-run guesthouse)
Meals: Breakfast, dinner

• Day
• 4

• Onsen hotel (hot spring hotel) or minshuku (family-run guesthouse) 
• Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, there will be time to wander the beautiful streets of Narai. The village is a good place to buy lacquerware and woodcrafts; afterwards, train and bus journeys bring us to the village of Tsumago. Another of the post towns on the former Nakasendō trail, Tsumago has been beautifully preserved – a living museum still inhabited by the local residents. Wander the streets and taste gohei mochi, skewered balls of pounded sticky rice covered in a sweet paste of miso, sesame, and walnuts before visiting the folk museum.

Later, continue to nearby Magome, another beautifully restored post-town on the historic Nakasendō road. With its stone-paved streets, traditional wooden buildings, and panoramic views over the Kiso Valley, Magome offers a charming glimpse into Japan's Edo-period. After exploring the village, transfer to your accommodation for the night.

• Day
• 5

• Onsen hotel (hot spring hotel)
• Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, we travel to Takayama, a historic city that has retained much of its traditional architecture and is well-known for its crafts, particularly yew-wood carving, Shunkei lacquerware, pottery, and furniture.

After arriving at our inn, there may be time to explore the surrounding areas and relax in a hot spring bath before dinner. In the evening, we will try the local Hida beef and perhaps some locally brewed sake.

• Day
• 6

• Minshuku (family-run guesthouse) 
• Breakfast, Dinner

We begin the day with a trip to Takayama's morning market, where stalls sell vegetables, crafts, pickles, and souvenirs. We will also visit one of Takayama's preserved 'heritage houses' before wandering the Sanmachi area with its rows of old merchant houses, some of which are open as museums. After lunch, we travel to the village of Ogimachi in the Shirakawa-go area northwest of Takayama. The village is home to many gassho-zukuri houses and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995. These large wooden houses have steep thatched roofs designed to withstand heavy snow, and the term gassho-zukuri refers to the shape of praying hands formed by the roofs.

• Day
• 7

• Western-style hotel
• Breakfast

We leave the mountains today, travelling by bus to Kanazawa. Upon arrival in Kanazawa, we will visit the Samurai District and Kenrokuen Garden. Known as one of the top three gardens in Japan, Kenrokuen is a garden built by the region's daimyō during the Edo period, with vast grounds and beautiful scenery that changes with the seasons.

After exploring Kenrokuen, you will have some free time. We recommend visiting Ōmichō Market and the Higashi Chaya District, which is characterised by its traditional townscape that retains traces of the Edo Period.

• Day
• 8

•  Western-style hotel
• Breakfast

Leave Kanazawa and head to Kyōto by train.
After arriving in Kyōto, we will experience tea ceremony at a long-established tea shop. This is a chance to learn about traditional Japanese culture, the aesthetic, and the spirit of hospitality.

Then we will go to Nijō Castle. Nijō Castle is a historic castle in Kyōto City, built in 1603 by the shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu. It was a base for demonstrating the authority of the Edo Shogunate and is famous for its Ninomaru Palace and beautiful murals. It is also known as the site of the Imperial Restoration in 1867 and is listed as a World Heritage Site.

• Day
• 9

•   Shukubō (temple lodging)
• Breakfast, dinner

We travel first to Ōsaka by local train, then along the scenic Nankai Railway Line to Mount Kōya, a complex of Buddhist monasteries in the mountains of the Kii Peninsula. Since the 9th century, Mount Kōya has been a place of religious devotion and ceremony. Today there are over 100 monasteries, many of which have shukubō temple lodging.

We stay in one of the elegant temples and dine on shōjin ryōri Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. We walk through the vast Okunoin Cemetery, with thousands of gravesand memorials, including those of feudal lords and other past luminaries.

• Day
• 10

•  Western-style hotel
• Breakfast, farewell dinner

This morning you will have the opportunity to get up early (6 am!) to join in the Buddhist service at the temple where we spent the night.

We will travel to Kyōto by train after breakfast. In Kyōto, there will be a farewell dinner in the evening.

• Day
• 11

•   Breakfast

The tour ends today after breakfast. Your guide will be on hand to offer assistance and advice for travelling to the airport if you have homeward flights, or on onward travel in Japan if you are extending your stay.