Japan Uncovered – an escorted tour

Fly overnight to the lively, fast-paced city of Osaka.

On arrival you will be met by an English-speaking representative and transfer to your hotel.
Please note: Early check in is not included. If your flight arrives in the morning and you wish to arrange this, please speak to your reservations consultant. Transfers will differ depending on group size, but you may share a coach with other passengers who are not part of a Wendy Wu Tour. If you are on a shared bus transfer, you may have to walk for a few minutes to get to your hotel.

Transfer around 1 hour by coach to Nara and stroll through Nara Park to Todaiji Temple, meeting the resident sika deer en-route. Admire the traditional Isui-en Garden before returning to Osaka. Visit the impressive Osaka castle and later take a short cruise down the Yodogawa River.

Journey around 2 hours by coach to Himeji and explore the magnificent 17th Century Himeji Castle and the neighbouring Koko-en, a traditional-style garden. The castle is largely in its original condition, so please use common sense and be mindful of your step when strolling around. You will have to remove your shoes before walking along some of the wooden floors and there are some steep wooden steps to reach certain areas. After the reopening in March 2015, Himeji Castle has welcomed a large number of visitors. As such, they now issue numbered tickets to visitors in order to limit the number of people who can enter the Main Keep, reducing congestion, waiting time, and to protect the cultural properties. Please note that this means that there may be cases where some visitors are not allowed to enter the Main Keep. After lunch, continue around 3.5 hours to Hiroshima

Transfer to the famous Peace Memorial Park and Museum. Please be aware that the museum may be confronting and upsetting for some group members and it is at your discretion if you wish to visit or enjoy time at leisure exploring the Peace Memorial Park. After lunch, take a short ferry ride to Miyajima Island, where sightseeing will be at a leisurely pace on foot. Visit Itsukushima Shrine and explore the traditional market town at leisure. Later this afternoon, return by ferry and coach to your Hiroshima hotel for dinner.

Please note: Renovation works on Miyajima's famous floating torii gate are scheduled to start in June 2019. During the renovation works, the torii gate will be covered up by scaffolding. It is not known yet exactly how long the renovations will take, but they are expected to last 1-2 years.
While the torii gate will be covered, you can still see the Itsukushima shrine itself as well as enjoying free time on Miyajima Island to explore the local streets or make the walk up to Daisho-in Temple.

This morning, transfer to Hiroshima Station and catch a bullet train to Kyoto, a journey of 1 hour 40 minutes. Capital for a thousand years, this enchanting city is the epitome of traditional Japan. After lunch, visit Ryoanji Temple, with its famous Zen garden, and Kinkakuji Temple, known as the ‘Golden Pavilion’ due to its golden exterior. Continue to your hotel to check in.

Please note: You will need to pack a small overnight bag for tonight as your main luggage will be transferred separately this morning to the Kyoto hotel and arrive the next day.

Day 7 – Kyoto
Start the day by visiting the spectacular Kiyomizu Temple. You will spend 1.5 hours on foot exploring the temple. Later, experience the age-old rituals of a traditional tea ceremony before enjoying an afternoon at leisure until dinner.

Please note: Kiyomizu Temple is undergoing renovations which may last until 2020. You can still visit the temple and the shrines around it and your touring will not be affected.

Depart Kyoto and travel around 4 hours by coach to Kanazawa. After lunch in a local restaurant, wander through the beautiful Kenroku-en Garden before viewing the excellent art collection of the Kanazawa 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. Continue to your hotel and check in.

Visit the Nomura Samurai House and garden before transferring around 1.5 hours to Gokayama. Enjoy lunch and then try your hand on making washi paper. Continue approximately 1 hour to Shirakawago and explore the 300-year-old Gassho style Wada House. Finally, drive around 1.5 hours to reach Takayama where you will stay for the next 2 nights.
In Takayama we use a selection of hotels, some of which are more traditional in style but you will be accommodated in Western-style rooms.

Head to the Miyagawa Morning Market, where you can sample some of the delicious local fruits and vegetables (at your own expense). Next, take a leisurely stroll around the traditional houses of the area and visit some of the local museums including Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall, Kusakabe Folk Crafts Museum and Takayama Jinya before spending some free time in Kamisannomachi Street. You will spend around 5 hours on foot today sightseeing around the town of Takayama

This morning, depart Takayama and travel around 2.5 hours to Matsumoto to visit the formidable 16th Century Matsumoto Castle. After lunch, stop at a Miso House to learn about the process of making this Japanese seasoning. Try Miso soup before travelling a further 1.5 hours to Nagano.

Travel deeper into the Japanese Alps to visit the Snow Monkeys at the Jigokudani Monkey Park. There is around a 30-minute walk through the forested valley along paths, occasionally on an incline, from the bus park to the main pool where the monkeys bathe. Accustomed to humans, the monkeys can be observed from up-close and they almost completely ignore their human guests. Enjoy lunch and then continue to Zenkoji, one of Japan’s most prolific Buddhist temples. Before returning to Nagano, spend some time at a wasabi farm to learn about its cultivation

Today, travel around 3.5 hours by coach to the Fuji Five Lakes area and ascend by road to Fuji’s 5th station (weather permitting) for fantastic views over the area. Visit Itchiku Kubota Art Museum to view the elaborate dyed silk creations of artist Kubota Itchiku. Continue to your hotel and check in.

This morning, transfer to Hakone, a drive of around 2 hours. Enjoy a boat cruise on the peaceful waters of Lake Ashi before boarding the Hakone ropeway to soar over the hilltops to the volcanic Owakudani Valley. After lunch, continue around 2 hours to Japan’s capital city, Tokyo.

Tokyo is the ultimate 24-hour city, but look behind its busy, high-tech façade and you will find plenty of tranquil backstreets and old temples to explore. This morning, head to the Imperial Palace East Gardens, the Meiji Jingu Shrine, and walk the famous Shibuya Crossing. The rest of the day is at leisure for you to spend how you wish.

Start your last full day in Tokyo with a stroll in the vibrant Asakusa district and soak up the ambiance of Senso-ji, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple. Continue to the 634-metre Skytree and ascend to the observation deck for magnificent views. The afternoon is free at leisure until the evening, when you will board a traditional yakata boat for a dinner cruise.

This morning is free at leisure before transferring to the airport for your return flight home.