Day 3  Takayama Miso Lunch; Matsumoto Castle
Departing Tokyo, we travel by private coach to Takayama in alpine Gifu Prefecture. If weather allows we’ll pass Mt Fuji en route, making a photo stop for this iconic mountain. Then we’ll be visiting Matsumoto for Miso lunch and a photo stop at Matsumoto Castle. Sometimes nicknamed Crow Castle due to its resemblance to the bird spreading its wings, it is the oldest original castle in the country dating back to 1592. Takayama is a charming 16th century mountain town, famous for its feudal-era streets, old merchant houses, and canals.

Day 4  Morning Market; Merchant District; Sake tasting; Festival Float Museum Gifu Prefecture is known for its excellent produce and today we’ll visit Takayama’s morning market that dates back some 600 years. We’ll continue our morning with a walk through Takayama Merchant District and get a sense of the life of hundreds of years ago. The alpine climate is perfect for creating sake so we will visit a local brewery for a taste of the region's signature libation. To finish our morning we’ll visit the Festival Float Museum with displays of the highly decorated floats used during Takayama’s famous Matsuri festival. In the afternoon we catch a Japanese bullet train to whisk us south to Kyoto. The charms of Kyoto, the former imperial capital for over 1,000 years, are profound. With its many cultural landmarks and historical sites, and an abundance of traditional arts, Kyoto is regarded as the cultural heart of Japan.

 Takayama Tokyu Stay Hida (2 Nights) https://www.tokyustay.co.jp/e/hotel/HTM/  

Day 5  Shirakawa-Go village
In the morning we will visit nearby Shirakawa-go, a time-locked alpine village. This UNESCO World Heritage village is famous for its collection of original “gassho-zukuri” farmhouses with their steeply angled thatched roofs. We’ll discover the techniques used to build these farmhouses and store produce so that the community could withstand fierce winters and long periods of isolation. In the afternoon we catch a Japanese bullet train to whisk us south to Kyoto. The charms of Kyoto, the former imperial capital for over 1,000 years, are profound. With its many cultural landmarks and historical sites, and an abundance of traditional arts, Kyoto is regarded as the cultural heart of Japan.

Day 6  Kyogashi making; Fushimi Inari
This morning we will learn how to make unique Kyoto sweets called Kyogashi. A craftsman will help you make three different kinds of seasonal sweets. You can taste them with matcha green tea after the session. We will round out our morning with a guided visit to Fushimi Inari Shrine. This iconic Shinto complex, with its thousands of vermilion torii gates, is a no-miss Kyoto landmark and graces many guidebook covers and brochures. Your afternoon is free to rest or further explore Kyoto by yourself.

Day 7  Golden Temple; Diosgenin Zen Temple; Gion walking tour
Today we’ll take a tour of UNESCO-listed Kinkaku-ji, the extravagantly decorated Golden Temple. Its beautiful garden was immortalized in Yukio Mishima’s novel “The Golden Pavilion”. Then it’s on to Daisenin Zen Temple where carefully placed rocks sit in an immaculately raked sea of gravel. We’ll participate in a brief meditation session and learn about Zen philosophy. In the early evening we will explore the Gion district with our guide, hoping to spot geiko (as geisha are known in Kyoto) dressed in elaborate kimonos and make-up on their way to functions across the city.

Day 8  Free Day
Today is a free day for you to explore Kyoto on your own.

Hotel Keihan Kyoto Grande (4 Nights)  https://www.hotelkeihan.co.jp/kyoto/guestroom/

Day 8  Himeji Castle; Okonomiyaki
We depart Kyoto this morning with a destination goal of Hiroshima. On the way, we make a stop at Himeji Castle, Japan's most impressive samurai castle. Then it is on to energetic Hiroshima. Tonight’s dinner is okonomiyaki, a local specialty now enjoyed all over Japan.

Day 9  Miyajima

This morning we head for the beautiful island of Miyajima, just a short ferry ride across the Inland Sea. The island is home to the venerable Shinto shrine of Itsukushima, famous for its huge bright orange torii (ceremonial gate), which stands in the waters of the bay. Weather permitting we’ll take the cable car to the island’s summit for magnificent views. Then we return to the village to explore Itsukushima, also called “the floating shrine” and Daisho-in temple with its garden of “baby Buddha” statues and mystical grotto chapel.

Day 10  Peace Memorial

A visit to the Genbaku (A-Bomb) Dome and the Peace Memorial Park and Museum is sobering, but the tragedy that happened here is an important historical event to be confronted. Both stand as emotional testament to the fateful day in August 1945 when Hiroshima became the first target for nuclear attack. Your afternoon is free to explore on your own.

Sotetsu Grand Fresa Hiroshima (3 Nights)  https://sotetsu-hotels.com/fresa-inn/hiroshima-ekimae/

Day 12  Osaka Castle
Departing Hiroshima this morning we make our way to Osaka, Japan's dynamic third city. Osaka is unofficially, but undisputedly, Japan’s culinary capital. Upon arrival we will visit impressive Osaka Castle, touring the interior and the elaborate grounds. Once home to over 10,000 samurai families, the impressive fortress dominates Nishinomaru Garden. One enjoys expansive city views from its uppermost tower, which is in turn surrounded by secondary citadels, gates, turrets, impressive stone walls and moats. Afterward, our guide will give us an orientation walk of Dotonbori neighborhood - Osaka’s high-voltage entertainment and dining quarter.

Day 13  Todai-ji Temple; Kasuga Grand Shrine
Our destination today is nearby Nara, which briefly reigned as capital of Japan in the 8th century. With eight World Heritage sites, Nara is second only to Kyoto as a fountain of Japan's cultural legacy. While here we will visit Todai-ji Temple with its huge, seated bronze Buddha, Japan’s largest. Next we head to Kasuga Taisha - Nara's most celebrated shrine.

Day 14 Tour Over
Tour officially ends with breakfast. Imprint will assist with airport transfer arrangements.

Agora Place Osaka Namba (2 Nights)  https://agoraplace-namba.com/

Koyasan Temple Stay; Okuno-in; Shojin ryori dinner

Our 2-Day extension is Koyasan, an important center for Shingon Buddhism for over 1200 years. We’ll visit Okuno-in, the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi, Shingon’s founder and one of the most revered saints in the religious history of Japan. Your unique accommodation tonight is in one of the many temples still operating. We’ll relax alongside Buddhist monks and follow their routine of evening meditation and morning prayers. Your dinner tonight is shojin ryori, or monastic cuisine, prepared by novice monks. This unique meal was introduced to Japan in the 13th century by Zen monks from China. The extension includes transportation back to Osaka day 2, arriving about 11:30-12:00.

Note: This temple stay is an amazing and unique cultural connection experience. We love it. However, for 2 important reasons, we have chosen to make it optional. First, you will be required to sleep on fairly thin futons on tatami floors. It is an uncomfortable night. Second, there are no private bathroom facilities. Sinks and toilets are shared facilities and bathing is public, although segregated by gender. We think the sacrifices are well worth the experience. But we understand that this experience is not for everyone. If you have questions, please inquire: [email protected]

Regejoin (1 Night) https://www.rengejoin.jp/en/