Private Japan Tour, 9 Days from Istanbul, Arriving into Osaka

We meet at Istanbul Airport in the late hours of the night. After baggage and passport formalities, Turkish Airlines' direct flight departs for Osaka. Entry into Japan is visa-free, a passport stamp is sufficient. We land at Osaka Kansai International Airport at 19:05 local time and transfer to the city center by private vehicle. After checking into the hotel there is time to rest after the long flight, or for those who wish, a short walk to take in the nightlife of the Namba district. Flight details: Turkish Airlines TK086, Istanbul 02:10, Osaka (Kansai) 19:05, direct, roughly 11 hours 40 minutes. Accommodation: Hotel Sunroute Osaka Namba, 3-star or similar.

After breakfast we set off on a full-day city tour, starting with a pleasant one-hour drive to Nara. Japan's first capital, the city is home to Todaiji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its massive wooden structure housing the Great Buddha, the Daibutsu, the largest bronze Buddha statue in the world at 15 meters and 500 tons. We visit Kasuga Taisha, a sacred Shinto shrine surrounded by hundreds of stone and bronze lanterns in a forested setting. In Nara Park, hundreds of deer roam freely, and there is time to feed them and take photos. Lunch break follows at 13:00 in central Nara. In the afternoon we return to Osaka to see Osaka Castle from the outside, a landmark of the Samurai era built in the 16th century, its grounds known for ponds, stone bridges and cherry trees. Dotonbori, considered the heart of Osaka, brings its neon lights, canal-side walkways, shopping streets and street food such as takoyaki, okonomiyaki and kushikatsu. We return to the hotel after dinner. Meals: Breakfast included. Accommodation: Hotel Sunroute Osaka Namba, 3-star or similar.

Early in the morning we set off by private coach on one of Japan's most striking cultural routes. The first stop is Fushimi Inari Taisha, one of Japan's most sacred Shinto shrines, known for the tunnels formed by thousands of red torii gates, offering a close look at Japanese belief culture. Kiyomizu-dera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Kyoto's landmarks, captivates visitors with its wooden architecture and panoramic views, known for its tradition of making wishes; there is free time for lunch. In the afternoon we take in the calm of the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, walking among the towering stalks in one of Kyoto's most photogenic settings. Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, built for the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, is known for its gold-leaf exterior and gardens, one of Kyoto's most iconic photo spots. The day's last stop is the Gion geisha district, a historic neighborhood of wooden houses, tea houses and narrow streets, where fortunate guests may spot a geisha or maiko. We return to Osaka and arrive at the hotel in the evening. Meals: Breakfast included. Accommodation: Hotel Sunroute Osaka Namba, 3-star or similar.

After breakfast we check out of the hotel and travel by coach to Hiroshima. On arrival in the afternoon we explore this meaningful city, carrying the traces of the Second World War and its message of peace. Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, bear the scars of the 1945 atomic bomb and stand today as a symbol of world peace. We view the Peace Memorial Museum from the outside, its photographs and documents illustrating the effects of war. Hiroshima Castle, rebuilt in 1958 after the war, is a fine example of traditional Japanese architecture, and Shukkeien Garden, arranged according to Zen philosophy, offers a peaceful walk. The evening is free: guests who wish can spend time on the Hondori shopping street or try okonomiyaki at a local restaurant, Hiroshima-yaki being a regional variation distinct from the Osaka version. Meals: Breakfast included. Accommodation: Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima, 3-star or similar.

After an early breakfast we check out and board the Shinkansen bullet train for Tokyo. Along the way, Japan's rural landscapes, the silhouette of Mount Fuji on a clear day, and its well-organized modern cities pass by, the train reaching speeds of 300 km/h with a gourmet bento box on board. We arrive in Tokyo around midday for a full-day city tour, taking in Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest temple, dating to the 7th century, along with the traditional Nakamise Dori market. Tokyo Skytree, at 634 meters the tallest television tower in the world, offers a photo stop, and a short walk through the Imperial Palace Gardens brings nature into the heart of the modern city. Shibuya and Harajuku, the heart of Japanese youth culture, bring fashion, technology and the famous Shibuya Crossing, while Meiji Shrine offers a calm, traditional Shinto counterpoint. We transfer to the hotel in the evening, in the Kabukicho nightlife district, with free time to follow. Flight details: Shinkansen, Hiroshima 07:30, Tokyo 10:30, roughly four hours. Meals: Breakfast included. Accommodation: APA Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho Tower, Tokyo, 3-star or similar.

After breakfast we leave Tokyo early for a day devoted to Mount Fuji, Japan's most magnificent symbol, and the natural wonders around it. Weather permitting, we climb to the 5th Station of Mount Fuji at 2,300 meters, its white peak, considered sacred in Japan, offering a breathtaking view; the mountain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Oshino Hakkai Village, known for its clear ponds fed by Fuji's melting snow, shows off traditional Japanese village architecture from the samurai era. The Hakone Ropeway carries us on a panoramic ride over Hakone's volcanic mountains and the Owakudani Valley, with its active sulfur vents. A boat tour on Lake Ashi offers the chance to see Mount Fuji's reflection on the water. Lunch, at extra cost, can be taken at a local lakeside restaurant. We return to Tokyo in the evening, with free time for shopping around the hotel or trying traditional ramen at a local restaurant. Meals: Breakfast included. Accommodation: APA Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho Tower, Tokyo, 3-star or similar.

After breakfast we explore Asakusa, the district that carries Japan's traditional way of life into the present. Tokyo's oldest neighborhood, it still preserves the texture of the Edo period. Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple, standing since the 7th century, is known for its colorful Kaminarimon gate and giant red lantern, both symbols of the city. Nakamise, the shopping street leading to the temple, is a nostalgic market of traditional souvenirs, kimonos and local products. An optional Sumida River boat tour offers views of the city's historic skyline from the water. Ueno Park, a wide green space known for its cherry blossoms in spring, is home to Ueno Temple and the Tokyo National Museum for those who wish to visit. In the afternoon we return to the city center, with free time in Ginza, Tokyo's most luxurious shopping street, Shibuya, for a taste of modern Japanese culture, or Akihabara, the district of anime and technology. Meals: Breakfast included. Accommodation: APA Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho Tower, Tokyo, 3-star or similar.

After breakfast there is time for last-minute shopping and souvenirs on the final day in Tokyo, with free time throughout. After checking out of the hotel, luggage can be stored with the hotel's service or under the guide's coordination. In the evening we transfer to the airport. After baggage and passport formalities we depart for Istanbul. Flight details: Turkish Airlines TK0301, Tokyo (Narita) 21:15, Istanbul 04:40 the next day, direct. Accommodation: Overnight on the plane.

We land in Istanbul at 04:40, closing the tour. The nine-day journey through Japan, from Osaka to Tokyo, comes to a close here, from Nara's great Buddha to the thousand-year-old temples of Kyoto, from the neon lights of Dotonbori to Hiroshima's message of peace, from the comfort of the Shinkansen to the sacred peak of Mount Fuji, and from Tokyo's Skytree to the Edo-period streets of Asakusa. ---