Private Japan Tour, 10 Days from Istanbul

Departure to Tokyo

We meet at 12:30 at the Istanbul Airport International Terminal and complete check-in and passport formalities.

We depart for Tokyo on Turkish Airlines flight TK 50 at 15:25, direct, and spend the night on board.

Flight details: TK 50, Istanbul 15:25, arriving at Tokyo Narita at 08:45 local time the next day.

Overnight: On the plane.

First Day in Tokyo

We land at Tokyo Narita Airport at 08:45 local time. After passport and baggage formalities our guide meets us and we transfer to the city centre by private vehicle.

Our Tokyo city tour begins with Asakusa Temple, known as Senso-ji, the city's oldest and most important Buddhist temple, marked by the red Kaminarimon gate. We walk down Nakamise Street, the traditional approach to the temple lined with souvenir shops and street food. We see Ginza, Tokyo's most fashionable shopping district, with its luxury stores and elegant window displays.

After the tour we transfer to the hotel and check in. The evening is free.

Accommodation: APA Hotel Tokyo Bay Makuhari, 3-star or similar.

Mount Fuji and Hakone

After breakfast we set off for Mount Fuji, Japan's living symbol.

From the Fifth Station we take in a panoramic view of Japan's highest mountain. At Lake Kawaguchi, known for its reflection of Mount Fuji, we stop to walk and take photographs. In Oshino Hakkai, a village fed by eight sacred springs of Fuji's melting snow, we see traditional Japanese village life.

Lunch is a set menu of Japanese dishes at a local restaurant.

We return to Tokyo at the end of the day. The evening is free.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch included.

Accommodation: APA Hotel Tokyo Bay Makuhari, 3-star or similar.

Free Day in Tokyo

After breakfast the day in Tokyo is free.

Those who wish can walk around Tokyo Skytree, browse the shopping districts, visit a museum, or explore neighbourhoods such as Shibuya, Harajuku and Akihabara independently. Our guide is on hand for directions and suggestions.

We return to the hotel in the late afternoon to rest.

Meals: Breakfast included.

Accommodation: APA Hotel Tokyo Bay Makuhari, 3-star or similar.

Hiroshima and on to Kobe

We leave the hotel early and transfer to Tokyo Station to board the Shinkansen Nozomi 15, one of the fastest trains in the world, for the roughly three hour fifty minute run to Hiroshima.

Train details: Shinkansen Nozomi 15, Tokyo 08:12, Hiroshima 12:02.

On arrival we join a Hiroshima city tour, visiting the Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome, a site that became a symbol of peace after the Second World War. Those who wish can also enter the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.

In the afternoon we travel by private bus to Kobe, a road journey of about three hours.

In Kobe we visit Ikuta Shrine, one of the city's landmark stops, and pause for photographs in front of its colourful torii gates.

We check into the hotel in the evening, and the rest of the evening is free.

Accommodation: Kobe Sannomiya Union Hotel, 3-star or similar.

Kobe to Osaka

After breakfast we leave Kobe and travel to Osaka by private bus, a journey of about an hour and a half.

Our Osaka city tour takes in Osaka Castle, built in the 16th century and one of Japan's most remarkable castles, with views over the city from its walls. We visit Shitennoji Temple, a 6th-century structure and one of Japan's oldest Buddhist temples, known for its peaceful gardens. We then walk through Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi, with their neon lights, the famous Glico sign, restaurants and shopping streets.

The evening is free. Those who wish can try Osaka's famous street food, takoyaki and okonomiyaki, or shop in Shinsaibashi.

Accommodation: Hotel Sunroute Osaka Namba, 3-star or similar.

Nara and Kyoto

After breakfast we leave Osaka and travel by private bus to Nara, one of Japan's ancient capitals, known for its sacred temples and freely roaming deer.

We visit Todai-ji Temple, Japan's largest wooden structure, built in the 8th century to house a massive bronze Buddha. In Nara Park we walk among more than 1,300 deer and take photographs. We also visit Kasuga Taisha, a Shinto shrine adorned with thousands of stone and bronze lanterns.

After lunch we continue to Kyoto. We see Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, known for its gilded facade reflected in the pond before it, and walk through Gion, with its traditional tea houses, narrow wooden streets and traces of geisha culture.

We check into the hotel in Kyoto in the evening, with time free after.

Meals: Breakfast included.

Accommodation: Hotel Elcient Kyoto, 3-star or similar.

Kyoto Temples and Tea Ceremony

After breakfast we join a half-day city tour to explore Kyoto in more depth.

We visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, the most photographed site in Kyoto, where thousands of red torii gates form a mystical trail up the mountainside. At Nishiki Market, known as Kyoto's kitchen, we see the fresh produce and traditional snacks of Japanese cuisine.

The afternoon is free, for exploring Kyoto's narrow streets and traditional shops.

In the late afternoon we gather in Gion for a tea ceremony in a traditional tea house.

Meals: Breakfast included.

Accommodation: Hotel Elcient Kyoto, 3-star or similar.

Back to Tokyo and Home

After breakfast we check out of the hotel in Kyoto and board the Shinkansen Nozomi 12 for Tokyo, a journey of about two hours fourteen minutes.

Train details: Shinkansen Nozomi 12, Kyoto 10:30, Tokyo Station 12:38.

We have some last free time at Tokyo Station, for shopping or a coffee break.

At the time set by our guide we transfer to Haneda Airport by private vehicle. After check-in and passport formalities we depart for Istanbul on Turkish Airlines flight TK 199 at 22:05, direct.

Flight details: TK 199, Haneda 22:05, arriving in Istanbul at 05:40 local time the next day.

Overnight: On the plane.

Arrival in Istanbul

We land at Istanbul Airport at 05:40 in the morning. After passport and baggage formalities the tour comes to an end.

From Asakusa Temple in Tokyo to the view from Mount Fuji, from the peace message of Hiroshima to the deer of Nara, from the thousand torii gates of Kyoto to the tea ceremony in Gion, our 10-day route across Japan closes here.