Japan Uncovered

Fly overnight to the lively, fast-paced city of Osaka. On arrival you will be met by an English-speaking representative and transferred 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 one hour by coach to Nara and stroll through Nara Park to Todaiji Temple, meeting the resident sika deer en route. Admire the traditional Isuien Garden before returning to Osaka. Visit the impressive Osaka Castle and later cruise down the Yodogawa River. Please note: Isuien Garden in Nara is closed for maintenance weekly on Tuesdays. Departures coinciding with this will visit the Kasuga Taisha Shrine as an alternative.

Journey around two hours by coach to Himeji and explore the magnificent 17th Century Himeji Castle and the neighbouring Kokoen, 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. This reduces 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 for a two-night stay.



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

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. After lunch, visit Fushimi Inari Shrine with its thousands of vermillion torii gates. The Shrine stretches up Mount Inari (233m high). You will walk up part of the mountain and the incline allows a steady-paced walk.

Depart Kyoto and travel around 4 hours by coach to Kanazawa.

After lunch in a local restaurant, wander through the beautiful

Kenrokuen 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 at making washi paper. Continue approximately one 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 two nights. Your

accommodation this evening has onsen facilities, we

recommend taking a relaxing dip!

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 and try Miso soup.

Also visit a wasabi farm to learn about its cultivation 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 approximately 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. Return to Nagano.

Today, travel around 3.5 hours by coach to the Fuji Five Lakes

area and ascend by road to Fuji’s 5

th 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 in Mishima and check in.

For May departures only: Instead of visiting Itchiku Kubota Art

Museum, a visit to Fuji Shibazakura Festival has been included.

This is the best time of the year and one of the most scenic places

in Japan to see the pink moss phlox in full bloom.

This morning, transfer to Hakone, a drive of around two 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 two

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.

For May and September departures only: Tickets to a Sumo

tournament are included in the afternoon. Many of Japan’s

most ancient traditions are preserved in the sport; the ritual involved in the performance is just as fascinating

to watch as the sport itself.

Start your last full day in Tokyo with a stroll in the vibrant

Asakusa district and soak up the ambiance of Sensoji, 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.

Please note: Only breakfast is included today. Late check-out is

not included in our Japan Uncovered tour. If you wish to book a

late check-out for your final day in Tokyo, please contact our

Reservations Department who can confirm the additional price

and make this arrangement for you, subject to availability at the

hotel.

Transfers: In the event that your flight departs outside of the majority group departure time, you will be

transferred to the airport by a shared coach (not with other Wendy Wu Tours passengers). If you are on a shared

coach transfer, you may have to walk for a few minutes to get to the coach.