Classic Japan

For a day well spent, visit some of Tokyo’s best known landmarks with your local expert! Begin with a trip to the Asakusa locality, well-known for its “shitamachi” or old-world vibe. You can visit the Sensoji temple, a Buddhist temple believed to be Tokyo’s oldest. Adjacent to the temple you will find the Nakamise “dori” or street, where you can taste some traditional snacks if you like. Travel across town to Omotesando and after exploring the ritzy flagship stores and spectacular architecture on the main boulevard. Next, make your last stop at the famous Meiji shrine, dedicated to the spirit of Emperor Meiji. Surrounded by a forested area with 365 species of trees, the shrine is also a popular wedding venue, so don’t be surprised if you come across a bride and groom all dressed up for their big day! (Duration: 5 hrs; Time of the day: 0900 or 1300 hrs; Private Activity; Pick up: Hotel & Drop off: Meiji Jingu; Transfers by public transport; Fitness Level: Moderate)

If you have the time and weather allows it, we recommend visiting Tokyo’s teamLab Planets, which is a unique museum with mind bending art installations, massive spaces and gardens. Walk barefoot into the water area and experience artwork in myriad unusual ways. For instance, walk into a drawing of hundreds of colorful koi fish swimming on the water surface, which seems to stretch into infinity. As you wade through the water and collide with the koi, they change direction and turn into flowers. Similarly, venture into an interactive space with a limitless crystal universe. It is a singular experience all together. Space, time and your sense of being all collapse as you pass through the falling universe of flowers and other three-dimensional spaces. The floating flower garden is also an infinite, three-dimensional space filled with masses of flowers all around you, including the space above. The moss garden contains solidified masses of colored light, stretched out to the horizon, which change hues depending on the time of day. There are plenty of immersive artworks and exhibition spaces here to keep you engaged for hours. (Duration: half day; Time: 1100 hrs; Self-explore activity; No guide; No transfers; Entrance fees included; Fitness level: easy; No shoes allowed; Depending on your personal itinerary, weather conditions, and time available to you, it may not be possible to do all recommended activities)

Experience the diverse culinary scene of Tokyo’s Tsukiji Outer Market. Set off in the morning with your guide and travel by local trains and the subway to reach the market. Enjoy a stroll around the stalls stacked with colorful produce, seasonal fruits, and fresh seafood. Cooking utensils, kitchenware, and tableware essential to Japanese cuisine are also sold here. As you walk, your guide will tell you interesting facts about the history of the market. Originally, the market catered only to wholesale professionals, but now there are ample choices for retail customers too. There are quite a few eateries, tearooms, and coffee shops as well. As you explore, you could sample local delicacies such as sushi, sashimi, and ramen on direct payment. (Duration: 4 hrs; Time: 1000 hrs; Private activity; Shared transfers (public transport); Pick up: Hotel & Drop off: Hotel; Entrance fees, subway and local train fares are included; Closed on Sun, Wed, and national holidays)

Immerse yourself in everything ramen on this food tour in Tokyo. Your expert guide will meet you at your hotel. If you are staying in Shinjuku, most of the ramen shops will be walking distance from your accommodation. If not, travel by public transport to the ramen shops. Your guide will introduce you to two of their favorite ramen shops. As ramen is a working class food, these shops will be fast food places that are known for their food, not their décor. Enjoy a total of four mini-bowls of steaming hot ramen. Learn about ramen’s place in Japanese food culture and why these particular restaurants are among the best in town. You will also discover that each ramen shop has its own specialty, be it the flavor of their broth or the texture of their noodles. Following your tour, your guide will take you back to your hotel. (Duration: 2 hrs; Time: dinner time; Private activity; Shared transfers by public transport; All entry fees are included; Meals included: yes; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance; Dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated on this tour but a vegan / vegetarian alternative tour exists; Fitness level: moderate, please note that people with physical limitations can participate as long as they have someone to provide assistance)

Here are our recommendations on what to do in Kyoto: Set out to see the top attractions of Kyoto, Japan’s cultural capital. Your first stop is the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. While walking inside this dense forest, take a short detour to visit the Tenryu-ji Temple. It is a UNESCO-listed Zen temple complex with historic buildings. Next up, is the Fushimi Inari-taisha, a mountainside Shinto shrine that features a pathway with numerous traditional red gates and fox statues. Then, amble through the ancient Higashiyama quarter, a maze of narrow alleyways, replete with traditional pottery shops and tea houses. Reach the centuries-old Buddhist temple, Kiyomizu-dera, also known as the ‘Temple of the Pure Water Spring’. It is home to the Three Story Pagoda and Otowa Waterfall, a cascade with three streams. While passing through Teramachi Street, shop for antiques, green tea, clothing and items of home décor. At Nishiki Market, sample local specialties like octopus-on-the-skewer and fried meat with pickled vegetables. Later, head to the Gion neighborhood, where you’re likely to come across a Geisha or Maiko, strolling on the wooden Tatsumi Bridge. (Duration: Half day or Full day; This is an independent, unguided activity; Transfers, entrance fees & meals are not included; Fitness level: easy; Choose from our recommendations what suits your interests & pace. Please note that you may not be able to do all our recommended activities)

Explore the famous shrines of Kyoto, some of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites. At the scheduled time, meet your guide and travel by public transport to the attractions on your itinerary. Begin with a visit to Kinkakuji Temple, a Zen shrine known for its stunning gold leaf-covered façade. Overlooking a large pond and surrounded by lush vegetation, this temple makes for a picturesque sight. Next, stop by Ryoanji Temple, which is home to one of the most famous Zen rock gardens in the country. There is a pond, a network of walking trails, and a restaurant on the grounds. You will then visit Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, built to appease a vengeful spirit. Located in the Kamishichiken district, the oldest geisha neighborhood of the city, this temple is popular with students. (Duration: 4 hrs; Time: 0900 or 1300 hrs; Private activity; Pick up: Hotel & Drop off: City centre; Shared transfers (public transport); Fitness level: moderate, please note that people with physical limitations can participate as long as they have someone to provide assistance; Please wear comfortable walking shoes)

Immerse yourself in the art of the Japanese Tea ceremony. Make your own way to the Machiya House, a wooden town house, where the ceremony will be held. Note the ancient Japanese aesthetics and the interior design of the house. Get dressed in a beautiful kimono and sit down on tatami mats before you meet your host, who will demonstrate the ceremonial preparation and serving of the tea. Learn about the various types of tea and the tools used to prepare them. The ceremony is not just about drinking tea but also a spiritual practice that has been influenced by Zen Buddhism. Learn the rituals involved and discover how every movement has a meaning. In the process, you will come to understand what the act of serving tea to guests means in Japan. (Duration: 1.5 hr; Time: 1000/1330 hours; Shared activity; Group size: max 6 ppl; No transfers; Meals included: tea ceremony; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance; Fitness level: easy; All entrance fees are included; Min age: 5)

Start early on this leisurely hike to one of the most famous shrines in Japan, immortalized in Memoirs of a Geisha. Walk along the ten thousand vermilion-colored gates known as Senbon Torii that line the road leading to the main shrine. Leave the crowds behind as you continue your hike to the top of Mount Inari. Savor glimpses of the many sub-shrines that line the trail with their smaller torii gates and statues of foxes. Capture stunning images of the landscape from vantage points as you walk up. Keep an eye out for wild animals such as snakes, boars, and monkeys as you hike along. (Duration: Half day or Full day; Self-explore activity; Transfers, entrance fees and meals are not included; Fitness Level: Moderate. Do wear clothing and footwear suitable for hiking. Do not attempt to touch or feed any wildlife along the way.)

Learn how to cook some authentic Izakaya dishes and immerse yourself in Japanese dining culture. An Izakaya is a casual Japanese bar that serves alcoholic drinks and food items which are meant to be shared. In the afternoon, make your way to the cooking studio located in central Kyoto. Meet your Japanese chef and, after a short introduction, try your hand at making some of the dishes that have made this cuisine so popular, the world over. Watch your chef and follow along as you learn to make dishes such as teriyaki chicken, okonomiyaki, and maybe even sushi. Enjoy the specialities you prepared in a typical Izakaya pub atmosphere. Then, head back to the kitchen to cook some more delicious food to add to your repertoire. Savor these dishes too, as you dine with your host and gain insight into Izakaya culture. (Duration: 3 hrs; Time: 1400 hrs; Shared activity; Group size: max 8 ppl; No transfers; Meals included: lunch; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance)

Explore the religious and traditional sites of Nara, which used to be the capital of Japan for 74 years in the eighth century. Stroll through the Isuien Garden that is divided into two parts built two centuries apart. Wander through the Nara Park, also known as deer park, home to over 1,000 Sika deer. Visit the ancient Todaiji temple, a wooden temple that houses Japan’s largest bronze statues of Buddha. Head to the shrine of Kasuga Taisha and admire the stone and bronze lanterns inside before you return to your hotel at the end of the tour. (Duration: 6 hrs; Time: 0900 hrs; Group size: Max 9 guests; Private Activity & Public Transfer; Pick up: Hotel & Drop off: Hotel; Fitness level: Moderate)

Enjoy a night out in Osaka and go bar-hopping. Set off in the evening to meet your guide and embark on a memorable tour of the city’s nightlife hotspots. For the next couple of hours, feel like a local as you accompany your expert guide to specially curated bars. Savor delicious drinks as you interact with fellow guests at each of these happening venues. You will also be served a light dinner. Visit up to four different, vibrant locations before the tour winds up.(Duration: 3 hrs; Time: 1800 hrs; Shared activity; Group size: max 8 ppl; No transfers; Meals included: casual dinner and four drinks; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance; Vegetarian option possible only for those who can consume fish-based dashi, other dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated; Extra drinks and food payable on the spot; Bringing cash is recommended as many smaller establishments do not accept other methods of payment; Please note that in Japan, smoking is permitted in casual restaurants; Min age: 16, however the recommended age is 20 which is the legal drinking age in Japan)

Explore the prominent landmarks of the port city of Osaka. Meet your guide and travel by local trains and the subway to the attractions on your itinerary. Begin with a visit to the stately Osaka Castle, easily identified by its majestic stone walls and moats. One of Japan’s most famous castles, it played a pivotal role in the unification of the country in the 16th century. Enjoy a stroll around the grounds as you listen to your guide’s interesting narrative about the history of this edifice. Later, make your way to the vibrant Dotonbori shopping and entertainment district, also a foodie’s paradise. As you walk along the bustling streets, keep an eye out for the iconic mechanized signs that are lit up at night alongside the neon lights. The famous Glico running man and the Kani Doraku crab are two signs that might catch your eye. (Duration: 4 hrs; Time: 0900/1300 hrs; Private activity; Shared transfers (public transport); Pick up: Hotel & Drop off: Hotel; Fitness level: easy; Entrance fees, subway and local train fares are included)

Here are our recommendations on what to do in Osaka: Discover the wonders of Osaka, a port city on Honshu Island. Begin exploring at the 40-story twin towers of Umeda Sky Building. Atop this skyscraper is the 360-degree circular roof, known as the Floating Garden Observatory. Then, stroll across the Sendannokbashi Bridge to Nakanoshima, which is peppered with water bodies and green landscapes. This area is home to art museums and the Osaka City Central Public Hall, a Renaissance Revival-style edifice. Opposite, is The Museum of Oriental Ceramics. It boasts one of the world’s finest collections of East Asian ceramics including porcelain from ancient China and Korea. Continue onward and walk through the Nakanoshima Rose Garden, which features pathways lined with about 3,700 rose bushes. Your next stop is Osaka Castle, which is a reconstruction of the original castle tower that was built by Toyotomi Hideyori in 1597. Round off your day, with a walk amid the neon-lit splendor of the Minami neighborhood, the city’s trendy enclave for shopping and dining. Relish local delicacies, while appreciating the unusual plastic food models that adorn the restaurants. End the day during a visit of Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan offers you a chance to marvel at the spectacular marine life of the Pacific Rim, from the Great Barrier Reef to the Arctic. Home to 30,000 creatures and 620 species in all, each of the aquarium’s colossal viewing tanks re-creates one of the Pacific Ocean’s astonishingly diverse habitats and ecosystems. (Duration: Half day or Full day; This is an independent, unguided activity; Transfers, entrance fees & meals are not included; Fitness level: easy; Choose from our recommendations what suits your interests & pace. Please note that you may not be able to do all our recommended activities)