Welcome to Japan! You will be greeted by our English speaking assistant at the airport. The assistant will get you on the bus to your hotel, and you will have the rest of the afternoon and evening to enjoy by yourself in Tokyo.

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Your guide will pick you up in the lobby of your hotel at 9 am, and the first visit of the day is to Asakusa. Your guide will explain all about the history of this charming traditional area and take you not just to the main streets but show you some of its side streets as well.

Then it is time for cherry blossoms as we visit the Sakura Festival in Ueno Park, which is famous for its many cherry blossoms. Many Japanese people enjoy eating, drinking, and singing under the cherry blossom trees in full bloom, a tradition called Hanami.

Now it is time to see a very different side of this multi-faceted metropolis as we head to Akihabara. The guide will tell you about Tokyo’s subcultures and show you some surprising sights you wouldn’t have found so easily by yourself. You will also get the opportunity to play a high-energy game.

After the madness of Akihabara you will go to the calming Hamarikyu Gardens where you will see plenty of blooming blossoms and be able to take some amazing pictures. This garden used to belong to one of the feudal lords in the Edo period, became property of the Imperial Family after that and is now a pleasant garden for all to enjoy. Your guide will educate you on the Edo period and what Japan looked like during this time of national isolation.

Next on the itinerary is Shibuya, a must-see when in Tokyo for its crazy scramble crossing and loyal dog Hachiko. Don’t worry about getting lost, as your expert guide will lead the way.

The tour will end around 5 pm in one of the locals’ favorite districts for the Sakura season, Nakameguro. Your guide will drop you off and give you some tips to enjoy the rest of the evening here.

*this itinerary is adjustable in consultation with the guide

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Today you have a day for yourself to explore more of Tokyo’s highlights and lesser-known areas. Your guide can make you personalized recommendations at the end of the tour of day 2, or if you’d like to plan ahead you can have a look at our recommendations as well.

If you’d like to see highlights that were not included in the tour yesterday you can check out the Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, or Ginza if you like (window) shopping.

If you’d like to go a bit more off the beaten path in Tokyo you can go to Shibamata, Kagurazaka, Monzennakacho, or Nihonbashi for a more historical feel. If you are looking for some more ‘hip’ and younger areas then Kiyosumi, Shimokitazawa or Koenji might be just what you are looking for. If you want to go deeper into subcultures be sure to check out Nakano or Ikebukuro. Either way, your guide can help you with making a plan for today.

If you are looking to make a day trip outside of Tokyo you can go to Nikko, Kawaguchiko, Hakone or Kamakura.

In the evening the Shimbashi/Yurakucho area or Shinjuku are worth checking out for dinner and drinks.

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Today you can either spend the morning in Tokyo if you would like to stay a bit longer, or you can get on the train to Kyoto early if you want to have more time in Japan’s ancient capital city. Once you arrive in Kyoto by bullet train and dropped off your luggage, you will have the rest of the day to explore Kyoto by yourself.

There are many things to see in Kyoto, and it will be hard to choose where to go. As you will spend day 5 exploring eastern Kyoto with a guide, today is a good day to discover the western side. Some of the must-see attractions are Arashiyama with the famous bamboo grove, the Golden Pavillion, and the Ryoanji with its Zen garden. For some more cherry blossoms, the Omuro Zakura garden not far from the Ryoanji is definitely worth a visit. Please note that many temples and other attractions tend to close around 5 pm. One notable exception is the Fushimi Inari, which is open 24 hours and very much a must-see. You can visit this shrine in the late evening or early morning to beat the crowds.

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Today your guide will pick you up in the lobby of your hotel at 9 am and take you straight to the Philosopher’s Path. This area is especially amazing during cherry blossom season, and best visited a bit earlier to avoid the most crowded times. Next on the itinerary is the Silver Pavillion, or Ginkakuji, which played a large role in spreading the arts in Japan. Your guide will tell you all about the illustrious history of the temple which will make the place come alive.

The Heian Shrine is modeled after the original Imperial Palace and has a short but interesting history which you will learn about while walking around the beautiful grounds. The Kiyomizudera temple and its surrounding district are some of Kyoto’s popular highlights. By yourself, it is a bit easy to get lost and miss out on the most interesting details, but your guide will help you make the most of your visit to this impressive place.

The tour will end in one of Kyoto’s most talked-about districts, the Gion area. This is where the geiko and maiko, Kyoto’s geisha and apprentice geisha, entertain their guests in one of the many teahouses. If you are lucky you might spot one of the ladies going about her business and the guide will tell you what their job entails and the history of this work. Your guide will drop you off and give you some tips to enjoy the rest of the evening here.

*As this is a private tour, if there is anything specific you would like to do with the guide that is not on the itinerary you can always adjust the itinerary in consultation with the guide

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Depending on the time of your flight home or other plans, you might still have the morning in Kyoto. If you didn’t already do so, you can visit Fushimi Inari this early morning. You will then take a train or bus to the airport.
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