Jewels of Japan

Your tour of Japan begins as we meet the Tour Manager and fellow travellers at London Heathrow for our flight to Tokyo in the 'Land of the Rising Sun'.

Japan is a fascinating country culturally, spiritually and geographically. An archipelago of more than 14,000 islands, its mountainous interior is dotted with pristine forests and fairytale villages. A blend of Shinto and Buddhism, beautifully ornate temples appear seemingly on every street corner. Yet, side by side with these idyllic scenes, are neon-lit futuristic cities piercing the sky with shimmering glass skyscrapers. This union of modern and traditional fuses impressively to create a country of captivating contrasts that has entranced visitors ever since it came out of self-imposed isolation in 1863 - after more than 200 years of being closed off from the outside world.

We touch down in Tokyo ready to begin an incredible exploration of Japan. With a population similar to that of Canada in an area roughly the same size as North Yorkshire, urban Tokyo is the world's most populus city. Yet, it regularly finds itself in the top ranks for liveability due to its well-organised dynamism and cleanliness.

After transferring to our four-star hotel in the popular Shinjuku district, we can view this metropolis from the observatory deck of the nearby Tokyo Metropolitan Government building. Here we can soak up the panoramic views of the iconic Tokyo skyline.

Alternatively, you can spend some time at leisure before we gather for a welcome drink and dinner. As night falls, Tokyo is illuminated by twinkling lights from towers stretching as far as the eye can see. This stunning spectacle is ours to observe from our vantage point in the hotel's restaurant on the 45th floor.

• Dinner

After breakfast at our hotel, we meet our English-speaking guide, who will remain with us throughout our holiday. On a coach tour of Tokyo, we witness the city's contrasts, starting at the vast landscaped Hama Rikyu Gardens - an oasis of calm amid gleaming skyscrapers. Maple, ginkgo and peonies gather round sea-fed lakes on the site of a former 17th-century shogun villa.

Next, we visit two enchanting temples. A symbol of the city, the Senso-Ji temple in Asakusa dates from the 7th century and was built to honour Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy. With its sweeping, tiled roof, intricately carved wood and giant red lanterns, Senso-Ji is the epitome of Japanese Buddhist architecture, while Harajuku's Meiji-Jingu shrine boasts fantastic Shinto design, constructed in honour of modern Japan's first emperor.

As if to demonstrate the intertwining of the tranquil and bustling, we travel a short distance to the famed Shibuya crossing, where up to 3,000 people at a time inundate the crossing from all directions. This evening you are free to enjoy some Japanese cuisine on your own.

• Breakfast

A relaxed morning with breakfast at our hotel is followed by our first trip on the famous Japanese railways. Walking the short distance to the world's busiest station, Shinjuku, we board the Shonan Express to Odawara. Transferring into the mountains, we enjoy an incredible ride on the Hakone Ropeway - a 20-minute cable car journey providing amazing views of iconic Mount Fuji in the distance. As we travel above this area of outstanding natural wonders, we witness the rising plumes of steam from the sulphurous hot springs that dot Mount Hakone - a volcano that last erupted in 1170.

Arriving on the shores of Lake Ashi, our trip continues with a cruise across the crater lake to our hotel. Enroute, look for the striking red of Shinto torii gates dotting the shoreline and keep an eye out for more beautiful views of Mount Fuji.

Our hotel overlooks the lake, framed by overlapping mountains dipping towards the tranquil waters. There is time to relax before dinner at the hotel's restaurant this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today is all about Japan's most revered peak, Mount Fuji - the UNESCO-listed active volcano. Instantly recognisable from artworks including woodcut prints by Hokusai, the country's sacred symbol is remarkable due to its symmetry and prominence.

After breakfast at our hotel, we travel by coach to Mount Fuji Fifth Station (weather permitting). Climbing ever higher through lush woodlands, we reach this popular sightseeing spot. There's time to hopefully admire the views of both Fuji and the surrounding countryside from this excellent vantage point. From here, we visit the World Heritage Centre to learn more about Mount Fuji.

Some of the most iconic images of the volcano are taken from Oishi Park, beside Lake Kawaguchiko. We spend time here this afternoon, where you can search for that picture-perfect view. Later, we head into the mountains to the alpine town of Matsumoto, where there is a free evening after checking in to our hotel.

• Breakfast

Our explorations of this charming town begin after breakfast. First, we enjoy a guided tour of a miso factory to discover why this paste - a mixture of fermented soya beans with salt and other umami-based ingredients - is so important in Japanese cooking, before tasting the distinctive flavours for ourselves.

Continuing to Matsumoto Castle, we encounter a five-storey pagoda-style fortress known as 'Crow Castle' due to its unusual black exterior. Built in the 1500s, this is the oldest remaining castle of its kind in Japan.

After time to look around, we continue through the scenic Kiso Valley to Nagoya. Along this historic Edo-period trade route between Tokyo and Kyoto, we see Japan in all its glory and stop off to view the traditional towns of Tsumago and Magome. These beautifully preserved towns showcase dark-wood buildings and ancient cobbled streets - a magical glimpse of alpine Japan from a bygone era. Arriving in Nagoya, we check in to our four-star hotel in the city centre.

• Breakfast

Hopping aboard a train after breakfast this morning, we make our way to Himeji to view its incredible castle. Dating from the early 1600s, this sprawling UNESCO-listed fortress is Japan's largest and most visited castle. With its striking white exterior, it is said to resemble an egret or heron taking flight. Outside the castle moat, we find Koko-en, a traditional Japanese garden with nine sections, displaying water features, cherry trees and koi carp ponds.

After free time over lunch, we enjoy our first taste of the world-renowned Shinkansen bullet trains as we dash to Hiroshima at speeds of up to 186 miles per hour. This emotive city is renowned for the unprecedented devastation it suffered during World War Two, but Hiroshima's parks and museums now stand as embodiments of peace.

After checking in to our hotel, there is a free evening to dine independently. Japan is famed for its delicious food, and you might like to find a restaurant serving fresh sushi, ramen noodles, yakiniku barbeque or revered wagyu beef.

• Breakfast

Travelling by local train and boat to Miyajima today, we soak up the tranquillity of this secluded destination known for its age-old temples and fairytale forests. Also known as Itsukushima (Island of the Gods), we enjoy a walking tour which includes a visit to Itsukushima Shrine and the iconic Great Torii Gate that guards its entrance. Partially submerged at high tide, this stunning red structure was built in the 12th century and is an enduring image of traditional Japan.

There is free time over lunch to explore the peaceful shrines and museums that line this serene shoreline before we return to Hiroshima later this afternoon.

The evening is at leisure, and you might like to take a stroll along the popular Hondori shopping street or head to a restaurant to sample one of the city's famous dishes - okonomiyaki, a delicious savoury, teppanyaki pancake. Alternatively, spend some time in a lively 'izakaya' in the nearby Nagarekawacho district to enjoy a drink with some local snacks.

• Breakfast

This morning, we embark on a tour of Hiroshima's most moving locations. The city has become a byword for the horrors of war after an atomic bomb was dropped by the US Air Force at 8.15am on Monday 6th August 1945. Friendly Hiroshima now stands as a symbol of peace.

We begin with a tour of the Peace Memorial Park that commemorates the victims and visit the Atomic Bomb Dome - the emotive remains of the scorched shell of a building destroyed on that fateful day. In the Peace Memorial Museum, we view items salvaged from the rubble.

Early this afternoon, we board a bullet train to Kyoto - Japan's former capital that's now a living museum of the country's artistic heritage, with an impressive 17 UNESCO-listed sites. We enjoy a walking tour of the Gion district - one of the few places where you might catch a glimpse of a real-life geisha. After watching a performance at the Gion Corner Theatre, we indulge in a Japanese dinner in Ponto-cho Alley, a lantern-lit street filled with authentic restaurants and shops.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A historic city where the beauty of old Japan is writ large, we explore Kyoto's spellbinding sights today. After breakfast at our hotel, we embark on a half-day tour, beginning at Kinkakuji Temple. Renowned for gorgeous blooms of sakura cherry blossom, Kyoto brims with astonishingly beautiful temples - and Kinkakuji is home to one of the country's best-known sights. Dating from 1397, the 'golden pavilion' shimmers in brilliant gold leaf on the edge of a reflecting pond, surrounded by lush forest.

Afterwards, we take part in a zen tea ceremony, a tradition steeped in history. Learning how to brew, serve and drink the celebrated matcha tea, we also gain a glimpse into the spirituality and culture of Japan. Afterwards, we visit Nishiki market, where there's free time to find some lunch.

The rest of the day is free, and you might like to visit Kiyomizu Temple, the Kyoto Railway Museum or the Fushimi Inari shrine. Kyoto has many excellent restaurants for you to experience tonight, serving everything from refined dining to casual street food.

• Breakfast

Pre-dating Kyoto as the nation's premier city, Nara is our destination after breakfast today. As the capital from 710 to 794AD, this beautiful and compact city oozes history and grace, with a backdrop of wooded hills.

Accompanied by our expert, English-speaking guide, we enjoy a walking tour, including the Todaji Temple where we view one of the world's largest bronze statues. The Great Buddha or 'Daibutsu' was first installed in 752AD and is set within an ornate temple recorded as the largest wooden building in the world. Nearby, the landscaped grounds of Nara's serene deer park are full of delightful ponds and deer. These animals were once revered as messengers of the gods and now roam freely. They are so used to human visitors that they often bow in greeting. Leaving Nara, we stop at a traditional sake brewery on our way back to Kyoto, where we gain an insight into this traditional beverage.

This evening is at leisure, and you can explore Kyoto's picturesque streets and parks or enjoy local cuisine independently.

• Breakfast

Leaving Kyoto after breakfast this morning, we visit Arashiyama bamboo forest. We stroll down the Sagano path, marvelling at the jade-hued sunlight piercing through the towering bamboo stalks.

Transferring by coach to Osaka, we get to know this relaxed port city from one of its most jaw-dropping sights. Connecting the two distinctive 40-storey towers of the Umeda Sky Building is the Floating Garden Observatory. Standing nearly 570 feet above the ground, this unique vantage point provides panoramic views across Osaka. After observing Japan's third most populus city from above, we delve into its neon-lit Dotonbori district to experience the beating heart of Osaka from street level. With illuminated signs, mechanical billboards and even a huge blowfish lantern lining the streets, Dotonbori is a quintessentially Japanese experience, full of vibrant entertainment and appealing restaurants.

There is free time to relax after checking in to our four-star hotel before we have dinner together tonight.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast at our hotel, we have a day at leisure in Osaka until we transfer to the airport in mid-afternoon.

Built at the end of the 16th century, the grounds of Osaka Castle cover 15 acres and its main keep is recognised as one of the most important cultural sites in Japan. Surrounded by moats and imposing stone walls, this multi-storey swirl of jade, gold and white sits at the centre of tranquil parkland where you can wander amongst sculpted topiary with more than 1,000 plum trees. For some last-minute retail therapy, head to the long, covered shopping street of Shinsaibashi or the quirky nearby neighbourhood of Amerika-Mura, where the eagle-eyed may spot a replica of the Statue of Liberty perched on a rooftop.

This afternoon, our incredible holiday to Japan concludes as we leave our Osaka hotel and travel to the airport ready for our flight home, via Tokyo.

• Breakfast

The peaceful spirituality of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines sit alongside dynamic cities to create a captivating and compelling country. From the slopes of iconic Mount Fuji and the tranquility of the ancient Kiso Valley, we travelled by world-famous bullet train to emotive Hiroshima. Japan's historic former capitals of Kyoto and Nara enthralled with their temples and welcoming wildlife, before Osaka impressed with its blend of history, bustling streets and laid-back charm.

Your discovery of Japan concludes as we arrive back in London this morning and bid farewell to the Tour Manager and travelling group.