(9 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis) Tokyo, Hakone & Mt. Fuji, Kyoto, Hiroshima
One of our favorite family destinations, Japan is safe, family-friendly and endlessly fascinating. This private luxury tour is the perfect combination of traditional Japanese culture and contemporary Japanese pop style that’s sure to appeal to every family member. A key feature is flexible touring with a private guide and driver, essential to navigating the wonderfully complex world of Japanese culture, not to mention the backstreets of Tokyo and Kyoto.
Begin in Tokyo, Japan’s exciting capital of cool. During flexible touring with your private guide and driver, visit the most interesting neighborhoods and cultural sites, and explore Japanese pop-culture through activities such as visiting manga bookstores and electronic gadget shops, strolling trendy teen shopping streets, touring a museum devoted to Japan's most renowned anime director, spending time at theme parks or video arcades, touring the otaku (geek) paradise of Akihabara, and visiting Harajuku and Shibuya, neighborhoods synonymous with cutting-edge Japanese youth culture, to see funky shops, outrageous architecture and the latest street fashions.
Next, board the shinkansen (bullet train) to Hakone, a national park with beautiful mountains, active geothermal activity and great views of iconic Mt. Fuji. Stay in one of Japan’s most refined ryokan (traditional inn), soak in private hot springs and enjoy a gourmet kaiseki (seasonal tasting menu) meal. Also, take a cable car ride over the mountains, see geysers and bubbling mud pools, and enjoy a cruise on a lake with views of forested hills and Mt. Fuji.
Continue by shinkansen to Kyoto, the ancient imperial capital and a vast repository of traditional Japanese culture. During flexible touring with your private guide and driver, walk through an enormous bamboo forest, learn about origami at a spectacular private estate, visit mountaintop temples and ancient shrines, sample local culinary specialties and, if you're lucky, see geisha in the Gion district. One day, opt to visit Hiroshima. Alternatively, visit Himeji Castle, Osaka, the Miho Museum or Nara. Each is compelling in its own way, and we will consult with you to determine the best option for your family. Alternatively, continue touring in Kyoto, where options include visiting a theme park where samurai films are made, hiking in the hills surrounding Kyoto, and visiting the workshops of local artisans.
Return to Tokyo for a final night before your onward flight.
This tour can be fully customized according to your family’s interests and needs.
Itinerary Overview
Day 1
Arrive Tokyo
Private arrival transfer to hotel for 3 nights
Day 2
Tokyo
Full-day private tour
Day 3
Tokyo
Half-day private tour
Day 4
Tokyo – Hakone
Private transfer to train station and shinkansen (bullet train) to Hakone for 1 night. Afternoon private tour
Day 5
Hakone – Kyoto
Private transfer to train station and shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto. Private arrival transfer to hotel for 3 nights. Afternoon private tour
Days 6
Kyoto
Full-day private tour
Day 7
Kyoto & Hiroshima
Full-day excursion to Hiroshima or visit the Himeji Castle, Miho Museum, Osaka or Nara
Day 8
Kyoto – Tokyo
Private transfer to train station and shinkansen (bullet train) to Tokyo. Private arrival transfer to hotel for 1 night
Day 9
Depart Tokyo
Private airport transfer
Hotels
Tokyo:
Park Hyatt Tokyo and The Peninsula Tokyo
Hakone:
Gora Kadan Ryokan
Kyoto:
Hyatt Regency Kyoto
Costs
$12,065
Per person (based on four travelers/two rooms)
$12,355
Per person (based on three travelers/triple occupancy)
$15,815
Per person (based on two travelers/double occupancy)
All Artisans of Leisure tours are private and depart daily.
Call us at (800) 214-8144 for more information regarding the above tour, or to begin customizing your own itinerary.
