Introduction to Japan
(6 Days)
Tokyo, Kyoto
A Week in Japan
(7 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto
Family Tour of Japan
(10 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone & Mount Fuji, Kyoto & Hiroshima
Highlights of Japan
(11 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Kanazawa
Essence of Japan
(12 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone & Kamakura, Kyoto
Culinary Tour of Japan
(15 Days)
Tokyo, Kanazawa, Yamanaka Onsen, Kyoto & Osaka
Contemporary Art & Architecture of Japan
(14 Days)
Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto & Miho Museum, Naoshima, Tokyo
Traditions of Japan
(16 Days)
Tokyo, Nikko, Kyoto, Kanazawa, Takayama
Best of Japan
(17 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone & Kamakura, Kyoto, Yamanaka Onsen, Kanazawa
Cherry Blossoms: Sakura Season in Japan
(9 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto
Japan: Culture, Cuisine & Hot Springs
(14 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Yamanaka Onsen, Kanazawa
Romantic Japan
(14 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto & Osaka, Okinawa, Tokyo
Hiking Tour of Japan: Nakasendo Road & the Japan Alps
(12 Days)
Kyoto, Nakasendo Road, Takayama & Kamikochi, Matsumoto, Tokyo
Historic Hikes of Japan: Kumano Kodo & Nakasendo Road
(12 Days)
Kyoto, Kumano Kodo, Ise-Shima region, Nakasendo Road, Tokyo
Exclusive Japan: Amans, Art & Onsen
(15 Days)
Tokyo, Naoshima, Kyoto, Ise-Shima region
Highlights of Kyushu
(8 Days)
Fukuoka & Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Yufuin & Beppu
Luxuries of Kyushu: Seven Stars Train
(7 Days)
Fukuoka, Seven Stars in Kyushu train
Garden Tour of Japan
(13 Days)
Tokyo, Kurashiki & Okayama, Kyoto, Kanazawa
Traditional Crafts of Japan
(15 Days)
Tokyo, Kurashiki, Kyoto, Yamanaka Onsen, Kanazawa
Best of Hokkaido & Tohoku
(12 Days)
Tokyo, Sapporo & Otaru, Hakodate, Sendai with Matsushima & Yamadera, Nikko, Tokyo
Hokkaido in Winter
(6 Days)
Sapporo & Otaru, Niseko
Discover Hokkaido
(6 Days)
Sapporo & Otaru, Furano & Biei, Noboribetsu, Hakodate
Treasures of Japan: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
(17 Days)
Tokyo, Nikko, Osaka with Hiroshima, Miyajima and Himeji Castle, Koyasan (Mount Koya), Kyoto & Nara, Kanazawa & Shirakawago, Hakone & Kamakura
Classic Japan & the Guntu Cruise
(11 Days)
Tokyo, Seto Inland Sea (Guntu luxury cruise), Kyoto, Hakone
Ryokan (Traditional Inns) of Japan Tour
(12 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone & Kamakura, Kyoto, Yamanaka Onsen & Kanazawa
Winter Tour of Japan: Snow Monkeys, Hot Springs & More
(11 Days)
Tokyo, Yamanouchi, Kanazawa & Shirakawago, Yamanaka Onsen, Kyoto
Japan Old & New
(16 Days)
Tokyo, Takayama & Shirakawago, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Naoshima, Hakone
Sacred Japan: Pilgrimage Sites, Ancient Forests & Cultural Treasures
(15 Days)
Tokyo, Koyasan (Mount Koya), Kyoto & Nara, Ise-Shima region, Osaka, Yakushima, Hakone & Kamakura
Kyoto in Depth
(7 Days)
Kyoto with Nara, Uji, Himeji Castle and/or Hiroshima & Miyajima
Luxuries of Japan & Thailand
(12 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Bangkok, Chiang Mai
Best of Japan & China
(15 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Beijing & Great Wall, Xian, Guilin & Yangshuo, Shanghai
Three Capitals: Tokyo, Seoul & Beijing
(11 days)
Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing & Great Wall
(12 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Bangkok, Chiang Mai
his private tour of Japan and Thailand is one of the greatest luxury journeys in Asia. It's an ideal combination of Japanese and Thai culture, cuisine and lifestyle. It features private cultural touring with your own guide and driver, accommodation in the best luxury hotels and resorts, private airport transfers, first-class train travel in Japan, internal flights in Thailand, access to a wide range of unique activities and more.
Begin in Tokyo, the capital of contemporary culture and style in Japan. During touring with your private guide and driver, visit Tokyo’s most interesting neighborhoods, such as Ginza, Aoyama, Shibuya and Harajuku. Experience Japanese pop culture and also tour important historical sites such as Meiji Jingu Shrine and Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa. See striking contemporary architecture and the latest Japanese gadgets. Visit some of Tokyo’s best museums according to your interests, such as the Mori Art Museum, Edo-Tokyo Museum or Tokyo National Museum. Also experience Tokyo’s exciting culinary scene by visiting Tsukiji Fish Market, the Kappabashi kitchenware district, and our favorite specialty shops and department store food halls. Upon request, additional experiences can be arranged such as watching sumo wrestlers practice at a sumo stable, meetings with culinary and sake experts, private martial arts lessons, seeing a Japanese baseball game, visiting favorite family attractions such as the Ghibli Museum, and attending local festivals. Artisans of Leisure can also make reservations at our favorite restaurants in Tokyo, which range from local noodle shops to some of the most acclaimed restaurants in the world.
Continue to Hakone, a volcanic national park renowned for hot springs and views of nearby Mount Fuji. Stay at one of Japan’s most luxurious and renowned ryokan (traditional inns), where you can soak in your own private outdoor hot spring bath and enjoy a gourmet kaiseki ryori (seasonal tasting menu) dinner. During private touring, explore Hakone’s geothermal areas, forested mountains and historical sites. Also enjoy a private boat ride on Lake Ashinoko for views of Mount Fuji. Perhaps also visit one of Hakone’s best art museums. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can incorporate hiking or a drive up the base of Mount Fuji.
Next, travel by first-class shinkansen (bullet train) to enchanting Kyoto, the heart of Japanese culture and tradition. During touring with your private guide and driver, experience the best of this elegant city. Visit important temples and shrines. Gain access to imperial villas and private gardens such as Katsura Rikyu and Saihoji (the Moss Temple). Enjoy an exclusive private tea ceremony. Stroll through a bamboo forest. Enjoy a Buddhist vegetarian lunch at a local temple. Tour traditional geisha districts such as Gion. Visit markets and food purveyors to sample Kyoto’s culinary specialties, considered the most refined in Japan. Explore antiques districts, and browse our favorite shops for exquisite ceramics, lacquerware and other crafts. One day, enjoy an excursion to the I. M. Pei-designed Miho Museum; to ancient Nara, the birthplace of Buddhism in Japan; or to Hiroshima to visit the Peace Park and Museum and nearby Miyajima with its iconic torii (Shinto gate) that seems to float on the water. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can also arrange a wide range of other unique activities in and around Kyoto, such as an exclusive private dinner accompanied by geisha and maiko entertainment, private Zen meditation in a local Buddhist temple, meetings with local craftspeople, ikebana (flower arranging) lessons, visiting a master swordsmith, meeting with ceramics experts, tea tastings and tea plantation visits, attending a sumo tournament, manga drawing lessons, a visit to a private machiya (traditional merchant house), hiking to temples in the hills surrounding the city and private Japanese cooking classes.
Next, fly to Bangkok, the colorful capital of Thailand. With your own private guide, experience the most interesting parts of this fascinating city. Enjoy a private long-tail boat tour through the residential canals. Visit Bangkok's most important temples, and learn about Buddhist practices and influences on daily life. Explore markets overflowing with textiles, flowers, food and crafts. Tour small museums and interesting local neighborhoods. During leisure time, enjoy one of the world's leading spas, shop for exquisite Thai silk, and dine on some of Southeast Asia's best cuisine.
Conclude in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand's most interesting cultural destination. Spend several days at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, a luxurious spa resort of Thai villas set among terraced rice fields. During touring with your private guide and driver, participate in a morning Buddhist alms ceremony at a mountaintop temple, enjoy a hands-on experience at an elephant sanctuary, visit local hill tribe villages, and explore Chiang Mai's temples and markets. During leisure time, perhaps enjoy a Thai cooking class, spa treatment, or time to relax at the wonderful resort.
Itinerary Overview |
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Introduction to Japan
(6 Days)
Tokyo, Kyoto
A Week in Japan
(7 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto
Family Tour of Japan
(10 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone & Mount Fuji, Kyoto & Hiroshima
Highlights of Japan
(11 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Kanazawa
Essence of Japan
(12 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone & Kamakura, Kyoto
Culinary Tour of Japan
(15 Days)
Tokyo, Kanazawa, Yamanaka Onsen, Kyoto & Osaka
Contemporary Art & Architecture of Japan
(14 Days)
Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto & Miho Museum, Naoshima, Tokyo
Traditions of Japan
(16 Days)
Tokyo, Nikko, Kyoto, Kanazawa, Takayama
Best of Japan
(17 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone & Kamakura, Kyoto, Yamanaka Onsen, Kanazawa
Cherry Blossoms: Sakura Season in Japan
(9 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto
Japan: Culture, Cuisine & Hot Springs
(14 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Yamanaka Onsen, Kanazawa
Romantic Japan
(14 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto & Osaka, Okinawa, Tokyo
Hiking Tour of Japan: Nakasendo Road & the Japan Alps
(12 Days)
Kyoto, Nakasendo Road, Takayama & Kamikochi, Matsumoto, Tokyo
Historic Hikes of Japan: Kumano Kodo & Nakasendo Road
(12 Days)
Kyoto, Kumano Kodo, Ise-Shima region, Nakasendo Road, Tokyo
Exclusive Japan: Amans, Art & Onsen
(15 Days)
Tokyo, Naoshima, Kyoto, Ise-Shima region
Highlights of Kyushu
(8 Days)
Fukuoka & Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Yufuin & Beppu
Luxuries of Kyushu: Seven Stars Train
(7 Days)
Fukuoka, Seven Stars in Kyushu train
Garden Tour of Japan
(13 Days)
Tokyo, Kurashiki & Okayama, Kyoto, Kanazawa
Traditional Crafts of Japan
(15 Days)
Tokyo, Kurashiki, Kyoto, Yamanaka Onsen, Kanazawa
Best of Hokkaido & Tohoku
(12 Days)
Tokyo, Sapporo & Otaru, Hakodate, Sendai with Matsushima & Yamadera, Nikko, Tokyo
Hokkaido in Winter
(6 Days)
Sapporo & Otaru, Niseko
Discover Hokkaido
(6 Days)
Sapporo & Otaru, Furano & Biei, Noboribetsu, Hakodate
Treasures of Japan: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
(17 Days)
Tokyo, Nikko, Osaka with Hiroshima, Miyajima and Himeji Castle, Koyasan (Mount Koya), Kyoto & Nara, Kanazawa & Shirakawago, Hakone & Kamakura
Classic Japan & the Guntu Cruise
(11 Days)
Tokyo, Seto Inland Sea (Guntu luxury cruise), Kyoto, Hakone
Ryokan (Traditional Inns) of Japan Tour
(12 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone & Kamakura, Kyoto, Yamanaka Onsen & Kanazawa
Winter Tour of Japan: Snow Monkeys, Hot Springs & More
(11 Days)
Tokyo, Yamanouchi, Kanazawa & Shirakawago, Yamanaka Onsen, Kyoto
Japan Old & New
(16 Days)
Tokyo, Takayama & Shirakawago, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Naoshima, Hakone
Sacred Japan: Pilgrimage Sites, Ancient Forests & Cultural Treasures
(15 Days)
Tokyo, Koyasan (Mount Koya), Kyoto & Nara, Ise-Shima region, Osaka, Yakushima, Hakone & Kamakura
Kyoto in Depth
(7 Days)
Kyoto with Nara, Uji, Himeji Castle and/or Hiroshima & Miyajima
Luxuries of Japan & Thailand
(12 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Bangkok, Chiang Mai
Best of Japan & China
(15 Days)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Beijing & Great Wall, Xian, Guilin & Yangshuo, Shanghai
Three Capitals: Tokyo, Seoul & Beijing
(11 days)
Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing & Great Wall
Our Japan trip was amazing. Each of our guides were excellent and made the trip most enjoyable while also informative and generally good company to have with us. As always, Artisans of Leisure plans and creates a first-class trip that left us to do nothing but enjoy our time and not have to worry about anything. We can hardly wait to plan our next adventure.
~ N.R., Greenwich, CT
We’re back from Japan and had a wonderful time. We are absolutely spoiled by traveling with Artisans of Leisure!
~ M.M., Santa Barbara, CA
Our Japan trip was a wonderful, memorable, lifetime experience. Our guide was a jewel and the absolute highlight of our trip. We appreciated the first-class handling of everything from the hotels, meals, tours and travel. Artisans has been the best, hands down!
~ W.M., Brownwood, TX
Recommended by:
Departures
Conde Nast Traveler
The New York Times
Wall Street Journal
Travel + Leisure
Town & Country
What’s New in Japan: Travel Inspiration
Our Favorite Luxury Train Journeys Around the World
Favorite Family Activities in Japan
Must Visit: Naoshima, Japan’s Art Island
Stay Overnight at a Temple Lodge on Mount Koya, Japan
Private Ikebana Lessons in Japan
Must Experience: Staying at a Luxury Ryokan in Japan
Just Back: Tokyo & Tohoku in Japan
An Interview with Ashley Isaacs Ganz on Japan
Just Back: An Autumn Visit to Japan
Behind-the-Scenes Culinary and Crafts Touring in Japan
Kurashiki: One of Japan’s Most Picturesque Towns
Fun, Colorful, Festive Food During Cherry Blossom Season in Japan
Yosegi: A Traditional Craft in Hakone, Japan
Exclusive Access: Dinner with Geisha in Japan
The Tokyo Toilet: A Contemporary Architecture Project in Japan
Just Back: The Guntu and Other Inland Sea Highlights in Japan
Touring Toyoso & Tsukiji Markets in Tokyo
Yayoi Kusama’s “Pumpkin” at Benesse Art Site Naoshima
Photos from Our Travelers: A Private Japan Tour