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
(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
Autumn in Japan
(9 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Tokyo, Kanazawa, Yamanaka Onsen, Kyoto & Nara
Luxuries of Japan & Thailand
(14 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: Beijing, Seoul & Tokyo
(11 days)
Beijing & Great Wall, Seoul, Tokyo
Highlights of South Korea & Japan
(15 Days)
Seoul, Busan & Gyeongju, Kyoto & environs, Hakone, Tokyo
(16 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Tokyo, Takayama & Shirakawago, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Naoshima, Hakone
This private luxury tour features the historical and contemporary cultural highlights of Japan, including modern Tokyo, ancient Kyoto, traditional Kanazawa, rural Takayama and Shirakawago, the contemporary art island of Naoshima, and the scenic beauty and hot springs in Hakone.
Begin in Tokyo, the capital of contemporary culture and style in Japan. Stay at one of the city’s best luxury hotels, and enjoy comprehensive city touring with your private guide and driver. Visit Tokyo’s most interesting neighborhoods, such as Ginza, Asakusa, Shibuya, Harajuku, Aoyama, Shinjuku and Roppongi. See striking contemporary architecture, and tour important historical sites such as Meiji Jingu Shrine and Sensoji Temple. Experience the best of Japanese pop culture during visits to trendy districts, specialty shops, quirky cafes and popular sites such as Yoyogi Park. Also visit Tokyo’s best museums and art sites, such as the Mori Art Museum, a teamLab Borderless installation, Edo-Tokyo Museum or the Tokyo National Museum according to your interests. Experience Tokyo’s exciting culinary scene during visits to the Tsukiji Outer Market or Toyosu Market, the Kappabashi kitchenware district, and our favorite specialty food shops and department store food halls. Artisans of Leisure can also assist with reservations at the best restaurants in Tokyo, which range from local noodle shops, sushi bars and izakaya (pubs) to some of the most acclaimed restaurants in the world.
Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can arrange additional experiences in Tokyo, such as watching sumo wrestlers practice at a sumo stable, a private sushi-making lesson, specialized shopping, meetings with culinary and sake experts, private martial arts lessons, seeing a Japanese baseball game, attending a kabuki performance and visiting the Ghibli Museum. We can also arrange touring to include Japanese seasonal events such as ohanami (cherry blossom viewing) parties in the spring, fireworks festivals in the summer and viewing koyo (fall foliage) in the autumn.
Next, travel to Takayama, a tradition-steeped village in the shadow of the Japan Alps. Visit the morning market, walk through atmospheric backstreets lined with traditional wooden buildings, tour historical merchant houses, browse specialty shops and folk art museums and perhaps stop in a local sake brewery. Also visit the nearby town of Hida-Furukawa to see the traditional whitewashed buildings along a canal in the historic center, and learn about the revered local craftsmanship at a centuries-old candle shop. During your stay, enjoy gourmet kaiseki ryori (seasonal tasting menu) dinners.
En route to Kanazawa, venture deep into the Japan Alps to visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed villages of Shirakawago and Gokayama, where distinctive farmhouses with steep, thatched roofs sit among rice fields and forested hills.
Continue to Kanazawa, one of Japan’s wealthiest cities during the feudal era and now a wonderful cultural and culinary destination on the Sea of Japan. With your expert guide, explore the highlights of the town, including the traditional Japanese architecture in former samurai and geisha districts and beautiful Kenrokuen Garden, one of the most famous gardens in Japan. Learn about Kanazawa’s celebrated traditional crafts, including silk, lacquer and gold leaf products. Also tour fascinating Myoryuji (Ninja Temple), and visit museums such as the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art and Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Traditional Arts and Crafts. Explore the city’s Omicho food market, and experience Kanazawa’s refined cuisine at our favorite restaurants. One day, Artisans of Leisure will arrange an exclusive private visit and culinary experience at a traditional Japanese farm in the countryside. Other touring options around Kanazawa include visiting the Ohi Museum, the D.T. Suzuki Museum, and a renowned pottery kiln and studio.
Next, travel by first-class express train to enchanting Kyoto, the heart of Japanese culture and tradition. Stay at one of Kyoto’s best luxury hotels or ryokan (traditional inns), and enjoy flexible private touring of the best of this elegant city with your private guide and driver. Visit the city’s most important historic attractions and temples and shrines such as Kinkakuji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion), Ryoanji and its famous Zen rock garden, Kiyomizudera Temple, Nijo Castle, Ginkakuji, Saihoji (Moss Temple) and Fushimi Inari, famous for its tunnel of red torii gates. Take a private excursion to Arashiyama, a beautiful mountainside district, to see its enormous bamboo forest, historic gardens and sites, and to have a vegetarian lunch at a Zen temple. Enjoy a private tour of Gion, Kyoto’s traditional geisha district, walk on the Philosopher’s Path, and see traditional architecture in our favorite neighborhoods. Also browse Nishiki Market, antiques districts, small specialty museums, and historic shops that have been selling traditional goods for centuries. Upon request, we can arrange access to imperial villas and private gardens such as Katsura Rikyu and other less-visited attractions. Artisans of Leisure will also arrange an exclusive private Japanese tea ceremony in a tea villa and reservations at Kyoto’s best restaurants.
One day, enjoy a private excursion from Kyoto. Options include the I.M. Pei-designed Miho Museum; ancient Nara, the eighth-century capital of Japan; Osaka for food and pop culture touring; Uji to visit tea plantations and Byodoin Temple; and Himeji Castle, the most impressive medieval castle in Japan.
Upon request, other activities that can be arranged around Kyoto include an exclusive private dinner with geisha entertainment, private Zen meditation in a local Buddhist temple, meetings with local craftspeople, private ikebana (flower arranging) lessons, visiting a master swordsmith, meetings with ceramics experts, tea tastings, visits to sake breweries and tofu factories, manga drawing lessons, a visit to a private machiya (traditional merchant house), hiking to temples in the hills, attending local festivals, private Japanese cooking classes, and visiting the best places around Kyoto to view cherry blossoms and fall foliage.
Next, travel to Naoshima, an amazing art destination on an island in the Seto Inland Sea. Stay at Benesse House, a Tadao Ando-designed hotel and contemporary art museum. During private touring, explore Benesse Art Site Naoshima, a collection of museums, installations and art spaces scattered across the island. See compelling artworks by Yayoi Kusama, James Turrell, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Rei Naito, Claude Monet and other top artists. If desired, see additional installations on the nearby islands of Teshima and Inujima (also part of Benesse Art Site).
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 inns, where you can soak in outdoor onsen (hot spring bath) and enjoy a gourmet kaiseki ryori dinner. During private touring, explore Hakone’s geothermal areas and historical sites. Perhaps also visit one of Hakone’s best art museums or a studio dedicated to yosegi (inlaid wood), a local craft. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can incorporate hiking, a drive up the base of Mount Fuji or a boat ride on Lake Ashi for views of Mount Fuji.
Return to Tokyo for last-minute shopping, dining and free time to enjoy the city.
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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
(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
Autumn in Japan
(9 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Tokyo, Kanazawa, Yamanaka Onsen, Kyoto & Nara
Luxuries of Japan & Thailand
(14 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: Beijing, Seoul & Tokyo
(11 days)
Beijing & Great Wall, Seoul, Tokyo
Highlights of South Korea & Japan
(15 Days)
Seoul, Busan & Gyeongju, Kyoto & environs, Hakone, Tokyo
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:
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Must Visit: Naoshima, Japan’s Art Island
Stay Overnight at a Temple Lodge on Mount Koya, Japan
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Must Experience: Staying at a Luxury Ryokan in Japan
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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