The Spirit of Japan: Heritage and Culture Tour

Embark on an unforgettable journey through Japan, exploring a captivating blend of modern cities, historic towns, and sacred mountain retreats. From the vibrant energy and neon-lit streets of Tokyo, to the serene beauty of Nikko’s UNESCO World Heritage temples and Kanazawa’s elegant samurai and geisha districts, this curated itinerary showcases the very best of Japan’s cultural and natural treasures.

Wander the traditional thatched villages of Shirakawa-go, marvel at the historic castles of Himeji and Hiroshima, and experience the spiritual serenity of Mount Koya, before concluding in the timeless city of Kyoto, where centuries of art, architecture, and tradition come alive.

Discover a harmonious balance of history, culture, and stunning scenery as you travel by train and scenic roads through Japan’s diverse landscapes. Stroll beneath iconic torii gates, explore tranquil temple grounds, and meander through bustling markets and preserved streets, all while immersing yourself in the stories and traditions that have shaped the nation.

Along the way, hand-picked accommodations and thoughtfully arranged travel allow you to experience each destination at your own pace, with moments of reflection, discovery, and delight.

This journey promises extraordinary encounters with Japan’s heritage, from ancient temples and sacred mountains to modern urban culture, leaving you with memories that will linger long after your adventure ends. It is a tour designed for travellers seeking both the depth of history and the vibrancy of contemporary Japan, all in one seamless and unforgettable experience.

Is this a Private Tour or a Group Tour?

All of our Japan tours are private tailor made itineraries, customised for you - we can amend things to entirely suit you.

This particular Japan trip is partly guided, with guided excursions included in Tokyo, Kanazawa and Kyoto and includes flights, accommodation, train and transfers.

What are the departure dates?

Let us know your preferred dates of travel and we will find the best and most suitable flights to fit your itinerary.

As this is a private trip, there are no set departure dates.

We can advise you on the best times of your to travel, and some times to avoid.

Which Airlines do you use?

We work with all the major airlines flying to Japan.

Typically for Japan, British Airways, Japan Airlines and Finnair are the airlines we use the most but we work with all airlines flying to Japan and the Far East.

Finnair often have excellent fares and flying times are very quick via Helsinki.

However, just let us know your preferred airline if you have one. We can organise flights from any regional destination in the UK.

There are direct flights from the UK to Tokyo and Osaka.

Which Hotels do you use?

We're careful with our choice of hotels, but we're guided by our customers also. If you have some preferred hotels, just let us know.

We specialise in boutique hotels and so we will often suggest some of our favourite smaller hotels where we think these will be suitable.

The main cities in Japan are fairly short on boutique hotels in general however and most hotels are functional, business style hotels, but always impeccably clean and usually conveniently located.

Bear in mind that rooms can often be small in Japan, particularly in Tokyo which has some of the smallest hotel room-sizes in the world. If room-size is important, let us know.

It's important to choose hotels carefully in Japan. Tokyo in particular is huge and getting the right location for what you want to do is important or you may find yourselves miles from anywhere.

Especially for those doing rail travel in Japan, being within easy access of the station is very useful and will save a lot of time.

View Itinerary in Detail

To view a sample holiday, click on one of the links below. This will open the itinerary up in a new window.

All of our Japan Holidays are completely tailor made and we can put together any kind of itinerary to suit your interests and budget.

We have many other options so if you have a particular hotel in mind just let us know and we'll put together a price and itinerary for you.