8-Nights Cultural Japan: Tokyo, Kanazawa & Kyoto from $4,073

Goway Travel

OFFER ID 1722558

Epic Scenery, Iconic Landmarks Travel from dynamic Tokyo to timeless Kyoto on this small group Japan journey, uncovering alpine villages, historic towns and the elegance of old-world Japan.

Trip Overview :

Travel from dynamic Tokyo to timeless Kyoto on this small group Japan journey, uncovering alpine villages, historic towns and the elegance of old-world Japan.

Highlights:

Explore Tokyo, from the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Tower to bustling Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa.
Journey to Mount Fuji and Hakone, cruising Lake Ashi and gliding above volcanic valleys by ropeway.
Discover Kanazawa’s samurai heritage, the exquisite Kenrokuen Garden, and gold-leaf crafts.
Visit Shirakawago’s UNESCO-listed thatched farmhouses and stroll Takayama’s preserved Edo-period streets.
Uncover Kyoto and Nara’s treasures—golden temples, ancient castles, friendly deer, and tranquil gardens.

Included Services:

Shared arrival & departure airport transfers in Tokyo and Kyoto
Meet and greet on arrival in Tokyo
3 nights premium accommodation in Tokyo
2 nights premium accommodation in Kanazawa
3 nights premium accommodation in Kyoto
Shared Tokyo morning tour (max. 50 guests)
Shared Mt. Fuji, Waterfalls & Wasabi excursion in Shizuoka (max. 50 guests)
Shared Kanazawa afternoon tour (max. 50 guests)
Shared Shirakawago and Takayama tour (max. 50 guests)
Shared Kyoto and Nara tour (max. 50 guests)
Rail from Tokyo to Kanazawa (ordinary class) with assistance to board the train in Tokyo
Rail from Kanazawa to Kyoto via Tsuruga (ordinary class) with assistance at Tsuruga station and on arival at Kyoto station
Luggage transfer (1 piece per person) from Tokyo to Kyoto
Breakfast daily (excluding Day 1), 2 lunches

Excluded Services:

Travel insurance
International and domestic airfare & airfare taxes
Meals and beverages not explicitly listed as included
Gratuities
Optional excursions
Items of a personal nature
Passport & Visa fees, if applicable

8 nights from $4,073 per person

Itinerary

Click here for Full Itinerary Details

Itinerary Details

Day 1: Arrive in Tokyo

Upon arrival at Narita or Haneda airport, clear immigration and proceed to the arrivals hall, where our representative will greet you and assist you in boarding a taxi to your Tokyo hotel. After check-in, the remainder of the day is at leisure.

Hotel: Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa (4 Star Rating)

Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa offers spacious, elegantly designed rooms with serene garden or city views, complemented by modern amenities and traditional Japanese hospitality. Set amid beautifully landscaped Japanese gardens, the hotel features multiple dining options, a seasonal outdoor pool, and a peaceful atmosphere just minutes from Shinagawa Station.

Day 2: Explore Tokyo

Start off your stay in Tokyo with a morning tour. Pass the Imperial Palace, which is formerly known as Edo Castle, this palace is the residence of the Emperor of Japan. The grounds are lush with green foliage and provide a relaxing spot for Tokyoites and visitors alike. Then visit Tokyo Tower, an Eiffel tower inspired communication tower. Visit the main deck at 150 m. Next, visit Senso-Ji Temple and Nakamise Shopping Street. Senso-Ji, Tokyo's oldest temple, offers plenty to see including the bright red Kaminarimon Gate, a statue of the god of thunder, and a five-story pagoda. The bustling street known as 'Nakamise' stretches for about 250 m from Kaminarimon Gate to Senso-Ji Temple and is filled with a plethora of shops. The tour ends near Tokyo Station in the early afternoon. Rest of day at leisure to explore Tokyo at your own pace.

Hotel: Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa (4 Star Rating)

Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 3: Full Day Excursion to Mt. Fuji & Hakone

Meet your tour group and begin the tour with a bullet train journey from Tokyo Station to Mishima Station. Upon arrival at Mishima Station, transfer to the Hokusai Special Train to Fujinomiya Station and enjoy spectacular views of Mt. Fuji. The train is named after Katsushika Hokusai, who was famous for his ukiyo-e woodblock prints, including The Great Wave off Kanagawa, perhaps his most iconic work. Enjoy photo stops and slow driving at spots depicted in his prints, and an onboard talk will introduce his life and artistic legacy.

Then visit the Mt. Fuji World Heritage Centre in Shizuoka to gain a deeper understanding of Mt. Fuji's rich history, spiritual significance, and cultural importance through engaging exhibits and displays. Continue to Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine, the spiritual heart of Mt. Fuji worship. As the head shrine of all Sengen shrines across Japan, it has long been revered for its role in appeasing Mt. Fuji's eruptions. Next, visit Shiraito Falls and Otodome Falls, where crystal-clear snowmelt from Mt. Fuji cascades into two strikingly different yet equally captivating waterfalls. After lunch, visit a farm that cultivates Japan's world-renowned wasabi, enjoy a hands-on experience grating and tasting Mazuma wasabi, regarded as the finest variety in Japan. Return to Tokyo by train at the end of the tour.

Hotel: Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa (4 Star Rating)

Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4: Tokyo to Kanazawa

Take a bus or taxi from your hotel to Tokyo station and then board the bullet train to go to Kanazawa. An English-speaking assistant will help with your transfer to the train station. You'll be met on arrival in Kanazawa and escorted to your hotel. Then begin your Kanazawa afternoon city tour. Visit the Nomura Residence, a former samurai family residence. There you can admire the traditional architecture and the beautiful Japanese garden. The next stop is Kenrokuen Garden, one of the three great gardens of Japan and Kanazawa's star attraction. The garden offers amazing seasonal views all year around. Continue to the Higashi Chaya-gai district, where teahouses line the stone-paved streets. While there stop to visit Hakuza Honten, known for its gold leaf products. The tour ends at Kanazawa Station.

Hotel: Hotel Kanazawa (3 Star Rating)

Hotel Kanazawa offers spacious, well-equipped rooms. Its prime location just a minute from JR Kanazawa Station, combined with diverse dining options—including a 16th-floor lounge with panoramic vistas, make it a standout choice for travelers.

Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 5: Kanazawa to Shirakawago & Takayama

Take a full day bus excursion to Shirakawago and Takayama. Shirakawago is a UNESCO World Heritage village. Your guide will show you around the village, famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses that have thatched-roofs, some of which are more than 250 years old. You will be able to look around inside one of these and will see how life in Japan's mountainous region used to be. Then continue by bus to Takayama where you will visit the Yatai Kaikan Hall, the exhibition hall for the Takayama festival floats and the Kusakabe Heritage House, where a range of folk art and traditional handicrafts are displayed. Take a stroll through Takayama's old town, originally developed as a merchant town with traces to the Edo period. Return by bus to Kanazawa.

Hotel: Hotel Kanazawa (3 Star Rating)

Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 6: Kanazawa to Kyoto

Take the train from Kanazawa to Kyoto (assistance will be provided to board the train in Kanazawa). You'll be met on arrival in Kyoto and assisted by taxi to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore Kyoto.

Hotel: Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo (4 Star Rating)

Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo blends modern comfort with warm hospitality, offering a variety of stylish rooms. Located just steps from Kyoto Station, the hotel features multiple dining options and unique cultural experiences, making it a convenient and enriching base for exploring the city.

Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 7: Explore Kyoto & Nara

Take a full day tour to explore some of Kyoto's and Nara's most famous sites. Spend the morning in Kyoto. Visit Nijo Castle, noted for its gorgeous interiors and its 'squeaky' nightingale floors which alerted residents to unwanted intruders (if Nijo Castle is closed, visit Ryoanji Temple instead). Continue to Kinkakuji Temple, famous for its Golden Pavilion covered entirely in thin layers of pure gold as well as for its exquisite Japanese gardens and koi ponds. Afterwards, visit Kyoto's Imperial Palace and gain exclusive access to the former residence of the Emperor of Japan (if the Palace is closed, visit Kitano Tenmangu Shrine instead).

After lunch travel to Nara, the first permanent capital of Japan. Visit the colorful Kasuga Taisha Shrine with 3,000 lanterns. This Shinto shrine is considered one of Japan's "Three Great Shrines". Also visit Nara Park, affectionately called "Deer Park" because of the friendly, free-roaming deer that inhabit it. You will also visit the ancient Todaiji Temple and its massive Great Buddha (the largest bronze Buddha in Japan). After this you will return to Kyoto in the evening.

Hotel: Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo (4 Star Rating)

Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8: Day at leisure in Kyoto

Today is a day at leisure to explore Kyoto on your own

Hotel: Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo (4 Star Rating)

Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 9: Depart from Kyoto

Transfer to Osaka's Kansai or Itami Airport for your onward flight.

Meal(s): Breakfast

Featured Destinations

Kyoto

Kanazawa

Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan, presents a different view at every turn. It's one of the world's main economic centers and its most populous agglomeration. The business of Tokyo is business, but you can still find harmony and small-scale gardens on back streets. Around the corner from neon and concrete, you may find the bonsai-lined courtyard of a traditional inn.

Tokyo was nearly destroyed by bombs and fires during World War II, and by earthquakes at other times, but it has always rebuilt itself. As a result, there is little left of Old Japan in the city, but there's plenty of New Japan to take its place.

The streets are a confusing maze, so a map is essential. The transit system is excellent, however, and there are kobans (police boxes) throughout the metropolis, as well as a populace generally willing to answer questions.

Visitors to Tokyo represent both business and leisure travelers. And despite its past reputation, Tokyo is no longer fearsomely expensive. It's relatively easy to visit Tokyo on a budget.

Excursions

Wheeling Your Way Through Tokyo - 6 Hours

Forget the bus, get out of the car, and by no means take the subway – experience Tokyo by bicycle a seemingly unusual way to explore one of the world’s largest megalopolises. But once on your bike and pedaling through the city’s many and varied neighborhoods you will experience Tokyo in a truly unique way.

You will transfer to Chuo-ku, Tokyo where you choose your bicycle and try it out before setting off. Once ready and under the supervision of your cycling guide set off for the Tour de Tokyo pedaling your way through some of the distinctive districts that make Tokyo so memorable:–
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Tsukishima (traditional market area famed for its monjayaki savoury pancake) and Tsukiji Outer Market the largest seafood market in the world.
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Ginza (Tokyo’s chic shopping district – the city’s “Fifth Avenue”)
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Shinbashi Station (Japan’s oldest railway station)
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Azabu Juban Village (eclectic, eccentric and exciting – where trendy meets traditional)
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Roppongi, Aoyama and Harajuku & Omotesando (iconic architecture and fashion forward for today’s Tokyo)
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Yoyogi Park (site of the 1964 Olympic Village – weather permitting enjoy a picnic lunch)
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The New National Stadium (site of the 2020 Opening Ceremonies)
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Meiji Jingu Shrine (Tokyo’s revered Shinto Shrine set within a verdant forest park)
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Yoyogi National Stadium (Tange Kenzo’s stunning design for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games)
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Jingu Gaien Mall (the beautiful Gingko lined Avenue)
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Akasaka Palace (the magnificent State Guest House)
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Parliament House (the site of the National Diet)
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Imperial Palace Grounds (The Iconic Nijubashi Bridge and the moat)
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Tokyo Station + KITTE (Marunouchi Minami Exit side)
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15:00: Arrive at Chuo-ku, Tokyo – the end of this Tokyo tour

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

11/09/2026 - 12/31/2028

from $4,073 per person

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $4,073 per person

Length

8 Nights

Air City

Call for airfares from your city.

Vacation Rating

Deluxe

Remarks

Pricing is dynamic and subject to change based on specific travel dates, room categories and availability. Prices are "from" per person based on twin/double share accommodation and for travel in low season. Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply. Limited seat/spaces and all pricing is subject to change and availability. Rates for single or triple travelers are available on request - please inquire with your Travel Advisor.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1722558

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