Spiritual Japan 10 days
An opportunity to experience the unique culture of Japan. Visit futurist cities and historic sights, including a fascinating stay in a Buddhist Temple on the sacred Mt Koya...

• Tokyo: city tour (3 nights)
• MT Fuji & Lake Ashi
• Hakone
• Bullet Train
• Kyoto: city tour (3 nights)
• Nara (optional)
• Wakayama
• MT Koya (1 night) Temple stay
• Osaka (1 night)
• Guaranteed departure minimum 2 people

View Itinerary

Price & Departure dates

Day 1
Depart from Heathrow or your preferred airport for a scheduled flight to Tokyo. Meals on board.

Day 2 Tokyo
Arrive at Narita Airport in Tokyo, you are met by your tour assistant and transferred to your hotel for a 3 night stay. The rest of the day is at your leisure to adjust to the 9 hours time difference.

Day 3 Tokyo
Morning - City tour of Tokyo visiting a number of the main highlights of this magnificent City. The tour includes a visit to the Tokyo Tower where you can enjoy panoramic views across the city from the observation tower. We proceed to the peaceful picturesque setting of the Meiji Shrine, set in thick woodland and considered to be one of the finest examples of Shinto Architecture. Next we visit the 'Akasaka Guest House' for a photo opportunity. The Guest House is a magnificent 'Western Style Palace' built in the Baroque Architectural style. We then drive alongside the imposing National Diet Building, which is home to the Japanese House of Parliament. Our tour continues across Tokyo to the Imperial Palace East Garden, where we enjoy a pleasant walk in the East Garden of the Imperial Palace, which is filled with scenic and historic beauty. (Alternatively for tours on Monday & Friday we will visit the Imperial Palace plaza and famous Double bridge instead of the East Garden, including a visit to the inner moat and towering Palace walls surrounded by pine trees). Our tour will continue with a drive and stroll along Ginza high street, the famous shopping area of Tokyo. Our tour will disband at Ginza giving you the opportunity for shopping.We also recommend you visit the Sony Centre building to see the futuristic electronics on display. Ginza is also convenient for the subway to explore further.

Afternoon - free at leisure or take optional afternoon city tour, which includes Asakusa Kannon Temple and Sumida river cruise. (ask for details at time of booking).

Day 4 Tokyo - (Nikko optional tour)
Free day to explore Tokyo at your leisure or purchase an optional full day tour excursion to Nikko (ask for details at time of booking). The optional tour involves taking a Deluxe motorcoach to Nikko National park, a designated World Cultural Heritage site and home to some of the most spectacular examples of ancient 17th-century Architecture in Japan. The tour includes a visit to the magnificent Toshogu shrine, which houses the Mausoleum of the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate. We will see the Five-Story Pagoda, Niomon Gate, Three Monkeys, Yomeimon Gate and Main Sacred Hall. We then travel along the scenic Irohazaka hairpin driveway for Japanese style lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch we travel to the spectacular Kegon waterfall which is 100 meters in height. We continue our tour with a scenic drive alongside Lake Chuzenji (reported to be 161.5 meters deep) and MT Nantai.

Day 5 Tokyo - MT Fuji - Hakone - Kyoto (Includes Lunch)
You will be picked up from your hotel and driven by deluxe motorcoach to Mount Fuji. Along the way you will enjoy the scenery of rural Japan, panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and mountainous peaks. From our vantage point on the 5th station on MT Fuji, we will enjoy spectacular views (weather permitting). Lunch will be provided at a Hotel/Restaurant in Hakone. In the afternoon we proceed to the Hakone National Park where we will take a cable car ride with the opportunity to see the magnificent volcanic Hakone mountain range below. We will then travel to the Owakudani Boiling Valley where you will see ancient volcanic craters with sulfurous fumes and clouds of steam spiraling from crevasses across the mountain side giving a truly mystical image. We then proceed with our tour for a boat cruise on Lake Ashi, which is set in serene natural beauty, where weather permitting spectacular views of Mount Fuji can be seen silhouetted in the lake. Proceed to Odawara and take the Shinkansen (Bullet train) to Kyoto. Accommodation at the New Miyako hotel or similar (includes: Lunch).

Day 6 Kyoto
Morning site seeing tour of Kyoto including a visit to the Kinkakuji temple (Golden Pavilion) centred around one of the best examples of a Japanese Zen gardens in the world, Nijo Castle residence of the Tokugawa Shogun built in 1603, Nijo Castle is noted for its Ornate interior and 'nightingale floor' designed to sing when stepped upon to warn of Ninja assassins.(When closed visit Ryoanji temple). We then travel to the Old Kyoto Imperial Palace (on Sat/Sun & national holidays visit Kitano Tenmangu Shrine or Hagashi Honganji temple instead). Finally we explore the Kyoto Handicraft Center where we enjoy demonstrations of Japanese traditional arts and crafts. Tour ends at the handcraft centre who provide an optional free return to your hotel in Kyoto or take optional tour to Nara (enquire at time of booking to include this tour in your itinerary). The optional afternoon tour included lunch at the Kyoto handicraft centre, visit to the Todaiji temple housing the Great Buddha, Kasuga Shinto Shrine with 3,000 lanterns and Nara Deer Park.

Day 7 Kyoto
Day free at Leisure to explore the fascinating city of Kyoto or purchase an optional afternoon tour to the colourful Heian Shrine and inner garden and ponds, Sanjusangendo Hall, a renowned long wooden hall housing all of 1,001 statues that date back to the 13th century and magnificent Kiyomizu Temple with spectacular views across the entire city. (This highly recommended afternoon tour can be prearranged at time of booking).

Day 8 Kyoto - MT Koya (Dinner)
Today your guide will meet you at Kyoto and we transfer by express train to MT Koya. The route will take us to Osaka and on to Mount Koya, arriving around 1.00pm. Mount Koya is home to over 117 temples and our guide will accompany you on a full sightseeing tour of the mountains main highlights. You will then travel up the sacred mountainside by cable car to your overnight 'Japanese style' private accommodation at the magnificent Temple for the Shingon Esoteric sect of Buddhism, which is still in use by monks today. The peaceful temple is set in beautiful wooded mountainous countryside, 1000m above sea level and is ideal to relax and meditate (include: Vegetarian 'monk style' Dinner at Temple)

Day 9 MT Koya - Osaka (Breakfast)
Wake early to see the morning Buddhist Ceremony with the monks at the temple and for your Vegetarian Breakfast. The monks are more than happy for you to attend or watch the ceremony, however this tour is designed for cultural interest and not for any particular religious practice.

Transfer to Namba (Osaka) by express train with your guide (approx. 110min). We then take a guided sightseeing tour around Osaka by public transport including a visit to the spectacular Osaka Castle. Transfer to your hotel with guide's assistance (includes: Vegetarian breakfast).

Day 10 Osaka to UK
You will be met at your hotel and transferred to the futuristic Kansai International Airport in Osaka for departure to UK. Arriving UK later the same day.

Group Departure Dates & Prices 2011(£)

** The peak season to Japan is cherry blossoms viewing (late March & early April), and autumn leave changing (October & early November). The first day of blooming (Kaika) in Tokyo usually comes at the end of March, with the trees reaching full bloom about one week later.

Big & many religious events in Kyoto in 2011! * Events will be held through the year, especially during the following dates: MAR 19 - APR 28, MAY 09 - MAY 28, JUN 09 - JUN 16, SEP 09 - SEP 16, OCT 09 - OCT 16, NOV 09 - NOV 16. If you are interested in travelling during these dates, we would like to ask you to proceed to bookings as early as possible.

The price may be different around the bank holidays in the UK, and the festivals period in Japan. Please contact us for confirmation. The single supplement is based on 3 people in 1 group. The hotel upgrade price is based on twin share, for single room upgrade please contact us.

Price Includes (The prices shown above are 'per person')

• All flights including airport tax. We can also arrange your local airport departure from £65. Please enquire at the time of your booking.
• Airport/hotel transfers.
• Sightseeing tours by professional English-speaking tour guide.
• Selections of quality accommodation in well furnished hotel rooms with private facilities.
• Meals as specified in the itinerary.
• Free luggage transfer from hotel to hotel between Tokyo & Kyoto.

Price Does Not Include

• Optional tours.
• Travel Insurance.

Why choose to travel with Magical Japan?
From the moment you talk to our travel consultants, who have all travelled extensively in Japan, our experience ensures you will have a magical holiday.Our service includes meet & greet at airport and free luggage transfer from hotel to hotel etc. There are no additional entrance fees or transportation costs on any sightseeing tours that are already listed in our programme. Your tours are with officially qualified professional English speaking tour guides. Transfers are by air-conditioned deluxe coach and you will have time to enjoy each sightseeing place on foot. The tour itineraries are regularly checked and provide an ideal length of time to show you the sights, with free time to explore according to your own interests. Most inportantly we Guarantee departure with minumum 2 people.

Flights As agents of many airline consolidators, we can obtain flights in various classes with reputable airlines such as ANA, BA, Virgin, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Finnair etc. We will book airline tickets according to availability unless you specify at the booking stage. We can also provide land-only tours if you prefer to organise your own flights and save airmiles. For the cheapest deal we recommend you book your international flights at time of booking, as this can save you £££s off your final holiday price.

Your Accommodation Carefully selected medium level quality accommodations in ideal locations, with upgrade to deluxe level available. Overnight accommodation on Mount Koya is in 'Japanese style' rooms.

Your Meals Breakfast at hotels can be booked in advance. Alternatively, there are many places around the hotels where you can buy meals.

Other fact of this tour arrangement Small group private guided tour in Mt. Koya & Osaka. An opportunity to see all the main sites in Japan including a once in a life time experience to stay in a Buddhist Temple on the sacred MT Koya. You will stay as guests of the monks from the Shingon sect of Buddhism, founded by the Great Kukai, who established an ashram at MT Koya 1,200 years ago. Depart for Osaka airport by airport bus.

Nijo Castle (Kyoto) is closed (Tue in Jul & Aug), therefore if your tour falls on these dates, we will visit Ryoanji Temple instead. Kyoto Imperial Palace is closed on weekends and national holidays, we will visit Kitano Tenmangu, or Ryoanji Temple instead.

The itinerary is designed according to the most updated information of flights schedules available, although occasionally the sequence in which cities are visited and duration of time spent in each city can change due to local conditions which are out of our control. The above itinerary highlights the main attractions that are to be visited each day. MT Fuji - Hakone - We reserve the right to change or amend our tour itinerary due to heavy traffic conditions or bad weather.We reserve the right to change, amend or alter the itinerary, although we will act in your best interests to handle any amendments. Please refer to the booking form for detailed terms & conditions.