16-Day Authentic Explore Japan

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Stroll through Hama Rikyu Garden and the Imperial Palace the gardens, which form the largest park in the capital. Discover the Hie Jinja Shrine, dedicated to the deity of Mount Hie. Take a stroll in the beautiful Gyoen Imperial Park and go to Meiji Jingu Shrine, one of the most famous places of worship in Japan. Take a stroll through Yoyogi Park, Shibuya –don't forget to visit the statue of the dog, Hâchiko–, Harajuku District and Omote-Sando street; immerse yourself in the diversity of Tokyo.

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Take a stroll through the Asakusa district, and discover the historic centre of Japan's capital. Visit the Sensô-Ji Temple which has stood for over 1,000 years, and don't forget to pass by Nakamise Street. Stroll through Akihabara, the capital of otaku, fans of virtual culture. Then go to the Zojo-Ji Temple, one of the largest Buddhist complexes in the capital. Finish the day by climbing the Tokyo Sky Tree Tower and take a closer look at the radio tower that is the pride of the Japanese people.

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Visit the famous Hakone Shrine, a Shinto shrine on the shore of Lake Ashi. Erected in 757, the main building in a beautiful cedar forest. Distinguished by its Torii, it is the best-known view of Mount Fuji. Take a stroll around Lake Ashi, a crater lake within a volcano that erupted 3,000 years ago. Take the cable car along Lake Ashi to Owakudani Volcanic Valley to admire its steam vents, hot springs and hot rivers. On clear days, you may see a spectacular panoramic view of Mount Fuji.

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You'll have the morning free to explore more of Hakone. You may wish to check out the open-air museum, an outdoor art gallery that marries contemporary art with nature in a harmonious way that is only possible in Japan. In the afternoon, you'll take the train to Kyoto and have the remainder of the day to explore the city at your own pace.

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Visit the famous Yasaka-Jinja Shrine, dedicated to the goddess of the sea and Maruyama Park, an essential place for the Ohanami during Sakura. Visit the Kodai-ji Temple, full of maple and bamboo trees and troll through the Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka alleys that look like they come straight out of a samurai movie. Visit the astonishing Kiyomizu-Dera Temple and walk through Gion District. You'll finish the day at the two of the most important temples in Japan, Higashi Hongen-ji and Nishi Hongen-gi.

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Today is yours to enjoy. You could start the day out in Arashiyama, a part of the city that is known for its bamboo grove and monkey park. Then, you could go on a self-guide temple tour of the city, stopping at all the must-see sights such as Joakko-ji, Gio-ji temple and end the day in the preserved street of Saga Toriimoto.

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Spend a full day exploring the Japanese tea fields. From central Kyoto, take a minibus to the countryside and the beautiful village of Wazuka. You will then head north towards Ujitawara where a very friendly Japanese couple will welcome you to their small tea factory in their Minka, a traditional country house. You will taste several types of tea from the fields around you. After lunch, take a walk on the vermilion bridges before exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Byodo-in Temple.

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Today is free to explore: stroll through the large park in the city of Nara, discover the Kasuga Taisha Shrine with its buildings painted in vermilion red and visit the large Todai-ji Temple, home to the Daibutsu-den building, the largest wooden construction in the world which houses a monumental Big Buddha. Admire the magnificent Nigatsu-Do Temple built on wooden stilts and visit the Hokke-Do Temple also called Sangatsu-do, the oldest building in Todai-ji.

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Stroll through Kurashiki's Bikan Historical Quarter, a timeless place! You will find many magnificent examples of 17th-century wooden warehouses painted white with traditional black tiles, stretching along a canal framed by weeping willows and filled with koi carp. Visit the Ohara Art Museum, the first to have a collection of Western art permanently exhibited in Japan. The Achi Shrine is on a hill overlooking the historic district. In 1990, the sanctuary celebrated its 1700th anniversary!

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Today is free for you to enjoy. From Kurashiki, you may want to take the short journey to Okayama, an old castle town that is a bustling transportation hub of the region and home to beautifully manicured gardens. In the afternoon, why not take the ferry to Naoshima? Famous across the world as an art island, Naoshima is home to artworks by Japan's most celebrated artists and architects.

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A day in Hiroshima is a grim reminder of the not so distant past. You may want to get the difficult part over and done with by starting with the Atomic Dome, the only building to survive the A-Bomb that hit Hiroshima in 1945, destroying everything in its wake. Then, walk through the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, near the drop point of the Hiroshima. Discover Hiroshima Castle and its museum before finishing the day in the shopping arcade.

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Often only visited to see the floating torii, today you'll take a guided tour of Miyajima. Start at the iconic symbol of the island before visiting the pagoda that was built to ensure Itsukushima-Jinja Shrine was always intact. Then, visit Senjokaku Shrine is a gigantic unfinished wooden temple built at the end of the 16th century by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the three unifiers of Japan. Stop at the Miyajima museum before exploring Mount Misen for stunning views to finish the day.

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Enjoy a day in Osaka and explore the bubbly street of Dotonbori and visit the famous Namba Yasaka Shrine. After that, take a stroll through the Kita-Umeda district. An area in perpetual evolution, your wanderings will take you from department stores to underground commercial galleries in aerial walkways, all under the eye of glass and steel skyscrapers. End your day by enjoying a Food Tour and explore Osaka's cuisines.

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Visit the elegant Osaka Castle, home to a museum exhibiting samurai weapons, armour and information about the great samurai, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Take a stroll through Tenno-ji Park, which features a beautiful botanical garden. Late afternoon Visit the most futuristic building in the city, the Umeda Sky Building. Enjoy a unique view of the city from the top of its “floating” observatory at 173 meters.