16-Day Authentic Japan

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For this first full day in Japan, a private guide will meet you at your hotel lobby. Visit Tsukiji Market which has sustained both the residents of Tokyo and many restaurants for over 90 years. The next stop is Asakusa, where you will have a cooking lesson with a sushi master. For lunch, enjoy your creations before heading to the Imperial Palace. Finally, you will walk through Shibuya's famous crossing and check the latest trends in Japan.

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Take your first bullet train ride and head to Kanazawa near the Sea of Japan. Kanazawa was a city of merchants, artisans and Samurai. Today, the city still retains its traditional atmosphere with some of the best-preserved Geisha districts and Samurai's houses in Japan. Visit Kenrokuen, one of the three best gardens in Japan, Kanazawa castle and Higashi Chaya Geisha district.

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Today, with a guide and a private car, you will travel around the Noto Peninsula. The peninsula is known for its coastal scenery, particularly along the Okunoto Coast and the Kongo Coast. The area has thriving agricultural traditions and centuries-old craft cultures such as Washi paper, Kiriko glass and lacquer. Start with a tour of Wajima city and its Kiriko glass ateliers, then take part in a lacquer workshop. Next, visit the rice fields and salt farms before returning to Kanazawa.

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Today, you will head further into the Japanese Alps with guide and driver. En route, you will stop by the Shirakawago village. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995, the village is famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. You'll stop by Hida's exhibition hall to learn more about the traditional structures of the region before you continue to Takayama.

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Today, you will have the full day to visit Takayama at your leisure. Takayama is a mountain town that embraces tradition and hospitality. The town is often voted as one of Japan's most atmospheric. No public transport is needed to get around the town centre as everything is very walkable and easy to see in just one day. Start with a tour of the morning market, follow by the well preserved Sannomachi street, before visiting the local shrine and museums.

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Meet your guide and driver at your accommodation and transfer from Takayama to Toba in the Mie prefecture. Just like the Noto Peninsula, Mie is renowned for its long craft tradition and artisans. En route for Toba, you will stop at Guji Castle, small villages and artisan workshops. Next is Seki city, renowned for the skills of its blacksmiths; following the Seki traditions, you will learn and make your own knife.

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Today you will spend the day in the Ise-Shima National Park. The national park holds a very special place in Japanese's heart and is often seen as a very spiritual region. Visit the Ise shrines where people have worshipped the sun as a deity through the centuries. Ise Jingu is placed at the centre of this belief with the inner shrine and outer shrine. Have lunch with "ama" (mermaid fisherman) in a hut and visit the Ago Bay, famous for its pearl production.

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Leave the Ise National Park area, and head south to Wakayama prefecture and the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails. The trails, in use for over 1,000 years, are the only pilgrimage routes besides the Camino de Santiago to be designated a World Heritage Site. For this first day on the pilgrimage trails, you will visit two of the three main temples and walk on the ancient stone paved roads.

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For your second day on the pilgrimage trails, you will first visit the final and most important of the three sacred temples: Hongu Taisha. After lunch, you will experience the pilgrimage from the river. The Kumano River was a vital section of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route between Kumano Hongu Taisha in Hongu, and Kumano Hayatama Taisha in Shingu. The Kumano River is part of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Today you will leave the seaside of Wakayama prefecture and head to its heart. Koyasan is the mountain headquarters of the Shingon Buddhist sect in Japan and was founded in the 8th century by the monk Kukai (Kobo Daishi). After visiting the large temple complex, you will spend the night at a temple and experience a real Buddhist retreat. It is up to you to participate in the temple's ceremonies, but we highly recommend you do.

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After the morning celebrations at the temple, you will take the local scenic train and head to Osaka for a half-day tour and lunch. Osaka is known as the gourmet capital of the country and a must to visit on your way to Kyoto. You will visit the food market and the gourmet road of the city before heading to Kyoto. If time permits, you can also visit Osaka Castle or walk the longest shopping arcade in Japan.

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Start your day with the northern part of the city and Arashiyama. Arashiyama is famous for its bamboo grove and the World Heritage, Tenryu-ji temple. Not far from Arashiyama, you will visit Ryoanji Temple and the world's most famous stone garden. Then, you'll go to the Golden Pavilion before returning downtown for a traditional Kaiseki dinner with a Geisha show.

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In the morning, visit the Nijo Castle and check the squeaking floor boards that alerted residents of the castle that enemies were approaching. Continue with a tour of "Kyoto's Kitchen", the Nishiki Market. With our food expert, you will do some grocery shopping in the market for your cooking lesson. After shopping, head to the cooking studio for your lesson and lunch. In the afternoon, visit the Fushimi Shrine and its 1,000 red torri and the Tofukuji Temple complex.

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Today, you will have the full day at your leisure. You can either spend more time in Kyoto or, we suggest to head to Nara, the ancient capital. Nara is situated about 45 minutes from Kyoto and makes an excellent day trip. The city is famous for its numerous temples and World Heritage sites but also for the cute but sacred deer which roam freely in the city.