The journey
Learn samurai swordsmanship in Tokyo, forest-bathe among ancient cedars in the Kiso Valley, cycle Kyoto's UNESCO temples, kayak to Miyajima's floating torii gate, and overnight in a mountaintop temple lodge at Koyasan, fourteen days of active adventure between Japan's most exclusive stays.
Active Japan: A Luxury Journey pairs Japan's most exclusive stays with its most memorable outdoor experiences, fourteen days of movement between moments of stillness. Learn the basics of samurai swordsmanship from Tokyo choreographers whose credits include Hollywood fight scenes, then trade the city for a private guided forest-bathing session among the ancient cedars of the Kiso Valley. Cycle to Kyoto's UNESCO temples, hike the ancient Yamanobe-no-Michi trail near Nara, and pedal an electric bike along Lake Biwa to cook chicken sukiyaki with a local farming family. In Hiroshima, cycle the Peace Memorial sites before kayaking across the Seto Inland Sea to the floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine. Finish with a night in a Koyasan temple lodge among Japan's most sacred Buddhist sites, before a final evening of Osaka's best food.
Highlights
- Learn samurai swordsmanship in Tokyo from choreographers with Hollywood film credits
- Join a private guided forest-bathing (shinrin-yoku) session among the ancient cedars of the Kiso Valley
- Cycle to Kyoto's UNESCO temples, from Nijo Castle's chirping floors to the gold-leafed Kinkaku-ji
- Cook chicken sukiyaki with a local farming family on a private Lake Biwa cycling excursion
- Kayak across the Seto Inland Sea to the floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine at Miyajima
- Overnight in a Koyasan temple lodge among Japan's most sacred Buddhist sites, with Buddhist cuisine and an optional monks' morning prayer
Included
Accommodation
13 nights across Tokyo, Kiso-Fukushima, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Koyasan and Osaka
Activities
Tokyo city tour (Meiji Jingu, Harajuku and Omotesando, Korakuen Garden, Asakusa and Senso-ji) · samurai sword lesson · forest bathing in Kiso Valley's Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest · Nakasendo self-guided walk (Tsumago to Magome) · Kyoto cycling tour (Nishi Hongan-ji Temple, Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji, Ryoan-ji, Arashiyama) · guided hike on the Yamanobe-no-Michi trail near Nara (Chogaku-ji Temple, Omiwa Shrine) · Lake Biwa e-bike cycling and family farm visit with sukiyaki cooking · Hiroshima cycling tour (Peace Memorial Park, A-bomb Dome) · Miyajima kayaking to Itsukushima Shrine · Koyasan (Kongobu-ji, Okuno-in) and shukubo temple lodge stay · Osaka food tour
Also included
Meet and greet with private return airport transfers · Green car Shinkansen and train tickets on Days 4, 7, 10 and 12 · private transfers for most included activities · English-speaking guides on Days 2 and 12 · breakfast daily from Day 2 (13 total), plus 3 lunches (Days 7, 8 and 9) and 4 dinners (Days 4, 5, 12 and 13) · self-guide app and travel documentation
The route
Fourteen days across Japan
6 stops · Tokyo to Osaka
Tokyo
Kiso-Fukushima
Kyoto
Hiroshima
Koyasan
Osaka
Stop 1 of 6
Journey's end
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Stop 1 of 6
Day by day
The route in detail
Day 1
Arrival in Tokyo
Arrive in Tokyo, where a private vehicle will be waiting for the transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is free at leisure. Overnight in Tokyo.
Day 2
Tokyo City Tour
Spend a full day touring Tokyo with a local guide. Begin at Meiji Jingu, the city's most iconic Shinto shrine, passing through towering torii gates into a forest of more than 100,000 trees. Continue to the neighbouring districts of Harajuku and Omotesando, contrasting Tokyo's quirky street fashion with the polished boutiques of its own "Champs-Elysees". After lunch, visit Korakuen Garden, a classic example of Japanese landscape design, before finishing the day in Asakusa, home to Senso-ji, Japan's oldest Buddhist temple, and the bustling market street of Nakamise leading up to it. Overnight in Tokyo.
Day 3
Samurai Sword Lesson in Tokyo
Meet one of Tokyo's leading sword choreographers, several of whom have worked on major film productions, for a private samurai sword lesson. Learn the history of the samurai and their role in Japan's military past, then take up a blade to learn the proper stance, draw and basic swing before a short session of partnered swordplay practice. The rest of the day is free, with the option to join an evening tour through Shimbashi's atmospheric nightlife or a guided Japanese whisky tasting across some of Tokyo's finest bars. Overnight in Tokyo.
Day 4
Tokyo to Kiso-Fukushima & the Nakasendo
Travel by Green car Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagoya, continuing by the scenic Wide View limited express into the Kiso Valley, part of the historic Nakasendo route that once linked Japan's former capitals. On arrival at Kiso-Fukushima, transfer to a traditional ryokan for the night, complete with tatami flooring and sliding shoji doors. Enjoy a soak in the ryokan's onsen before a plentiful dinner. Overnight in Kiso-Fukushima.
Day 5
Forest Bathing in the Kiso Valley
Spend a half-day forest bathing in the Kiso Valley, guided by a forest therapy expert through the Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest, considered the birthplace of shinrin-yoku, the Japanese practice of connecting with nature through the senses. Walk quiet, shaded paths beneath ancient cypress trees, pausing to take in the birdsong and the scent of cedar and moss. The experience concludes with a light meal before returning to the ryokan for another soak in the onsen and dinner. Overnight in Kiso-Fukushima.
Day 6
Kiso-Fukushima to Kyoto
This morning is free, with the option to take a self-guided walk along the Nakasendo trail between Magome and Tsumago, one of the best-preserved stretches of the historic route, alternating between old post towns, farmland and woodland. Continue to Kyoto, home to around 2,000 shrines and temples, 17 of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, arriving in the afternoon for an included afternoon of sightseeing with a private guide. The evening is free, with the option to join a guided culinary walk through the geisha districts of Gion and Pontocho. Overnight in Kyoto.
Day 7
Kyoto by Bike
Set out by bicycle through Kyoto's cultural landmarks. Ride to Nishi Hongan-ji, one of the city's largest temple complexes, then continue to Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its intricately painted sliding doors and "chirping" nightingale floors. After a break for lunch, cycle to Kinkaku-ji, a Zen Buddhist temple whose top two floors are covered in gold leaf, and neighbouring Ryoan-ji, home to one of Japan's most famous rock gardens. Finish at Arashiyama, known for its bamboo forest and riverside lanes, before returning to central Kyoto. Overnight in Kyoto.
Day 8
Hiking the Yamanobe-no-Michi Trail near Nara
Meet a local guide for a scenic and spiritual hike near Nara. Cross through the Tenri Hondori shopping arcade and pass the Tenri-kyo Shinto-sect church en route to Yamanobe-no-Michi, believed to be Japan's oldest road. Walk past historic shrines and ruins to Chogaku-ji Temple and Omiwa Shrine, one of the oldest Shinto shrines in the country and revered as Japan's first shrine. After lunch and a well-deserved rest, return to Kyoto. Overnight in Kyoto.
Day 9
Lake Biwa Cycling & a Farm Visit
Hop on an electric bike for a half-day cycling tour along the shores of Lake Biwa, riding through peaceful villages and terraced rice fields. Meet local farmers and lend a hand with seasonal planting or harvesting, learning about life in rural Japan. Continue to a local family home to help cook chicken sukiyaki using home-grown vegetables and local rice, sitting down to enjoy the meal together and sample the hostess's own pickled sour plums. Cycle back to JR Shiga Station past the Hira mountain range before the scenic train ride back to Kyoto for a final night in the ancient capital. Overnight in Kyoto.
Day 10
Kyoto to Hiroshima by Bike
Travel by train to Hiroshima, checking into the hotel before an afternoon cycling tour focused on the city's history. Start at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, also known as the A-bomb Dome, the building that remained standing closest to the blast's epicentre, then continue to the Peace Memorial Park. Cycle along the riverside and out to several lesser-visited spots that still bear traces of the bombing, easily reached by bike but often missed by other visitors. Return to the meeting point via Peace Boulevard and Kyobashi Bridge. Overnight in Hiroshima.
Day 11
Hiroshima & Miyajima Kayaking
Take to the water for a kayaking adventure across Hiroshima's inland sea. After a short introductory lesson, paddle out across the Seto Inland Sea towards Miyajima Island, watching the vermilion torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine grow closer with every stroke, a very different vantage point from the standard ferry crossing. Continue around the island's shoreline, with Mount Misen rising in the background, and go ashore on a quiet stretch of beach for a break before paddling back to Hiroshima. The rest of the day is free at leisure. Overnight in Hiroshima.
Day 12
Hiroshima to Koyasan
Travel to Koyasan, home to more than 100 temples and the centre of Shingon Buddhism for over 1,200 years, a journey that finishes with a scenic cable car ascent into the mountains. Visit Kongobu-ji, the head temple of Shingon Buddhism and home to Japan's largest rock garden, then continue to Okuno-in, Japan's largest cemetery, walking the two-kilometre approach past more than 200,000 tombstones to the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi. Check into a shukubo, a traditional temple lodge, where the evening meal is shojin ryori, the restrained vegetarian cuisine of Buddhist monks. Overnight in Koyasan.
Day 13
Koyasan to Osaka
Rise early for the option to join the temple's morning prayer service, immersing in the monks' chanting before a shojin ryori breakfast. Then travel by private car to Osaka, Japan's culinary capital, for a final night. In the evening, meet a guide near Tenma Station for a walk through Japan's longest covered shopping arcade, stopping at three neighbourhood restaurants for a taste of true Osakan cooking: a standing tachinomi bar, a lively izakaya serving kushikatsu skewers, and a homestyle kitchen known for yakitori and oden. Overnight in Osaka.
Day 14
Departure from Osaka
Enjoy a final day at leisure before the included private transfer to Kansai International Airport for the flight home.
Moments
Along the way
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