The journey
Walk a stretch of the historic Nakasendo trail, cycle Kyoto's UNESCO temples, cross Iya Valley's vine bridges, island-hop to Miyajima's floating torii gate, and hike among Yakushima's ancient cedar forests, a 15-day trail through the mountains, art islands and wild coastlines of western Japan.
Trails of Western Japan is a 15-day journey through the mountains, islands and coastlines west of Tokyo, built for travellers who want to move through the country as much as look at it. Walk the Edo-period post road between Tsumago and Magome on the historic Nakasendo trail, then swap boots for a bicycle to explore Kyoto's UNESCO temples, from Nijo Castle's chirping floors to the gold-leafed Kinkaku-ji. Cross the vine bridges of Iya Valley, one of Japan's three hidden valleys, and ferry out to Naoshima to see Yayoi Kusama's iconic pumpkin sculptures. In Hiroshima, visit the Peace Memorial Park before ferrying to Miyajima's floating torii gate. Trek the volcanic peaks of Mount Aso and the basalt cliffs of Takachiho Gorge, then finish with three days on Yakushima, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage island of thousand-year-old cedar forests, hiking to the ancient Jomonsugi tree.
Highlights
- Walk a stretch of the historic Nakasendo trail between the Edo-period post towns of Tsumago and Magome
- Cycle to Kyoto's UNESCO temples, from Nijo Castle's chirping floors to the gold-leafed Kinkaku-ji
- Cross the vine bridges of Iya Valley, one of Japan's three hidden valleys, and visit the historic Ochiai Village
- Ferry to the art island of Naoshima to see Yayoi Kusama's iconic sculptures and the Ando Museum
- Visit Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park and ferry to Miyajima's floating torii gate
- Hike among Yakushima's UNESCO-listed ancient cedar forests, home to the thousand-year-old Jomonsugi tree
Included
Accommodation
14 nights across Tokyo, Kiso Fukushima, Kyoto, Iya Valley, Takamatsu, Hiroshima, Takachiho, Kagoshima and Yakushima
Activities
Nakasendo Walk (Kiso Fukushima, Tsumago, Magome) · Kyoto cycling tour (Nishi Hongan-ji Temple, Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji, Ryoan-ji, Arashiyama) · Iya Valley (vine bridge, Ochiai Village, Sanjo Jinja Shrine, Nagaoka-ke house) · Takamatsu (Ritsurin Park, Yashima and Shikoku Village) · Naoshima art island (Ando Museum, Yayoi Kusama sculptures) · Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Shukkeien Garden · Miyajima Island and floating torii gate · Mount Aso trekking (or alternative Aso Daikanbo/Aso Shrine visit) · Takachiho Kagura dance performance · Takachiho Gorge · Yakushima hiking (Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine, Yakusugi Land or the Jomonsugi trek) · Sakurajima volcanic island tour
Also included
English-speaking guide throughout, plus a second assistant guide for groups of 8 to 16 · shared airport shuttle transfers on arrival and departure · pre-arranged luggage transfer service between Tokyo-Kyoto, Kyoto-Hiroshima and Hiroshima-Kagoshima · public transport and train tickets in ordinary class as itemized in the itinerary · sightseeing entrance fees as indicated · breakfast daily from Day 2 (14 total), plus 6 dinners (Days 2, 5, 9, 11, 12 and 13)
The route
Fifteen days across Japan
8 stops · Tokyo to Kagoshima
Tokyo
Kiso Fukushima
Kyoto
Iya Valley
Takamatsu
Hiroshima
Takachiho
Kagoshima
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Journey's end
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Day by day
The route in detail
Day 1
Arrival in Tokyo
Arrive in Tokyo, where a shared shuttle will be waiting for the transfer to the hotel. This evening, meet the tour leader for a welcome briefing ahead of the trip. Overnight in Tokyo.
Day 2
Tokyo to Kiso Fukushima & the Nakasendo Trail
Take the train from Tokyo Station via Nagano to Kiso Fukushima, a small town roughly halfway along the Nakasendo, one of five historic routes that once branched off Japan's former capital. Luggage travels ahead separately to Kyoto, arriving the following day, so pack a small overnight bag for the next two nights. On arrival, take a short walking tour of the town, once an important checkpoint on the Nakasendo where travellers presented their passes at the Fukushima Sekisho-ato barrier station. Visit Kozenji Temple across the Kiso River, known for its attractive rock garden. Overnight in Kiso Fukushima.
Day 3
Nakasendo Walk to Kyoto
Head to Nagiso and continue by local bus to Tsumago, a beautifully preserved Edo-period post town protected as a Nationally Designated Architectural Preservation Site. Set out on foot along the Nakasendo trail to Magome, another flourishing post town of the era and the most popular stretch of the historic route, a walk of around three hours. From Magome, continue by bus and train to Kyoto. Dinner is at leisure this evening. Overnight in Kyoto.
Day 4
Kyoto by Bike
Set out by bicycle on an active day 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, engineered to squeak underfoot as a defence against intruders. After a break for lunch, cycle on to Kinkaku-ji, a Zen Buddhist temple whose top two floors are covered in gold leaf and reflected in its tranquil pond, and neighbouring Ryoan-ji, home to one of Japan's most famous rock gardens. Finish the day pedalling to Arashiyama, known for its bamboo forest and lively riverside lanes, before returning to central Kyoto. Dinner is at leisure this evening. Overnight in Kyoto.
Day 5
Kyoto to Iya Valley
Take the Shinkansen from Kyoto to Okayama, then a limited express train into the remote Iya Valley on Shikoku Island, one of Japan's three hidden valleys. Luggage travels ahead separately to Hiroshima, arriving the following day, so pack a small bag for the next two nights. Met by a private coach, visit the Manikin Peeing Boy Statue for sweeping views over the Iya River some 200 metres below, then cross the Iya Kazurabashi vine bridge, one of only three left of the more than a dozen that once spanned the valley. Continue to Ochiai Village, a hillside hamlet of mid-Edo-era farmhouses, visiting Sanjo Jinja Shrine and the restored Nagaoka-ke farmhouse. Overnight in Iya Valley.
Day 6
Iya Valley to Takamatsu
Travel by train to Takamatsu for a half-day guided tour of the city, beginning at Ritsurin Park, a 75-hectare garden of man-made hills, ponds and centuries-old trees built in the 1620s for the leaders of Kagawa prefecture. Pause for tea at Kikugetsu-tei, a teahouse within the park overlooking Nan-ko pond. Continue to Yashima, Shikoku's so-called "Roof Island", for a visit to the open-air Shikoku Village museum, home to more than twenty historic buildings including two Important Cultural Properties. Dinner is at leisure this evening. Overnight in Takamatsu.
Day 7
Takamatsu to Hiroshima via Naoshima
Ferry to Naoshima, an art island on the Seto Inland Sea known for hosting the Setouchi Triennale. Explore the island's contemporary art scene, from Yayoi Kusama's iconic red pumpkin sculpture to the Ando Museum, designed by the renowned architect Tadao Ando, and I Love Yu, a working public bathhouse doubling as an art installation. Continue by ferry and train via Okayama to Hiroshima. Dinner is at leisure this evening. Overnight in Hiroshima.
Day 8
Hiroshima & Miyajima
Visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, built on the site where the atomic bomb fell on 6 August 1945, walking among its memorials and monuments before touring the museum. Continue to Shukkeien Garden, one of the city's hidden gems. In the afternoon, transfer to Miyajimaguchi port and ferry across to Miyajima, home to the Itsukushima Shrine's floating torii gate, one of Japan's most photographed sights and ranked among its "3 Most Beautiful Views". Explore the island's shrines and temples, sample local maple-leaf-shaped cakes, and take the option to hike to the summit of Mount Misen or ride the cable car, keeping an eye out for Miyajima's famously tame deer. Dinner is at leisure this evening. Overnight in Hiroshima.
Day 9
Hiroshima to Takachiho via Mount Aso
Take the bullet train to Kumamoto, then continue by private coach to the Mount Aso area, a rural region ringed by five volcanic peaks. Weather and volcanic activity permitting, trek in the Aso caldera; if access is restricted, visit Aso Daikanbo, the best vantage point over all five peaks, or Aso Shrine, a 2,500-year-old Shinto site with a shopping arcade of local fountains and traditional shops. Luggage travels ahead separately to Kagoshima, arriving the following day, so pack a small overnight bag. Continue to Takachiho, and in the evening watch the Takachiho Kagura dance, a performance of four dances drawn from the shrine's traditional 33-dance repertoire. Overnight in Takachiho.
Day 10
Takachiho Gorge to Kagoshima
Visit Takachiho Gorge, one of the most striking sights in the Kyushu Mountains, where the Gokase River cuts through columns of basalt rock beneath the 17-metre Minai Falls. Row along the gorge or walk the paved clifftop trail to the 1,200-year-old Takachiho Shrine. In the afternoon, travel by train to Kagoshima. Overnight in Kagoshima.
Day 11
Kagoshima to Yakushima
Continue south by ferry to Yakushima, an island 60 kilometres off the southern tip of Kyushu and a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site since 1993. The subtropical island is home to Yakusugi, some of Japan's oldest living cedar trees, ranging from 1,000 to 7,000 years old, along with loggerhead turtles, Yaku deer and macaques. Overnight in Yakushima.
Day 12
Yakushima's Ancient Forests
Spend the day hiking through Yakushima's primordial forests to Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine, a trail of around 14.5 kilometres past ancient cedars and through the mossy old-growth forest that inspired scenes in Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke. Overnight in Yakushima.
Day 13
Yakushima's Cedars & the Ancient Jomonsugi
Choose between two ways to spend the final day on Yakushima. Hike through Yakusugi Land, a nature park of ancient cedars with a range of well-maintained trails, with the option to continue to the peak of nearby Mount Tachudake, followed by an afternoon to relax and make use of the hotel's spa facilities. Alternatively, take on the full-day trek to Jomonsugi, the most venerable living cedar in Japan, estimated at between 2,000 and 7,000 years old and five metres in diameter, a round trip of nine to ten hours through the island's interior. Overnight in Yakushima.
Day 14
Yakushima to Kagoshima & Sakurajima
Take the morning jetfoil back to Kagoshima, arriving around midday. After a quick lunch, ferry to the volcanic island of Sakurajima for a half-day tour, starting at the Sakurajima Visitor Centre before walking the Nagisa Lava Trail through the zone of the 1914 eruption and soaking tired feet in the heated foot baths of Nagisa Park. Take the option to ride the tourist loop bus around the island's main sights before returning by ferry to Kagoshima. Dinner is at leisure this evening. Overnight in Kagoshima.
Day 15
Departure from Kagoshima
Enjoy a final morning at leisure before the shared transfer to Kagoshima Airport for the departure flight.
Moments
Along the way
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