Tour - Japan Bonsai

Reception by your tour guide in Osaka and transfer to the hotel (check-in in the afternoon).

Let yourself be captivated by Kyoto's most beautiful temple, magnificent palace, spiritual Zen garden and an impressive Shinto shrine!
You begin your excursion into Kyoto's rich history with an insight into the palace life of the Tokugawa shogunate. Here in the fully preserved Nijo Castle, your tour guide knows exactly how to bring the magnificent rooms to life for you. A visit to Kyoto's highlight, the Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji), is of course a must and will overwhelm you. The UNESCO cultural heritage site awaits you with its golden façade and beautiful landscaped garden. You will stay on the subject of horticulture and then feel the spiritual atmosphere of a classic Zen garden, which you can admire from a wooden platform and without shoes.
You will round off your day with an easy walk through the thousands of red gates of the Fushimi Inari Shrine. You walk through this unique complex as if through a tunnel of red shrine gates.

Join our optional excursion on the Shinkansen super express train to Hiroshima or discover Kyoto on your own today.

Today, a good hour by bus separates you from the former cultural center of Japan, the former capital Nara. There, in the Todai-ji temple (UNESCO), the largest seated bronze Buddha in Japan awaits you, captivating you with its tranquil aura. Accompanied by tame sika deer, you will then stroll through Nara Park.
Around midday, your coach will take you to Kanazawa on the north coast of Japan. The city is not only famous for its long samurai tradition, but also for one of the three most beautiful landscape gardens in Japan, the Kenrokuen Garden, which you will visit there.

This morning, things get cute: bus trip to Jigokudani Monkey Park at the Yamanouchi hot springs, where, with a bit of luck, you can watch the local snow monkeys (macaques) bathing in the springs.*
Then drive to Nagano, the former venue of the 1998 Winter Olympics, where you will visit the second oldest temple
in Japan, the imposing Zenkoji. Are you brave enough to wind your way through the pitch-black labyrinth beneath the temple building? You'll emerge feeling enlightened!

* Approx. 30 minutes walk each way on forest floor and steps at the end of the path. In case of snow and ice the path is not accessible, in this case an alternative program is offered

The day begins with a visit to one of Japan's most beautifully preserved castles in Matsumoto. Also known as Crow Castle because of its black paint, the fortress was built in the 16th century and restored to its original state around 300 years later thanks to the personal commitment of a teacher. A great castle motif in front of an Alpine panorama!
You then travel on to the five-lake area of the Fuji volcano. At Lake Kawaguchi, you will have the opportunity to photograph one of the most magnificent views in good weather: the breathtaking sight of the sacred Mount Fuji. With its impressive height of 3,776 meters, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a must on any trip to Japan.
Your hotel is equipped with a Japanese hot spring bath. In the evening, a visit to this onsen is the perfect way to end the day in typical Japanese style.

In the morning, you will continue your comfortable coach ride to the Pacific coast to the former shogunate city of Kamakura. At Hasedera Temple, you will be greeted by thousands upon thousands of statues of the patron saint Jizo. Your tour guide will tell you what this Buddhist god is all about.
The famous 13-metre-high Great Buddha also impresses with its graceful aura.
In the afternoon, the buildings become increasingly dense as you approach the world's largest metropolitan region, Tokyo! After your arrival, you should definitely take a stroll through the city and experience the real "Tokyo feeling".

Today you can explore Tokyo's colorful cityscape on your own or join our excursion to the UNESCO shrine city of Nikko (by bus or train).

As a brilliant finale to your trip to Japan, experience the sensual contrasts of the Japanese capital. Starting with one of the most outstanding
sights in Tokyo: the Meiji Shrine. Nestled in a spacious park, the memorial commemorates Emperor Meiji and symbolizes the strong connection between the imperial family and Shinto, Japan's ancient natural religion. Take a stroll through Harajuku and along Omotesando Boulevard, past flashy stores and upmarket boutiques. Or treat yourself to a last coffee in the classy Omotesando Hills designed by Japanese star architect Tadao Ando.
The world's tallest city hall in the Shinjuku district offers you a special view of the metropolis, again designed by a Japanese star architect, this time Kenzo Tange, whose debut work you have already seen in Hiroshima.
Your trip ends in the historic district of Asakusa. In addition to a great photo opportunity of the 634-metre-high Tokyo Skytree. Framed between the Temple of Pilgrimage and the Thunder Gate, you can buy your last souvenirs.
In the early evening, bus transfer to Tokyo Narita or Haneda airport.