Tailor-Made 10 Days Japan Family Tour (4-star Hotels), Daily Start & Private Guide

Welcome to take our Japan private tour, with all details tailorable! When you arrive at the Narita or Haneda Airport, our English-speaking assistant will guide you to a shared shuttle that will take you directly to your hotel in Shinjuku of Tokyo. Check in and enjoy a good rest to recover from your long flight.

Today, our first stop is the Meiji Jingu Shrine, an important Shinto shrine dedicated to Japan’s beloved Emperor Meiji (1852 – 1912 AD) and his empress. Next, we’ll head to the Imperial Palace, the residence of the Emperor of Japan, to visit the Kokyo Gaien National Garden, the large East Gardens, and the most photogenic Nijubashi Bridge. 

At noon, we will visit the Senso-ji Temple, the oldest temple in Tokyo. Enter through the iconic Kaminarimon Gate, stroll down the buzzy Nakamise-dori Street lined with small shops selling souvenirs and snacks. 

★ Bonus: Sumida River Cruise

Finally, the guide will escort you to the Asakusa Pier for a 50-minute Sumida River Cruise. Once ashore, if there is time, the guide will accompany you on a walk along the Odaiba Marine Park and visit a miniature Statue of Liberty before returning to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Your guide will pick you up at the hotel lobby and accompany you on a bullet train ride to Odawara, where we’ll then ascend Hakone Mountain using the Tozan Train and Tozan Cable Car, followed by a ropeway ride to Owakudani Valley. 

After admiring the valley’s volcanic view, continue in the all-glass gondola to Togendai Port, and you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Hakone Mountains, Lake Ashi, and Mt. Fuji in the distance. Once there, join your guide on a corsair-style ship for a 20-minute cruise, breathing in the cool, fresh air while taking in the elegant Mt. Fuji from an unobstructed view. After visit, the guide will escort you back to Tokyo by express train for the night.

­ ★ Our Unique Service: Adjustable Date-Exchanges to Visit Mt. Fuji

Mt. Fuji is often shrouded in clouds due to the abundant moisture, which can be seen only 80 days a year. To maximize your chances of seeing the mountain, we offer an exclusive date change service. Please pay close attention to the weather forecast, discuss with our guide in time to adjust the order of your itinerary, and swap today’s Mt. Fuji visit with Day 2’s Tokyo city tour if needed.

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Meals: Breakfast

Today, you will take the bullet train leaving the metropolis Tokyo for Takayama.

► Our Promise: Train Tickets with Reserved Seats Included

► Take the Train from Tokyo to Takayama on Your Own:

Please check out and leave 40 minutes before the train’s departure time. Take either the Chuo Line or Marunouchi Line from Shinjuku Station for 20 minutes to Tokyo Station, or take a taxi to get there in 20 minutes. Board the Tokaido-Sanyo bullet train for an impressive 1.5-hour super-speed experience to Nagoya. Transfer to Hida Line, and ride for another 2.5 hours to Takayama.

Visit Takayama Landmarks & Monuments

Our guide will greet you at the Takayama Station and accompany you to drop off your luggage in the hotel.  First, we’ll visit the Sanmachi Suji District in the Takayama Old Town. Pass the Nakabashi Bridge, and then step back in time at the Takayama Jinya (Old Governor's House) and Takayama Showa Kan Museum. The final stop will be the Hida Kokubunji Temple, which features lucky Sarubobo dolls blessing a harmonious marriage and healthy children. In the evening, the guide will accompany you back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Takayama to Shirakawa-go: A Journey into Tradition

After breakfast, our guide will pick you up from the hotel lobby for a scenic bus ride to Shirakawa-go. In about 1 hour, we will arrive at Shirakawa-go. Visit the Wada House to have a glimpse into the utensils and lifestyle of the villagers in the past. Climb up to the Ogimachi Castle Observation Deck and look down on the entire village.

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Trip to Kanazawa:

Around noon, we’ll take a 1.5-hour bus ride to Kanazawa. Upon arrival, our guide will take you to check into the hotel, and then visit the Kenroku-en Garden, aka Six Attributes Garden. Take a leisurely walk with our guide in this typical wraparound garden centered on a pond, and admire the exquisite pavilions. From here, we’ll walk all the way to the Kanazawa Castle Park to learn about the city’s feudal past, and later have time spent at the Higashichaya Old Town (geisha district) and Nagamachi Samurai District. Finally, return to the hotel with our guide.

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Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: ANA Crowne Plaza Kanazawa (4 stars)

We will reserve the train tickets to Kyoto for you in advance. Please check out and walk 4 minutes north to Kanazawa Station, where you will take the train for about 2 hours to Kyoto, with a transfer at Tsuruga – 40-minute bullet train Hokuriku Line from Kanazawa to Tsuruga first, transfer by escalator or elevator from 3F to 1F to find the platform for the express train Thunderbird for another 1 hour ride to Kyoto.

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Walking Tour of Pure Water Temple & Gion Geisha District

Upon arrival, our local guide will meet you at the Kyoto Station and lead you to the hotel. See the magnificent Kyoto Tower just outside the train station, and then we’ll have an afternoon tour to Gion, a renowned geisha district offering unique cultural experiences and scenic trails. Leisurely walk through the Gion Street, venture to the Yasaka Shrine at the end of the street, appreciate its Buden Stage hung with lanterns. Follow the guide as you plunge into the retro Higashiyama historic district. Take a photo at the landmark five-story Yasaka Pagoda of the Hokan-ji Temple, and then wander from Ninenzaka to Sannenzaka. Eventually, we will climb all the way up to the Pure Water Temple, one of the most revered temples in all of Japan. 

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Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, meet our guide in your hotel lobby. Take a 40-minute train ride to Nara to experience the best of the old capital. Step into the  Nara Park to visit the quaint temples and shrines scattered throughout. First, check out the Kofuku-ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site built in 669 AD. Then pay a visit to the Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Nara’s holiest shrine, to explore its secluded layout and stately architecture. Cross the vast green spaces and pass the Nara National Museum to reach the spectacular Great Eastern Temple, where you’ll marvel at the huge bronze Buddha statue.

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Take an afternoon stroll with our guide who knows well the local neighborhood, passing by the Gango-ji Temple, Goryo Shrine, and diving into the secret paths of Naramachi to feel the real life atmosphere. Visit the Naramachi Lattice House hidden in the back alley, a lovely and rarely visited traditional residence that is a great place to take photos. Finally, our guide will accompany you back to your hotel in Kyoto for the night.

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Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Rihga Royal Hotel Kyoto (4 stars)

Your day begins with a visit to the Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto’s most iconic Shinto shrine. Next, immerse yourself in the tranquility of the Sanjusangendo Temple, a Buddhist site boasting the longest wooden building in the world and an amazing group of Kannon statues. At noon, the guide will take you to the Nishiki Market, a 400-year-old market teeming with a variety of Japanese snacks.

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In the afternoon, we will visit the World Heritage site Nijo Castle, built by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603. In addition to admiring its stone walls and moat, you can ascend its observation platform offering a view of half of Kyoto.  Afterwards, we’ll head to the Temple of the Golden Pavilion. Linger before its main building, the fascinating three-story pavilion covered in dazzling gold leaf that glows over a green pond. 

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Finally, the guide will accompany you back to your hotel to retrieve your luggage, see you off at the Kyoto Station for a bullet train to Hiroshima (tickets reserved and included). Enjoy the 1 hour 40 minutes’ rail journey to Hiroshima on your own. Upon arrival, walk 5 minutes northwest to your hotel. 

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Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, our Hiroshima guide will greet you in the hotel lobby. We’ll start by a boat trip to the Miyajima Island, enjoying the view of the Hiroshima Bay and the morning breeze from the sea. As we approach the shore, disembark to explore the palaces of the World Heritage Itsushima Shrine built on the seaside.

★ Special Visit to Hiroshima Bombing Site:

Back in downtown Hiroshima, the guide will lead you to visit the Atomic Bomb Dome, the only building that survived the atomic bomb dropped on the city in 1945. Cross the bridge over the Motoyasu River and take a walk in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, where you can browse the monuments erected in memory of those who died in the bombing. The Peace Memorial Museum is not to be missed, where you can see many shocking photographs and relics documenting the horrific aftermath of the bombing and its long-term impact on people’s lives. 

Late in the afternoon, the guide will take you to Hiroshima Station for a train to Osaka (train tickets reserved and included). Take the 1.5-hour bullet train ride by yourself, and then make your way to the hotel. From the Shin-Osaka Station, take Midosuji Line for 16 minutes (7 stops) to Namba Station, and then walk 5 minutes east to your hotel; or you can take a taxi there in 25 minutes at a cost of about USD 30.

Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, pack up and store your luggage at the hotel, and our guide will be ready waiting for you at the hotel lobby. We’ll first visit the 190-year-old Kuromon Market (close on Sunday), known as ‘Osaka’s Kitchen’ and a must-see for foodies. Next, our guide will show you the 450-year-old Osaka Castle and the park that surrounds it. 

► If time permits, we’ll visit Shinsekai commercial area and see its landmark tower Tsutenkaku.

­► End of Tour: You are suggested to book an evening flight leaving Osaka. Please make your own way to the airport for your flight home. Feel free to contact us if you need to customize or extend this trip.

­Meal: Breakfast

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* Note: If the above itinerary doesn't meet your requirements, don't forget that we are a customized tour provider. Don't hesitate to tell us your preferences, interests and budget, and we'll tailor an itinerary to meet all your needs. Let's turn your wanderlust into reality!