Private transfer from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to your hotel: Your adventures in Japan will get under way when you are met at the exit to customs at Haneda Airport. Your driver will be waiting for you as you enter into the arrivals lobby holding a sign with your name on. You will transfer by private vehicle to your accommodation in Tokyo, making for a smooth and relaxing start to your trip. The journey time is in the region of 30 minutes (dependent upon traffic). Sit back, relax and enjoy the views of Tokyo's skyscrapers as you approach the city. On arrival, check-in to your hotel and relax for the rest of the day or explore independently.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Shiba Park Hotel (1 x Annex Twin Room & 1 x Annex Double Room)

IC Transport Card: We will include in your travel pack IC Transport Cards, which will allow you to use Tokyo's public transport system and also works on public transport in many other cities, the cards will be pre-loaded with 2500 yen each (which is usually ample) but you can easily top them up if required.

Mobile WiFi Device: We have also included in your travel pack a rented mobile wi-fi device which, provided you keep it charged, will allow to have internet access for up to 10 devices throughout your whole tour, including in most rural areas. Perfect for accessing maps and local information as you travel or for your kids to document your holiday on instragram and make all their friends at home jealous!

Full day private tour of Tokyo: Today you will take a full day private tour of the city with a private English-speaking guide, travelling by public transport. Places of interest that can be visited include Tokyo's National Museum which houses displays of historic costumes including samurai armour and swords and fine kimonos, antique folding screens, tea ceremony utensils and Japanese paintings. The Sumida River cruise travels through the busy heart of the city and to the edge of Tokyo Bay where you will be able to see the reclaimed land islands and the large Rainbow Bridge that dominates the bay. Hamarikyu Garden is a tranquil oasis on the edge of the bay and flanked by the modern skyscrapers of the Shiodome district. The gardens reflect Japan's changing seasons. Enjoy Japanese tea with Japanese sweets in the wooden pavilion by the edge of the park's lake.

Tokyo Sky Tree Tickets: Today we will be providing you with tickets for Tokyo's newest iconic landmark: Tokyo Skytree. The 634m high tower is the hottest destination in town and the observation decks located at 350m and 450m offer unparalleled views over Tokyo.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Shiba Park Hotel (1 x Annex Twin Room & 1 x Annex Double Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Sumo wrestling experience: If a sumo tournament is going on in Tokyo (usually in January, May and September) then we will arrange ticktets for you today. However, if there is no tournament happening then we will arrange a visit to one of Tokyor's sumo 'stables' to watch them train. Take a look around the 'stable', where the wrestlers eat, sleep and train and join a small group of up to 10 people watching a training session. You will be accompanied by an English speaking guide who will explain to you all about the sport and the lives of the wrestlers and make sure you are aware of the etiquette for specators so you avoid any faux pas!  The training session will last around 90 minutes. Please note that this experience is subject to the sumo stables’ schedules as the stables are not always open to the public or may close at short notice (in which case we will provide a full refund).

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Shiba Park Hotel (1 x Annex Twin Room & 1 x Annex Double Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Self guided exploration: Today is at leisure to explore more of Tokyo, or take a day trip. There are so many great places to explore within an easy train journey of Tokyo including the towns of Nikko and Kamakura. Nikko is famous for its ornate religious architecture, some of the most important in all of Japan, in a beautiful woodland setting. Kamakura is a sleepy coastal town that served briefly as capital of Japan in the 1100s, leaving a rich cultural legacy. We'll provide lots more ideas and details of how to get there in your info-pack. 

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Shiba Park Hotel (1 x Annex Twin Room & 1 x Annex Double Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Train from Matsumoto to Nakatsugawa: Today take an express train from Matsumoto to Nakatsugawa, the gateway station for the villages of Magome and nearby Tsumago in the Kiso Valley. This is a beautiful journey through the mountains and on arrival at Nakatsugawa you will need to pay on the day for the bus to picturesque Magome. The bus costs 540 yen per person and takes 30 minutes.

Bus and Hike from Nakatsugawa via Magome to Tsumago: On arrival at Nakatsugawa Station you will take a bus to Magome before walking on to Tsumago. There are regular buses from the station which are all signed in English and take around 30 minutes to reach the small post town of Magome. (Please pay on the day for the bus - 540 yen per person). After looking around the mountain town of Magome you can walk along the Old Post Road to Tsumago - a gentle hike of 5 miles which will take around 2 hours and on the way passes some stunning scenery of this remote area of Japan.  The path is well signed in English and Japanese and there are plenty of rest stops along the way with refreshments available. Alternatively (if the weather is not so good for example!) you can take buses the whole way to Tsumago. 

Please note: If you do decide to undertake the hike to Tsumago you can take advantage of Japan's famous luggage forwarding service and send your main bags from Matsumoto to Kyoto.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Minshuku Daikichi (2 x Japanese style rooms - shared bathroom)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Trek or taxi Tsumago to Nagiso Station: This morning you will need to make your way to Nagiso Station either on foot, by bus or by taxi (around 10 minutes, payable on the day). The trek is clearly signposted and only takes around an hour and follows the Nakasendo highway all the way to the station.

Train from Nagiso to Takayama: From Nagiso Station you will be travelling by train to Takayama, via Nagoya. The total journey time is around 4 hours in total and takes you through beautiful scenes of rural Japan. On arrival in Takayama, make your own way to your ryokan, just a few minutes walk from the station.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Takayama Ouan (1 x Twin Room, 1 x Double Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Shared cycling tour: This morning, you will have the opportunity to head deeper into rural Japan and take a cycling tour through the rice fields and rural farming villages of Hida. Your English speaking guide will take you on a 3.5 hour ride with the beautiful Hida Mountain Range as a back drop. As well as the rural scenery, the tour also visits a natural spring, a local temple, Minka (traditional wood farmhouses) and an orchard. In total you will be cycling a distance of 22km and you will get a real insight into country way of life, hopefully meeting a few residents of Hida along the way.

This is a group service so there may be other people on your tour but the maximum group size per guide is just 8 people. Bike hire and services of your guide are included in the price. There are a few steady inclines on this tour but there are short-cuts available! Please note that full day cycling tours are available on request but all the cycling tours around Takayama are only available March 20th to December 20th.

Afternoon self guided tour of Takayama: The rest of the day is at leisure to explore more of Takayama independently. The town has many shrines and temples to explore, and the fascinating Hida folk village where old farm houses from across the Hida region have been rebuilt beam by beam. There are also some great sake micro breweries which offer the chance to sample Takayama's most famous product.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Takayama Ouan (1 x Twin Room, 1 x Double Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Train to Kyoto: Today, make your own way to the railway station. From Takayama, you will use your Japan Rail Pass to travel by Ltd Express train to Nagoya where you will make the easy change to the Shinkansen bound for Kyoto. The total journey time is around 3 hours and 30 minutes. On arrival, follow the details in your info-pack and make your own way to your 'Machiya' or private self-catering town house.

Traditional Samurai sword dance experience ('kenbu'): This afternoon, you will be joining a 2 hour sword dance class (known as 'kenbu'). You will step into the shoes of a samurai and experience first-hand this fascinating facet of Japan’s cultural heritage. During the class you will be dressed in a traditional samurai costume whilst the instructor teaches you a range of basic sword play techniques, dances and ancient samurai etiquette. After your lesson you’ll have the chance to see a kenbu demonstration by experienced practitioners.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Machiya Residence Azuki-An (2 bedroom self-catering town-house)

Meals: Breakfast

Full day private tour of Kyoto: Today you will take a full day private tour of the city with a private English speaking guide, travelling by public transport. Places of interest that can be visited include Kiyomizu Temple, perched on a hillside with good views towards central Kyoto. Dating from 1633, the main hall sits on hundreds of interconnecting wooden pillars above a sacred spring that is believed to have therapeutic qualities. Kinkakuji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion, is one of Japan's most famous sights. This glittering temple is covered entirely in gold leaf and set on a small lake amongst well-tended gardens. Ryoanji Temple belongs to the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism and was founded in 1450. The adjoining garden is an austere collection of 15 rocks adrift in a sea of sand. Nijo Castle was built in 1603 to demonstrate the power of the first Tokugawa Shogun Ieyusa. The design of this castle, built by the first Shogun of a united Japan, reflects an ambition to impress rather than anticipation of combat.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Machiya Residence Azuki-An (2 bedroom self-catering town-house)

Meals: Self-catering

Day at leisure: Today is free to explore more of Kyoto, or alternatively take a day trip to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Nara located just 40 minutes from the city.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Machiya Residence Azuki-An (2 bedroom self-catering town-house)

Meals: Self-catering

Morning Bento Cooking Class: This morning, use the instructions in your info-pack to make your own way to ‘Cooking Sun’, a small food school in a charming old machiya (town house) in central Kyoto. After being welcomed by the friendly English speaking staff, you will start your private cookery class, learning how to cook a few different traditional Japanese dishes such as tempura, sushi rolls, teriyaki chicken and miso soup all of which will make up your very own bento lunch box. Once your creations are complete, sit down and enjoy lunch along with a cup of green tea or a glass of sake.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Machiya Residence Azuki-An (2 bedroom self-catering town-house)

Meals: Lunch