Flight: AY67 Helsinki - Osaka 00.45 - 16.25

Meet & Greet: On arrival in Osaka, you will be welcomed to Japan by your private driver and transferred to Kyoto. This is a journey of approximately one hour.

Evening at leisure: After checking in, you have the rest of the evening to relax and explore the surroundings at your own pace.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Kyoto Hotel Okura (Standard Room)

Guided tour of Kyoto: After breakfast, meet your guide in the hotel lobby and embark on a tour of Kyoto by public transport. The first visit of the day is to the Kinkakuji Temple – which is a Zen temple, in the northern part of Kyoto, and is known as the ‘Golden Temple’ because its top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. In contrast to the glamour of Kinkakuji, your next visit will be to Ryoanji Temple, known as a Rock Garden, and a temple where you can sit in the garden and quietly gaze at the 15 stones in front of you and let your mind wander. Afterwards arrive in Arashiyama and have free time for lunch. Your guide will recommend a restaurant in the area if you wish (payable locally). After lunch, you will take a walk around Arashiyama which is a pleasant district in the western outskirts of Kyoto. The area has been a popular destination since the Heian period (794-1185), when nobles would enjoy its natural setting. The Togetsukyo Bridge is Arashiyama’s best known, central landmark. Many small shops, restaurants and other attractions are found nearby, including Tenryuji Temple, and Arashiyama’s famous bamboo groves. Here you will visit the Bamboo Forest and Togetsukyo Bridge. After the sightseeing return to your hotel arriving late afternoon.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Kyoto Hotel Okura (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Train journey to Nara: This morning, take the local train to Nara which takes around one hour. 

Guided tour of Nara: On arrival in Nara, you will set out to explore with your guide. Nara was Japan’s first permanent capital and was established in the year 710 during the Heijo Period. Your first stop will be at Todaji. The temple here is one of Japan’s most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of Nara. The temple was constructed in 752 as the primary temple of all the provincial Buddhist temples of Japan. Next, your guide will take you to Kasuga Taisha. This shrine is Nara’s most celebrated and was established at the same time as the capital. It is dedicated to the deity responsible for the protection of the city. Kasuga Taisha has been periodically rebuilt every 20 years for many centuries. Afterwards, there will be time for lunch in Nara Park. Your guide will recommend a restaurant nearby (payable locally).

Return to Kyoto: In the afternoon, return to Kyoto to visit Fushimi Inari Shrine. It is famous for the thousands of vermilion torii gates which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings. The trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari, which stands at 233m and belongs to the shrine grounds. The iconic appearance of the Senbon (meaning thousand in Japanese) Torii gates has made it a hugely popular tourist attraction and an Instagram favourite! Afterwards, return to your hotel with the evening free at your leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Kyoto Hotel Okura (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Bullet train to Shin-Kobe: This morning, meet your guide in the hotel lobby, then take the bullet train to Shin-Kobe station. From here, transfer to your next destination by private car. Lunch (payable locally) will be taken on the way to Arima Onsen District and on arrival you will check into your hotel.

Afternoon guided walking tour of Arima Onsen: This afternoon, tour Arima Onsen which is considered to be one of Japan's oldest hot spring resorts with a history of over one thousand years, and has often stood at, or near the top, of onsen rankings for Western Japan. Although Arima Onsen has a modern look today, you can still find several narrow lanes and wooden buildings when strolling around the centre of town. Due to its compact size, the small town can be explored entirely on foot, and there are several hot spring sources, nice temples such as Zuihoji and shrines. On this tour, you can learn about the history of Arima Onsen, the etiquette of bathing in the hot spring, and the manners of visiting temples and shrines while walking around the hot spring resort. You will return to the hotel in time for dinner.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Hyoe Koyokaku (Standard Japanese Style Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Road journey to Himeji: After breakfast, meet your guide in the hotel lobby, then transfer to Himeji by private vehicle. The journey time is around one hour.

Guided tour of Himeji: Once in Himeji, you will visit the world heritage site of Himeji Castle which is also known as White Heron Castle (Shirasagijo) due to its elegant, white appearance. It is widely considered as Japan's most spectacular castle for its imposing size and beauty and its well preserved, complex castle grounds. If you wish you can also visit the Kokoen Garden, just a 5-minute walk from Himeji Castle. Lunch (payable locally) will be served at Dining Room on the Harime. Enjoy the heart-warming cuisine and a panoramic view of the city of Himeji.

Bullet train to Okayama: Later, take the bullet train from Himeji station to Okayama, and on arrival a private vehicle will take you from the station to your accommodation (approx. 30 minutes).

Dinner at the hotel: After checking in you are free until dinner which is included at the hotel. From the open kitchen, with its live atmosphere, you can enjoy cuisine created with carefully selected ingredients, such as local satoyama vegetables and fresh fish and seafood landed in Ushimado – all based on tradition, but with a modern sensibility.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Hotel Limani (Standard Room with Ocean View)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Morning yoga: Enjoy a yoga session before breakfast whilst the sun is rising. If the season is right, you can also travel to the islands for the morning yoga. You will be accompanied by an instructor.

Bullet train to Hiroshima: Later in the morning, proceed to Okayama station on your own to take the bullet train to Hiroshima. Upon arrival at Hiroshima Station you will be met by an English-speaking guide.

Guided walking tour of Hiroshima: The first stop of your walking tour will be at the Peace Memorial Park and the nearby museum. Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park is one of the most prominent features of the city. Its trees, lawns, and walking paths are in stark contrast to the surrounding downtown area. The park's main facility is the Peace Memorial Museum. Consisting of two buildings, the museum displays the history of Hiroshima and the advent of the nuclear bomb. The personal details displayed are quite upsetting and serve to remind us that we should not take peace for granted. You will also visit the ‘must-see’ architecture of A Bomb Dome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Dome, also known as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, is what remains of the former Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. When the bomb exploded it was one of the few buildings to remain standing and remains so today. After the sightseeing check in at your hotel and taste the local Hiroshima food “Okonomiyaki” at OKOSTA (payable locally).

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Sheraton Grand Hotel Hiroshima (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey to Nagato, via Sandankyo: After breakfast, meet your guide and proceed to the Sandankyo Abyss by private car. The journey is around one hour and on arrival you will be able to explore the natural scenery. Sandankyo is a very popular spot among the locals. It is the only forest therapy spot that can be reached in just one hour from Hiroshima. Lunch (payable locally) will be taken at a viewpoint or a local restaurant – you can discuss which with your guide. After lunch, continue on to your hotel in Nagato by car – a journey of around two hours.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Otani Sanso (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day at leisure: Today you can dive into the relaxation opportunities provided by the hotel. Surrender yourself to high-quality relaxation while feeling the presence of nature nearby. The Nagato-Yumoto hot spring resort is a quiet, bustling town in a mountainous area rich in nature. The crystal clear Otozure River flows through the town. As you walk upstream along the Fukagawa River, you will hear the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, and the louder sound of insects, and you will see a majestic inn emerge from the greenery. Alternatively, as an optional tour, you can enjoy the historic town of Hagi, Motonosumi Shrine, or a sea cruise at Oumi Island.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Otani Sanso (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Bullet train to Hiroshima: This morning meet your guide and proceed to Shin-Yamaguchi station by private vehicle. Upon arrival at the station, take the bullet train to Hiroshima. On your arrival at Higashi Hiroshima station you will be transferred to the restaurant for lunch by public transport (approx. 20 minutes by car or train).

Lunch and walking tour of Saijo: Lunch (payable locally) will be served at France-ya in Saijo city. The restaurant is a Japanese and Western-style restaurant where you can enjoy seasonal dishes and Kamotsuru sake, made using sake brewing water. After lunch, you will take a walk around the old town Saijo which is famous throughout Japan as the home of one of the best sake-brewing communities in the country. There are eight breweries, seven of which are concentrated along Sakagura-dori (Sake Brewery Street). It's enticing because you can take a light stroll through a historic district while walking from brewery to brewery to delight in tasting of sake! Later check in to your hotel which has an extensive programme of activities for its guests – including yoga, with a view of the Seto Inland Sea, and stargazing.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Bella Vista Spa & Marina Onomichi (Comfort Luxury Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Road journey to Shinshoji Temple for Zen practice: After breakfast, depart from the hotel by private car with your guide. On arrival at Shinshoji Temple (approx. 30 minutes later) you will join a Zen practice with a trainee monk. A Zen practice experience is designed to eliminate distractions, regulate your mind and body, and look within yourself. Forgetting the passing of time, you will rejoin your true self with each breath. Through the practice of the Heart Sutra, zazen, sutra copying, and a tea ceremony, you will experience a practice similar to that of a specialized Rinzai dojo. Upon completion of the experience (mid-afternoon) you will travel on to Ehime by private car. Here you can explore the undiscovered Oyamazumi shrine on one of the islands in Setouchi. Afterwards, check into your hotel early evening.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Yamatoya Honten (Standard Japanese Style Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Road journey to Ishizuchi Mountain: At 7am depart from the hotel by private car with your guide, arriving at Ischizuchi Mountain around 8.30am. Ishizuchi is the highest mountain in western Japan (1,982m) and is located in the western part of the Shikoku Mountains on the border between Saijo City and Kuma Kogen Town in Ehime Prefecture. Rich vegetation reaches all the way to its summit, and. this revered mountain has been the subject of mountain worship (Shugendo) since ancient times. It is one of Japan’s most famous mountains, one of the 100 most scenic spots in Japan, and also one of the seven sacred mountains in Japan. It is said that Kobo-Daishi Kukai once practiced asceticism here, and with the development of mountain Buddhism and Shugendo, the mountain is still popular not only among ascetic monks but also among the general public. Here you will take a short trek and afterwards, continue on to Takamatsu City to check into your hotel in time for dinner.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at JR Hotel Clement Takamatsu (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Ferry to Shodoshima Island: After breakfast, meet your guide and then transfer to Takamatsu seaport from where you will take the ferry to the Shodoshima Island.

Walking tour of Shodoshima Island: On arrival, stroll around Shodoshima Island using public transport when needed. Shodoshima is an ideal place for growing olives and boasts the highest production of olive oil in Japan. The island has also been known for its soy sauce and somen noodles since ancient times, and traditional manufacturing techniques have been carefully preserved. Before lunch, you will visit the olive groves and rice terraces that spread out beautifully against the backdrop of the Seto Inland Sea. Lunch (payable locally) will be served at Olive Park. After lunch, visit Angel Road and Kankakei Gorge. Angel Road is a sandy path that appears when the tide rises and falls, and there is a romantic rumour that if you and your loved one cross this path hand in hand your wishes will come true. The sandy path appears for about three hours around the time of peak low tide, and then returns to the sea for three hours. This mystery of nature can be seen about twice a day. The Kankakei Gorge is a breath-taking ravine at the centre of Shodoshima Island. It is ranked as one of Japan's three most beautiful gorges and becomes particularly spectacular during the autumn. A ropeway runs to the upper station, near Shodoshima’s highest peak, and here you can find observation decks with nice panoramic views over the gorge, the island and the Seto Inland Sea. Enjoy the scenic view and feel at one with nature before descending to check in at your hotel.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Shodoshima Kokusai Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Morning yoga: Enjoy early morning yoga or a relaxing spa session before check-out time (please note some sessions may incur a charge).

Transfer to Tokushima: After breakfast, depart from the hotel with your guide and proceed to Tokushima using the ferry and public transport. On the way you will see the Great Seto Bridge, or Seto Ohashi Bridge, which is a series of double deck bridges connecting Okayama and Kagawa prefectures across a series of five small islands in the Seto Inland Sea. It is one of the three routes of the Honshū–Shikoku Bridge Project that connect Honshū and Shikoku islands and the only one to carry rail traffic.

Explore Tokushima: On arrival, lunch (payable locally) will be taken at a local restaurant. Afterwards, explore the city of Tokushima and then take the ropeway up to the summit of Mount Bizan so as to enjoy the spectacular view. Bizan is a familiar symbol in Tokushima as its name implies a mountain with the gentle shape of eyebrows – a subject which was written about in the oldest anthology of poems called Manyoshu (8th century). Later check into your hotel and afterwards enjoy your last night in Japan with dinner at the hotel, and maybe a drink in town later on.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Resort Hotel Moana Coast (Standard Room with Open-Air Bath)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner