12 day Japan itinerary: The Classic Golden Route

Itinerary - 12 Days

1. Day 1

   Location

   Tokyo

   Hotel

   JR Kyushu Hotel Blossom Shinjuku

   Take off in the UK, arrive in Tokyo - Narita/Haneda International Airport.
   After you arrive, make your own way to the hotel and take some time to get adjusted - or dive right in!
   
   Our suggestion:
   Why not head to Shibuya crossing and try out some Japanese food (and if you're feeling really adventurous some karaoke)?

   

2. Day 2

   Location

   Tokyo

   Hotel

   JR Kyushu Hotel Blossom Shinjuku

   Meal

   Breakfast

   With your first full day in Japan, Tokyo is your oyster!
   
   Our suggestion:
   Check out the old and the new in Asakusa, with Sensoji, a 7th century Buddhist temple, hugely popular at new year and then look up at the Sky Tree, Japan's tallest structure. (You're welcome to go up it and look down at everything else, as well!)

   

3. Day 3

   Location

   Tokyo

   Hotel

   JR Kyushu Hotel Blossom Shinjuku

   Meal

   Breakfast

   Join a one-day tour to Mt Fuji & Hakone. Mt. Fuji, or 'Fuji-san' as it is respectfully called in Japan, is a real spiritual homeland and a truly awe-inspiring sight. Enjoy panoramic views across Lake Ashi and get the perfect photo to really make your friends jealous!

   

4. Day 4

   Location

   Takayama

   Meal

   Breakfast & Dinner

   It's time to head to the mountains! Start using your 7 Day JR Pass and head to Takayama via Nagoya by the Hikari bullet train or via Toyama by Kagayaki bullet train and JR Limited express train Hida.
   
   Takayama is a city renowned for tradition with a beautifully preserved old town.
   
   Our suggestion:
   Go on a trip to the past in the Old Town and Hida Folk Village, an open air museum full of traditional houses built in the 17th to 19th centuries.
   
   (Accommodation: Ryokan Asunaro)

   

5. Day 5

   Location

   Shirakawago > Kanazawa

   Hotel

   Dormy inn Kanazawa

   Meal

   Breakfast

   Today you're heading to Kanazawa, but along the way you will be stopping off at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go.
   
   What makes Shirakawa-go so special is the traditional thatched roof farmhouses, some of which are over 250 years old and take their unique shape as a result of being designed to withstand considerable snowfall.
   
   In the past, Kanazawa was host to the Maeda Clan, one of the most powerful clans in Japan. These days it is best known for Kenrokuen, said to be one of the three great gardens of Japan.
   
   Travel to Kanazawa via Shirakawago by bus.

   

6. Day 6

   Location

   Kanazawa

   Hotel

   Dormy inn Kanazawa

   Meal

   Breakfast

   Free to explore Kanazawa
   
   Our suggestion:
   Kanazawa is a modern place, too! Check out the 21st Century Museum, a truly amazing collection of contemporary art.
   In the afternoon, why not book a tour of the Ninjadera, the 'Ninja Temple'? The Maeda clan created this temple as a secret lookout, full of traps and tricks right out of a movie, disguised as a normal Buddhist temple.

   

7. Day 7

   Location

   Miyajima

   Hotel

   Kinsuikan

   Meal

   Breakfast & Dinner

   A Journey to the West! Use your JR Pass to head down to Miyajima, in Hiroshima.
   
   Here you will be staying in a traditional ryokan and enjoy a well-earned rest in one of Japan's hot spring, or onsen. Don't be embarrassed, you'll love it, I promise!
   
   Miyajima is home too the beautiful Itsukushima Shrine, a bright red gate that seems to emerge out of the ocean. Friendly deer also roam the area!

   

8. Day 8

   Location

   Hiroshima > Kyoto

   Hotel

   Hotel Granvia Kyoto

   Meal

   Breakfast

   From Miyajima you will be heading to Kyoto, again using your JR Pass.
   
   I hope you're ready for some temples!
   What Tokyo is to skyscrapers, Kyoto is to temples. They're everywhere and many of them are spectacular. Particular highlights include Kinkakuji, Kiyomizu-dera, and Ryoan-ji.

   

9. Day 9

   Location

   Kyoto

   Hotel

   Hotel Granvia Kyoto

   Meal

   Breakfast

   Enjoy a full day sightseeing tour of Kyoto and Nara, another old capital renowned for its giant Buddha and deer that roam free throughout the city.

   

10. Day 10

    Location

    Kyoto

    Hotel

    Hotel Granvia Kyoto

    Meal

    Breakfast

    Today, we recommend a day trip to Himeji using your JR Pass.
    
    Himeji is the home of the stunning Himeji Castle also known as the 'White Herron Castle', widely regarded as the premier example of traditional Japanese castle architecture. It is both a national treasure and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The view from the top is spectacular, and it is a very popular tourist spot in cherry blossom season.

    

11. Day 11

    Location

    Kyoto

    Hotel

    Hotel Granvia Kyoto

    Meal

    Breakfast

    Free time in Kyoto
    
    Our suggestion:
    Why not take the morning and have a short hike through the Fushimi Inari Shrine, where thousands of red gates cover a path up a small mountain?

    

12. Day 12

    Location

    Kyoto

    Meal

    Breakfast

    Your Japan trip had to end sometime, and unfortunately today is the day! Now that you have seen the essentials, you must have a pretty good idea of what Japan has to offer. You may however, be just scratching the surface. There is so much else to see, and Japan will gladly welcome you back any time to explore it further. Here at the Japan Travel Centre, we're always happy to help.
    
    Depart from Kansai International Airport on a flight headed to the UK.