• 8 Breakfast (B)
• 2 Dinner (D)

• Nara: The currency (that can buy you some unbeatable authentic sushi) in Japan is the Japanese Yen (¥).
• Tokyo: This will depend on which city you arrive at.TokyoTokyo is serviced by two major international airports, Narita and Haneda. You’re welcome to take a taxi to the hotel, but these tend to be quite expensive. That’s why, the best way to reach our hotel is by train. You can purchase tickets from the counter at the airport. And the journey will take you 1-2 hours.Osaka The Kansai International Airport in Osaka is around 45 minutes away from our hotel by bus. And the best way to get there is by bus, that’ll drop you off close to our hotel. You can get your tickets at the counter. We don’t recommend getting a taxi since they tend to be quite expensive.
• Nara: You can bring one bag or suitcase of 73cm x 50cm x 25cm (29” x 20” x 10”), with a max weight of 20kg (44lbs) – plus one piece of hand luggage suitable as a carry-on for flights on this trip.You’ll travel between a few destinations via the Shinkansen (bullet train), and won’t have your main luggage because of the space restrictions. But there’s no need to worry, because we’ll send everything forward to the next hotel via truck.In Hiroshima and Mt Koya, you’ll need to bring an overnight bag since you won’t have your main luggage with you. Your Trip Manager will advise you about what you should bring for each day.
• Nara: Starstruck by the Shinkansen? Same. All bullet train tickets are one-use-only tickets (and not passes). So, you won’t be able to use them after the trip has concluded.
• Nara: A Japan Rail Pass can be quite handy while travelling in Japan. But since we’ve got you covered for the transport, you won’t need a Japan Rail Pass. You’re always welcome to ask your Trip Manager where you can buy one once the trip ends.
• Nara: Currently, Street Kart or Mario Kart aren’t offered on any Contiki trip. Who knows what the future holds, though?

• Tokyo: Check out the Sensoji Temple, one of the most significant temples in Japan, decked with a 5-storey pagoda. Don’t forget to snap a pic under the giant red lantern!
• Tokyo: Get a piece of Japan to take back home from one of the many little stalls here on Nakamise Street, just a short walk from the Sensoji Temple.
• Tokyo: Visit this Shinto shrine in Shibuya, dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken. You’ll have the chance to wander through a tranquil forest, passing under the world-famous Tori Gate. And ofc, stop for a picture in front of the many colourful Sake barrels, and make a wish at the sacred Camphor tree.
• Tokyo: Get ready for a riot of colour and vibrant fashion. This was (and still is) a home for Japanese fashion. Grab a vintage bag, a pair of sneakers or a kawaii outfit. And don’t get us started on the food! You’ll find rainbow cotton candy, candy covered strawberries or a rainbow cheese sandwich.
• Tokyo: It’s only the biggest pedestrian intersection in the world! Come watch the world go by (and grab an iconic picture) on the crossing.
• Tokyo: Heads up seafood fans! Check out the weird and wonderful fish at this bustling market. 
• Hakone: Tour this beautiful mountain town, famed for its views of Mount Fuji. And get your kicks on the epic cable car ride. 
• Hakone: Nothing beats sitting down to enjoy a slap up meal. This is portion after portion of authentic Japanese cuisine at its finest.
• Isawa: We’ll visit a fruit farm where you’ll have the chance to go pick and eat seasonal fruits (think: peaches, grapes. strawberries & more) – just like a local. It’s a peak a Japanese experience!
• Matsumoto: The towering ‘Black Crow’ castle is a national treasure. It looks like nothing short of a Samurai castle with its cherry trees (that blossom during spring!) and Alpine backdrop. 
• Takayama: The wooden ‘Edo’ buildings of Takayama really capture the vibe of ancient Japan. 
• Hiroshima: Visit the Peace Park and Peace Memorial Museum to commemorate the lives lost after the atomic bomb was dropped on the city. 
• Hiroshima: This way to amazing! These are the sites you always see in those impossibly tranquil pictures of Japan. IRL. 
• Kyoto: The Golden Pavilion. Geishas. It’s all so surreal. You’ll feel like you’ve wandered into a film set. 
• Kyoto: Walk through the endless path of orange torii gates, kindly ask Inari for good luck and then you might want to sample a fortune cookie. 
• Koyasan: Take off your shoes, enter the golden doors and marvel at the wonders. Then chill in the rock garden. And breathe…
• Koyasan: Think sleepover, but at a Buddhist temple! Take a sneak peek into the lives of monks in this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Every penny we spend at the Shukubo helps preserve ancient traditions that are slowly disappearing.  During your stay, the head monk welcomes the group and, with the help of your local guide, explains the basics of the religion and daily life in the temple. You’ll join morning prayers, explore important religious relics, and learn the significance of the temple’s traditions. Top it off with a traditional vegetarian meal, discovering its positive effects and religious significance. Who knew you could do so much good by simply taking time to relax? 
• Koyasan: Start your journey towards enlightenment at this spiritual ceremony in Mount Koya. And breathe… 

Experience monastic hospitality on sacred Mount Koya with a temple stay (shukubo). Dine on shojin ryori, a beautifully plated Buddhist vegetarian cuisine that highlights mountain vegetables, tofu and seasonal delicacies prepared with quiet precision.

Settle into tatami rooms, learn simple temple etiquette, and feel the calm of wooden corridors and lantern-lit courtyards. This is a contemplative pause that connects you with centuries of spiritual practice.

Head into the fields to pick seasonal fruit in Yamanashi, Japan’s famed “Fruit Kingdom.” Depending on the month, juicy peaches, crisp apples or Kyoho grapes hang heavy on the vines, ready for you to taste fresh from the source.

Chat with local growers about Japan’s meticulous cultivation methods and appreciate how climate and craft yield exceptional sweetness. A simple, hands-on encounter with rural life—and a sweet pause between cities.

Visit Matsumoto Castle, the striking 16th-century fortress nicknamed the ‘Black Crow’ for its dark, wing-like eaves. Framed by the Northern Alps, its wooden keeps and moats offer classic samurai-era scenery and superb photo angles.

Hear stories of daimyo warlords, ingenious defenses and hidden floors designed to outwit invaders. Whether admiring from the grounds or exploring exhibits, this National Treasure reveals the artistry and strategy of Japan’s feudal past.

Walk the preserved streets of Sanmachi Suji where Edo-era wooden townhouses, latticed facades and merchant storehouses line narrow lanes. Lanterns, sake barrels and shopfronts conjure the atmosphere of a mountain trading town.

Learn how Takayama’s carpenters, brewers and artisans shaped the region’s identity. Taste a sip at a traditional sake brewery or browse craft boutiques as you soak up the calm of this beautifully kept historic quarter.

Join a guided visit through Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and the surrounding Peace Memorial Park. Exhibits, survivor testimonies and artifacts illuminate the events of 6 August 1945 with sensitivity and depth.

Pause at the Atomic Bomb Dome and Children’s Peace Monument to reflect on loss and resilience. Your local expert provides context on reconstruction, peace education and the city’s forward-looking spirit.

Sail by ferry to Miyajima (Itsukushima) for views of the vermilion Great Torii Gate rising from the water at high tide. Wooded slopes, temple roofs and roaming deer create a serene island tableau.

Stroll seaside paths and learn how Shinto beliefs shaped the shrine’s dramatic setting. From changing tides to mountain backdrops, the island’s scenery offers some of Japan’s most poetic photo moments.

Walk through thousands of vermilion torii at Fushimi Inari Taisha, a hillside shrine dedicated to the deity of prosperity. Continue to Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), shimmering with gold leaf above a mirror-calm pond and sculpted gardens.

Explore the Gion district, where wooden machiya and lantern-lit alleys evoke old Kyoto. Your guide shares insight into tea-house traditions, respectful ways to spot geiko and maiko, and how the city preserves its cultural refinement.

Rise early to join morning prayers in incense-filled halls, listening to the cadence of sutra chanting and the soft ring of bells. The ritual offers an intimate window into Shingon Buddhist devotion and daily temple life.

Absorb the meditative rhythm, observe simple offerings, and carry the sense of stillness into the day. A rare chance to participate respectfully in a living spiritual tradition.

Visit Kongobu-ji, head temple of Shingon Buddhism, to admire fusuma screen art and the vast Banryutei rock garden. Continue through the Danjo Garan precinct, a sacred complex of pagodas and halls central to Kobo Daishi’s teachings.

Hear how Mount Koya became a monastic center in the 9th century and why its architecture, symbols and rituals remain a cornerstone of Japanese spirituality today.

Visit an innovative robot café where drinks are served by avatar robots piloted remotely by people with disabilities. Order via tablets, watch dexterous robotic arms at work, and chat through telepresence with the operators behind each friendly avatar.

This uplifting concept blends accessibility, design and hospitality—showcasing Tokyo’s knack for tech with heart. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Step into a themed world of playful service rituals at a maid café in Akihabara, Tokyo’s electric district of anime, gaming and otaku culture. Expect choreographed greetings, cute latte art and lighthearted table interactions.

Learn where this subculture came from and how it shaped modern Japanese pop entertainment. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Roll up your sleeves for a lesson with a local chef, learning to season rice, shape nigiri and perfect tight maki rolls. Practice knife skills, balance flavors, and plate your creations with wasabi, ginger and soy.

Along the way, uncover etiquette around counter dining and fish selection that defines Tokyo’s sushi craft. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Ride the Hakone Ropeway over steaming vents and sulfurous ridgelines for sweeping panoramas of the Owakudani volcanic valley. On clear days, the elegant cone of Mount Fuji hovers on the horizon—an unforgettable silhouette above lakes and forests.

Hear how Hakone’s hot springs and rugged geology were shaped by millennia of eruptions. Glide between stations with time to pause for photos, and learn the local legend of jet-black eggs cured in volcanic waters.

Unwind in a traditional ryokan in Isawa, slipping into a mineral-rich onsen bath before dining on a multi-course kaiseki dinner. Seasonal dishes arrive like small works of art—delicate sashimi, simmered vegetables and mountain specialties presented with exquisite balance.

Learn the etiquette of yukata robes, tatami rooms and tea service as you savor Yamanashi’s regional flavors. This elegant evening celebrates Japanese hospitality and the restorative calm of hot-spring culture.

Experience the electrifying rush of Shibuya Crossing as thousands stream across the scramble in choreographed bursts of color and light. Navigate the neon canyons and pause at the beloved Hachiko statue for a classic Tokyo photo moment.

Learn tips for the best vantage points, explore side streets buzzing with cafés and pop-up shops, and feel the pulse of contemporary Tokyo where creativity, nightlife and street fashion collide in one unforgettable square.

Wander the lanes of Tsukiji Outer Market, Tokyo’s lively maze of seafood stalls, knife merchants and snack counters that kept thriving after the wholesale auction moved to Toyosu. Follow your nose to sizzling skewers and silky tamagoyaki as vendors call out the day’s specialties.

Learn about Tokyo’s centuries-old fish trade, seasonal catch, and kitchen tools prized by chefs. This is a window into everyday culinary culture—fast-paced, friendly, and brimming with flavors Japan is famous for.

Step beneath towering torii to Meiji Jingu Shrine, a Shinto sanctuary dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Wander a tranquil forest of more than 100,000 trees, pause by votive tablets, and spot the vibrant display of sake barrel offerings.

Emerge into Harajuku to explore Takeshita-dori, where kawaii boutiques, vintage shops and crêpe stands showcase Tokyo’s playful fashion scene. This seamless contrast of sacred stillness and pop creativity reveals the city’s knack for balancing heritage with avant-garde style.

Contiki

Discover Tokyo’s spiritual heart on a guided stroll through Asakusa Senso-ji, the city’s oldest Buddhist temple. Pass beneath the iconic Kaminarimon ‘Thunder Gate’ with its giant lantern, admire the five-storey pagoda, and breathe in the fragrance of incense swirling through the courtyard.

Continue along Nakamise-dori, a centuries-old shopping street lined with stalls selling fans, sweets and artisan keepsakes. Hear how the shrine complex, founded in the 7th century, reflects a resilient community that rebuilt with care after wartime damage, preserving traditions in the shadow of modern Tokyo.

Travel to Japan’s first permanent capital to visit Todai-ji’s Great Buddha (Daibutsu), housed in one of the world’s largest wooden halls. Stroll Nara Park, where friendly deer roam among lantern-lined paths and temple precincts.

Hear how 8th-century Nara shaped Buddhism and statecraft in Japan, then enjoy quiet gardens and photogenic pagodas. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.