Hot Spring Heaven Japan

Upon arrival at Kansai International Airport (KIX), an assistant will greet you at the exit and escort you to either a private car or the train station for transportation to Kyoto. The service does not include purchasing or exchanging your JR rail pass. A Japanese-speaking driver will take you by private car to the Genji Kyoto hotel for check-in, and you will stay here for three nights. The evening is free for you to explore Kyoto at your leisure after hotel check-in. The rooms include private baths and a stunning view of the river.

After breakfast, meet your English-speaking guide at the hotel to begin you full-day private guided tour of Kyoto. Visit top sites like Kiyomizudera Temple, Ninenzaka, and Fushimi Inari Shrine. Experience a private Zen meditation session at Santei Room to sample Buddhist culture. Afterward, partake in an exclusive tea ceremony at Kodaiji Temple’s secluded tearoom open only to special guests. You will be dropped back at the hotel at the end of the tour around 5 pm. The evening is free to further explore mesmerizing Kyoto on your own after a day discovering top attractions with a knowledgeable local guide.

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Spend a memorable morning learning to make quintessential Japanese dishes at a private 3-hour bento class. Create aesthetically pleasing boxed lunches, gaining insight into cultural food traditions. Follow along as instructors demonstrate cooking tricks, then try your hand at crafting favorites like sushi, tempura, miso soup and more. After assembling beautiful bento boxes, delight in eating the freshly made creations you prepared. Then visit serene temples like Tenryuji, Ryoanji, and Arashiyama Bamboo Forest to complement your morning of culinary and cultural discoveries. Return to your hotel by 6pm after an enriching day.

After breakfast, your luggage will be transferred to your next destination, Yamanaka Onsen. Bring an overnight bag for the first night there. A private car takes you to Kyoto Station to board the express train to Kaga Onsen Station, arriving just before noon. Meet your guide to tour Kaga's highlights like Kakusenkei Gorge by private vehicle. Make an afternoon stop at sake master Noguchi Naohiko's institute for an intimate tasting and to learn traditional methods of crafting delicate rice wine. Visit Natadera Temple before arriving at Kayotei hotel by 6pm for check-in and dinner, concluding your guided tour. You will stay at Kayotei for the next two nights.

After breakfast at the hotel, meet your guide in the lobby for a full day exploring Kanazawa's top sites. Travel by private car for about an hour to Kanazawa. Visit the sprawling grounds of Kenrokuen Garden, considered one of Japan's most beautiful landscape gardens. Wander through the lively Omicho fish market to see the catch of the day. Explore teahouses and craft shops in the historic Higashichaya district. You will be dropped back at Kayotei around 6 pm to wash up and enjoy dinner at the hotel after a day discovering Kanazawa's culture and scenery. Revel in the ryokan's hot springs as the perfect way to relax after a full-day's excitement.

Start the day with breakfast, then pack an overnight bag for your night in Tokyo, and send your main luggage ahead to Hakone. You will then be transferred from the hotel to Kaga Onsen station. Take the express train to Kanazawa Station, enjoying an ekiben (a station bento lunch box) along the way. Transfer to the bullet train to Tokyo, . Arrive in Tokyo around 2 pm and meet your guide on the platform for a guided tour of the city's top sites like Meiji Shrine, Harajuku's Takeshita Street, and the famous Shibuya Crossing, all via private vehicle charter. The tour concludes upon arriving at the Tokyu Capitol Hotel around 7 pm, with the evening free for leisure.

Meet your guide in the hotel lobby for a half-day tour of Tokyo before continuing to Hakone. Ride by private vehicle charter to Tsukiji Market and the exclusive Shunkaen Bonsai Garden for a private tour. At the Shunkaen museum, founded by award-winning bonsai master Kunio Kobayashi, learn techniques he uses to shape the miniature trees and appreciate his pursuit of beauty, including a 1000-year-old pine tree. Depart Tokyo on the bullet train to Odawara, then transfer by private car to your Hakone hotel, the Gora Karaku where you will stay for two nights. Arrive and check-in, with dinner at the hotel, and make the most of your access to the hotel's excellent onsen.

After hotel breakfast, meet your English-speaking guide for a full-day tour of the Hakone area. Ride by private charter vehicle to the Hakone Shrine, take a scenic cruise on Lake Ashi, ride the Hakone Ropeway up to see the volcanic Owakudani Valley, and visit the renowned Hakone Open-Air Museum. Return to the hotel around 5 PM, concluding the guided tour for the day with dinner at the hotel, allowing for more onsen time to relax and absorb the myriad benefits of Hakone's hot springs.

It's time for your final Japanese breakfast at the Gora Karaku hotel, before checking out. At 11 AM, meet your guide who will join you for the morning museum visits. Visit the Okada Museum of Art, then take in views of Fuji from the Enoura Observatory. After finishing at the observatory around 2:30 PM, continue the approximately 1-1.5 hour drive to Haneda Airport, arriving by 4:25 PM for your flight to your onward destination.