Grand Tour of Japan by Rail

Overnight flight to Hokkaido

Meet the Tour Manager and fellow travellers at London Heathrow, ready for the flight to Japan. Japan brims with fascinating culture, spirituality and modernity, spread over an archipelago of more than 14,000 islands.

Arriving in Sapporo

Arrive in Sapporo, the mountainous capital of Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan's main islands. Transfer to the hotel. Welcome meeting and welcome drink before heading out for the first dinner together at a local restaurant.

Meals: Dinner

The historic port city of Otaru

Explore Otaru with an English-speaking guide. Visit the preserved canal area lined with late 19th-century warehouses, the Old Aoyama Villa, and the Otaru Music Box Museum. Free evening in Sapporo.

Meals: Breakfast

Around Uchiura Bay by rail to Hakodate

Travel by Hokuto limited express train to Hakodate, skirting around Uchiura Bay. Afternoon sightseeing tour including Goryokaku fortress and the Motomachi district. Evening ascent of Mount Hakodate by ropeway cable car, followed by dinner at a local beer hall.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

To Tokyo aboard the futuristic Bullet train

Early morning visit to the Hakodate fish market. Board the Shinkansen bullet train to Tokyo (513 miles in just over four hours), travelling beneath the Tsugaru Strait and emerging on Honshu. Arrive mid-afternoon in Shinjuku. Free evening to explore.

Meals: Breakfast

Uncovering the charm of Tokyo on a guided tour

Coach tour of Tokyo with English-speaking guide: Harajuku's Meiji-Jingu shrine, Shibuya crossing, Senso-Ji temple in Asakusa. Rest of the day free to explore independently.

Meals: Breakfast

A journey to lakeside Hakone in Mount Fuji's shadow

Travel from Shinjuku station on the Shonan Express to Odawara, then by Hakone Ropeway cable car with possible views of Mount Fuji. Arrive at Lake Ashi for a pirate boat cruise across the crater lake to the hotel. Dinner at the hotel's restaurant.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Spectacular Mount Fuji views and on to Matsumoto

Visit the Mount Fuji World Heritage Centre and observation deck. Travel to Matsumoto to visit Matsumoto Castle ('Crow Castle') and the Nakamachi District. Evening at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast

Matsumoto miso factory and a scenic drive to Kanazawa

Tour of a miso factory. Drive along the Mitsuboshi Kaidou road, visiting Takayama Jinya government building and the preserved village of Shirakawa with its gassho-zukuri thatched houses. Arrive in Kanazawa. Free evening.

Meals: Breakfast

Colourful gardens and samurai history in Kanazawa

Morning stroll through Kenrokuen garden. Visit the Nomura House samurai residence. Free time at Omicho market. Board the Shinkansen to Tsuruga, then regional train to Kyoto. Free evening in Kyoto.

Meals: Breakfast

Uncovering the traditions of captivating Kyoto

Visit Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) temple. Participate in a zen tea ceremony. Visit the Kyoto Railway Museum. Tour of the Gion neighbourhood and performance at the Gion Corner Theatre. Free evening.

Meals: Breakfast

The serenity and wildlife of ancient Nara

Coach to Nara for a guided walking tour of Todaiji Temple (Great Buddha) and the deer park. Travel to Osaka by coach, then board the bullet train to Hiroshima. Free evening in Hiroshima.

Meals: Breakfast

Exploring Hiroshima and Miyajima Island

Guided tour of Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Museum. Afternoon travel by train and ferry to Miyajima Island for a walking tour including Itsukushima Shrine and the O-Torii Gate. Return to Hiroshima. Dine independently.

Meals: Breakfast

By bullet train into the mountains of Kyushu

Bullet train from Hiroshima to Hakata (Fukuoka) on the island of Kyushu (150 miles in just over an hour). Guided sightseeing tour including Dazaifu Tenman-gu Shrine and the Kyushu National Museum. Western-style farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Fukuoka and homeward bound

Free time after breakfast to explore Fukuoka independently, including Kushida Shrine, Asian Art Museum and Ohori Park. Afternoon transfer to the airport for the overnight flight back to London.

Meals: Breakfast

Arriving in London

Land back in the United Kingdom. Journey comes to a close and travellers are free to continue their onward travels home.