SELF-GUIDED ADVENTURES
SELF-GUIDED ADVENTURES
Golden Route 9 nights, Self-Guided Adventure TOKYO (3) – HAKONE (2) – KYOTO (3) – TOKYO (1)
Marvel at the spaceage skyscrapers of Tokyo Ride the worldfamous Shinkansen bullet train Bathe in a hot spring in the foothills of Mount Fuji Admire Kyoto’s World Heritage temples and shrines Experience Japanese hospitality at a traditional ryokan inn
Has the Golden Route caught your eye?
Your trip begins and ends in Tokyo, a city seemingly drawn straight from the pages of a science fiction novel. In between marvelling at the towering screens and space-age gadgetry of Akihabara’s “electric town”, you’ll discover Tokyo’s traditional heart as you glimpse a Shinto wedding at Meiji Shrine or take part in a traditional tea ceremony at the lakeside teahouse in Hamarikyu Gardens. Rocketing west on the bullet train at speeds of up to 186 mph (300kph), you’ll arrive in Kyoto. Not for nothing is it known as the “City of Ten Thousand Temples”, and whilst here you’ll have the chance to wander the bamboo groves of Arashiyama and visit famous sites such as the red gates of Fushimi Inari and the Golden Pavilion of Kinkaku-ji.
This is a Self-Guided Adventure that can start whenever suits you. For details and guideline pricing please visit our website, talk to your local travel agent or speak to one of our fantastic travel consultants. We can tailor the itinerary in any way you like to match your Japan wish list.
Tokyo Mt Fuji
Hakone
Kyoto
“ Outstanding. Really detailed guidance and support – could not have done it alone!”
Kyoto is a fantastic base from which to make a day trip to nearby Osaka, the great Buddha of Nara, or Hiroshima and its beautiful neighbouring island of Miyajima. Thanks to your included Japan Rail Pass, you can make any of these trips at no extra cost. Connecting your city stays will be a visit to Hakone National Park, where you’ll be greeted by spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. Here you’ll experience true Japanese hospitality as you hunker down at a traditional ryokan inn, tuck in to an elaborate kaiseki dinner and soak in a natural volcanic hot spring – all beneath the shadow of Japan’s most iconic landmark: Mount Fuji.
Jason, London, UK
© Everett Kennedy Brown
Trip highlights
Norman Blaikie
Imagine basking in a hot spring in the shadow of Mount Fuji, speeding across country at breakneck speeds on the bullet train, or marvelling at centuries-old temples in Japan’s former imperial capital. You’ll experience this and more as our Golden Route transports you from futuristic Tokyo to the historical capital of Kyoto via one of Japan’s most beautiful national parks.
Fushimi Inari Shrine by Ayako Kiyono A native of Osaka, Ayako is one of our professional guides. Her favourite city to work in is Kyoto, where she particularly loves taking people to Fushimi Inari Shrine. “ Fushimi Inari’s 10,000 torii gates are one of the most famous images of Japan. What the photographs don’t show you is that you can follow these gates along trails that snake through the forest all over Mount Inari. To hike through all of them would take about two to three hours – but thankfully there are shorter routes too! The views from the mountainside are lovely, and there are some
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SELF-GUIDED ADVENTURES
great traditional restaurants where you can stop for a breather on the way. “ The shrine is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice, and its signature red gates are donated by individuals and companies – costing from 400,000 to over one million yen per gate (£2,320–£5,800). “ I first visited Fushimi Inari twenty years ago and was struck by the beauty of its forest setting. It’s a very different experience to most other temples and shrines, and I would recommend visiting at any time of year.”
W W W. I N S I D E J A PA N TO U R S . C O M I I N F O @ I N S I D E J A PA N TO U R S . C O M I U K : 0 1 1 7 3 7 0 9 7 3 0 I A U S : 0 2 8 0 1 1 3 2 2 9
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