Winter Japan with Skiing & Mt. Fuji

Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrival, Osaka

  After your flight lands at Osaka airport, your airport assistant will meet you and help you to take one airport shuttle bus to your hotel in Osaka. Arrive at and check in your hotel on your own, and then take the rest of the time to recover from your journey.

  If you want to explore around, Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street and Dotonbori Area will be nice places to seek for some local snacks or souvenirs.

  • Osaka

• Day 2: Osaka - Kyoto

  Explore Osaka city with your tour guide by public transportation.

  At around 9:00 am, start from Osaka Castle and get up to the top floor for overlooking the entire east side of the city. Later, go to Kuromon Ichiba Market. Nicknamed as "Osaka's kitchen", the market supplies fresh seafood and various ingredients for restaurant chefs and homeowners. Many stalls are cooking for their guests on the spot, so you can find delicious food here.

  In the afternoon, pay a visit to the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living, where the buildings and streets showcase Osaka's past. After that, be escorted to Kyoto by train. Upon arrival, proceed to your hotel with the help of your guide.

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  • Kyoto

• Day 3: Kyoto

  After breakfast, your guide will accompany you to wander around Kinkaku-ji Temple, a golden pavilion located beside a lake and surrounded by pine trees. Continue your trip to the Nijo Castle, which has a rich history of the power of Shoguns wielded over the emperors throughout the Edo Period.

  In the afternoon, come to Fushimi-Inari Shrine, which is well-know for its thousands of vermilion torii gates instead of the shrine itself. Afterward, head to Sanjusangendo Hall, a hall with 33 spaces between columns containing 1,001 figures of Kannon. At dusk, wander around the alleys of Gion Area at your leisurely pace, and you might encounter geishas if lucky enough. An authentic dinner at a Japanese style pub should be a must-have.

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  • Kyoto

• Day 4: Kyoto - Nagoya - Takayama

  Travel to Nagoya by Shinkansen for a connecting train to Takayama on your own. Upon arrival at Takayama, go to your hotel on your own. Check into your hotel and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

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  • Takayama

• Day 5: Takayama - Shirakawa-go - Takayama

  Today is a full-day for your exploration Shirakawa-go Village with your personal tour guide by public transportation. The houses there were built like a prayer's hands and surrounded by mountains. You will feel that you are in fairy tales, especially when the houses are covered by heavy and white snow in winter. Be transferred back to Takayama after the tour. If time permits, you can walk around Sanmachi Suji to find some beautiful houses or step into Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall to watch sample floats on display. 

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  • Takayama

• Day 6: Takayama - Nagano

  This day, you will take a limited express train to Toyama station, and then transfer Shinkansen to Nagano station by yourself. It normally takes about 3.5 hours on the road. After arrival, check into your hotel and the remainder of the day is for your own exploration.

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  • Nagano

• Day 7: Nagano - Hakuba

  Make a trip to Yamanouchi with your English-speaking driver.

  Jigokudani Monkey Park is one of the main attractions of your Japan tour in winter. Walk for about 30 minutes from the park entrance, through the forest you will reach the onsen where snow monkeys bath in a natural hot spring in winter. Enjoy a delightful day with the cute monkeys around! After that, drive back to Hakuba.

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  • Hakuba

• Day 8: Hakuba

  Full free day for you to enjoy skiing on your own.

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  • Hakuba

• Day 9: Hakuba - Nagano - Tokyo

  Today, take a bus to Nagano and then catch up with your Shinkansen train to Tokyo on your own. After arriving at Tokyo station, your meeting assistant will show you take a shuttle bus to your hotel. He or she will not go together with you. Check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

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  • Tokyo

• Day 10: Tokyo

  This is a full-day Tokyo city tour with your guide by public transportation. Departing from your hotel at 9:00 am, your guide will accompany you to visit Japan's most famous Shinto shrine - Meiji Shrine, dedicated to the Meiji Emperor and the Shoken Empress. Later, go to the East Garden of the Imperial Palace, where Emperor Meiji lived for 20 years and you can take a view of Double Bridge. After that, experience a tea ceremony in a tea house.

  In the afternoon, you will have a chance to take some photos of the Tokyo Tower from a distance. Continue to Senso-ji Temple, one of Tokyo's most colorful and popular temples. Finally, have a stroll along Nakamise Shopping Street and buy some souvenirs if you are interested in. Be escorted back to your hotel.

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  • Tokyo

• Day 11: Tokyo - Mt.Fuji - Tokyo

  Your personal local guide will meet your at 9:00 am in your hotel lobby, and then take you to Mt. Fuji 5th Station by private car, where you will see the snow-capped peak from the casual platform. Later, board on a cruise ship of Lake Kawaguchi or experience Kachi Kachi Ropeway to get a different view of Mt. Fuji. After that, enjoy a leisure walking tour around the Iyashi no Sato. Set to the backdrop of scenic Mt. Fuji, this historic village is a stunning sight to behold. End with transferring back to your hotel in Tokyo by car with your guide.

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  • Tokyo

• Day 12: Tokyo, Departure

  Your Japan vacation will come to an end. Take a shuttle bus to the airport for your flight back home on your own. Look forward to traveling with you to other destinations next time.

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