Japan Awaits

An undiscovered treasure lies nestled between Kyoto and Tokyo! This area offers an enchanting mix of distinct historical landmarks, immersive cultural encounters, and breathtaking natural beauty. This tour is accompanied by a National Government Licensed English Guide Interpreter and visits popular sightseeing spots that are difficult to reach on one’s own.

At Takayama, take a walk around the old town, where traditional Japanese-style townhouses and traces of the Edo period (1603-1868) still remain.

At the World Heritage site Shirakawago, enjoy seeing the seasonal scenery of a quaint village of thatch-roofed houses

At Kanazawa, see the historical samurai residence district, a beautiful Japanese garden, and visit a teahouse district where the atmosphere of the Edo period (1603-1868) still lingers in the air.

Day 1 (Takayama):

Meet the tour guide at the hotel lobby in the morning and start your tour of Takayama. There, you will visit Takayama Jinya, the former government office where the town was administrated in feudal times, and Kami Sannomachi (three parallel streets that still maintain the appearance of the Edo period).

Day 2 (Shirakawago):

After a night in Takayama, the next morning, you will take a bus to Shirakawago and travel back in time, as this village that was established hundreds of years ago still appears to be the same with the gassho houses. In the afternoon, you will reach Kanazawa by bus, where you will visit Kenroku-en (one of Japan’s top three gardens) and the Nomura House (the former residence of a Samurai family). Spend the night in Kanazawa.

Day 3 (Kanazawa): The next day, enjoy a tour of Kanazawa and some free time to explore on your own. The tour will end on this day.

NOTE: 

Please inform us of your accommodation and contact details for the day prior to the tour. If the tour is cancelled, customers will be notified by the conducting company or their travel agent.

Availability: Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 5 PM (except some holidays)

 Included:

• Accommodation charges for 2 days.
• National Government Licensed English Guide Interpreter.
• Lunch on second day.
• Other admission fees and transportation costs included in the tour.

Excluded:

• Other fees not included in the tour

Attire

The tour operates in all weather conditions (except when there is a typhoon or other extreme situations). Please dress appropriately for all weather conditions. In such case, please note that the tour may change slightly to accommodate for the weather.

Non-Smoking

While most places we visit may be non-smoking establishments, there are some places along the way that may allow smoking in designated areas. Please take note of this for guests who are sensitive to smoke.

Age Requirement

There is no age requirement, but a reservation must be made for all guests. The cost is the same for guests from age 6 and up (Adult). There is no cost for infant (0 – 1 years old) and young child (1 – 5 years old). Passports may be required to verify age on the day of the tour (as it may be required for children to ride the train at no cost).

Payment

All bookings are payable via Stripe (Booking Checkout) or Flywire. Confirmations regarding your booking will be sent at least 10 days before your activity date.

Cancellation Policy

Firm Cancellation Policy:

• Cancellation fee of 100% if booking is cancelled 7 days or less before event
• Cancellation fee of 75% if booking is cancelled 14 days or less before event
• Cancellation fee of 50% if booking is cancelled 30 days or less before event
• Cancellation fee of 25% if booking is cancelled 45 days or less before event

What if I’m late?

We ask that all guests arrive at the location at least 10 minutes before the designated meet-up time. Since this is a group tour, we may not be able to wait for you if you are late. The tour will begin without the late guests and you can meet the rest of the group at the next location. Guests are provided with the tour guides’ phone number before the tour and you can call the tour guide if you need to meet the group in the next location.

Is this an ideal tour for first-time visitors to Japan?

Yes, this tour is ideal for first-time visitors to Japan. While this introductory ‘explorer’ tour visits many locations in Central Tokyo, there are also other places you’ll visit that are not the main landmarks. This will provide you with a better idea of what life in Tokyo is like for locals, as well as visit to some of the main attractions that Tokyo has to offer.

How far in advance should I book?

Preparing a customized tour requires some time, especially if reservations for restaurants or other venues are required. We recommend making a reservation as early as possible. Ideally, it should be 3 months before your travel date, or 1 month before the travel date at the very least. For Custom Tour bookings that are requested with less than 7 days before the travel date, we may not be able to arrange your custom tour in time so your booking request may be cancelled and you will receive a full refund.

Why am I charged a service fee if I make a cancellation after you started planning the trip?

Organizing and planning a trip requires a lot of time and if we have made reservations on your behalf, it may be very challenging to cancel some booking requests. Once we receive your booking and your answers from the Custom Tour form, we will begin putting together your Itinerary Sheet and will start arranging your tour guide, buying tickets, making reservations at venues for your tour, etc. If you cancel the tour any time after we have sent you the custom Itinerary Sheet, the service fee of 15% of your total tour cost will be nonrefundable If your cancellation falls within the fees applied to the Standard Cancellation Policy, the service fee of 15% will no longer take effect. You will only be responsible for the cancellation fee specified in the Standard Cancellation Policy. Please carefully review the terms and conditions specified on the checkout page.