Japan Unmasked

The tour starts at 7.00pm on Wednesday 16 October, at the Asakusa View Hotel Annex Rokku, Tokyo.

The tour ends after breakfast on Saturday 2 November, with a group transfer to Tokyo International Airport.

We gather in our hotel this evening to meet and greet tour leader Judy Tenzing and fellow travellers before enjoying a welcome dinner in the hotel restaurant. Overnight Tokyo (D)

This morning we depart by coach for the Edo period garden of Koshikawa Korakuen, built in the Tokyo residence of the ruling Tokugawa family. As with most traditional Japanese gardens, Korakuen reproduces famous landscapes in miniature using ponds, stones, trees and manmade hills to replicate Japanese scenery. Our next stop is the neighbourhood of Asakusa for a visit to the colourful ancient Buddhist Sensoji Temple and a stroll down bustling Nakamise Shopping Street. After lunch at a local restaurant, we continue to Tokyo National Museum, where we take in a special exhibit. Upon our return to the hotel, there is time to freshen up before we walk to a local restaurant for dinner. Overnight Tokyo (B, L, D)

We gather for a talk in the hotel before heading out by coach for a visit to the Yamatane Museum of Art. Along with a rotating collection of contemporary Japanese paintings, the museum specialises in Nihonga, a Japanese painting style using mineral pigments and ink on silk or paper. After lunch together, it’s on to Tokyo’s buzzy Harajaku district, renowned for its colourful art, trendy vintage stores and boutiques and, of course, head-turning street fashion. We then continue to the nearby Ota Memorial Museum of Art to view its fantastic collection of Ukiyo-e woodblock print and painting masterpieces by such renowned artists as Hokusai, Hiroshige and Utamaro. The afternoon finishes with a visit to the Meiji Shrine, a Shinto haven of peace and tranquillity in this bustling city. Returning to the hotel, the evening is at leisure. Overnight Tokyo (B, L)

The morning’s coach ride takes us past the National Diet building, where high-level political decision-making takes place, to the National Art Centre in Roppongi. Housed in a stunning glass and steel building designed by Kisho Kurokawa, the Art Centre features rotating art exhibits. Our next stop is the upscale Ginza shopping district, with an afternoon at leisure to explore the boutique shops and luxury department stores, perhaps stopping for a bite to eat. The option is yours to return by coach or stay longer and venture back to the hotel by Tokyo’s famed subway. Overnight Tokyo (B)

Today we depart Tokyo and head west via Japan’s famous bullet train to Kanazawa, which during the Edo period was Japan’s second largest feudal seat. Upon checking into the hotel, we pay a visit to Kanazawa Castle, the seat of the powerful Maeda clan. After burning several times, only two storehouses and the gate remain. But the real star is adjacent to the castle. Celebrated as one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens, Kenrokuen was designed using the six essential attributes of a perfect garden: spaciousness, seclusion, artificiality, antiquity, abundant water and broad views. The afternoon is free until we meet in the early evening and walk to our dinner venue, where we’ll enjoy some local sake and a multi-course traditional kaiseki dinner, prepared with fresh local ingredients aligned to the season. Overnight Kanazawa (B, D)

This morning begins with a stroll through the Nagamachi Samurai District, taking us to the Nomura house, a restored samurai residence that displays artefacts from the samurai era. Afterward you can explore the traditional shopping district of Omicho Market with free time for lunch. This afternoon features the Higashi Chaya district, where tea house guests can still be entertained by geisha who perform song and dance on traditional instruments and where shops sell traditional gold-leaf crafts, a Kanazawa specialty. There is an option to visit the D.T. Suzuki Museum, where you can learn about this prominent Zen Buddhist philosopher’s life and religious scholarship. Overnight Kanazawa (B)

We depart Kanazawa by bullet train this morning for the former Japanese capital of Kyoto, a famously beautiful city, with great cultural achievements. On arrival we visit the Kiyomizu Temple complex, built entirely without using nails. First constructed in 798, the building that stands now is a reconstruction from 1633. From here we stroll down the hill through the shops and teahouses of the Higashiyama district to famous Yasaka Shrine, the centre of many rituals and events. Honouring husband and wife gods Susanoo-no-Mikoto and Kushinadahime-no-Mikoto, the shrine is considered a spiritual love spot. Later in the evening we enjoy dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight Kyoto (B, D)

The morning begins with a talk in the hotel before we depart by coach for the Buddhist temple of Sanjusangendo, famous for its 1001 statues of Kannon, the thousand-armed goddess of mercy. We then walk the short distance to Kyoto National Museum. One of Japan’s major art museums, it features an extensive collection of archaeological relics, sculptures, ceramics and costumes. After lunch, we depart by coach for Gion, Kyoto’s most famous Geisha district. Strolling this charming entertainment district, we’ll likely see hostesses in colourful kimonos and parasols making their way to or from teahouses or crossing the wooden Tatsumi Bridge. The rest of the afternoon and evening is yours to enjoy. Overnight Kyoto (B, L)

Known as a supplier of livestock, fruits, vegetables and marine treasures to the Imperial Court, Awaji Island is a gourmand’s delight that also features multiple theme parks and other interactive experiences. Our first stop is the picturesque feudal Sumoto Castle, with its well-preserved fortified walls serving as a vantage point for the island. Next is Japan’s oldest shrine, Izenagi Jingu Shrine, the grounds of which feature an ancient “husband-and-wife” camphor tree said to bring good luck to relationships. Our last stop is Akashi Kaikyo National Government Park, featuring colourful seasonal gardens and large flower sculptures. Tonight we’ll have dinner on the island before settling into our hotel. Overnight Awaji Island (B, D)

Today we continue exploring the island, beginning at the giant red torii gate of Onokorojime Shrine. We then head to the Awaji Puppet Theatre Museum to get acquainted with one of Awaji’s best-known traditional arts, practiced on Awaji for hundreds of years. Our visit takes in the displays of older and newer puppets at the museum as we learn how troupes – which at puppetry’s peak numbered 38 – put on shows. Later, we visit the Honpukuji Water Temple, famous for its annex lotus pond and subterranean Fudo Myō Buddhist temple designed by Tado Ando. In the afternoon we take a cruise to see the famous Naruto whirlpools, a phenomena created by tidal movements between the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific. The rest of the afternoon and evening is at leisure. Overnight Awaji Island (B)

A bullet train takes us this morning on the three-hour trip to Hiroshima, a city that has vibrantly rebounded from its tragic World War II history. We begin at the Peace Memorial Museum, a somber place composed of a beautiful park that includes a building now known as the Atomic Bomb Dome, still standing in much the same condition as it was moments after the explosion. We tour the museum, which offers a collection of photos and testimonials from survivors of the 1945 nuclear bomb, before walking through the memorial site. We then make our way to our hotel, with the evening at leisure. Overnight Hiroshima (B)

Today beings with a short walk to Motoyasu Sanbashi bridge (near the Peace Memorial) to pick up the ferry that departs to Miyajima. We begin with the Itsukushima Shrine, marked by a large orange torii gate that appears to float at high tide and said to be one of the most beautiful sights in Japan. The shrine, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a complex of halls and pathways originally built on stilts so that commoners could visit without defiling the island with their footprints. After lunch, featuring the local oysters that are a specialty of the island, you have the option to ascend Mt Misen and enjoy the autumn foliage by cable car. There will be free time for shopping before the ferry departs back to our hotel. Overnight Hiroshima (B, L)

Continuing our journey south, we take the train to the busy hub of Fukuoka on Japan’s Kyushu Island. A centre of nightlife, shopping and cuisine (not to mention great beaches), Fukuoka also has a rich spiritual and historical legacy. On arrival, we enjoy lunch in a local restaurant, before visiting Shofukuji Zen Temple, Japan’s first and oldest. We then continue to another temple, Tochoji, famed for its massive 10.8m wooden Buddha statue, a five-story pagoda and other ancient carvings and exhibits. You can enjoy free time after our return to the hotel. Overnight Fukuoka (B, L)

This morning is spent at Kyushu National Museum, which tells the story of Japan through the history of its interaction and cultural exchanges with other Asian countries. Its distinctive blue mirrored glass structure houses a significant collection of well-displayed artifacts, along with short movies and rotating special exhibits. After we return, the afternoon and evening are at leisure, with an optional guided visit of the Hakata open-air food stands, 100 food stalls festooned with colourful drapes selling ramen, yakitori grilled chicken skewers, dumplings, and much more. Overnight Fukuoka (B)

Today we head to Kitakyushu, the northernmost city on Kyushu Island. Known for its picturesque landscaping, history, delicious food and regional festivals, Kitakyushu has been an important port city since the 1960s and is a hub for both land and marine traffic. We begin with a stroll along the waterway past the 1900s red brick Moji Customs building to the Kitakyushi Railway History Museum. Located next to charming Mojiko Station, the museum features historic train carriages you can board, along with indoor exhibits on the history of Japanese railways. Next we revisit our earthier aspects at the TOTO toilet museum. Located in an elegantly designed two-story building, the museum conveys lessons on the history and evolution of hygiene and toilets in Japan. The afternoon and evening are yours to enjoy. Overnight Fukuyoka (B)

Departing Fukuyoka today, we first stop at Yoshinogari Historical Park, an expansive archaeological site of a well-preserved moat-encircled settlement from the Yayoi Period (300BCE to 300CE). Yoshinogari features pit dwellings, storehouses and other structures, along with over 2000 tombs. We then join the bullet train for the rest of the journey to Kumamoto. Upon disembarking, we stop at Suizenji Jojuen Garden located on the side of Kumamoto Castle. This traditional Japanese garden features a teahouse, a natural pond with colourful koi, a miniature recreation of the Tokaido road between Tokyo and Kyoto, and even a miniature Mt Fuji! After time to freshen up in our hotel, we meet again for dinner. Overnight Kumamoto (B, D)

This morning we fly back to Tokyo and transfer to the hotel. There is time to simply relax or enjoy some of the many Tokyo attractions not covered on the tour. This evening we enjoy a farewell dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight Tokyo (B, D)

The tour concludes after breakfast. A transfer will be arranged to the airport for your onward journey. (B)

Hotels have been selected principally for their central location. All hotels are excellent four-star standard.

• Tokyo, Asakusa View Hotel Annex Rokku (5 nights, total)

• Kanazawa, Koko Hotel Premier (2 nights)

• Kyoto, Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo (2 nights)

• Awaji Island, Grand Nikko Awaji (2 nights)

• Hiroshima, Grand Prince Hotel (2 nights)

• Fukuoka, Hotel Monterey Fukuoka (3 nights)

• Kumamoto, Hotel Nikko Kumamoto (1 night)