Discovering Japan from Tokyo to Osaka

DAY 1: paris / tokyo
• Presentation of participants at the airport.
• Check-in formalities then take off to Tokyo on a regular flight.
• Night on board.

DAY 2: tokyo
• Arrival and welcome at Tokyo airport by your French-speaking guide.
• Lunch (according to flight times).
• Departure for a panoramic tour of the Japanese capital by bus.

A true city of contrasts, and in perpetual motion, Tokyo grabs the visitor upon arrival in a whirlwind of sensations, smells, unknown and fascinating sounds. Luxury perfume in Ginza, air of the open sea in Tsukiji, vertigo of the summits in Shinjuku, smells of incense and roasted soybeans in Asakusa, Tokyo seems to conceal ten, twenty different cities, disparate, hectic and eclectic.
Metropolis of the future, and perfect counterpoint to the cultural capital of the country that is Kyoto, Tokyo exudes an irresistible power of seduction and fascination. You will also see during the panoramic tour: the Imperial Palace and the Diet (Parliament).

• Road and installation at the hotel.
• Free dinner.
• Night at the hotel.

 DAY 3: tokyo
•  Breakfast at the hotel.
• In the morning, departure for the visit of the Japanese capital by subway and on foot
• Visit of the Meiji Shrine (Meiji-Jingu).

The Meiji Shrine stands in the heart of a lush park with about 100,000 trees. It is dedicated to the Emperor and Empress Meiji. The shrine is a building particularly representative of Shinto architecture.
• Walking tour in the Harajuku district, then stroll in Takeshita Street. Takeshita-dori is a very lively pedestrian street in the Harajuku district, filled with clothing stores, cafes and restaurants; this street is very popular with Japanese teenagers and "Gothic Lolitas" and "Sweet Lolitas", a fashion style generally focused on puffy dresses and skirts, decorated with lace.
• Lunch in a local restaurant.
• Departure for a stroll in the Shibuya district.
Shibuya, Tokyo's fashion mecca, with its boutiques where all styles of clothing, even the most eccentric, are represented. People come here to see and be seen, but also to find original clothes!
This is also where you can find the famous Shibuya crossroads, where more than 100,000 people cross paths every day! Not to mention the statue of the dog Hachiko, whose story inspired the cinema, such as the film "Hatchi". Hachiko waited every evening for his master to return on the station platform. On May 21, 1925, his master died, but Hachiko continued to wait daily for his return for 7 years!
• Departure and climb to the Tokyo City Hall observatory.
Paris is recognizable by its Eiffel Tower, New York and the Empire State Building... And Tokyo? Surely by its Tokyo City Hall cathedral building! At 243 meters high, the city hall is also one of the tallest buildings in the Japanese capital (the tallest until 2006).

• Return to the hotel.
• Dinner at a local restaurant.
• Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 4: tokyo / kamakura / hakone region
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• In the morning, departure for Kamakura.

It is located on the edge of the Pacific Ocean in Kanagawa Prefecture, about 70 minutes by train from Tokyo and a little less from Yokohama. The city has about 170,000 inhabitants. Today, Kamakura is a seaside town, and especially a tourist town. In summer, but also during the beautiful winter days, its long beach is frequented by surfers and bathers. Appreciated by densha-otaku, an old train on a single track crosses the city.
• Visit the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu temple.
It dates from 1063, initially built on the water's edge, it was moved to its current location in 1191. It is located north of the main street of Kamakura. Dedicated to the God of War, it is intended to protect the Minamoto and Genji clans. This temple is very popular during the major festivals of Japan.
• Lunch at a local restaurant.
• Discover Mount Fuji (3,776 meters) and visit Hakone.
Walk on Lake Ashi.
The Hakone National Park region (122,309 hectares), a few hours from the largest cities, is home to real natural monuments: from the admirable Mount Fuji, the sacred giant of Japan, to the volcanic mountains of Hakone, passing through the Izu archipelago.
Mount Fuji and Lake Ashi, surrounded by a captivating aura of magic, are particularly venerated. Hakone, a hilly city with hot springs whose points of interest are both cultural and natural, has been a popular spa resort since the 9th century.
Visit the Valley of Fumaroles (Owakudani) by round-trip cable car.
Volcanic valley known for its sulfur quarry and its eggs cooked in the steam of sulfur wells, a local specialty that is said to extend the life of those who consume them by 7 additional years.
NOTE: If the visit to Owakudani is not feasible, the excursion can be replaced by Hakone-jinja.
The Hakone-jinja sanctuary, hidden between the cedars and pines, was founded in 757 near Lake Ashi. It is in its main buildings that the descendants of Amaterasu, goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology, are venerated. And in the shade of the conifers is the famous portico of the lake, called Heiwa torii ("the great gate of peace"), built in 1951, witness to the post-World War II peace treaty.
Transfer and installation in a ryokan.
A "ryokan" is a kind of Japanese inn. The rooms offered in the ryokans are large rooms without partitions, whose floor is covered with traditional "tatami" made of rice straw. Their only furniture is a low table and they have sliding doors, the "shoji". Guests sleep on a "futon" rolled out before nightfall by the staff.

Dinner and night in a ryokan in the Hakone region (night on a futon on the floor / no Western bed, Japanese bathroom, etc.).

DAY 5: hakone region / shizuoka / yaizu / nara
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Departure for Shizuoka (approximately 1h30 drive).

We will begin our introduction to Japanese teas by visiting a tea plantation. The Shizuoka region is famous for its tea, many varieties of which are drunk each year by the Japanese, depending on the season. This region located at the foot of Mount Fuji prides itself on producing no less than 40% of Japanese tea. You can taste this beverage with its beneficial properties while taking a break in the plantation shop.
• Continue to Yaizu (approximately 1h drive).
Stroll to the Yaizu market, or Yaizu Sakana Center, allows fishermen to sell part of their production directly to individuals in this market located in the city center. More than 70 shops display their magnificent fish of incomparable freshness, but also local specialties such as Katsuobushi. Do not hesitate to taste these dishes that are snapped up at high prices to supply the great restaurants of the archipelago.
• Lunch in the market.
• Continue to Nara, located in the heart of Japanese civilization. Founded in 710 on the Yamato Nara plain then named Heijo-Kyo (citadel of peace), this ancient city is surrounded by wooded hills, temples surrounded by parks and some of the oldest wooden buildings in the country.

• Check in to the hotel.
• Dinner in a local restaurant.
• Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 6: nara / uji / kyoto
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Discover the Nara site, which includes several monuments listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In a park of more than 600 hectares, free-roaming deer live in total harmony with visitors.
• You will discover the Todai-Ji temple, home to a colossal gilded bronze statue of Buddha.Todaiji is one of the most famous temples in Japan and one of the symbols of Nara. It was built in 752.
Continued by Uji, to discover the village of Sumiyama, known for its Kyo-yaki ceramics and more particularly for its Kiyomizu tableware.
Road to Kyoto, the spiritual city of Japan with its 1650 temples and 400 shrines.
If there is a city that every foreigner should visit as a priority, it is Kyoto. Wandering through its narrow streets and alleys is like going back in time to the eleven centuries during which it was the capital of the country (from 794 to 1868). Surrounded by magnificent hills, Kyoto is rich in historical memories and legends and contains the most beautiful ancient Japanese remains! Although modern industries have developed, the city remains the leading center for traditional industries manufacturing silks, brocades, lacquer, pottery, porcelain, fans, dolls and bronzes. The skill of the craftsmen has been passed down through the generations and can still be appreciated today.
• Lunch at a local restaurant.
• Continuation of the visit of Kyoto by the impressive Nijô castle.This impressive building dates from 1603. Several shoguns resided there until the abdication of the last of them in 1867. It then became the imperial seat. Subsequently, the prefecture of Kyoto was established there. Since 1893, the castle belongs to the city and can be visited as a historical monument.
• Visit of the Fushimi Inari Taisha.
The Fushimi Inari, a Shinto shrine built in the 8th century by the Hata clan (immigrants of Korean origin), can display several unconventional honorary titles. Undoubtedly first, that of the most original shrine in Kyoto, perhaps in Japan: here, no imposing buildings, only torii as far as the eye can see, to cross and recross, for the pleasure of walking through the innumerable. Another equally commendable distinction, that of the least frequented Kyoto site in relation to its remarkable sumptuousness. No gilding to photograph to leave immediately. Simply, a feeling of being there, here and now.

• Dinner in a local restaurant.
• Night at the hotel.

DAY 7: kyoto
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• In the morning, departure by bus for the visit of Kyoto.

Start of the visit with the temple of Kiyomizu Dera, dedicated to the goddess Kannon with eleven heads whose statue is exhibited only once every thirty-three years. This temple is especially known for its terrace on stilts. It was founded in 798 by the priest Sakanoue Tamuramaro, but the current buildings were built in 1633.
• Stroll in the alleys of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka.
The names of the streets literally mean "the slope of 2 years" (Ninenzaka) and "the slope of 3 years" (Sannenzaka). Legend has it that if you fall in one of these alleys, you will die in 2 years (or 3 years depending on the street). As they are steep and dotted with stairs, be careful if you are superstitious!
• Lunch in a local restaurant.
• Check in to the hotel,
• Stroll through the Nishiki market.
Nishiki Market is very different today from what it was when it first opened 400 years ago as an open-air fish market. The market has 130 vendors packed into a narrow passageway about 400 meters long and 3.9 meters wide. It continues to thrive, attracting not only visitors but also Kyoto residents.
You will marvel at the incredible concept of the Zen garden at Ryoanji Temple. This must-see masterpiece, a garden of sand and stone, of remarkable beauty, is one of the purest achievements of Zen aesthetics. Its fifteen rocks have given rise to multiple interpretations. Some scholars see a tigress and her cubs, others dragons, etc. The stones are arranged in such a way that no more than fourteen can be seen at a time. All are surrounded by sand carefully raked daily by the temple priests. This Zen garden is an example of purity and was designed for meditation.
• Visit the Kinkakuji temple, nestled in a beautiful romantic setting, the golden pavilion is enough to ignite the imagination. Built in 1393 to serve as a place of meditation for Yoshimitsu and then converted into a temple after the death of the Shogun, it owes its name of golden pavilion to the fine gold leaves plated on its roofs reflected in the water.
• Stroll in the Gion district.
The historic district of Gion has the particularity of a mixture of tradition and modernism merging in total harmony. An ideal place to discover traditional arts, the old-style restaurants, with exquisite taste decoration, reinforce the refined atmosphere of the district. Gion is also known for being the former stronghold of geishas (locally called "geiko").

• Free dinner.
• Night at the hotel.

DAY 8: kyoto / okayama / kurashiki / hiroshima
• Breakfast at the hotel.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Your luggage will be sent directly to your hotel in Osaka (on day 9), bring a change of clothes for 2 days.
• Departure for Okayama (about 4 hours drive).
• Visit the Korakuen garden.
The Korakuen is one of the 3 most beautiful landscaped gardens in Japan, with the Kenrokuen in Kanazawa and the Kairakuen in Mita.
This traditional Japanese garden was created nearly 300 years ago by the daimyo (feudal lord of the domain) of the region. Symbolizing the power of the samurai, the Korakuen garden of Okayama is considered one of the three most beautiful large gardens in Japan with the Kenroku-en gardens of Kanazawa and Kairakuen of Mito.
Situated around the Enyô-tei house, built as the main residence, the garden covers an area of ??13 hectares and includes a Noh theater as well as ponds, a hill, plum groves and a tea plantation. The garden is laid out with large expanses of lawn, reflecting an open-mindedness not often found in Japanese gardens. It is a kaiyu-style garden (walking garden) that allows visitors to enjoy the varied landscape as they stroll through the garden, particularly at the top of Yuishinzan Hill and along the nearby streams.
• Drive to Kurashiki (approx. 1 hour drive).
• Lunch at a local restaurant.
• Stroll through the historic Kurashiki Bikan district.
The old town, distinguished by the white walls of the residences and the weeping willows lining the banks of the Kurashiki River. The district is listed as an important preservation district for traditional building complexes. In the 1600s, Kurashiki flourished because freight carriers could pass through it. The place still brings a captivating historical atmosphere of a peaceful and harmonious life.
• Depart for Hiroshima. For some horrible reason, Hiroshima needs no introduction.
Every year, millions of visitors go to this place of apocalyptic destruction.
Facing the Inland Sea, Hiroshima, the “City of Peace,” is the largest city in Chugoku. The atomic bombing of August 6, 1945 completely destroyed every building in the city center except what is now known as the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a testament to the ravages of nuclear weapons.

• Check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner at a local restaurant.
• Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 9: hiroshima / miyajima / horishima / osaka
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Departure by ferry to Miyajima Island.

"The island where men and gods coexist" has long been a sacred place, since the Itsukushima Shrine was established there in 593 (but the buildings date from the 12th century). This shrine, dedicated to the guardian goddess of the seas, has the particularity of being partly built in the sea, with buildings on stilts and its torii a few dozen meters offshore. Miyajima Island has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Visit the island, with its famous floating torii and visit the Itsukushima Shrine. This famous place, built in 593 on stilts overlooking a cove, shines at high tide when it is reflected in the sea.
• Return to Hiroshima by ferry.
• Lunch in a local restaurant.
• Visit the Peace Museum, located in the Peace Memorial Park and visit the Bomb Dome.
• Transfer to the station and head to Shin-Osaka by Shinkansen (Japanese equivalent of the TGV, the journey lasts 1h21).
A great symbol of Japan, the Shinkansen astonishes with the elegance with which it silently sets off from the station to reach the four corners of the country. This world-famous high-speed train is one of the fastest and most comfortable on the planet.

• Arrival at Shin-Osaka station.
• Transfer by public transport to your hotel in Osaka.
• Dinner in a local restaurant.
• Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 9: osaka / paris
• Breakfast (according to flight schedule).
• According to flight schedule, transfer to Osaka airport.
• Registration and boarding formalities then take off for France.
• Arrival in France.