Sample journey · Japan
Twelve nights from neon Tokyo to the quiet of the Japan Alps — and the old streets of Kyoto.
The journey
This is Japan at an unhurried pace. Two nights in Tokyo to find your feet, then the train north-west into the mountains — Matsumoto’s black castle, Takayama’s merchant streets and two nights in a family-run ryokan with its own open-air hot springs.
The journey ends in Kyoto, with four nights to see the temples before the crowds, take tea with a master and walk Gion after dark. Everything is private, and everything can change.
Route & itinerary
12 nights · 6 stops · longest journey 3 hours
Days 1–2 · 2 nights
Neon, noodles & old neighbourhoods
Arrive to a private transfer and an evening walk through Shibuya with your guide. Day two is yours to shape: Yanaka’s old streets, the Mori art museum, and a counter-seat dinner at a ten-seat sushi bar.
Day 3 · 1 night
A black castle & the road into the Alps
Reserved seats on the Azusa express into the mountains. Walk Nakamachi’s white-walled storehouses and see Matsumoto Castle lit up at dusk.
Days 4–5 · 2 nights
Morning markets & merchant streets
Breakfast at the riverside morning market with a local food guide, sake breweries in Sanmachi, and a day trip to the thatched farmhouses of Shirakawa-go.
Days 6–7 · 2 nights
Your mountain ryokan & open-air onsen
Two slow days. Ride the Shinhotaka Ropeway above the clouds, then soak in open-air baths facing the Northern Alps. Kaiseki dinners both nights.
Days 8–11 · 4 nights
Temples at dawn, tea with a master
Fushimi Inari at 7am, a private tea ceremony in a 200-year-old townhouse, Arashiyama’s bamboo before breakfast and Gion after dark with a guide who grew up there.
Day 12 · 1 night
One last dinner, then home
A short train to Osaka for a final night of street food in Dotonbori, then a private transfer to Kansai airport.
Where you’ll stay
Tokyo · 2 nightsQuiet rooms above the city, a ten-minute walk from Tsukiji’s outer market.
Boutique · 48 rooms
Okuhida · 2 nightsEleven rooms, kaiseki dinners and open-air baths facing the Northern Alps.
Ryokan · 11 rooms
Kyoto · 4 nightsA private townhouse with tatami rooms, a cedar bath and a small garden.
Private house · sleeps 4Hotels shown are examples. Your specialist suggests the best fit for your dates, budget and style.
Price guide
Based on two people sharing, 12 nights, hotels as shown.
| Winter · Dec–Feb | from $7,900 |
| Spring · Mar–May | from $9,600 |
| Summer · Jun–Aug | from $8,400 |
| Autumn · Oct–Nov | from $9,200 |
Your final price depends on dates, hotels and pace. Your specialist confirms it before you pay anything.
Plan this tripGood to know
Something else? Your specialist answers within 24 hours.
Yes — this is a starting point, not a package. Add Hiroshima, swap the ryokan, make it nine nights or sixteen. Your specialist reshapes it around you.
Spring (March–May) for blossom and autumn (October–November) for maple colour in the Alps. Winter is quieter and great for onsen; summer is hot but lush.
Yes. We adjust pace, rooms and activities for families — ryokan family rooms, shorter travel days and hands-on experiences.
Expect a few hours of easy walking on guided days, with private cars between stops. Tell us about any mobility needs and we’ll plan around them.
Nothing until you’re happy with the itinerary. Your specialist confirms the final price, then a deposit secures the trip and the balance is due before travel.
Tell us your dates and who’s coming. We’ll start from this itinerary and change it until it fits.
