Luxury tour of Japan

Luxury tour of Japan 13 Days / 12 Nights

Japan has honed the essence of luxury for centuries, and Japanese culture lends itself perfectly to unrivalled hospitality and exclusive experiences. Our Luxe Japan holiday showcases our most indulgent favourites for an authentic trip of a lifetime.

Highlights

  • Soar over a Tokyo sunset by helicopter
  • Take a chauffeur-driven tour of Edo-era streets
  • Learn to make sushi with a top restaurant chef
  • Pay your respects at the Ise Grand Shrine
  • Indulge in one of Japan’s finest hot spring onsens
  • Discover Kyoto’s finest World Heritage Sites
  • Enjoy an exclusive tea ceremony in a private temple
  • Share a traditional feast with an apprentice geisha
  • Relax in a nobleman’s riverside home
  • Explore Naoshima art island with a renowned curator
  • Unwind on the exuberant streets of Osaka

Tokyo, Mie, Kyoto, Naoshima, Osaka


Sample Itinerary

Day 1
Arrive Tokyo

On arrival in Tokyo, you will be welcomed by a My Way Travel representative, who will accompany you to your hotel. The rest of your day will be at leisure.

Day 2
City tour & Sunset helicopter

Your chauffeur and guide will collect you for a morning tour of the city, taking in Tokyo’s most famous shrine, its city’s oldest Geisha district, and Senso-ji, which - at nearly 1,400 years old - is Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist site. Your morning itinerary can be adapted to take in any locations of interest, such as the glossy Ginza district, Shibuya’s iconic road crossing, and the elegant Imperial Palace. Ideally just before sunset, you'll be driven to Urayasu Heliport for a scenic helicopter flight over the city. You’ll soar over this huge metropolis, dipping down for the best views. If you’ve chosen to coincide the flight with sunset, you’ll enjoy a truly stunning sight as the sun sinks behind the skyscrapers. On the clearest days, Mt. Fuji can be seen on the horizon. Back on terra firma, say sayonara to your pilot, and slip into your limo for the trip into central Tokyo.

Day 3
Exclusive sushi-making class

Your guide will accompany you to one of the most exclusive sushi restaurants in downtown Tokyo. Sushi has become one of Japan's most famous symbols, but there’s nothing quite like well-made sushi in one of the country’s top sushi restaurants. During the morning you can taste some of Tokyo’s finest sushi, and meet one of city’s top sushi chefs, who will show you around the restaurant and teach you some valuable techniques. Sushi ingredients are simple, but its preparation can be quite elaborate, and follows a long tradition, so learning these techniques first-hand from a sushi star is an exclusive opportunity. After the lesson, you can enjoy a high-end sushi lunch – partly made by yourself!

Day 4
Bullet train & private car to Mie, Ise Grand Shrine

Hop on the bullet train to Nagoya, where you’ll be driven to into Mie, stopping en route at Ise Grand Shrine. Stroll to Okage-Yokocho, a picturesque street of Edo and Meiji era buildings, for a lunch of local specialities and perhaps tea or dessert at one of the local food stalls, before paying a visit to a much-loved local landmark. Continue to Amanemu, an extraordinary property in the forests of Ise-Shima National Park. Each of its suites and villas has a private onsen, and its tranquil luxury epitomises the traditional hot spring experience. On arrival, your time will be at leisure to indulge in the many relaxation and hot spring facilities.

Day 5
Amanemu luxury onsen

Your day will be at leisure to indulge in the onsen facilities or explore the surroundings.

Day 6
Private car & bullet train to Kyoto

You’ll be driven to the station to catch the bullet train to Kyoto. A chauffeur will be waiting to drive you to your hotel, where the rest of your day will be at leisure.

Day 7
Chauffeur-driven city tour

Your guide and chauffeur will collect you for a tour of some of Kyoto’s World Heritage Sites. Start with Nijo Castle, an ornamental structure surrounded by stunning gardens, built by the founder of the Edo Shogunate. The main building was completed in 1603 and is known for its distinctive architecture and chirping ‘nightingale’ floors. Continue to Ryoan-ji, the site of Japan's most famous Zen garden and home to the Myoshinji School of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism. Finally, visit Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion, once the Shogun's villa and now one of Kyoto’s most famous temples.

Day 8
Private temple tea ceremony, dinner with apprentice geisha

For tea you'll enter 400 year old Kodaiji, one of Kyoto’s most famous Zen temples. Your exclusive Japanese tea ceremony will be held in a sub-temple not normally open to the public, and will be performed by an experienced teacher. Stroll around the temple's beautiful Zen garden before receiving a learned explanation of Japanese tea and the ancient ceremony around it. After tea, your guide will accompany you to Gion, known as Kyoto’s geisha district, although geisha from Kyoto are in fact known as ‘geiko’, hence the apprentice title ‘maiko’. For dinner, you'll be served a kaiseki ryori - a traditional multi-course dinner - in the company of a maiko. During the meal, you'll have ample opportunity to speak with the apprentice and ask questions about her craft and the world of geisha. She will perform traditional dances, and may invite you to play traditional Japanese drinking games.

Day 9
Explore independently

Your day will be at leisure to explore Kyoto. At some point, you'll take a riverboat to the serene Arashiyama district and the your luxurious riverside retreat, the Hoshinoya, which was once the home of a Kyoto nobleman.

Day 10
Train & boat to Naoshima art island

Make your way by train and boat to Naoshima, where the rest of your day will be at leisure to wander amongst the many art museums and exhibits.

Day 11
Explore Naoshima with a curator

Spend the day accompanied by a renowned curator, who will talk you through the different signature works displayed across the island, and accompany you to Chichu Art Museum, which is constructed almost completely underground, to see works by James Turrell, Claude Monet, and Walter de Maria. If time permits, continue to the Lee Ufan Museum, the result of a collaboration between Korean mimimalist Lee Ufan and Japanese architect Tadao Ando.

Day 12
Boat & train to Osaka

On arrival, the rest of your day will be at leisure to indulge in Osaka's scene. We recommend heading to the Umeda Sky Building - a pair of skyscrapers connected near the top in an unusual architectural form that lets you feel the wind whilst safely enjoying the view. Also known as the Floating Garden Observatory, the observation platform offers a superb introduction to Osaka, letting you see right to the edge of the city.

Day 13
Depart Osaka

Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

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Personalised design
We’ll plan your trip around your specific interests, tastes and preferences, providing helpful tips and honest advice based on firsthand knowledge of the destionation.
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Authentic Experience
Our expert guides and brilliant travel concierges are hand-picked to provide a genuine experience, bringing you destination to life with care and passion.
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Responsible Travel
Our luxury trips are designed with responsible travel principles that priorities travel experiences that are both good for you and good for the planet.
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What our clients say about us

Zeev
Dec 2023
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We took a 16-day private tour of Vietnam and Cambodia. The tour company suggested a detailed itinerary, and we accepted it with minor changes. We had three domestic flights, and on every landing were met by our local guide on arrival. All guides spoke fluent English and were very knowledgeable. This was a trip of a lifetime. Dont miss the Red Bridge cooking school class in Hoi An - the chef has created a phenomenal program that starts with the tour of the local market and explanation of the vegetables and spices used in local cuisine. Highly recommended!
Daniel
Oct 2023
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My family and I completed a 12 day cycling trip with Vietnam Private Tours, and we had a blast. Our route started in Saigon, rode along the Mekong river, discovered Mekong delta, and relaxed on the Phu Quoc beaches is southern Vietnam. We loved the adventurous off-road routes, and we were comfortable the whole way thanks to the excellent support staff. We also loved supporting Vietnam Private Tours because of the amazing work they do with many charities, especially the incredible children’s hospital in Mekong delta.
Richard
July 28, 2023
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We just finished a 14-day cycling tour from Saigon to Siem Reap, spending 7 nights on board the Mekong River. We rode bikes 30k to 70 km daily, to the Mekong Delta rice fields. My Way Travel really understood that not everyone would will to ride, so they already made provision for people who didn’t ride with us. The guides were excellent and so was the trip. We really loved the boat, it had everything we needed on it. A group of 16 people were accommodated in 8 cabins, which means there were 2 people in a cabin. The food and drinks were all in abundance. Free Wi-Fi and laundry service were available too. The local people were amazingly friendly, and the environments really gave us a sense of relief. The hotels at either end of the trip were exemplary. Above all, we have made our minds to always use My Travel on every trip occasion, due to the great experience we had with them.
Ani
Dec 2023
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Had an awesome time biking to Mekong Delta from Saigon last week. Beautiful views, peaceful rural paths, and lots of cool stops. The guides took great care of us. Definitely recommend VPT for biking in Mekong Delta and other tours in Vietnam.
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