The Scramble Crossing in Shibuya, bursting into life at dusk

The slopes of Higashiyama, a sight that defines classic Japan

The iconic facade of the Golden Pavilion, Kinkaku-ji

High-quality kuroge wagyu beef with seasonal vegetables

Japan Express

8 days

TokyoFuji Five LakesKyotoNaraKyotoOsaka

Chureito Pagoda, overlooking Fujiyoshida and the sacred mountain

Senso-ji and the illustrious pagoda in Asakusa

Todai-ji, the temple with the world's largest Daibutsu statue

Dry landscape in a Zen temple. Can you spot all the rocks?

A thoroughly beautiful hotel in the heart of Tokyo
Senso-ji and the illustrious pagoda in Asakusa
Sushi in Ginza. Classy place, classy meal!
Meiji Jingu -- a grand shrine dedicated to the deified Emperor
The Scramble Crossing in Shibuya, bursting into life at dusk
Chureito Pagoda, overlooking Fujiyoshida and the sacred mountain
Iyashi no Sato, a small village near Mt. Fuji
Quality onsen with views of Mt. Fuji and more! Your luxurious ryokan
Kyoto-style lunch in an atmospheric restaurant
The slopes of Higashiyama, a sight that defines classic Japan
The elegant geisha walking the streets of Gion
A royal hotel to stay at in the millennium capital
The iconic facade of the Golden Pavilion, Kinkaku-ji
Dry landscape in a Zen temple. Can you spot all the rocks?
Aesthetically superb sushi in an equally aesthetic restaurant
Todai-ji, the temple with the world's largest Daibutsu statue
The famous wild deer of Nara Park
High-quality kuroge wagyu beef with seasonal vegetables
Osaka Castle, always a sight to behold
The iconic Kani Doraku restaurant. Delicious crabs for lunch!
Tour code: CJ-03-EN
Japan Express
Travel style: Comfort

8 days

TokyoFuji Five LakesKyotoNaraKyotoOsaka

Classic Japan
Availability: All year round

Overview

Tags: Eight day tour, 8 day tour, first comers tour

So you have never been to Japan. You have read a lot about it in travel magazines, or maybe your friends have been sharing their wonderful experience there during their last vacation. You,would really like to see for yourself what the all the buzz is about, but you don’t know where to start. Worry not, we have the right itinerary and service for you to realize this dream!

Japan Express is the most inexpensive and concise of ILJT’s three newcomer-friendly itineraries. The itinerary is designed to cover only the most well-known of Japanese destinations: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and of course, the great Mt. Fuji. It also includes the quintessential Japanese experience, such as riding a rickshaw, relaxing in an onsen, or watching a geisha performance.

The simple and straightforward nature of this itinerary also allows for a very comfortable pace. With three nights each in Tokyo and Kyoto, and one night near the airport, you can take your time to independently explore your city of stay at night. You also need not worry about complicated transfers, as our capable guides and drivers will make sure that your trip is worry-free. Enjoy your first time in Japan on our Japan Express tour!

You might be also interested in

Trip name days  
Golden Ring Tokyo to Tokyo 11
Tokaido Express Osaka to Tokyo 7
Japan Classics Tokyo to Osaka 15

Overview

Tags: Eight day tour, 8 day tour, first comers tour

So you have never been to Japan. You have read a lot about it in travel magazines, or maybe your friends have been sharing their wonderful experience there during their last vacation. You,would really like to see for yourself what the all the buzz is about, but you don’t know where to start. Worry not, we have the right itinerary and service for you to realize this dream!

Japan Express is the most inexpensive and concise of ILJT’s three newcomer-friendly itineraries. The itinerary is designed to cover only the most well-known of Japanese destinations: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and of course, the great Mt. Fuji. It also includes the quintessential Japanese experience, such as riding a rickshaw, relaxing in an onsen, or watching a geisha performance.

The simple and straightforward nature of this itinerary also allows for a very comfortable pace. With three nights each in Tokyo and Kyoto, and one night near the airport, you can take your time to independently explore your city of stay at night. You also need not worry about complicated transfers, as our capable guides and drivers will make sure that your trip is worry-free. Enjoy your first time in Japan on our Japan Express tour!

Highlights

Outline

Arrival: Narita International Airport

Day 1: Arrival in TokyoTokyo

Arrive in Tokyo. Adventure is about to start!

Day 2: Tokyo TourTokyo

Explore Tokyo, a modern metropolis of tradition, fashion, and action

Meals included : Breakfast / Lunch

Day 3: Mt. Fuji TourFuji Five Lakes

Explore and stay in the Fuji Five Lakes area, where atmosphere meets comfort

Meals included : Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Day 4: Kyoto TourKyoto

Explore the old town and geisha district of East Kyoto

Meals included : Breakfast / Lunch

Day 5: Kyoto TourKyoto

Explore more of Kyoto, including a castle, two temples, and a kimono museum

Meals included : Breakfast / Lunch

Day 6: Nara TourNara › Kyoto

Explore Nara, visit its majestic temple and shrine, and interact with wild deer

Meals included : Breakfast / Lunch

Day 7: Osaka TourOsaka

Explore Osaka, both its landmark castle and busy shopping streets

Meals included : Breakfast / Lunch

Day 8: Leaving JapanOsaka

Leave Japan, and bring home many wonderful memories!

Meals included : Breakfast

Departure: Kansai International Airport

Hotels

What is included?

Tour Accommodation

Western hotel: 6 nights -- Japanese ryokan: 1 night

Meals

7 breakfasts -- 6 lunches - 1 dinner

Transport

Airport pickup -- Private car: 6 days -- Bullet train: 1 time (Odawara - Kyoto)

Tour guide

Airport pickup -- Guided tour: 6 days

Included activities

Tickets for attractions and rides as defined in the itinerary, where necessary

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the tour

International flights are not included in the tour price, and should be independently arranged by the traveler. This particular itinerary starts in Tokyo and ends in Osaka. Please book a flight to either Narita International Airport (NRT) or Haneda Airport (HND), and a flight out of Kansai International Airport (KIX). It should be noted that we can arrange the included airport pickup service only if your flight arrives during working hours (between 9 AM and 5 PM, Japan time). We recommend flights that arrive around/after noon, as you can only check into your hotel starting at 3 PM.
International flights are not included in the tour price, and should be independently arranged by the traveler. This particular itinerary starts in Tokyo and ends in Osaka. Please book a flight to either Narita International Airport (NRT) or Haneda Airport (HND), and a flight out of Kansai International Airport (KIX). It should be noted that we can arrange the included airport pickup service only if your flight arrives during working hours (between 9 AM and 5 PM, Japan time). We recommend flights that arrive around/after noon, as you can only check into your hotel starting at 3 PM.
The tour price includes six nights in 3- or 4-star hotels, and one night in a predesignated ryokan (Japanese-style inn). Breakfast is included for each night’s stay in a hotel, whereas both dinner and breakfast are included for every night in a ryokan unless otherwise specified in the itinerary. Breakfast is included for each night’s stay in a hotel. Lunch is provided on every guided day, but not on days of arrival or departure. As you can only check into your hotel starting at 3 PM, in the event that your flight arrives early, we can arrange lunch on the day of arrival at an additional cost.
The tour price includes the service of a driver and a private car on every guided day. It also includes a scheduled bullet train transfer between Odawara and Kyoto on Day 4. The driver and car will be available only during the designated tour hours, and only for the included destinations. Airport pickup is also included if your flight arrives during working hours (between 9 AM and 5 PM, Japan time). In the event that your flight arrives early, we can extend the use of the private car for the purposes of lunch or a half-day tour at an additional cost. Please note that airport transfer for departure is not included.
All entrance tickets for destinations defined in the schedule are included in the tour price. Some tickets cannot be pre-booked, and it may be necessary for the guide to procure them on the spot. Please note that some attractions require strict compliance to pre-booked entrance times, and may void the booking if the schedule is not observed. As such, please complete your preparations to leave the hotel by the designated start time of the day.

You might be also interested in

Trip name days
Tokaido Express Osaka to Tokyo 7
Silver Ring Tokyo to Tokyo 7
Kansai Highlights Osaka to Osaka 7

Day 1: Arrival in Tokyo

  Tokyo

Arrival: Narita International Airport

Park Hotel Tokyo Western hotel

Activities

The first day is a standard affair. Your guide will pick you up at the airport and assist you with preparations for the tour. A private coach will take you to your hotel in the heart of the city. After the check-in procedures are completed, you will have the rest of the day to yourselves.

Day 2: Tokyo Tour

  Tokyo
Breakfast / Lunch Park Hotel Tokyo Western hotel

Schedule

  • 09:00 - 10:00 Transfer to Asakusa
  • 10:00 - 12:00 Asakusa and Senso-ji (rickshaw ride)
  • 12:00 - 12:30 Transfer to Ginza
  • 12:30 - 14:00 Sushi lunch
  • 14:00 - 14:30 Transfer to Harajuku
  • 14:30 - 15:30 Meiji Jingu
  • 15:30 - 16:30 Sightseeing around Takeshita Street
  • 16:30 - 16:45 Transfer to Shibuya
  • 16:45 - 17:15 Sightseeing around Shibuya
  • 17:15 - 17:45 Return to hotel

Meals

Breakfast
Western-style buffet
Lunch
Hokkaido-style sushi set in an upscale restaurant in Ginza

Activities

The city of Tokyo is full of classic attractions, and we are firing on all cylinders to cover all of the most renowned within one day. You will start today’s tour in Asakusa, known for its iconic lantern of Kaminari-mon. In addition to exploring the Nakamise shopping street and the Senso-ji temple, you will enjoy a rickshaw ride around the area. Afterward, we will bring you to Ginza, where you can enjoy the freshest sushi for lunch.

Later in the afternoon, you will be visiting the great shrine Meiji Jingu where they venerate the spirit of Emperor Meiji, as well as the busy Takeshita Street known for its unique fashion boutiques and trendy stores. Your last stop today will be Shibuya, to be visited around the end of the working day. When pedestrian traffic is at its peak, you will witness the renowned scramble crossing getting populated with a sea of humans.

Day 3: Mt. Fuji Tour

  Fuji Five Lakes
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Hotel Kaneyamaen Ryokan

Schedule

  • 09:00 - 11:30 Transfer to Fuji Five Lakes
  • 11:30 - 12:30 Arakura Sengen Shrine
  • 12:30 - 13:00 Transfer to Iyashi no Sato
  • 13:00 - 14:30 Hoto udon lunch
  • 14:30 - 15:30 Sightseeing around Iyashi no Sato
  • 15:30 - 16:15 Transfer to ryokan
  • 16:15 - 18:30 Ryokan check-in >> onsen, free time
  • 18:00 - 19:30 Kaiseki dinner

Meals

Breakfast
Western-style buffet
Lunch
Hoto udon, Fuji Five Lakes’ signature thick noodles with vegetarian miso broth
Dinner
Quality kaiseki course served in the ryokan

Activities

The Fuji Five Lakes area is about a two-hour drive away from Tokyo. Your first destination is a mountainside shrine known for its Chureito pagoda. Together with Mt. Fuji in the background, they form an iconic view that features in many panoramic shots of Japan. Later in the day, you will also see Mt. Fuji from other angles during lunch or when you circle Lake Kawaguchi. Be it looming over a city or reflected in the water, Mt. Fuji is a classic Japanese sight that you cannot miss.

You will enjoy lunch at the scenic Iyashi no Sato, a small village featuring quaint little houses with thatched roofs. The menu itself is a local delicacy, in which udon noodles are cooked with many locally harvested ingredients. Finally, you will be transferred to Kaneyamaen, an onsen ryokan selected for its high-quality open-air baths from which you can see Mt. Fuji in the twilight. In addition to the hot spring experience that the country is so renowned for, you will also enjoy the rich dinner and cozy tatami rooms for a quintessential Japanese experience.

Day 4: Kyoto Tour

  Kyoto
Breakfast / Lunch Rihga Royal Kyoto Western hotel

Schedule

  • 09:00 - 10:30 Ryokan check-out >> transfer to Odawara
  • 10:30 - 12:30 Transfer to Kyoto by shinkansen
  • 12:30 - 14:00 Washoku lunch
  • 14:00 - 14:30 Transfer to Nanzen-ji
  • 14:30 - 15:45 Nanzen-ji
  • 15:45 - 17:00 Sightseeing in Higashiyama
  • 17:00 - 17:15 Transfer to Gion
  • 17:15 - 18:00 Sightseeing around Gion
  • 18:00 - 19:00 Gion Corner (subject to availability)
  • 19:00 - 19:30 Transfer to hotel >> check-in

Meals

Breakfast
Western-style buffet
Lunch
Washoku set served in an atmospheric restaurant in downtown Kyoto

Activities

Today you will take the famous bullet train along the east coast of Japan, covering more than 500 kilometers in just two hours. Arriving in Kyoto at noon, you will immediately get a traditional taste of the city for lunch. Then you will visit one of the most important temples in Kyoto, Nanzen-ji. As the head temple that presides over the five great Zen temples, Nanzen-ji boasts a massive gate, impressive gardens, and beautiful paintings on gold leaf, among many other things.

Immerse yourself in the preserved traditional atmosphere as you walk through the slopes of Higashiyama. In the evening, you will be sightseeing around the city’s most famous geisha district. The area is full of old wooden houses, shops, and teahouses. If you are lucky, you may be able to catch a glimpse of passing geiko and maiko. To give you a better picture of the geisha culture of Japan, you will watch a cultural show at Gion Corner, where you will learn about various forms of Japanese art performed by apprentice geisha.

Day 5: Kyoto Tour

  Kyoto
Breakfast / Lunch Rihga Royal Kyoto Western hotel

Schedule

  • 09:00 - 10:00 Transfer to Nijo Castle
  • 10:00 - 11:00 Nijo Castle
  • 11:00 - 11:15 Transfer to Nishijin Textile Center
  • 11:15 - 12:30 Nishijin Textile Center
  • 12:30 - 13:15 Transfer to restaurant
  • 13:15 - 14:45 Temari-zushi lunch
  • 14:45 - 15:00 Transfer to Kinkakuji
  • 15:00 - 15:45 Kinkaku-ji
  • 15:45 - 17:00 Ryoan-ji
  • 17:00 - 17:30 Return to hotel

Meals

Breakfast
Western-style buffet
Lunch
Temari-zushi, very attractive and tantalizing small balls of sushi

Activities

Classic Kyoto sights await you! You will start the day with a visit to Nijo Castle, a former samurai fortress that also functioned as an interim imperial palace. You will visit the well-preserved palace, hear its squeaking nightingale floors, and see its beautifully decorated interior. Afterward, you will browse through a gallery of beautiful kimono at Nishijin Textile Center.

After a delightful temari-zushi lunch, you will explore two of the most well-known icons of Kyoto. The first is the golden temple, Kinkaku-ji, whose impressive exterior and reflection in the water are legendary. The second temple features the most renowned “dry landscape” in the country, which is a carefully raked rock garden.

Day 6: Nara Tour

  Nara › Kyoto
Breakfast / Lunch Rihga Royal Kyoto Western hotel

Schedule

  • 09:00 - 10:00 Transfer to Nara
  • 10:00 - 11:00 Nara Park
  • 11:00 - 11:15 Transfer to restaurant
  • 11:15 - 12:45 Irori lunch
  • 12:45 - 13:00 Transfer to Todai-ji
  • 13:00 - 14:30 Todai-ji
  • 14:30 - 14:45 Transfer to Kasuga Taisha
  • 14:45 - 15:45 Kasuga Taisha
  • 15:45 - 16:30 Manyo Botanical Garden
  • 16:30 - 18:00 Return to Kyoto hotel

Meals

Breakfast
Western-style buffet
Lunch
Irori (grilled dishes) featuring many different ingredients, including kuroge wagyu beef

Activities

Today’s excursion brings you to Nara, best known for the hundreds of wild deer that roam in its park. You will have a great time feeding them the specially sold deer crackers. Some of the deer even picked up the Japanese habit of bowing to you! Near the park is the equally famous Todai-ji, the Great Eastern Temple. It has the largest wooden building and Daibutsu statue in the country.

Afterward, you will visit the grand shrine Kasuga Taisha, which is known for its thousands of lanterns. There is even a dark room within the inner area, where the myriad hanging lanterns are fully lit, making this shrine a magical visit. To conclude the classic Nara experience, you will visit the botanical garden just outside Kasuga Taisha. You will then return to Kyoto for another stay.

Day 7: Osaka Tour

  Osaka
Breakfast / Lunch Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport Western hotel

Schedule

  • 09:00 - 11:00 Hotel check-out >> transfer to Osaka
  • 11:00 - 12:30 Osaka Castle
  • 12:30 - 13:00 Transfer to Namba
  • 13:00 - 14:30 Crab lunch
  • 14:30 - 16:00 Shopping walk at Shinsaibashi/Amerika-mura
  • 16:00 - 17:00 Transfer to Kansai International Airport >> hotel check-in

Meals

Breakfast
Western-style buffet
Lunch
A variety of crab dishes is Osaka’s most famous crab restaurant

Activities

After three nights in Kyoto, you will finally leave the old capital and visit the largest city in the Kansai area. Osaka is known for its liveliness, and you will experience it firsthand when exploring the busy shopping streets or enjoying the famous crab meal. You will also visit Osaka Castle, an impressive architecture that now serves as a museum about one of the three great unifiers of Japan.

In the afternoon, you will be brought to a hotel near Kansai International Airport, which will be your port of exit. Nearby is the Rinku Premium Outlets, which you may want to visit in case you haven’t bought enough for gifts and souvenirs. Enjoy your last night in Japan!

Day 8: Leaving Japan

  Osaka

Departure: Kansai International Airport

Breakfast

Meals

Breakfast
Western-style buffet

Activities

You have completed the Japan Express tour! We hope that you enjoyed your trip with ILJT! On the last day, you will check out of your hotel and conduct an independent transfer to the airport. Have a safe flight back home, and see you again soon!

 Tokyo

Arrival: Narita International Airport

Park Hotel Tokyo Western hotel

Activities

The first day is a standard affair. Your guide will pick you up at the airport and assist you with preparations for the tour. A private coach will take you to your hotel in the heart of the city. After the check-in procedures are completed, you will have the rest of the day to yourselves.

 Tokyo

Schedule

  • 09:00 - 10:00 Transfer to Asakusa
  • 10:00 - 12:00 Asakusa and Senso-ji (rickshaw ride)
  • 12:00 - 12:30 Transfer to Ginza
  • 12:30 - 14:00 Sushi lunch
  • 14:00 - 14:30 Transfer to Harajuku
  • 14:30 - 15:30 Meiji Jingu
  • 15:30 - 16:30 Sightseeing around Takeshita Street
  • 16:30 - 16:45 Transfer to Shibuya
  • 16:45 - 17:15 Sightseeing around Shibuya
  • 17:15 - 17:45 Return to hotel
Breakfast / Lunch Park Hotel Tokyo Western hotel

Activities

The city of Tokyo is full of classic attractions, and we are firing on all cylinders to cover all of the most renowned within one day. You will start today’s tour in Asakusa, known for its iconic lantern of Kaminari-mon. In addition to exploring the Nakamise shopping street and the Senso-ji temple, you will enjoy a rickshaw ride around the area. Afterward, we will bring you to Ginza, where you can enjoy the freshest sushi for lunch.

Later in the afternoon, you will be visiting the great shrine Meiji Jingu where they venerate the spirit of Emperor Meiji, as well as the busy Takeshita Street known for its unique fashion boutiques and trendy stores. Your last stop today will be Shibuya, to be visited around the end of the working day. When pedestrian traffic is at its peak, you will witness the renowned scramble crossing getting populated with a sea of humans.

Meals

Breakfast
Western-style buffet
Lunch
Hokkaido-style sushi set in an upscale restaurant in Ginza

Open previous day

 Fuji Five Lakes

Schedule

  • 09:00 - 11:30 Transfer to Fuji Five Lakes
  • 11:30 - 12:30 Arakura Sengen Shrine
  • 12:30 - 13:00 Transfer to Iyashi no Sato
  • 13:00 - 14:30 Hoto udon lunch
  • 14:30 - 15:30 Sightseeing around Iyashi no Sato
  • 15:30 - 16:15 Transfer to ryokan
  • 16:15 - 18:30 Ryokan check-in >> onsen, free time
  • 18:00 - 19:30 Kaiseki dinner
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Hotel Kaneyamaen Ryokan

Activities

The Fuji Five Lakes area is about a two-hour drive away from Tokyo. Your first destination is a mountainside shrine known for its Chureito pagoda. Together with Mt. Fuji in the background, they form an iconic view that features in many panoramic shots of Japan. Later in the day, you will also see Mt. Fuji from other angles during lunch or when you circle Lake Kawaguchi. Be it looming over a city or reflected in the water, Mt. Fuji is a classic Japanese sight that you cannot miss.

You will enjoy lunch at the scenic Iyashi no Sato, a small village featuring quaint little houses with thatched roofs. The menu itself is a local delicacy, in which udon noodles are cooked with many locally harvested ingredients. Finally, you will be transferred to Kaneyamaen, an onsen ryokan selected for its high-quality open-air baths from which you can see Mt. Fuji in the twilight. In addition to the hot spring experience that the country is so renowned for, you will also enjoy the rich dinner and cozy tatami rooms for a quintessential Japanese experience.

Meals

Breakfast
Western-style buffet
Lunch
Hoto udon, Fuji Five Lakes’ signature thick noodles with vegetarian miso broth
Dinner
Quality kaiseki course served in the ryokan

Open previous day

 Kyoto

Schedule

  • 09:00 - 10:30 Ryokan check-out >> transfer to Odawara
  • 10:30 - 12:30 Transfer to Kyoto by shinkansen
  • 12:30 - 14:00 Washoku lunch
  • 14:00 - 14:30 Transfer to Nanzen-ji
  • 14:30 - 15:45 Nanzen-ji
  • 15:45 - 17:00 Sightseeing in Higashiyama
  • 17:00 - 17:15 Transfer to Gion
  • 17:15 - 18:00 Sightseeing around Gion
  • 18:00 - 19:00 Gion Corner (subject to availability)
  • 19:00 - 19:30 Transfer to hotel >> check-in
Breakfast / Lunch Rihga Royal Kyoto Western hotel

Activities

Today you will take the famous bullet train along the east coast of Japan, covering more than 500 kilometers in just two hours. Arriving in Kyoto at noon, you will immediately get a traditional taste of the city for lunch. Then you will visit one of the most important temples in Kyoto, Nanzen-ji. As the head temple that presides over the five great Zen temples, Nanzen-ji boasts a massive gate, impressive gardens, and beautiful paintings on gold leaf, among many other things.

Immerse yourself in the preserved traditional atmosphere as you walk through the slopes of Higashiyama. In the evening, you will be sightseeing around the city’s most famous geisha district. The area is full of old wooden houses, shops, and teahouses. If you are lucky, you may be able to catch a glimpse of passing geiko and maiko. To give you a better picture of the geisha culture of Japan, you will watch a cultural show at Gion Corner, where you will learn about various forms of Japanese art performed by apprentice geisha.

Meals

Breakfast
Western-style buffet
Lunch
Washoku set served in an atmospheric restaurant in downtown Kyoto

Open previous day

 Kyoto

Schedule

  • 09:00 - 10:00 Transfer to Nijo Castle
  • 10:00 - 11:00 Nijo Castle
  • 11:00 - 11:15 Transfer to Nishijin Textile Center
  • 11:15 - 12:30 Nishijin Textile Center
  • 12:30 - 13:15 Transfer to restaurant
  • 13:15 - 14:45 Temari-zushi lunch
  • 14:45 - 15:00 Transfer to Kinkakuji
  • 15:00 - 15:45 Kinkaku-ji
  • 15:45 - 17:00 Ryoan-ji
  • 17:00 - 17:30 Return to hotel
Breakfast / Lunch Rihga Royal Kyoto Western hotel

Activities

Classic Kyoto sights await you! You will start the day with a visit to Nijo Castle, a former samurai fortress that also functioned as an interim imperial palace. You will visit the well-preserved palace, hear its squeaking nightingale floors, and see its beautifully decorated interior. Afterward, you will browse through a gallery of beautiful kimono at Nishijin Textile Center.

After a delightful temari-zushi lunch, you will explore two of the most well-known icons of Kyoto. The first is the golden temple, Kinkaku-ji, whose impressive exterior and reflection in the water are legendary. The second temple features the most renowned “dry landscape” in the country, which is a carefully raked rock garden.

Meals

Breakfast
Western-style buffet
Lunch
Temari-zushi, very attractive and tantalizing small balls of sushi

Open previous day

 Nara › Kyoto

Schedule

  • 09:00 - 10:00 Transfer to Nara
  • 10:00 - 11:00 Nara Park
  • 11:00 - 11:15 Transfer to restaurant
  • 11:15 - 12:45 Irori lunch
  • 12:45 - 13:00 Transfer to Todai-ji
  • 13:00 - 14:30 Todai-ji
  • 14:30 - 14:45 Transfer to Kasuga Taisha
  • 14:45 - 15:45 Kasuga Taisha
  • 15:45 - 16:30 Manyo Botanical Garden
  • 16:30 - 18:00 Return to Kyoto hotel
Breakfast / Lunch Rihga Royal Kyoto Western hotel

Activities

Today’s excursion brings you to Nara, best known for the hundreds of wild deer that roam in its park. You will have a great time feeding them the specially sold deer crackers. Some of the deer even picked up the Japanese habit of bowing to you! Near the park is the equally famous Todai-ji, the Great Eastern Temple. It has the largest wooden building and Daibutsu statue in the country.

Afterward, you will visit the grand shrine Kasuga Taisha, which is known for its thousands of lanterns. There is even a dark room within the inner area, where the myriad hanging lanterns are fully lit, making this shrine a magical visit. To conclude the classic Nara experience, you will visit the botanical garden just outside Kasuga Taisha. You will then return to Kyoto for another stay.

Meals

Breakfast
Western-style buffet
Lunch
Irori (grilled dishes) featuring many different ingredients, including kuroge wagyu beef

Open previous day

 Osaka

Schedule

  • 09:00 - 11:00 Hotel check-out >> transfer to Osaka
  • 11:00 - 12:30 Osaka Castle
  • 12:30 - 13:00 Transfer to Namba
  • 13:00 - 14:30 Crab lunch
  • 14:30 - 16:00 Shopping walk at Shinsaibashi/Amerika-mura
  • 16:00 - 17:00 Transfer to Kansai International Airport >> hotel check-in
Breakfast / Lunch Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport Western hotel

Activities

After three nights in Kyoto, you will finally leave the old capital and visit the largest city in the Kansai area. Osaka is known for its liveliness, and you will experience it firsthand when exploring the busy shopping streets or enjoying the famous crab meal. You will also visit Osaka Castle, an impressive architecture that now serves as a museum about one of the three great unifiers of Japan.

In the afternoon, you will be brought to a hotel near Kansai International Airport, which will be your port of exit. Nearby is the Rinku Premium Outlets, which you may want to visit in case you haven’t bought enough for gifts and souvenirs. Enjoy your last night in Japan!

Meals

Breakfast
Western-style buffet
Lunch
A variety of crab dishes is Osaka’s most famous crab restaurant

Open previous day

 Osaka

Departure: Kansai International Airport

Breakfast

Activities

You have completed the Japan Express tour! We hope that you enjoyed your trip with ILJT! On the last day, you will check out of your hotel and conduct an independent transfer to the airport. Have a safe flight back home, and see you again soon!

Meals

Breakfast
Western-style buffet

Open previous day