Print program
DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN TOKYO (L, D)
Arrival in Tokyo at …
Entry procedures and formalities (approximately 1 hour)
You will then be greeted by your French-speaking guide and your driver, outside the airport.
Transfer to Tokyo City (80 km, approximately 1.5 hours)
TOKYO (literally "Eastern Capital"), formerly Edo, which is officially the Tokyo Metropolitan Prefecture, is the capital of Japan. It is the largest city in Japan, with over 13,622,267 inhabitants within its city limits in 2016 and 42,794,714 in Metropolitan Area 2, and forms the most populous urban area in the world. Located on the east coast of the main island of the Japanese archipelago, Honshū, Tokyo is one of the forty-seven prefectures of Japan. The main political center of the archipelago since the 17th century, the city is home to most of the country's institutions: the residence of the Emperor of Japan, the Prime Minister, the seat of the Diet (Japan's parliament), the Cabinet, the ministries that constitute it, as well as all foreign embassies..
10:30-11:30 Market Tsukiji Fish Market (Outside only): This is a fish market covering over 285,000 m² in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Tsukiji's daily volume of 1,799 tons reaches a price of 1.5 million yen: it is the largest fish market in Japan, and the world. Commonly called the fish market, it also sells fruits and vegetables, as well as kitchen utensils. It has become one of Tokyo's main tourist attractions for both Japanese and foreigners.
12:00-13:00 Lunch at the restaurant
13 :30-14 :30
Transfert à pied au Imperial Garden Restaurant
18 :30-20 :00 Dinner at a local restaurant
Overnight at hotel in Tokyo
DAY 2: TOKYO (B,L,D)
Breakfast at the hotel.
[Meet your French-speaking guide]
09 :00 Departure by coach for a visit to Tokyo
09 :30-10 :30 Le Meiji-jingū is a Shinto shrine located in the heart of Tokyo, in the Shibuya district, on the edge of the Harajuku district. It is the largest Shinto place of worship in the country, where many weddings and ceremonies are celebrated.
11 :00-12 :30 Sensoji Temple in Asakusa is known to tourists for its Senso-ji Buddhist temple, dedicated to the bodhisattva goddess Kannon. The temple, with its four-story pagoda, is located at the end of a large shopping street: Nakamise-dori. (including Nakamise shopping street)
Lunch at the restaurant
14:30-16 :00 The National Museum Tokyo National Museum opened in 1872 and, as the oldest museum in Japan, has a long history behind it. With a large collection of 114,000 objects, it is divided into 10 areas such as the Heiseikan Main Building Exhibition, the Hyokei Building, and the Toyo Building. Its collection includes many valuable objects, 634 of which have been designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan and 87 as National Treasures..
Ueno Park to admire the cherry blossoms
17 :00 - 17 :45 Free time for shopping in Akihabara
18 :00 Arrival at the hotel
19 :00 Walking transfer to the restaurant
19 :30 – 21 :00 Dinner at a local restaurant
Overnight at hotel in Tokyo
DAY 3: TOKYO (B)
Breakfast at the hotel
[Meet your French-speaking guide]
09 :00 Departure by coach for the visit of:
09 :30 – 10 :30 Tokyo City Hall to offer you a panoramic view
11 :00 – 12 :00 The Shinjuku district which Shinjuku is a major commercial district well known for its towering skyscrapers and its train station, which is currently the busiest in the world. It is surrounded by various renowned hotels, shopping malls, and office buildings.
However, what makes Shinjuku so special is its colorful and lively streets. They are populated with small electronics stores, restaurants, karaoke bars, and game centers. Two of the largest camera stores in Tokyo, and perhaps even the world, are located in Shinjuku. They don't just sell cameras and accessories! You can find almost any type of electronic equipment there. When you want to go shopping in Tokyo, Shibuya naturally comes to mind, but Shinjuku might surprise you..
12 :30 – 14 :00 Le quartier Shibuya for free lunch : If you had to choose just one place to go shopping in Tokyo, it would definitely be Shibuya. Known for its colorful district filled with shops, restaurants, locals, and a multitude of shoppers, Shibuya is best known for the enormous intersection where hundreds of people cross the road at once, and it is even possible to observe this impressive scene from the upper floor of the Starbucks located opposite..
14 :30 – 15 :30 Le Rikugi-en Garden (one of the most beautiful gardens in Tokyo): The name Rikugi comes from the idea of the six elements of waka poetry (en means "park" or "garden"). The park includes a small pond, trees, and a hill. The traditional Japanese garden inside the park is a tourist attraction..
16 :00 – 17 :00 Yanaka Ginza (Old Tokyo) is a famous traditional shopping street located in the Yanesen district of Tokyo. You can taste Tokyo's delicacies, some at the most reasonable prices. This street is a favorite place for locals to buy their groceries, fresh vegetables, meat, and fish. It is also a favorite place for travelers to pick up gifts from the unique Japanese souvenir shops called "Omiyageya".
16 :00 – 17 :00 : Ginza
17 :30 Arrival at the hotel
Overnight at hotel in Tokyo
DAY 4: TOKYO FREE DAY (B)
Breakfast at the hotel
Free day without driver or guide
Overnight at hotel in Tokyo
Option: Half-day Tokyo tour from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
[Meet your English-speaking guide]
9:30 a.m.: Departure by coach for the tour:
10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Tea ceremony in the Asakusa district.
The tea ceremony in Japan, or "Japanese tea service," called chanoyu sadō, or chadō, is a traditional art inspired in part by Zen Buddhism. In this art, powdered green tea, or matcha, is prepared in a codified manner by an experienced practitioner and served to a small group of guests in a peaceful setting that, from a Western perspective, may resemble a ceremony.
A stroll around the Sumida River may be included.
12:30 p.m. Arrival at the hotel
Price includes: Vehicle with driver, English-speaking guide
DAY 5: TOKYO – KAWAGUCHIKO (B, L, D)
Separate luggage transfer directly from Tokyo to Kyoto. One suitcase per person (arrival in 2 days).
Please advise guests to bring a travel bag for 2 days.
08 :30 [Meet your French-speaking guide]
Departure by coach to Hakone and Kawaguchiko (approximately 2.5 hours)
KAWAGUCHIKO serves as a year-round starting point for those who want to climb Mount Fuji. It is located at an altitude of approximately 830 meters, which explains its relatively cool summers and frequently freezing winters.
11 :15 – 11 :30 Cruise on Lake Ashi 21 km in circumference, is located within a volcano, Hakone, and was formed around 3000 years ago following a phreatic explosion which caused part of Mount Kami to collapse, digging the gorges of the Haya-kawa River and Lake Ashi
Lunch at the restaurant
Coach transfer to Yamanashi (approx. 1.5 hours)
15 :00 – 16 :00 The village of Oshino Hakkai Springs are the typical springs that flowed from Mt. Fuji, after "Lake Oshino" had dried up. Eight springs are made by the meltwaters piled up on Mount Fuji, filtered through the lava for more than ten years. Oshino Hakkai is also the place of pilgrimage, where pilgrims purify their "impurities" in spring
15 :00 – 16 :00 Oishi Park is a public park located on the north shore of Lake Kawaguchi. From the park, the view of Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi is fantastic. The park has a 350-meter-long walking path surrounded by flowers; from early April to late May, moss phlox bursts forth like a purple carpet, from late June to late July, magnificent lavender blooms, and from mid to late October, kokia shrubs show their beautiful red autumn colors. The contrast between all the flowers and Mount Fuji is spectacular.
18 :00 Arrival at RYOKAN*de Kawaguchiko, dinner at the RYOKAN
Overnight at the Kawaguchiko Hotel
DAY 6: KAWAGUCHIKO – NAGOYA (B, L, D)
Breakfast at the hotel.
[Meet your French-speaking guide]
08 :00 Departure by car for Nagoya (270 km, approximately 4 hours)
NAGOYA is a region located in the northwestern part of Aichi Prefecture. In addition to the central city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, this region also includes Seto City, Nagukute City, and Inuyama City. This region has a unique culinary culture commonly referred to as "Nagoya-meshi." Nagoya-meshi includes miso cutlets made with red miso, udon cooked with miso, and cafes in this area offer an early morning service called "Matin" where you order a drink that also comes with breakfast..
12 :00 – 13 :00 Lunch at the restaurant
13 :30 – 14 :30 Nagoya Castle. First built over 400 years ago (1610), it was rebuilt in its original form in 1959 after being destroyed on May 14, 1945, in a bombing raid during World War II. The castle is one of Nagoya's jewels. Indeed, the building is not the only thing worth seeing in this place. There are also the outdoor gardens, very popular viewing spots during the cherry blossom season, or the numerous works of art and objects located inside the castle, which like many others in Japan has been transformed into a museum..
15 :50 – 16 :00 Atsuta-jingū Shinto Shrine is considered the second most sacred shrine in Japan after Ise-jingū. The shrine was built during the reign of Emperor Keikô (73-130), it is dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu, who is said to be at the origin of the Japanese imperial dynasty. The shrine is said to have been built to house the Kusanagi no Tsurugi (the “grass-reaping sword”) which was allegedly offered by this same goddess. This sword can be seen as an equivalent of Excalibur in medieval European mythology, it is one of the three sacred treasures of Japan, along with the bronze mirror Yata-no-Kagami and the Magatama jewel.
16 :30 Arrival at the hotel, Transfer on foot to the restaurant,
19 :00 – 20 :30 Dinner at the restaurant
Return to the hotel on foot, overnight at the hotel in Nagoya
DAY 7: NAGOYA - KYOTO (B, L, D)
Breakfast at the hotel,
09 :00 [Meet your French-speaking guide]
Departure by coach for Nabana Park
10 :00 – 12:00 : The Nabana-no-Sato, A botanical garden built on the site of the Nagashima Resort amusement park in Mie. There is a 43,000-square-meter Hana Hiroba (an open space with flowers), the largest flower garden in Japan, and it is one of the most popular spots in Nabana-no-Sato.
Lunch at the restaurant
Departure by car to Kyoto (160 km, approximately 3 hours).
17 :00 Arrival at the hotel
18 :00 Walking transfer to the restaurant
18 :30-20 :00 Dinner at the restaurant
Overnight at hotel in Kyoto
DAY 8: KYOTO – ARASHIMA – KYOTO (B, L)
Breakfast at the hotel
09 :00 [Meet your French-speaking guide]
09 :00 Half-day Kyoto tour by coach
09 :30 : Arashiyama Walking Tour
09 :30 – 10 :30 Walk in the Bamboo Forest: The approximately 400-meter walkway connecting Nonomiya Shrine and Ōkōchi-sansō, passing through the north side of Tenryū-ji Temple, is very popular and often appears in TV dramas and commercials. It is especially recommended to stroll along this walkway during the shinryōku (fresh green leaves) season when the weather is nice. During Arashiyama Hana tōro in December, visitors can enjoy a mysterious view of bamboo trees lit by Roji-andon lanterns.
10 :30 – 11 :30 Tenryuji Temple is a Buddhist temple located in the Arashiyama district, northwest of Kyoto. Founded in the mid-14th century by Shogun Ashikaga Takauji as a tribute to the recently deceased Emperor Go-daigo, the temple follows the precepts of the Rinzai Zen Buddhist school. It is also the main representative in Japan.
12 :00 – 13 :00 Lunch at a local restaurant
13:30 Arrival at the hotel
Free afternoon without driver or guide.
Optional Kyoto Tour from 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Departure by coach for a tour of Kyoto
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Tsukiji Fish Market
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM: Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion) is the common name given to the Rokuon-ji Buddhist temple, located north of Kyoto. A very famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is therefore extremely popular with visitors. It is nicknamed the Golden Pavilion for its magnificent gold-leafed facades.
17 :00 – 18 :00 Kiyomizudera Temple : Kiyomizu-dera is a syncretic complex comprising a Buddhist temple and a Shinto shrine, located in the Higashiyama district of eastern Kyoto. Very popular in spring and autumn, it is one of the most popular visits in the city, particularly with the view of the main building built into the mountainside and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994..
6:30 p.m. Arrival at the hotel
The price includes: Vehicle with driver, French-speaking guide
Overnight at hotel in Kyoto
DAY 9: KYOTO – KOBE (B, L)
Breakfast at the hotel.
08 :30 [Meet your French-speaking guide]
Transfer to Kobe (approx. 2 hours, 120 km)
KOBE is a port city, capital of Hyogo Prefecture in the Kansai region, with more than one and a half million inhabitants. Partially destroyed during the strong earthquake of 1995, it is today known in particular for its gastronomy with the famous Kobe beef.
10 :30-11 :30 Akashi Strait Bridge Walk: It is a suspension bridge connecting the city of Kobe (Hyôgo Prefecture) and the city of Awaji. It has a nickname of Pearl Bridge. The bridge is 3,911 meters long: it is the longest bridge in the world, registered in the Guinness Book of Records.
12 :00 – 13 :30 : Lunch at a local restaurant
14 :00 Arrival at the hotel
Optional Kobe Tour from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
14 :00 [Meet your French-speaking guide]
14 :00 Departure by coach for the visit of Kobe
14 :30 – 15 :30 Tainohata Yakuyoke Hachimangu is known as "Yakujin-san" in Tainohata by the locals, considered the oldest sacred place in Japan to ward off bad luck. During an epidemic in June 770, the god of plague was enshrined at 10 locations in the five regions (Yamato, Yamachiro, Kawachi, Settsu, Izumi) to end this epidemic. Tainohata Yakuyoke Hachimangu was located on the border of Settsu and Harima; therefore, the god of pestilence was enshrined here as well. This shrine is believed to be the one where Ariwara no Yukihira prayed during his exile in Suma, Kobe City and also to Minamoto no Yoshitsune during the Battle of Ichinotani.
16 :00 – 17 :00 Kitano is the foreigners' quarter in Kobe, nestled at the foot of the Rokko Mountains. It is mainly located around Kitano Street and Yamamoto and Oranda-zaka Avenues. Around twenty former diplomatic residences, with Western architecture, have now been transformed into museums and are open to the public; some are listed as Important Cultural Properties of Japan..
17 :30 – 18 :30 Shopping at Kobe Harborland
19 :00 Arrival at the hotel
The price includes: Vehicle with driver
Overnight at hotel in Kobe
DAY 10: KOBE – OSAKA (B, L, D)
Breakfast at the hotel,
09 :30 [Meet your French-speaking guide]
Departure by coach to Osaka
OSAKA is the third largest city in Japan and the capital of the prefecture of the same name; it is located on the island of Honshū, the main island of Japan on which Tokyo is also located, on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, more precisely in Osaka Bay. By the beginning of the 20th century, Osaka had become an important industrial center.
10 :45 – 11 :45
12 :30 – 13 :30 : Lunch at a local restaurant
14 :00 – 15 :30 Walk in the Dotonbori district: This is a neighborhood located in Osaka City along the Dôtonbori River. It is a lively neighborhood south of the Nihonbashi River in Daikokubashi. You can see many signs and well-known food shops like Grico, Kanidôraku, and Tsuboraya..
16 :00 – 16 :55 Osaka Okawa River Cruise,
17 :30 Arrival at the hotel
Walking transfer to the restaurant
19 :00 – 20 :30 : Dinner at a local restaurant
Overnight at hotel in Osaka
DAY 11: OSAKA – NARA – OSAKA (B,L,D)
Petit déjeuner à l’hôtel
09 :30 [Meet your French-speaking guide]
09 :30 Departure by coach to Nara (40km, approximately 50p)
10 :30 – 11 :30 Tôdai-ji Temple This is a head temple of the Kegon school of Buddhism. Its official name is ‘Kinkô-Myô-Shiten-ô-gokoku-no-tera’. Kinshô-san-ji Temple was founded by Emperor Shômu in 728 (the Nara period, 710-794) to pray for the death of his son Motoi-Shinô (who died before his first birthday). Later, this temple became the Yamato-no-kuni Konkô-myô-ji Temple, which is the base of Tôdai-ji Temple.
11 :30 -12 :00 Nara Park This is a historical park that includes these temples and shrines, as well as the National Historical Museum and the Shôsô-in Treasure House. One of the park's greatest features is the deer that roam in semi-freedom. These deer are considered sacred messengers of Kasuga-taisha Shrine. Although they are habituated to humans, these wild deer are registered as Natural Monuments of Japan under the name 'the deer of Nara'.
12 :30 – 13 :30 Lunch at the restaurant
14 :00 -15 :00 Kasuga Shrine
Kasuga-taisha Shrine is registered in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nara, in the prefecture of the same name in Japan. Established in 768 and rebuilt several times over the centuries, it is the mausoleum of the Fujiwara family. The interior is famous for its many bronze lanterns, while the exterior is distinguished by the many stone lanterns leading to the monument.
Return to Osaka by coach
17 :30 Arrival at the hotel
19 :00 Walking transfer to the restaurant
19 :30-21 :00 Dinner at a local restaurant
Overnight at hotel in Osaka
DAY 12: OSAKA – TOKYO (B)
Breakfast at the hotel
Free day without guide or driver
Optional Osaka Tour from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
09 :00 [Meet your French-speaking guide]
09 :00 Departure by coach for a visit to Osaka
9 :30 – 11 :00 Osaka Castle: This is a castle in Osaka built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. As a central castle of the Toyotomi clan, it played a major role in the unification of Japan. The castle was destroyed by fire during the Siege of Osaka (the Summer Campaign). Tokugawa Ieyasu rebuilt the castle, which became a stronghold for the domination of western Japan.
11 :30 – 12 :30 Osaka Sky Building: It is a complex of buildings consisting of two towers (Tower East and Tower West) with 40 floors and a height of 173 meters. They are located in Shin-umeda city. It is a tourist symbol of Osaka and its upper floor is made up of the 'floating garden' observatory allowing a view of the entire city of Osaka. The observatory has an entrance fee, but it is popular with couples and tourists..
13 :00 Arrival at the hotel
The price includes: Vehicle with driver French-speaking guide
For everyone:
2:30 PM Meet at the reception and depart for Shin-Osaka Station
3:15 PM Take the Shinkansen, the bullet train to Tokyo
5:45 PM Arrive at Tokyo Station
Coach transfer to Narita hotel.
Overnight at a hotel in Tokyo. Near Narita Airport
DAY 13: TOKYO – RETURN (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
09 :30 Departure without a guide towards the airport using the hotel shuttle
Takeoff at … on flight …
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