The Art of Japan

14 days

Indicative cost incl. flights:

A typical 4* holiday costs from

£7,210pp

(Based on two people travelling. 3* can be cheaper, and 5* hotels can be substantially more expensive.)

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Tokyo

Hakone & Mt. Fuji

Kyoto

Okayama, Kurashiki & Naoshima

Osaka

Day 1

The flight from London to Tokyo takes 12 hours direct, arriving the following day.

Day 2

Be welcomed to Japan by friendly faces as our team meet and greet you at the airport, ensuring you get to your first hotel promptly. Spend the day relaxing and recover from your flight, or begin to discover this city at your own speed.

Day 3

Your private tour of the city will tick all the boxes - beautiful parks, peaceful shrines, busy temples and city sights. If you are an unashamed aesthete, we can tailor your day to visit the best museums and galleries with a resident expert. Alternatively, appreciate the unique cityscape of Tokyo with an architecture tour.

Day 4

With a free morning in the city, there's plenty to keep you enthralled - we're happy to give you some suggestions, so don't hesitate to ask. This afternoon, create some of your own masterpieces on a street photography masterclass. Let our expert guide give you their best hints and tips as you capture the frenetic urban scenes around you.

Day 5

Swap the modern city pace of Tokyo for the relaxing countryside of Hakone. This hot-spring resort is one of Japan's most beloved weekend getaways, and is overflowing with galleries and museums. You have two full days to enjoy the region, while also relaxing each evening with dinner in a traditional ryokan inn. Bathe in thermal waters for a truly Japanese experience.

Day 6

The municipality of Hakone can be traversed with buses, trains, cablecars and boats - and with so much to visit, you will be on the go a lot today! The Hakone Open Air Museum - with remarkable sculptures and a dedicated Picasso exhibition - is simply unmissable. Other museums worthy of a visit include POLA, Okada, Narukawa, and the rather-niche Little Prince Museum - though there are many more scattered around.

Day 7

Say farewell to the volcanoes, and hello to the temples - welcome to Kyoto! The city has more shrines, monuments and ancient treasures than you could ever hope to visit - but your afternoon can be spent giving it a go anyway. We can point you in the direction of some great dining spots, quiet neighbourhoods and quaint evening spots - find your own corner of Kyoto.

Day 8

With a cultured guide by your side, begin your exploration of this photogenic city. We would recommend a trip on two-wheels today, allowing you to weave your way through the pretty streets, spying temples and hidden gems along the way. This afternoon, make a beeline for Arashiyama, a verdant district on the fringes of the city, full of towering bamboo and curious primates, with postcard-perfect scenes around you in all four seasons.

Day 9

Learn a little more about the culture of Japan with a morning tea ceremony and origami workshop. The rest of the day is your own, to relax or explore - but with so many more atmospheric temples, expertly curated galleries and photo-worthy shrines, it would be a shame not to investigate.

Day 10

Move on from Kyoto to the willow-lined canals of Kurashiki old town. This historical quarter is a living museum, and you will spend the night enjoying warm hospitality in one of the converted wooden storehouses, dining on some impeccably prepared regional cuisine. The Ohara Museum - in the heart of the area - was the first Western art museum in Japan, and boasts a collection of masterpieces that rightfully deserve your attention today.

Day 11

Leave the mainland of Japan for the island of Naoshima - a sun-kissed open-air gallery that wouldn't seem out of place in the Mediterranean. Whatever you do, don't rush yourself today - despite there being a myriad works of art to visit, you have a generous amount of time to see them. You will spend two nights in Benesse House, an art gallery hotel on the southern coast of the island, perfectly located to begin your meandering.

Day 12

The day is a blank canvas - spend it however you wish, just do it at a leisurely pace and savour your surroundings. This is one of our favourite places in Japan to slow down the journey and take it easy.

Day 13

Take the ferry back to the mainland and board the train towards Osaka. With one last night in Japan, take to the neon streets this evening for some delicious (but not-too-healthy) local specialities. Both the Shinsekai and Dotonbori areas of the city come alive when the sun goes down - have your camera at the ready!

Day 14

Your colourful journey through Japan ends today. Board your flight back home with a camera full of memories, and a greater understanding of Japanese culture.

Where you'll go
What you'll do
Where you'll stay

Similar Holidays

Everything we do is tailor-made; our itineraries are just suggestions to give you an idea of what is possible. Please contact us so we can tailor the perfect holiday exclusively for you.

The spirit of Japan is best enjoyed through its rich and varied art – a vivid mix of traditional ukiyo-e woodblock prints, monochrome sumi-e ink wash paintings, and colossal sculptures and architectural triumphs, as exemplified by the ‘gallery’ island of Naoshima.

The precision of origami folding, the careful movements and ceremonial flourishes of the sado tea ceremony, even the effortless calligraphy of the kanji and hiragana that make up the written word: so many aspects of the country’s heritage can be summed up as reflections of art, style, design and beautiful imagery. Gain an appreciation for the art of Japan and you will come a small way to understanding the national psyche and the unique history of these enigmatic islands.

1 night flying – 3 nights Tokyo – 2 nights Hakone – 3 nights Kyoto – 1 night Kurashiki – 2 nights Naoshima – 1 night Osaka