Japan - The Way of the Samurai 2026-27

Departure on Emirates/Turkish Airlines scheduled flights to Tokyo - meals on board – overnight flight.

Arrival at the airport in Tokyo – transfer to the hotel - free time - lunch at leisure - dinner in a restaurant - after dinner, Tokyo by night: a stroll with the tour leader to the Shinjuku Metropolitan Building and the night-time Tokyo of Omoide Yokocho and Kabukicho – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – full-day guided excursion - departure by coach for Fujiyoshida - visit to Arakurayama Sengen Park with the Chureito Pagoda, a UNESCO World Heritage Site – on to Matsumoto – visit to the Castle, one of the most beautiful in Japan, original and never destroyed by fire, and Nawate Street – lunch at leisure – dinner in a restaurant – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Takayama – guided visit to the typical and famous Takayama Market, where farmers come every morning to sell their fresh produce – on to Shirakawago – guided tour of the village of traditional thatched roofs in the “gassho-zukuri” style - lunch at leisure – arrival in Kanazawa – dinner at the hotel - after dinner, Kanazawa by night: a stroll with the tour leader - overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – morning guided tour of Kanazawa (the Castle ruins –exterior-, the magnificent Kenrokuen Garden, considered one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan, the Nagamachi samurai district, which has preserved intact the atmosphere of bygone days, visit to the Nomura samurai house, the old pleasure quarters, and a stroll through the Higashi Chayamachi district) – lunch at leisure - transfer to the station - departure by express train in reserved second-class seats for Kyoto – evening arrival - dinner in a restaurant - after dinner, Kyoto by night: a stroll with the tour leader to Kyoto Station – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel - full day devoted to a guided tour of Nara & Uji - visit to the Fushimi Inari Shrine (the best known of the 3,000 in Japan and the most visited by pilgrims), the Todaiji Temple, one of the most important monuments of Nara, the ancient capital, the Kasuga Shrine, with its vermilion-lacquered buildings contrasting with the green of the surrounding virgin forest and the three thousand lanterns lining the approach, Nara Park, with its characteristic deer, and the Byodoin Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site - lunch at leisure - late-afternoon return to Kyoto - dinner in a restaurant - after dinner, Kyoto by night: a stroll with the tour leader using public transport through the Gion district (with its typical narrow streets and low wooden houses that take us back 300 years) and the streets of the Pontocho district, well known for its geishas - return to the hotel – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel - full day devoted to a guided tour of Kyoto – Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Zen temple of Ryoanji with the finest rock garden in Japan, Arashiyama, with a walk through the bamboo forest, the Tenryuji Temple, the Kinkakuji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site - street-food lunch at leisure in Arashiyama – late-afternoon return to Kyoto– dinner in a restaurant – evening at leisure - tour leader on hand – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel - morning guided tour of Kyoto - the Kiyomizudera Temple and the Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka lanes - lunch at leisure, transfer to the station – departure by Shinkansen high-speed train in reserved second-class seats for Mishima – transfer by coach to Hakone - dinner in the ryokan – overnight stay in the ryokan.

Breakfast at the hotel – morning guided tour of the National Park and a pleasant boat trip on Lake Ashi at the foot of Mount Fuji, a UNESCO World Heritage Site – departure for Tokyo - lunch at leisure - guided tour of the city: the Tokyo Tower, built after the war to symbolise the country's economic rebirth, the Asakusa Kannon Temple (the city's oldest and most impressive temple) and the charming nearby market of fans, kimonos and souvenirs, and Akihabara Electric Town (the largest retail area in the world for new and used electronics and computers) - evening check-in at the hotel – dinner at leisure – evening at leisure – tour leader on hand – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel - full day devoted to a guided tour of Tokyo (the Tsukiji fish market, the Meiji-jingu Shrine -the largest Shinto shrine-), the Omotesando boutique street (“the Champs-Élysées of Tokyo”) and the Ginza district – lunch at leisure – evening transfer to the airport – dinner at leisure - departure from Tokyo on Emirates/Turkish Airlines scheduled flights back to Italy – overnight flight.

Arrival in Italy.

N.B. For technical reasons, on the 13 August departure the itinerary will be run in reverse.