Japan – Winter Blossom 2027 NEW

departure on Emirates/Turkish scheduled flights to Osaka – meals on board – overnight flight.

arrival at Osaka Kansai airport – transfer to the hotel – dinner in a restaurant – after dinner, Osaka by night: a stroll with the tour leader around the Dotonbori area – overnight stay.

breakfast at the hotel – morning guided tour of Osaka taking in the Castle and the Umeda Sky Building (the northern quarter in the Kita district, with the largest underground shopping centre in all Japan and an impressive concentration of offices, banks and hotels. The “Floating Garden” Observatory, 173 m up, offers a breathtaking view over the city) - transfer by private coach to Kyoto – lunch at leisure - afternoon guided tour of Kyoto – the Kiyomizu Temple and the Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka lanes (a group of temples built from 1633 onwards, a place of worship where pilgrims venerate the eleven-headed image of Kannon and drink the water of the sacred spring)  - on to Mount Hiei - dinner at the hotel adjoining the Monastery –  The best and most complete way to experience the evocative atmosphere of Mount Hiei to the full is to stay overnight at the Enryakuji Kaikan temple. Guests will not only have the chance to admire the temple in solitude, but can also immerse themselves in the cultural activities recommended by the monks. Candlelit meditation, walks along the many paths through the woods, practising the ancient art of Japanese calligraphy, discovering the unique world of incense... all this is possible at Enryakuji and will leave you with an indelible memory - overnight stay.

breakfast at the hotel – full-day guided excursion – morning visit to Enryakuji, a mystical Tendai Buddhist monastery that attracts monks from all over Japan for its notoriously rigorous training – followed by a visit to  Arashiyama, with a walk through the bamboo forest, and the Kinkakuji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (of particular interest is the Golden Pavilion, the only original structure) - lunch at leisure - evening check-in at the hotel in 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 visiting Nara & Kyoto by private coach with local guide – visit to the Fushimi Inari Shrine (the best known in Japan and the most visited by pilgrims, the head shrine of the three thousand dedicated to the god Inari), the Todaiji Temple (one of the most important monuments of Nara, the ancient capital from 710 to 794, which houses the Great Buddha and architectural masterpieces designated National Treasures), Nara Park (with its characteristic deer) - lunch at leisure – late-afternoon return to Kyoto – dinner in a restaurant – evening at leisure – tour leader on hand – overnight stay.

breakfast at the hotel – transfer to the station – departure by Super Express Shinkansen Hikari high-speed train in reserved second-class seats for Odawara – on arrival, transfer by coach to the restaurant – lunch in a restaurant – afternoon visit to Kawazu – on to Kawaguchiko – check-in at the hotel – dinner at the hotel – after dinner, fireworks display (programme to be reconfirmed) – overnight stay.

breakfast at the hotel – full-day excursion by private coach with local guide – visit to Oshino Hakkai (Oshino Hakkai, in Yamanashi prefecture, is a group of eight ponds in the village of Oshino, a small village in the Fuji Five Lakes region. The eight ponds are fed by snowmelt from Mount Fuji, which filters down the mountain through porous layers of lava for over 80 years, producing exceptionally clear spring water that is revered by the local people), the Chureito Pagoda, which stands in the grounds of the Arakura Sengen Shrine and offers a breathtaking view of Mount Fuji (reached by climbing a flight of 398 steps) – lunch at leisure - on to Tokyo – in the afternoon the tour of Tokyo begins with the Asakusa Kannon Temple (Tokyo's oldest and most impressive temple) and the charming nearby market of fans, kimonos and souvenirs; transfer to the hotel – dinner in a restaurant – after dinner, Tokyo by night: a stroll with the tour leader using public transport in Shinjuku, the night-time Tokyo of Omoide Yokocho and Kabukicho – overnight stay. 

breakfast at the hotel - full day devoted to a guided tour of Tokyo – the Tokyo Tower (333 m high and built after the war at the government's behest to symbolise the country's economic rebirth), the Ginza district, the Tsukiji fish market (visit to the outer market given over to retail sales) - lunch at leisure – dinner in a restaurant - after dinner, Tokyo by night: a stroll with the tour leader using public transport to Shibuya Crossing – overnight stay. 

breakfast at the hotel - full day devoted to a guided tour of Tokyo – the Meiji-jingu Shrine (the largest Shinto shrine, dedicated to Emperor Meiji), the Omotesando boutique street (an area dubbed the Champs-Élysées of Tokyo), Harajuku, the districts of Roppongi and Shibuya – lunch at leisure - dinner in a restaurant - after dinner, Tokyo by night: a stroll with the tour leader using public transport to Odaiba, crossing the Rainbow Bridge with spectacular views over Tokyo Bay – overnight stay.

breakfast at the hotel – full day at leisure for individual sightseeing and/or shopping – tour leader on hand – lunch at leisure - transfer to the airport – departure from Tokyo on Emirates/Turkish scheduled flights back to Italy – overnight flight.

arrival in Italy.