Overview
Explore fascinating and less-traveled sites both inside and outside Kyoto, visit the pre-Buddhist Shinto shrines of the Shima Peninsula, and walk the mystical trails of Kumano Kodo on the Kii Peninsula. We’ll bring you to out-of-the-way places for special “insider” experiences other travelers won’t ever get. Delights include dining with a geisha in a private home in Kyoto, visiting architect I. M. Pei’s masterpiece Miho Museum, exploring the Grand Shrines of Ise—the ancestral shrine of the emperors of Japan—and meeting traditional ama (female pearl divers) in beautiful Toba Bay. We’ll stay in modern hotels as well as ryokans where we can relax with a traditional onsen bath.
Days 1-4
Osaka / Kyoto / Shigaraki Potters / Miho Museum / Fushimi Inari Shrine
Just outside Kyoto in rural Shigaraki, we are welcomed by potters to learn about their town’s ancient craft, and we’ll visit the splendid Miho Museum, designed by I. M. Pei. We meet Kyoto’s artisans, dine with a geisha, and walk beneath vermilion torii gates at the Fushimi Inari Shrine.
Osaka / Kyoto / Shigaraki Potters / Miho Museum / Fushimi Inari Shrine - Days 1-4
Noku Kyoto
Days 1 to 4 (4 nights), Kyoto, JapanNoku puts us in the heart of Kyoto, right next to the Imperial Palace. While we soak up 1,000-year-old Japanese history, we also appreciate the artistry of modern Kyoto. The hotel's guest rooms are sleek and modern, embellished with art pieces reflecting the cultural essence of Kyoto, and each one has a private bathroom. Craft galleries, machiya (townhouses) and scrumptious restaurants are located just out the door. Noku Café serves fresh-roasted coffee, homemade pastries, and traditional Japanese as well as Western breakfast options, a great place to start your day in Kyoto.
Day 5-7
Uji / Nara Park / Todaiji / Horyuji
After we soak up the atmosphere of Uji, featured in the Tale of Genji, we taste Uji’s green-tea-infused cuisine, visit the serene Byodoin Temple, and sample the wares at a sake brewery. At Nara, we enjoy the majesty of the Todaiji Temple, one of the world’s largest wooden structures, and the Horuji temples, Japan’s oldest Buddhist monuments.
Uji / Nara Park / Todaiji / Horyuji - Day 5-7
Hanayashiki Ukifune-en
Day 5 (1 night), Uji, JapanLocated in a tranquil setting dotted with maples and cherry blossoms, Hanayashiki Ukifune-en looks out over the peaceful Uji River. The ryokan has 28 guest rooms featuring Japanese-style bedding, tatami floor mats, and floor-to-ceiling windows. No ryokan would be complete without common baths and this one has two, both infused with mineral-rich black silica for extra health benefits. One of the baths is on the rooftop of the third floor where views of the Uji River and Kyoto stretch across the skyline. There are two restaurants — a Japanese steakhouse which serves dinner, and a kaiseki-style Japanese restaurant which serves both lunch and dinner.
Hotel Nikko Nara
Days 6 to 7 (2 nights), Nara, JapanThe Hotel Nikko Nara is connected to the JR Nara train station and is not far from the Todai-ji Temple and Nara Park, making it the perfect location to head out and explore Japan’s original capital city. A respite from the bustling city, the guest rooms with western beds and private batherooms are simple, clean, and offer a quiet place to relax. Four restaurants in the Nikko Nara have different menu options ranging from steak, seafood, Chinese, Japanese, and a buffet with a both European and Japanese items. Additionally, the hotel has a large public bath, beauty salon, fitness room, and karaoke.
Days 8-9
Ise Shima / Pearl Divers / Ago Bay
A ferry brings us to beautiful Ago Bay to visit Mikimoto Pearl Island and learn about farming pearls. Back on the mainland, we meet traditional female pearl divers, then visit the atmospheric Shinto shrines at Ise Shima, dedicated to the emperors of Japan.
Ise Shima / Pearl Divers / Ago Bay - Days 8-9
Toba International Hotel
Days 8 to 9 (2 nights), Toba, JapanGorgeous views of Toba Bay stretch far and wide from this sleek hotel. Rooms feature modern décor and offer a combination of Western beds and Japanese tatami floor mats. Each room has a private bathroom and either an ocean or mountain view. The hotel has two restaurants, a waterfront café, and a library and bar with a wide range of sake and elegant seating. The Seahorse Restaurant provides a breakfast buffet with both Japanese and Western dishes. Guests are free to use Ryokan Shiojitei’s indoor and outdoor hot spring baths, and the hotel has its own spa with massages incorporating the essence of pearls.
Days 10-13
Kumano Kodo Pilgrim Trails
Amid forests and waterfalls, we explore the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails, the holy ground of Japan. Depart on Day 13 via Osaka.
Kumano Kodo Pilgrim Trails - Days 10-13
Hotel Urashima
Days 10 to 11 (2 nights), Katsuura, JapanThis gleaming resort and spa lies along the edge of the Pacific Ocean buffered by green mountains and cavernous hot springs. Hotel Urashima has five uniquely styled bath houses teeming with fresh waters from the surrounding 200 hot springs in Nachikatsuura. Four restaurants offer up to 80 buffet items as well as chef-prepared meals. Each night chefs show off their carving skills by demonstrating how to fillet locally caught tuna. Rooms range from Western to Japanese style, some with ocean and mountain views. Within the hotel’s four buildings, there are three karaoke bars, a massage parlor, shopping mall, game room, and a tea shop featuring a huge selection of rare comic books. The hotel is also home to the Spacewalker—an escalator with the longest altitude difference in Japan.
Fujiya Ryokan
Day 12 (1 night), Kawayu Onsen, JapanSet at one end of the hot-spring village of Kawayu Onsen, the family-run Fujiya Ryokan is one of the most traditional of the local ryokans. Large, comfortable guest rooms look out on the Oto River, where hot-springs bubble to the surface, and are decorated in traditional Japanese style. You can have your choice of onsen for a soak—indoor, outdoor, or in ponds dug in the riverbanks (you can go for a swim afterwards to cool off!). Meals here are wonderful—seasonal and locally sourced—and the kaiseki (traditional multi-course dinner) is excellent.
Shinto Shrines, Pearl Divers, and Pilgrim Trails
Highlights
Highlights
Details
Walking, including some steep stairs, 6-7 hours a day, Japanese-style dining (sitting on floor)
