Onsen in the sacred sites of Kii

Activités du voyage

Un condensé d'activités pour agrémenter votre voyage et vous laisser des souvenirs inoubliables. N'hésitez pas à consulter nos spécialistes pour plus d'informations !

Activities included

One night in a Buddhist monastery in a shukubo

One night in a Buddhist monastery in a shukubo

What experience could be more exceptional and unforgettable than spending the night in a UNESCO World Heritage Site? When you visit Mount Koya, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004, you will have the opportunity to spend the night in a Buddhist monastery, a shukubo, where you will experience the daily life of a monastery first hand. You will eat the same vegetarian food as the monks and will sleep on tatami mats and futons in a typical Japanese setting. Finally, at dawn, you will attend the monks’ morning prayers, as they rise with the sun.

Yatsuhashi cooking class and tea ceremony in Kyoto

Yatsuhashi cooking class and tea ceremony in Kyoto

Yatsuhashi is a Japanese dessert and is a local specialty of Kyoto. It is made with glutinous rice flour, cinnamon powder and sugar. It can be steamed or baked. It can also contain red bean paste (inside), chocolate, jam or cream. With an English-speaking guide, you will attend a cooking class to learn how to make this delicious dessert as well as tea ceremony where you will discover the extremely codified art of preparing and drinking matcha or green tea.

One-day visit of Kyoto

One-day visit of Kyoto

Discover one of the most beautiful historical towns of Japan with an English speaking guide! The former capital is full of treasures and your guide will share with you many stories about Kyoto and its wonders! Visit some of the most beautiful temples in Kyoto : Kinkakuji, more commonly known as the Golden Pavilion, as well as Ryoanji that houses one of the most famous Zen gardens in Japan . After lunch, you will walk around the Imperial Palace Park.

Activities recommended in Tokyo

Watch a Kabuki performance

Watch a Kabuki performance

Watch a Kabuki performance, a theatrical art typical to Japan. In beautiful sets representing traditional Japanese landscapes, the actors – all men – wear extremely elaborate costumes and make-up and act, sing, dance and play musical instruments to the delight of the crowd. This show is rich in colour and full of poetry – let it transport you to another world!

Odaiba Ferris Wheel

Odaiba Ferris Wheel

Go up on the Ferris Wheel on the artificial island of Odaiba! You will have an amazing view of the city of Tokyo and Tokyo Bay! In the evening, you will be delighted by the beauty of Rainbow Bridge.

Dinner and Cruise in Tokyo Bay

Dinner and Cruise in Tokyo Bay

Cruise Tokyo Bay in the evening aboard a Yakatabune, a Japanese-style boat dating back centuries, and admire the lights of the Odaiba district, on an artificial island, as well as those of the Rainbow Bridge, which light up the bay and its little islands. You will be served a traditional Japanese tempura dinner: vegetables, seafood or meat fried in a delicate batter that literally melt in your mouth. A delight for the taste buds!

Tea ceremony and Kaiseki dinner

Tea ceremony and Kaiseki dinner

Experience an authentic three-hour tea ceremony performed by tea master Soryu Maruyama. Discover all the steps of the ceremony, from preparing the tea to drinking it, Kaiseki-style. An incredible experience that will bring you closer to one of the most traditional Japanese arts following a meticulously codified ritual that enhances the beauty of each movement.

Cruise on the river Sumida in Tokyo

Cruise on the river Sumida in Tokyo

Discover Tokyo in a different way by taking a cruise on the river Sumida that flows through Tokyo! For 40 minutes, you will enjoy a unique panorama of the city and will be able to observe all the buildings that make Tokyo an incredible city! The river Sumida is 27 kilometres long and is crossed by 26 bridges, which are all built in a different architectural style. Keep your camera close at hand for stunning pictures of the city and its bay.

Ghibli Museum in Mitaka

Ghibli Museum in Mitaka

Enter into the wonderful world of the greatest manga artist in Japan: Hayao Miyazaki, father of the adorable Totoro and mischievous Chihiro. Take a look behind the scenes of a manga production and walk into the master’s office where you can view beautiful original drawings. In a giant Cat Bus, the children will enjoy viewing an original, unaired twenty-minute animated film. A must-see! This activity is also offered with an English-speaking guide on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1:40 p.m. to 6 p.m. – 62 Euros (about 53 GBP)

Watch a sumo match in Tokyo

Watch a sumo match in Tokyo

Experience a unique holiday by watching a sumo match, a traditional Japanese sport which is extremely popular in the island chain. These fights were born almost 1,500 years ago as part of a Shinto ceremony. They were dedicated to the Gods along with songs and dances to ensure a good harvest. This sport is particularly impressive as it still contains religious rituals that are performed before and after the game, and the matches themselves are incredible! It is possible to follow this activity with a Japanese dinner: discover the meal of sumo wrestlers, Chanko Nabe – 42 Euros (about 38 GBP).

Watch sumo training and meet champions!

Watch sumo training and meet champions!

Experience an enriching, incredible moment as you meet sumo champions! They are highly respected and even worshipped in Japan! You will watch them train and then share a traditional meal with them: Chanko Nabe. A genuine, unique experience!

Learn how to make sushi and visit the Tsukiji fish market

Learn how to make sushi and visit the Tsukiji fish market

Walk around the incredible Tsukiji market, the largest fish market in the world, where thousands of different kinds of fish and seafood are sold. Then take a cooking class and learn how to make the most popular Japanese food in the world: sushi. To top it all off, enjoy the results of your cooking class for lunch!

Guided tour of Kamakura

Guided tour of Kamakura

Discover one of the most famous towns in Japan, renowned for its rich heritage! Kamakura was the Shogun’s capital in the 12th century and still has some amazing remnants of its past. You will visit some of the town’s temples and shrines: Hachiman-gu and Hase-dera and their beautiful gardens. After lunch, you will go and admire the second largest Buddha in Japan, after the one in Nara, who has been meditating under the sky for hundreds of years. A rickshaw version of this tour is also possible: visit the town in a human-powered tricycle.

Guided tour of Nikko

Guided tour of Nikko

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Nikko is a must-see. This small mountain town houses incredible baroque temples. Visit the renowned Toshogu temple that shines brightly in the heart of a forest of giant Japanese cedars. After lunch, you will go to the shores of Lake Chuzenji, in the shade of Mount Nantai. You will admire Kegon Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in Japan!

Watch a baseball match

Watch a baseball match

Did you know that, sumo wrestling aside, the most popular sport in Japan is baseball? This typical American sport has taken over the island chain that passionately supports the different teams! In fact, the Japanese became the baseball world champions this year for the second time in a row, beating the American and Korean teams ! Outside of the US, the most famous baseball team in the world is the Tokyo Giants whose home stadium Tokyo dome is nicknamed “the Big Egg”. Attend a match and watch the crowd go wild!

Visit Hakone and Mount Fuji

Visit Hakone and Mount Fuji

Spend a day visiting the region of Mount Fuji and Hakone. The symbol of Japan, Mount Fuji is 3776 metres high and is the highest mountain in the country. A perfect cone volcano, it is religiously worshipped as the refuge of the kami, mountain spirits. You will take the bus to the fifth station to admire the view. After lunch, you will go to Hakone, the famous spa resort, where you will take a cruise on Lake Ashi. Finally, you will walk on the side of Mount Komagatake, where you will see steam rising from the fumaroles!

Visit Tokyo by Night and have dinner in a Japanese restaurant

Visit Tokyo by Night and have dinner in a Japanese restaurant

Have dinner in a typical Japanese restaurant where you can choose from a selection of Japanese delicacies from Tempura to Sashimi and Sukiyaki. Then discover Tokyo by night and visit the artificial island of Odaiba and the Ginza district, famous for its multi-coloured neon lights, and admire the view from the observatory in Roppongi Hills.

Tokyo morning visit

Tokyo morning visit

The Asakusa district and its beautiful temple, walk in the Imperial Palace Park, tour of the Ginza district and visit of Meiji shrine in the scenic Yoyogi park.

Activities recommended in Kyoto

Dine in Gion and watch a traditional Japanese show

Dine in Gion and watch a traditional Japanese show

Enjoy a guided walking tour of the narrow streets of Gion – Kyoto’s historical district. Dine in a Japanese restaurant where you will have the opportunity to taste tempura. Visit Gion Corner, the Geisha school, where you will attend a show presenting different traditional Japanese arts : a dance performed by Maiko dancers (apprentice Geisha), a piece of music played on the Koto (Japanese harp), Kado (a style of flower arrangement), Kyogen (traditional theatre) and Bunkaru (puppet theatre). There will also be a tea ceremony where you will learn to prepare matcha, Japanese green tea. A shorter version of this activity is also offered from 5:20 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from March to December – 115 Euros (about 100 GBP).

Japanese dinner with Maiko dance show

Japanese dinner with Maiko dance show

Enjoy a traditional Japanese dinner in the Hatoya Zuihoukaku restaurant, near Kyoto station. You will have the opportunity to sample various traditional Japanese dishes. After that, you will watch Maiko, apprentice Geisha, perform traditional dances for the crowd’s delight. At the end of the show, you will be able to meet the Maiko and talk with her.

Sake-tasting in Fushimi

Sake-tasting in Fushimi

Sake is a typical Japanese rice-based alcoholic beverage. Come and discover the secrets of sake production in the small town of Fushimi in the south of Kyoto, with an English-speaking guide. You will have the opportunity to taste some of the region’s best sake and, who knows, maybe bring some back for your own parties.

Renting a bicycle in Kyoto

Renting a bicycle in Kyoto

Discover the charming town of Kyoto and its secret passageways by bicycle! A quiet, wide town built in a valley, Kyoto is the perfect place for a nice bike ride! You will have the bicycle for the day and can choose where you want to go.

Half-day visit of Kyoto by bicycle

Half-day visit of Kyoto by bicycle

Kyoto is full of charming, secret passageways that are fun to discover by bicycle. With an English-speaking guide, you will bike around the Gion district and its teahouses where Geisha perform. You will then ride along the river Shirakawa before discovering the vast park of the former Imperial Palace, a peaceful retreat in the city centre.

Learn how to make Japanese desserts and enjoy a Kaiseki lunch

Learn how to make Japanese desserts and enjoy a Kaiseki lunch

Enjoy a delicious traditional Japanese meal in the Kaiseki style. This refined cuisine is famous for the way it is beautifully presented. The ingredients are always fresh and seasonal. Then, with an English-speaking guide, you will take a Japanese cooking course to learn how to make Japanese desserts, traditionally served with green tea.

Visit of Sagano and Arashiyama

Visit of Sagano and Arashiyama

All those who enjoy nature walks will love discovering the district of Arashiyama with an English-speaking guide. You will visit its famous bamboo grove – Sagano forest – as well as Tenryû-ji temple, one of the five main Zen temples of Kyoto. Its garden represents a dry waterfall of rocks throwing themselves into a pool and forming the Chinese character “heart”. You will also visit Jojakkoji temple, which is less known but well worth discovering. Finally, you will walk on the famous Togetsukyo bridge that connects both banks of the river and offers a beautiful view of this part of Kyoto.

Zazen meditation and Hiei Garden

Zazen meditation and Hiei Garden

Experience spiritual Japan by attending a session of Zazen meditation in the UNESCO World Heritage Buddhist temple of Enryakuji, on Mount Hiei. After meditating, you will partake of the same vegetarian meal as the temple’s monks. You will then visit the truly beautiful Hiei Garden.

Tofu cooking course

Tofu cooking course

Tofu is a soft, white block produced by coagulating soy milk by adding lemon juice, salt and vinegar. It is a common ingredient in Asian dishes and is renowned for its health benefits. During this class, you will learn how to cook tofu with an English-speaking guide. Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to eat the food you have prepared

One-day guided tour of Kyoto and Nara

One-day guided tour of Kyoto and Nara

In the morning, visit the most beautiful temples of Kyoto with an English-speaking guide: the Golden Pavilion or Kinkakuji. You will then walk around the Imperial Palace Park. In the afternoon, after lunch, you will leave for the small town of Nara, the first capital of Japan, which also houses many treasures. You will walk around Nara Park and discover the impressive Todai-ji temple and the bright-red Kasuga shrine, famous for its thousands of lanterns.

One-day visit of Kyoto

One-day visit of Kyoto

Discover one of the most beautiful historical towns of Japan with an English speaking guide! The former capital is full of treasures and your guide will share with you many stories about Kyoto and its wonders! Visit some of the most beautiful temples in Kyoto : Kinkakuji, more commonly known as the Golden Pavilion, as well as Ryoanji that houses one of the most famous Zen gardens in Japan . After lunch, you will walk around the Imperial Palace Park.

Afternoon guided tour of Kyoto

Afternoon guided tour of Kyoto

Discover some of Kyoto’s most beautiful temples with an English-speaking guide ! You will start by visiting Heian jingu shrine and its beautiful Japanese landscape garden. You will then walk around the traditional neighbourhood of Higashiyama. After that, you will visit Sanjusangendo temple, which is 125 metres long and famous for its hundreds of statues of the goddess Kannon. Finally, you will go to one of the most popular and most impressive temples of Kyoto: Kiyomizu-dera.

Have lunch with a Maiko in Gion

Have lunch with a Maiko in Gion

Maiko are apprentice Geishas in the Gion district. They wear beautiful coloured kimonos and have elaborate hairstyles with Kanzashi – lovely ornaments usually shaped like flowers – in the image of traditional Japanese dolls with porcelain complexions. You will have the opportunity to share a meal with one of these generally inaccessible artists. An English-speaking guide will come to pick you up at the hotel around noon and will take you to see the Gion district. You will be served a traditional Japanese meal in a charming restaurant overlooking the Shirakawa river. At the end of the meal, a young Maiko will come and join you. You will have the opportunity to take pictures with her and then she will dance for you.

Morning visit of Kyoto

Morning visit of Kyoto

Take your first steps in the cultural capital of Japan with an English-speaking guide! You will discover the town’s most famous temple : Kinkakuji or the Golden Pavilion. You will then visit Nijo Castle. You will amble around the park of the former Imperial Palace before visiting the Kyoto Handicraft Centre, which displays many local traditional handicrafts.

Hôtels de ce voyage

Voici les hébergements que nous vous proposons pour votre circuit. Ils sont communiqués à titre indicatif et pourront être remplacés par des hôtels de catégorie similaire.

Hotels included

New Miyako - Kyoto

New Miyako - Kyoto

With 986 Western and Japanese-style rooms, the 4* New Miyako hotel is located a few steps away from JR Kyoto station, which offers easy access to different sites in the town by bus or metro. Each room is equipped with television, hair-dryer and refrigerator. The hotel has four restaurants: French, Japanese, Chinese and a buffet of international cuisine where you will surely find dishes you will enjoy. Finally, the hotel offers various boutiques and services: traditional Japanese objects, as well as a beauty salon and photo studio.

Renge-jo In Shukubo - Mount Koya

Renge-jo In Shukubo - Mount Koya

Staying the night in a shukubo, a rest house inside a temple, is a rare, exceptional experience that will leave you with amazing memories! The Renge-jo Inn is a large Buddhist monastery in a unique setting : the rooms, decorated in the Japanese style, are simple yet comfortable and you will be delighted by the indoor garden! The Renge-jo Inn houses different types of gardens : landscape gardens with small ornamental lakes where the famous Japanese carps live and dry gardens with rocks, pebbles and gravel that encourage meditation as you gaze upon them. You will be served a vegetarian meal in your room, the same traditional cuisine that the monks eat. Finally, to complete the experience, do not miss the monks’ morning prayers at 6 a.m.!

Pacific - Tokyo

Pacific - Tokyo

Ideally located a three-minute walk from JR Shinagawa station and on the JR Yamanote Line that connects the main sites of the town, the 4*Le Pacific Hotel welcomes you to its elegant, refined setting. All the rooms are equipped with television, A/C and tea/coffee service. Inside the hotel, you will find a large selection of bars and restaurants serving Japanese and Western cuisine. The hotel also provides a wide number of services and boutiques: a French bakery, a jeweller’s, a souvenir shop, a small supermarket, a beauty parlour, a photo studio, as well as a relaxation and massage parlour. You can also enjoy the beautiful Takanawa-no-mori Japanese garden.

Ryokan Sakoya - Yoshino

Ryokan Sakoya - Yoshino

The Sakoya Ryokan is built entirely in the traditional Japanese architectural style using only cypress and cedar wood from Yoshino. You will stay in beautiful Japanese-style rooms where you will sleep on futons and tatami mats. After visiting the charming little town of Yoshino and its many temples, relax in the many indoor and outdoor hot springs that will help you unwind while providing health benefits.

Seamore - Shirahama

Seamore - Shirahama

This beautiful modern hotel offers 164 Western and Japanese-style rooms on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. You will have an incredible view of the ocean stretching off into the distance as far as the eye can see. The rooms are all elegantly decorated and equipped with tea/coffee service. You can enjoy the many indoor and outdoor hot baths as well as the swimming pool. Do not miss the traditional wooden baths that overlook the sea. A true change of scenery!

Fujiya - Hakone

Fujiya - Hakone

A legendary hotel built in 1878, the 3* Superior Fujiya Hotel welcomes you to its grandiose setting. The outside architectural design mimics the Western style while keeping key elements from Japanese architecture, which creates a breathtaking façade. The rooms are all decorated in a classical yet simple manner and equipped with A/C, television and mini-bar. If you wish to relax, make the most of the hotels many amenities: an indoor swimming pool, an outdoor swimming pool, hot spring baths, a massage parlour and even a greenhouse with a wide variety of plants and flowers, which is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Finally, you have the choice of five restaurants and bars serving delicious Japanese and international cuisine.

Ryokan Nakanoshima - Nakanoshima Island

Ryokan Nakanoshima - Nakanoshima Island

Welcome to the private island of Nakanoshima in the Pacific Ocean, a few nautical miles from the Kumano Peninsula. Have a pleasant, relaxing stay in this beautiful modern ryokan where all the rooms overlook the sea. You can wander around the unspoiled island, which offers wonderful views of the Kumano Peninsula. Make sure you do not miss the many natural and landscaped hot baths from which you can hear the lapping waves of the Pacific.

Nikko Nara - Nara

Nikko Nara - Nara

Located one minute’s walk from JR Nara station, the 4* Nikko Nara Hotel welcomes you to its elegant, refined setting. A ten-minute walk from the town’s most beautiful temples and the park, you will spend a pleasant night in a Western-style room decorated in a simple yet elegant manner. The 330 rooms are all equipped with television, A/C and Internet access. Relax in the indoor hot baths. For dinner, you have the choice of five restaurants serving Japanese and international cuisine .

Bon à savoir

Additional Information

• Hotels and meals

  • If a hotel mentioned in the program is not available, a hotel in a similar category will be booked.
  • The visits mentioned in this program are merely suggestions. Of course, you can allocate your free time as you wish and visit other towns near Tokyo and Kyoto apart from those mentioned in the itinerary.
  • Most of the lunches and dinners in this tour are at your leisure to allow you can appreciate the diversity of Japanese cuisine according to your tastes and wishes. Please note that it is very easy to find food in Japan as there are many little restaurants offering a wide variety of dishes. Furthermore, simple, filling meals are inexpensive. Bon appetit!

• Climate

  • Are you coming to Japan in winter?
    Bring warm clothes as the winter temperatures in Tokyo are similar to those in Paris.
    If you are travelling to the north of Japan in winter, to the west coast or to the Japanese Alps, bring clothes adapted to extreme temperatures since cold winds from Siberia often blow over Japan!
    A real Northern experience!
  • Are you going to Japan in summer?
    Please note that the weather will be very hot and humid! Pack your summer clothes but do not forget to bring an umbrella, especially in June and September, as well as warmer clothes for the cool evenings or for the north of Japan. Do not forget your sunglasses, hats and swimming costumes!
  • Are you going to Japan during the intermediary seasons: spring and autumn?
    Do not hesitate to bring summer clothes (shorts, swimming costumes, T-shirts, light shoes) as well as winter clothes (umbrella, jeans, jumpers, jackets and closed shoes) as the temperatures are mild in the south of Japan but cooler in Tokyo and the north.
  • Are you stopping off in Asia on the way there or on the way back?
    In this case, to avoid standing out in Hong Kong in your ski-suit or winter jacket, pack T-shirts, shorts and light shoes.

• International flights and stopovers in Asia

  Depending on the period of travel, we have purposely calculated our prices with one of the partner airlines mentioned below so that you can always enjoy the best possible prices.
  As soon as you ask us for a quote, we will select the cheapest company by default (depending on your dates of travel).
  However, if you would prefer to fly with a specific partner airline or if you would like to stop over in a specific Asian city (among those mentioned below), please let us know!
  Please note that the price will be adjusted accordingly.

  • Our partner airlines, which offer flights to and from Tokyo and Osaka:

    • Asiana via Seoul
    • Air France (nonstop flights)
    • Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong
    • Eva Air via Taipei
    • Finnair via Helsinki
    • Lufthansa via Frankfurt or Munich

  • Stopovers in Asia, Europe or the Middle-East, base price for 1 night, in a double room :

    • Hong Kong, 3* Hotel + transfers + breakfast : from 45€ (about 37 GBP) per person
    • Seoul, 3* Hotel + transfer + breakfast : from 60€ (about 50 GBP) per person
    • Taiwan, 3* Hotel + transfer + breakfast : from 60€ (about 50 GBP) per person
    • Europe, 3* Hotel + transfer + breakfast : from 90€ (about 74 GBP) per person
  
  

Prix du Voyage