Itinerary - Japan 360° Collection

Round trip flights are not included in the package, so you can choose from where and when you want to fly. This is to give you maximum freedom of choice!

Check-in at the hotel in Tokyo. In this early afternoon we take it easy - after all we have to recover from the many hours of flying! We then decide where to eat for our first dinner - obviously we find the most typical place there is!

Let's leave very soon and let our adventure begin! The journey begins with a dive into the culture and history of Japan . The first stop of the journey is Kamakura , an imperial city and one of the first capitals of this country. The signs of this past are still clearly evident in the perfectly preserved temples and imposing palaces . The story of the Great Buddha is interesting, a majestic statue that resisted the passage of a tsunami that completely destroyed the temple around it! It is also one of the few Buddha statues that can be visited inside - will we go inside? Of course yes.

Tonight we relax our muscles and empty our mind... At sunset we return to Tokyo to immerse ourselves in the greenery and peace of Ueno Park . It is one of the most important city parks in the city due to the numerous small temples found within it . The most famous of all is the Gojo Tenjinsha, a Shinto temple that can be reached by passing through a small path made of beautiful red bulls. But let's remember that the culture of a country can also be seen in its food! For dinner we get lost among the colorful streets of the Ameyoko Market , which starts directly from the park. What will whet your appetite? We suggest one of the many izakaya, the Japanese version of our pubs, where you can drink local beer and eat a bit of everything including skewers and various tastings.

Even today the departure is scheduled for early in the morning... destination Kyoto ! We will travel aboard the famous "bullet trains" of the Japanese railway network which can reach speeds of up to 400 km/h. Will they be more punctual than ours? We bet so - we sit back and enjoy the landscape whizzing by outside the windows, crossing our fingers that the weather will be kind: we will pass very close to Mount Fuji ... we hope to see its perpetually snow-capped peak!

In the early afternoon we arrive in Kyoto: objectively the most beautiful city in Japan. Getting lost in the narrow streets of the center is part of the magic, particularly in the Kawaramachi area , renowned for the numerous shops and restaurants that populate it. A must is to walk among the stalls of the Nishiki Market where we can taste the delicacies of Japanese cuisine , from the freshest fish to be eaten standing up, to the desserts, the particular varieties of tea and rice and soy-based products. With the arrival of the evening, we move towards the Gion district : among the streets of this area it is possible to see geishas walking , but only towards sunset... will we be able to take some photos?

Kyoto is the city that best represents Japan and that most refers to its imagery of geishas, temples and good food. We can be fascinated by 17 UNESCO sites and over 700 Shinto temples ... but don't worry, we only visit a few! Unmissable: the Fushimi Inari Shrine , where we can walk among the red bulls immersed in a grove, and the Kiyomizu-dera temple , one of the most iconic in the whole country, where we can also play "games" and drink the water of what appears to be a sacred spring... will it cure all our ills?

After lunch we visit Kinkaku-ji (golden temple), one of the most important symbols of Kyoto. This temple is in fact covered with an enormous gold leaf, which, thanks to the sunlight, creates a particular reflection on the pond. For the Japanese, gold is a symbol of purification from any type of pollution or negative thoughts. After visiting the surroundings of Kyoto, the time has finally come to immerse ourselves in Japanese culture. We put on the kimono, take a seat on the tatami and finally the traditional tea ceremony begins. A tea master will show us all the secrets to making the perfect matcha and then we'll get our hands dirty and try it ourselves!

We spend our morning in Arashiyama , a neighborhood famous for its bamboo forest , film set of the very famous film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". The Togetsukyo Bridge introduces us to this enchanted place, made up of numerous temples, including the Tenryuji Temple , one of the five great Zen temples of Kyoto. The best time to come here is certainly early in the morning, because the peace you can breathe at this time is unparalleled. Will we be able to see the monks wandering among the tall bamboos?

Kyoto is the cradle not only of culture, but also of craftsmanship and Japanese "good living". Everyone has the freedom to choose how to spend the afternoon : shopping, relaxing in an onsen (typical Japanese spa) or temples... stories at dinner! It is useless to specify which option we prefer... obviously, the temples!

After three hours of "bullet train" we will find ourselves at the port of Miyajimaguchi . As soon as we arrive we will take a comfortable ferry which in 10 minutes will take us to the spiritual " island of sanctuaries ", famous for its gigantic bulls overlooking the water . Here we will be able to enjoy the peace of this island, its Momijidani park and its Daisho-in Buddhist temple. After this intense morning, we go and have a nice feast of oysters and then taste the typical dessert of the area, made up of red beans, honey, eggs, sugar and wheat flour.

August 6, 1945: The city of Hiroshima is destroyed by the first man-made nuclear bomb. What remains of the city is practically just a building, part of Memorial Park , which we will visit in the afternoon: an experience that touches the soul deeply. We may have the opportunity to be accompanied by veterans or relatives of veterans who as volunteers tell this dark page of history: certainly the best way to discover the past of this city. After the busy day it's time to enjoy a typical Japanese dinner all together.

In the morning we move to Himeji , a town famous above all for its imposing castle . Built more than four hundred years ago and fortunately remained unharmed during the bombings suffered during the Second World War, it has the characteristic pagoda roofs , and soars proudly towards the sky. And today too it will be like being in a movie!

The third largest city in Japan by population, is it true what they say about Osaka - that it is the most fun city in Japan and with the least social restraints ? The best way to find out is to tour it all and experience it to the full. Besides the fun, this city is famous throughout the country as the home of Japanese cuisine . Among the many dishes you can enjoy there is also okonomiyaki , a very particular pancake... and we certainly can't help but try it! We then go to work off the delicacies by visiting Osaka Castle (Osaka-Jo), built by one hundred thousand men, and its historic district.

Nara is the first historical capital of Japan , a relatively small city that we can visit in a day. Over 1200 deer live freely within Nara-koen, considered messengers of the gods and therefore protected as a National Heritage Site. In addition to the park, we will be able to visit the Daibatsu-den, the largest wooden building in the world inside which the Great Buddha of over 17 meters can be seen. The list of points of interest, however, is much broader: the Kofukuji Temple , the House of National Treasure, the Kasuga Great Shrine , the famous Shinto shrine in Japan, the Horyuji Temple , the oldest in the country, and the Todaiji Temple , which houses the most famous of the city's monuments: the Great Buddha of Nara. A week wouldn't be enough to visit them all, so the choice is ours!

We leave very early with a super fast train and in less than three hours we reach Tokyo ! We find ourselves in a megalopolis with a thousand faces, each neighborhood has its own precise identity and we will try to see as much of it as possible. We start from Asukasa , the heart of ancient Tokyo : here we can immerse ourselves in the historical culture of the city. We start from the Senso-ji temple with its five-story pagoda and then the colorful stalls and small craft shops. To top it off, we make a wish with an omikuji , the Japanese lucky ticket.

After lunch we move to the Ueno area . This is the "popular" neighborhood of Tokyo, an immense park that houses museums, temples, shrines and a zoo. During the flowering months , an extra touch of charm is given by the numerous people who gather to eat and drink under the cherry trees. Among other things, if we like, we can also take a quiet ride in a rowing boat and enjoy the landscape. With a walk in the Yanaka neighborhood, which remained intact as one of the few areas not to have suffered bombing during the Second World War, we will return to Shinjuku to have dinner and perhaps join some "locals" for a laugh in one of the many bars in the area. area.

We are in the street fashion district of Tokyo . Here the most absurd trends and fashions are born such as that of the Gothic Lolita and the Ganguro - will we also find the courage to try a completely new look? For sure, we are in the right place to do it. We are then ready to admire Yoyogi park ; the Meiji-Jingu , a Shinto temple dedicated to the Emperor and Takeshita-dori, a street full of shops, the perfect place for shopping lovers! After lunch we will move to the Shibuya area , a lively neighborhood full of people, in the true sense of the word. In fact, it is no coincidence that here is the most famous intersection in the world with the busiest pedestrian crossing.

It seems impossible, but we are just at the end of this incredible journey to discover Japan. How can we end on a high note, if not with a dinner together? However, it doesn't end here: there is one activity that is still missing, and we cannot leave Japan without having done it at least once. We are obviously talking about karaoke : let's warm up our voices, let's sing!

Unfortunately, the time has come to return home: we are certainly richer in heart and spirit, see you at the next WeRoad!