Arrive in Tokyo on suggested flights and transfer to your hotel for check-in (Haneda airport-hotel transfer included in tour price, supplement applies for Narita airport). Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including travel insurance (a condition of travel), accommodation before or after the tour and a room category upgrade.

In the evening, join your tour leader Elizabeth Swane and fellow travellers for welcome drinks at the hotel.

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This morning, depart from Tokyo train station on a train bound for Kyoto (included in tour price). Arrive in the early afternoon in Kyoto, the imperial capital between 794 and 1868 that remains the cultural centre of Japan with its hundreds of temples and gardens.

Visit Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion), a Zen temple at the foot of Kyoto’s eastern mountains. In 1482, shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa built his retirement villa on the grounds of the present-day temple, modelling it after Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion). The villa was converted into a Zen temple after Yoshimasa’s death in 1490. Stroll along the ‘Philosophers Path’, which follows a quiet tree-lined canal connecting Ginkaku-ji to the extensive buildings and grounds of one of the world’s largest Zen temples, Nanzen-ji.

Tonight, enjoy dinner at the hotel’s restaurant.

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This morning, explore the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the former residence of Japan’s imperial family until 1868. The complex, surrounded by a high wall on all sides, is a green sanctuary in the middle of the city with large gravel courtyards and a small pond garden.

Continue to Byodoin temple, popularly known as the “Phoenix Hall” due to its graceful lines and warm colours that give the building the appearance of a majestic bird spreading its wings.

The garden and pond surrounding the temple were designed specifically to evoke an image of the Buddhist Pure Land.

This evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

(BD)

Today, visit Komyo-in Temple, a peaceful sanctuary garden of the dry landscape style, where the interplay of moss, stone and sand evokes a deep sense of tranquility. The garden is renowned for its vibrant display of moss that has earned it the nickname “Rainbow Moss Garden”.

Then, travel south to Nara, Japan’s former capital, and enjoy lunch before exploring the historic Kasugataisha Shrine, famous for its thousands of stone and bronze lanterns, surrounded by the sacred Kasugayama Primeval Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage site.  

Return to Kyoto in the late afternoon.

(BL)

This morning, explore the Daitoku-ji temple complex consisting of nearly two dozen sub-temples. It is one of the best places in Japan to see a wide variety of Zen gardens, such as Daisen-in, a Zen contemplative garden. One part of the garden is an allegory, the other is designed for meditation.

After lunch, visit Tenryu-ji temple, a scenic area at the foot of Kyoto’s western mountains. Established in 1339, this Zen temple has been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has a beautiful landscape garden which features a central pond surrounded by the forested Arashiyama mountains.

Continue to the nearby Arashiyama-Sagano area, known for its scenic beauty, narrow streets, old villas and temple compounds. It was favoured by noble classes 1,200 years ago. Enjoy a walk through the area’s vast bamboo groves before returning to the hotel.

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Depart Kyoto in the morning on the Shinkansen train to Tokyo. Upon arrival in Tokyo, continue by coach to Lake Chuzenji. On the way, enjoy a drive through the historic town of Nikko, admiring the iconic red bridge and Torii gates. Before arriving at the hotel in the late afternoon, stop at the breathtaking Ryuzu Falls, known for its dragon head shape.

(BLD)

Today, spend the day at Ashikaga Flower Park, hosting a spectacular annual wisteria festival. Known as fuji in Japanese, wisterias are said to be Japan’s oldest flowering tree. Considered the world’s finest collection of wisteria, over 350 trees in full bloom dangle from wooden trellises and create mesmerising displays of magnificent wisteria tunnels and arches. Marvel at the riot of colours, from pale red to purple and white, and admire the impressive “Great wisteria”, a 160-year-old wisteria tree.

(BLD)

This morning, depart Lake Chuzneji and travel to the Hitachi Seaside Park, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Every year the park is covered by over 5 million nemophila flowers (baby blue eyes), transforming the fields into a never-ending blue ocean of blooms. The hilly grounds span 3.5 hectares and are almost completely filled with the little blue blossoms.

In the late afternoon, arrive in Tokyo and enjoy dinner at the hotel.

(BLD)

Start today with a visit to the Imperial Palace East Gardens, part of the inner palace. The gardens are the former site of Edo Castle’s innermost circles of defense: the honmaru (main circle) and ninomaru (secondary circle).

Discover Rikugi-en Garden, often considered Tokyo’s most beautiful Japanese landscape garden. Built around 1700 for the 5th Tokugawa Shogun, Rikugi-en literally means “six poems garden” and reproduces in miniature 88 scenes from famous poems.

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After breakfast, travel to Shiofune Kannon-ji, northwest of Tokyo. This vast Buddhist temple complex is renowned for its myriads of azaleas blooming in spring, with gorgeous pathways full of vivid colours zigzagging through the valley.

After lunch, travel back to Tokyo and enjoy the remainder of the afternoon at leisure to further explore the city at your own pace.

(BL)

This morning, visit the Nezu Shrine and explore its gardens with over 3,000 flowers and 100 varieties of azalea in full bloom, as well as stone-paved paths, small ponds and a tea house.

After lunch, wander through Hama Rikyu, a landscape garden once the residence and hunting grounds of a feudal lord in the Edo Period, with several tidal ponds and a tea house.

Next, discover the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum and Gardens, featuring art deco architecture and extensive manicured gardens.

(BLD)

Begin the day with a visit to Koishikawa Kōrakuen Garden, one of Tokyo’s oldest Japanese gardens. This landscape garden houses famous Japanese and Chinese scenes in miniature, dating from the early Edo period.

After lunch, explore Tokyo’s largest and most famous Shinto shrine, Meiji Jingu. Located in an evergreen forest of approximately 70 hectares in the middle of Tokyo, the shrine is dedicated to the divine souls of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken.

Continue to Shinjuku Gyo-en, originally a residence of the Naito family in Japan’s Edo period and now a national park. It features 58 hectares of gardens, ranging from English and French to traditional Japanese garden styles, with nearly 1,100 trees spread throughout the park.

Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner with Elizabeth and fellow travellers.

(BLD)

Tour arrangements conclude with an included transfer to Haneda Airport for suggested flights to Australia or New Zealand (supplement applies to Narita airport). Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including additional nights’ accommodation either before or after the tour, and travel insurance (a condition of travel).

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Note: At time of publication (September 2024), most but not all garden visits were confirmed. Private owners, in particular, are reluctant to commit more than two to three months prior to the visit. Therefore, while we undertake to operate the tour as published, there may be some changes to the itinerary.