JUNE 1 to 10, 2019

TOKYO · KYOTO · MOUNT KOYA · OSAKA

From $9980

One of the first thing that travelers notice about Japan is its appreciation of beauty, quality, and attention to detail.  This is particularly evident at hotels and restaurants, and it is interesting to note that Tokyo has more Michelin star restaurants than any other city in the world.  They believe that food tastes better when it is attractive, and we think they are right.  Also, when you buy items at a store, you will be amazed at how beautifully your purchases are wrapped.  Great care is given to even the simplest of things.

Zoom Vacations' tour of Japan starts out in vibrant, ultra-modern Tokyo, Famous for its cutting edge, neon-lit landscape and towering skyscrapers.  Yet, we will also show you that this is a city of contrasts, and ancient temples and beautiful parkland do a certain dance with its towering buildings and modern infrastructure. 

In, Kyoto, there is still this old world feel, and at times it is easy to imagine oneself in the movie, "Memoirs of a Geisha".  It is a very traditional city, and it is common to see many women dressed in kimonos.  It is a must-do for any traveler to Japan, and it is a place that many come back to time and again.

Mount Koya is a small, secluded Buddhist temple town, first settled in 816.  Koyasan is one of the best places in the world to experience an overnight stay at a temple where you can experience a monk's lifestyle, eating vegetarian monk's cuisine and attending the morning prayers.  If you like experiential travel that immerses you in local custom and history, this may be one of the most interesting and rewarding places you have ever visited.

The people of Japan tend to be a little more formal, until you have a couple glasses of sake with them.  In general, they are incredibly kind, friendly, and full of surprises.  The same shy person you meet earlier in the day may be later seen entertaining friends with funny stories or dancing the night away at a local club.

Plus, ask about our pre add-on excursion to Hakone, and post excursions to Yudanaka, Obuse, Kanazawa, and Takayama!

Package Highlights:

• Fully escorted with the services of a Zoom Vacations® Concierge throughout the trip

• Accommodations at several of the best hotels in Japan

• A unique welcome event in a special location

• Breakfast daily

• Guided visit to Meiji Shrine in Tokyo

• Tour Tokyo's Omotesando shopping street

• Visit Tokyo's Old Town, including Sensoji, Tokyo’s oldest temple

• Take a boat cruise on the Sumida River passing under 12 bridges

• Enjoy steaming matcha and Japanese sweetsat a tea house in Hamarikyu garden

• Take Japan’s world famous Shinkansen bullet train to Kyoto

• Try your hand at Origami 

• Visit the stunning and picturesque Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion)

• Tour the ancient cemetery at Mt. Koya

• Overnight in a Buddhist Temple and see first hand he monks' daily life

• Witness the monks chanting their morning prayers

• Receive your own special blessing from a Buddhist monk

• Enjoy a delicious shojin ryori, traditional Buddhist cuisine

• Visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates

• Explore the Bamboo forest, seen in Memoirs of a Geisha

• Guided tour of Nijō Castle, a flatland castle in Kyoto, Japan

• Enjoy a night out in the Geisha District

• Enjoy a gourmet farewell dinner at one of Osaka's best venues

• All airport transfers 

Space is limited. Call us today to book this tour:  773.772.9666.

Gay Friendly, Luxury Accommodations

The Conrad - Tokyo

Overlooking the Hamarikyu Gardens and Tokyo Bay, this elegant, sleek, sophisticated hotel is the model of modern Tokyo.  Enjoy panoramic views from your luxury suite.  The Conrad Tokyo has received the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence five years in a row.

Hyatt Regency - Kyoto

This hotel is the modern face of Kyoto’s hotel scene. Designed by the Japanese design firm, Super Potato, they combine sleek, understated, contemporary interiors with traditional Japanese design elements and all the usual amenities one would expect to find in a luxury hotel. With highly rated Japanese, French, and Italian restaurants, it knows how to serve the inner foodie in everyone. 

Monastery

Koyasan is also one of the best places to experience an overnight stay at a temple lodging (shukubo) where you can get a taste of a monk's lifestyle, eating vegetarian monk's cuisine (shojin ryori) and attending the morning prayers. Around fifty temples offer this service to both pilgrims and visitors. Temple lodgings, known as shukubo, are popular accommodations among overseas visitors in Koyasan. In the past, they were only for monks who engaged in ascetic practices in Koyasan. Then, temples started to allow pilgrims to stay at temples. Now Japanese tourists can stay at temple lodgings, as well foreign visitors. Currently, they provide visitors with equipments such as towels, toothbrush and yukata.

Ritz Carlton - Osaka

Pass through the Gateway of Western Japan and marvel at ancient traditions and accents that punctuate the ultra-modern landscape. The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka business hotel is a place of elegant serenity and ease, yet is perfectly placed amidst the bustling activity of the city's center. Situated in the heart of the prestigious Nishi-Umeda business and shopping district and as one of the hotels near Osaka Station, The Ritz-Carlton features a wide range of amenities and services to make your stay an unforgettable experience. 

Air: International and domestic airfare not included.

Passports: Your valid passport should have at least two blank visa pages and should be valid for at least six months after your planned departure from the country you are visiting. 
Note: Passport pages titled "Endorsement Pages" are not visa pages.

While Zoom Vacations will assist when possible, please note that passport, visa, and vaccination requirements vary from country to country and are the sole responsibility of the traveler. If you are a US resident, you may click here for more information on passport, visa, and vaccination requirements for various countries.

*Land only Introductory rate, based on double occupancy. Prices are subject to change. Need a roommate? Zoom Vacations® is happy to match you with someone, at no additional charge. Or, you may pay a single supplement and go as a single.

Please read Terms and Conditions prior to booking.

For more information on entry and exit requirements, see here.