A&C Tours Japan

Travel to Osaka by Tuesday July 22nd, 2024.

Arrive at Kansai International Airport (KIX) by own arrangements.

Craig will meet you at the airport (flights arriving between 08:00 and 19:00) and assist you with the transfer to your hotel in central Kyoto.

Once you have checked in to your hotel you will have free time to relax, or enjoy some local sightseeing, shopping, dinner, etc.

Spend the day taking in the sights of this traditional city in the middle of summer. We will visit historic Nijo Castle, enjoy lunch at bustling Nishiki Market, walk through the classical streets of Ponto-cho and Gion (Geisha District) and enjoy all the excitement of the Gion Festival (Yoiyama).

Our first stop on our full day tour of Kyoto is Nijo Castle. This historic castle was first constructed in 1603, and was the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867). The castle's buildings are widely considered to be the best surviving examples of castle palace architecture from Japan's feudal era.

After enjoying lunch at Kyoto's most famous market (Nishiki Market), we will take a stroll through the beautiful streets of Ponto-cho and Gion, Kyoto's world famous Geisha District. If we are lucky we might even get to see a real geisha as we explore the streets of this historic district.

We end the day by joining the crowds to enjoy all the excitement of the Gion Festival (Yoiyama). See the magnificent festival floats close up, buy good luck charms, and enjoy delicious local street food. You can even join the locals in wearing a colorful yukata and soak up the atmosphere of one of Japan's most famous festivals!

Today is double festival day! First we will enjoy one of Gion Festival's main processions (Yamaboko Junko). Elaborately decorated floats weighing up to 12 tonnes are paraded through downtown Kyoto from 9am to 2pm. These magnificent festival floats are decorated with exquisite woven fabrics, dyed textiles and sculptures, and are often referred to as "mobile art museums".

Next we will enjoy a leisurely stroll along the banks of beautiful Kamogawa River to our next destination, mystical Shimogamo Shrine. This historic Shinto shrine predates Kyoto's establishment as national capital in 794 A.D., and is one of 17 UNESCO World Heritage listed sites in Kyoto. Shimogamo Shrine is surrounded by a beautiful forest which was preserved during the modernization of the city and contains trees that are well over 600 years old.

For more than a thousand years the Mitarashi Festival has been held here every year in midsummer. During this festival people purify themselves by soaking their feet in the cool water of Mitarashi Pond and drinking holy water that has been blessed by the shrine's Shinto priests. You can even buy special fortune slips that only reveal your fortune when they are dipped into water.

​At night we will enjoy a lovely welcome dinner together at a local izakaya (Japanese-style restaurant/bar).

Today we will enjoy a day trip to Japan's second largest city, Osaka.

We will spend the morning at the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, explore "downtown" Osaka in the afternoon, and enjoy all the excitement of the historic Tenjin Festival at night.

Our first stop is the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. This aquarium is the largest in the world, and is one of only a few aquariums that keeps whale sharks in captivity. In addition to the majestic whale sharks, you can also see a wide variety of other sea life, including sea turtles, sharks, and dolphins.

After lunch we will walk along Midosuji Avenue, Osaka's main shopping street. We will start in Namba and walk all the way down this bustling shopping arcade to Shinsaibashi, crossing over the famous Ebisubashi Bridge on the way.

In the evening we will experience all the excitement of the Tenjin Festival.


The Tenjin Festival of Osaka started in the 10th century, and is ranked as one of Japan’s top three festivals. It is held every year on July 24th and 25th, with literally millions of people flocking to see the land procession from Tenmangu Shrine through the streets of Osaka. In addition to this spectacular land procession, there is also an amazing river procession in which festival members and portable shrines are loaded onto boats and paraded up and down the Okawa River in downtown Osaka. The evening ends with a spectacular fireworks display along the banks of the river!

Travel from Kyoto to Tokyo by shinkansen passing by Mt. Fuji on the way.

Today you will get your first taste at riding on the world famous shinkansen (Japanese bullet train). Enjoy the beautiful Japanese countryside as we travel north from Kyoto to Tokyo passing by spectacular Mt. Fuji on the way. Running at speeds of up to 320 km/h, the shinkansen is well known for its punctuality, comfort, safety, and efficiency.

Once we arrive in Tokyo we will visit two of this amazing city's most famous and iconic places, Meiji Shrine and Shibuya.

Our first stop is Meiji Shrine, one of Tokyo's most famous Shinto shrines. It was built to enshrine the spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife Empress Shoken in 1920. Unlike many other flashy places of worship throughout Asia, Meiji Shrine is a quiet, serene place of worship surrounded by a dense forest of over 120,000 trees. Similar to Central Park in New York City, Meiji Shrine and its surrounding grounds are like a natural oasis in the middle of a concrete jungle. To end our half day tour of Tokyo we will visit perhaps its most popular shopping and entertainment district - Shibuya. Here you will have the chance to cross the world famous Scramble Crossing. This crossing is the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing, with as many as 2500 people crossing at a time.​

Enjoy a full day tour of Tokyo, taking in both the old and the new of one of the largest cities in the world.

First we will visit the old downtown area of Tokyo (Asakusa), where we will walk down the famous Nakamise Shopping Street to the Asakusa Kannon Temple (otherwise known as Sensoji Temple), the oldest and most visited Buddhist temple in Tokyo.

Next we will visit two of the most modern places in Tokyo, the Tokyo Sky Tree and Odaiba. The Tokyo Sky Tree was completed in 2012, and is the tallest building in Japan. We will go to the first observation deck (350 m) to

enjoy spectacular views of the Tokyo metropolis and Mt. Fuji.

We will finish the day by going to Odaiba, an ultramodern area on Tokyo Bay. Here you can enjoy pleasure cruising, shopping, and spectacular views of Rainbow Bridge, Tokyo Bay, and the Tokyo skyline.​

​Travel to from Tokyo to Sendai by shinkansen.

Once we arrive in Sendai we will make the short trip out to beautiful Matsushima Bay where will start by enjoying a relaxing cruise around this breathtaking bay. Matsushima Bay is dotted with hundreds of pine clad islets, and has been ranked as one of Japan’s three most scenic views for centuries. After enjoying the beauty of Matsushima Bay from the water, we will then walk across to Oshima Island and explore ancient caves and temples.

Enjoy a day trip to the historic samurai town of Kakunodate.

Kakunodate is a former castle town and samurai stronghold located in Akita Prefecture. It is famous for its hundreds of beautiful weeping cherry blossom tress and its well-preserved samurai district, which is widely considered to be one of the best examples of samurai architecture and housing in all of Japan. Kakunodate's samurai district was once home to more than 80 samurai families, and today six former samurai houses are open to the public for visitors to see just how wealthy samurai families used to lived in Japan.​

Travel from Sendai to Hachinohe by shinkansen and private vehicle.

After we arrive in Hachinohe we will visit the historic Ne Castle and then enjoy a relaxing drive along the beautiful Tanesashi Coast.

Ne Castle was originally built by Lord Moroyuki Nanbu in 1334, and remained a stronghold in the region for approximately 300 years until it was abandoned in 1627. The entire site of Ne Castle was proclaimed a National Historic Site in 1941, and extensive archaeological investigations in 1993/94 uncovered the foundations of original structures and many valuable artifacts. In 2006 Ne Castle was listed as one of the 100 Fine Castles of Japan by the Japan Castle Foundation. This castle really is a hidden gem!

In the afternoon we will enjoy a leisurely drive along the Tanesashi coastline stopping at places of interest along the way. Tanesashi Coast is the entrance to the Sanriku Fukko National Park and is famous for its dynamic scenery, soft sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs and windswept pine groves.

Enjoy a day trip to the beautiful Oirase Gorge and Lake Towada during the day, and experience all the excitement of the Sansha Taisai Festival at night.

Today we will journey deep into the amazing Oirase Gorge.

The Oirase Gorge in Aomori Prefecture is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful river valleys in all of Japan. Its crystal clear mountain stream, picturesque waterfalls and rapids, and magnificent natural surroundings make it a must see when visiting northern Japan. This beautiful gorge runs for more than 14 kilometers between Yakeyama at the foot of Mt. Hakkoda and Nenokuchi on the shore of Lake Towada. Many of the waterfalls and

rapids have been given some rather interesting names, including the Two Dragon Waterfall, the Happy Marriage Waterfall, the Nine Stairs Waterfall, and the White Silk Waterfall. At this time of the year the trees that line the crystal clear river are covered in fresh green leaves. This is natural Japan at its very best!

In the evening we will experience all the excitement of the amazing Sansha Taisai Festival, the largest and most famous festival in the Hachinohe region. This spectacular festival has a history of almost 300 years, and is held over five days every year from July 31st to August 4th. Registered as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, the Hachinohe Sansha Taisai Festival captivates visitors with 27 magnificent ornate floats, a procession of portable shrines (omikoshi), and a beautiful tiger dance (toramai).

Travel from Hachinohe to Hakodate by shinkansen.

Once we arrive in Hakodate we will travel through the streets of this beautiful port city by streetcar until we reach the historic Goryokaku Fort. This massive, star shaped, western style fort was built approximately 150 years ago and was the first of its kind in Japan. It is now designated as a special historic site due to its historical significance.

To top off the day we will celebrate the start of the Hakodate Minato Festival by enjoying a spectacular fireworks display in Hakodate Harbor. This amazing fireworks display is the largest of its kind in Hokkaido, and lights up the sky with thousands of fireworks for more than an hour. The reflection of the fireworks on the water in Hakodate Harbor is truly an unforgettable sight!

Visit Hakodate's famous Morning Market and Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse in the morning, and then enjoy the largest summer event in Hakodate, the Hakodate Minato Festival in the evening.

The Morning Market and Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse are two of Hakodate's must-see places. See the rich history and culture of this vibrant port city first hand as we walk through one of Hokkaido's largest markets and historic red brick warehouses.

In the evening we will join the Hakodate Minato Festival. This unique festival includes wonderful parades which involve over 20,000 participants. We will see women dressed in beautiful kimono perform traditional Hakodate dances, such as the Hakodate Port Dance, the Yosakoi Dance, and the Squid Dance. The Squid Dance is easy to remember and spectators are eagerly encouraged to join the parade and dance it together.

Travel from Hakodate to Aomori by shinkansen.

Once we arrive in Aomori we will head to the center of the city to visit the Nebuta Festival Museum and learn all about the history and charm of this amazing festival. At the museum you can experience every aspect of the festival, including four full-sized floats that participated in the previous year's festival, and Nebuta Faces that show the individuality of their respective creators.

At night we will experience all the excitement of the amazing Nebuta Festival. The Nebuta Festival is the largest Tanabata related festival in Japan. Every year more than three million visitors gather for the festivities. The highlight of the festival is the daily parade of enormous lantern floats flanked by large taiko drums, musicians, and dancers. Local teams build the festival's two dozen or so floats, which are constructed of painted washi paper over a wire frame and take an entire year to design and construct. They can be up to nine meters wide and five meters tall. Every night during the festival these huge floats are wheeled out onto the streets of downtown Aomori for a spectacular parade. Participation in the parade is encouraged, and people come from all around to join in the dancing. The only requirement is that you wear the traditional dancing costume that can be bought at local grocery stores and shops around the prefecture for about ¥7000 or rented from rental shops for about ¥4000.

Travel from Aomori to Tokyo by shinkansen.

Once we arrive in Tokyo you will have some free time to relax or explore the largest metropolis in the world in your own way.​​

At night we will enjoy a lovely farewell dinner together at a local izakaya (Japanese-style restaurant/bar).