Japan: Path of Enlightenment
10 days & 9 nights, Private JourneyTokyo, Ise Shima, Koya-San, Kyoto & Osaka
Experience firsthand the influence that Zen Buddhism has had on the culture of Japan. Explore Tokyo's shrines and temples, then venture to the ruggedly beautiful Shima Peninsula. Stay overnight at a Buddhist lodge when you head up to Mount Koya. In Kyoto, savor a tea ceremony with a tea master, learn the basics of Zen meditation, and take a stroll on the Philosopher's Path before traveling to Osaka to explore its renowned culinary scene.
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Day 1Arrive Tokyo
Upon arrival in Tokyo, you will be welcomed by your Cox & Kings representative and escorted to your hotel.
Elite: The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo
Preferred: Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills - 2 Nights -
Day 2Tokyo
Begin your exploration of Tokyo by visiting the grand Meiji Shrine. Visit Sensoji, Tokyo's oldest temple, and wander down Nakamise where for generations this street has been providing temple visitors with snacks and souvenirs. In the afternoon, visit the Edo Period Hamarikyu Gardens.
Elite: The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo
Preferred: Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills (B) -
Day 3To Ise Shima
After breakfast this morning, you will be met and be escorted to the train station in time to board the JR bullet train to Nagoya. Upon arrival, meet your guide who will escort you to your hotel.
Elite: Amanemu
Preferred: Shima Kanko hotel - 2 Nights (B) -
Day 4Ise Shima
Spend the day immersed in the beautiful landscapes of the Ise Peninsula. Marvel at the Wedded Rocks, two sea stacks joined by a rope woven of rice straw, and explore the sacred Shinto site of Ise Grand Shrine. Visit the Pearl Museum on Mikimoto Island, headquarters of the Mikimoto cultured pearl company.
Elite: Amanemu
Preferred: Shima Kanko hotel (B) -
Day 5To Koya-san
After breakfast, travel to holy Mount Koya (Koyasan) by road. Mount Koya is the center of Shingon Buddhism, an important Buddhist sect introduced to Japan in the year 805. Tonight, you will be staying at a shukubo (Japanese temple lodging) where your hosts will serve dinner consisting of traditional vegetarian Buddhist cuisine.
Buddhist Lodge - 1 Night (B, D) -
Day 6To Kyoto
This morning enjoy walking throughout the mountain temples and later meet with your driver who will accompany you to Nara to explore what was Japan's capital back in the 8th century, continuing on to Kyoto and your hotel.
Elite: The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto
Preferred: Hyatt Regency, Kyoto - 3 Nights (B) -
Day 7Kyoto
Enjoy a full day of enlightenment, including a tea ceremony with an expert tea master. Visit a Zen temple to learn the basics of zazen, the same sitting meditation that led the Buddha to enlightenment. Continue through the sprawling Maruyama Park to the 13th-century Chion-in Temple. Situated close by is the Yasaka Shrine, which has long been associated with the geisha community.
Elite: The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto
Preferred: Hyatt Regency, Kyoto (B) -
Day 8Kyoto
This morning, embark upon the mile-long Philosopher's Path, which follows a canal lined with hundreds of cherry trees that philosophers and priests have strolled throughout the ages. Continue to the Nanzenji Temple and end your morning at the Museum of Traditional Crafts.
Elite: The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto
Preferred: Hyatt Regency, Kyoto (B) -
Day 9To Osaka
Rise early for the unforgettable experience of witnessing the monks chanting their morning prayers. Depart for Osaka, the country's culinary capital whose motto is Kuidaore, which translates to "eat until you drop." Explore the foodie scene as you sample local delicacies while wandering around the Dotonbori district.
Elite: The St. Regis Osaka
Preferred: InterContinental Osaka - 1 Night (B) -
Day 10Depart Osaka
Today, you will be escorted to the airport in Osaka for your onward flight.
(B)