Evening: Depart on overnight flights from the USA.

Note: Allow 2 hours for a road transfer from Narita Airport to the hotel. If using rail or arriving independently, take a 55 minute journey on the Narita Express, a 7 minute walk through Tokyo station with luggage, and a 3 minute walk to the hotel.

Afternoon: Arrivals at Narita Airport, Tokyo's international airport. Transfer to central Tokyo.

Dinner: Program orientation and welcome during your first meal of the program.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Yaesu Terminal Hotel

Meals Included: Dinner

Note: 2.5 mile walk from Nihonbashi through the grounds of the Imperial Palace East gardens and Yasukuni Shrine. In the afternoon, a 30-minute transfer is followed by an approximately 0.5 mile walk around the Edo Tokyo Museum. The return journey to the vicinity of the hotel is 20 minutes via public transport and walking.

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Begin with a walking exploration of the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo with your Study Leader. Edo, as Tokyo used to be known in the feudal period, was the de facto political and military centre of Japan. Nihonbashi was Edo’s heart, with the five main highways of Japan, terminating here. Continue walking to the nearby Imperial Palace Gardens, on the site of the Shogun’s castle, then on through stimulating Yasukuni Shrine as far as Iidabashi.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: A guided visit to the excellent Edo-Tokyo Museum, which describes well the built environment and life from the Edo period through to post-war Tokyo. For the energetic, carry on to Ginza, once the site of the shogun's treasury and now the premier shopping district of Japan. Ginza has a plethora of upmarket and smaller shops to browse through before returning to our hotel.

Dinner: In a lively izakaya restaurant, a popular choice for most Japanese. The large and varied menu caters to everyone's tastes.

Evening: At leisure

Lodging: Yaesu Terminal Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Approximately 2.5 miles of gentle strolling and 1hr of assorted rail and subway transfers enable us to explore Tokyo today.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Transfer to the charming neighbourhood of Yanaka. A quiet quarter with winding streets and narrow alleyways, local shops and an intimate feel, Yanaka provides perhaps the closest approximation to how life once was in downtown Edo through to the pre-war years of Tokyo. From here we stroll on to Ueno Park before transferring to Asakusa. This area has long been famous for its Senso-ji temple, which we visit together.

Lunch: Your choice to explore local fare - your leaders will advise.

Afternoon: Free time to explore the surrounding streets that provide a sense of the local culture still connected to its Edo and early Tokyo roots. It is a straightforward journey on the Ginza line back to the vicinity of the hotel.

Dinner: With help from your Study Leader, choose from a variety of local and international eateries.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Yaesu Terminal Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

Note: 30 minute public transport transfer to Tsukiji fish market, followed by 1 mile stroll around the expansive precincts. Walk 20 mins to Shinbashi station and travel approximately 2 hour return journey (one hour each way) by train to Kamakura. 1.5 miles walking while exploring the attractions of Kamakura.

Breakfast: Before exploring the fish market, enjoy a sushi breakfast of the freshest produce available anywhere in the city.

Morning: After breakfast (Market is now open from 0900), observe the intricacies of buying and selling of one of Japan's most important commodities during a morning visit to the world-famous Tsukiji fish market. Continue on by rail to Kamakura, the first Samurai capital of Japan, founded by the Minamoto Clan.

Lunch: Your choice to explore local fare - your leaders will advise.

Afternoon: View the Daibutsu, one of Japan's most famous Buddha statues and spend some time soaking up the serene atmosphere. On our return journey, we visit Hase-dera Temple, with an impressive view over Kamakura Bay, and take a short ride on the narrow-gauge Enoden Railway, weaving its way through Kamakura’s suburbs and along the coast, before returning to Tokyo.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Yaesu Terminal Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Note: Approximately 3 hours by rail to Ena and the Hiroshige Print Museum. 40 minutes by coach from Ena to Tsumago. Approximately 1 mile walking around the village of Tsumago. Optional 3 mile (1.5hr) walk on trails from Magome Pass to Tsumago. Approximately 1 hour onward journey to Kiso-Fukushima. Sleep on traditional futons on tatami mats on the floor.

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Set off in the early morning by train, including Shinkansen Bullet train, to the picturesque Kiso Valley and the Nakasendo Way. Learn about the woodblock printing process at the Hiroshige Print Museum, then try your hand at producing your own. These iconic prints give great insight into the daily life of Edo-period Japan, particularly along the Nakasendo Way.

Lunch: Your choice to explore local fare while experiencing the novelty of a Japanese supermarket.

Afternoon: Continue by coach to Tsumago, a picturesque old post town and probably the most famous in Japan. Explore the workings of a traditional high-class inn and visit the local history museum. Prior to this, an optional 3 mile (1.5hr) walk along the old Nakasendo from the Magome Pass to Tsumago, for those so inclined, while others can enjoy exploring Tsumago. Onward travel to Kiso-Fukushima and our lodgings. Immerse yourself fully in Japanese culture, at an excellent modern Japanese inn with onsen hot spring baths

Dinner: Traditional Japanese-style dinner at the ryokan.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Ryokan Iwaya

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Note: 20 minute local bus journey to our cookery workshop, followed by another 20 minute bus journey after lunch back to Kiso Fukushima. Approximately 1 mile walking around historic Kiso-Fukushima.

Breakfast: Traditional Japanese-style breakfast in the ryokan.

Morning: Roll up your sleeves and learn how buckwheat soba noodles, a local specialty are made by hand.

Lunch: Enjoy the noodles you have made.

Afternoon: Return to Kiso-Fukushima and visit the Edo-period Barrier Station. Learn more about travel under the watchful eye of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Dinner: Traditional Japanese-style dinner at the ryokan.

Evening: An after-dinner lecture on the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Lodging: Ryokan Iwaya

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Approximately 1.5 hour coach or rail journey from Kiso-Fukushima to Matsumoto. Total 1.5 mile walking to explore Matsumoto Castle and its surrounds. Drive 2.5 hours by coach through the mountains from Matsumoto to Takayama.

Breakfast: Traditional Japanese-style breakfast in the ryokan.

Morning: Travel by coach to the city of Matsumoto for a visit to the city's castle. The keep of Matsumoto Castle, an impressive and imposing structure, is an original structure dating back to the late 16th Century and it is one of only four in Japan to be designated a National Treasure. Learn insights into the establishment and importance of castle towns under the Tokugawa Shogunate. Delve into the facts versus myth surrounding the Samurai.

Lunch: Learn about miso production and enjoy a delicious lunch at a traditional manufacturer of this tasty Japanese essential foodstuff.

Afternoon: Continue by coach through the spectacular mountains of Japan’s Central Alps to the town of Takayama.

Dinner: At the hotel, featuring a specialty of Takayama: Hida beef.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Takayama Ouan

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Leisurely walking of approximately 2 miles around the sights of Takayama. 3 hour rail transfer to Kyoto, arriving in the early evening.

Breakfast: Western and Japanese buffet in the hotel.

Morning: Explore Takayama, a charming, small mountain town. Its streets are lined with Edo-period shops and houses. Largely isolated by the surrounding mountains, Takayama fiercely protected it's independence under pressure from the Shogunate, which eventually had to resort to direct rule. Through a visit to the historic Jinya, the Shogunate’s local headquarters, gain insights into Takayama's proud history and daily life in the provinces. Following this, learn how another of Takayama’s famed products, sake, is produced during a visit and tasting at a brewery.

Lunch: Your choice to explore local fare.

Afternoon: Time for independent exploration before departing by rail to Kyoto in the mid-afternoon.

Dinner: A slightly later dinner than usual, taken at or nearby the hotel following our arrival in Kyoto

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Hotel Gimmond

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Note: A combination of public transport, private-hire vehicles and leisurely walking of 3-4 miles to enjoy the important attractions of Kyoto.

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Discover Kyoto's icons, that form much of the heart of Japan’s history and culture. Visit Kinkaku-ji temple (Golden Pavilion) and the fabulous Zen gardens at Ryoan-ji temple. The Golden Pavilion, probably the most recognizable structure in Japan, was built by 3rd Ashikaga Shogun Yoshimitsu as a lavish retirement villa.

Lunch: Your choice to explore local fare.

Afternoon: Free time to explore independently.

Dinner: Your choice among Kyoto’s abundant, small restaurants. Your Study Leader will provide suggestions.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Hotel Gimmond

Meals Included: Breakfast

Note: This is a busy day that includes 2.5 miles of walking in the morning, assisted by short transfers on public transportation. In the afternoon, sit on either tatami mats or small chairs on the floor while participating in the tea ceremony. The after-dinner walk is 1 mile and finishes at the hotel. Note that space is limited at the tea room, and that large groups will be split into two, reversing the daily itinerary.

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Continue to delve into Kyoto's history and culture. First, a visit Nijo-jo castle, the only Shogun residence still in existence, for a chance to learn about the daily life at the Shogun's court. Continue to Daitoku-ji temple complex, associated with the ultimate master of the tea ceremony; Sen-no-rikyu.

Lunch: At a Shojin Ryori, or temple vegetarian restaurant located by the 56-acre Daitoku-ji temple complex.

Afternoon: To round off the main theme of today, experience the Tea Ceremony in the informative and enthralling company of a Tea Master. Delve into the ceremony, a delightful and deeply meaningful practice far from the rigid image it often has, and also make tea for each other.

Dinner: In a local restaurant.

Evening: Take an evening stroll around the exclusive Gion district of Kyoto with your Study Leader. Here, with some luck, you might spot a Geisha scurrying between appointments.

Lodging: Hotel Gimmond

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: 105-minute bullet train transfer to Hiroshima with luggage. Total walking around Hiroshima and Miyajima, 3-4 miles. Transfers by tram, ferry and train.

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Early morning departure by Shinkansen Bullet train to Hiroshima, a vibrant city that belies its recent and infamous past. The town has one of the last remaining tram systems in Japan, which you ride to alight the Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum. Within the grounds of the Park is the Atom Bomb Dome, the old Industry Promotion Hall. The Hall was very close to the epicenter and its smashed walls and twisted metal frame vividly recalls the blast.

Lunch: Your choice to explore local fare.

Afternoon: Continue on the tram to Miyajima-guchii and take the ferry to Miyajima island. The island is justly famous for the Shinto Itsukushima Shrine, built out over the sea. The Shrine is over 1,400 years old. Miyajima, where vehicles are few, is a pleasant place to stroll around.

Dinner: Try your hand at making Hiroshima-yaki at an establishment near the hotel.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Hotel Granvia Hiroshima

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Note: Another active day with a 3-hour transfer on Shinkansen "bullet" train and Sonic express train with luggage. A short coach transfer is followed by approximately 1 mile of walking to visit some temple precincts, where there is some rough ground and steep steps. Another mile walking around Kitsuki followed by a 1-hour transfer to the hotel. Accommodation here is mostly Japanese style - you may be sleeping on traditional futons on tatami mats on the floor.

Breakfast: Early breakfast (6:30) am at the hotel.

Morning: Early departure to the train, the award-winning Sonic Express. Kunisaki is a little-known but fabulous area of Japan. The area is now sparsely populated but was once one of the first Buddhist strongholds in Japan. Many beautiful temples and thousands of stone Buddhas and deities are spread throughout the whole of Kunisaki. Common in years past, monks on pilgrimage are now a rare sight. But the local religion, which has morphed over the centuries into an eclectic concoction of Buddhism, Shintoism and various folk religions, is vibrant. Visit Fuki-ji, one of the most picturesque temples in Japan. Note: In order to protect the treasures inside Fuki-ji temple from the elements, it may not be possible to view the interior of the temple in rainy and windy conditions.

Lunch: Enjoy locally-produced, farmhouse dishes in a nearby restaurant.

Afternoon: Kunisaki, like so many rural areas of Japan, suffers from depopulation and decline. In conversations with residents, examine the problems this raises for the local community and what is being done to reinvigorate a small part of Japan. Continue to Kitsuki, a quiet castle town, to visit a splendid example of a thatched Samurai house. End the day in the surroundings of a high-class resort hotel in Yufuin, an up-market destination famed both for its setting: nestled in a valley below Mt. Yufu-dake and its onsen. Japanese style accommodation.

Dinner: Traditional Japanese-style dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Shuhokan

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Leisurely independent walking in the morning, followed by a 3.5 hour train transfer with luggage in the afternoon.

Breakfast: Traditional Japanese-style breakfast in the ryokan.

Morning: Take some time to explore Yufuin before boarding the train to Nagasaki. The train system in Japan is one of the best in the world and the trains on Kyushu the most interesting in Japan. Today, travel on the Yufu-no-Mori, a slightly eccentric looking, but comfortable express train.

Lunch: You may wish to try a bento packed lunch, or other selections available for purchase on the train.

Afternoon: The train continues to wind its way through Kyushu’s beautiful countryside past villages, fields and mountains. Arrive in the early evening in Nagasaki, the most westerly city in Japan. Founded by the Portuguese in the 16th Century, Nagasaki is a compact and unusually cosmopolitan city.

Dinner: In a restaurant near the hotel.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Hotel Cuore

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Note: Approximately 2.5 miles leisurely walking in the morning, with some short public transport transfers.

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Visit re-created Dejima, the small Dutch trading post that was the sole access between Japan and the West during Japan’s long period of seclusion from the rest of the world. The buildings have been recreated and these, along with informative displays, provide a very good idea of daily life in the Edo period. Continue to the nearby Tojin-machi, the still-atmospheric and original Chinese quarter, and Glover Gardens. The latter was the home of an expatriate Scots businessman, Thomas Glover, living in Japan during the late Edo and early Meiji, modern state, period. The gardens, which provide great views over the sea inlet, now contain period houses of other foreign traders brought here from around Nagasaki.

Lunch: Your choice to explore local fare.

Afternoon: Free time to explore the many other interesting places of the city.

Dinner: Use your tram pass to explore independent dining options and Nagasaki's lively nightlife - your group leader will advise.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Hotel Cuore

Meals Included: Breakfast

Note: Express train to Fukuoka 2 hrs followed by dropping off luggage and 30 minutes to Dazaifu. 2 miles total walking.

Breakfast: Western and Japanese buffet in the hotel.

Morning: Travel to Fukuoka, where an exploration of this lively city - Japan's gateway to Asia – commences. A 30-minute ride on the Nishtetsu Railway brings you to Dazaifu, the old western capital of Japan. Visit the impressive Tenman-Gu Shrine and Komyo Zen-ji Zen Buddhist temple and its beautiful garden.

Lunch: Your choice to explore local fare.

Afternoon: In the Kyushu National Museum, view the collections of calligraphy, sculpture and arts from Japan and its Asian neighbors.

Dinner: Celebrate your journey and review the highlights at a farewell dinner.

Evening: Choose to relax or join your Study Leader in a rousing Karaoke session.

Lodging: Hotel Centraza Hakata

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Note: 3-4 hr railway journey to Kansai International Airport.

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Transfer by Rail to Kansai International Airport.

Evening: Depart Kansai International Airport for flights to the USA. Cross International Date Line. Arrivals in the U.S.A.

Meals Included: Breakfast