Best of Tokyo & Kyoto Tour : A Tale of Two Capitals ( 7 Days Tour)

Tokyo – Arrive in Tokyo, Vibrant and Colorful Capital of the Land of the Rising Sun

As the plane descends over the Tokyo metropolis, the brilliance of the city lights draws open your eyes. Your private transfer will greet you at Narita Airport to take you to your luxury hotel located in the heart of the city. From Narita Airport, the trip into Tokyo proper takes you along the roads and railways that form the backbone of this timeless city. Once you settle into your luxurious hotel room, take some time to relax. You will want to be well rested for the captivating experiences that await you in the week ahead. What’s Included: airport transfer, accommodation

Tokyo – Embrace the Views from Tokyo Tower and on a Sumida River Cruise

Today you'll discover that the lattice structure and curving legs of Tokyo Tower are reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower. But the Tokyo Tower (1,092 feet) just scrapes past its French cousin by 10 yards. Head to the main observatory deck (492 feet), which features sections of see-through flooring. Or if you’d like to catch a glimpse of the capital city in its full grandeur, head to the special observatory (820 feet). On a clear day, look for Mt. Fuji seated on the horizon. Then, return to Earth with a stroll through Happo-en, the “Garden of Eight Views,” once the prized grounds of a loyal Edo-era vassal.

True to its name, there are many aspects to the beauty of Happo-en: A charming collection of bonsai trees, the Daigo Shrine honoring Emperor Meiji, a teahouse which still serves tea in a ceremonial ritual, and a central pond patrolled by curious koi which form a blend of colors as they mob at the suspicion of food. In the afternoon, you'll be a “Master of the Grill” at the Chinzan-so Restaurant. Their gyu-kyu-style barbecue lunch provides platters of finely cut meats around a central grilling plate. Be vigilant with your tongs, as the meat’s as thin as it is succulent.

The Imperial Palace is the active residence of the Imperial Family and as such, is closed to the public, save for the Emperor’s birthday on December 23rd and January 2nd. Just standing before the classic Nijubashi Bridge, which allows safe passage between the city and the island palace, it is an awe-inspiring experience. The East Garden of the Palace’s inner grounds is open, and here you find the stone foundation of an Edo-era castle tower, itself a several-story colossus. Afterward, you will take an upriver cruise along the Sumida River and behold the marvels of engineering that surround you. Skyscrapers, suspension bridges, and even the river is the product of man’s ingenious touch. In the spring, the cherry blossom trees along the banks make this cruise an idyllic portrait in motion, with white and pink blossoms slowly accumulating on the water. Return to land in the Asakusa district, home to the world-famous Senso-ji Temple. Your entrance to the temple follows a long and narrow corridor lined with shops and stalls known as Nakamise-dori. There’s no sense hurrying through the crowd of sightseers and pilgrims, so as you shuffle on by, take notice of what the vendors are offering — everything from souvenirs to silk goods.

In the evening, you'll discover that the customs of worship are many fold at Senso-ji, but as a non-practicing tourist, you’ll be forgiven if you stand there gawking in the brilliance of the temple’s golden altar or five-story pagoda. Have your fate revealed unto you from an o-mikuji, a scrolled up fortune, which for the price of a few coins, can be purchased from cabinets around the temple. The fortunes are classified according to a tiered system, with everything from “Great Blessing” to “Ending Curse”. Take home the prosperous fortunes, and if you don’t like your particular fortune, it’s fairly common to leave the fortune at the temple.

What’s included: accommodation, transfer, tour, breakfast.

Nara – Transfer Nara, Japan’s Former Capital, for the Hall of the Great Buddha

During the Meiji era (1868-1912), the trek from the Tokyo region to Kyoto would have taken days. In the Heian or Nara period, it would have been weeks. Today, aboard the Shinkansen Bullet Train, the journey is considered a morning commute. Kyoto is in many ways frozen in its imperial past. In the historical neighborhoods still filled with simple wooden buildings and cobblestone streets, rickshaws and red lanterns are as common the sight of taxis and streetlights. Perhaps the most famous of these neighborhoods is the Gion District, home of the geisha.

Much has been said of the geisha of Gion, though little is known. Their dramatic elegance is romanticized, their world impenetrable. In this sense, they are thought to be emblematic of Japanese culture. As you stroll through Gion, you see geisha teahouses. For centuries, these have served as private quarters in which the geisha offer their unique medium of entertainment, art, and companionship to discrete individuals with deep connections and even deeper pockets.

The expansive estates of the Kyoto Imperial Palace are excellent for an after lunch leg stretch. The courtyard of uniform white gravel that spreads before the Imperial Throne is large enough to hold a small army. Then, an hour south lies Nara, which preceded Kyoto as Japan’s capital during the eponymously named Nara Period from (710-794). Walk to mighty Todaii-ji — the Buddhist temple complex that was so influential in its heyday that the capital had to be moved away from Nara to preserve the agency of the government. Today the fame of Todai-ji eclipses that of the city itself, because of its revered Daibutsu, the Great Buddha statue. Daibutsuden, the hall in which the Great Buddha resides, was the world’s largest wooden building until the turn of the millennium, even after a 17th-century reconstruction that diminished its size by a third. Sitting in the lotus position, Daibutsu, the world’s largest bronze Buddha, is 50-feet tall and fills much of his hangar-sized confines.

For a frame of reference consider this: there is an enormous wooden pillar in Daibutsuden that has a tunnel through its center; the diameter of the tunnel is said to be the same as one nostril of the Great Buddha. Visitors routinely wriggle through, as it’s said successful passage through the pillar brings enlightenment in the next life. It’s not uncommon to see those with a Buddha belly getting stuck, though.

The city is also notorious for its deer, which have a mixed reputation to say the least. If you invest some pocket change in deer biscuits—sold all along Nara Park and the roads to Todaiji—you’ll have the local hooved population at your beck and call. For better or worse, the deer aren’t shy around people—or nibbling at their pockets for hidden biscuits—and they’re happy to stay by your side for a photo as long you’ve got food, and for some time after. You’ll soon find that it’s harder to shoo them away than it was to attract them.

What’s Included: accommodation, transfer, tour, breakfast.

Kyoto – Farewell for Now

Wake up to the golden sun slowly rising over the mountains and cityscape. In the morning, your private transfer will meet you at the hotel lobby, ready to take you to Osaka International Airport for your flight home. It’s farewell for now, but you could always extend your Japan vacation to see more of the hidden treasures of which you have only had a brief taste.

What’s Included: airport transfer, breakfast