Japan & Taiwan

• 02 Nights in a Standard room at Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa Tokyo
• 01 Night in a Standard room at Prince Hakone Lake Ashinoko
• 02 Nights in a Standard room at Rihga Royal Hotel Kyoto
• 03 Nights in a Standard room at Howard Plaza Hotel Taipei

• Return transfers between airport and hotel
• 11 meals: 8 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 1 dinner
• Sightseeing tours as specified in the itinerary
• Hotel taxes and service charges

DAY 01

ARRIVE IN TOKYO

Arrive in Tokyo, Japan’s capital and the world’s most populated metropolis. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel.

DAY 02

TOKYO (B)

Meet your guide at a designated pick-up location for your half-day sightseeing in Tokyo. Visit the magnificent Meiji Shrine, noted for its Torii Gate and beautiful inner garden. Then, tour the Imperial Palace Outer Garden and Nijubashi bridge. Continue to Asakusa and visit Sensoji, a famous Buddhist temple, and the adjacent Nakamise shopping arcade, dating to the 17th century. Our tour ends at Tokyo station. Tokyo station is just a few minutes walks to Ginza, Tokyo’s famed shopping, dining, and entertainment district, where we can stay to explore as we wish or return to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure.

DAY 03

TOKYO/MT. FUJI & HAKONE (B/L/D)

Travel to Mt. Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain, which reaches 12,388 feet. Observe the beauty of the landscape at Mt. Fuji’s fifth station at 7,607 feet (weather permitting). After lunch, enjoy a relaxing cruise on Ashi Lake, with Mt. Fuji in the background. Afterward, take a scenic cable car ride up Mt. Komagatake to the Owakudani Volcanic Valley, famed for its panoramic views and kuro-tamago hot springs. At the end of the tour, transfer to your hotel in Hakone.

Note: Your primary suitcase will be transferred from Tokyo to Kyoto. Please prepare an overnight bag for your stay in Hakone.

DAY 04

HAKONE/KYOTO/NARA/KYOTO (B)

From Odawara Station, we board a high-speed train to Kyoto, the capital of Japan, for over 1,000 years and home to many of the country’s most beautiful temples and gardens. The journey takes 2.5 hours. In the afternoon, we head to Nara for an afternoon walking tour. Visit Todaiji Temple, the Great Buddha, and Nara Park (Deer Park), home to hundreds of freely roaming deer. After the tour, we return to Kyoto, and our tour concludes at Kyoto Station.

DAY 05

KYOTO (B/L)

Today, we begin our full day of sightseeing in Kyoto. First, we visit the famed Kiyomizu Temple, best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 42 feet above the hillside below, providing an excellent view of the city of Kyoto in the distance. Next, tour the Sanjusangendo (Rengeo-in), famous for its one thousand life-size statues of the Thousand Armed Kannon, which stand on the right and left sides of the central statue in 10 rows and 50 columns. Then, visit the stunning vermilion-colored Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates that lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari. Venture to Arashiyama, visit the Sagano Bamboo Forest, and stroll through the lush bamboo grove, admiring the fantastic views of nearby mountain peaks and the striking valleys of the Arashiyama area. Explore Tenryu-ji, one of Japan’s most important Zen temples and a world heritage site. Its beautiful landscape garden features a central pond surrounded by rocks, pine trees, and the forested Arashiyama mountains. Then, discover the glittering Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), covered with gold paper, surrounded by green gardens, and set on a lovely, tranquil pond.

DAY 06

KYOTO/TAIPEI (B)

Transfer to Kansai International Airport for your flight to Taipei, East Asia’s cultural and economic hub.

DAY 07

JIUFEN VILLAGE AND NORTHEAST COAST (B)

Spend this morning at leisure. We explore Taipei’s Northeast Coast in the afternoon and stroll through Jiufen Village. We stop at Nanya to see the unique rock formations. Drive past the Bay of Two Colors to see the Remains of the 13 Levels, a former smelter plant in Lianxin Village. Then, we stop at Jiufen Village, once the center of gold mining in Taiwan. The quaint old village, built of closely-packed houses clinging to steep mountainsides, offers fascinating glimpses into past lifestyles. Stroll along the quaint streets and shop for local snacks or souvenirs. Your tour concludes with a return transfer to your hotel.

DAY 08

TAIPEI SIGHTSEEING (B/D)

Gain a deeper insight into Taiwanese religion, history, and culture on our morning Taipei city tour. See the impressive Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, built to commemorate late president Chiang Kai-shek. View the excellent example of classical Ming dynasty architecture at Marty’s Shrine, and witness the hourly changing of the guard ceremony. Admire the world’s most extensive collection of priceless Chinese imperial artifacts and art treasures at the National Palace Museum.

Taipei truly comes alive at night. Explore the city and take in some of its most exciting sights on a night tour. Our first stop is the iconic “Taipei 101”, also known as the Taipei World Financial Center. Gaze at this massive skyscraper, the world’s second-tallest building towering 101 stories above the street. Its unique architecture and impressive height have made it a symbol of Taipei. Next, enjoy a dinner at the Michelin Bib Gourmand Selection Restaurant, Din Tai Fung, where you’ll enjoy the world-renowned Xiaolongbao (Steamed Pork Dumplings). After dinner, explore the bustling Raohe Street Tourist Night Market, where you can buy some local souvenirs and try some delicious street food. Then, walk across the Rainbow Bridge and take in the city lights on the other side of the river. Our last stop is the Songshan Ciyou Temple, a perfect example of authentic Chinese architecture. The temple’s roof ridge is adorned with twin dragons facing three immortals representing wealth, happiness, and longevity—a motif symbolizing divine protection.

DAY 09

TAIPEI DEPARTURE (B)

Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Meals: B= Breakfast   L=Lunch    D=Dinner