Gold East Asia's Sun "Japan" (HND-HND) with ANA

Osaka (3 nights) – Tokyo (3 nights)

8 days 7 nights

Day 1 | Istanbul – Tokyo

Meeting at the ANA (All Nippon Airways) counter in front of the Istanbul Airport international departures terminal at 15:25. After our ticket, baggage, and passport procedures, we fly to Tokyo on ANA flight NH220 at 18:25. Overnight on the plane.

Day 2 | Istanbul – Tokyo – Osaka

Landing at Tokyo Haneda Airport at 11:35 local time. After passport and transit procedures, we fly to Osaka on ANA flight NH025 at 13:00. Landing at Osaka Itami Airport at 14:10 local time. After baggage procedures, we begin a panoramic Osaka tour from the airport by our vehicle. During our tour, the main sights we will see include Osaka Castle, built in the 16th century and playing an important role in the unification of the Japanese nation; Dotonbori, which has become Osaka's entertainment center; and Shinsaibashi, the city's main shopping district. After the tour, we transfer to our hotel. We complete check-in procedures and settle into our rooms. Overnight at the 4* Hotel Plaza Osaka (or similar) in Osaka.

Day 3 | Osaka | [K]

After breakfast at our hotel, free time. Guests who wish may join the optional Kyoto tour organized by our guide. Overnight at the 4* Hotel Plaza Osaka (or similar) in Osaka.

→ Kyoto Tour | 150 EUR adult - 115 EUR child (04-11.99 years)

After approximately one hour of travel, our first stop will be the Kinkakuji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion. This three-story pavilion covered in gold leaf is one of the most famous and well-known historical structures in Kyoto and is internationally recognized as a perfect example of Kitayama garden design art. Due to these features, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994 as an important cultural asset of the former capital, Kyoto. Our tour will continue with the Kiyomizu-dera Temple, a Buddhist temple also known as the Pure Water Monastery. The temple offers colorful seas of cherry blossoms and maple trees blooming in spring and autumn, as well as beautiful views of the distant city of Kyoto. The main hall, built without using nails along with the stage, houses the temple's main object of worship, a small statue of the thousand-armed, eleven-faced Kannon. After free time for lunch, we will visit the Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka streets leading up to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Sannenzaka is a stone-paved pedestrian street and a tourist attraction. The road, surrounded by traditional buildings and shops, is often used together with the similar Ninenzaka. Sannenzaka is a narrow, sloping road filled with about 60 shops and restaurants selling Kyoto's traditional products and foods. Additionally, there are important shops where visitors can experience Japanese culture up close, including Ochaya (tea houses) where tea ceremonies are held, and shops offering makeup for Geiko (the name given to Geishas in Kyoto) and Maiko (Geiko apprentices). In the final part of the tour, we will visit Gion, Kyoto's famous geisha district. After the tour, we return to Osaka and our hotel.

Day 4 | Osaka | [K]

After breakfast at our hotel, free time. Guests who wish may join the optional Sanda Premium Outlet and Nara tour organized by our guide. Overnight at the 4* Hotel Plaza Osaka (or similar) in Osaka.

Note: For this morning tour, we must leave a small overnight bag in our room when leaving the hotel. Large suitcases left at the hotel will be transferred to our Tokyo hotel before us and will reach us the next day.

→ Sanda Premium Outlet and Nara Tour | 150 EUR adult - 115 EUR child (04-11.99 years)

We begin our tour with Sanda Premium Outlets, one of Japan's most popular shopping malls. At this outlet center housing approximately 210 stores, we will find world-famous brands such as Coach, Michael Kors, Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Onitsuka Tiger, The North Face, Polo Ralph Lauren, and many more at advantageous prices. After free time for shopping, we head to Nara, Japan's first capital. Our tour here begins with a visit to Nara Park. Nara Park is a public park located at the foot of Mount Wakakusa. Established in 1880, it is one of Japan's oldest parks. There are over 1,200 wild Sika deer roaming freely in the park. Because of these deer, Nara is also known as Deer Park. After the park, we will continue with the Todai-ji Temple. Todaiji, besides being the world's largest wooden structure, also houses the world's largest Buddha statue, known as Daibutsu in Japanese. After the end of our tour, we return to Osaka and our hotel.

Day 5 | Osaka – Tokyo | [K]

After breakfast at our hotel, we complete check-out procedures and transfer to Shin-Osaka train station. We arrive at Tokyo Shinagawa train station after an approximately 3-hour journey on the Shinkansen, the world's first high-speed train. From there, we begin a Tokyo tour by our vehicle. Our first stop will be Akihabara, one of Tokyo's most famous neighborhoods worldwide. Akihabara is a very crowded shopping district famous for various types of electronic stores ranging from small stalls to large shopping malls. After our tour in Akihabara, also known as the Electronics City, we continue our tour with the Ginza area, one of the city's most popular shopping districts, filled with luxury boutiques, first-class cocktail bars, and sushi bars. After the end of our tour, we transfer to our hotel. We complete check-in procedures and settle into our rooms. Overnight at the 3* Villa Fontaine Tokyo Kayabacho (or similar) in Tokyo.

Day 6 | Tokyo | [K]

After breakfast at our hotel, free time. Guests who wish may join the optional Tokyo tour organized by our guide. Overnight at the 3* Villa Fontaine Tokyo Kayabacho (or similar) in Tokyo.

→ Tokyo Tour | 150 EUR adult - 115 EUR child (04-11.99 years)

Our first stop will be the Asakusa Temple, also known as the Senso-Ji Temple, considered one of Tokyo's oldest and most colorful temples. It is a Buddhist temple also called Santa-jama (Temple of the Three Gods) and is highly visited by both tourists and locals. It is one of the rare temples that survived the bombing attacks in the final year of World War II, so the building's original structure remains intact. Built in 1649, according to legend, it was constructed to honor three deified brothers who found a statue of the goddess Kannon in a river. We will also see the shopping street called Nakamise in the area. Afterwards, we head to Tokyo Skytree, Japan's tallest structure and one of Tokyo's symbols. This impressive tower, standing 634 meters high, offers the most beautiful panoramic views of Tokyo. Guests who wish can go up to the observation deck to enjoy the unique view of the city (entrance fee not included). Then, we explore Tokyo from a different angle with a pleasant boat cruise on the Sumida River. While passing under historic bridges, we will have the opportunity to photograph the unique scenery created by modern skyscrapers and traditional Japanese architecture. After free time for lunch, we will visit the Meiji Shrine, a Shinto shrine dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. From there, we will tour the Shibuya district, one of Tokyo's busiest areas. Shibuya stands out for its advanced infrastructure, cafes, and world-famous shops, making it one of the most important places in the city for young people. After our tour, we return to our hotel.

Day 7 | Tokyo | [K]

After breakfast at our hotel, free time. Guests who wish may join the optional Mount Fuji and Hakone tour organized by our guide. Overnight at the 3* Villa Fontaine Tokyo Kayabacho (or similar) in Tokyo.

→ Mount Fuji and Hakone Tour | 165 EUR adult - 125 EUR child (04-11.99 years)

We will start our tour with Mount Fuji, located 2.5 hours away. Gaining entry to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2013, Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and is considered the country's sacred symbol. Although generally thought of as a single mountain, Mount Fuji actually consists of three separate volcanoes. Located on Honshu island and positioned as a border between Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures, Mount Fuji is only 100 kilometers from Tokyo and can be seen even from tall buildings in Tokyo on clear days. After the breathtaking views of Mount Fuji, we will set off towards Hakone town. We begin our Hakone tour with the Owakudani Valley, a volcanic formation. Owakudani is a valley located around a crater formed during the last eruption of Mount Hakone approximately 3000 years ago. Today, a large part of the region is an active volcanic area with sulfur fumes, hot springs, and hot rivers. We will take a cable car up from Togendai to enjoy the views of this magnificent valley. After free time for lunch, we will move to Lake Ashi. After a pleasant boat cruise lasting approximately 30 minutes on the lake aboard a wooden pirate ship, we will return to Tokyo and our hotel by vehicle.

Day 8 | Tokyo – Istanbul | [K]

After receiving box breakfast from our hotel, we complete check-out procedures and transfer to Tokyo Haneda Airport. After our ticket, baggage, and passport procedures, we fly to Istanbul on ANA flight NH219 at 08:30. Landing at Istanbul Airport at 16:10 local time, marking the end of our tour. We say goodbye, looking forward to meeting again on our next distinguished and enjoyable trip.

Abbreviations explanations: [K] = Breakfast, [L] = Lunch, [D] = Dinner