- Japan Escorted Tours
- Japan’s Golden Route
Embark on an unforgettable journey along Japan’s famous Golden Route, an historic path through the country’s most iconic cities and sights. From the serene temples and traditional streets of Kyoto and Nara’s historic treasures to the scenic tea farms surrounding Mount Fuji and Tokyo’s vibrant energy, this tour provides a perfect insight into Japan’s unique culture, rich history, and cutting-edge innovation.
Depart the UK on your overnight flight to Japan.
Dinner
On arrival in Kansai, you’ll be welcomed by your guide and transferred to your hotel in Kyoto, Japan’s enchanting former capital. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure to settle in, relax at your hotel, or take a gentle stroll around the surrounding neighbourhood, taking in your first impressions of Japan before a welcome dinner.
Breakfast
Begin your adventure with a tour of historic Kyoto, a city renowned for its classical Buddhist temples, tranquil gardens and beautifully preserved historic districts. Your first stop is the iconic Kinkaku-ji, or ‘Golden Pavilion’ a UNESCO-listed Buddhist Temple with a shimmering gold façade reflected in an adjoining mirror-like pond. Continue to Heian Shrine for a memorable photo stop beneath its impressive vermilion torii gate. Stroll around Ninenzaka, a pedestrianised street lined with preserved Edo-period houses and traditional shops, and see the Yasaka Shrine, one of the most revered religious buildings in Kyoto. Your day ends in the famous Gion district, where traditional wooden teahouses line narrow lanes and geisha culture lives on - a captivating insight into a bygone Japan.
Breakfast
Travel to Nara, Japan’s first permanent capital renowned for its rich history. Visit Todaji Temple, one of the world’s largest wooden structures and a designated UNESCO World Heritage site: inside resides the world's largest bronze Buddha statue. Meet the friendly deer that roam freely around Nara Park, where you can buy special deer crackers to feed these charming residents.
Breakfast
Enjoy a full day at leisure to explore Kyoto at your own pace. You may choose to browse local craft markets to pick up unique, hand-made souvenirs, wander through the city’s peaceful shrines, or simply unwind in a local café. Optional excursions will also be available, including a visit to Hiroshima.
Breakfast & Lunch
Leaving Kyoto, enjoy a matcha tea experience, see a tea master prepare Matcha tea and learn how to whisk your own matcha. Travel onwards to Shizuoka, a region framed by rolling green hills and known for its close connections to Mount Fuji. From Nihondaira Yume Terrace you’ll be able to admire scenic views of iconic Mount Fuji before continuing to your hotel in Shizuoka.
Breakfast
Journey through Japan’s picturesque countryside as you travel toward Tokyo. Visit the peaceful Shiraito Falls before a stop at a tea farm overlooking Mount Fuji to enjoy a tea tasting. Continue to the Mount Fuji World Heritage Centre, where you can learn about the cultural significance of Japan’s most famous mountain before boarding one of Japan’s pioneering high-speed bullet trains for the final section of your journey to the capital. On arrival in Tokyo, transfer to your hotel for an evening at leisure.
Breakfast
A full day of discovery awaits in Tokyo, a city where ancient traditions and futuristic innovations sit side by side. Take in striking 360-degree views from Tokyo Tower and admire the gardens and moat surrounding the Imperial Palace, formerly the world’s largest fortress, now transformed into the primary residence of the Emperor of Japan. Wander the lively district of Asakusa, offering a nostalgic glimpse into the city’s past, and visit Senso-ji, Tokyo’s oldest temple and one of its most significant. Wander through the vibrant Nakamise Street, where vendors sell traditional crafts, snacks, and sweet treats, keeping Japanese traditions alive and offering a lively shopping experience. Return to your hotel and enjoy a farewell dinner.
Breakfast
Transfer to Haneda Airport for your return flight to the UK.
Your flight lands back in the UK today.
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Please note whilst travelling through Japan, including between hotels and trains, there is no porterage included within your tour. This does not include any overnight trains that require an overnight bag.
The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.
If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
UK passports holders will be granted a tourist visa on arrival into Japan free of charge for stays of up to 30 days. Visa, arrival and departure requirements are subject to change and obtaining a visa is the responsibility of the traveller and not Mercury Holidays. We recommend you check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy prior to departure for the most up to date guidelines regarding these.
We recommend you check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy before departure for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding these.
Please note your final documentation will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Check in baggage is included with your flight. Weight restrictions will be finalised on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. If you wish to arrange Airport car parking or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras on 0333 188 0407, quoting HX313.
IMPORTANT: A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you. Please note that you should carry your invoice with flight details on it as you will need to show this at the airport.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
This tour is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves full days of sightseeing, early mornings, long days of driving, some days with lots of walking and includes some climbing of stairs and getting on and off coaches and boats. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.
The currency in Japan is the Japanese Yen (JPY). You can purchase the currency before you travel but you will probably get a better exchange rate if money is exchanged when in Japan. You can buy Yen at foreign exchange banks and at the airport. Credit, debit and prepaid cards from international brands are accepted at a wide variety of places in the major cities within Japan. Outside of these, cards may not be widely accepted, although you will be able to withdraw cash in the local currency across the country at ATMs. It is important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form of currency before you arrive in the country. Cash machines will also be available throughout the tour in order to withdraw money in local currency.
As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.
You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry, any meals not included in the itinerary as well as drinks and any additional snacks. We recommend you bring along a minimum of GBP £500 per person to change into local currency. It is a good idea to try and maintain a supply of small notes and change in the local currency for tipping or small purchases.
Tipping is not compulsory and is at your discretion. However, should you wish to tip in Japan . We would recommend to tip approximately £2 per person per day. Tips will be collected at the end of your tour. Tips are accepted in the local currency.
The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 10, and the maximum is 33. In the unlikely event there are less than 10 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable
We would like to inform you that local guides will not be used during your tour. This is a fully escorted tour, meaning that you will be met on arrival by your Tour Guide who will remain with you for the duration of your trip. Your guide will be on hand for the duration of your tour and will be able to provide you with some general information on each of the destinations/ attractions that you visit
During this tour you will be on various trains ranging from local trains to bullet trains. There are some luggage restrictions on Japanese trains and so your main luggage may need to be transported overnight. It is advisable to take a smaller overnight bag with you for these days. Your guide will assist you in advance with this matter. All train carriages are booked with comfortable seats and air conditioning.
Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character, and can range from business hotels to leisure hotels. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist between the UK and Japan. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs. If you have booked a triple share please note that your room will be a twin room with a rollaway bed or sofa bed added. This may limit the floor space in the room.
Please keep in mind that room sizes in Japan are generally smaller than those you may be used to.
Western and international food will be served however some establishments will serve traditional meals giving you a chance to experience local flavours. Vegetarian and Vegan options available, please request prior to departure.
Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information. Vegan, vegetarian options are available, all meal requests need to be sent over to our suppliers before travel. Please note Gluten free food is very limited in Japan and while every effort is made to assist you this requirement cannot be 100% guaranteed.
It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way.
If you are travelling within the below Japanese Public Holidays please note that celebrations can last a couple of days and during these times some businesses will be closed and coach, air and train travel may be affected. Tourist attractions will be open but may be crowded. Golden Week is usually between late April and early May. Obon Holiday is between usually in the middle of August.
On your arrival in Tokyo you will be met by a representative from our local agent in Japan, JTB, holding a sign displaying ‘Mercury Holidays’. The Mercury Holidays/JTB representative will transfer you to your hotel on arrival where you will spend your first night.
Your national guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.
If you need to contact JTB during your stay the details are:
JTB Global Marketing and Travel Address: Tokyo Front Terrace 6F, Hisgashi Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 140-8604
Contact number: +81 (0) 3-5796-5431 (office day on Mon-Fri 09:30-18:00 apart from Sat&Sun and public holidays)
Emergency contact number: +81 (0) 70-2264-2119
Email address: kg01@gmt.jtb.jp
