Highlights of Japan

The itinerary is the starting point to your tour, but it’s not set in stone. Your group leader may make changes leading up to departure.

Day 1, Friday June 24: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA.

Day 2, Saturday June 25: Tokyo

Arrive in Tokyo, the bustling capital of Japan as well as its largest city. Meet your ACIS Tour Manager and begin to explore this dazzling and energetic city, which offers an intriguing blend of the ancient and modern worlds. (D)

Day 3, Sunday June 26: Tokyo

Kick-start the day with a guided sightseeing tour, during which you'll view the resplendent Imperial Palace Plaza; the culturally significant Asakusa Kannon Temple; Nakamise Street, a visual feast of densely packed shops and eateries; and the Tokyo SkyTree Tower, one of the world's highest towers at 2,080 feet tall. Your busy day continues with a visit to the Meiji Shrine, which honors the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken, after which you'll enjoy a walking tour of the Ginza area, an upscale shopping, dining and entertainment district. (B,D)

Day 4, Monday June 27: Mt Fuji Area

Depart Tokyo for the Mount Fuji area and enjoy a scenic Lake Ashi boat cruise followed by a round-trip ride on the nearby Hakone Komagatake Ropeway, an aerial tram that offers spectacular views as it takes you to the summit of imposing Mount Komagatake. You'll get a closer look at the still-active volcano—the highest point in Japan at 12,389 feet and one of the country's three revered “holy mountains”—when you visit Mount Fuji's breathtaking Kawaguchiko 5th Station, the base point from which most hikers start their ascent to the summit. (B,D)

Day 5, Tuesday June 28: Nagoya

The morning starts with a journey to scenic Lake Hamana, the country's 10th-largest lake. Then it's on to the city of Toyota, where the Toyota Motor Company Kaikan Museum and Factory Plant tour will give you a chance to see first-hand how some of the world's most popular cars are assembled. Arriving in Nagoya, you'll visit the centuries-old Atsuta Jingu Shrine, built in honor of the Shinto goddess Amaterasu and home of the Kusanagi-no-Tsurug, an ancient and legendary sword. (B,D)

Day 6, Wednesday June 29: Osaka

Today you'll travel to Osaka, where your first visit is to Osaka Castle, a historic attraction in a lush urban park that contrasts sharply with its skyscraper neighbors. You'll also get to visit the CupNoodles Museum! Next stop at the Kuromon Ichiba Market, a foodie's delight that offers an amazing and exotic array of Japanese culinary specialties and one of the oldest and most well-known fresh food markets in the world. Don't eat too much, though, because you'll soon embark on a walking tour of the unique and quaintly kitschy Shinsekai neighborhood, half of which was designed to resemble New York while the other half pays homage to Paris. Then continue your walking tour with time to browse for souvenirs in the Shinsaibashi district, a colorful shopping arcade. (B,D)

Day 7, Thursday June 30: Osaka

This morning embark on a full-day excursion to Kyoto. During your sightseeing tour, view the famous Gion geisha district before visiting the shimmering Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), a Zen Buddhist temple with two floors covered in gold leaf; the breathtaking Kiyomizu-dera Temple, a mountainside structure that offers stunning views of the city; and the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, a Shinto temple famous for its more than 5,000 vibrant orange toriis, or symbolic gateways. Before returning to Osaka, you'll partake in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, a fixture in the country's culture. (B,D)

Day 8, Friday July 1: Osaka

Board the shinkansen this morning and travel to the city of Hiroshima, a city famous throughout the world as the site of the first nuclear attack. Today's sightseeing of Hiroshima and Miyajima includes Miyajima Island with Itsukushima Shinto Shrine the Peace Memorial Museum and the Atomic Bomb Museum. Transfer to the train station for a train back to Osaka for your farewell dinner. (B,D)

Day 9, Saturday July 2: Departure

Depart for the USA. (B)