Tokyo · Kyoto
Japan – Tokyo & Kyoto
Japan's two great cities, without the rush — the modern capital and the old imperial seat, joined by the bullet train. Three nights in Tokyo to begin: the temples of Asakusa, the markets and gardens, the neon of Shibuya. Then the Shinkansen carries you on to Kyoto for the great temples, the vermilion torii of Fushimi Inari, and the wooden lanes of Gion. A shorter journey than the Golden Route — an easy first Japan for travelers who'd rather go deep in two places than pack and move every day.
Three guided touring days and one relaxed travel day, mornings from around 9:00. Fully customizable for a gentler pace.
- Length
- 6 days
- Regions
- 2
- Transport
- Private chartered car throughout — English-speaking guide on touring days, English-speaking assistant on transfer days; Green Car (first-class) bullet train Tokyo–Kyoto.
Trip overview
From $6,320 per person for two, or $4,810 per person when four travel together.
per person, two sharing. Land only, per person, low season — Japan's quieter months (Jan–Feb, Jun–Sep, Dec outside New Year). Spring cherry-blossom weeks and autumn colors (Mar–May, Oct–Nov) run roughly 35–40% higher. International flights, most lunches and dinners, optional experiences and tips are extra, and travel insurance is required. Your rate is fixed in US dollars when your booking is confirmed.Day by day
Japan’s two great cities, without the rush — the capital and the old imperial seat, joined by the bullet train. Three nights in Tokyo to begin: the temples of Asakusa, the markets and gardens, the neon of Shibuya. Then the Shinkansen carries you to Kyoto for the temples, the vermilion torii, and the wooden lanes of Gion. A shorter journey than the Golden Route, and an easy first Japan for travelers who’d rather go deep in two places than move every day.
Day 1 — Arrive Tokyo (at leisure)
You land at Narita and, once through immigration, an English-speaking assistant meets you at the arrival gate and rides with you by private car to Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, in the historic Nihonbashi district. The rest of the day is yours to rest and adjust after the flight.
Overnight, Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo.
Day 2 — Tokyo (full-day, guided)
Your English-speaking guide meets you at 9:00. Begin in the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, entering through the Otemon Gate onto the old Edo Castle grounds and the Ninomaru garden with its pond and waterfall. Cross the city to Asakusa, Tokyo’s most atmospheric old quarter — the Nakamise approach and the great red lantern of Sensō-ji. On to Kappabashi, the kitchenware street, then Akihabara for games, manga and anime, and, if available, teamLab Borderless in Azabudai Hills. Back to the hotel by around 17:00.
Overnight, Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo. Optional private experiences: calligraphy, a sake or whisky tasting, a sushi class, a soba or ramen class, or an architecture tour.
Day 3 — Tokyo (full-day, guided)
Begin at the Tsukiji Outer Market, still humming with food stalls. Walk the landscaped calm of Hamarikyu Garden, then out to Shibuya and its famous scramble crossing. Continue to the tree-shaded Meiji Shrine, and close the day with a cultural experience in a private house — Shodo, the quiet art of Japanese calligraphy. Back by 18:00.
Overnight, Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo.
Day 4 — Tokyo to Kyoto (travel day)
A relaxed morning. Your large luggage is sent ahead to Kyoto by overnight courier — your assistant arranges it — so you carry only a small overnight bag. Late morning (around 11:30, or earlier if you prefer — trains run every ~30 minutes), transfer by private car to the station for the Green Car bullet train to Kyoto. Your assistant meets you on the platform and transfers you to The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto, on the banks of the Kamogawa River. The rest of the day is yours.
(Optional: a 09:00 early departure with an added Kyoto guide and car for pre-check-in sightseeing.) Overnight, The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto.
Day 5 — Kyoto (full-day, guided)
A 9:00 start at Fushimi Inari Taisha, with its mountain trails of vermilion torii. On to Tōfuku-ji and Sanjūsangendō, the long hall of 1,001 gilded Kannon. Climb to Kiyomizu-dera for its wooden veranda and the view over the city, then walk down into Gion, the old geisha district. Back by 17:00.
Overnight, The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto. Optional private experiences: a tea ceremony, a meeting with a Zen monk, a geisha dinner, kimono dress-up, woodblock printing, pottery, or ikebana.
Day 6 — Depart (Kansai International Airport)
After breakfast, an English-speaking chauffeur meets you in the lobby and transfers you by private car to Kansai International Airport for your flight home. An airport assistant can be added on request.
Want Hakone and a night in a ryokan too? See The Golden Route → — the fuller eight-day journey, Tokyo to Kyoto by way of Mt Fuji.
Where you'll stay
Included
- Five nights as listed — Mandarin Oriental Tokyo (3, breakfast) and The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto (2, breakfast)
- Private chartered vehicle throughout, with guide on touring days and assistant on transfer days
- Airport meet-and-assist on arrival at Narita
- Full-day guided sightseeing on Days 2, 3 and 5 with entrance fees
Not included
- International flights
- Travel insurance (required — we'll help you choose)
- Lunches and Dinners
- Optional private experiences
- Departure-day airport assistant (on request)
- Gratuities and personal expenses
What we'd rather tell you now
Most of what goes wrong on a trip is an expectation nobody corrected in advance. So here's what this journey is not, before you spend anything.
- Price is land only Arrive Tokyo (Narita), depart Osaka (Kansai), because the journey ends in Kyoto
- Your main luggage travels ahead On the Kyoto train day; you carry a small overnight bag
- Touring days are full days (~8–9 hours) Rich, and fully customizable to a gentler pace
- Some items can't be refunded once booked Train tickets, private experiences and restaurant reservations. Your required travel insurance is what covers you if plans change
Plan this journey
Nothing here is bookable on the spot, and that's deliberate. Tell Milli your dates and who's traveling, and she'll come back with the exact trip and the exact number, in a written quote — not a brochure.
Plan your Journey →