Journey to the heart of Japan 2025

Arrival in Bangkok at 06:55. Baggage claim, check-in and boarding of flight TG660 to Tokyo. Lunch on your own. Take-off at 1:00 pm. Arrival on site at 9:10pm. Welcome and transfer to your hotel. Dinner on your own. Overnight at APA Hotel Sugamo Ekimae.

Breakfast at the hotel. Free day and meals. Overnight at APA Hotel Sugamo Ekimae.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Tokyo airport. Check-in, then board flight NH015 to Osaka. Take-off at 08:00, arrival at 09:05. Welcome and transfer to Kyoto. Dinner at leisure and overnight at the Vessel Campana Kyoto Gojo 3* hotel or similar.

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit the Kiyomizu-Dera complex on the mountainside. Stroll through the shopping streets of Sannenzaka and Ninnenzaka. Stroll through the Nishiki market, Kyoto's cuisine. Lunch. Visit Ryoan-ji, a famous monastery of the Rinzai school, famous for its Zen-style dry garden, then the Kinkaku-ji or "Golden Pavilion" temple, once the relaxing villa of a 14th-century shogun. Discover the Fushimi Inari sanctuary, a vast complex revealing its charms as you hike along a valley. On the way back, a suggestion for unguided visits: the Gion district, for the unique atmosphere of ancient Japan. A stop in front of the Yasaka Jinya shrine. The lively Shijo Karasuma and Pontocho districts. Return to the hotel on your own (on foot or by cab). Dinner at leisure and overnight at the Vessel Campana Kyoto Gojo 3* hotel or similar.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Nara, capital of 8th-century Japan. Visit Todai-Ji temple, home to one of the world's largest bronze statues. Walk in the Parc aux Daims. Departure for Mount Koya, a major Buddhist pilgrimage site. Lunch in a local restaurant. Pass in front of the Danjo Garan, the most sacred site on Mount Koya, then stroll through the Okuno-in cemetery, surrounded by a forest of ancient cypress trees. Participation in a meditation session with the monks for those who wish. Vegetarian dinner. Public baths available. Overnight at the monastery (shared room).

Opportunity to attend morning prayer with the monks. Vegetarian breakfast. Drive to Kumano Kodo, a famous pilgrimage route in the heart of the Kii Mountains. Visit the Kumano Hongu Taisha, a perfect example of Shinto shrine architecture. Departure for Meguri no Sato. Lunch. Continuation to Nachi Taisha. En route, stop at Daimon Zaka with the opportunity to walk along one of the pilgrim paths. Arrival at Nachinotaki. At 133m, this waterfall is one of the symbols of Japan. Visit the Kumano Nachi Taisha, a place of peace between the Shinto and Buddhist religions. Road to Kii Katsuura. Kaiseki dinner and overnight at Hotel Kayu 3*.

Early departure for the Kii Katsuura fish market, one of Japan's best-known fishing ports. You'll witness the unparalleled spectacle of the fish auction. Return to hotel and breakfast. Road to Toba, along the Pacific Ocean. Lunch. Visit Mikimoto Pearl Island and its museum for a pearl-harvesting session by Ama divers. Continue with a visit to Naiku Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu, a shrine destroyed and rebuilt every 20 years according to ancient rites. Continuation to Gifu. Dinner on your own. Overnight at Hotel Resol 3*.

Breakfast. Departure for the village of Shirakawago, in the heart of the Japanese Alps, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Panorama from Shiroyama lookout. Visit the Gassho-style Kanda house, engraved with 160 years of history. Lunch of "Hida" beef, a local specialty. Drive to Takayama, nicknamed "the little Kyoto of the Japanese Alps". Visit Takayama Jinya, former home of the provincial governor during the Edo period, then discover the city's old quarter and its emblematic Sannomachi Street, the heart of the city. Visit the Funasaka Sake Brewery, where you'll discover the original and unique taste of Takayama's sake. Continuation to Hirayu Onsen. Sukiyaki dinner and overnight at Ryokan Okada 3* (shared room). You can relax at the "Onsens", where men and women are separated, bathing suits are compulsory and tattoos are forbidden.

Breakfast. Visit the Wasabi Daio farm, the largest in Japan, for a surprising taste experience. Next, a visit to a miso factory, a staple of Japanese cuisine. On-site miso lunch. Visit Matsumoto Castle, listed as a national treasure and famous for its black coat, which earns it the nickname "Raven". Built in the 16th century, it is one of the few remaining original buildings in Japan, untouched by wars and natural disasters. Discover the art museum: calligraphy, paintings and sculptures. Road to Kawaguchiko. Dinner and overnight at Route Inn Kawaguchiko 3*.

Breakfast. Walk by the lake to admire the splendid Mount Fuji (visible depending on the weather!). Cruise on Lake Kawaguchi, one of five lakes in the Mount Fuji region, offering magnificent panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. Departure for the Japanese capital, Tokyo. Lunch Sushi. Stop in front of the Imperial Palace, the Emperor's residence. Admire the majestic gates of the Nijubashi Bridge. The Tokyo Metropolitan Building, designed by the famous Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, features not only metropolitan government offices, but also a 360° observatory offering breathtaking views of Tokyo by day and night, and even of Mount Fuji on a clear day. Dinner and overnight at Sunshine City Prince 3* hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Tour of the capital by public transport, starting with the EPSON team Lab Borderless. Tokyo's first digital art museum reopens in the brand-new Azabudai Hills complex. Passing by the Kokugikan, built to host the main sumo tournaments and discover a dohyo, the ring used for sumo wrestling. Lunch of chankonabe, the sumo wrestlers' dish. Discover the Asakusa district, where the spirit of the "old Edo" still lives on, steeped in tradition. The famous Nakamise street, leading to the Senso-Ji temple, is packed with traditional stores selling Japanese handicrafts. Stop in front of the Kabukiza Kabuki theater in the heart of the Ginza district, then on to the Shibuya district. Dinner in an izakaya, a genuine Japanese pub. Overnight at Sunshine City Prince 3* hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for your return flight. Flight TG683 departs for Bangkok at 10:35 a.m. Arrival at 3:50 p.m. Transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight at Pullman Bangkok G or similar.

Breakfast at the hotel. Free day and meals. Overnight at Pullman Bangkok G hotel or similar.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport. Check-in and boarding of flight UU888 to La Réunion. Take-off at 09:00, arrival at 13:35.