Highlights
Be treated to the beautiful Autumn colours of Japan
Full day Tokyo city tour
Visit to the impressive Rikugien Garden established in 1702
Visit to Asakusa Sensoji Temple one of the most celebrated temples in Tokyo
Visit to Nakamise Shopping Arcade for shopping opportunities
Visit to enjoy the beautiful Autumn colours at Meiji Jingu Shrine and Shinjuku Gyoen Park
Sushi making class
Dinner onboard a Yakatabune (Japanese style houseboat) cruising Tokyo Bay
Enjoy an Ikebana flower arranging workshop
Explore Lake Kawaguchi of the Fuji Five Lakes area
Visit to the Itchiku Art Museum including works by master Kimono designer Kubota Itchiku
Cruise on Lake Kawaguchi enjoying the views of Mt Fuji
Visit to Kawaguchiko Music Forest
Enjoy and relax with a visit to local hot springs
Visit the tea fields of Shizuoka to experience "tea massaging"
Enjoy a traditional Japanese tea ceremony
Visit to Hokoji Temple to enjoy Buddhist monk cuisine
Enjoy a "Zazen" meditation at Hokoji Temple
Visit to the seaside town of Toba famous for Mikomoto Pearls
Enjoy a grilled seafood lunch prepared by the AMA women (women divers)
Visit to Ise Jingu Shrine one of the most culturally significant shrines in Japan
Enjoy the sparkling lights of Nabana no Sato at Nagashima Spa Land
Visit to Nara, the first capital of Japan
Banquet Kaiseki dinner (where food is presented as art)
Traditional Geisha Experience
Visit to the Golden Paviliion, a World Heritage site
Fun Kimono fitting in the Arashiyama district (an area reminicscent of the feudal era of Japanese films)
View the beautiful Autumn colours at Nijo Castle (World Heritage Site)
Bullet train journey from Kyoto to Hiroshima
View the Itsukushima Shrine considered one of the 3 best views in Japan
Visit to the Peace Memorial Museum
Bullet Train journey from Hiroshima to Osake
Explore the Shinsaibashi and Namba areas of Osaka considered the gourmet heart of Japan
Friends for Company
Inclusions
Fully escorted by a Sisterhood Womens Travel Tour Hostess who is on hand to assist with making your holiday a memorable one
Return economy airfares ex Melbourne including taxes (other departure cities available on request)
English-speaking tour guide
All transportation as per itinerary
Meals as per itinerary (B,L,D) = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
4 Star accommodation with private facilities with king or twin bedding (rooms may be smaller than you are used to)
All sightseeing as per itinerary
Willing to share option (subject to availability)
Meet and Greet prior to departure via Zoom
Notice
Moderate Fitness Rating - A moderate level of fitness will be required for these tours due to the length and/or overall physicality of our tour itinerary. You can expect to walk more than 10,000 steps daily on more challenging terrain and longer periods. You must be capable of boarding and disembarking coaches, trains and boats unaided and at times handle your luggage. For more information on our physical ratings please click here
Important Note - Japanese hotel rooms, especially in cities like Tokyo, are smaller than Western standards.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Saturday 22 November 2025
Melbourne - Tokyo
Welcome to Sisterhood Womens Travel, Meet your tour hostess and fellow travellers at the Melbourne Airport for your flight to Tokyo, Japan.
Sit back, relax and enjoy the inflight entertainment as we head towards our next adventure.
Upon arrival into Tokyo (Narita), we'll transfer to our hotel.
Tokyo is the capital of Japan, famous for its spectacular architecture, futuristic displays, upmarket shopping and unique fashion sense, plenty of free time is allowed here to explore on your own.
Overnight - Shinagawa Prince Hotel (or similar)
Day 2 - Sunday 23 November 2025
Tokyo (B,L,D)
Today, we will be taken on a full day tour of Tokyo city. Autumn in Japan is one of the best seasons for sightseeing and we’re going to be introduced to some of Tokyo’s best autumn sightseeing spots on our first day of sightseeing, with an initial visit to Rikugien garden. Located in northern Tokyo, this strolling garden was established in 1702 and oft visited by the ruling leader of the time, featuring over 1000 trees made up of maple and gingko varieties.
This is followed by Asakusa, in the old part of Tokyo city. Asakusa Sensoji Temple is one of the most celebrated temples in Tokyo, and a visit to Nakamise Shopping arcade here will be a good opportunity to pick up some trinkets and local goods for souvenirs.
Lunch is included at a local restaurant, before heading to western Tokyo to take in the colours at Meiji Jingu Shrine and Shinjuku Gyoen Park.
Returning back to our hotel for a Welcome dinner tonight.
Overnight - Shinagawa Prince Hotel (or similar)
Day 3 - Monday 24 November 2025
Tokyo (B,L.D)
We have a fairly relaxed start to our day, before heading to our Sushi Making lesson, conducted by a professional sushi chef.
Following our class, we'll enjoy a workshop on Japanese etiquette with free time for shopping in the hidden backstreets of Tokyo city.
Early evening, we'll enjoy dinner onboard a Yakatabune (Japanese style houseboat), with a cruise on Tokyo Bay.
Overnight - Shinagawa Prince Hotel (or similar)
Day 4 - Tuesday 25 November 2025
Tokyo - Mount Fuji (B,L,D)
This morning, we head to IkenoboTokyo Kaikan for a unique flower arranging cultural experience called ikebana.
We then make our way to the stunning Fuji Five Lakes area, with a brief stop for lunch along the way, and then onward to the 8 ponds area of Oshino Hakkai.
We check into our accommodation on the shores of Lake Yamanaka. Dinner is included this evening.
Overnight - Hotel Mount Fuji (or similar)
This will be a traditional experience in Japanese style accommodation; though to ease you into this experience, we will still have western bedding.
Day 5 - Wednesday 26 November 2025
Mt Fuji and Surrounds (B,L,D)
Today, we’ll be going on an adventure to explore Lake Kawaguchi of the Fuji Five Lakes today, starting with Kubota Itchiku Art Museum, dedicated to the remarkable works of master Kimono designer Kubota Itchiku.
This is followed by a lunch at a local restaurant, and then a cruise ride on Lake Kawaguchi. We get to take in the awesome surrounding atmosphere of Mt. Fuji.
We then visit Kawaguchiko Music Forest, a picturesque local museum celebrating the invention of automated musical instruments from Europe through time.
Returning to our hotel with dinner included tonight.
Overnight - Hotel Mount Fuji (or similar)
Day 6 - Thursday 27 November 2025
Shizuoka - Lake Hamana (B,L,D)
A full day of cultural experiences await us today, as we head west through Shizuoka prefecture by coach, driving through Shizuoka’s famous tea fields. We’ll stop by a tea field known as “Chapia” or “Tea-pia”, to experience a practice known as “tea massaging”, the traditional method of preparing sencha tea. We enjoy a Japanese tea ceremony experience here.
Following this, we’re headed to Hokoji Temple to enjoy Buddhist monk cuisine for lunch, and then an afternoon course of “Zazen” meditation at this same temple.
We will then travel to our accommodation for the evening, on the shores of Lake Hamana. There will be an option today for participants to explore the nearby Hamamatsu Flower Park, before dinner at the hotel. Depending on the season, you may be treated to a full night-time illumination even at the park!
Overnight - Grand Mercure Lake Hamana Resort (or similar)
Day 7 - Friday 28 November 2025
Toba - Nagashima (B,L,D)
Today, instead of conventional rail travel across the mainland, we’re headed across the strait via a ferry to the seaside town of Toba, famous for Mikimoto Pearl Island and its women divers (Ama). We’ll have some time to stop and explore Mikomoto Pearl Island, before we’re treated to an exclusive grilled seafood lunch prepared by Ama women pearl divers, and our guide will talk us through a free-talk Q&A with the Ama while we enjoy lunch.
We then travel to Ise Jingu Shrine, arguably the most culturally significant shrine in Japan, representing the Sun Goddess “Amaterasu”, the ancestor of the first Emperor of Japan according to Shintoism.
Afterwards, we make our way up north to Nagashima Spa Land, where we’ll be staying the night. An optional activity this evening will be to take in the awesome night lights of Nabana no Sato, before or after dinner.
Dinner included tonight.
Overnight - Hotel Nagashima (or similar)
Day 8 - Saturday 29 November 2025
Nagashima - Nara - Kyoto (B,L,D)
Today, we’ll be driving through Nara, the first permanent capital of Japan. Famed for the large Buddha hall at Todaiji Temple and the many bowing deer roaming around, Nara will certainly be a delightful experience.
We will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in Nara, before continuing onward to Kyoto, where we’ll be staying for the next 3 nights. With time to freshen up before our exclusive banquet kaiseki dinner, where the food itself is presented as art; together with a unique geisha accompaniment, a rare treat not often experienced by travellers in Japan.
Overnight - Hotel Monterey Kyoto (or similar)
Day 9 - Sunday 30 November 2025
Kyoto (B,L,D)
This morning, we travel to the Golden Pavilion, a World Heritage site featuring a picturesque gold leaf covered pagoda aside a pond.
We then continue to the Arashiyama district for lunch, an area reminiscent of feudal era Japanese films. We'll then enjoy a fun Kimono fitting experience as befitting the theme of the region.
Dinner at a local restaurant tonight.
Overnight - Hotel Monterey Kyoto (or similar)
Day 10 - Monday 1 December 2025
Autumn Colours of Kyoto (B,L)
We start today with further autumn colours viewing at the World Heritage site of Nijo Castle (former Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa Shogunate, ruling party of Japan prior to the current royal family).
Lunch is included today at a local restaurant
We’ve included a unique kimono fabric dyeing workshop this afternoon to enjoy.
Back to our hotel with dinner at leisure tonight - your tour hostess will arrange a venue and meet you in the hotel lobby.
Overnight - Hotel Monterey Kyoto (or similar)
Day 11 - Tuesday 2 December 2025
Kyoto - Hiroshima - Miyajima (B.L)
This morning, our main luggage will be couriered to our hotel in Osaka, while we take a detour to the historic regions of Hirosma and Miyajima. (An overnight bag will be required for our overnight stay).
We'll travel by bullet train to Hiroshima before boarding a ferry across to Miyajima Island; an island famous for its natural scenery, many wild deer, and Itsukushima Shrine. The view from Itsukushima Shrine is considered one of the top 3 of Japan.
We'll return to Hiroshima with lunch at a local restaurant, followed by a visit to the sombre Peace Memorial Museum as well as the Atomic Bomb Dome.
Dinner at leisure tonight - your tour hostess will arrange a venue and meet you in the hotel lobby.
Overnight - Hotel Granvia Hiroshima (or similar)
Day 12 - Wednesday 3 December 2025
Miyajima - Osaka (B,D)
After checking out of our hotel this morning, we’re headed back to Osaka by bullet train with some free time for lunch (at own expense). We’ll be exploring Shinsaibashi and Namba, considered by many Japanese to be the gourmet heart of Japan. Famous for its “Eat-til-you-drop” food culture, diversity of cuisine and an array of shops to explore; the best way to end our tour of Japan!
A farewell dinner tonight to celebrate great times spent with new friends.
Overnight - Del Style Shinsaibashi Hotel by Daiwa Roynet (or similar)
Day 14 - Thursday 4 December 2025
Osaka - Melbourne (B)
A morning free until our transfer to the Osaka (Itami) Airport for our flight home via Tokyo. Sit back, relax and enjoy the inflight services of our airline.
Day 15 - Friday 5 December 2025
Welcome Home
Welcome Home. Thank you for travelling with Sisterhood Womens Travel for your latest adventure and we look forward to welcoming you back.