Day 1 – Ôsaka (KIX) – Kyoto
- You are welcomed at Ôsaka airport by your English-speaking tour guide
- Journey to Kyoto
- Stroll through the city, visit to master wagashi makers (manufacturers of traditional Japanese confectionery) and tofu producers
- Evening meal and overnight stay at a traditional guest house/hotel in the heart of the ancient capital
Day 2 – Kyoto
- Stroll to the famous Nishiki market, the “kitchen of Kyoto”
- Visit to Aritsugu, one of the oldest knifemakers in Japan
- Lunch on the bank of the Kamogawa river
- Visit to an obi weaver (kimono belt) or to a different master craftsman of textile processing
- Evening meal at an obanzai restaurant (traditional Kyoto cuisine)
- Overnight stay at the same location as the previous day
Day 3 – Kyoto – Omi-Hachiman
- Journey from Kyoto to Omi-Hachiman on the shore of Lake Biwa
- Tour of this beautiful city with its many canals and religious sites
- Visit to the Kawara museum, devoted to Japanese-style roof tiles
- Evening meal and overnight stay at a traditional guest house/hotel
Day 4 – Omi-Hachiman – Hikone – Fukui
- Journey from Omi-Hachiman to Hikone, castle town
on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa - Visit to the castle and its park
- Journey to Fukui on the coast of the Sea of Japan
- Evening meal and overnight stay at a traditional guest house/hotel
Day 5 – Echizen
- Visit to the Eihei-ji site, one of the main temples of Zen Buddhism, in the heart of the mountains
- Journey to the former province of Echizen, famous for its various handicrafts
- Visit to various handicraft centres: paper, ceramics, lacquerware and sword makers
- Journey back to Fukui
- Evening meal and overnight stay at the same location as the previous day
Day 6 – Fukui – Kanazawa
- Journey from Fukui to the spectacular cliffs of Tojinbo
- Stroll along the coast then journey to the thermal town of Awara Onsen
- Journey to Kanazawa, gourmet city, historical centre and home
of plenty of Japanese handicraft - Stroll through the castle park
- Evening meal and overnight stay at a traditional guest house/hotel
Day 7 – Kanazawa
- Stroll through Kenroku-en, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan
- Visit to the museum for traditional products and crafts
- Visit to the famous Omicho market, lunch at a local restaurant (seafood and freshly caught fish)
- Visit to a former samurai district, a beautiful house of a Daimyo
and a Yuzen workshop (kimono dyeing technique) - Evening meal and overnight stay at the same location as the previous day
Day 8 – Kanazawa – Shirakawago
- Journey from Kanazawa to the Shirakawa valley, in the heart of the mountainous Gifu prefecture
- Visit to the great open air museum of Ogimachi, declared a
UNESCO world heritage with its thatched roof houses and its old handicraft workshops - Evening meal and overnight stay at one of the farms in the village
Day 9 – Ogimachi – Takayama
- Journey from Ogimachi to Takayama, “Little Kyoto”
- Tour of the historical buildings in the old part of town
- Stroll through the shopping alleys of Sanmachi-suji
between handicraft shops and ancient sake breweries - Evening meal and overnight stay at a traditional guest house/hotel
Day 10 – Takayama – Gujo-Hachiman – Takayama
- Journey from Takayama to Gujo-Hachiman
- Stroll through this castle town, famous for the purity of its water
- Visit to a sampuru workshop (food replicas that are displayed in the windows of restaurants)
- Return to Takayama
- Evening meal and overnight stay at the same location as the previous day
Days 12 & 13 – Kyoto – Kishiwada – Ôsaka (KIX)
- Journey to Kishiwada, former fortress city south of Ôsaka
- Visit to the castle, historical jewel of the city
- Evening meal at a traditional sushi restaurant in the middle of a zen garden
- Overnight stay at an hotel in center of Kishiwada
- Journey to the airport
- Return flight (not included in the tour)