Japan Unmasked - an escorted tour of Japan by Inside Japan

Days 1-2

Discover the many faces of Tokyo, one of the world's greatest cities.

Welcome to Japan! On arrival you will be met at the airport by your driver and travel by shared shuttle bus to your hotel in the traditional Asakusa district of the city. This evening you will join your tour leader at a welcome meeting, then if you feel like it you can head out with your group to one of the excellent nearby restaurants for an introduction to Japan's outstanding cuisine and dining etiquette.

On day two you will take an extensive walking tour of the city with your tour leader, making use of Tokyo's fantastic public transport system. From the wooded precincts of Meiji Shrine to the candy-coloured shops of Harajuku, from the bustling traditional quarter of Asakusa to the hubbub of Shinjuku's skyscraper district; today you'll discover what makes Tokyo one of the world's greatest cities.

If you would prefer to break away from the group today, your tour leader will be happy to assist you with your plans.

Overnight: Richmond Asakusa

Day 3

Stay overnight at a Buddhist temple lodging at Zenko-ji, Japan's most important Zen temple.

Today you'll leave the big city behind and make your way to the city of Nagano in the mountains. Nagano is famous as the host city of the 1998 Winter Olympics and as the location of Zenko-ji – one of Japan's most important temples.

This afternoon will be yours to explore the city. We recommend joining your tour leader for a meal of freshly made soba noodles (a local speciality) before relaxing at the local hot spring baths.

Tonight you will be spending the night at one of Zenko-ji's affiliated shukubo lodgings. Accommodation will be in simple, Japanese-style rooms with tatami mats, sliding screen doors and comfortable futon mattresses.

Overnight: Zenkoji Yakuo-in

Day 4

Attend Buddhist morning prayers in Nagano, visit the snow monkeys of Yudanaka and scale Matsumoto's “Black Crow” castle.

On day four you will be rising early to attend morning prayers at Zenko-ji – a unique and spiritual experience. After the ceremony you will return to your lodgings for an elaborate breakfast of shojin ryori, or traditional vegetarian Buddhist cuisine, before having the opportunity to make a visit to the quaint town of Obuse and the Hokusai Museum with its superb collection of original ukiyo-e woodblock prints.

Overnight: Kagetsu

Days 5-6

Explore the craft shops, sake breweries, morning markets and museums of Takayama, a lovely alpine town.

You will continue your journey through the Japanese Alps on day five as you make your way to Takayama, a town famed for the high quality of its traditional crafts.

There are many options to keep you busy in the town today, from the festival float museum to the wood-panelled streets of the old town; from the world headquarters of the Sukyo Mahikari cult (an interesting experience indeed!) to the area's many craft shops.

Tonight you'll be staying at a simple minshuku (family-run inn) with Japanese-style rooms, onsen hot spring baths and a lovely multi-course kaiseki dinner included.

With another day to explore Takayama we recommend making the excellent morning market your first port of call. Later you can join your tour leader on a visit to the Hida no Sato folk village, an open-air museum filled with traditional thatched-roof farmhouses, before heading back to the old town for a spot of sake tasting at the local breweries to round off the day.

Dinner is not included this evening so we highly recommend going out for a taste of the local delicacy, Hida beef, which is every bit as delicious as its Kobe cousin!

Overnight: Iwatakan

Day 7

Enjoy the beautifully preserved traditional districts of Kanazawa, home to one of Japan's top three landscape gardens.

Located on the Japan Sea coast, Kanazawa is one of Japan's best-preserved traditional cities. Like Kyoto, its historical monuments were considered sufficiently important by Allied forces to escape air raids, meaning that today you can still find something of the atmosphere of pre-war Japan in its old town districts.

This afternoon we recommend strolling the Nagamachi samurai quarter, the Chaya geisha district, and getting some super-fresh sushi from the Omicho fish market. No visit to Kanazawa would be complete without a visit to the city's star attraction: Kenrokuen. Ranked as one of Japan's top three landscape gardens, Kenrokuen is truly stunning and well worth your time today.

Overnight: Square Hotel Kanazawa

Days 8-9

Visit Hiroshima's Peace Park and Museum and spend the day on the beautiful island of Miyajima.

With two days in Hiroshima you will have ample time to explore this exciting city and its beautiful neighbour – the island of Miyajima.

Though it will forever be remembered for the tragic events of 1945 – and you should certainly reserve some time to visit the haunting Peace Park and museum whilst in the city – modern Hiroshima has much more to offer than memorials to the atomic bomb. With world-class art galleries, an excellent manga library, a beautifully restored castle and the nearby Mazda Museum, you will be spoilt for choice as to how to spend the rest of the afternoon.

On day two of your stay in Hiroshima you might like to make the ten-minute ferry ride across the bay to Miyajima, a beautiful island on the Seto Inland Sea. Miyajima is home to a tiny, traditional community, a friendly resident population of deer, and Itsukushima Shrine – whose “floating” torii gate is one of the most iconic images of Japan.

Before leaving Hiroshima you must be sure to try the local speciality: okonomiyaki. A type of cabbage- or noodle-based pancake cooked on a grill in the centre of your table, okonomiyaki is a delicious and very cheap option that never fails to go down well.

Overnight: Washington Hotel

Day 10

Admire the preserved canal district of Kurashiki and cycle through rice paddies and villages across the Kibi plains.

Kurashiki is rarely included on first-time itineraries to Japan, which we think is a real shame as it's a truly lovely town with a fascinating history.

The preserved canal district forms the centre of the town, with streets lined with traditional shops, cafés and superb museums housed in white-walled, black-tiled storehouses from the Edo era. The Ohara Museum is the most impressive of all the local museums and houses the first permanent collection of Western art ever to be exhibited in Japan.

Today you will also have the option of taking a cycling trip across the Kibi plains, one of the most beautiful and historical paved bike rides in Japan, taking you past rice fields, burial mounds, local temples and Buddhist cemeteries.

Overnight: Dormy Inn Kurashiki

Days 11-12

An ancient imperial capital, Kyoto is Japan's most important repository of culture and history.

A highlight of any journey to Japan, Kyoto was Japan's capital for over a millennium and is home to an incredible 17 World Heritage Sites, including temples, shrines and some beautiful gardens. Your tour leader will be sure to take you to one of these today before you enjoy a guided tour of the traditional Gion geisha district, where you might be fortunate enough to spot a geisha as dusk falls.

On your second day in Kyoto you'll be taken around Kyoto by your tour leader who will put together a specific itinerary to show you some of the city's hidden gems based on the group's interest, the season and the weather. Alternatively you can opt to head out alone and discover them for yourself. Your tour leader will be happy to help you make plans if there is something specific you'd like to see.

From the Golden Pavilion of Kinkaku-ji to the ten thousand red gates of Fushimi Inari; from Nishiki food market to Gion's traditional teahouses – Kyoto has so much to offer that you'll be spoilt for choice.

Overnight: Gracery Kyoto Sanjo

Days 13-14

Return to Tokyo for some sightseeing, last-minute shopping and a fabulous final night in the capital.

Today you will speed back to Tokyo on the shinkansen bullet train, perhaps catching a glimpse of Mount Fuji on your way past – if you're lucky! This is your chance to do a bit of last-minute souvenir shopping, and to visit any of the sights you may have missed the first time around. Today would be a great time to see Tokyo from the top of the Skytree, the tallest tower in the world at 634 m (2,080 ft), or to rent out a karaoke booth in Shinjuku and sing your heart out with your new friends.

Though dinner is not included tonight, we highly recommend joining your group for a farewell meal at one of your tour leader's favourite restaurants in the city as a great way to toast the end of a fantastic trip.

On the morning of day 14 it's time to say goodbye to Japan and hop on the airport limousine bus for your departure flight. We hope you have a good journey home.

Overnight: Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku