Get Lost in the Pastel Dreams of Japan with New Friends!

April 24, 2025 – May 4, 2025
11 days / 10 nights

Don’t just tour Japan, Experience Japan

Every Beatrice Bradley trip is crafted to maximize the experiences had during the trip.
The itineraries are specially made to allow time for engaging in conversation and having belly laughs with a new friend. We hope that the activities and experiences may allow you to come out of your comfort zone and to try new or unique things.
These trips are made to replicate a ‘friends get-away trip’. 

Day One: April 24, 2025 – Arrival & Tokyo Sky Tree

We will all meet at the airport and take a transfer to our hotel, “The Celestine Ginza”. Once you have arrived and checked into the hotel, we will meet around 7 pm to have a short visit to the SKY TREE TOWER to get an out-of-this-world view of the Tokyo skyline from up top (1148 ft up).  We will defy sleep by then going to have a bite of dinner (better to stay awake until bedtime Tokyo time) and then back to the hotel to go for a night’s rest. 

 HIGHLIGHTS:

• Arrive in Tokyo, settle into our hotel and meet new like-minded friends
• Visit the Sky Tree Tower for a spectacular high-point view of all of Tokyo
• Group Welcome Dinner 

Day Two: April 25, 2025 – The Emperor’s Palace 

After our breakfast together, we will meet our private guide who will take us on a full-day tour of Tokyo. We start our tour at the Imperial Palace, the residence of Japan’s Emperors’ since 1868. This will be a great place to get our first group picture. We will then continue on to the Nihonbashi district, a business district linked by a bridge along the Nihonbashi River. We will explore the district and have lunch here. Then, we are ready to visit the Asakusa Temple, the oldest Temple in Tokyo. The Temple is known to bring good luck to most anything you wish for so have that wish ready! You will be immersed in the Japanese culture here at the temple. As we are leaving the Temple we will be on Nakamise street which will provide you with a chance to taste some local confections and buy nice souvenirs. We return to the hotel and get ready to go out to dinner. 

 HIGHLIGHTS:

• Guided tour of Tokyo including Emperor’s Palace, Nihonbashi district walk-through, lunch in a specialty market and will visit Asakusa Temple, the oldest Temple in Tokyo
• Taste local confections and do some shopping
• Enjoy an authentic Japanese dinner together 

Day Three: April 26, 2025 – Hakone Shrine & Ashi Lake Cruise

Today, after breakfast, we will load our things onto our private van as we are heading to Hakone. This will be a day of stunning beauty as we enjoy views of Mt. Fuji and Ashi Lake along our drive.  As we approach Hakone, we will see the iconic Red Shrine Gates floating on the water with Mt. Fuji in the background. Make sure your cameras are charged up! We will be in a very mountainous district and will see the high peaks of Hakone which have been worshipped for thousands of years as a place where the souls of the dead would go to travel to the next world. 

As we are visiting the lovely shrine we will then move to Lake Ashi where we will enjoy a boat cruise around the lake to get the best views of lovely Mt. Fuji. Late afternoon we check into The Hotel Indigo Hakone, we will be very near a famed cherry blossom park and should be able to enjoy a great showing of the beautiful pink blossoms. Dinner will be in the area. 

HIGHLIGHTS: 

• Travel by private van to the lovely city of Hakone
• Enjoy the stunning views of Mt. Fuji
• Boat cruise on the former volcano of Mt. Hakone, called Lake Ashi. Viewing the cherry blossoms and Mt. Fuji surrounding the area!

Day Four: April 27, 2025 – Arrival in Kyoto & Cooking Class

Today we have a special treat, after breakfast, all are invited to enjoy the hot springs bath at our hotel. Hakone is famed for these wonderful hot springs and any jet lag should steam away in the wonderful baths. Later, we will head to the bullet train and board a high-speed train bound for Kyoto. We will have a chance to view wonderful scenery as we travel on the modern, luxe train. Upon arrival in Kyoto, we will head to the Kyoto Brighton Hotel to drop our bags and then head out to a wonderful cultural experience, a hands-on cooking class where you can learn how to cook a tasty tofu that is tempura, and will learn how to make Bento boxes and learn the high art of Izakaya. 

HIGHLIGHTS:

• We will make our own delicious dinner! 
• Enjoy one of the hot springs bath right at our hotel, relaxing and soaking tired muscles
• Ride the bullet train to Kyoto
• Immerse yourself in Japanese cuisine when we enjoy a private cooking class together 

Day Five: April 28, 2025 – Tea Ceremony & Kyoto City Tour

Once breakfast is finished, we will meet our private guide to start our full day exploration of Kyoto. Our first immersive venue is a real Japanese Tea ceremony, steeped in tradition which dates back hundreds of years and is one of the most revered pastimes in Japan. In this ceremony you will have an opportunity to wear traditional kimono robes, taste the green matcha tea and eat unique Japanese sweets (made specially to match the tea’s flavor). 

Once we have finished at the tea ceremony, we will move to the Kyoto Imperial Palace, which will be viewed from the outside but includes a wonderful chance to walk the fabulous gardens (just recently opened to the public). We will grab lunch and continue on to Arashiyama district, filled with temples and shrines but also most known for the world famous Bamboo Forest,with bamboo trees standing so tall you will feel as though you passed into another world. To finish this day we venture to Kinkakuji, a world heritage site of Buddhist temples. Here we will go inside one of the most famous in the world temples which is known for Japanese traditional arts and modern media. After our very full day, we will be back at the hotel for dinner. 

HIGHLIGHTS: 

• Explore Kyoto and have an authentic Tea Ceremony complete with our own Kimonos
• Visit the Kyoto Imperial Palace and walk through the fabulous gardens
• Head to the Arashiyama district and visit the world-renowned BAMBOO FOREST and Kinkakuji Buddhist Temples. 

Day Six: April 29, 2025 – Arrival & Hiroshima City Tour with Miyajima Island

After breakfast, we will load up for our driver who will take us to the train station. Today is a day filled with tremendous emotion as we make our way to Hiroshima, forever filled with the history of turbulent times. We will learn about the fateful cost of war but also we will see the renaissance and vibrant revitalization of this city. We will get off the train and head to The Knot, our hotel in Hiroshima. Check-in will be later, so we will head out on our tour of Hiroshima which starts at the Peace Memorial Park, once the commercial and political heart of the city. Here we will learn of the events which took place on August 6, 1945. The dropping of the bomb on a city which was very highly industrialized and paid a huge price. The exposition will include the A-bomb dome, the only building left standing after the bomb exploded, along with explanations of the rebuilding efforts, etc. This is certainly a reminder that Peace cannot be taken for granted. 

We will leave the park and have lunch. Afterwards, we will go with our guide to the Miyajima Island ferry to cruise out to the island. Here we will visit the centuries old Itsukushima Shrine, built over the water, appearing to be floating on the water when the high tide comes in. We then return to the hotel for dinner. 

 HIGHLIGHTS:

• Travel from Kyoto to Hiroshima
• Learn the in-depth history surrounding August 6, 1945, at the Peace Memorial Park
• Visit the A-bomb dome, then will have lunch outside park
• Board the Miyajima Island ferry and cruise out to the Island to see the Itsukushima Shrine built out over the water

Day Seven: April 30, 2025 – Japanese Alps and an Exclusive Geisha Evening

Today, after breakfast, we will once again pack our things and move out to the train station. We are headed to a special, lesser-traveled place, Kanazawa. Our train ride will be about 4 hours as we pass through the beautiful countryside, you can sit with one of your new friends, talking about the trip and the fun you are having. We will have our own Bento boxes to enjoy on our ride. Kanazawa city is rich in craft traditions, distinctive in its local cuisine, and traditional architecture and known for its very special Higashi-Chaya district where Geishas serve as performers and confidants. We will arrive and check into the ANA Crowne Plaza hotel and have some time to relax before we set out for another once-in-a-lifetime, immersive experience, exclusive to our group. We are going to a private tea house where a real working Geisha will explain what she has done to study for this profession; they are known as excellent performers- singing, dancing and playing the samisen (lutelike instrument). They are also often adept at flower arranging and performing tea ceremonies, and have learned the art of making good conversation. Our private interpreter will be able to relay questions we have and serve as our guide explaining all that will be happening this evening. What an experience we will have! 

 HIGHLIGHTS:

• Travel through the Japanese Alps, and settle in the town of Kanazawa
• Immerse ourselves in a very different culture than we have visited so far, enjoy learning about the rich craft traditions, the unique local cuisine and the distinctive architecture
• In the evening we will enjoy an exclusive visit to a local Tea House where we will visit with and learn all about the culture and training of a Geisha. Bring your questions,and she will answer them through our interpreter 

Day Eight: May 1, 2025 – Exploring Kanazawa

Our private guide will meet us after breakfast to take us on a historical tour of Kanazawa. Our tour will include the famous Kenrokuen garden with its iconic stone bridge, we will stroll through the Omicho market and finish with a tour of Oyama Shrine, the Kanazawa Castle, and a beautiful park to stroll and enjoy.  A lovely dinner will be shared by all.

HIGHLIGHTS:  

• Historical tour of Kanazawa by a private driver
• Visit and walk through Kenrokuen Garden, Omicho market, and tour the Oyama Shrine
• Finish our day at the Kanazawa Castle and enjoy a stroll through the lovely park 

Day Nine: May 2, 2025 – Day Trip to Shirakawa-go, Gokayama & Takayama

Today we will set out with our private driver to tour Shirakawa-go, Gokayama and Takayama, these charming villages are Unesco world heritage sites and we will immerse ourselves in their authentic atmosphere and enjoy wonderful culinary delights as we travel through. The villages are found in the Japanese Alps mountainous area outside Kanazawa and the scenery will be spectacular. We will spend most of the day sightseeing and walking and when we circle back to the hotel, we will have some relaxing time and then have dinner together. 

HIGHLIGHTS: 

• We drive up into the mountains to visit the Unesco world heritage cities of Shirakawa-GO, Gokayama and Takayama
• Enjoy seeing the unique wooden cottage-styled homes, tasting the unique culinary delights and viewing the gorgeous Japanese Alps
• Enjoy time for exploring and shopping in these extraordinary villages

Day Ten: May 3, 2025 – Back to Tokyo We Go!

This morning we will have our last breakfast out in the countryside and afterwards we will gather our things and board a train back to Tokyo. Our 2 hr 30 min train ride will once again go through spectacular scenery and once we arrive back in Tokyo, we will be taken to The Celestine Ginza hotel for our last full day in Japan. We will put our bags at the hotel and then have free time most of the afternoon to go visit anything you would like in Tokyo. Now is the time you can shop and see anything you feel we missed.  We gather once again for our farewell dinner tonight to say our goodbyes. 

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Travel by train back to Tokyo
• Have the afternoon to return to any sights or shopping areas you want to see again 
• Farewell dinner and exchange of thoughts, pictures and good laughs 

Day Eleven: May 4, 2025 – Departure Day Farewell to Friends!

You will be departing today, depending on timing you may want to have breakfast before heading to the airport.

All travelers will be delivered to the airport to catch their flights home. 

Pricing

Flexible pay-as-you-go payment plan

How it Works:

Role of a Beatrice bradley hostess

Beatrice Bradley is an Experience Company not a Tour Company.  The role of a Beatrice Bradley Host is to be warm and welcoming. To relate and connect. To have attention to details. And to manage the behind-the-scenes magic so your experience is one-of-a-kind. They are not local experts nor are they tour guides. We hire local experts, guides, and historians as each location warrants. They are expert hosts and manage the camaraderie and logistics of the experience. Our goal is that your hostess will make you feel welcomed, comfortable, and that you will walk away with new & lasting friendships made during an unforgettable experience.

Flight Details

Airport Pick Up is included when arriving at the designated airport within the specified pick up window.

Departure Airport: HND – Haneda Airport
Departure Date:  May 4, 2025
Drop off Times: Drop off times will vary

ABOUT CHOOSING A FLIGHT: you will find a very wide variance of pricing for a trip to Tokyo. Traveling to Asia, if you have not done so before, is a long trip. To make your trip easier, I would check out several airlines and look carefully at the number of stops and the total travel time. You should be able to keep your flight time under 18 hours if you shop around. Many flights are now arriving at Haneda airport which is closer to Tokyo. Try to fly into Haneda airport if you can, if not, please be sure that you tell us you are arriving at Narita. Arrival before 3:30pm is best. 

Important information

As a solo-traveler, we need you to provide self-awareness and an understanding that you are fully responsible for yourself. This includes: your possessions, your physical abilities or fitness, your attitude, and all other aspects that relate to traveling solo in a group. 

• Connect with our Members on our Private Facebook Group – Beatrice Bradley Member’s Only
• You must be able to manage your own luggage and all of your personal belongings on this trip
• This is not a handicap accessible able trip – you must be able to get in and out of a Large Passenger Transit Vehicle
• All Ground transportation is included on this trip
• Group Airport transfers are included in this trip
• This trip will have have a maximum of 14 women
• This trip will have 2 Beatrice Bradley Hostesses
• If you need a roommate, we will happily pair you with another Beatrice Bradley traveler
• Travel insurance is not included. Beatrice Bradley is not a licensed travel insurance operator nor is our staff trained to in travel insurance. You can choose to purchase travel insurance through any licensed provider you choose. We will ask you upon booking if you would like us to send you some suggested licensed insurance companies.