JAPAN BY TRAIN: THE GRAND TOUR

Osaka is a heady mix of cultural sights, foodie heaven and lively nightlife, making it the perfect introductory city to Japan. After landing at Kansai International Airport (KIX), make your way to the hotel where our Local Insider – who will accompany the group throughout the trip – will help you check in. Meet your fellow travellers at 5pm before receiving an introductory talk about the cultural dos and don’ts of the country. You’ll then head for dinner at a local restaurant to get your first taste of Japan. Make sure you get a good night’s rest – tomorrow is jam-packed with exciting explorations.

Today is all about exploring the best bits of the city on foot and by metro, led by our Local Insider. Marvel at the 400-year-old Osaka Castle as well as the uber-modern Umeda Sky Building. Explore the eclectic Shinsekai neighbourhood; built in 1912 and largely unchanged, it's home to souvenir shops as well as traditional eateries. Lunch is served at a local restaurant, after which you can explore the Kuromon Market and the famed Dotonbori strip (home to the first sushi train in the world). Rest your weary feet back at the hotel before dinner.

After breakfast, it’s time to climb aboard the bullet train to Hiroshima. On arrival, you’ll have the afternoon to explore at leisure – we recommend taking a stroll around the Shukkei-en garden, dotted with maple and ginkgo trees. Come dinner, try okonomiyaki, a popular savoury pancake, topped with meat or seafood. You’ll spend the next two nights in Hiroshima.

A fully guided day awaits, starting with a visit to Hiroshima Peace Park and Museum to learn more about the city's past. Afterwards, take a local train and ferry to Miyajima Island, where you’ll hike Mount Misen; the peak, at 500m (1,640ft) above sea level, offers spectacular views over Hiroshima city. Descend to the floating Torii Gate, an ancient Shinto shrine, and snap pictures of a thousand tame deer that mingle with locals here. After sunset, you’ll hop on the ferry back to your Hiroshima hotel.

Pack your bags – it’s time to head to Kyoto. Whizz east by train to the outskirts, ready for your afternoon tour in Arashiyama. You know those towering green bamboo forests? Get ready to stroll through them, camera at the ready. Make sure you’re wearing comfortable walking shoes as you’ll then hike up to a sacred temple in the mountains. Hop on the train back to Kyoto, where you'll bed down in your next hotel.

It’s an early wake-up this morning, for good reason: to hike through the thousands of bright orange torii gates at Fushimi Inari while attempting to avoid the crowds. After a hearty breakfast back at the hotel, you’ll take a leisurely walking tour through the maze of backstreets in Kyoto to Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) and the Nishiki food market. As the sun sets, you can join the optional geisha district tour of Gion to see geishas walking the streets before their shows.

Bid sayonara to Kyoto this morning, and hop on a train to Takayama. In the mountainous Gifu prefecture, this area is known as the Japanese Alps. Today you’ll visit the Hida Folk Village, an open-air museum with 30 old farmhouses that showcase the traditional architecture of the area. After a good wander, spend your afternoon sampling sake – alcohol made from fermented rice – at a local brewery.

Spend the morning browsing the Miyagawa market in Takayama – it is the perfect place to pick up souvenirs. After the market tour, you’ll head to the fellow alpine town of Hakone, which sits just outside Tokyo. Check in to the hotel and enjoy a traditional Japanese Onsen experience - you'll also have dinner included tonight. Hakone is a town known for its onsens (natural hot springs) – luckily, the hotel has a steaming tub for you to soak in.

Prepare yourself for a morning cruise on Lake Ashi. Beyond the water and forested hillsides, you’ll be rewarded with expansive views of Mount Fuji. Disembark onto dry land before ascending the Ropeway to Hell. Don’t worry, it’s just a cable car that will scoot you over the Hell Valley mountain peaks to Owakudani, the Great Boiling Valley. The jagged landscape is filled with bubbling geysers and volcanic pools. Afterwards, it’s time to make tracks to Tokyo. For those with energy left, join the optional evening walking tour around Taito City.

You’ll spend the last few days of your trip exploring Tokyo, the capital of Japan. Your first morning will be spent watching sumo wrestlers at a local training session, followed by a visit to the fish market, Tsukiji Outer Market. Lunch revolves around a sushi-making class, where you’ll eat your own creations. Spend the afternoon visiting Meiji Shrine, Yoyogi Park, and Shibuya Crossing, the busiest crosswalk in the world. Kick back at your hotel in the evening.

Your final full day in Japan will see a visit to the Asakusa district and the glorious Sensō-ji temple. After lunch, take part in a taiko drumming class where the expert instructor will have you thumping in time to the rhythm. Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring at leisure. Come nightfall, it’s time for our celebratory farewell evening. Enjoy a tour around the buzzing, neon-lit Shinjuku district, where you’ll be afforded panoramic city vistas from the TMG Building, before moving onto the nightlife area of Kabukicho for dinner. End the trip on a high note (quite literally) by singing karaoke in the Golden Gai district until the early hours.

It’s time to wave goodbye to Japan. Don’t worry if you’ve got a slightly sore head this morning, as you can enjoy a lie-in before breakfast. Checkout is by midday. Say your final farewells before starting the journey home, via Haneda Airport (HND) or Narita International Airport (NRT) – or extend your stay in the Land of the Rising Sun.