Private 4-Day Tokyo and Kyoto: Tsukiji Market, Gion

When you arrive in Tokyo, check in to our hotel any time before our group meeting at 4pm. Our guide will lead the small group on a two-hour night tour of Tokyo on foot. Walk to the popular Shinjuku and Shibuya neighborhoods to find Tokyo’s young people enjoying the lively atmosphere and local nightlife. Head to some great bars where we can sample tasty snacks and beer before taking in the panorama of Tokyo at night from the 45th floor of the Shinjuku Skyscraper. Next, head to the Karaoke Kan, a local karaoke bar (venue may change, subject to availability) for a chance to sing our favorite tunes in our private room. Stay for an hour, or longer at our request, enjoying our choice of songs and a set number of beverages. Our night in Tokyo concludes with dinner at the local restaurant Wara Wara. Dine as the Japanese do – seated on tatami mats at low tables – and share a delectable selection of Izakaya-style dishes.

Take a private food tour of Tsukiji Market – the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world – and watch fishmongers selling the morning catch, following sushi breakfast. Before our exploration, we seat ourselves at a counter and observe expert chefs prepare mouthwatering local sushi like maguro (yellowfin tuna), ikura (salmon roe), ika (squid) and more! When we’ve had our fill,  we'll follow our guide through a maze of some 1,700 stalls and learn about Japan’s fascinating market culture as we watch shoppers inspect row upon row of seafood. Then continue on a tour of Tokyo's highlights, passing Hamarikyu garden, Ginza walk, Meiji Shrine, and Harajuku. Afterward, try our hand at Japanese calligraphy during an informal private lesson offered by our guide. After returning to our ryokan for a rest, head out again to Shinjuku or Shibuya for a yatai (street-food style) dinner.

Head to Tokyo Station and board the Shinkansen bullet train. We'll Enjoy a bento box breakfast aboard the train and take in gorgeous views of Mt Fuji en route to Kyoto (weather permitting). When we arrive in Kyoto, we embark on a unique, guided walking tour of the city, exploring the temples, shrines and gardens that make Kyoto Japan’s cultural capital. Founded more than 1,200 years ago, Kyoto developed as a center of aristocratic culture and remains famous for its Zen gardens and geisha traditions. On the outskirts of the city, we come to the Fushimi Inari Shrine, home to a seemingly endless stretch of torii (gates) that spread across a thickly wooded mountain. Walk through snaking corridors of red gates, made famous in the film Memoirs of a Geisha, and stop to admire the shrines and many fox statues. After an afternoon spent on the mountain, we head to another of Kyoto’s must-see sights, the Tofukuji Temple. Originally built in the 13th century, and famous for its traditional but modern Zen-style garden, Tofukuji is a great place to soak up the relaxed atmosphere of the city. Learn about the origin and inspiration for the garden, and hear about its significance to the Buddhist monks who continue to live and study here. Afterward, we sake at Fushimi-yumehyakushu brewery for three or four or five tastings, followed by a picnic lunch. In the early evening, leave the tranquil gardens behind and head to Gion, famously known as Kyoto’s geisha district – also a model for Memoirs of a Geisha. As the area comes alive with people and lights, we'll stroll past the charming restaurants and teahouses, many of which have been exclusive establishments for geisha entertainment since the 17th-century. See the theaters and traditional shops, and enjoy the ambiance of this historical quarter. After our Kyoto-style okonomiyaki dinner followed by a night walk to take to the backstreets of Gion. Viewing lovely old houses, geisha homes and cherry tree-lined streams as we stroll, and then go for round two of karaoke at a local bar before retiring at our ryokan.

Let's hop on a bike in the morning and see the best sites of Kyoto on a bicycle tour through the city. Discover the real Kyoto while coasting along the streets and relax over a picnic breakfast at a riverside garden with great views. We'll cycle along the Kamo River, taking in the views of the city’s downtown and passing a wealth of traditional riverside restaurants. Maybe stop by the Heian Shrine, built in 1894 to commemorate the 1,100th anniversary of the capital’s founding. Next, weave our way along the quaint canals to reach the impressive Nanzenji Temple, one of Japan’s most important Zen temples. Admire the temple’s spacious grounds and gardens, with the Higashiyama Mountains as their impressive backdrop. Delight in the surrounds before jumping back on our bike and heading off down the Path of Philosophy. Arguably the most popular walking path in Kyoto, the Path of Philosophy is shaded by hundreds of cherry trees that bloom each spring. A great place to contemplate the tranquility and beauty of the area, the path was named by Nishida Kitaro, one of Japan's most famous philosophers, who walked the route on his daily commute to Kyoto University. Finally, follow our guide to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Shimogamo Shrine in a unique forested setting that was preserved during the modernization of Kyoto. We'll end our cycling tour of the city back at the Kyoto Station around 4pm. And yes more sake.