12-Day Winter Treasure Hunt in Japan

Escape the peak tourist season and embark on a treasure hunt in Japan during winter.

Numerous pieces of evidence suggest that Japan is becoming one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. From its unique culture, to its delicious cuisine, and to its charming historical sites, Japan has many elements that travelers love. This also means that it is often overcrowded and even suffers from overtourism. That's why I recommend traveling to Japan in winter, as many people are in pursuit of sunshine and beaches. Our carefully planned itinerary includes Tokyo and Kyoto, and we also drove through the "Japanese Alps". This trip is perfect, with a local professional guide accompanying you to explore the heart of Honshu Island and experience the true charm of Japan, while avoiding the crowds and complicated itinerary arrangements.

If you are seeking an unforgettable winter trip, this carefully customized private tour is definitely worth your serious consideration. Certainly, you can adjust the pace of this Japanese exploration journey. A thoughtful journey always brings us unexpected gains!

Itinerary Sketch

Tour Highlights

1. Enjoy private car service to traverse the Japanese Alps freely, avoiding crowds.

2. Experience Japanese traditional culture through hot springs, ancient castles, traditional houses, and World Heritage sites.

3. Stroll through Takayama's well-preserved historic district, admiring traditional wooden buildings.

4. Explore Shirakawa-go's largest and best-preserved Gassho-zukuri houses.

5. Visit Kyoto's thousand-year-old World Heritage Sites.

Itinerary Overview

This is a personalized winter travel route in Japan, away from the big cities, allowing you to spend more time exploring the rural areas. The vast mountains of Nagano Prefecture are known as the "Japanese Alps" and are famous for winter sports such as skiing. It hosted the Winter Olympics in 1998. Even if you are not keen on winter sports, it is still a great choice for a visit because the region has well-developed winter infrastructure and all facilities are open.

Japan has an extensive railway network, making travel convenient, but this can limit your ability to go beyond the big cities. Therefore, we provide comfortable private car services throughout the trip, eliminating many transportation hassles during your journey.

Day 1   Arrive in Tokyo and adapt to the environment.

When you arrive at either Narita or Haneda International Airport, marking the beginning of your trip to Japan, enjoy our seamless and personalized private transfer service. Upon your arrival, your dedicated driver will greet you and take you to your hotel in Tokyo in a comfortable manner.
Take the first two days after your arrival in Japan to get accustomed to the pace here.

Day 2  Strolling Through Tokyo: Tradition and Modernity in Tokyo.

Enjoy a tour of this charming city with a dedicated guide.
Start your visit at Sensoji Temple, Tokyo's oldest temple, which dates back to the 7th century. The Nakamise Shopping Street in front of the temple is one of Japan's oldest commercial streets and remains bustling to this day.
The 634-meter Tokyo Skytree is not far from Sensoji Temple. Climb to the observation deck of this former world's tallest tower to take in the magnificent panoramic view of the city below.

In the afternoon, visit Meiji Shrine, a religious sanctuary hidden in a forest in the heart of the city. It enshrines the spirit of Emperor Meiji and is a popular venue for traditional Japanese weddings.

Then, stroll through Shibuya, another district listed as a "24-hour non-sleeping street" along with Shinjuku. Walk along the tree-lined Omotesando Avenue and feel the pulse of Tokyo's fashion scene. Admire the architectural masterpieces that house the flagship stores and boutiques of world-renowned brands and explore the latest trends that define Tokyo's cutting-edge style.

Day 3-5  Temples and Sightseeing in Kyoto.

Kyoto is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan. Even in winter, it is bustling, though not as crowded as during the cherry blossom season in spring. Kyoto is a city with a thousand-year history, and ancient temples and shrines can be found everywhere. Each historical site has its own unique features and stories waiting for you to explore and discover. The Higashiyama District in Kyoto is an ancient area with numerous historical sites that are too many to count. Strolling along the old streets, visiting small shops and restaurants, you can have a great time and before you know it, time will have flown by.

If you want to visit the most popular attractions in Kyoto during the day in winter without the crowds, you must get up early. Fushimi Inari Taisha, the most important shrine dedicated to the Japanese Inari deity, is home to thousands of vermilion torii gates that stretch along the mountain path, and fox statues scattered throughout the shrine add many details. It is one of the best places for taking photos in Kyoto, but it is usually crowded with people taking pictures. However, it is relatively quiet in the early morning.

The Saiho-ji Temple in Kyoto, also known as the "Moss Temple", is home to about 120 different types of moss. In 1339, the monk Muso Soseki created the garden of the moss temple and transformed the former royal villa into a Zen temple. As one of the oldest gardens in Japan listed as a World Heritage Site, the garden is not large but very exquisite. Usually, you need to make a reservation in advance to visit it.

One of the highlights of this trip is a private tour of the famous and usually crowded Kiyomizu-dera Temple after it closes. You will have one or two hours to explore the area around the temple, including visiting the waterfall that gives the temple its name, peeking inside the main hall shrine, sitting for a while in the legendary Moon-viewing Platform, and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

Day 6  From Kyoto to Takayama.

Today, we leave Kyoto and drive over 200 kilometers northwest to Gifu and Nagano Prefectures in the central inland area of Honshu Island. Here lies the Japanese Alps, often referred to as the "Roof of Japan".
Our first stop is a place that has gained popularity on Instagram, the fairytale-like mountain village of Shirakawa-go. If it has just snowed heavily, the entire place looks like a painting.
This village remained isolated from the outside world until the 1950s. To survive the snowy winters, the locals built steeply sloped thatched-roof houses called gassho-zukuri, which are now recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Then drive about 40 kilometers to Takayama City and check in.

Day 7  The historic town of Hida-Takayama.

Takayama was the home of the most skilled carpenters during Japan's feudal period and boasts the best-preserved 18th-century streets in the country, especially the Sanmachi Suji. You can spend half a day wandering through these ancient streets and picking out some nice souvenirs from the numerous handicraft shops.
Takayama has a 300-year history of Japanese sake brewing. There are many sake breweries in Sanmachi Suji and its vicinity, some of which have been around for over a hundred years. If you drink alcohol, it's a must to try some.

There are two morning markets worth exploring here. One is located by the Kōkawa River, and the other is in front of the Takayama Jinya. Every morning, vendors set up their stalls to sell local agricultural products and handicrafts.
Entering the Takayama Jinya, which was once the government office during the Edo period (1603 - 1868), it is still carefully preserved to this day.

Day 8  Narai-juku.

We set off from Takayama City by car and head for Matsumoto City. Along the way, the charming Narai-juku village in the northern part of the Kiso Valley will make us stop. During the Edo period, Narai-juku was a stopover on the route connecting Kyoto and Tokyo. It gradually flourished and is now one of the best-preserved villages along the route. Narai-juku is essentially a row of wooden machiya houses stretching for one kilometer, with shops, restaurants and inns, a must-visit stop in the area. For tourists, the New Year is an ideal time to visit here.

Later in the afternoon, we continue driving for about 40 kilometers and arrive in Matsumoto City, where we check into a hotel with a hot spring.

Day 9  Matsumoto Castle and Zenkoji Temple.

The area around Matsumoto is a wine-producing region in Japan. The hotel offers wine-tasting activities, so before enjoying the hot springs and having a multi-course kaiseki meal in a private room, you can quickly learn about Japanese wine.

In the morning, we go to Matsumoto Castle, which is the best-preserved and leading historical castle in Japan and well worth a visit. From the top viewing platform, we could overlook the entire city and the Japanese Alps, and the scenery was breathtaking.

In the afternoon, we visit the historic Zenkoji Temple, where the bell that was rung at the opening ceremony of the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics is located. During the New Year period, this place is crowded with Japanese tourists who come to make wishes.

Day 10  Shibu Onsen Town and the Snow Monkeys Bathing in the Hot Springs.

Today, we go to Nakano City in Nagano Prefecture. After arriving, we first visit the snow monkeys at Jigokudani. To be honest, I believe you must have already seen pictures of these monkeys enjoying outdoor hot springs in the mountains. But I have to say, the 30-minute hike through the forest to reach their bathing spot is a very interesting journey. Moreover, watching them play is really fun.

Spend a night in the historic town of Shibu Onsen in Nagano Prefecture, which has a history of over 1,300 years. Shibu Onsen boasts 37 hot spring sources and 9 public baths. Each hot spring has its own unique water source and claimed medicinal benefits. According to local culture, visiting these 9 hot springs is a must-do when in a mountain village. After checking into your hotel, you can enjoy a private open-air hot spring at the hotel. You can also put on a yukata and traditional Japanese geta and stroll along the historic and charming streets of Shibu Onsen, exploring its 9 public baths.

Day 11  Karuizawa.

Karuizawa is a popular resort destination throughout the year. It also hosted the curling events of the Nagano Winter Olympics. Interestingly, John Lennon, a member of The Beatles, spent almost every summer here with his Japanese wife Yoko Ono from the band's disbandment until his death in 1980. Additionally, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko's fateful encounter took place in Karuizawa in 1958.

Day 12  Return to Tokyo and end the trip to Japan.

As your time in Japan is coming to an end, we will be dedicated to arranging your departure with meticulous and considerate service. Our team has carefully arranged a private transfer service to ensure your journey from the hotel to the airport is smooth and comfortable.