Japan classic tour by rail

Description of Japan classic tour by rail

Japan's shinkansen (bullet trains) – whisper-quiet, famously punctual, slipping between cities at breathtaking speed – set the tone for a fascinating cultural exploration. This two-week tailor made Japan tour by train takes you from the vertiginous excitement of Tokyo to the dignified solemnity of Hiroshima, the wild beauty of Hakone National Park and on to ancient Kyoto, with time to let it all sink in. No domestic flights, no coaches: you get around using just trains, boats and your own two feet.

Your trip begins in Tokyo with a day alongside a specialist local guide – someone who knows where the best bowls of ramen are to be found, and which backstreet temples you'd never find alone. From there the journey unfolds at a pleasantly leisurely pace, taking you south and west through some of Japan's most celebrated destinations. Hiroshima is a city of extraordinary resilience – its Peace Park and Museum are moving and thought-provoking. The island of Miyajima, reached by ferry, offers the iconic image of a red torii gate rising from the water.

In Kyoto, you'll spend a morning with the Women's Association of Kyoto, a quietly remarkable cultural encounter that helps sustain ancient traditions like tea ceremonies, calligraphy and origami, and supports the local women who keep them alive. Nights in traditionally-run ryokan inns – where dinner is seasonal, locally grown and utterly delicious – mean your money stays firmly in the communities you're passing through.

Japan repays curiosity handsomely. Fragments stay with you: a deer wandering through Nara; the creak of bamboo in the breeze above Kyoto; and the courteous efficiency of a country that has perfected the art of welcoming visitors. You'll come home slightly dazzled, and already planning a return.

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