TOKYO
There are few things that feel as luxurious as unwinding from your flight with the services of a private chauffeur to deliver you to your hotel. Except maybe when the hotel is an institution like The Imperial Hotel, a legendary Tokyo landmark that has welcomed royalty, celebrities and international leaders for over a century. Upon arriving in Tokyo, you'll spend three nights here while exploring the foremost attractions of the city.
Tokyo is known for its metropolitan allure. Venture through some of the city's most famed shopping and entertainment districts, including Harajuku's Takeshita Street and Omotesando Avenue. Discover the neon-drenched Shibuya District with its sky-high LED screens, flashing neon advertisements and extravagant street fashion, tour the mind-bending Mori Building Digital Art Museum in Odaibo and soak in the 360-degree view atop the observation deck at the Roppongi Hills complex.
In addition to the many city attractions, you'll also have the opportunity to explore some of Tokyo's more traditional areas, such as Asakusa and the Sensoji Temple, the East Garden of the Imperial Palace and the lovely wooded grounds of Meiji Shrine, a perfect example of pure Shinto architecture with its huge torii gates marking the entrance. You'll even enjoy a hands-on sushi lesson and lunch at the famed Tsukiji market.
After experiencing Tokyo's most iconic sites, continue to the stunning setting of Hakone, a popular resort village since the great warrior Toyotomi Hideyoshi discovered natural hot springs in this beautiful mountainous area in the 16th century. From here, appreciate some of Japan's most stunning natural landscapes with a cable car ride with spectacular views of Mount Fuji, a boat ride across picturesque Lake Ashi and the world-renowned outdoor sculpture garden at the Hakone Open-Air Museum.
Enjoy the unique experience of spending a night in a ryokan, or Japanese inn. Staying in a ryokan is as much a part of the Japanese experience as the sites and places visited by day. Combining classical Japanese design with modern amenities and technology, Gora Kadan ryokan is in a class of its own. Located within Hakone National Park, this former residence of the imperial Kaninnomiya clan not only displays priceless ceramics and scrolls, it also houses some of Japan's best onsen hot springs. Settle into your room, unwind in the hot spring spa and relax by donning an airy cotton yukata robe before enjoying a traditional Japanese meal prepared especially for you by your ryokan host.
