Best 28 Days in Japan — Based in Kyoto

Walk through Kaminarimon gate and Nakamise-dori to Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple, founded 645 AD

Stand at the world's busiest pedestrian crossing where up to 2,500 people cross every 2 minutes

Step through boundary-free digital art rooms that bloom and respond to your presence at this landmark museum

Ride the Romancecar train, cruise Lake Ashi, and soak in a mountain onsen 90 minutes from Tokyo

Hike 4 km through 10,000 vermillion torii gates up Mount Inari at Kyoto's most visited shrine

Walk a 500 m path through 20-meter-tall bamboo, then tour Tenryu-ji's UNESCO Zen garden

See the three-story gold-leaf pavilion reflected in Kyoko-chi pond at one of Japan's most photographed landmarks

Walk Hanamikoji at dusk through Kyoto's most atmospheric geisha district of lantern-lit machiya teahouses

Climb to Kiyomizu-dera's wooden stage for panoramic Kyoto views then descend through 400-year-old stone-paved lanes

UNESCO World Heritage temple with iconic veranda overlooking Kyoto and traditional shopping streets

Traditional matcha tea ceremony in Japan's most famous tea region south of Kyoto

Walk the bamboo grove, Tenryu-ji garden, and Togetsukyo bridge in a focused half-day

Full day through bamboo forest, Tenryu-ji, Monkey Park, and riverside Sagano village

Small-group guided walk through bamboo forest, Tenryu-ji, and Togetsukyo with Kyoto-style lunch

Private licensed guide through Arashiyama and Sagano, tailored to your pace and interests

Cycle through bamboo groves and historic shrines along the Oi River with a local guide

Take the 45-minute train to Japan's ancient capital to feed wild deer and enter the world's largest wooden hall

Take the 15-minute shinkansen to Osaka for street food, Dotonbori canal, and the Kuromon Market

Visit the Golden Pavilion then walk to Ryoan-ji's world-famous 15-stone Zen rock garden

Hop through 3 local Kyoto izakaya on a lantern-lit alley with drinks and bites included

Tour Kyoto's historic sake-brewing district and taste locally made junmai and ginjo at family breweries

Visit Japan's matcha capital 30 minutes from Kyoto, taste premium green tea grades at a working farm, and tour Byodoin Temple

Pound mochi the traditional way at a family farm near Kyoto, then eat farm-to-table sukiyaki with the family

Cook 4-6 classic izakaya dishes in two rounds with a Kyoto chef, then eat everything you make

Learn the principles of ikebana flower arrangement in a traditional Kyoto machiya near the Imperial Palace

Forge your own Japanese knife under the guidance of Asano Taro, one of Japan's last government-certified swordsmiths

Eat takoyaki, kushi-katsu, and okonomiyaki along Osaka's iconic neon-lit canal entertainment strip

Walk Osaka's retro 1950s working-class district of vintage neon, kushi-katsu bars, and the 103m Tsutenkaku Tower

Walk Osaka's liveliest district from Namba to Shinsaibashi, through neon-lit street food arcades and vintage shops

Explore Osaka's business and luxury shopping hub in Umeda, then visit Osaka Castle and its parkland

Take the 35-minute Kintetsu express from Namba to feed Nara's 1,200 sacred deer and visit the world's largest wooden hall

Spend a focused half-day in Osaka's most nostalgic retro district: Tsutenkaku Tower, kushi-katsu stalls, and Tennoji Zoo