Japan - ancient and modern

Landing at Osaka airport (Flights to Osaka are outside the package price of the trip and are paid separately). Transfer to hotel Monterey Grasmere Osaka 4*, centrally located. Accommodation and free time for first impressions of the cosmopolitan city. Overnight.

Breakfast and panoramic city tour with a visit to Osaka Castle- the pride of every resident, which impresses with its typical Japanese architecture. The castle was built in 1586 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and today has been converted into a historical museum. A visit to the Umeda Sky Building and ascend to the amazing outdoor viewing platform, located at a height of 173 m, where you can see 360^o views of the beautiful city with its many skyscrapers and bridges in all directions. Free afternoon. Possibility to visit on your own by metro the aquarium in Osaka, one of the largest in the world, where you can see whale sharks, penguins, dolphins, sea lions, interesting inhabitants of the ocean depths and you can pet a tiger ray or a baby seal or explore the underground city with its interesting streets and restaurants. Overnight.

Breakfast and departure to Nara, the first capital of Japan in the 7th century. Visit Todaiji Temple - the symbol of Nara, preserved the world's largest wooden temple building and one of the most massive bronze statues of Buddha Vairochana, 15 m high. A short walk in Deer Park, where you can feed and take pictures with the beautiful animals. Read more about the legendary sanctuary Fushimi Inari Taisha, where scenes from the film Memoirs of a Geisha were filmed. Fushimi Inari Temple is the main shrine dedicated to the deity Inari. The main temple building dates back to 1499 and is located at the foot of a hill also named Inari (233 m high). Several beautiful forest paths start from the temple and lead pilgrims to other smaller shrines scattered around the mountain. Since ancient times, Inari has been the deity of rice and is revered as the patron saint of traders and manufacturers. The shrine is famous for its many tori, gates that were donated by Japanese businessmen, down to one. Arrival in Kyoto and check-in Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo 4*,, centrally located. Accommodation.

Breakfast. The day begins with a visit to the Buddhist Kiyomizu-dera temple - the temple of pure water. It is built on top of a high hill, from where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Kyoto. A temple was first built on this site in 798, and the current structure dates from 1633. The name of the temple comes from the waterfall it contains - kiyo mizu means „pure water” in Japanese. A street with many gift and souvenir shops of the famous local porcelain leads to it.
Continuation to Nijo Castle (UNESCO) - residence of the first shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, completed in the early 17th century. The castle has two concentric circles of fortifications and includes the Ninomaru and Honmaru palaces, as well as numerous additional buildings and several gardens. In 1867, the shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu signed the declaration returning power to the emperor at Ninomaru Palace. Free time for lunch.
In the afternoon visit the historical Guion district, preserved its architecture and atmosphere for a walking tour with the local guide, where you can catch a glimpse of the beautifully dressed and made-up geishas.
In the evening, for those who sign up on request, attend a traditional performance showcasing the most characteristic cultural traditions of the Japanese, such as tea ceremony, ikebana, geisha dance, puppet theatre, ancient court music and classical comedy. Before the performance, you will have the opportunity to dress in a traditional Japanese kimono. Overnight.

Breakfast and a visit to Arashiyama and the famous Sagano Bamboo Forest, starred in many world-famous film productions, as well as Tenruiji Temple - where you will have the pleasure to visit a typical Buddhist Zen garden.
Afternoon visit to The Golden Temple of Kinkakuji, Originally built as a lavish, extravagant villa for the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and converted into a Zen temple after his death in 1408, Kinkakuji is surrounded by a beautiful Japanese garden with springs, sacred statues and centuries-old trees the epitome of a landscape garden. Return to the hotel and free time.
In the evening, if you wish, you can embark on a traditional Japanese experience - a special Japanese dinner in the presence of a „Maiko“ - a young girl training to become a geisha, who will demonstrate her skills in entertaining you with dancing and games. Overnight.

 Breakfast and departure by bullet train to Hakone, famous for its numerous spas and ryokans - typical Japanese spas where you can soak in the waters of natural geothermal springs.
Arrival and ascent by bus Fifth station of Mount Fuji - the highest mountain in Japan (3 776 m), considered a sacred place since ancient times because of its ideal shape and mysteriousness. Most of the time the mountain is hidden in clouds and mist - lucky are those who have captured its beauty on clear and sunny days. From the Fifth Station, in clear weather, you will be able to see the five sacred lakes of Fujigoko. The Shinto shrine of Komitake, dedicated to Fuji, is also located here, and from the post station, located at 2300 m above sea level, you can send a postcard to Bulgaria.
If the weather is clear, you will be able to take a cable car up to Ovakudani Valley - an active volcanic zone where you can see bubbling hot lakes covered with clouds of water vapour mixed with sulphur. A big attraction here are the black eggs cooked in the natural hot springs, which are said to extend the life of anyone who has tried them by seven years.
Accommodation in ryokan hotel Sengokuhara Prince Hotel 4*. Riokan hotels in Japan are necessarily built on geothermal springs, around which natural pools are built, unlike spa hotels in Europe, which in most cases only partially use mineral water for their pools. Overnight.

Breakfast and departure by bus to Tokyo. On the way visit Haze Kannon Temple, dedicated to the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, whose gilded wooden statue with 11 heads is believed to be the largest wooden statue in Japan. A lovely garden with flowers in all seasons leads to the temple, and a small cave nearby hides numerous statues of the goddess Bensaiten, patron of female beauty and wealth. It is also visited Kotokuin Temple with the 13-metre bronze statue of Amida Buddha - the second largest in Japan. Free time for lunch in Komachi-dori main street area. Arrival in Tokyo and check-in at hotel The Celeste Tokyo Shiba 4*. Overnight.

Breakfast and panoramic tour of Tokyo. Visit the square and gardens in front of Imperial Palace - an oasis of peace and tranquillity in the dynamics of the city of many millions. The Imperial Palace, called Kokyo, is located in the centre of Tokyo on the site of the former Edo Castle, the seat of the Tokugawa shogun who ruled the country from 1603 to 1867. The new palace was built in 1888, and was almost completely destroyed during World War II and then rebuilt again in the same form. The palace is surrounded by a huge park with lakes and high stone walls. Next, climb the world's tallest TV tower - the Tokyo Skytree (634 м). From a height of 350 m, you'll have a 360-degree view of the metropolis, and if the weather's good, you can even reach Mount Fuji.
The tour continues with a visit to Tokyo's oldest temple - Asakusa Kannon (Sensoji), dedicated to the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, and Nakamise - one of the oldest commercial streets in the city. The temple dates back to the 7th century AD. The legend of the Sensoji Temple says that in 628, two fishermen brothers pulled a fish out of the waters of the river. Sumida a statue of the goddess of mercy Kannon. Each time they threw the statue back into the water, it would surface and return to them. Subsequently, the Sensōji Temple was built on this site. Transfer to the hotel and free time.
In the afternoon, if you wish, visit one of the liveliest night-time districts of the capital - Shibuya - with its famous intersection and statue of Hachiko the dog (familiar from films like Lost in Translation and The Fast and the Furious) and the Ginza shopping and entertainment district, which has earned a reputation as Tokyo's best place to shop, eat and be entertained. The area is home to the most famous boutiques, shops, galleries, restaurants, nightclubs and the most lavish lights and glowing advertisements. Overnight.

Breakfast and free day for shopping or independent sightseeing in the city of millions.

Optional, full-day excursion to Nikko (UNESCO). An ancient Japanese proverb says: “Never say kikko (beautiful) before you have seen nikko!”. As a shrine, Nikko originated in the 7th century. The place was chosen by the Buddhist sect Shodo. Nikko became famous throughout Japan in the 17th century during the Tokugawa shogunate. From 1634 to 1637 the huge Toshogu temple complex«, characterized by its colorful carving on the facade. The Shinto temple is a maze of buildings, gates, galleries, staircases and mausoleums. It is a masterpiece of Japanese national architecture. The tour starts from the sanctuary of Futarasan and continues with the Shinto shrine Toshogu - a masterpiece of Japanese temple architecture and the mausoleum of Emperor Tokugawa - the first shogun of Japan. Most interesting are the five-storey Pagoda, the Karamon and Yomeion gates and the central hall of the shrine. All of them are richly ornamented with colorful carved figures. On the frieze of the stable with Toshogu's sacred horses are the famous monkeys “I hear not the words of evil”, “I see not the deeds of evil” and “I utter no evil”, expressing basic tenets of Buddhist philosophy. Return to Tokyo and free time.
             Tonight you can take a walk in one of the most visited neighborhoods in the city - Harajuku - and take a look Boulevard Omotesandowith the famous Prada and Omotesando Hills buildings. Overnight.

Breakfast and transfer to the airport. End of the program.

(Flights from Tokyo to Sofia are outside the package price and are paid separately.).