Japan Post Conference Tour

POST CONFERENCE TOUR ITINERARY

14-20 NOVEMBER 2025

B = Breakfast L = Lunch D = Dinner

FRI   14       Kyoto - Kanazawa

Enjoy a relaxing morning travelling to Kanazawa by bullet train. We'll spend the afternoon at Kanazawa castle & the adjacent Kenroku-en gardens, which once formed the castle's private outer garden. The castle is a large, partially-restored castle which the Maeda family started constructing in 1583. It has burnt down several times over the years but two of the surviving structures remain - Ishikawamon Gate & Sanjikken Nagaya Warehouse - as well as reconstructions of some of the buildings. Kenroku-en Gardens are one of the three great landscape gardens of Japan. The gardens began in 1676 & was created over the span of several hundred years. You'll enjoy seeing the water features, bridges, teahouses, trees, flowers, stones & viewpoints (BL)  

SAT   15       Kanazawa - Shirakawa-go - Takayama

Before leaving Kanazawa there's time to wander through the indoor fresh food Omicho Market, with the largest strawberries & seafood you'll ever see! It's a busy & colorful network of covered streets lined with 170 shops & stalls. We travel south through beautiful scenery with a stop at Shirakawa-go, known for its small, traditional village showcasing a building style known as gassho-zukuri, named after the appearance of the steep roofs that reduce snow buildup in winter. Registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the village dates back to the 1800's & you'll get to see inside one of the houses & have a traditional lunch. We continue onto Takayama - famous for their Hida Beef - for the next 2 nights (BL)                                                             

SUN   16       Takayama

Takayama is an old authentic traditional Japanese village known as "Little Kyoto", located in the central part of Japan surrounded by 3000 metre high mountains. Takayama gained importance as a source of high quality timber & highly skilled carpenters during the Edo Period (1600-1868) & the narrow streets of its old town have been beautifully preserved. On our walking tour this morning, we'll start with a stroll through the Miyagawa morning market & then through some of the old streets where you'll see wooden merchant's houses, museums, shops, coffee houses & sake breweries, some of which have been in business for centuries. Several old sake breweries are found in the old town (one of Takayama's local specialties) & we'll visit one to see the sake-making process & taste testing. The rest of the day is at leisure for you to wander this cute town (B)                                                                 

MON   17       Takayama - Hakone  

It will be an early start today as we head down the mountains for Hakone. We'll stop at the Shin-Hotaka Ropeway to ride on one of Japan's most unique ropeways to the top observation deck at 2,155 metres, up the side of the Hotake Mountain Range. Its most distinguishing feature is its double decker gondola cars, the first of their kind in Japan. We continue on & weather permitting, this should be your first sighting of the famous Mt Fuji. Our hotel tonight is situated on the shore of Lake Ashinoko (Ashi), a crater lake known for its views (BLD)

TUE   18       Hakone - Tokyo

Before leaving the hotel this morning, walk around it's 130,000m² garden situated on the shore of Lake Ashi - you may just get a glimpse of Mt Fuji as well! You'll see Hakone Shrine on the edge of the lake before riding on the Hakone Ropeway over the hills for views of Lake Ashi, Mt Fuji (weather permitting) & surrounding area. We’ll travel onto Tokyo for lunch then drive by the Imperial Palace Plaza, through the chic Ginza district, you'll see the famous Shibuya Crossing & we'll visit Meiji Jingu Shrine before checkiing into our hotel. The evening is free, a good chance to visit the Observation Deck across from the hotel for a 360 view of Tokyo at night (BL)

WED  19     Tokyo

Our day starts with a visit to Shinjuku Gyoen Gardens, which combines three distinct types of gardens. The park's spacious lawns, meandering walking paths & tranquil scenery provide a relaxing escape from the busy urban center around it. We continue to Asakusa (the traditional downtown area of Tokyo) and visit its Temple then enjoy free time for lunch & a wander along Nakamise, a 250 metre street dedicated to shopping including souvenirs. Tonight is our farewell dinner (BD)                  

THU 20      Tokyo - Sydney

Bid farewell to Japan this morning & arrive back into Australia in the evening .. Sayonara!