Japan · A private journey

Between Stillness & City Lights

From Tokyo through the Alps to Kyoto, at the pace you choose.

Tokyo  ·  Hakone  ·  Kyoto  ·  Osaka

From $13,400 per person, two sharing Excludes international flights and peak seasons

Enquire See the journey
Mount Fuji above Lake Ashi, with the red torii gate of Hakone Shrine at the water’s edge

The Journey

The Essence of the Journey

Japan in four moods: the energy of Tokyo, the hot springs and mountain air of Hakone, the temples and crafts of Kyoto, and the easy warmth of Osaka at the table. Linked by fast, smooth trains, it is a journey of contrasts, paced so there is always time to slow down.

  • Tokyo

    The City, Day and Night

    Quiet gardens and old neighbourhoods by day, and the glow of the city’s lanes and rooftop views after dark.

  • Hakone

    Hot Springs and Mountain Air

    A ryokan with its own onsen, and on clear days Mount Fuji rising above Lake Ashi.

  • Kyoto

    Kyoto Through Time

    Temple gardens at the quiet ends of the day, and wooden machiya lanes where old traditions carry on.

  • Kyoto

    Tea, Clay and Craft

    Time with the makers behind Japanese tea, ceramics and the small, careful details of everyday life.

  • Osaka

    Osaka at the Table

    The city that loves to eat: busy markets, small counters and long evenings among its food streets.

  • Between cities

    The Journey Between

    Smooth bullet trains and scenic roads, with the landscape changing from coast to mountain to city.

Why Hayah Reserve

Why choose a Hayah Reserve journey?

  • Planned around you

    Every journey is built from scratch, around how you like to travel, eat and rest.

  • Handled end to end

    Flights, transfers, guides and timings, arranged so the days run without friction.

  • Quiet access

    Private visits and experiences that are hard to arrange alone, often before the crowds arrive.

  • Chosen with care

    Hotels, lodges and villas we know well, picked for character rather than star ratings.

The Journey

Tokyo

The capital

Tokyo

You are met on arrival and taken straight into the city. Tokyo is best in small, deliberate doses: an old neighbourhood at dawn, a garden at midday, a counter of eight seats at night. Your time here is built around what interests you rather than a fixed list.

Private car into the hills · about 1 hour 30

Hakone

The mountain retreat

Hakone

After the pace of Tokyo, Hakone slows everything down. Settle into a ryokan with its own hot spring bath, drift across Lake Ashi, and ride the ropeway above the steaming valley of Owakudani. On a clear morning Mount Fuji appears across the water, and a multi-course kaiseki dinner closes the day.

Private car to Odawara, then first-class Green Car bullet train, met on the platform · about 3 hours

Kyoto

The old imperial capital

Kyoto

Kyoto rewards time more than any city in Japan. Walk the lanes of Higashiyama early, before the day visitors arrive, and let your Region Expert time the temples so you see them at their quietest. Arashiyama, Nara and Uji are each an easy day from here.

Private car to Osaka · about 1 hour

Osaka

The kitchen of Japan

Osaka

Osaka is loud, generous and entirely devoted to eating well. Your guide takes you through Kuromon Market and the back streets of Dotonbori, and finds the counters locals actually queue for. Osaka Castle and the neon of the evening canals fill the hours in between.

Gran Class bullet train to Tokyo, then the Narita Express · about 4 hours

Departure

Narita, and the flight home

A smooth run back across the country by bullet train, with the Narita Express onward to your terminal. Your luggage is forwarded ahead, so you travel light and arrive unhurried for the flight back to the Gulf.

Along the Way

Private, one group at a time, with the people who keep these traditions alive.

  • A sushi counter Tokyo Toyosu and a sushi master

    Walk the market with a chef, then learn to press nigiri in private.

  • An ikebana flower arrangement Tokyo Ikebana at the Sogetsu school

    A private lesson in the art of arranging flowers, where space and restraint matter as much as the blooms.

  • Kintsugi, pottery mended with gold Kanazawa Kintsugi with a craftsman

    Mend broken pottery with natural lacquer and gold, and find the beauty in what has been repaired.

  • A traditional tea room in Takayama Takayama Tea and the craft of Hida

    A private tea session in a traditional tea room, alongside a master woodcarver from a region whose carpenters built Japan’s ancient capitals.

  • Japanese calligraphy brush and ink Kyoto Kana calligraphy with a Kyoto family

    Brush and ink, taught by a family that has practised the art for four generations. It will feel familiar to anyone who admires Arabic calligraphy.

  • An artisan at work in a Kyoto knife shop Near Kyoto Forge your own knife

    Shape a blade at a historic forge with a master smith, from the steel of the samurai sword.

A few of many. We place them where they suit your journey. Tell us what you love.

Grand Hyatt Tokyo

Tokyo

Grand Hyatt Tokyo

A landmark hotel set in the Roppongi Hills complex, three minutes on foot from Roppongi Station. Rooms look out across the city, and Tokyo Tower stands on the skyline at night.

We choose it as a soft landing. After a long flight you are close to the Mori Art Museum and the observatory, with a spa, an indoor pool and ten restaurants and bars under one roof, and Ginza and the Imperial Palace gardens a short drive away.

Why we like it

  • Wide views across the city from the guest rooms
  • Roppongi Hills on the doorstep, with its art museum and observatory
  • A spa, indoor pool and ten restaurants and bars to ease the jet lag
Gora Kadan

Hakone

Gora Kadan

A ryokan in the hills of Gora, built on the grounds of a former imperial family villa. Rooms are tatami suites with verandas that look out over the forest, and the baths sit among rocks, maples and stone lanterns.

This is where the trip slows down. After Tokyo you soak in the hot spring, eat kaiseki in the evening, and there is an indoor pool under a glass roof for when you want to swim instead.

Why we like it

  • Indoor and outdoor hot spring baths among rocks and maples
  • Tatami suites with a veranda over the forest
  • An indoor pool under a glass roof
Patina Osaka, with the park in front

Osaka

Patina Osaka

A new, design-led hotel set in the greenery beside Osaka Castle, where the stone-clad entrance opens onto maples and the castle keep appears above the treetops.

Osaka is a city for eating, and we like this as a calm place to come back to. Rooms have balconies over the park, there is an indoor pool with the castle in view, and the terrace garden is a quiet spot for a drink at the end of the day.

Why we like it

  • Views of Osaka Castle from the pool, rooms and terrace garden
  • Rooms with a private balcony and a window seat over the park
  • An indoor pool and lounge in warm timber and stone
Sowaka

Kyoto

Sowaka

A former ryotei in the heart of Gion, restored in sukiya style with hand-carved timber, shoji screens and bamboo lattice. Rooms are arranged around a quiet garden courtyard, so it feels like a private residence rather than a hotel.

We end the journey here on purpose. You can walk the lanes of Gion at the quiet ends of the day, and dinner downstairs is kaiseki at Gion Loka, the hotel’s own restaurant.

Why we like it

  • Sukiya-style architecture, hand-carved wood and shoji screens
  • Rooms around a private garden courtyard
  • Kaiseki at Gion Loka, with vegetarian and allergy needs catered for

Our Curated Selection

The Investment & Inclusions

A Note on Design & Tariff: Expeditions of this scale are custom-priced based on your seasonal travel window and private party requirements.

    • Private transfers with airport meet & greet

    • Hotels with daily breakfast

    • Private experiences along the route

    • Round the clock support, before & during your journey

    • International flights and visas

The Long Way Through Japan

Begin the conversation

Tell us a little about your plans. We will shape the journey, and its length, around you.

  1. i.We reply personally within 24 hours.
  2. ii.A private call to understand how you like to travel.
  3. iii.A proposal with route, stays, timing and length.

Prefer to talk now? WhatsApp us
or write to hello@hayahreserve.com

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