OVERVIEW
Koyo – Japan’s autumn color season – is to the Japanese fall what cherry blossom is to spring. Between October and December, temples, gardens and mountain forests ignite in vibrant shades of red, orange and gold. This itinerary follows the koyo south from Tokyo through Japan’s most iconic cities. Nikko colors from mid-October and Kyoto in late November, so we time the route to the places that matter most to you.
From Nikko’s mountain shrines to Kyoto’s temple gardens, Hiroshima’s Peace Park and Kanazawa’s Kenroku-en – this is Japan at its most beautiful, privately guided from start to finish.
PRICE FROM
USD 5,890 per person
Double occupancy. Excludes international flights & insurance
WHEN TO VISIT
October – December
Peak koyo: mid-November in Kyoto and Kanazawa
DURATION
14 days
Ideally 13–15 nights
GROUP SIZE
Private – just your group
STYLE
Fully tailor-made
Every detail adapted to you
WHAT’S INCLUDED
✓ Private local guide
✓ Day-by-day itinerary
✓ Accommodation booked
✓ Airport transfers
✓ Transport planning & tickets
✓ 7/7 on-the-ground support
SAMPLE ROUTE
This is a sample route - every stop, duration and experience is adapted to you.
Yōkoso - welcome to Japan. After clearing customs and immigration, a private car transfers you into the city, and your first day is yours to settle in at your own pace.
Mark the occasion with one of Tokyo's great meals - a multi-course kaiseki or an omakase sushi counter - or follow our food-obsessed guide on an early-evening izakaya crawl, hopping between small-plate counters and sake.
A huge, fascinating metropolis that sets high-tech visions of the future beside glimpses of old Japan. The headline sights - Asakusa, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, the Meiji Shrine - are worth it, but Tokyo's real charm is more discreet: the maze of streets behind the main ones, with a village feel, clean-design shops and small bars far from urban life.
Explore at your own pace with a private guide who shapes the day around your interests, covering both the landmarks and the back streets.
Escape the urban jungle for a day of autumn splendour. Hike the fiery foliage of Mount Takao - one of Japan's most celebrated koyo spots, awarded three stars in the Michelin Green Guide - for panoramic summit views, then unwind in the hot springs of Gokuraku-no-Yu.
Later, wander the golden ginkgo avenues of Showa Kinen Park, where fallen ginkgo leaves cover the paths - its variety of trees making it especially rich for autumn colour.
A scenic train ride to Nikko, gateway to Nikko National Park, most famous for the World Heritage Toshogu Shrine and the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, first shogun of his line - alongside the Shinkyo sacred bridge and the Rinnoji temple complex.
Renowned for its autumn colour, the park offers mountainous landscapes, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs, hiking trails and wild monkeys - your local expert guiding the way. Nikko's varied onsen, brimming with quality hot water, make an overnight stay especially rewarding.
Travel by shinkansen or the Romance Car to Hakone - a picturesque resort town in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, known for its natural beauty, hot springs and, weather permitting, views of Mount Fuji. The journey itself is part of the fun, linking mountain trains, a funicular and a ropeway with a cruise across peaceful Lake Ashino-ko.
Hakone is one of Japan's great onsen resorts, fed by more than a dozen hot springs. In the evening, settle into the rhythm of the mountains - a traditional kaiseki dinner followed by a soak in the hot-spring waters.
Before transferring to Odawara for the shinkansen to Kyoto, you might visit the Hakone Open-Air Museum with its Picasso pavilion.
In the evening, explore Gion with your guide - the famous geisha district of Higashiyama, its streets of traditional wooden merchant houses glowing under the evening light. As dusk falls, marvel at the autumn night illuminations of Kiyomizu-dera and other nearby temples and shrines.
Kyoto - literally "Capital City" - was the seat of Japan for over a millennium and has the reputation of being its most beautiful. Largely spared wartime bombing, it kept the customs and traditions of old Japan.
Its beauty rewards effort, found in the temples and parks ringing the centre - and there is no finer place to appreciate the artistry of Japan's autumn scenery, the maples turning the old capital crimson and gold.
Begin at Nishiki Market, Kyoto's historic "kitchen," or the ethereal moss gardens of Saiho-ji. Then to Arashiyama - a green corner crossed by the Katsura River, whose famous Togetsu-kyo bridge frames the gorge.
Add the Sagano Romantic Train, a 25-minute ride along the Hozu River ravine, or the Hozugawa River cruise down to Arashiyama - or choose from our Kyoto experiences.
Nara, Japan's capital from 710 to 784, is often skipped - yet it's a treasure trove. Home to Todai-ji, whose Great Buddha Hall is one of the world's largest wooden buildings, and to some of Japan's oldest temples and shrines. Nearby Yoshino is the northern end of the Omine Okugake, one of the World Heritage pilgrimage routes of the Kii Mountains.
While the deer park draws the crowds, nearby Mount Yoshino in autumn is brushed in fiery red, yellow and orange - its cherry and maple trees turning to create truly splendid scenery.
Shinkansen to Hiroshima, principal city of the Chūgoku region. The Atomic Bomb Dome is set off in autumn by golden ginkgo - the scenery and the dome together a peaceful yet haunting reminder.
Spend the rest of the day on Itsukushima - Miyajima - and its great floating torii, one of Japan's three finest views, lit until 11pm. Fittingly, Momijidani - "maple viewing valley" park - is among the best autumn-colour spots in all Japan.
Shinkansen to Himeji, famous for its wooden castle. Himeji-jō - the White Heron Castle - is widely considered Japan's most spectacular, for its imposing size, beauty and well-preserved grounds. Beside it lies Koko-en, nine walled gardens in varied styles, at their most striking in autumn when the maples turn.
In the afternoon, on to Osaka. Spend the evening in Dōtonbori - an explosion of neon and entertainment that comes alive after dark, one of Japan's iconic streetscapes.
Train and shinkansen to Kanazawa - a city at its best in autumn, when Kenroku-en's maples turn. As seat of the powerful Maeda clan from the late 16th century, it grew into a town of great cultural achievement, rivalling Kyoto and Edo.
Unlike Kyoto, it sees far fewer visitors. After dark, explore the geisha districts and the tales of what went on here in the Edo period.
Begin at Omicho Market - Kanazawa's largest fresh-food market since the Edo period - for squid, octopus, ikura and uni, eaten on the spot. Then Kenroku-en, considered one of Japan's most beautiful gardens and a prime place to take in the city's fall colours.
Before leaving, time for Kanazawa's celebrated crafts - confectionery, sake, gold-leaf goods, Kutani-yaki ceramics and shikki lacquerware. In the afternoon, the shinkansen to Tokyo for your last evening in the land of the rising sun.
Depending on your departure time, a final round of shopping across Tokyo's districts - heading home with gifts as well as memories.
Private car transfer to Haneda or Narita for your flight home.
OVERVIEW
When is the best time for autumn leaves on this route?
The colour moves south and downhill. Nikko’s lakes usually peak from mid to late October and Nikko town in early November. Hakone and Kanazawa follow in early to mid-November, Mount Takao and Miyajima in mid to late November, and Kyoto from late November into early December.
Can one trip catch the peak everywhere?
Not in every place. Nikko turns from mid-October and Kyoto in late November, more than a month apart, so it is worth deciding which matters most to you.
What is included in the price?
From USD 5,890 per person, double occupancy: private local guide, accommodation, airport transfers, train tickets and 7/7 on-the-ground support. International flights and travel insurance are not included.
How far ahead should we book?
9 to 12 months ahead. Kyoto hotels for late November fill first.
PERFECT FOR
Autumn & nature lovers
Travelers who have timed their Japan trip to experience the koyo season at its peak across multiple cities.
Return visitors to Japan
Those who have done the Golden Route and want to revisit Japan’s iconic destinations in a completely different season.
Photography enthusiasts
Koyo provides some of the most dramatic and beautiful photography opportunities in all of Japan.
Couples & honeymooners
Ryokan stays, night illuminations and the romance of autumn Japan make this ideal for couples.
