Kinkaku-Ji Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, Japan

Romantic Itinerary to China and Japan

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist

Countries Visited

China, Japan

Places Visited

Tokyo, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Hakone...

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Suggested Duration

16 Days

Japan and China are two countries that always capture the heart of any traveler. Imagine hot springs and ryokans, the bustling cities alongside the ancient wonders and inspiring histories discovered in bucolic old-world towns with landscapes as if from a dream. This will be an evocative adventure made for two, abounding with romantic surprises and the small moments that make you fall in love. Begin in Tokyo, relax in Hakone, savor cultural Kyoto, and then traditional Takayama. Travel on to Shanghai,...

Customizable Itinerary

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Trip Highlights

  • Bask in the serenity of a ryokan and hot spring experience in Hakone
  • Drift down the Yulong River and explore the karst of Guilin
  • Walk hand in hand through Japan’s finest gardens during a two-day stay in Kyoto
  • Sip cocktails at Shanghai sky bars before delving into the city’s historical quarters
  • Immerse yourself in old-world Japan in the romantic town of Takayama
  • Feel the slow pace of traditional life with two days in postcard-perfect Lijiang
  • Begin your adventure in Tokyo, the city’s energy quick to pull you into a romantic rhythm
  • Explore the canals of Tongli in China and wander the cobbled streets of Shirakawa-go
  • Wonder at the Great Wall of China and step inside the remarkable Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven

Detailed Description

Japan and China have always had an air of mystique. They are countries of magical places that capture your heart from your first glance to your last. Romance thrives, the cultural adventure continually bringing new experiences and breathtaking settings. Imagine your intimate ryokan in rural Japan with your tatami mats complemented by a private hot spring bath.  Dream of drifting through the karst of Guilin with just the two of you in your boat, and nothing but nature all around you.  Look forward to savoring Kyoto’s temples and gardens for a different experience to the indulgence in contemporary China. Covering iconic highlights and packed with romantic extras, this 16-day tour has been crafted just for two.

You will have two nights in each of eight destinations except Beijing, with each transfer made simply with direct flights and rapid railway journeys. Both countries come alive through their contrasts, and there will be a focus on authenticity throughout with kaiseki dining, tea ceremonies, and the old Middle Kingdom. Contemporary indulgence helps change the pace with cities like Tokyo and Shanghai an entirely different experience from Takayama and Lijiang. There are temples, mountains, canals, rivers, fine-dining restaurants and places known best to locals, and there are so many wonderful settings to walk hand in hand, from Sunkoin garden to the Great Wall of China and Shanghai’s French Quarter.

Eight nights in Japan are followed by seven nights in China, and you will begin your adventure with Tokyo’s energy and contrasts. Escape next to Hakone for a two-night ryokan and hot spring experience, and then bask in the cultural beauty of Kyoto before staying in old-world Japan with two nights in Takayama, which allows for a day in Shirakawa-go. Flying to Shanghai, you can delve into more cultural contrasts, along with flamboyant dining and drinking. A full day in Beijing ensures you experience China’s most unmissable – the Great Wall, Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven – before you slow it all down with two nights in medieval Lijiang. Yangshuo and Guilin provide an amorous final stop, as laid-back and care-free as you wish to imagine.

Starting Price

$5,723 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service

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