Takayama & Beyond
Private Proposal
This document is prepared for a specific party.
Please enter the password provided.
Four Circles Japan 株式会社
Four Circles Japan · Yamamichi
山道 ― 客のための旅
Ref TKY-6901-VW For Jordan & Friedman Proposal · May 12, 2026
A Japan Designed Around Three Things · 三つの軸で組み立てた旅

Curiosity, Adventure, Rest.

Three reasons to come. One country. The four of you.
知的好奇心、探検、そして休息 — 四人で旅をする一つの日本
Japan
Curiosity
知的好奇心
Days that ask you to learn, to taste, to question. Zazen at a working temple. Hiroshima's Peace Park with a guide who knows when to step back. A morning at a 1623 sake brewery our family has known for generations. For minds that don't quiet down on holiday.
Adventure
探検 ― 未踏
Days that take you off the page. Cycling the canals of Hida Furukawa. A countryside temple where the priest lets you ring the bell. Miyajima after the day-trippers have left. The country at the edges of the brochure. Places most travelers never find.
Rest
休息
Days when nothing is asked of you. A ryokan onsen morning and evening. A late breakfast. An afternoon to wander the lanes near your hotel without an itinerary. We've built rest into the schedule deliberately — not as a gap, but as a third of the design.

Dear Ed, Dianne, Jeremy & Lisa,

What I've put together is different from what you've been quoted before — and I want to be open about how it's different.

A typical Japan itinerary takes the iconic places and walks you through them with a narrator. You see what's on the page. The four of you don't need that. You've traveled. You already enjoy each other's company. What you need is a way in — to the country, not the brochure.

So I've designed each day around three things: knowledge to chase, places to discover, and time to rest. Every theme below carries its own balance of all three. Choose by mood — and the days you don't choose become open days, yours alone.

Below the two options, you'll find a short section called "How We Think About This Trip" — four notes on pricing, hotels, activities, and the itinerary itself. Read those before the call. They'll tell you most of what you need to know about our approach.

— Tomoa

The Cities You'll Meet

Seven Places, One Japan

Below, the seven cities that appear across both options — each with its own reason for being on the route. Read them in any order; some will pull at you more than others.

Tokyo
Tokyo 東京
"Four centuries, stacked into one skyline."
Edo's specialty streets still exist alongside Meiji-era brick, Showa neon, and a Reiwa skyline that keeps rewriting itself. The world's largest city, but navigable district by district. What you choose to see decides which Tokyo you meet.
Hakone
Hakone 箱根
"The mountain town Tokyo escapes to."
Ninety minutes from the capital, an entirely different country. Volcanic onsen valleys, Mt. Fuji on the horizon if she's willing, and ryokan that have been receiving guests since the Edo period. Where jet lag becomes a deliberate reset rather than something to fight.
Takayama
Takayama 飛騨高山
"The Japan its mountains kept whole."
A castle town in the Northern Alps that the modern world never quite reached. Edo-period merchant houses still serving the same business, sake breweries founded in 1623, cooking that comes from the forests around it. Our home ground, and the place this company began.
Kanazawa
Kanazawa 金沢
"The city culture never had to leave."
The bombs never came here, so the traditions stayed. The Maeda lords spent generations cultivating arts the way other domains cultivated rice — gold leaf, Kutani pottery, Kaga cuisine, samurai discipline, Zen quietude. A city of culture, the kind you learn through patience.
Kyoto
Kyoto 京都
"The old capital, cut a thousand ways."
A thousand years of capital city, and still the country's spiritual centre. Two thousand temples, five geisha quarters, the formal court culture that shaped Japanese aesthetics. The one city we offer in half-days, so each morning and afternoon can be its own colour.
Hiroshima
Hiroshima 広島
"Sea, mountain, history, all in one day."
Miyajima's floating torii rising from the sea, a castle on the mainland, deer walking the same paths as people, and the weight of the 20th century made visible. A weighted place, and one we believe should be met properly — with at least an overnight, not as a twelve-hour day trip.
Osaka
Osaka 大阪
"The kitchen of Japan, with a sharper tongue."
Tokyo's refined northern counterpart inverted: louder, warmer, hungrier. Kuromon Market, the okonomiyaki counters, Dotonbori's neon canyons, and a working-class humour you don't find in Kyoto. A city to be eaten in, more than walked through.
Choose Your Journey

The Two Options

Option A

Be Here,
— Fully

無理をしない、美しさとつながりを感じる旅
"Reset. Connect.
Feel the depth."
HanedaIn
→→~2h
Hakone2N
→→→→→~5h
Takayama2N
→→→→~4h
Kanazawa2N
→→→~3h
Kyoto4N
→→~2h
Hiroshima1N
→→→→~4h
Tokyo4N
→~1h
HanedaOut
Nights
15
Cities
6
Active Days
15
  • Turn jet lag into a reset. Three ways through the first two days, depending on how your bodies want to recover — do nothing, gently sightsee, or move hard. Whichever you choose, the disruption becomes a deliberate reset rather than something to fight.
  • Hiroshima in one night. From the Sheraton, take a private car to Miyajimaguchi port, ferry across to Miyajima for the floating torii and the wandering deer, then back to the mainland for Hiroshima Castle and the Atomic Dome. Sea, mountain, animals, history — all in one day, with or without a senior local guide as you prefer. With one overnight, this becomes a discovery instead of a 12-hour shinkansen day.
  • Tokyo at the end. After ten days in Japan, Tokyo isn't overwhelming — it's where you can shop for omiyage, navigate confidently, and end the trip in the city's rhythm.
Best Suited For
Travelers who want to land softly, who treat the first days as recovery, and who prefer to end a long trip in a familiar urban rhythm.
Option B

Discover
— More

探検、いろんなところに触れる外向きの旅
"Explore wider.
Know more of Japan."
HanedaIn
→~1h
Tokyo4N
→→~2h
Hakone1N
→→→→→~5h
Takayama2N
→→→→~4h
Kanazawa2N
→→→~3h
Kyoto3N
→~1h
Osaka3N
→→~2h
Hiroshimad/t
→~1h
KIXOut
Nights
15
Cities
6+1
Active Days
15
  • Same hotels, same cities, same order. The Gate Tokyo, Hatsuhana, Honjin Hiranoya, Sanraku, Dhawa Yura, W Osaka — identical properties to the Kensington proposal.
  • Different content inside each day. Where Kensington offered narrated walks, you choose by theme — and the themes are run by us, including our home-ground days in Takayama.
  • Direct price comparison enabled. Same routing, transparent pricing — easy to evaluate what the markup was paying for.
Best Suited For
Travelers who want to use every day of the trip — who'd rather see more, taste more, travel further, even at the cost of a busier schedule. For curious minds that find rhythm in motion, not in pause.
A Note on Our Approach

How We Think About This Trip

Below is how we approach four parts of the trip — pricing, hotels, activities, and itinerary structure. Each section opens with what we do and why.

01
On Pricing
価格について
Our Approach
Transparent, line-by-line pricing. Direct supplier costs are shown openly: hotels at supplier rate (no markup — what we pay, you pay), experiences and ground transportation at a modest service margin, then a 20% planning & coordination fee — the customary rate among licensed Japanese travel operators. The Trip Concierge tier you choose is shown separately.
Why This Matters
The 20% planning & coordination fee is the customary rate across the Japanese travel industry. The difference between our quote and others, then, isn't the fee structure — it's whether or not additional margin has been layered on top of supplier costs before that fee is applied.
From the original: The proposal dated April 21 came in at $19,700 per person ($78,800 total). The line-by-line structure of our quote — supplier rate plus coordination fee — should make a side-by-side comparison straightforward.
02
On Hotels
ホテルについて
Our Approach
Two tiers, both available across the journey. Premium matches the original selection — boutique properties that get the balance of comfort, character, and value right. Luxury steps you up not to global chains, but to places where Japanese hospitality reaches its highest expression: Palace Hotel Tokyo, Tawaraya in Kyoto, Beniya Mukayu in Yamanaka Onsen, Gora Kadan in Hakone, Wanosato in Hida.
Why This Matters
A truly first-rate Japanese hotel is not a global brand with a Japanese veneer. It's a place run by families across generations, where every detail of service reflects centuries of refinement. We've selected the Luxury tier to show you that distinction — should you choose to experience it.
From the original: The boutique selection — Gate Tokyo, Hatsuhana, Honjin Hiranoya, Sanraku, Dhawa Yura, W Osaka — is a thoughtful, well-priced set of properties for a first trip to Japan. We've kept all of them as the Premium tier.
03
On Activities
体験について
Our Approach
One theme per day, with intentional open days for rest and self-led wandering. Activities you do together — cooking, brewing, walking with our family — rather than commentary you receive. The four of you already enjoy each other's company; the design protects that.
Why This Matters
What people remember from a trip, in my experience, is the moments of shared experience outside daily life — not the moments of being walked through a sight. We've shifted the weight toward the former, especially in places like Hida where the local connection lets us go deeper.
From the original: The proposal leaned toward two guided tours per day — a morning walk and an afternoon or evening one. A well-established approach, and one that suits many travelers; we've simply chosen a different rhythm here, given how well the four of you already travel together.
04
On the Itinerary
旅程について
Our Approach
Option A reorganizes the trip around jet lag, pacing, and where the weight belongs — starting in Hakone, ending in Tokyo, with Hiroshima as a day trip from Kyoto rather than Osaka. Option B keeps the familiar routing so you can compare directly.
Why This Matters
The order of cities shapes the trip more than most people expect. Tokyo on day one is overstimulating; Tokyo at the end is decompression. Hakone for one night doesn't breathe; for two nights, it does. Hiroshima as a day trip from Osaka is twelve hours on the move.
From the original: The Tokyo→Hakone→Hida→Kanazawa→Kyoto→Osaka routing is a solid first-timer's path. Three observations stood out as I read it: Osaka functions better as a logistics base than a destination, Hakone deserves a second night, and a 12-hour Hiroshima day trip from Osaka is more demanding than the brochure suggests.
Hotel Tier · ホテルランク
Total · 4名様 / 4 Adults
¥6,272,000
per person: ¥1,568,000
Approx. $0 USD · 参考 (¥157/$1)

Reset, slow down, and let the depth come to you.

Jet lag normally consumes precious days. Here, we turn it on its head — the first two nights in a Hakone ryokan become a deliberate reset from your usual rhythm. Then to Takayama, a part of traditional Japan kept whole by its mountains — where the warmth of real Japanese hospitality is most easily felt. From there the cultural arc deepens: Kanazawa's quiet depth, Kyoto's many colors broken into themes you can read one day at a time.

Then Hiroshima — a single overnight, not a twelve-hour shinkansen day. A floating torii, a castle, a deer-walked island, and the weight of history converging in one place. The trip ends in Tokyo, where after ten days in Japan you'll navigate the city with ease — shopping for omiyage, learning its culture, enjoying the rhythm of the streets.

Your Trip's Balance How your selections lean
Curiosity
38
Adventure
29
Rest
28
Hakone
箱根
2 Nights
Takayama
飛騨高山
2 Nights
Kanazawa
金沢
2 Nights
Kyoto
京都
4 Nights
Hiroshima
広島
1 Night
Tokyo
東京
4 Nights
01
Hakone
箱根
May 19–21
2 Nights · 2 Active Days
This Area's Balance
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
→
Haneda → Hakone Private Transfer
Included with this segment. Luggage forwarded ahead by takkyubin.

Hakone — Where You Land

箱根 — まずは温泉で
Hakone
Met at Haneda at 16:00, in your ryokan by 18:30. The first 48 hours are deliberately empty — the onsen, the kaiseki, the river. Choose one theme for your second day (or none, and stay in the bath).
Selected themes
2 of 2
Mt. Fuji & Lake Ashi
富士山と芦ノ湖
"If she shows herself"
Hakone Ropeway up to Owakudani — sulfur vents, the famous black eggs — then a sightseeing boat across Lake Ashi with Mt. Fuji on the horizon if weather permits. The Hakone Shrine torii rising from the water.
Includes Hakone Ropeway to Owakudani · Black egg tasting · Lake Ashi sightseeing boat · Hakone Shrine
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Mobility note
¥234,000
per group · 1 day
Art in the Forest
森の中の美術
"A quiet day among trees"
The Pola Museum in the forest — Monet, Picasso, Japanese modernists in a building that disappears into the trees. Paired with the Hakone Open-Air Museum. Lunch at a forest restaurant. A day for art, not movement.
Includes Pola Museum of Art · Hakone Open-Air Museum · Forest restaurant lunch · Private driver between sites
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
¥94,000
per group · 1 day
Karate & Shinto
空手と神道
"Form, breath, and the spirit of the mountain"
A private 100-minute session at a traditional Shinto shrine deep in Hakone's forest. A senior karate-ka — the kind who teaches as much philosophy as form — leads breathing practice, basic kata, and a meditation walk through the shrine grounds. The discipline meets the place that gave it.
Includes 100-minute private session · Shinto shrine setting · Senior karate-ka instructor · Bilingual interpretation · Light traditional refreshments
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
¥78,000
per group · 1 day
Slow Day at the Ryokan
旅館で過ごす一日
"The ryokan is the experience"
An entirely unstructured day at your ryokan. Private onsen morning and evening, kaiseki dinner in your room, an afternoon walk along the river if you wish. This isn't a theme so much as permission.
Includes Private onsen reserved twice · Kaiseki dinner in-room · Optional afternoon walk · Tea ceremony on request
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Included
in ryokan stay
02
Takayama
飛騨高山
May 21–23
2 Nights · 2 Active Days
This Area's Balance
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
→
Hakone → Takayama Train (Green Car)
Included with this segment. Luggage forwarded ahead by takkyubin.

Takayama — The Japan Kept Whole

飛騨高山 — 真空パックの日本
Takayama
Takayama is a part of traditional Japan kept whole by its mountains — a place where the country we sometimes call 'distant' becomes warm and close. The cooking session, the village walks, the brewery — all run by people who live here. Japan is sometimes said to be cold; here you meet the quiet warmth that real hospitality comes from.
Selected themes
2 of 2
Food
食 — 飛騨の味
"The day that started the company"
A home cooking session in a private Hida kitchen — the kitchen where Four Circles Japan began. Hoba-miso, sansai tempura, Hida-beef shabu-shabu, rice from a farmer we've sourced from for twenty years. Followed by a private tasting at Hirase Sake Brewery (founded 1623) with the toji.
Includes Private cooking session · Lunch of what you cooked · Hirase Sake Brewery private tasting · Meet the toji (master brewer)
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
¥195,000
per group · 1 day
Country
里山
"The rural Japan that isn't in any guidebook"
A slow day in Hida Furukawa. Cycling or walking the canals (your choice), lunch at a soba farmhouse, a visit to a small Buddhist temple where the priest will let you ring the bell. The countryside that explains the cooking.
Includes Hida Furukawa canal walk or cycle · Soba farmhouse lunch · Temple visit with priest · Private vehicle support
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Mobility note
¥156,000
per group · 1 day
Heritage
伝統 — ヒサと歩く
"Seventh-generation Takayama, walking you through"
Led by a senior local guide who was born and raised here — a perspective not available to other operators. The Festival Float Museum, the merchant houses of San-machi, the morning market by the Miyagawa — and the local stories that explain why the buildings still stand.
Includes Walking tour with senior local guide · Festival Float Museum · San-machi merchant houses · Morning market with seasonal tastings
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
¥65,000
per group · 1 day
Craft
工芸 — 飛騨の手仕事
"Hida lives by its hands"
A morning at a working Hida furniture atelier (the region's woodwork is its quietest pride), a visit to an ichii-ittobori carving master, lunch at a craftsman's home kitchen. Afternoon trying your hand at washi paper-making in a 200-year-old workshop.
Includes Hida furniture atelier visit · Ichii-ittobori carving demonstration · Craftsman family lunch · Washi paper-making session
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
¥117,000
per group · 1 day
Kamikochi & High Alpine
上高地・高所のアルプス
"The valley that Japan keeps to itself"
A long day in Kamikochi — Japan's most-loved alpine valley, opened only April–November. Private vehicle to the Taisho-ike entrance, gentle walks to Kappa-bashi and back, lunch by the Azusa River. The Hotaka range rises out of the water like a Hiroshige print made real. Best in late May (fresh green) and October (foliage).
Includes Private vehicle (full day) · Senior local guide · Light hiking on flat trails · Bento lunch by the river
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Mobility note Seasonal · Apr–Nov
¥208,000
per group · 1 day
Shinhotaka Ropeway & Okuhida Onsen
新穂高ロープウェイと奥飛騨温泉
"Above the clouds, then deep in the bath"
The Shinhotaka Ropeway — the only double-decker ropeway in Japan — lifts you to 2,156 meters, level with the peaks. On clear days, the view is Switzerland with Japanese light. Down in the afternoon to Okuhida Onsen, one of the country's quietest hot spring villages, for a long soak before dinner in town.
Includes Private vehicle (full day) · Shinhotaka Ropeway (round trip) · Okuhida Onsen day-use · Hida beef lunch
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Mobility note
¥176,000
per group · 1 day
Hida Furukawa E-bike
飛騨古川 E-bikeツアー
"The village on wheels"
Half-day on premium e-bikes through Hida Furukawa — the canal town fifteen minutes north of Takayama, with sake breweries on the water, white-walled storehouses, and rice paddies that look like green carpet in May. A guide who lives in the village shows you what a guidebook can't. Lunch at a soba farmhouse.
Includes Premium e-bike for each (4 bikes) · Local guide who lives in Furukawa · 15 km gentle ride (mostly flat) · Soba farmhouse lunch
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Mobility note
¥85,000
per group · 1 day
03
Kanazawa
金沢
May 23–25
2 Nights · 2 Active Days
This Area's Balance
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
→
Takayama → Kanazawa via Shirakawa-go
Included with this segment. Luggage forwarded ahead by takkyubin.

Kanazawa — The City of Culture

金沢 — 文化の街
Kanazawa
Kanazawa is a city of culture — the kind you learn through patience. The bombs never came here, so the traditions stayed. The Maeda lords spent generations cultivating arts the way other domains cultivated rice. Two days here to learn deeply: gold leaf, tea, kappo, garden — all rooted in something older.
Selected themes
2 of 2
Gardens & Tea Houses
庭と茶屋街
"Kanazawa, slowly"
Kenrokuen at 07:00 before the buses, with your guide pointing out the seasonal details. Then Gyokusen-en — quieter, smaller, with matcha at Shigure-tei, the oldest tea house in the city. Afternoon in the Higashi Chaya teahouse quarter.
Includes Kenrokuen at dawn · Gyokusen-en private garden · Shigure-tei tea house · Higashi Chaya quarter walk
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Mobility note
¥121,000
per group · 1 day
Craft & Cuisine
工芸と加賀料理
"The making of things"
A morning at a gold leaf workshop (Kanazawa makes 99% of Japan's gold leaf). Lunch of Kaga ryori, then the samurai residences of Nagamachi. Evening kappo counter dinner — the chef sources from the morning market.
Includes Gold leaf workshop visit · Kaga ryori lunch · Nagamachi samurai district · Kappo counter dinner (4 seats)
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
¥212,000
per group · 1 day
D.T. Suzuki & Modern Art
鈴木大拙と現代美術
"The mind of Kanazawa"
The D.T. Suzuki Museum — a contemplative space designed by Yoshio Taniguchi for the philosopher who introduced Zen to the West — paired with the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. A day for thinking.
Includes D.T. Suzuki Museum (contemplation time) · 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art · Curator-led visit · Tea at a modern teahouse
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
¥84,000
per group · 1 day
Craft Gin & Gourmet
クラフトジンと美食
"A small distillery, then a small kitchen"
An afternoon at a Kanazawa craft gin distillery — the new generation of Hokuriku spirits, made with botanicals from the Noto Peninsula. Tasting flight with the distiller. Then dinner at a renowned Kanazawa restaurant where the chef sources from the same forests and seas. Four hours, perfectly paced.
Includes Private distillery visit & tasting · Distiller conversation · Gourmet dinner (chef's table) · Sake & gin pairing
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
¥260,000
per group · 1 day
Kutani Pottery
九谷焼 茶碗作り
"Your own bowl, for your own tea"
Two hours at To-an, a working Kutani pottery atelier in Kanazawa. You shape your own matcha bowl by hand under the guidance of a master potter. Kutani's famous five-color overglaze tradition is 350 years old; your bowl will be fired, glazed, and shipped to your home — a piece of Kanazawa for the rest of your life.
Includes Master potter instruction · Hand-formed matcha bowl · Kiln firing & glazing · International shipping to your home
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
¥143,000
per group · 1 day
04
Kyoto
京都
May 25–29
4 Nights · 4 Active Days
This Area's Balance
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
→
Kanazawa → Kyoto Train (Green Car)
Included with this segment. Luggage forwarded ahead by takkyubin.

Kyoto — A City Cut Many Ways

京都 — どう切り取ることもできる
Kyoto
Kyoto is a city you can cut a thousand ways. We've broken it into themes — temples, gardens, geisha, crafts — so each of your four days has a clear color. Choose by mood, by curiosity. The old capital reveals itself differently to different visitors.
Selected themes
4 of 4
Temple & Spiritual
禅と祈り
"Where Kyoto goes quiet"
Morning at a small working temple in northern Kyoto — not a tourist attraction — for private zazen meditation with a monk who teaches plainly. Afternoon at Chion-in's grand halls and Nanzen-ji's aqueduct. The contrast is the point.
Includes Private zazen at working temple · Monk-led tea after meditation · Chion-in & Nanzen-ji walk · Vegetarian shojin lunch
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Mobility note
¥136,000
per group · 1 day
Imperial & Gardens
皇室と庭園
"Kyoto in its formal robes"
Nijo Castle's Ninomaru at 09:00 before crowds, lunch at Nishiki Market, Kinkaku-ji in the soft light of late afternoon. The essential loop — but paced so you actually see things.
Includes Nijo Castle early entry · Nishiki Market lunch · Kinkaku-ji afternoon · Private guide & driver full day
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Mobility note
¥168,000
per group · 1 day
Geisha & Twilight
祇園の宵
"A respectful evening"
A twilight walk through the geisha districts with a guide who knows the difference between geiko and maiko. Yasaka Pagoda illuminated, Tatsumi Bridge at North Gion, dinner at a small machiya kappo. A late drink in Pontocho if you wish.
Includes Gion & Hanamikoji evening walk · Yasaka Pagoda at twilight · Machiya kappo dinner · Pontocho nightcap (optional)
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
¥84,000
per group · 1 day
Craft & Tea
工芸と茶
"Kyoto's quieter art"
A morning tea ceremony with a tea master in a private room, lunch of obanzai home cooking, an afternoon visit to a Kiyomizu pottery atelier where the seventh-generation potter shows you how a yunomi is made.
Includes Private tea ceremony · Obanzai lunch at machiya · Kiyomizu-yaki pottery atelier visit · Wagashi sweets master class
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
¥124,000
per group · 1 day
Arashiyama & Bamboo
嵐山・竹林
"A morning at the western edge"
Bamboo grove early enough to have it to yourselves, Tenryu-ji's garden, and a small boat ride on the Hozugawa if weather allows. Back in central Kyoto by mid-afternoon — your evening is your own.
Includes Bamboo grove (07:30 arrival) · Tenryu-ji garden · Hozugawa river boat (weather permitting) · Half-day with private driver
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Mobility note
¥91,000
per group · 1 day
Incense Appreciation
香道
"The sense Kyoto refined for a thousand years"
Two hours at a private venue facing a small Kyoto garden, with a kodo (incense appreciation) master. You learn the proper way to listen to incense — the verb is mon-koh, 'to listen' rather than 'to smell' — and play kumikoh, a guessing game refined by Heian-era nobility. A quiet, gentle hour that opens a sense most travelers leave at the door.
Includes Private kodo session (120 min) · Master kodo practitioner · Garden venue · Light refreshments
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
¥124,000
per group · 1 day
Hozugawa River Boat
保津川下り
"Two hours on the water, no shoreline traffic"
From Kameoka downstream to Arashiyama on a traditional flat-bottomed boat. Two hours through a forested gorge with three boatmen working pole, oar, and rudder — a skill passed down a thousand years. Spring cherries and autumn maples make this one of the country's quiet visual gifts.
Includes Private vehicle to Kameoka · Boat for the four of you · Senior boatmen · Pickup at Arashiyama
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Mobility note
¥39,000
per group · 1 day
Kaiseki Reservation Service
懐石料理 — 予約手配
"A table at one of Japan's great restaurants"
We arrange a reservation at a top-tier Kyoto kaiseki — Hyotei, Kichisen, Ryozanpaku, or similar. These restaurants don't take walk-ins or English bookings; the connection is made through our network. The meal itself is paid directly at the restaurant — typically ¥30,000–50,000 per person.
Includes Personal reservation through our network · Restaurant pre-briefing & dietary notes · Pre-arrival concierge support · Meal cost paid separately
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Reservation Service · 予約のみ
¥5,000
reservation fee only · 食事代は実費
Day Trips From Here
日帰り旅
Day Trip: Nara
日帰り・奈良
"Older than Kyoto, quieter too"
Private vehicle south to Nara for the day. The Great Buddha at Todai-ji, the lantern paths of Kasuga Taisha, tea at Isui-en. The deer are real and unbothered. Back in Kyoto by early evening.
Includes Private vehicle round-trip · Todai-ji with guide · Kasuga Taisha lantern paths · Isui-en garden & tea
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Day Trip · Kyoto Mobility note
¥196,000
per group · 1 day
05
Hiroshima
広島
May 29–30
1 Night · 1 Active Day
This Area's Balance
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
→
Kyoto → Hiroshima Shinkansen (Green Car)
Included with this segment. Luggage forwarded ahead by takkyubin.

Hiroshima — A Day to Author Yourself

広島 — 自分たちで物語をつくる一日
Hiroshima offers an unusual convergence: sea, mountain, animals, and history in one place. From the Sheraton, a private chartered car takes you to Miyajimaguchi port — then a ten-minute ferry across the water to Miyajima, where the floating torii rises from the sea. The deer walk the same paths as people. After lunch on the island and the ferry back, the car continues to Hiroshima Castle and the Atomic Dome. No guide. The story of this day, you write yourselves.
Selected themes
1 of 1
A Day to Author Yourselves
自分たちで物語をつくる一日
"Sea, mountain, animals, history — converging in one place"
A private chartered car for the full day from the Sheraton, no guide. Morning: drive to Miyajimaguchi port, ferry across to Miyajima (10 minutes on the water), where the floating torii of Itsukushima Shrine rises from the sea at high tide. Walk the island at your own pace — the deer wander freely, the maple-leaf manju shops line the path, the shrine and Daisho-in temple reveal themselves as you go. After lunch (anago-meshi on the island), ferry back, and the car takes you to Hiroshima Castle and then to Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Dome. The driver knows the routes; what to linger over, what to skip — yours to decide.
Includes Private chartered car & driver from Sheraton (full day) · Ferry to Miyajima & return (JR West) · Itsukushima Shrine entry · Hiroshima Castle entry · Peace Memorial Park & Atomic Dome access · Lunch (anago-meshi recommended) · No guide — your story to write
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Mobility note
¥156,000
per group · 1 day
06
Tokyo
東京
May 30–Jun 3
4 Nights · 4 Active Days
This Area's Balance
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
→
Hiroshima → Tokyo Shinkansen (Green Car)
Included with this segment. Luggage forwarded ahead by takkyubin.

Tokyo — The Final Movement

東京 — 旅の終章
Tokyo
Tokyo at the end, not the start. You arrive having already met Japan elsewhere, which lets the city be what it actually is — not an overload, but a final, varied movement. Choose up to four themes; or three, and let one day be entirely your own.
Selected themes
4 of 4
Old Tokyo
古い東京
"The city's spiritual anchors"
A half-day at Asakusa and Sensoji — Nakamise-dori, the great lantern, the temple at the right hour. Then across the city to Meiji Jingu's forest. The contrast between Edo Tokyo and Meiji Tokyo, laid out in one morning. Afternoon free.
Includes Asakusa & Sensoji with guide · Nakamise-dori tastings · Meiji Jingu forest walk · Tea at a Harajuku machiya
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Mobility note
¥110,000
per group · 1 day
Refined Tokyo
丸の内・皇居
"The Tokyo few tourists see"
Imperial Palace East Gardens, the Nijubashi view, rooftop tea at KITTE, then the Intermediatheque — Tokyo University's collection of natural history and curiosities in a beautifully designed space few visitors find.
Includes Imperial Palace East Gardens · KITTE rooftop · Intermediatheque · Lunch at Marunouchi Brick Square
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
¥108,000
per group · 1 day
New Tokyo
新しい東京
"Contemporary Tokyo's pulse"
Shibuya scramble, Takeshita-dori in Harajuku, Akihabara. A guide who can read the trends, not just point at them. Optional teamLab Planets in the afternoon if you want immersive digital art.
Includes Shibuya scramble & Center-gai · Takeshita-dori with guide · Akihabara electronics & manga · teamLab Planets (optional)
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
Mobility note
¥104,000
per group · 1 day
Culinary Tokyo
築地と寿司
"The chef as host"
Morning walk through the Tsukiji outer market — the wholesale market has moved but the food stalls remain — guided by a chef who shops there daily, with tastings as you go. Then a private sushi-making class with an itamae who teaches the rice first, the fish second. By early afternoon you've shopped, tasted, and made your own lunch.
Includes Tsukiji outer market with chef-guide · Tasting flight at the market (sashimi, tamago, uni) · Private sushi-making class with itamae · Lunch of your own sushi with sake pairing
Curiosity
Adventure
Rest
¥228,000
per group · 1 day
✈
Tokyo → Haneda Private Transfer
Final morning · Met at your hotel by your driver. A small parting gift from our team.
A Decision Worth Making

Trip Concierge Service

A Japanese-speaking team, ready to solve, advise, and arrange — available to the degree you want. Three levels are offered below, from minimal (emergency-only) to maximum (a daily partner on the ground). Choose by how present you'd like us to be.

Essential Concierge
エッセンシャル・コンシェルジュ
¥120,000
Full trip
"A trusted line when you need it."
  • Dedicated WhatsApp / LINE channel before, during, and after the trip
  • 24-hour Japanese-speaking support line, every day of the journey
  • On-the-ground coordination with all suppliers (hotels, guides, drivers)
  • Restaurant additions and changes handled for you
  • Unlimited pre-trip questions and document support
Recommended
Premium Concierge
プレミアム・コンシェルジュ
¥380,000
Full trip
"A daily partner, on the ground when it matters."
  • Everything in Essential, plus:
  • Morning online check-in each day — confirmation, weather, last-minute adjustments
  • Evening wrap — a quiet review of the day, plans for tomorrow, photos curated
  • Real-time response to in-trip changes — cancel Theme A, switch to Theme B, reroute the day. We handle the supplier coordination immediately
  • On-the-ground response in case of illness, injury, or unforeseen trouble — Tomoa or a senior team member travels to you in Tokyo, Kyoto, or Hida
  • Hospital accompaniment and translation if ever required
Optional Refinements

Add-on Services

Small adjustments that change how a trip feels day by day. Add what's useful, skip what isn't — each is priced independently and toggles on or off the summary below.

Effortless Luggage
荷物転送サービス
+¥39,000
"Travel light on transfer days"
Large suitcases forwarded ahead of you on the two longest rail transfers. Carry only an overnight bag on Day 6 (Hakone → Takayama) and Day 10 (Kanazawa → Kyoto). Bags arrive at your next hotel by 14:00 the following day.
Includes pickup from hotel, professional Yamato/Takkyubin handling, delivery confirmation via WhatsApp.
Tokyo Station Concierge
東京駅サポート
+¥18,000
"Quiet hands at the Shinkansen platform"
Bilingual station assistant meets you in the lobby of Tokyo Station, walks you through ticket gates, finds your platform, and sees you to your seats. Particularly useful at Tokyo Station, where the Shinkansen halls can be disorienting on a first visit.
For the Tokyo → Hakone transfer (if you take the rail option).
Kanazawa–Kyoto Station Concierge
金沢・京都駅サポート
+¥20,000
"Door-to-seat, then seat-to-car"
Departure assistant at Kanazawa Station and arrival assistant at Kyoto Station. The Tsuruga transfer between Hokuriku and Tokaido Shinkansen is one of the trickier connections in the country — having someone walk you through it removes the only stressful part of your day.
For the Kanazawa → Kyoto rail transfer (Day 10).
Hiroshima Day Trip Station Concierge
広島日帰り駅サポート
+¥30,000
"Round-trip support on the long day"
Station assistants at Kyoto Station (departure), Hiroshima Station (arrival), and the return journey. Hiroshima day trip is twelve hours on the move; this is the day when small frictions matter most.
For the Kyoto → Hiroshima → Kyoto day trip.

The Total

All figures in Japanese Yen, for the full party of four adults. Includes private guides, drivers, ground transfers, accommodation, breakfast daily, half-board at ryokan stays, all rail tickets, the selected Trip Concierge tier, and our 20% planning & coordination fee. All prices are tax-inclusive (税込). International airfare not included.

Themes Selected15
Open Days0
Nights15
Travelers4 Adults
Accommodation · 宿泊 ¥2,000,000
Themes & Experiences · 体験 ¥2,045,000
Transfers & Trains · 移動 ¥865,000
Service Fee · 取扱料金 (20%) ¥982,000
Trip Concierge · コンシェルジュ ¥380,000
Grand Total · 総額 ¥6,272,000
Per person · お一人様 ¥1,568,000
Approx. $0 USD total · $0 per person · 参考 (¥157/$1)

What's Included

  • Accommodation All nights at the tier you have selected. Two rooms.
  • Meals Breakfast daily. Half-board at all ryokan stays. Specified lunches and dinners as marked.
  • Private guides & drivers English-speaking senior guides and licensed drivers for selected themes.
  • Ground transportation All private vehicle transfers and inter-city movements.
  • Rail tickets All Shinkansen and limited express in Green Car / first class.
  • Luggage transport on car transfers Bags travel with you in private vehicles on Hakone, Takayama→Kanazawa via Shirakawa-go, Kyoto→Osaka, and airport transfers.
  • Trip Concierge support Per the tier selected above — see the Concierge section for details.
  • Travel insurance enrollment support We coordinate your enrollment in the Tokio Marine Nichido Japan Travel Insurance policy (¥10M medical coverage, 24h multi-language assistance, cashless treatment at partner clinics) within 5 days of arrival. The policy is contracted directly between you and Tokio Marine; the premium is settled at enrollment.
  • Planning & coordination fee 20% — the customary rate among licensed Japanese travel operators.

What's Not Included

  • International airfare Flights to and from Japan are arranged separately.
  • Visa fees If applicable for your nationality.
  • Luggage forwarding on rail transfers Available as an Add-on (¥39,000 covers both Hakone→Takayama and Kanazawa→Kyoto). Without it, bags travel with you on the train.
  • Station Concierge service Available as Add-ons for individual rail transfers — see the Add-on Services section.
  • Coverage beyond the included policy Tokio Marine's standard inbound policy covers in-country medical emergencies. Trip cancellation, higher medical limits, baggage loss, and pre-existing condition coverage are not included — see the Travel Insurance section below.
  • Meals not specified Lunches and dinners on open days, plus à-la-carte additions.
  • Personal expenses Drinks, laundry, telephone, souvenirs.
  • Gratuities Not customary or expected in Japan.
  • Activities on open days Unless added separately.
  • Out-of-policy emergency costs The Premium Concierge covers our travel and time to reach you; hospital, medication, and third-party costs remain your responsibility (and your travel insurance's).
A Note on Insurance

Travel Insurance

Underwritten by Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. (東京海上日動火災保険) — Japan's largest non-life insurer.

What's covered

  • Medical treatment up to ¥10,000,000 for illness or injury sustained in Japan
  • Cashless treatment at partner medical facilities — no out-of-pocket payment at the clinic, we handle billing
  • Repatriation of patient or remains to home country if required
  • Medical translation hotline 24/7, available in 43 languages including English
  • Doctor & clinic referral across Japan, including English-speaking facilities
  • Passport & credit card loss support, replacement coordination
  • Emergency message relay to family back home

What's not covered

  • Trip cancellation or interruption — if you need to cancel or cut the trip short for any reason
  • Pre-existing medical conditions — chronic illness, conditions diagnosed before travel
  • Medical costs above ¥10M — rare, but possible with serious incidents
  • Baggage loss, damage, or theft
  • Flight delays, missed connections, lost luggage compensation
  • Adventure activity exclusions — certain high-risk activities
  • Dental work beyond emergency stabilization

Our strong recommendation

The Tokio Marine policy is the in-country safety net. It handles the moment something goes wrong on Japanese soil — fast, in your language, without you reaching for your wallet at the clinic. That part is real and valuable. Enrollment coordination is included with Essential and Premium Concierge tiers; if you choose No Concierge, we still arrange enrollment but day-to-day liaison with the insurer falls to you.

But it is not trip-level protection. For trip cancellation, higher medical limits, baggage, and any pre-existing condition coverage, we strongly recommend you arrange a comprehensive travel insurance policy from a provider in your home country before you depart. Most travelers your age already have a preferred broker — if not, we can refer you to one experienced with U.S. travelers visiting Japan.

01
Before departure
We arrange your own comprehensive policy through your home-country broker for trip-level coverage.
02
Within 5 days of arrival
We coordinate your enrollment in the Tokio Marine inbound policy directly with the insurer. The enrollment must legally happen after entry into Japan; the policy is contracted between you and Tokio Marine.
03
If anything happens
One call to the multilingual hotline; the Premium Concierge can step in to coordinate. Cashless treatment at partner clinics.
Booking Terms & Conditions
The Practical Matters
取引条件のご案内 — 日本国旅行業法に基づく説明書面の概要

1. Quotation Validity

This proposal is presented as a working document for the May 12 / May 13 call. A formal quotation with confirmed pricing and a binding validity date will be issued following your direction.

2. Payment Schedule

StageTimingAmount
Deposit · 申込金Within 14 days of signed acceptance25%
Interim · 中間金120 days before arrival25%
Final · 残金60 days before arrival50%

All amounts in Japanese Yen (JPY). Accepted: Stripe (credit card, fee absorbed), Wise / international wire (sender pays bank fees), domestic JPY transfer.

3. Cancellation Policy

Cancellation noticeCharge
91+ days before¥30,000 admin fee
90 – 61 days25%
60 – 31 days50%
30 – 15 days75%
14 days or less100%

Premium reservations: Aman, Gora Kadan, Wanosato and Honjin Hiranoya operate stricter cancellation windows (30–60 days). Supplier policy applies within those windows. Trip cancellation insurance recommended.

4. Force Majeure

In the event of natural disasters, pandemic restrictions, or other events beyond our control, we work to reschedule or provide equivalent-value alternatives. Refunds of non-recoverable supplier costs are subject to supplier policy.

5. Information We'll Need

  • Passport copies for all four travelers
  • Arrival and departure flight details
  • Dietary restrictions or allergies
  • Mobility considerations
  • Emergency contact outside the traveling party
  • Travel insurance policy details

6. Physical Demands

Themes with notable walking, uneven terrain, or extended standing are marked with a mobility note. Please flag any considerations so we can adjust pacing and substitute themes where helpful.

7. Luggage & Movement

You will not handle your own luggage on transfer days. Bags are collected from your hotel the morning of each move and delivered to your next accommodation by 17:00, via takkyubin. You travel with only a small overnight bag.

8. Pricing & Currency

All quoted prices are in Japanese Yen and held firm from booking confirmation. We absorb exchange-rate movement on the JPY side. Supplier rate changes greater than 5% will be disclosed; you retain the right to withdraw with full deposit refund if such an event occurs before the 90-day mark.

9. Complaints & Resolution

Concerns are handled directly by Tomoa Ishihara, Representative Director, at info@fourcirclesjapan.com.

Business Registration
CompanyFour Circles Japan 株式会社
AddressHida-Takayama, Gifu, Japan
Registration旅行サービス手配業 (Travel Service Arrangement Business)
Responsible Personnel
Representative DirectorTomoa Ishihara
Emailinfo@fourcirclesjapan.com
Insurance PartnerTokio Marine & Nichido — inbound travel policy
From Here to Your Trip

The Journey Together

Seven steps from this proposal to your return home — each with a clear purpose, timing, and what we'll need from you. The trip itself is one stage in a longer conversation.

01
Discovery Call
初回相談
April 2026
Our first conversation — where we listened to how you travel, what matters to you, and what you'd hope to take home from Japan.
02
Proposal Review
提案確認
Now · May 2026
You read, react, and choose: Option A or B, themes, hotel tier, concierge level.
03
Your Selections
選択共有
~2 weeks
You share your choices; we review and confirm feasibility on our side.
04
Final Proposal
最終提案
~3–4 weeks
A detailed document with every day fleshed out, binding pricing, and signed terms.
05
Deposit & Booking
予約・申込金
After signing
25% deposit secures the booking. Suppliers (hotels, guides, restaurants) are confirmed.
06
Final Details
出発前最終調整
~2 months before
Activities locked, hotels reconfirmed, rail tickets issued, full document pack delivered.
07
Travel
ご旅行
Late April – Early May 2027
Fifteen nights, on the ground in Japan. We'll be available throughout, per your chosen Concierge tier.
08 · Optional
Reflection Call
振り返りの会話
A few weeks after you've returned home, we share a closing conversation: what worked, what didn't, what to do differently next time. We learn from it; you keep the memory sharper. Always offered, never pressed.

Looking Forward to Talking

This document is intentionally a working draft for our May 12 / 13 call. Bring your reactions, your questions, and your edits — and we'll shape the trip together from there. A formal quotation with binding pricing and validity dates will follow within a week of our conversation.

— Tomoa