Eastern Setouchi and San’in

You meet your guide and driver at Okayama Station and drive to Hiruzen Highland, a plateau more than 500 m above sea level. After enjoying the scenery of this unique area, you drive to Kurayoshi in Tottori Prefecture, and explore the historic area of white-walled storehouses. You stay at a hotel in Kurayoshi. Dinner (not included) is at a local restaurant.

After breakfast, you leave the hotel and drive along the scenic Japan Sea coast to the Tottori sand dunes, an extraordinary desert-like area with mountains of sand. Here you visit the Sand Museum with its elaborate ‘sand castle’ sculptures. A little further along the coast is Uradome where you take a boat on a cruise around the islands, caves, tunnels, and cliffs of a stunningly scenic bay with crystal clear water and unusual rock formations. You stay at a hotel in Kinosaki Onsen where dinner (included) is served.

After breakfast, you leave the hotel and drive to Izushi. Here you explore the traditional castle town with its castle ruins, clock tower, and Kabuki theatre. Then you drive to Amanohashidate, a pine covered sandbar across the mouth of Miyazu Bay. It’s regarded as one of Japan’s three most scenic views. Your next stop is Ine, a picturesque fishing village of funaya boat houses, with docking for boats on their first floors and homes above. You stay in a funaya where dinner (included) is served.

After breakfast, you leave the hotel and drive to Maizuru, where you stroll along the Yoshiwara Inlet with fishing boats have moored since the Edo period, and visit the Maizuru Red Brick Park, formerly a naval arsenal and today home to museums and other attractions. Then you drive to Miyama, a remote, rural area in the mountains 30 kilometers north of central Kyoto. The area is famous for its many traditional, thatched roof farmhouses, most of which are still lived in. You stay the night in one of these traditional homes. Dinner (included) is at your accommodation.

After breakfast, you leave the hotel and drive to Kōbe, one of western Japan’s most sophisticated cities. You explore the stylish foreigners’ residences dotting the lower slopes of Mt. Rokkō and stroll around Chinatown. You stay at a hotel in in Kōbe. Dinner (not included) is at a local restaurant.

After breakfast, you leave the hotel and drive to Himeji where you visit its famous white castle, the most splendid of the remaining original castles in Japan. Then you drive to Okayama, ending the tour at Okayama Station.