01 / THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS
Two towns.
Time to soak.
Begin with Zao’s mountain setting, then trade the open landscape for Shibu’s small lanes and traditional ryokan. Two nights in each give you a full day between the travelling days.
Fumi journeys · Mountains, onsen & old Japan
The Grand
East–West
Japan Tour.
Mountain steam. Kyoto lanes.
An island worth staying for.
13 nights14 days in Japan3 onsen townsZao · Shibu · Kinosaki7 staysFive for two nights or more
The Fumi travel atlas
Your journey, on the map
A grand journey across Japan
Different landscapes.
A familiar welcome.
Begin in the mountains of Yamagata, find the bathhouse lanes of Shibu, then cross Japan for Kyoto, Kinosaki and the sacred island of Miyajima. This is a journey of changing landscapes: thirteen nights, seven bases and time to settle into five of them for two nights or more.
From eastern mountains to western shores
Seven stays. One grand crossing.
Seven places to unpack
- 01Haneda1 night
- 02Zao Onsen2 nights
- 03Shibu Onsen2 nights
- 04Kyoto3 nights
- 05Kinosaki Onsen2 nights
- 06Himeji1 night
- 07Miyajima2 nights
Haneda and Himeji are the two one-night stops. The other five bases have two or three nights, including a full day on Miyajima before departure.
The journey in three chapters
Follow the landscape. Enjoy the change.
Two towns.
02 / KYOTO & KINOSAKI
A house in Kyoto.
A robe in Kinosaki.
Spend three nights in a Kyoto townhouse, with mornings and evenings to explore. Then head to Kinosaki for canal-side walks, bathhouses and two dinners at your ryokan.
03 / CASTLE & ISLAND
White castle walls.
A changing tide.
Pause in Himeji before crossing to Miyajima. Stay on the island for two nights and enjoy its quieter hours, the shrine waterfront and an unhurried final full day.
Places with a place in the story
Stay somewhere memorable.
Seven stays with different roles: an airport landing, mountain hotels, traditional ryokan, a Kyoto house and an island finale.
Stop 01 · 1 night · Haneda Airport, Tokyo
Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda Airport
A terminal-connected first night lets you eat, shower and sleep before heading into the mountains.
A$161per person for the stay · planning estimate
Connected to Terminal 3. Allow time to reach the domestic departure terminal next morning. Check whether access to the airport bath complex is included in your room plan or charged separately.
Stop 02 · 2 nights · Zao Onsen, Yamagata
Le Vert Zao
Two nights in Zao put the mountain landscape and onsen town at the beginning of the journey. Keep the full day open for the weather and your appetite for exploring.
A$505per person for the stay · planning estimate
The supplied two-night example includes breakfast and dinner. Compare the exact room and meal plan for one adult. Mountain activities, ropeways and seasonal bath facilities have their own operating periods.
Stop 03 · 2 nights · Shibu Onsen, Nagano
Ichinoyu Katei
Tatami, futon bedding and the little lanes of Shibu. Spend an unhurried day between the ryokan and the town’s bathhouses, with an optional Jigokudani excursion.
A$606per person for the stay · planning estimate
Rooms have private toilets, with shared bathing facilities; private-bath reservations are available. Arrange the hotel’s Yudanaka station shuttle in advance and arrive in time for the booked dinner.
Stop 04 · 3 nights · Higashiyama, Kyoto
Kyoto Miyabi Inn
A private townhouse gives the journey a different rhythm. Walk out for a morning coffee, return between outings and enjoy three evenings in eastern Kyoto.
A$358.50per person for the stay · planning estimate
The three-night amount is extrapolated from a five-night house quote, divided between two adults. Reprice the full stay. Expect stairs to the sleeping area, futon bedding, a simple kitchen and a private bathroom.
Stop 05 · 2 nights · Kinosaki Onsen, Toyooka
Kinosaki Yamamotoya
Stay in the heart of Kinosaki for canal-side walks, a second onsen chapter in western Japan and dinners at your ryokan.
A$473per person for the stay · planning estimate
A$946 for the room over two nights, divided between two adults. The room’s four-person capacity does not mean four guests are assumed. Confirm the chosen bathhouse-access and meal inclusions.
Stop 06 · 1 night · Himeji
Dormy Inn Himeji or similar
A practical one-night stop for Himeji Castle and Koko-en garden. Arrive with enough time to explore, or visit the next morning before travelling to Miyajima.
A$115–140per person for the stay · planning estimate
This is a hotel allowance, not a held room. Choose a station-area base that works with your castle visit and the following day’s train.
Stop 07 · 2 nights · Miyajima, Hatsukaichi
Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto
Two nights on the island leave a full day for the shrine, quiet lanes and changing tides, with time to enjoy the evenings after many day visitors leave.
A$691per person for the stay · planning estimate
The two-night amount is extrapolated from a one-night A$691 room quote, divided between two adults. Reprice both nights with dinner and breakfast. Ask about the pier shuttle when arranging your arrival.
The example mixes separate rooms with two-person sharing. Compare the same room, occupancy, meal plan and cancellation terms for your dates. About our independent hotel selections.
Fourteen days in Japan
A route with room for the experience.
Day 1 is arrival in Japan. The programme gives each transfer its own space and keeps sightseeing flexible.
Days 1–5 · Haneda, Zao & Shibu
- Day 01Haneda · 1 night
Arrive, settle, sleep
Land at Haneda and head to your airport hotel. Keep the evening simple. Choose tomorrow’s domestic flight to leave enough time for rest and a terminal transfer.
- Day 02Zao · night 1 of 2
Into the Yamagata mountains
Fly from Haneda to Yamagata Airport, then continue to Zao Onsen using a transfer that fits the flight. Settle into Le Vert Zao before dinner.
- Day 03Zao · night 2 of 2
A full day for Zao
Let the season set the plan: mountain views, a village walk or a ropeway outing when operating. Leave time for bathing and an easy return before dinner.
- Day 04Shibu · night 1 of 2
Cross to Shibu Onsen
Treat this as a substantial travel day: Zao to Yamagata, Shinkansen via Omiya to Nagano, then Nagano Electric Railway to Yudanaka and a local transfer to Shibu. Arrange dinner arrival with the ryokan.
- Day 05Shibu · night 2 of 2
Bathhouse lanes and a mountain outing
Enjoy Shibu’s lanes and baths. Jigokudani Monkey Park is an optional outing: check current access, walking conditions and park information. The monkeys are wild, so sightings and bathing cannot be promised.
Days 6–10 · Kyoto & Kinosaki
- Day 06Kyoto · night 1 of 3
The long journey to Kyoto
Return via Yudanaka to Nagano. Compare the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tsuruga and Thunderbird connection to Kyoto with other routes for your date. Keep the rest of the day free for travelling and settling into the townhouse.
- Day 07Kyoto · night 2 of 3
Find your Kyoto rhythm
Choose a manageable eastern Kyoto walk: Gion, Yasaka Shrine and a café, or Kiyomizu-dera and the surrounding lanes. Follow local signs and respect private streets and residents.
- Day 08Kyoto · night 3 of 3
One more day to wander
Give the day a single focus, such as a garden and temple, a market visit or an optional Uji outing. Return to your own Kyoto base for a quiet final evening.
- Day 09Kinosaki · night 1 of 2
On to Kinosaki
Begin the five-day Kansai–Hiroshima Area Pass if it suits your chosen trains. Reserve the limited express to Kinosaki Onsen, check in at Yamamotoya and make time for dinner and a first bath.
- Day 10Kinosaki · night 2 of 2
A day in the bathhouse town
Walk the canal, explore the lanes and choose a few baths around their opening days. Leave space for lunch, a pause at the ryokan and your second dinner.
Days 11–14 · Himeji, Miyajima & home
- Day 11Himeji · 1 night
A castle-town interlude
Take a reserved limited express towards Himeji. Store luggage or check in, then visit the castle and Koko-en if arrival and opening times allow. Otherwise save the visit for tomorrow morning.
- Day 12Miyajima · night 1 of 2
From castle town to island shore
Finish any Himeji sightseeing, then take the Sanyo Shinkansen to Hiroshima, a local JR train to Miyajimaguchi and the JR West ferry. Arrange the Arimoto pier pickup and arrive before dinner.
- Day 13Miyajima · night 2 of 2
Miyajima, without the hurry
Explore Itsukushima Shrine, the waterfront and the island lanes. Check the tide for the torii view. Make Mount Misen an optional outing according to weather, fitness and ropeway operation.
- Day 14Departure day · no hotel night
Home via Hiroshima Airport and Haneda
Leave time for the ferry, onward train and airport bus, then your domestic flight and international connection. Today is outside the five-day pass. Use the departure options below if the confirmed flights need an earlier start or an overnight buffer.
The days between the stays
Make the connections part of the plan.
FLIGHTS / THE TWO ENDS
Sydney → Haneda → Yamagata.
Hiroshima → Haneda → Sydney.
The original Qantas/JAL example allows A$1,803 per person for international flights and the two domestic sectors. Compare the complete itinerary for your dates, including baggage and connection terms.
Villa Fontaine is at Haneda Terminal 3; JAL domestic flights use Terminal 1. Allow for the transfer and choose a morning departure that leaves time to sleep.
JAL’s Haneda airport guide ↗DAY 4 / THE LONG EASTERN CROSSING
Zao → Yamagata → Omiya
→ Nagano → Shibu.
Combine the local journey from Zao with the Yamagata and Hokuriku Shinkansen, then Nagano Electric Railway to Yudanaka and a local transfer. Plan the whole door-to-door day before fixing the ryokan dinner time.
Shibu Onsen access guide ↗DAY 6 / FROM NAGANO TO KYOTO
Consider the route via Tsuruga.
From Shibu, return to Yudanaka and Nagano. The Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tsuruga connects with the Thunderbird for Kyoto. Compare departure times, total changes and cost with alternatives via Nagoya or Tokyo.
This journey is separate from the western five-day pass, which starts later. Reserve the chosen trains and keep the day free of fixed sightseeing.
Search JR West trains & tickets ↗DAYS 9–12 / INTO WESTERN JAPAN
Limited express, Shinkansen & ferry.
Reserve the trains to Kinosaki and Himeji. From Himeji, take the Sanyo Shinkansen to Hiroshima, then the local JR line to Miyajimaguchi and the JR West Miyajima ferry.
Travel with luggage you can manage through stations. Forwarding a larger bag to a later hotel can help; arrange delivery dates and acceptance with the hotels and carry overnight essentials.
Kinosaki rail connections ↗A good ending matters
Leave the island with time in hand.
MAKE THE FLIGHTS FIT THE FINALE
Build the island-to-airport day first.
From Miyajima, allow for the ferry to Miyajimaguchi, a train to Hiroshima Station and the airport bus, then domestic check-in and the connection at Haneda. Check whether your airline protects the onward connection, whether bags are through-checked and which terminals you will use. The ground journey needs its own margin for delays.
Keep the 13-night plan.
Choose flights with enough time for the full island transfer. If the Hiroshima departure is early, replace the second Miyajima night with a Hiroshima city stay and reprice the changed hotels.
Add a night at Haneda.
For a gentler flight connection, fly to Haneda a day before the international departure. Keeping both island nights makes this a 14-night variation, with the extra hotel and revised flights priced separately.
A clear starting point
Build your own travel budget.
Planning subtotal · Australian dollars per person
A$5,282.50– A$5,507.50
Flights, thirteen hotel nights, the western rail pass and the earlier transport allowance.
A$2,909.50–2,934.50accommodationA$1,803flights
Add the final airport transfer.The day-14 Miyajima → Hiroshima Airport journey falls outside the pass and is additional to this subtotal. Price the ferry, train and airport bus, or your chosen alternative.
Supplied planning figures, not a bookable package. Kyoto’s three-night and Miyajima’s two-night amounts are extrapolations. Reprice the complete stays, flights and transport for your dates.
| Item | Per person |
|---|---|
| Flights · international + two domestic sectors | A$1,803 |
| Haneda · 1 night | A$161 |
| Zao · 2 nights | A$505 |
| Shibu · 2 nights | A$606 |
| Kyoto townhouse · 3 nights | A$358.50 |
| Kinosaki · 2 nights | A$473 |
| Himeji · 1 night | A$115–140 |
| Miyajima · 2 nights | A$691 |
| Earlier rail & local transport allowance | A$400–600 |
| Five-day western pass allowance | A$170 |
| Core subtotal | A$5,282.50–5,507.50 |
The four two-night meal plans at Zao, Shibu, Kinosaki and Miyajima provide eight breakfasts and eight dinners if booked as specified. Add all other meals, admissions, insurance, shopping, laundry, luggage forwarding and taxes or fees outside the quoted prices. Separate rooms at the shared stays cost extra.
Before you go
A few details that make a difference.
Let the season lead.
Choose mountain outings around current conditions. Snow, clear views and wildlife appearances vary. Check the operating dates of ropeways and seasonal baths before making them central to the trip.
Choose the room carefully.
Some stays use futons, shared bathing or stairs. Check the exact room and access arrangements if a western bed, private bath or step-free route matters to you.
Keep dinner time in view.
Ryokan meals are part of the holiday. Agree arrival and dining times, advise dietary requirements early, and leave enough margin on the two longer eastern travel days.
FIND YOUR OWN PACE
Stay with the mountains.
Or spend longer in Kyoto.
Compare this grand crossing with our Kyoto-led journey, or discover more onsen stories from the Fumi Network.