Culture · Luxury · Japan
Japan: Tokyo, Kyoto and Mt Fuji
Seven nights. Two cities. One shinkansen journey between them. The Park Hyatt Tokyo freshly renovated, and Capella Kyoto, the most celebrated hotel opening in Japan in 2026, designed by Kengo Kuma steps from the Gion geisha district.
Japan operates at two speeds simultaneously. Tokyo moves at the pace of ten million decisions per minute. Kyoto moves like a long exhale. Three nights in one, four in the other, and a shinkansen between them that covers 513 kilometres in the time it takes to finish a meal.
This journey pairs the Park Hyatt Tokyo, freshly reopened after a $500 million renovation, with Capella Kyoto, the most talked-about hotel opening in Japan in 2026. Designed by Kengo Kuma, steps from the Gion geisha district and Kenninji Temple, Capella Kyoto is the first property in Japan from the brand that built its reputation at Capella Bangkok. The combination gives you Japan's two defining experiences without compromise.
Arrival in Tokyo
Fly into Haneda Airport (HND) or Narita Airport (NRT). Transfer to the Park Hyatt Tokyo in Shinjuku. Check in from the 41st floor. The hotel occupies the top 14 floors of the Shinjuku Park Tower, and your first Tokyo view arrives before you reach the room. Evening at the New York Bar on the 52nd floor as night falls across the city.
Tokyo: East Side
Morning at Tsukiji Outer Market for breakfast among the vendors. Walk to teamLab Planets in Toyosu, the immersive digital art space that genuinely cannot be described. Afternoon in Asakusa around Senso-ji Temple and the Nakamise shopping arcade. Dinner in Ginza, Tokyo's most refined dining district, with hundreds of Michelin-starred options within walking distance.
Tokyo: West Side
Morning at Meiji Shrine in the forested heart of the city. Walk through Harajuku and along Omotesando, Tokyo's most elegant shopping boulevard, with flagships from every major European maison. Afternoon in Shibuya for the famous scramble crossing. Final evening at the hotel spa before the journey west tomorrow.
Arrival in Kyoto
Arrive at Capella Kyoto in the historic Miyagawa-cho district, steps from Kenninji Temple, Kyoto's oldest Zen Buddhist temple. Check in to your room designed by Kengo Kuma, with warm walnut panels, washi paper screens, and Hosoo textiles. Evening: the nightly geiko or maiko performance in the Living Room, followed by dinner at Lanterne, the hotel's courtyard restaurant.
Fushimi Inari and Gion
Rise before dawn and take a taxi to Fushimi Inari Shrine. The 10,000 vermillion torii gates at first light, before any other visitor arrives, is one of the great experiences in Japan. Return for breakfast at the hotel. Afternoon at leisure in Gion, the geisha district directly adjacent to the hotel. Sake tasting in the evening at one of the historic machiya bars along Hanamikoji Street.
Arashiyama and Golden Pavilion
Morning at Arashiyama: the bamboo grove, Tenryu-ji garden, and a slow walk along the Oi River with the Sagano mountains above. Return to the city via Kinkaku-ji, the gold-leaf covered Zen temple above its reflecting pond. Afternoon: private tea ceremony with a master practitioner, arranged through the Capella concierge. Evening: dinner at SoNoMa by SingleThread.
Nishiki Market and Final Morning
Morning at Nishiki Market, Kyoto's 400-year-old covered food market with 100 vendors. Browse pickled vegetables, fresh tofu, grilled skewers, and matcha confections. Return to the hotel for a final afternoon at the Auriga Spa, the only spa in Japan to offer treatments with The Ginza by Shiseido. Departure or optional Mt Fuji extension.
Add 1 or 2 nights at a traditional ryokan on the shores of Lake Kawaguchi, with direct views of Mount Fuji across the water. Transfer from Kyoto by Shinkansen to Mishima (45 minutes), then private car to Lake Kawaguchi (1 hour). Ask your Meliora travel designer to include this in your quote.
Park Hyatt Tokyo
3-7-1-2 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Occupying floors 41 to 52 of the Shinjuku Park Tower, the Park Hyatt Tokyo reopened in December 2025 following a $500 million renovation. The hotel offers 171 rooms and 29 suites with panoramic views of Tokyo and, on clear days, Mount Fuji. The New York Bar on the 52nd floor remains the most famous hotel bar in Japan, with live jazz nightly and a 360-degree view of the city after dark. The hotel also houses three restaurants, a 20-metre indoor swimming pool, and a full spa.
Capella Kyoto
130 Komatsu-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
Opened March 2026. The first Capella hotel in Japan and the most anticipated luxury opening in Kyoto in a generation. Designed by Kengo Kuma and Associates in collaboration with Brewin Design Office, the four-storey building sits adjacent to the Miyagawa-cho Kaburenjo theatre and steps from Kenninji Temple. The 89 rooms and suites each begin at 50 square metres, with soft curved walls, low walnut furniture, washi paper screens, and Hosoo-woven textiles throughout. Six Onsen Suites feature private natural hot spring baths filled with mineral water piped from nearly 3,000 feet underground.
Included in the journey price:
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