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The “Les voies du Tokaido” tour at a glance

Les voies du Tokaido (The Tokaido Roads) is a 12-day, 11-night Club Med Discovery tour of Japan, in the Cultural Treasures theme, starting in Tokyo and ending in Kyoto. It crosses the Japanese Alps to Takayama, stops at the thatched-roof village of Shirakawa-go, spends a night in a ryokan with an onsen bath, then heads to Hiroshima, Miyajima Island and the art island of Naoshima before Himeji, Nara and Kyoto. You travel by shinkansen, regional trains and ferry, all included. Hotels are 4-star properties, with one night in a traditional ryokan. The package includes full board, sightseeing, trains, ferries and, from 10 participants, a Club Med tour leader assisted by a French-speaking local guide.

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What do you see from Tokyo to the Japanese Alps?

The first two days in Tokyo show the city's many faces: Akihabara and its electronics shops, the Asakusa temple, Roppongi Hills and Odaiba, then Ueno Park, the Meiji Shrine, Omotesando avenue and the Shibuya crossing. On day three, the shinkansen speeds to Nagoya, then a train climbs to Takayama, whose old Kamisannomachi district keeps its wooden merchant houses. Day four leads to Shirakawa-go and the Kenroku-en garden in Kanazawa, before the night in a ryokan in Yamashiro Onsen. On day five, you visit the Nata-dera temple, a sake distillery and the samurai and geisha districts of Kanazawa.

How does the tour continue to Kyoto?

On day six, the train takes you to Hiroshima, then a ferry reaches Miyajima and the great torii of the Itsukushima Shrine, standing in the water. Day seven begins at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and continues to Takamatsu, on Shikoku Island, with Ritsurin Garden and a tea ceremony. Day eight is devoted to Naoshima, its art houses and the Benesse House museum, before Kurashiki. On day nine, you stroll through the Bikan district, visit Himeji Castle and arrive in Kyoto. Next come Nara, its Todai-ji and the Kasuga Shrine, then Fushimi Inari, and finally Kiyomizu-dera, Nijo Castle, the Golden Pavilion and a sushi workshop. The tour ends after breakfast on day twelve.

Which moments stand out most on this Japan trip?

The night at the Rurikoh ryokan, in Yamashiro Onsen, is often the one people talk about back home: you bathe in the onsen, a traditional bath fed by a natural hot spring. Shirakawa-go also makes an impression, with its large houses under steep, double-pitched thatched roofs. Then there is Naoshima, an island in the Seto Inland Sea turned into an open-air museum, and the Miyajima torii that seems to float at high tide. The sushi workshop in Kyoto, where you prepare your own meal, ends the trip on a hands-on note.

Which hotels do you stay in during the tour?

The programme lists the Courtyard Tokyo Ginza, the Mercure Hida Takayama, the ANA Crowne Plaza Kanazawa, the ANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima, the JR Clement Takamatsu, the Kurashiki Royal Art Hotel and The Royal Park Hotel Kyoto Sanjo, all 4-star hotels well placed for walking to the sights. The Rurikoh ryokan, without an official rating, offers the traditional Japanese night. Your advisor confirms the exact list when you book, as an equivalent hotel may replace the one announced.

What is included and what is paid separately?

The package includes shinkansen and regional train journeys from Tokyo to Takayama, Kanazawa to Hiroshima and Hiroshima to Takamatsu, the ferries to Miyajima and Naoshima and road travel in an air-conditioned vehicle. Full board runs from lunch on the first day to breakfast on the last. Sightseeing, local taxes and porterage are included, except between Hiroshima and Kyoto, where you keep a small overnight bag. International flights, airport transfers, lunch on the last day, additional drinks, tips, the Club Med annual membership fee and optional insurance are paid separately.

Who guides the group in Japan?

From 10 participants, a Club Med tour leader stays with the group from the first to the last day, assisted by a French-speaking local guide. Below that number, a French-speaking local guide accompanies the group. Departures are guaranteed from the first booking and assistance answers 24 hours a day. In Japan, having a guide for train connections makes all the difference: platforms, to-the-minute schedules and tickets are handled for you.

When should you go on the Les voies du Tokaido tour?

The published programme is the winter season one, and your advisor tells you which departures are offered. Spring, with the cherry blossoms, and fall, with red maples in the gardens of Kanazawa and Kyoto, are the most sought-after seasons. Winter sometimes brings snow to the roofs of Shirakawa-go and quieter sites. Summer is hot and humid in the southern cities. Each season has its colours: tell your advisor what you want to see.

How do you get to Tokyo from Quebec?

You fly from Montreal to Tokyo, with or without a connection depending on the dates, and return from the Kyoto area, Kansai airport near Osaka being the closest. Your advisor books these flights with the tour and adds the transfers, which are paid separately. For your Canadian passport and entry requirements, your advisor checks everything when you book. Read also our guide to travelling to Japan from Quebec and our travel to Japan page.

Which Club Med resort can you combine with this tour?

Two Club Med resorts in Japan lend themselves well to a follow-up. Club Med Kabira Ishigaki, on Ishigaki Island in Okinawa, is 30 minutes from the airport and offers the beach after days of trains and temples. Club Med Tomamu Hokkaido, in Hokkaido, welcomes skiers from December to late March, in the powder snow of the northern island. Your advisor books the domestic flights between Kyoto and the chosen resort.

Who is this tour for?

It is designed for travellers who want to see a fuller Japan than the classic route between Tokyo and Kyoto: the mountains, the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, contemporary art and village life. The pace is brisk, with several trains and plenty of walking, which suits fit and curious people. If mainland Asia also appeals to you, compare with Parcours du mandarin in China or Songe coréen in South Korea.

Why book this tour with AquaTerra?

Voyages Synergia received the Club Med Excellence Award 2025, and our advisors know the Club Med Discovery tours. We help you choose the season according to what you want to see, compare this tour with the other Club Med tours in Asia and the Indian Ocean and organize your flights between Tokyo, Osaka and Quebec.

Call 1-866-628-6241. You will reach someone who knows this tour and has time for you. We look together at what is available on your dates, we choose the right departure, and we stay on the line throughout your trip. That is the difference between booking alone in front of a screen and travelling with someone behind you.

  • Thatched traditional houses of Shirakawa-go

    Thatched traditional houses of Shirakawa-go

  • Japanese castle among cherry blossoms

    Japanese castle among cherry blossoms

  • Giant pumpkin on the pier of Naoshima island

    Giant pumpkin on the pier of Naoshima island

  • Floating torii of Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima

    Floating torii of Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima

  • Japanese temple and garden in autumn colours

    Japanese temple and garden in autumn colours

  • Geishas in kimono under a red parasol, Kyoto

    Geishas in kimono under a red parasol, Kyoto

Meet our Club Med Specialists who can help you plan your trips to any of the Club Med destinations.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The tour lasts 12 days and 11 nights, from Tokyo to Kyoto. It ends after breakfast on day twelve. Add the flight days to and from Quebec.
The shinkansen and regional train journeys in the programme are included, as are the ferries, so there is no pass to buy. The guide handles tickets and connections for the group.
At the Rurikoh ryokan, you live Japanese style and enjoy the onsen, a bath fed by a natural hot spring, in a traditional inn. It is the most immersive night of the tour.
Luggage handling is included throughout the tour, except on this stretch. Plan an easy-to-handle suitcase or an overnight bag for these train stages. Your advisor gives you packing tips before departure.
Yes, day seven starts at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. The night before, you sleep in Hiroshima after visiting Miyajima. It is a moment of reflection that moves many travellers.
Naoshima is a contemporary art island in the Seto Inland Sea. You visit the Art House Project houses and the Benesse House museum, where the works interact with the sea and the landscape.
Yes, a tea ceremony is planned in Takamatsu, after the visit to Ritsurin Garden. You discover the precise gestures of this ritual and taste matcha green tea.
Much of the sightseeing is done on foot, in temples, gardens and old districts. Good general fitness and comfortable shoes are enough. The pace is brisk, especially on train days.
Full board covers the meals in the programme. Additional drinks are paid on the spot, and your advisor tells you what comes with each meal when you book.
Yes, your advisor can add nights in Kyoto or Osaka before your return flight. It is a good way to revisit a favourite district or temple at your own pace.
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