5DAYS Osaka/Nara/Kyoto/Mie(Ise-Shima)/Nagoya ~Have a taste of Everything Course~

Marine life lovers and all visitors young and old will be enchanted by one of Japan's most spectacular aquariums, featuring fourteen massive tanks specially designed to recreate the environments of the Pacific Rim and other seas, from Japan to Antarctica and beyond. Hands-on exhibitions even allow guests to observe and come in contact with sharks. With approximately 30,000 creatures spanning nearly 620 species to meet, Kaiyukan is simply teeming with spectacular sea life to behold.

Founded as a joint operation of the Toyota Group companies, the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology was established on the site of the birthplace of the Toyota Group, where the head office and weaving and spinning factory of the former Toyoda Boshoku Corporation were once located. Preserving and making use of the red-brick buildings, which are of great architectural historical significance, the museum exhibits the transformation of the technology used in textile machinery, one of the core industries that helped build modern Japan, and the evolving world of automobile engineering that continues to drive Japan's growth. Moving exhibits of real machinery and many and varied live demonstrations are used to convey the importance of the "spirit of being studious and creative" and "making things."

A favorite of overseas visitors, Oasis 21 is a unique complex that is centered around Spaceship Aqua, a massive oval glass structure that is suspended 14 meters above the ground. Visitors can take a midair stroll on the outer rim while marveling at the water that flows on the upper surface. On the ground level, the Field of Green park area is a great place to relax among the year-round green trees, and the basement level features a variety of shops.

At Ise Jingu, it is traditional for visitors to visit Geku first, before Naiku. Built over 1,500 years ago, this jinja (shrine) is dedicated to Toyouke-no-Omikami, guardian of food, shelter, and clothing. Both Naiku and Geku are rebuilt every twenty years in accordance with an ancient Shinto tradition.

Cross the Uji Bridge, said to separate the daily and sacred realm, to Naiku. Purportedly home to the Holy Mirror, one of the Three Imperial Regalia, this jinja (shrine) is considered to be one of the most sacred in Japan. It is dedicated to Amaterasu-Omikami, the ancestral kami (Shinto deity) of the Imperial family and the guardian of Japan.

Before Ise Jingu's Naiku lies the flourishing town of Oharai-machi. Within it, you'll find the district known as Okage Yokocho, where you can enjoy historical Iseji Route streetscapes featuring Edo and Meiji period architecture. With nearly fifty chaming shops, Okage Yokocho is a great place to savor Mie's many culinary delights, as well as traditional Ise culture, including taiko drum and picture-card play performances. Don't forget to try akafuku, Ise's signature confection, before you say farewell!

1878 Naka-cho, Matsusaka-shi, Mie Prefecture

You haven't visited Mie Prefecture until you've indulged yourself with some perfectly marbled Matsusaka beef. One of three renowned cuts of beef in Japan, Matsusaka beef boasts melt-in-your-mouth perfection whether you're cooking it in shabu-shabu, sukiyaki, or simply looking for a phenomenal steak with no frills and massive flavor. We think you'll agree it's worth every single yen.

A key pilgrimage site for the Shugendo sect of mountain ascetics, Kinpusen-ji in the Yoshino region—sung of in poems for its cherry blossoms since medieval times—is a place of religious significance and striking natural beauty. Admire the fierce statues of the protector deity Zao Gongen, or take part in Shugendo workshops in your own quest for enlightenment.

Resting on the side of Mount Yoshino, a famed cherry blossom-viewing spot, lie historic shrines frequented by emperors and warlords throughout the centuries. One such place is Yoshimizu-jinja. Visit in spring to take in the sight of a thousand trees' worth of pink blossoms, just as Toyotomi Hideyoshi once did, or come in fall for spectacular autumn foliage in burning hues of red and gold.

Constructed shortly after Buddhism came to Japan, this temple houses the nation's oldest great Buddha statue, dating to the year 609. Though only a few buildings remain of the once-sprawling complex, the Korean and mainland-influenced structures and sculptures at this venerable worship site offer visitors a remarkable window into the Japanese Buddhism's earliest days.

Constructed in 1890, this majestic shrine sits on the site where Jimmu, the first Emperor of Japan, is said to have ascended to the throne in 660 BC—according to the two oldest chronicles of Japan, Kojiki and Nihonshoki. Passing through a massive wooden torii and the Minami Shinmon (south shrine gate) on the Omote Sando (main approach), visitors are greeted by the sight of Mount Unebi and the Gehaiden (outer worship hall) standing at its base. From this worship hall, you can offer your prayers towards the Honden (main hall), where Emperor Jimmu and his empress are enshrined.

Located just beyond Nara Park, this World Heritage site boasts Japan's second-tallest five-story pagoda and a host of other National Treasures, including a world-renowned lacquer statue of Ashura. Its Southern Round Hall (designated an Important Cultural Property) is particularly striking at sunset.

One of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples, Todaiji houses the majestic Great Buddha, said to be one of the world's largest gilt bronze Buddha statues, along with a host of other National Treasures from mighty gates to striking guardian statues. Explore the temple's vast grounds and transport yourself back to the days when Nara was Japan's ancient capital.

A World Heritage site, this venerable shrine will enchant visitors with its striking vermilion columns and stone lanterns set amidst a primeval forest as old as time. Thanks to a traditional rebuilding ceremony that takes place every twenty years, the buildings are in pristine condition over a millenia after the shrine's inception. A divine site that will truly take your breath away.

Known for its winding mountain paths lined by countless brilliant red torii gates, Fushimi Inari-taisha?—ranked many years straight as Japan's #1 tourist spot on TripAdvisor?—is a destination of truly otherworldly beauty. Statues of the white fox said to be the messenger of Inari Okami, prayer mounds and miniature shrines along the way give the grounds an eerie and divine ambiance that can be particularly savored in late afternoon and early evening.

A World Heritage site with a thousand years of history, Byodoin Temple in Uji is famous for its strikingly beautiful Phoenix Hall, which together with its neighboring garden was designed to be a representation of the Pure Land (Buddhist paradise) on Earth. Visit the Phoenix Hall and Hoshokan Museum house to admire a statue of Amida Buddha and other historic treasures, then stop by the Tea Room Toka to savor a cup of Uji's famous tea in these sacred surroundings.

The tallest building in Japan at a towering 300m, Abeno Harukas is a symbol of urban Osaka. This multi-purpose facility features Japan's largest department store, an observation deck offering stunning views of the city, an art museum, a hotel and more, making it a can't-miss destination for any traveler.

Japan's oldest official temple, Shitennoji was founded in 593 by Prince Shotoku, who played a major role in introducing Buddhism to Japan. Set amidst a mystical Japanese garden meticulously designed to resemble the Buddhist Western Paradise, the five-storied pagoda in the inner precinct is truly a sight to behold, especially when it is illuminated after sundown.