Japan Highlights - 9 Days

Konnichiwa! Welcome to Japan. Your adventure starts with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight in Tokyo. Bursting with contemporary urban culture, Tokyo has fascinating museums, world-class shopping and backstreets stuffed with restaurants and karaoke bars. If you arrive early, maybe check out an Urban Adventure Tour in Tokyo or walk down Shinjuku’s Omoide Tokocho (Memory Lane) – a crowded alley of busy restaurants and bar stalls that's now one of the best spots to try some of Tokyo’s local fast food. After your meeting, follow your leader on an orientation walk, then maybe head out for dinner and get to know your fellow travellers.

Dive right into Tokyo today by exploring historic Asakusa – one of the older and more traditional parts of the city. Visit the city’s oldest temple, Senso-ji – founded almost 1400 years ago when Tokyo was nothing more than a fishing village. Then, browse the many interesting stalls along the shopping street of Nakamise Dori. After, hop on the metro and head to the buzzing Shibuya area. Check out one of the busiest intersections in the world before heading into a depachika (underground food hall) for a mouth-watering array of tempting Japanese treats. Next, allow the city sounds to fade away as you visit Meiji Shrine, surrounded by forest. Then it’s back into the city streets to explore the Harajuku district – the home of Japan’s quirky youth pop culture. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to spend at your leisure.

Today, you’ll hop on a local train to Kanaya station, then transfer to the scenic train that travels through the mountains and gorges of Kawane. The ride is especially beautiful during cherry blossom season in the spring and when the colours change in autumn! Watch out for a glimpse of Mt. Fuji on the way when the weather is good! This afternoon, visit a local tea farm, try your hand at tea picking and learn how the tea is properly brewed. After this experience, your host for the night will welcome you to their home. Dinner will be a home-cooked feast using seasonal vegetables from their garden, and your host will be able to teach you a thing or two about Japanese home cooking.

For some departures, you'll travel to Gotemba instead. This is to ensure that we do not overwhelm our Kawane hosts with too many groups and ensure we are working with local communities in a sustainable manner. For these departures, you'll travel to Gotemba instead and your local hosts will welcome you into their home. You'll be able to help pick the vegetables that'll be used for dinner from their garden, learn about their life in the countryside and enjoy a fantastic home-cooked dinner together.

After a home-cooked, Japanese-style breakfast, hop on the bus and a Shinkansen bullet train to Kyoto. One of Kyoto’s original names was Heian-kyo, which translates to ‘tranquility and peace capital’, and the thousands of temples, shrines and gardens make it clear why. In the afternoon, head to the Nishiki Market and stroll through ‘Kyoto’s Kitchen’ for the perfect introduction to Kyoto's regional specialties – from pickled vegetables hidden beneath layers of fermented rice to delicious and ornate Kyo-wagashi (Kyoto sweets) and other local produce. As the sun goes down, continue to Gion – the city’s cultural centre and most famous geisha district. You may catch a glimpse of an elegantly attired geisha or maiko moving between teahouses here, though much of this high-class world of entertainment is still off-limits to outsiders.

Today, you’ll head to one of the most photogenic spots in Kyoto – Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine. Famous for the thousands of scarlet torii (square archways) along the path, this shrine is dedicated to Inari – the god of rice. The rest of the day is free for you to explore at your own pace. Maybe visit the Path of Philosophy, see the Old Town and explore the wooden houses, or visit Kinkakuhi Temple, which was immortalised in Yukio Mishima’s novel ‘The Golden Pavilion’. Tonight, maybe find a local restaurant for dinner – your leader will have the best recommendations.

Travel by express train and shinkansen to Hiroshima today. Depending on what time you arrive today, you may visit Hiroshima’s Peace Park this afternoon or tomorrow morning. The Genbaku (A-Bomb) Dome and Peace Memorial Museum stand testament to the fateful day in August 1945. The dome was just metres from where the bomb detonated, so it was able to retain its shape. The fact that it looks almost exactly as it did after the bombing has made it an enduring symbol of peace. The memorial park serves the same purpose, and has museums, memorials and monuments dedicated to the memory of victims. This evening, head out with your leader for one of the city’s signature dishes for dinner – okonomiyaki (a savoury pancake of egg, cabbage, soba noodles and meat or seafood).

Today you'll make your way to the nearby island of Miyajima with its well-known 'floating' torii gate. When you arrive, maybe explore the island further by climbing to the top of Mt Miyajima (or hopping on the cable car instead) for 360-degree views of the Inland Sea. Keep your eyes out for inquisitive and hungry deer that roam the streets. After, visit the Saijo Sake Brewery Street and taste some locally produced sake. The rest of the day is then free for you to explore Hiroshima at your own pace. Maybe stop by the five-storied Hiroshima Castle, which originally dates to the 1590s. It was destroyed by the bomb but reconstructed in all its glory in the 1950s and now holds an informative museum. The wonderful Shukkeien Garden, with teahouses and waterfalls, is also a perfect place to decompress.

Jump back on the train this morning and head to Osaka – Japan’s unofficial food capital. When you arrive, follow your leader on an orientation walk, then explore the city at your own pace. Meet in the evening for a street food walking tour with your group through Dotombori District and Kuromon Market and celebrate the last night of your trip.

With no further activities planned after breakfast, your trip comes to an end today. If you would like to extend your stay in Osaka, and it’s recommended that you do, just reach out to your booking agent ahead of time.