Highlights:
- Japan is a magical place where old and new collide.
- A country full of incredible natural beauty, futuristic cities of neon, world-renowned food, and a culture steeped in tradition.
- Japan has a way of enveloping you from the moment you step off the plane.
- The unique culture and friendliness of the people will stay with you forever.
- From partying in the famous Shinjuku area of Tokyo to walking down the stone paths of the Gion district in Kyoto, One Life Adventures - Japan will show you the best of the country in 10 days.
- Starting in Tokyo and finishing in Hiroshima we explore the most iconic areas of Japan plus some places off the tourist trail.
- By the end of the 10 days, you would have lived and breathed the Land of the Rising Sun.
Included:
- All accommodation in great locations.
- Legendary One Life group leader.
- All transport from Tokyo to Hiroshima, including the famous bullet trains!
- Big welcome dinner on your first night.
- Culture and language class.
- Visit to the Meiji Shrine.
- Explore Harajuku and Akihabara.
- Night skyline viewpoint of Tokyo from the Tokyo Govt Building.
- Cross the famous Shibuya Scramble.
- Walk through the birthplace of sushi; Tsukiji Market.
- Take a sushi making masterclass.
- Cable car in Hakone.
- Pirate ship cruise to see Mt Fuji on a clear day.
- Traditional Nabe dinner.
- Scenic train to Takayama.
- Sake tasting in the Old Town.
- Sleep on tatami mats in a traditional temple stay.
- Morning market visit.
- Guided night walk in the Geisha district of old Kyoto.
- Visit to the Golden Pavilion.
- View lesser-known Zen garden.
- Wander through the red gates of Fushimi-Inari.
- View of Kyoto from Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
- Learn Kendo (sword fighting) with a samurai descendant.
- Take a guided meditation session in the dojo.
- Climb Monkey Mountain.
- Walk through the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest.
- Bask in the amazing views of Arashiyama by gondola.
- Experience a wild karaoke night in Osaka.
- Go street-food tasting in Dotonbori.
- Visit Osaka Castle.
- Visit the lesser-known street food centre of Shinsekai.
- Wander around the serene Nara to see its parks and temples.
- Sleep over in another incredible Buddhist temple in Koyasan.
- Sample the Buddhist vegetarian cuisine of Koyasan.
- Visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park & Museum.
- Explore Miyajima Island to see the floating shrine.
- Unlimited good times!
- Breakfast : Some
- Lunch : Some
- Dinner : Some
Day 1 : Welcome to Japan! Tokyo Time
Touch down in Tokyo! Arrive into your Tokyo hostel and relax until the evening. Tonight we’ll take you out to feast on Japanese cuisine and meet the rest of your group. After dinner when the crowds have all dispersed, we explore the iconic Tokyo Senso-ji Temple by night!
Meals :Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 2 : Explore Tokyo, Harajuku, Yoyogi Park & Akihabara
We’ll start the morning off with a a Japan Orientation Briefing. You’ll learn simple Japanese customs and phrases to help you dictate your way across the country. We’ll then head out to the birth place of Japanese teen pop culture, Harajuku. We’ll then head into Yoyogi Park, host of the beautiful Meiji Shrine. Afterwards, we’ll head to Akihabara – Tokyo’s electric town - and be blinded by the all the neon lights and crazy shops in store. You can challenge each other in the arcades, check out the famous Maid Cafes or just wander around the area.
Meals :Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 : Tokyo, Sushi Making Class & Shibuya Crossing
In the morning after breakfast we will head over to our own private sushi making class! You will learn how to make Miso soup, three types of sushi and the secrets behind Teriyaki! Vegetarian option is available but you must notify your guide/One Life a week before the tour starts. This evening we head to Shinjuku, we’ll see an unparalleled skyline of Tokyo, check out the famous Omoide Yokocho alley & grab some dinner. before viewing the famous Shibuya Pedestrian Crossing.
Meals :Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 : Hakone, Mt Fuji Viewing & Romance Car
Today we take the aptly named “Romance Car” to the stunning mountain town of Hakone. After checking into our guest house situated in the mountains, we will spend the day exploring the surrounding areas on a variety of different transports. Why is Hakone so special? Well, not only is the food incredible but you can get a spectacular view of Mt Fuji (weather dependent.) After a day of exploring and taking photos of Japan’s most famous mountain we’ll arrange a traditional Japanese Family Nabe dinner in our guesthouse and finish the day playing some games. *If you have asthma/respiratory condition, the brief visit to Owakudani is not advisable, please speak to your guide for an alternate arrangement.
Meals :Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 : Takayama, Sake Tasting, Temple Stay & Old Town Tour
Today is the day we ride the world-famous shinkansen for the first time. Watch them fly by on the platform before boarding one of the world’s fastest train. Keep an eye out for Mt Fuji on the way. First stop is the UNESCO World Heritage town of Takayama. Here we will be staying at a stunning temple for the night. In the afternoon, We’ll sample sake in a local brewery and you can even treat yourself to some famous Hida beef!
Meals :Breakfast
Day 6 : Morning Market Walk, To Kyoto! Gion District Walking Tour
Start the morning with a walk around the beautiful old town and village of Takayama as well as a visit to the morning market on the banks of the Miyagawa River. We will then head to Kyoto by bullet train. In the evening a local tour guide will guide us around Kyoto’s Gion district, known for Geisha’s (Japan’s traditional art form of entertainment), if you are lucky enough, you might even spot one.
Meals :Breakfast
Day 7 : Kyoto, Kiyomizu-Dera, Fushimi-Inari & Tea Ceremony
We’ll rise before dawn and take the subway to the Fushimi-Inari Shrine. We arrive early to escape the throng of tourists and work our way through the mountain exploring corridors of never ending red gates. After, we will head to Kiyomizu-dera temple, one of Japan’s most famous temples. A stunning bamboo and wooden complex that sits high in the mountain side. We finish up with a traditional Tea Ceremony, where you can even rent kimonos! You will have the rest of the day free to explore.
Meals :Breakfast
Day 8 : Kyoto, Golden Pavilion! Zen Garden & Kendo Class
We head to the stunning Golden Pavilion, a beautiful gold laden building surrounded by a lake. After we’ll head to Daitoku-ji, a quiet, leafy complex of old temples. In the afternoon we head to a traditional Kendo class housed in the dojo where it all began. Your authentic Bushido instructor, a descendant of a Japanese Samurai, will teach you the way of this respectful martial art.
Meals :None
Day 9 : Bamboo Forest, Monkey Mountain, Osaka Dotonbori Food Tour
The day starts with a train ride to Arashiyama, a town surrounded by mountains and a river running through it. The itinerary includes a visit to the bamboo forest, climbing Monkey Mountain, a traditional Japanese boat ride through the valleys. We then head on to Osaka where in the evening, we explore the famous Dotonbori area. The food, people, lights, and colors of the "kitchen of Japan" will be experienced before ending the tour with karaoke in the evening.
Meals :None
Day 10 : Osaka Castle Gardens
After nursing your head from last night’s antics, we thought it best to give you the morning off to explore Osaka yourself. Visit the incredibly trendy AmericaTown, wander down the Shinsaibashi Shopping District, give your body a well-deserved rest in Spa World (optional extra) or browse the wonderful world of electronics in Den-Den Town. We’ll meet in the evening and head over to Osaka Castle, a beautiful structure in the centre of the city surrounded by lush gardens. We’ll watch the sunset from here, before heading over to Dotonbori’s little brother, Shinsekai, for dinner in the evening.
Meals :None
Day 11 : Nara Park & Koyasan Temple Stay
An early start today as we head out of the city, 45 minutes on the train to beautiful Nara. As we leave the train station and begin our walk towards the main park, keep your eyes out for the friendly locals along the way. Nara is famous for being a city that lives symbiotically with deer and is historically important as the former capital of ancient Japan. We’ll make our way around the serene park & stunning temples before heading back to Osaka to collect our bags and make our way to Koyasan. After a 90-minute ride, we’ll take a mix of cable cars and finally a bus to our accommodation deep in the heart of the mountain. Koyasan is a beautiful little temple town summed up by the tourism boards slogan “If nature does indeed bring mankind closer to the cosmos, then Koyasan is its embodiment”. This is your chance to live the temple way of life in a real, working temple. Learn more about the monks that dedicate their lives to this area and wander the countless temples and shrines that are dotted all around. Dinner is a very special vegetarian meal made from ingredients sourced by the monks in the local area.
Meals :None
Day 12 : Danjo Garan Complex Tour & Hiroshima Peace Memorial Tour
Wake in the morning to the sound of nature and take part in the morning chanting prayers with the monks. Breakfast is a traditional “temple style” meal made by the monks. Make sure to make the most of your final morning in this truly unforgettable destination. Just before lunch we’ll make our way back to Osaka and head to Hiroshima on the bullet train. After a 90-minute ride, we’ll take the streetcar to our accommodation in the centre of the city. After some down time, we’ll walk to the humbling Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and be taken around this area by our local guide to truly educate you on the area’s astonishing past. View the Atomic Dome, ring the peace bell and say a prayer at the eternal flame. This incredibly important city will live long in the memory. We’ll then finish with a walk around the museum to learn about Hiroshima’s devastating past before grabbing some food and calling it a night.
Meals :None
Day 13 : Miyajima Island, Itsukushima Shrine, Hall of 1,000 Mats
Today we take the metro to the beautiful Miyajima Island, location 1hr away from Hiroshima. On arrival we’ll take a short ferry ride to the island, known for its stunning collection of forests and ancient temples. After disembarking from the ferry we’ll take an easy stroll around the island, visiting the incredible Great Torii gate which sits just offshore. This famous giant, orange Torii gate sits partially submerged at high tide. Next, you’ll have the afternoon free to explore the serenity of the rest of this island paradise. In the evening, we’ll head out one last time as a group for our final day in Japan.
Meals :None
Day 14 : Depart!
And that’s a wrap! Today we finish in the beautiful city of Hiroshima, take one final walk around the memorial park or go for a sunrise run along the river. Your guide will assist you in your onward travel whether you continue to travel around Japan, head back home or join us on another One Life tour in a different, but equally incredible place! We hope we’ve inspired you to #exploremore.
Meals :None
Pickup: Tokyo
The tour starts at Khaosan Origami Hostel in Asakusa - 3 Chome-4-12 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0032. Airport pick up is not included in this package.
Return: Osaka
What to Bring:
Comfortable walking shoes (we will walk a lot!).
Mosquito Repellant (for summer months).
Raincoat/Umbrella
Proof of onwards travel.
Luggage Limit:
We use public transport for the duration of this tour so recommend brining 15-20kg only.
Dietary Requirements:
It is difficult to cater for strict dietary requirements including vegetarian/vegan.
Extra Costs:
We have an optional (extra cost) return transfer to Tokyo via bullet train for those wishing to get back to Tokyo at the end of the tour.
