Japan Classic 14 Day Tour

Touch down Japan! Welcome to the land of culture, a country with majestic mountains, crazy neon lights, world class food, and a fascinating history. A land where the sake is hot or cold, and the sun glistens off the snow-covered peaks. Where incense floats around temples and shrines, and where the technological advances take the world by storm. Japan is a dream; a desired destination where all those leave with a new found sense of wonder. Arrive into your traditionally designed Tokyo hostel in the beautiful Asakusa area to be greeted by your tour guide. Tonight we’ll take you out to feast on Japanese cuisine and meet the rest of your group. After dinner, we’ll visit Senso-ji after the crowds have gone. This is one of the most important temples in Tokyo. This illustrious red temple is a feast for the senses.
Meals - Dinner

We’ll start the morning off with a language and culture class with a Tokyo local. You’ll learn simple Japanese customs and phrases to help you navigate your way across the country. Once we have learned all we need, we’ll head out to the birth place of Japanese teen pop culture, Harajuku. We’ll then grab traditional bento boxes and head into Yoyogi park, host of the beautiful Mei-ji Shrine. After that we’ll make our way to Akihabara - Tokyo’s electric town -and be blinded by the all the neon lights and crazy animation shops. We’ll challenge you in the Sega Centre and provide you with a map with the “Best things to do” so you can explore the area.

Today we’ll head to the world famous Tsukiji Fish Market. Tokyo is famed for its seafood delights and this market is the birthplace of Japan’s most famous food; sushi! Once we have toured the area, we will head over to our sushi making class where sushi masters will teach you how to roll the perfect sushi, fry the best tempura and eat sashimi properly. After your sushi lunch we’ll head back to the hostel for a quick freshen up before heading to the incredible Shinjuku area for the best night view of the Tokyo skyline. We will then grab some Yakitori and beer down the famous Omoide Yokocho alley. After dinner we will treat you to an incredible show like no other, where robots dance to the theme of Thriller while lasers and lights bounce of the walls at the world famous Robot Restaurant. We wrap up the day by joining thousands of people crossing the world-famous Shibuya Pedestrian Scramble!

Today we leave Tokyo by the aptly named “Romance Car” to the stunning mountainous town of Hakone. After checking into our guesthouse situated in the mountains, we will spend the day exploring the surrounding areas on a variety of different transport including Cable Cars, Rope Ways and even a Pirate Ship. Why is Hakone so special? Well, not only is the food incredible but the views of Mt Fuji are pretty spectacular also. After a day of exploring and taking photos of Japan’s most famous mountain, we’ll arrange a typical Japanese Nabe dinner on the roof deck and watch the sunset over the spectacular little town.

Today we board the bullet train, an incredible feat of engineering that throws you across the countryside. We take in stunning mountain views while we travel to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Takayama. Our accommodation tonight is in a stunning Japanese temple. Never before would you have stayed in more beautiful surroundings, your bed will be on simple tatami mats. In the afternoon we’ll head out for some traditional Sake tasting and you can even treat yourself to some infamously tasty Hida beef. In the evening back at the temple you can reflect on your experiences while you prepare for bed.

In the morning your guide will walk you around the beautiful old town and village of Takayama as well as a morning market tour on the banks of the Miyagawa River. After stopping for lunch we’ll board the train back to Nagoya and take our final bullet train to Kyoto. Famous for its shrines, temples and Geisha’s, Kyoto is a sure fire way to find your inner peace and get lost exploring its small alleyways. In the evening, we’ll have a guided walk around Kyoto’s Gion district with a local, known for Geisha’s (Japan’s traditional art form of entertainment), if you are lucky enough, you might even spot one.

We’ll rise before dawn and take the subway to Fushimi-Inari Shrine. We arrive early to escape the bustling throng of tourists and work our way through the mountain exploring corridors of never ending red gates. After we’ll stop at Kiyomizu dera temple, one of Japan’s most famous temples. A stunning bamboo and wooden complex that sits high on the mountain side. The rest of the day is yours to explore the area, your guide will be able to recommend plenty activities or the best places to shop.

This morning we’ll head to the astonishing Golden Pavilion, a beautiful building covered in actual gold surrounded by lakes which showcase a stunning reflection of the building. Afterwards we will head to Daitoku-ji, a quiet, leafy complex of old temples, away from the main tourist districts. In the afternoon we head to a traditional Kendo class housed in the dojo where Kendo originated. Your authentic Bushido instructor, a descendant of a Japanese Samurai, will teach you the way of this respectful martial art, before finishing with a 5-minute guided meditation reflection to finish off this incredible day.

Another early start to beat the crowds, we take the train to Arashiyama. This stunning town is flanked by mountainous valleys, with a river working its way through the middle. We’ll start of by wondering through the Instagram worthy bamboo forest, before climbing the steps up to Monkey Mountain. Once we make our way down, we’ll board a private row boat and explore the valleys the traditional Japanese way. You’ll then have some time to grab some lunch before we jump on the train and head to Osaka. After checking in we will make our way into the Dotonbori area, a wild and vibrant city complex. The ‘kitchen of Japan’ will take you in with its lights, colours, food and people. There is no better way to view this incredible, living, breathing city than tasting your way through it. In the evening we’ll wrap up our tour with one final Japanese tradition - Karaoke!

After nursing your head from last night’s antics, we thought it is best to give you the morning off to explore Osaka by yourself. Visit the incredibly trendy AmericaTown, wander down the Shinsaibashi Shopping district, give your body a well-deserved rest in Spa World 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.

An early start today as we head out of the city, 30 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 on the way. Nara is famous for a city that lives symbiotically with deer and a historically important 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 the 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 your chance to truly 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.

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.

A later start to the day today as we take the metro to the beautiful Miyajima Island, location 1hr away from Hiroshima. On arrival to this quiet town, we’ll take a short ferry ride to the island. Miyajima is known for its forests and ancient temples. Just offshore, the giant, orange Great Torii Gate is partially submerged at high tide. After disembarking from the ferry, we’ll take an easy stroll around this island, visiting the Miyajima shrine, for incredible views of it’s famous Torii Gate. The rest of the afternoon is yours to wander around the island, grab some lunch and visit some temples before making our way back to Hiroshima. In the evening, we’ll head out one last time as a group for our final day in Japan.

And that’s a wrap! Today we finish in the beautiful city of Hiroshima, take one final walk around the memorial park or a 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.