Your Adventure

1 Australia - Japan

• Depart Australia Meet at the airport to board your flight to Tokyo, Japan.
• Meet your tour director and check into your hotel

2 Tokyo

• Tokyo guided sightseeing tour Sensō-ji temple visit, Meiji Shrine visit, Harajuku District visit
  Jangling neon and tranquil temples, radical fashion choices and quietly practiced traditions. Japan's sprawling, chaotic capital combines cutting-edge technology with an age-old culture, generating a directed energy and graceful drive unique to Tokyo. See what all of the buzz is about with a local licensed guide. Start with a whiff of the miraculous at the Senso Temple, where sacred incense smoke is said to have curative powers. Built to commemorate Emperor Meiji and his empress, the Meiji Shrine is one of the most important Shinto shrines in the country. Yearly festivals bring various groups to its iris garden and Treasure House, including the "Seven-Five-Three Festival," in which young children arrive dressed in mini kimonos.
• Akihabara Electric Town visit Take a trip to the Akihabara district, a mecca for electronic goods and home to Japan's otaku (diehard fan) geek culture. Explore the thousands of shops dedicated to anime, manga and video games.
• Shibuya Crossing
• Karaoke experience and dinner Karaoke is a popular form of entertainment which originated in Japan. Immerse yourself in this environment, grab a mic, your favorite song and sing your heart out in a Tokyo karaoke venue.

3 Tokyo

• Ryogoku sumo heya stables visit Ryogoku is the heart of the sumo world. Located in Tokyo, this district is home to the sumo stadium, numerous training stables, chanko restaurants, and a variety of sumo-related attractions. The area has a long history of hosting sumo events and remains deeply connected to the sport’s traditions. Every rikishi (wrestler) belongs to a heya - a sumo stable where they live, train, and eat. Experience the unique atmosphere of a heya by attending asa geiko, or morning practice, and witnessing the incredible discipline and power of these athletes up close.
• Chanko nabe lunch It’s time to dine like a sumo at a local restaurant specializing in chanko nabe. This hearty Japanese hotpot combines chicken, fish, tofu, and fresh vegetables in a flavorful broth. While naturally a healthy and nourishing dish, when consumed in the generous portions favored by wrestlers, it plays a key role in helping them gain weight. Many of the chanko nabe restaurants in Ryogoku are run by former sumo wrestlers, adding an authentic touch to the experience.
• Teamlab Borderless visit Enter into a boundless world of digital art, with a strong focus on nature and the elements. Here, you can wander among ever-changing displays of flowers, animals, and element-inspired creations that respond to your presence. To heighten the experience, certain areas of the museum are infused with specially designed scents, engaging not only sight, sound, and touch but also smell—making the immersion truly multi-sensory.
• Sushi making class and dinner

4 Tokyo – Hakone region

• Travel to Hakone region by bus
• Hakone excursion Owakudani Boiling Valley visit, Hakone Ropeway, Lake Ashi cruise, Hakone Shrine visit.
  Step into the misty beauty of a traditional Japanese watercolor. Peaceful lakes, stunning gardens, Hakone one of the prettiest destinations for city-weary Tokyoites. Experience Owakudani, the area around a crater created during the last eruption of Mount Hakone some 3000 years ago. Today, much of the area is an active volcanic zone with sulfurous fumes and hot springs. Watch how far you travel, though -- Hakone was once the feudal checkpoint for visitors to the capital, with all guns required to stay outside the borders and all women required to stay in. Please note: Owakudani Boiling Valley and the Hakone Ropeway are subject to weather conditions, and an alternative activity will be provided.
• Overnight in a Ryokan

5 Hakone region - Takayama

• Travel to Matsumoto by bus
• Matsumoto Castle visit Matsumoto Castle is one of the grandest castles in Japan. Its five-tiered, six-story main tower, built in late 16th century, is the oldest surviving castle tower in the nation. This medieval fortress is famously photogenic, with a wide moat, swimming swans and hundreds of cherry blossom trees in the Spring.
• Sarubobo dolls workshop Sarubobo is a traditional folk doll from Japan’s Hida region. The name translates to “baby monkey,” with bobo meaning “baby” in the local dialect. Traditionally, mothers and grandmothers hand-crafted these dolls for their children and grandchildren as charms of protection and good fortune. Their vivid red color was believed to ward off evil spirits while bringing health and happiness. Over time, Sarubobo dolls became especially associated with safe childbirth and family well-being, making them a treasured symbol of love and blessing across generations. Today, you can take part in a hands-on workshop and create your own Sarubobo to bring home—a meaningful keepsake and a piece of living tradition.

6 Takayama – Kyoto

• Takayama guided sightseeing tour Morning Market visit, Old City visit.
  Takayama is a historic city in Japan’s mountainous Hida region, known for its well-preserved Edo-period streets and traditional architecture.
• Shirakawago Village visit This UNESCO World Heritage Site, is renowned for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are over 250 years old. These unique houses feature steep, triangular thatched roofs that resemble “praying hands.”
• Travel to Kyoto

7 Kyoto

• Nara excursion Nara Deer Park visit, Todai-ji temple visit, Kasuga Grand Shrine visit.
  Nara can be an eye-opening experience. The enormous 50-foot bronze Buddha statue in Todai-ji was dedicated in AD 752 by having a priest symbolically "open his eyes" by scrambling up and painting them in (the original paintbrush remains at the temple); strings dangling off the brush allowed the dignitaries on the ground to hang on and participate in the action. The sense of "more is better" continues at Kasuga Shrine, where a thousand intricate bronze lanterns hang prettily off the building. Don't bother the wild deer roaming the adjacent Nara Park - once considered messengers of the gods, they are still a nationally protected treasure.
• Kyoto guided sightseeing tour Kinkaku-ji temple (Golden Pavilion) visit, Fushimi Inari Taisha visit.
  With over 2,000 Buddhist temples and shrines still intact, Kyoto shines as one of the best preserved Imperial cities in Japan. Visit the famous Zen Buddhist Temple Kinkakuji, or Golden Temple, that gets its name from the pure leaf gold that covers the top two floors. Next, head to Inari, the main shrine of the god of business, and see the thousands of red torii, or Japanese gates, that snake their way up the hill to the inner shrine. The Sanjusangendo Temple offers visitors an unusual and unbelievable sight. Its main hall is filled with 1,000 life-size statues of soldiers of the Thousand Armed Kannon which stand to protect the main deity of the temple.

8 Kyoto – Osaka

• Travel by train to Osaka Using the rail pass travel to Osaka. Formerly known as Naniwa, Osaka is located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, and is the third largest city in Japan. Osaka was the country’s first known capital, and remains an important economic powerhouse of the Kansai region
• Osaka guided sightseeing tour Osaka Castle visit, Umeda Sky Building observatory, Dotonbori District, Kuromon Market.
• Okonomiyaki dinner Make your very own Japanese meal! Fry your crispy and savory cabbage pancake; top it with mayonnaise, Okonomiyaki sauce, which is like Worcestershire sauce, and meat, shrimp or octopus. Then sprinkle it with fish flakes and aornori, or dried seaweed, to make this the most interesting pancake you’ll ever eat.

9 Osaka

• Universal Studios Enjoy an adventurous day at Universal Studios. Each area is uniquely themed and offers extraordinary experiences that impress and inspire your emotions. Enjoy a wide variety of entertainment offerings from the exciting ride attractions themed after blockbuster Hollywood movies to the shows performed by popular characters

10 Depart Japan

• Board your flight home Say Sayōnara to your new friends as you board your coach to the airport for your flights back home