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Japan, 10 Days · Classic tour
Tokyo, Hiroshima, Mt. Koya, Kyoto and Osaka
All the magic of an amazing destination
These are the places that make Japan an in-demand destination. We want you to return from your holiday with the very best memories of Tokyo and its traditional temples and multicoloured neon lights, Miyajima and its serene torii standing in the sea, Hiroshima and its Peace Memorial Park, Matsuyama and its thermal springs, Tokushima and its traditional dances, the spirituality of Mt. Koya, the tranquil beauty of Kyoto and the frenetic nightlife of Osaka.
Are you going to miss out?
Departure date
Departures from December 2024 till March 2025
From
Dublin, Knock, Galway, Shannon, Donegal, Cork, Kerry county...
Travel details
City of origin - Tokyo
Departure with destination Tokyo. Night on board.
Tokyo
Arrival in Tokyo and transfer to the hotel on public transport. Meet-up with the guide. Late in the afternoon, we'll head out to explore this fascinating city by taking the underground (tickets included) to the Shinjuku area. We'll be able to see the sheer number of people who use this ultramodern and efficient public transport system, and we'll also soon discover that Shinjuku is one of the liveliest places to visit at night. Welcome dinner (included). Return to the hotel.
Tokyo
Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning we'll take an extended, five-hour tour of this impressive city with our guide. The frenetic activity and ultramodern neighbourhoods of the city coexist in harmony with fantastically peaceful areas. We start with a brief stop at the Zojoji Temple to take a good photo of the Tokyo Tower. In this temple hundreds of jizo statues stand out, serving as guardian stone deities of children, to whom wool hats, bibs and windmills are given as offerings. We will then go to the famous Shibuya crossing, the busiest crosswalk on the planet. We'll go to the Meiji Shinto shrine dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife. We continue on to the lively Harajuku neighbourhood, where you can find the most varied 'looks' of the city, with shops and boutiques displaying the most eccentric styles. From there we continue with our bus through the elegant Omotesando Avenue, which serves as an important commercial hub. We will skirt the Imperial Palace and its gardens and make a stop to visit the famous Nijubashi Bridge. We'll then make our way across the Akihabara district, nicknamed the 'Electric Town' for being a centre for Japanese manga and anime, before passing by Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Hall. We'll also visit Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest and most important Buddhist Temple and its 55-metre tall pagoda, and the Nakamise Shopping Street, full of small stalls which are ideal for purchasing souvenirs. Lunch at a local restaurant included. Return to the hotel. Free afternoon.
Tokyo - Hiroshima - Miyajima - Hiroshima
Breakfast at the hotel. Today we'll take a bullet train to Hiroshima. In just over four hours we will travel the almost 800km of distance between the two cities. We continue on to Hiroshima, the city sadly known for being hit and completely destroyed by an atomic bomb in 1945. We'll take a wander through the Peace Memorial Park, see the Atomic Bomb Dome and visit the impressive Peace Memorial Museum.We continue our journey with a stop in Miyajima, the island "where men and gods coexist", and where the Shinto shrine of Itsukushima is found. This shrine is dedicated to the guardian of the seas and built partially on the sea. We arrive at the island by ferry. We have time to visit the temple and stroll around the beautiful town centre. In the afternoon, return to Hiroshima for dinner and overnight stay.
Hiroshima - Matsuyama
Breakfast at the hotel. Today we'll take a very pleasant two-and-a-half-hour ferry to the island of Shikoku, where we'll get to know more about Japan, a country formed of many islands. In Matsuyama, we'll take a cable car up to its magnificent castle. We'll then visit Ishite-ji, a stunning Buddhist temple and place of pilgrimage. Lunch at a local restaurant included. We will end our afternoon in Dogo Onsen, a traditional Japanese hot spring built in the 19th century.
Matsuyama - Kotohira - Takamatsu - Naruto - Kobe
Breakfast at the hotel. We'll set off for Kotohira, the site of a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of sailors and a place of pilgrimage. Built on Mount Zozu, it is reached by climbing 785 steps. Later on in Takamatsu, we'll go to Ritsurin Garden, one of the most beautiful in Japan. Lunch at a local restaurant included. After that, we'll go to Naruto where an impressive bridge crosses the sea and stop to learn about its construction and walk on its glass floor, taking in the dramatic swirls of the sea below from a height of 45 metres. Afterwards, crossing large bridges from island to island, we arrive in Kobe. Overnight stay.
Kobe - Osaka - Mt. Koya
Breakfast at the hotel. We'll leave first thing in the morning and travel along a highway that crosses enormous bridges over the sea. In Kobe we'll visit the Kobe Earthquake Memorial Museum, which serves as a memorial to the tragic earthquake that devastated the city in 1995 and a record of its impeccable reconstruction. After passing through Osaka for lunch, at 13.00 we'll leave the city and head to the sacred Mt. Koya, the most important site in Shingon Buddhism in Japan. This mountain, a place of pilgrimage and magic, boasts 120 temples and monasteries. We'll visit the Okunoin mausoleum, a spiritual place and vast cemetery surrounded by nature that houses over 200,000 tombs. We'll also visit the Kongobu-ji temple, which was constructed in 1593. We'll then spend the night in a Buddhist monastery, where the monks will give us a lesson in Zen meditation (Ajikan). Evening meal included (vegetarian). If you wish, you can attend the religious ceremony in the temple at sunrise.
Mt. Koya - Kyoto
Japanese breakfast at the temple. Early morning departure towards Kyoto. We'll have all day to spend in the city that was the capital of Japan from 794-1868, when the seat of the Imperial Court was found here. Kyoto was the only major Japanese city not to be bombed during the Second World War, and has therefore retained its rich artistic heritage. What's more, the Kyoto Protocol, intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, was signed here in 1997. We'll also see the city's main tourist attractions. These include the wonderful Shinto Shrine of Fushimi Inari, the Imperial Palace and the Kinkakuji Temple, better known as the Golden Pavilion, with its magnificent gardens. After that, we'll take a stroll through Gion, the city's most traditional neighbourhood and where, if we're lucky, we might spot some elusive geishas. Free time at your leisure.
Kyoto - Nara - Osaka
Breakfast at the hotel. After that, we'll travel to Nara. We'll visit Todai-ji, a magnificent Buddhist temple built in the year 752 which is dominated by a giant Buddha and where you can take great delight in photographing, stroking and feeding the small deer that roam free in the park. Lunch at a local restaurant included. After that we'll head off to see Horyu-ji, a Buddhist temple and UNESCO World Heritage Site. This complex houses a seminary, monasteries and temples. The temple pagoda, one of the world's oldest wooden buildings and believed to be Japan's most ancient Buddhist temple, is an important place of worship. We'll then continue to Osaka, arriving in the early afternoon. We'll stay overnight in this modern city, Japan's second, and have free time. After dark we'll wander around Dotonbori, an area full of lights and night-time activities.
Osaka - City of origin
Breakfast at the hotel. You'll have free time until the agreed time for your transfer to the airport. Flight with destination the city of origin. Arrival. End of the trip and our services.
Your trip includes
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Return flight.
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Accommodation in selected hotels or similar category.
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Train segments as per itinerary.
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Transport in vehicles appropriate to the size of the group.
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Transfers as per itinerary.
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Visits in a guided tour that are detailed in the program and not considered as optional.
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Bilingual Spanish- and English-speaking local guides.
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Transport for 1 suitcase of standard dimensions up to 30 kg per person.
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Diet: 8 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 3 dinners.
Your trip doesn't include
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Any other service not previously mentioned as included.
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Insolvency protection.
Destinations Visited
Expected Hotels (or similar)
In this section you will find a selection of hotels according to the category specified in the itinerary.
Flight
Overnight stay on board.
Important remarks
- Triple rooms in Japan are generally rooms with twin beds or a double, in which a folding bed is installed to accommodate the third person. Due to the inconvenience this causes, we advise against using this option as far the possible.
- Please check with your international vaccination centre about the recommended healthcare measures in Japan.
- Depending on the return flight, the trip may be one day longer.
- In Japan double beds are not common. If you want to have rooms with double beds during your trip, you must let us know in advance. We will do everything possible so that you can enjoy them, but we can not guarantee their use in advance in any case; They will always be subject to availability upon arrival at each of the hotels. Individual rooms may be, in some cases, smaller than the double rooms.
- In general, people with tattoos are not accepted in the onsen for cultural reasons. If they're small tattoos, they could be covered with a plaster, but access isn't guaranteed if the tattoos are large.
- Check-in time at the hotel on the day of arrival depends on each establishment, but in no case will it be before 3:00 p.m., unless otherwise indicated.
- The visit and the dinner on the day of arrival in Tokyo will depend on the flight arrival time. Failure to attend due to a delayed flight will not result in compensation.
- Due to the shorter daylight hours in winter, there is not enough time to enter the Kongobuji temple.
- Sleeping in a monastery is an experience of great experiential value. The existing rooms are simple, without private bathrooms and designed in a traditional Japanese style with tatami mats. In addition, the dinner is vegetarian.
- Due to high hotel occupancy and limited availability in some seasons, hotels selected may be different from those mentioned.
- The order of the itinerary may be altered for logistical reasons, without prior notice, but no scheduled trips will be cancelled (except in the case that adverse weather conditions prevent its realisation).
- A credit card is considered a guarantee, so sometimes you will need one for check-in at hotels.
- Prices are calculated based on admission fees to the sights as of the date of publication. If there is an increase in these prices, you will be promptly informed.
- If you are a person with reduced mobility, please contact us to confirm the suitability of the trip.
- Consult the necessary documentation to enter the destinations visited and for transit in the countries where air stopovers are made.