Japan Adventure
Itinerary

Creating this itinerary was maybe the most difficult one to date, because Japan is so full of amazing activities and locations that we didn’t know if it would be possible to truly do this magical country justice in less than 2 weeks. But we worked tirelessly to bring what we believe is the most amazing 12 day experience to our amazing guests, ensuring that we visit some of the country’s most famous cities and landmarks whilst also taking people off the beaten track to areas that most tourists don’t see. Welcome to JAPAN!

Day 1
Arrive & Chill

✈ Arrive in Tokyo (we advise Haneda airport)

Check-in to our partner hotel
Relax, unwind & meet your fellow guests
First night dinner, briefing & introduction

Your adventure starts when you step off the flight and you realise you’re in a very different place indeed! As mentioned on our “Important Information” page, you have the choice of either taking the shuttle bus, or a private taxi from the airport to our partner hotel. Enjoy your first taste of this amazing city as it zooms past your window on your way to Asakusa. We’ll get you checked in to your room and you’ll have time to relax (depending on arrival time) before we come together as a group for our first dinner and official start to the adventure.

Day 2
Temples & Sumo

Wake up early and head to the famous Senso-Ji Temple before the crowds
Enjoy a lunchtime Sumo performance & learn about the sport
See Tokyo at night with an evening dinner cruise on the Sumida river

Today will be an early start to avoid the crowds, but it will be worth it when you’re peacefully strolling around Senso-Ji Temple with only our group, our guide and a few morning dog walkers. After taking in the beauty of the temple we’ll make the short walk back to the hotel for breakfast and some group chill time, before we head out for a fun afternoon at a local Sumo Wrestling experience & lunch. This performance has been created to enable guests to learn all about Japan’s national sport, watch some fighting displays, and even have a go at taking on a Sumo Wrestler yourself (Think you’re tough enough?)
After a fun-filled lunchtime show it will be an afternoon of either relaxing or exploring the local area, before our beautiful evening dinner cruise. Here we will enjoy a traditional 10 course Japanese Kaiseki dinner, whilst taking in the sights along Tokyo’s Sumida river at night.

Day 3
Tokyo foodie day

Morning visit to one of Tokyo’s most famous food markets (a must when visiting Tokyo!)
Explore Shibuya and the famous “Scramble Crossing”
Fill your belly at a traditional Izakaya (Japanese Pub)

Today your breakfast will look a little different as we head to (arguably) Tokyo’s most famous market “Tsukiji Outer Market”. Originally a fresh fish market Tsukiji has now become one of Tokyo’s must visit locations for trying hundreds of different dishes and snacks. After filling up on all the yummy treats, it’ll be time to walk off your food as we visit another of Tokyo’s famous locations “Shibuya Scramble Crossing” which has been featured in almost any movie that was ever filmed in Tokyo and countless TV shows and images. Explore this bustling area before continuing on to the bright and vibrant “Youth Fasion” area of Harajuku.
Now that you’ve freed up some space it’s time to fill our bellies again as we take you to an Izakaya restaurant where you’ll get to eat several small plates (like tapas) and wash it all down with some frosty beer (Izakaya are the Japanese equivalent to a pub).

Day 4
Bullet train & Traditional tea ceremony

Zoom to Kyoto at 180mph on the world famous Shinkansen bullet train
Participate in a traditional tea ceremony and Kimono experience
Explore the ancient cobblestone streets & temples of Kyoto

Ever travelled at 180mph on a train that looks from the outside like a spaceship? Well today you’ll be able to answer yes! The Shinkansen is one of Japan’s most amazing engineering feats, and enables us to complete the 300 mile journey from Tokyo to Kyoto in around 2 hours! As we arrive in Kyoto it will be time to embrace one of Japan’s ancient traditions and participate in a traditional tea ceremony. Here guests will dress in a Kimono and learn from a local “tea master” the art, history & etiquette of the Japanese tea ceremony.
After checking in to our quirky hotel there will be just enough time to head out to the famous, ancient cobblestone streets of Ichinenzaka, Ninenzaka, & Sannenzaka as the sun goes down before we head out to one of Kyoto’s local restaurants for dinner.

Day 5
Hiking & ancient red gates of Fushimi Inari

Beat the crowds with an early morning hike up Inari Mountain to see the famous red gates
Enjoy a traditional Japanese breakfast after the hike
Spend the afternoon exploring the ancient Nijyo Castle and Kinkaku-Ji Temple

After exploring cities it’s finally time to get out into nature, and today starts with a beautiful hike up Inari Mountain. Most visitors to the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine take the main entrance, but we’ll be taking a lesser known track away from the crowds that climbs the back of the mountain. Once reaching the main shrine at the top we’ll walk down the main path through the 10,000 stunning red gates that line it, before stopping at a local restaurant at the bottom for our breakfast. Bellies full, it’s time to drive on to the famous Kinkaku-ji temple and it’s gold covered walls (inside & out), and UNESCO world heritage site Nijyo castle.
Having spent much of the day on our feet it will be time for an afternoon of downtime, or for those who wish to continue the exploration they can wander the centre of Kyoto until we meet again for another awesome dinner.

Day 6
Nara deer park & Luxury overnight ferry

Say goodbye to Kyoto and head towards Osaka
Get up close to the famous, free-roaming deer of Nara Park
Take a luxury overnight ferry from Osaka to Beppu, and the outdoor adventure haven; Kunisaki Penisula

Today we say goodbye to our large suitcases as we send them ahead to meet us in Beppu tomorrow, and we make our way from Kyoto to Osaka, and to Nara Park where guests will be able to get close to the famous wild dear that call it their home. These deer are revered as national treasures in Japan and are visited by people from all over the world (including you!). Once guests have their animal fix for the day it’s time to board our transport and accommodation for the night; The Sunflower Ferry, which will take us the 13 hour journey form Osaka to Beppu. Guests will enjoy the massage chairs, buffet restaurant, onboard Onsen, and especially the beautiful sunrise from the top deck before arriving into Beppu after breakfast.

Day 7
Sunrise & local life

Wake up to watch the sunrise from the ferry
Explore a waterfall and beautiful rice fields
Enjoy a “mother’s lunch” with local people
Try your hand at making sweet potato dumplings & bamboo crafts

Grab a coffee and head to the top deck of the ferry for an unforgettable sunrise! We’ll then meet for a delicious buffet breakfast just before we dock into Beppu Port.
Welcome to the Kunisaki Peninsula where our outdoor adventures begin, and today we kick things off with a visit to the beautiful “Higashishiiya Waterfall”, before spending the rest of our morning exploring the local rice fields. After a morning of exploration, we’ll enjoy a “mothers lunch” with the local community before trying our hand at making some sweet potato dumpling snacks and bamboo crafts. Today is a rare opportunity to connect with the local community and will leave your soul feeling full to the brim!

Day 8
Explore Kunisaki by bicycle

Spend the day exploring the mountains & rice fields of Kunisaki by bicycle
BBQ lunch with a local women’s group
Continue to explore ancient temples & Japanese cultural sites by bicycle.
Bicycle tour will be on hybrid e-bikes but basic level of fitness is required

After fuelling up with an awesome breakfast at our Beppu hotel, we’ll head to the ancient castle town of Kitsuki where we’ll meet our guides for the day and test ride our e-bikes. Once we’re all set, it’s time to hit the road and start our 40km journey through rice fields and over mountains, visiting ancient temples, samurai houses and places of natural beauty. For lunch we’ll stop at a local women’s group where a spread of delicious fresh meat and vegetables will be waiting for us to BBQ, (known as Yakiniku). If you’re still able to move after all that delicious food, we will continue the final leg of our cycling journey before heading back to our Beppu hotel and maybe a splash in the rooftop pool!

Day 9
Kunisaki Hantou Minemichi Long Trail

Spend the day trekking a segment of this ancient buddhist pilgrimage route
Explore the birthplace of the syncretism (dual acceptance) of Shintoism & buddhism
Out of this world views & experience!

The Kunisaki Hantou Minemichi Long Trail is not only a mouthful of words to say, it’s an epic 134km hiking trail that weaves through the Kunisaki Peninsula following in the footsteps of the Rokugo-Manzan monks, who first came here for their ascetic practices 1,300 years ago. Don’t worry we won’t be trekking 134km, but will enjoy a beautiful 10km segment of the trail exploring epic mountains, stunning viewpoints, and ancient temples. Prepared with a Bento style packed lunch we’ll ensure we find a beautiful spot to rest and eat before completing the remainder of the journey to our vehicle meeting point, and back to our Beppu hotel.

Day 10
Stay in an active temple!

Depart Beppu & start the journey to Shigisan Gyokuzoin Temple
Explore the ancient temple grounds, and the holy mountain as the sun goes down
Eat a buddhist meal & stay in a traditional accommodation for monks in-training

This escape is full of unbelievable experiences, but the next segment of our adventure may be one of the most memorable, as we begin our journey to the beautiful mountain temple of Shigisan Gyokuzoin. Our bags will once again travel ahead to Osaka where we’ll reunite with them tomorrow, but for now we’ll travel light to our temple home for the night.
Shigisan Gyokuzoin is an active Buddhist temple and one of the few in the world that opens its doors to tourists who would like to experience an overnight stay.
As we arrive in the afternoon, climbing to the top of the mountain is a must, before exploring the grounds of a temple (that we believe) is one of the most beautiful of the trip so far, and as the sun goes down you’ll watch the colours of the temple change before the 2,000+ lanterns lining the pathways illuminate at night.

Day 11
Goma Fire Ritual & Blessings

Witness an early morning Goma Fire ritual by the chief priest
Rare opportunity to participate in Daihannya prayer and have your wish/prayer read to the principle deity, Bishamonten - The guardian of the North (Additional cost)
Leave the temple & head to the bright lights of Osaka
Indulge in the food capital of Japan with a walking tour around some of Osaka’s famous food alleys
Last night drinks and party time!

Every morning at 5am guests are invited to watch the traditional Goma fire ritual, performed with the purpose of destroying negative energies and detrimental thoughts and desires through the burning of wooden sticks, chanting and the beating of a drum. For those who wish to then join an even more unique practice, guests can have their prayer read to Bishamonten (The guardian of the North) and will be presented with a personalised Talisman with their prayer inscribed on it to take home with them.
Following a traditional buddhist breakfast, we’ll then leave the serenity of the temple behind, and head to the food Capital of Japan - Osaka! Here we’ll experience the famous dishes that are unique to Osaka, as well as enjoy our last night of this Japanese adventure together.