Trip Overview
Tales From Topdeckers
Trip itinerary
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Tokyo
2Down your cup of matcha – we’re off to check out the Goma Ritual of consecrated fire at Fukagawa Fudo-do Temple this morning. Your wishes could be part of this next-level experience. Ace! Then: it’s time for the Meiji Shrine to SHINE. Tokyo’s grandest Shinto shrine – take in all the spiritual vibes, make an offering and wander the blooming (or not) gardens. Important: you gotta cover that skin up when visiting this place – and any other religious site in Japan. Next, we’re heading to the quirky Harajuku district (aka cosplay heaven) with our in-the-know Trip Leader. Expect kawaii culture galore: neon tutus, rainbow-coloured wigs, bubble tea and fairy floss. We’ll also swing by the legendary Shibuya Crossing – it’s all the crazy. Then: the afternoon’s yours to wander the futuristic streets of Shibuya. And tonight? Get ready to party, Japanese-style on an optional tour of Izakaya nightlife. This is real culture in real time.
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Included Today
- Experience the Goma Ritual of consecrated fire at Fukagawa Fudo-do Temple
- Visit Meiji Shrine
- Walking tour of Tokyo’s Harajuku and Shibuya districts with Trip Leader
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Guided tour of Izakaya nightlife: prices available locally
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Included Today
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Tokyo
3It’s your last day in Tokyo – so, you do you. Been waiting for an opportunity to shamelessly wear Mickey Mouse headwear and fan over Cinderella? An optional trip to Tokyo Disneyland is calling. Book your tix in advance to high five allll your fave characters. Prefer to spend your day breathing in the fresh mountain air? Join a day tour of Mount Fuji and Hakone. Outta-this-world scenery. Gobsmacking beauty. A side of Japan you only see IRL. It’s giving allll the feels. This evening: quiz your Trip Leader on where to find the best ramen – and be prepared to order on a ticket machine with pictures of the dishes. It might be a lucky dip, but that’s what adventuring is all about.
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Visit Tokyo Disneyland: prices available locally (booking in advance recommended)
- Full day tour of Mount Fuji and Hakone: prices available locally
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Meals
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Tokyo – Takayama
4Rise and shine – it’s an early start to get the iconic Shinkansen (bullet train FYI) to Takayama. Glue your face to the window as we zoom through the incredible Japanese Alps. Once we’ve pulled in, we'll check into our authentic AF accommodation: a traditional ryokan – complete with tatami-matted floors and sliding doors straight out of The Last Samurai. This arvo, sample some of the good stuff at a local sake brewery. And tonight, an optional Hida beef dinner with the gang is on the menu – vegetarians look away now.
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Included Today
- Train ticket to Takayama
- Visit a sake brewery
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Hida beef dinner: prices available locally
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Included Today
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Takayama
5Breakfast is the most important meal of the day – so we’ll kick things off traditional-style in the ryokan before visiting the bustling morning riverside markets. Tighten those Nike laces to explore Takayama Jinya – the last remaining government outpost from the time of the Samurai and Shoguns. Next up: a taste of traditional life with a visit to Hida Folk Village. And then? A free arvo to do whatever you want. Explore. It. All. The nooks and crannies. The narrow streets. The tranquil waters. Take your trip mates along for the ride. Tonight: dinner’s on you. It’s all about that beef – if you missed out last night, now’s your chance. And it’s better than any maccas. Trust us.
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Included Today
- Visit the morning riverside markets in Takayama
- Visit Takayama Jinya
- Visit the Hida folk village
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Included Today
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Takayama – Hiroshima
6Hiroshima: we’re coming for you. Make sure you grab a window seat for the real af views. That IRL feelin’? Ain’t nothing like it. This afternoon, we’ll make our way to the Memorial Peace Park and its museum. Here, we’ll discover the tragic events of 6 August 1945 when the world’s first nuclear bomb was dropped on the city. Later, an included group dinner's on the cards, so get ready to show off your expert chopstick skills (or drop even more stuff down your T-shirt).
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Included Today
- Visit the Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park and Museum
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Meals
- Breakfast
- Dinner
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Included Today
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Hiroshima – Miyajima – Hiroshima
7All aboard the ferry to the island of Miyajima! First up, check out the incred Itsukushima Shrine. Then, we've got the whole afternoon to explore before settling in for sunset. The floating torii gate is pretty spectacular. Back in Hiroshima: use your free time wisely. Put those super-stretchy pants to the test and do as the locals do: inhale a steaming bowl of Onomichi ramen – chased with a glass of the local sake. When in Japan, right?
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Included Today
- Visit the Itsukushima Shrine on the island of Miyajima
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Included Today
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Hiroshima – Kyoto
8Another day of living your best life, let’s get it! Today, we’re hitting the tracks to Japan’s traditional capital, Kyoto. Home to over 2,000 temples and shrines, this place ticks all the spiritual boxes. We’ll visit the incredible Fushimi Inari Shrine – with plenty of time to hike to the top and explore the torii gates. Getting hangry? Grab some lunch before we stop by the Nishiki food market. Drool = 100% guaranteed. Then get ready to say g’day to the geishas as we head to the Gion district. Afterwards: the evening’s yours for exploring.
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Included Today
- Visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine
- Visit the Nishiki food market
- Walking tour of the Gion district with Trip Leader
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Included Today
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Kyoto
9Rise n shine travel besties, it’s time to see what Kyoto’s got to offer. And we’re delving in deep. First up: Kinkaku-ji. Alter ego: Temple of the Golden Pavilion. Zen vibes allll day. Ready to feel like you’re in an enchanted land? Arashiyama’s gonna make your eyes sparkle. You’ve got some free time here, so make the most of it! Get lost in the bamboo forest. Cross Tokugetsukyo Bridge. See Tenryu-ji Temple and its lush garden. After breathing in fresh Japanese air and making those calves work wonders, bellies will be ready to rumbleee. Gather the gang and hit Pontocho. Atmospheric. Traditional. Bombastic-side-eye-exclusivity. This place is where REAL Kyoto foodies thrive.
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Included Today
- Visit Kinkaku-ji Temple
- Visit the Arashiyama bamboo forest
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Included Today
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Kyoto – Osaka
10And just when you thought your jeans couldn’t get any tighter – today we’re headed for Osaka: the foodie capital of Japan. Here, they even have a word for “scoff till you drop” – kuidaore. Let’s keep that energy with our foodie optionals for the day. Opt for a ramen cooking class OR a ramen AND gyoza cooking class. Whatever you choose, the end product will have you scribbling down recipes like there's no tomorrow. Later, we’ve got a date with Dotonbori Market. Authentic street food that slaps? Sorted.
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Included Today
- Orientation walk of Dotonbori Market with Trip Leader
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Ramen and gyoza cooking class: prices available locally
- Ramen cooking class: prices available locally
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Included Today
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Osaka
11Tuck into a traditional breakfast before heading out to do your own thing. It’s your chance to uncover the real Osaka – so make every second count. Thrill-seeker? Jump aboard an optional day trip to Universal Studios (just make sure you book in advance). Foodie? Eat your way around the city with zero regrets. Culture-fiend? Hit Shitennoji Temple – one of the oldest in all of Japan. Tonight, we’ll regroup and head to a local eatery for a send-off to remember. And later? It starts with a ‘K’ and ends with an ‘E’. Nope, not kale. K-A-R-A-O-K-E time! This has been one hell of a trip.
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Included Today
- Group karaoke experience in Osaka
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Meals
- Breakfast
- Dinner
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Optional extras
- Full day tour of Universal Studios: prices available locally (booking in advance recommended)
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Included Today
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Osaka
12After breakfast it’s sayonara to the Land of the Rising Sun and our newfound travel fam. Swap Snapchats and start planning that next adventure.
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Meals
What's included
Included experiences
- - Experience the Goma Ritual of consecrated fire at Fukagawa Fudo-do Temple
- - Visit the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo
- - Walking tour of Tokyo’s Harajuku and Shibuya districts with Trip Leader
- - Visit a sake brewery in Takayama
- - Visit the morning riverside markets in Takayama
- - Visit Takayama Jinya
- - Visit the Hida folk village
- - Visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum
- - Visit the Itsukushima Shrine on the island of Miyajima
- - Visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto
- - Visit the Nishiki food market in Kyoto
- - Walking tour of Kyoto’s Gion district with Trip Leader
- - Visit Kinkaku-ji Temple in Kyoto
- - Visit the Arashiyama bamboo forest
- - Orientation walk of Dotonbori Market with Trip Leader
- - Group karaoke experience in Osaka
Accommodation
- 9 nights in hotel-style accommodation (twin or double), 2 nights in traditional ryokan
Transport
Optional activities
- FYI: these are optional activities available locally. Things might change – prices are here to give you a rough idea.
- Guided tour of Izakaya nightlife: prices available locally
- Visit Tokyo Disneyland: prices available locally (booking in advance recommended)
- Full day tour of Mount Fuji and Hakone: prices available locally
- Hida beef dinner: prices available locally
- Ramen and gyoza cooking class: prices available locally
- Ramen cooking class: prices available locally
- Full day tour of Universal Studios: prices available locally
OTHER INFORMATION
Luggage transport
On this trip you’ll be travelling like a local – including riding the Shinkansen (aka bullet train)! Because carriage space is limited on Japanese trains, we’ll transport your luggage on a few days. You’ll just need to bring a small overnight bag to cover you for these nights.
Optional activities
Pssst: optional activities are subject to availability, but there’s *always* something fun to do in Japan – trust us.
Views & Reviews
Latest Reviews
Average rating based on 11 reviews
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Scott November 2023
It was a great experience to see and feel Japan at it's core. We absolutely delved deep in to Japanese culture both modern and ancient.
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Anonymous October 2023
This was a great introduction to Japan. The trip was the perfect length of time to visit each location and see the best each location had to offer.
Tokyo - wonderful! What can I say? I recommend you add on a day or two (or more!) if you want more time to explore Tokyo in more depth. I added 3 days on. Recommend: Shinjuku, Golden Gai, Shibuya, Asakusa and Harajuku.
Takayama - a much quieter mountainous town where we stayed in a ryokan. You will be sleeping on a futon on the floor. We did so many things in Takayama it felt like a blur. Make sure you have lots of energy for the day you wake up in Takayama to travel to Hiroshima as it is a huge day of both activities and then travel.
Hiroshima - the absolute highlight of the trip for me. Beautiful weather and a totally different feel to Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. Miyagima was perfection and is a must-see.
Osaka - more gritty and nightlife-focused place. Unfortunately, I was unwell and so couldn't take advantage of all that Osaka has to offer but I made the best of it. Osaka Castle is magical. I didn't go to Universal Studios Japan but those of the group who did go loved it.
Kyoto - absolutely loved Kyoto. We had many great things to see and do here. The only gripe is there's so much to see, and so little time! I'd recommend if you are into more traditional Japan culture to add on days at the end of your trip.
My group was friendly and everyone got along really well with each other.
The accommodation was good quality - with a mix of modern hotels and traditional ryokan (1 night).
Travel was mainly by public transport, taxis where needed, and walking. Shinkansen was a great experience. Be mindful that your larger luggage will be sent on ahead of you, so that you can easily catch trains to your next destination. This is a great solution to having to carry around a big suitcase. Just make sure you bring a decent sized backpack on your trip as you will need it to store 3 days or so worth of clothes etc.
Bring good, comfy walking shoes that you can easily take off and put back on again as there's some places you are required to take your shoes off. Bring your professional camera (if you are a more advanced photographer) or your best smartphone to take amazing photos!
Make sure you bring as much cash (yen) as you plan to spend. Cash is king in Japan. You can pay for only some things (e.g. convenience stores) with credit card. It's just easier to bring cash - especially for meals and souvenirs. -
Anonymous July 2023
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