Japan 14 Day Adventure Tour

Touch down in Tokyo! Arrive into your Tokyo hostel and relax until the evening. Tonight we’ll take you out to feast on Japanese cuisine and meet the rest of your group. After dinner when the crowds have all dispersed, we explore the iconic Tokyo Senso-ji Temple by night!

Accommodation: Twin Bunks - Sakura Hotel Nippori (or similar)

Activities: Welcome Dinner, Senso-Ji Temple

Free Time Suggestions: Tokyo Skytree

We’ll start the morning off with a Japan Orientation Briefing. You’ll learn simple Japanese customs and phrases to help you dictate your way across the country. We’ll then head out to the birth place of Japanese teen pop culture, Harajuku. We’ll then head into Yoyogi Park, host of the beautiful Meiji Shrine.

Afterwards, we’ll head to Akihabara – Tokyo’s electric town – and be blinded by the all the neon lights and chaotic shops in store. You can challenge each other in the arcades, check out the famous Maid Cafes or just wander around the area.

Accommodation: Twin Bunks - Sakura Hotel Nippori (or similar)

Activities: Japan Orientation, Tokyo Districts

Free Time Suggestions: Maid Cafe

In the morning after breakfast we will head over to our own private sushi making class! You will learn how to make Miso soup, three types of sushi and the secrets behind Teriyaki! Vegetarian option is available but you must notify your guide/One Life a week before the tour starts. This evening we head to Shinjuku, we’ll see an unparalleled skyline of Tokyo, check out the famous Omoide Yokocho alley & grab some dinner. before viewing the famous Shibuya Pedestrian Crossing.

Accommodation: Twin Bunks - Sakura Hotel Nippori (or similar)

Activities: Sushi Making Class, Shibuya Crossing

Free Time Suggestions: Toyosu Fish Market, Songokuji Temple

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, ropeways 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.

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. 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 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 mountainside. The rest of the day is yours to explore the area, your guide will be able to recommend plenty of 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 that showcase a stunning reflection of the building. Afterward, 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 off by wandering 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 rowboat 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, colors, 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 center 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 being a city that lives symbiotically with deer and is 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 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 is 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 center of the city. After some downtime, 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, located one hour away from Hiroshima. On arrival at 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 its 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 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.