Urban Environments & Culture in Japan

11 days

Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka

Tokyo is a place where cutting-edge technology leaps from the towers in flashes of light. But there is a polite order to this urbanization that is defined by the ancient world that remains. The Osaka Castle is seemingly unfazed by the neighboring sea of skyscrapers, and is a living testimony of Japan’s unique journey into modernization. Japan is a microcosm of civilization at heart.

Image displaying map describing the itinerary of the Urban Environments & Culture in Japan tour

Day 1: Fly overnight to Japan

Day 2: Osaka

Meet your Field Director at the airport

Enjoy dinner in Osaka

Day 3: Osaka • Hiroshima

Travel via Himeji Castle to Hiroshima

Visit Himeji Castle, the largest castle in Japan comprised of 83 buildings

Enjoy dinner in Hiroshima

Day 4: Hiroshima • Kyoto

Take an excursion to Miyajima Park, also called the "Sacred Island"

Visit Itsukushima Shrine, known for its floating torii guarding the entrance

Tour Hiroshima with an expert local guide, where the world’s first atomic bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945

Visit the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, a UNESCO Heritage Site that contains the Atomic Bomb Dome and focuses on the devastation of the nuclear attack

Travel by bullet train, which reaches speeds of 180 miles per hour, to Kyoto

Enjoy dinner in Kyoto

Day 5: Kyoto

Take a guided tour of Kyoto with an expert local guide and learn about the history and culture of the city

Visit Nijo Castle, a structure built almost entirely out of Japanese cypress

Visit Inari Taisha Shrine

Visit the Gold Pavilion, a Zen temple whose top two floors are covered in gold leaf

Day 6: Kyoto

Tour the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove with your Field Director

Add this in-depth excursion:

Nara

Today, join a half-day excursion to Nara, one of Japan’s ancient capitals. Visit the Todaji Temple and see the Daibutsu, the world’s largest bronze Buddha. Then walk through the wooded Nara Park, also known by the nickname of “Deer Park” because of its many four legged inhabitants. Just outside the park, you will visit Kasuga Shrine, one of the most famous Shinto shrines in the country. Twice a year, some 3,000 lanterns are lit here simultaneously during the Lantern Festival. (Please note: comfortable walking shoes are recommended.)

Day 7: Kyoto • Hakone–Atami area

Travel by bullet train to Hakone

Stop to snap a photo outside of Odawara Castle, which changed hands and was demolished multiple times

Visit Hakone National Park, known for its hot springs, lakes, historic sites, and close-up views of majestic Mount Fuji

Ride a cable car up Mount Komagatake

Visit the Hakone Open Air Museum

Enjoy a traditional dinner in Hakone

Day 8: Hakone–Atami area • Kamakura • Tokyo

Travel via Kamakura to Tokyo

Visit the Hachimangu Shrine, dedicated to the patron god of the samurai

Spend time exploring Kamakura on your own

See the Great Buddha of Kamakura, which stands over 37 feet tall

Day 9: Tokyo

Take a guided tour of Tokyo

With your expert local guide you will see:

Harajuku shopping district, the trendy district popular among younger locals
Shibuya district, home to the famed Shibuya crosswalk that has upwards of 3,000 people crossing at a time
Shinjuku district, a large entertainment and business area

Visit the Meiji Shrine and its elaborate wooded Inner Garden

Visit Imperial Palace Plaza, the residence of Japan's Imperial Family

Spend time exploring Akihabara on your own

Enjoy free time for lunch in the Harajuku area

Day 10: Tokyo

Take a walking tour of Shibuya and get to know the area with your Field Director

Spend a half day exploring Tokyo on your own

Enjoy dinner in Tokyo

Day 11: Depart for home