Dates: 21Mar (Fri) – 04 April (Fri) 2025 15 days
* Fly in to Kansai airport and depart from Tokyo.

This trip is for you if you’re over 50, have always wanted to see Japan in the Spring, and like to meet the locals when you travel.
As well as the cherry blossoms, we’re going to the annual sumo wrestling tournament in Osaka! We will travel to Himeji to see the Heron Castle, and then head further west to Miyajima Island where we will stay overnight. We will visit the Atomic Bomb Memorial in Hiroshima and then we fly north to Sendai. We’ll meet people in Fukushima area who survived the triple disaster (earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown) and learn how they are rebuilding their lives. This trip ends in Tokyo, the biggest city in the world. Of course we will have a picnic or three while admiring the cherry blossoms at both iconic and peaceful places. I’ll use my 27+ years of living in Japan to efficiently adapt our itinerary. We can be flexible as there are only a few of us and we’re mainly based in our two adjoining cottages midway between Kyoto and Osaka. I know you’ll enjoy meeting my neighbours - some of whose ancestors have lived in this village for more than 40 generations.

As the nights will still be quite cold, you might enjoy a hot bath at home or a long soak in a nearby hot spring. Drinking hot sake around a bubbling pot of shabu shabu with new friends is also a must.

I promise to give you experiences and insights into Japan that will put a smile on your face for many years to come.

** All guests must have travel insurance

Inclusions:

• Fully escorted by Lyn, a bilingual Australian with extensive knowledge of Japan

• All accommodation - most nights in a traditional Japanese home

• An overnight stay in a Japanese inn on Miyajima Island

• A sleep in a tiny hotel (men & women separated)

• 2 nights in Haranomachi, Fukushima

• 2 nights Tokyo

• Most meals

• All transport within Japan – domestic flight, trains, bullet trains, cable car, monorail, bicycles, taxis

• Most sightseeing, activities and entrance fees

• Assistance with planning should you wish to extend your time in Japan.

Cost: AU$5,980 ($3,980 USD)

Itinerary

Sat. 22 Mar 2025 (B,L,D)

Today we will dive straight in to the bustle of the Namba area of Osaka. We will explore a lively market at Shitennoji Temple (held once a month) and we’re heading to the sumo! This only happens once a year so we’re in luck. In the evening, we’ll enjoy a scrumptious dinner in Dotombori.

Sun. 23 Mar 2025 (B, L, D)

We will take a guided walk around our village and pop in to a neighbour’s house to learn about how ancestors are remembered and respected. After lunch, we will explore the many natural and activities within Banpaku Park (site of 1970 World Expo) and, if the weather is good, we’ll take a picnic under the cherry blossoms. Expo City - Japan’s largest shopping mall and ferris wheel adjoin the park so we’ve got lots of options. On the way home, you may like to experience another very popular activity in Japan - a soak in a hot spring 800m from our home.

Thu. 27 Mar 2025 (B, L, D)

After a traditional Japanese breakfast, we’ll explore Miyajima Island in daylight and maybe feed the deer that roam freely. A short ferry ride and a train will take us back to Hiroshima City where we will visit the Atomic Bomb memorial and museum. The shinkansen (bullet train) will whisk us home in a couple of hours.

Fri. 28 Mar 2025 (B, D)

After a slow start, I’ll take you to one of my favourite places Katsuoji Temple. As it is only 6 km from home and close to Minoh waterfall, you can choose a solid hike or a gentle stroll. At the foot of the mountains, we’re back into crowded suburbia with loads of shops, restaurants etc.

Sat. 29 Mar 2025 (B, L, D)

Today we’ll head back to Kyoto and walk through the famous bamboo grove of Arashiyama, marvel at one of Japan’s most famous gardens and maybe go visit the monkeys.  After lunch under the cherry blossoms, we might head to Eigamura, Japan’s only traditional movie studio/theme park and the home of Godzilla or go and see the famous Golden Pavilion. On the way home, we might stop for sushi or karaoke but it’s your call.

Sun. 30 Mar 2025 (B, D)

There are no fixed plans for the morning. You might like to meet some expats at a bilingual church, get a haircut, soak in the onsen down the road, or do nothing. Mid afternoon, we will send our suitcases by courier to our hotel in Tokyo as we will be travelling far and lightly for the next 3 days. Tonight we will experience a tiny hotel room at Kansai airport.

Mon. 31 March 2024 (B, D)

Following an early flight to Sendai, we will visit the second of Japan’s top 3 beautiful sites, Matsushima. Fortunately, this island was relatively unscathed by the 2011 tsunami. Sendai is famous for gyutan (beef tongue), so you’re welcome to try this or the region’s delicious noodles. Mid afternoon, we will take a train south to Haranomachi where we will stay for 2 nights. If you like, you might check out the award-winning Bar Wizard, across from our hotel.

Tue. 01 April 2025 (B, D)

Today you’ll meet some inspirational people who survived the tsunami of 2011 and displacement for years due to the subsequent radiation fallout from Fukushima nuclear power plant. I’m looking forward to introducing you to a few friends and I’m glad we can support their local economy through our visit. We will go by car to a school that was hit by the tsunami and stands as a reminder today of the power of nature. We will also visit an ancient shell mound, showing that people have lived in this geographically-rich area for around 15,000 years. Dinner will be in a lovely restaurant near our hotel.

Wed. 02 April 2025 (B,D)

This morning, we head a little further south by train and visit The Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum where you will get a much better understanding of what happened in January 2011. In the afternoon, we will train into the centre of the most-populated city of the world, Tokyo.

Thu. 03 April 2025 (B,L,D)
Today, we’ll get an overiew of Tokyo from a hop on- hop off bus tour. We can decide where to explore together. I suggest the controversial Yasukuni Shrine and a walk through the grounds of the Japanese Emperor’s Palace. Sometime today we’ll join the throngs of people at Shibuya station and walk across the busiest intersection in the world. Starbucks Roastery is worth a coffee break and I’ll show you the statue of Hachiko, possibly the most loyal dog in history. Being our last night together, I’ll try to find us a restaurant with a great view.

Fri. 04 April 2025 (B)
This is the last day of our whirlwind tour of Japan, from Hiroshima all the way to Sendai. If you are planning to extend your time in Tokyo, I can help you get on a day trip to Hakone & Mt Fuji, Disneyland, Disney Sea, Team Lab, Sky Tree or you might like to check out Tokyo’s art scene.