Dates: 03 Oct (Fri) – 19 Oct (Sun) 2025 17 days

* This itinerary is still being fine-tuned. We will be focusing on exploring some of Japan’s most famous pottery towns and includes 10 days based in Lyn’s 2 little cottages midway between Osaka and Kyoto.

Inclusions:

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

• All accommodation - most nights in a traditional Japanese home

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

• Almost all meals

• Most sightseeing, activities and entrance fees

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

Cost: AU$….

Itinerary

Day 1 (Friday 03 October 2025)　(S)

Guests travelling from Cairns, Australia depart at 12:25h on JQ 15
Alternatively, meet at Kansai Airport at 19:00, or you may travel directly to our home.

Light supper and sweet dreams in your home away from home.

Day 2 (Saturday 04 October 2025)　（B, L, D)

We are heading straight to a pottery festival. The Tamba Yaki Pottery Festival has been running for almost half a century, and approximately 50 different potteries will be taking part in the event.

Attendees can take advantage of bargain pottery prices, try their hand at pottery wheel experiences, and connect with the makers of the items available for purchase.

Day 3 (Sunday 05 October 2025) (B,L,D)

We can have a bit of a slow start today with good coffee and a cooked breakfast. Lyn will show you around our village that is brimming with history and somewhat caught between tradition and modernity. We will wander freely, chatting with the locals, maybe stopping to watch the rice being harvested.

After lunch, we will go to Expo 70 Park to see their Japanese gardens, seasonal events (maybe a tea ceremony) and take a ride on Japan’s largest Ferris Wheel - if we feel like it. Home is only 3 km away and this is your personal tour so we’re very much free to do as we please.

Day 4 (Monday 06 October 2025) (B,L,D)

Time we discovered why Osaka is known as the kitchen of Japan and the home of most of Japan’s comedians.
As we snack our way around this city of contrasts, you will see why so many tourists love coming here. From towering views from the top of Osaka Castle to hedgehog cafes down little alleyways, graves to accommodate the ashes of 20,000 people and bits of the Berlin Wall, Osaka is full of surprises - and Lyn’s second home.

Day 5 (Tuesday 07 October 2025) (B, D)

Kyoto today. We will go to Nishijin Textiles, the Raku and Shibori Museums and go on a textiles tour with Nishiki Market.

Day 6 (Wed. 08 October 2025) (B, D)

Today we’ll explore Katsuoji Temple and Minoh Waterfall about 6 km from our home. Apart from postcard shots of temples, towering maples and a foot bath for any sore feet,there’s a famous pottery shop with unusual red glazes. Keen walkers can walk down the mountain and home while others can go by car.
We’ll have a bit of time for shopping or karaoke too.

Dinner will be a lesson on how to make Shabu Shabu so you can make this delicious hot pot for friends and family back home.

Day 7 (Thursday 09 October 2025) (B,D)

Today we will drive 75 km to Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Shiga. As well as lots of racoon dogs (tanuki), this region’s pottery is known to be very strong. Shiga is also well known for ninja and the Miho Museum. Let’s decide where we want to go together.

Day 8 (Friday 10 October 2025) (B)

Free day. Maybe you’ll decide to play golf, get a haircut, visit Nakao-san, a local, 5th generation sake brewer, or get a massage at the local hot spring down the road. You could easily go shopping, try driving a car in Japan, or take a ride on one of our 3 e-bikes. ABC Housing has around 45 display homes showcasing the latest in Japanese architecture and is about 4 km from home. Alternatively, you could head back to Kyoto for a kintsugi lesson or to see some famous sights.

Lyn will go visit her 93 year old Japanese mum - the oldest volleyball player in the world!

Day 9 (Saturday 11 October 2025) (B,L,D)

We’re going to jump on a bullet train and head northeast to Seto, Aichi Prefecture today. I’ll get you there and translate. You can decide what we must see. I know you want to include Kouraku Kiln to grab a bargain and see the valley of secret kilns in Okawachiyama.

Day 10 (Sunday 12 October 2025) (B,D)

This morning we will witness a traditional harvest festival that has been observed for over 1300 years in our village. In the morning, a Shinto priest will hold a ceremony in Susuku Shrine and the gods will be carried around the village in a mikoshi (portable shrine) to provide protection for the year ahead.

We might enjoy a lazy Sunday afternoon - or you could zip out for some bird watching, master your brush strokes or take a nap. A friend of Lyn’s might come and offer a kintsugi class at home.

In the early evening, we will join our neighbours for a celebration at Susuku Shrine. There will be some games, like bingo - in Japanese - and lots of yakisoba, takoyaki and oden to eat. It’s the one day of the year when the neighbors all catch up and enjoy meeting new people.

Day 11 (Monday 13 October 2025) (B, D)

Today is a public holiday in Japan. We’re heading down to Fukuoka by plane where we will pick up a rental car and drive to Beppu, a town famous for all sorts of hot springs. From bubbling mud to ladies shovelling hot sand all over you, each pool will heal different health problems. I’ll find us a nice ryokan with its own hot springs for tonight.

Day 12 (Tuesday 14 October 2025) (B, D)

One more onsen, breakfast and maybe a visit to a fertility shrine before we hit the road to Mt Aso. Our drive to Mt. Aso will take around 2 hour through some pretty countryside. Hopefully, we will be able to see Mt Aso’s volcanic activity from the observatory. From Mt. Aso, we drive for around 3.5 hours to Huis Ten Bosch where you will feel suddenly transported to Holland. There are 5 hotels inside the park. Which one shall we choose?

Day 13 (Wednesday 15 October 2025) (B, D)

We will spend the morning in ‘Holland’ before driving to Arita. Please tell me where you’d like to stay for the next 2 nights.

Day 14 (Thursday 16 October 2025) (B, D)

You are in charge of what we’re going to do today and tomorrow in Arita and Imari. Lyn will be your driver and translator.

Day 15 (Friday 17 October 2025) (B, D)

Arita/Imari - Arita Ceramic Home Plaza
Mid afternoon, we will drive back to Fukuoka for our evening flight back to Osaka.

Day 16 (Saturday 18 October 2025) (B, D)

Day 17 (Sunday 19 October 2025) (B, D)

Fortunately, we have until 4 pm today to spend as you please. Lyn will help you tick off any final things you’d like to do in Japan. Those of us returning to Australia tonight will leave home at 4 pm to head to Kansai Airport. (JQ 16 to Cairns departs at 9 pm).