9D8N Japan Express: Osaka to Tokyo by G Adventures

Arrive at any time.
We highly recommend booking pre-accommodation to fully experience this lively city.

Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Meeting – Meet Your CEO and Group
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don’t forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

Hotel
Hearton Hotel Nishi Umeda (or similar)

Depart early and travel to the centre of Buddhism in Japan and sleep in a temple atop the 800m Mt Koya. Savour a traditional dinner of shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine). Watch the monks pray in the morning.

Journey to Mt Koya, a religious centre founded in 816 by the Buddhist monk Kobo Daishi. The train ride up the mountain is possibly one of the finest rail journeys in Japan. For the final steep ascent, switch to funicular and then hop on a bus to reach the monastery.

In the evening, dine on shojin-ryori, typical vegetarian cuisine, and relax in a yukata, or kimono.

Train
Osaka – Kōyasan 3h Morning
Climb aboard, take a seat, and enjoy the ride.

Your Local Living Moment: Overnight in Mount Kōya Temple
During the overnight stay in the mountain temple, witness the routines of the monks and dine on typical fare. Explore the temples and moss covered Oku-no in cemetery in the afternoon. In the evening, savour the shojin-ryori vegetarian cuisine, and relax in a yukata or kimono. Early morning at the temple offers the chance to observe the monks praying, before a vegetarian breakfast. Breathe the fresh mountain air and soak in the beautiful surroundings.

Oku-no-in Cemetery Visit
Kōyasan Afternoon
Oku-no-in is the most sacred site in Koyasan and the location of the mausoleum for Kobo Daishi (also known as Kukai), the founder of Shingon Buddhism. The area is surrounded by a massive cemetery, the largest in Japan. With over 200,000 tombstones lining the almost 2km path to Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum, there is plenty of area to explore. Be sure to see Torodo Hall (Hall of Lamps), the main place of worship, where more than 10,000 lanterns are kept burning day and night.

Meals included: Breakfast | Dinner

Accomodation
Ekoin Monastery (or similar)

Watch the monks pray in the morning and enjoy a traditional breakfast before travelling to Hiroshima. This afternoon, visit the Peace Park and Memorial Museum commemorating the events of 1945.

Early morning offers the chance to observe the monks praying. Breathe in some fresh mountain air before a vegetarian breakfast, then start the journey back down the mountain via bus, train and funicular.

Later, board a train to Hiroshima, a historically significant city, marked by the explosion of the first atomic bomb in 1945.

Bullet Train
Kōyasan – Hiroshima 5h
Get to your next destination faster than the speed of light (ok maybe not that fast) aboard a high-speed train.

Hiroshima Park and Peace Memorial
Hiroshima
Walk through the Peace Park in the centre of Hiroshima, a living memorial dedicated to the tens of thousands who died from the atomic bomb blast in 1945. Visit the statue of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who died of leukemia as a result of the bomb blast, despite folding 1,000 origami paper cranes to appeal to the gods to make her well. See the frame of the Gembaku Dome, the sole building to withstand the explosion. Reflect, remember, and be reminded of the power we all hold to create peace.

Meals included: Breakfast

Hotel
Via Inn Hiroshima Shinkansenguchi (or similar)

Take a ferry ride over to the sacred island of Miyajima to see the famous floating Torii Gate. Opt to hike around Mt Misen.

Ferry
Hiroshima – Miyajima
Hop a ferry to reach the island and journey back in the evening.

Miyajima Island Visit
Miyajima – Hiroshima
Take a trip to Miyajima Island, famed as one of Japan’s most scenic spots, with a free afternoon to explore. See the famous floating Torii Gate, set out in the bay, which glows extraordinarily at sunset. The island is dotted with shrines and temples, populated by deer, and traversed with hiking trails for those who want to get some exercise. There are also lanes full of souvenirs and tasty treats. Visit Miyajima at your own pace, and have the option to hike up to the peak of the island, Mt Misen, to see spectacular views of the surrounding islands.

Free Time
Miyajima Afternoon
Free time on Miyajima Island to make the most of this beautiful location.

Hotel
Via Inn Hiroshima Shinkansenguchi (or similar)

Travel to Kyoto and start exploring. Visit the impressive Nijo Castle and gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the evening, explore the geisha district of Gion on a CEO-led walking tour.

Please note the Ninomaru Palace at Nijo Castle will be closed from Dec 26-Jan 3. Groups travelling during this time will visit the Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

Bullet Train
Hiroshima – Kyoto 1h30m-2h
Get to your next destination faster than the speed of light (ok maybe not that fast) aboard a high-speed train.

Nijo Castle and Gardens Visit
Kyoto
Visit the Nijo Castle, the residence of the first shogun of the Edo Period built in 1603. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the property is divided into three areas: the Honmaru (main circular fortification), Ninomaru (secondary circle of defense), and the gorgeous gardens that surround both.

Gion Walk
Kyoto
Walk through Gion, Kyoto’s most famous geisha district. Visit shops, restaurants and ochaya (teahouses), where geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha) and maiko (geiko apprentices) entertain.

Hotel
Hotel Gracery Kyoto Sanjo (or similar)

Enjoy a visit to the beautiful Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine and walk under the bright torii gates. Opt to shop, stroll along the riverbank, or explore another of Kyoto’s many temples with free time.

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine Visit
Kyoto
Visit the Fushimi Inari shrine, located just outside of Kyoto. Walk under the thousands of iconic torii gates (as seen in the film Memoirs of a Geisha) and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. The shrine itself is at the base of the Inari mountain but includes many trails up to smaller shrines in the area.

Free Time
Kyoto Afternoon
Continue exploring Japan’s historic capital with some free time.

Hotel
Hotel Gracery Kyoto Sanjo (or similar)

Take a boat ride on Lake Ashino-ko, and hopefully catch a glimpse of majestic Mt Fuji. Enjoy a feast on a Japanese multi-course kaiseki meal then soak in the natural hot springs.
Travel to Hakone, a town in the hills famous for its onsens, or natural hot springs.
In the evening, enjoy savouring a complex meal of traditional Japanese foods, followed by a recommended soak in the onsen.

Bullet Train
Kyoto – Odawara 3h
Get to your next destination faster than the speed of light (ok maybe not that fast) aboard a high-speed train.

Local Bus
Odawara – Hakone 30m
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.

Lake Ashino-ko Boat Ride
Hakone 30m
Hop aboard a passenger boat to cruise the waters of Lake Ashinoko. If you are lucky, on a clear day you can capture a view of Mt Fuji. The lake was formed from the caldera of Mt Hakone following its eruption 3000 years ago. Sit back, relax and enjoy.

Traditional Kaiseki Meal
Hakone
Savour a complex meal of traditional Japanese foods, then finish the day with a soak in the onsen.

Meals included: Dinner

Hotel
TKP Hotel & Resort Rekutore Hakone Gora (or similar)

Head to Tokyo with time to do some last-minute shopping.

Arrive before noon to Tokyo, with time to explore this energetic metropolis.

Opt to visit Ueno park and the museums, Akihabara for cutting edge electronics, Harajuku for funky fashions, Ginza for the highest of the high end, walk the grounds of the Imperial Palace East Garden, or just stroll the streets, looking for the traditional life that still lies just under the modern surface.

Bullet Train
Hakone – Tokyo 2h
Get to your next destination faster than the speed of light (ok maybe not that fast) aboard a high-speed train.

Free Time
Tokyo Afternoon
With so much to do, start exploring now.

Meals included: Breakfast

Hotel
Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku (or similar)

Depart at any time.

We highly recommend booking post-accommodation to fully experience this vibrant city.