Tokyo to Okinawa beaches

Arrival at Tokyo airport (Narita or Haneda).

Reception at the exit of customs by our English-speaking airport assistant.



Unaccompanied transfer from the airport to Tokyo (see details)



Accommodation at Hotel B Akasaka Mitsuke or an equivalent 3* (rooms available from 15:00)

Dinner and evening at your leisure.

What is there to do in Tokyo on the first day?

We advise you to slowly start visiting Tokyo from its western districts:

- Harajuku: the avant-garde district

- Meiji Jingû, the imperial shrine

- Takeshita-Dori: the most famous street in Japan

- Omotesando: Tokyo's Champs-Élysées

- Shibuya and its unmistakable "crossroads".

One of our many experienced English-speaking guides can also accompany you to visit the classic sights of Tokyo (optional, from 9:00 to 17:00)

For this second day of visiting Tokyo, we recommend the following "loop":

Start from Tokyo Central Station, with its original architecture, then go to visit:

- Ginza, Tokyo's chic district

- Tsukiji*, the small outdoor food market

- Hamarikyu, the Japanese garden between Tokyo's buildings

- Asakusa, a traditional district and place of pilgrimage, accessible by a cruise on the Sumida River

- Sensô-ji Buddhist temple, one of the oldest in the city

- The road of Nakamise Dôri, a long and narrow street lined with thousand-year-old shops

- Tokyo Sky Tree** and its panoramic view of Tokyo at sunset (ticket included in your tour)

Enjoy a cruise on the Sumida River between Hamarikyu and Asakusa.

For this fifth day, there are still many places to discover according to your taste!

Don't hesitate to follow the many suggestions in your travel diary.

Or better still, book an English-speaking guide for the day (optional) to visit Tokyo off the beaten path!

In addition, make the most of our many optional activities:

- are you looking more for fun? Ghibli Museum, Disneyland or Hello Kitty Park are waiting for you!

- do you prefer a themed activity? book a visit on an architecture tour, gardens, home cooking or Noh's theatre

- chasing thrills? Let yourself be tempted by a helicopter ride or a sumo tournament (in season)!

In the morning, we advise that you have your luggage sent to the hotel in Kyoto (details in your travel diary, check with the hotel reception) and that you travel light for your night in Hakone.

Go to Shinjuku station to activate your Hakone Free Pass and board a train to Hakone Yumoto (1.5 hour journey, details in your travel guide, all inclusive). The train will gradually leave the Japanese megalopolis behind and head deeper into the valleys of the Mount Fuji region. You will arrive in Hakone in the late morning. Reach your Ichinoyu Shinkan ryokan or equivalent to drop off your small bag and explore the area.



Be charmed by the beautiful scenery of this spa, Lake Ashi and its view of Mount Fuji (on a clear day!). Not forgetting the volcanic site of Owakudani, accessible by cable car. All transportation (train, bus, cable car, funicular) is included in your package.

If you wish to be accompanied during this day, one of our English-speaking guides can show you all the secrets of the Mount Fuji region (optional).



Come back to the ryokan in the late afternoon as your traditional Japanese dinner awaits you around 18:30, before enjoying a Japanese-style night!

Details below on the night in the ryokan.

Traditional Japanese breakfast with ryokan (mostly savoury).

Leave for Hakone station on foot or by public transport, then take the Shinkansen train to Kyoto (2 hour 30 journey). 

From noon onwards, you can settle into your traditional Japan Experience house! A Travel Angel will welcome you, show you some unique details and help you to have an unforgettable stay in Kyoto. You will be able to "live the Japanese way" for a few days, with a space much bigger than a hotel room and a kitchen to prepare good Japanese food!

You have 3 days to visit Kyoto. Start in the afternoon in the historic Gion district near your accommodation:

- Kiyomizu-Dera, the great water temple

- the historical streets of Sannen-zaka & Ninnen-zaka

- Kodai-ji, the maple and bamboo temple of Kyoto

Finish off seeing the sunset in Gion.

Meet your guide at 19:00 to start your late stroll around Gion, Kyoto's historic district.

More details on the exact time and location in your travel diary.

At the end of this 1 hour 30 walk, your guide will be able to advise you on the best places to eat out!

Please note that it is strictly forbidden to take photographs in the historic district of Gion.

We recommend the following itinerary for this second day's visit to Kyoto:

- Ryoan-ji Zen Garden

- The Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)

- Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)

- The bewitching path of philosophy

- The Nanzen-ji temple

One of our many experienced English-speaking guides can accompany you on a tour of these symbolic sites (optional, from 9:00 to 17:00).

For that first day out of Kyoto, we recommend taking the 50 minute journey to Nara, which is included in your package.

Visit to Nara, the first permanent capital of Japan in the 8th century:

Discover:

- The Shinto temple Kasuga Taisha and its thousands of lanterns

- The Todaiji, its great bronze Buddha and the imposing Nan-Daimon gate

- Kofukuji temple and its beautiful pagoda

Return to Kyoto and stop for sunset at Fushimi Inari, the huge 10,000 torii sanctuary in Kyoto. If you wish to be accompanied on this day, one of our English-speaking guides will unveil all the secrets of Japan's first capital (optional, return trip from Kyoto).

After checking out in your Japan Experience house, leave for Hiroshima. We advise you to make a stop in Himeji, to discover its castle, classified as a UNESCO heritage site (details in your travel diary), or to plan the day on the island of Naoshima. In this case, your travel angel can help you to send your luggage to the hotel in Hiroshima the day before

Arrival in Hiroshima, and check-in at your 3* hotel between the train station and the peace park. You will discover this dynamic student city which has successfully recovered from the tragic events of the middle of the last century.

In the evening, we recommend you try okonomiyaki, Hiroshima's gastronomic speciality.

Breakfast at the hotel.

A short 30-minute train and boat ride to Miyajima Island, its Itsukushima-jinja shrine and its large gate (ootorii) standing in the sea.

(Please note: The ootorii is under construction until an unspecified date). Take the cable car up to Mount Misen and then descend on foot. A breathtaking view of Hiroshima Bay is waiting for you!



In the evening, return to your hotel in Hiroshima.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Continue from Hiroshima to the island of Kyushu and its capital, Fukuoka, in 1 hour by Shinkansen (included in your JRPass).

Arrive in the centre of the vibrant city of Fukuoka and check into your hotel near the central station.

With its 2000 years of history, the capital of Kyushu has always been the gateway to Asia (Korea and China) and Western culture (Portugal and its Jesuits, Holland). Another Japan, more Asian and further away from Tokyo, awaits you. Capital of a booming region, Fukuoka is now one of the most dynamic cities in Japan with its many high-tech companies and the hosting of a global event: the Rugby World Cup in October 2019.

Meet your English-speaking guide for the afternoon to visit one of Fukuoka's many iconic sites:

- Momochi district: Fukuoka Tower and other futuristic buildings - Japan in the 22nd century

- Canal City Hakata, a huge shopping centre integrated into the city, its city park and its canals

- Asian Art Museum, the world's first museum for modern Asian art

- Shofoku-ji Temple, the oldest Zen temple in Japan

- Hakata Machiya, a district of old merchants' houses



In the evening, Visit the lively Nakasu and Tenjin districts and their yatai - hundreds of delicious and welcoming open-air restaurants at low prices. A great way to spend the evening!

Breakfast at the hotel.

A visit to Fukuoka or a getaway to the surrounding area... there's no shortage of ideas:

- The beaches around Fukuoka, such as Itoshima or Kusatsu, accessible in 45 min from Fukuoka

- The old lordly town of Kumamoto and its Japanese castle (50 min. one way from Fukuoka), at the foot of the Aso volcano

- The onsens (open-air thermal baths) of Beppu (2 hours one way from Fukuoka) - one of the most popular spas in Asia. More than 3000 hot springs provide baths for everyone: sandy, muddy, ferruginous, clay, carbonated and more or less hot, with all the modern comforts for baths at low prices or even free.

- The city of Nagasaki (2 hours from Fukuoka), with a long history: a port open to the world, Nagasaki welcomed Europeans, merchants and religious in the 16th century and then became the only window open to the West until 1868. From this original history, the city has kept a cosmopolitan charm, as in the European island of Dejima and its Japanese-style churches or the Chinatown district. A guaranteed change of scenery. Not to forget the Peace Park and Museum, where the poignant memory of the tragedy of the Second World War is still present.



Most of these destinations are accessible with your Japan Rail Pass, for which this will be the last day.



In the evening, second night in your hotel in Fukuoka

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer to Fukuoka International Airport (Japan's 4th largest airport, located in the heart of the city) in 5 minutes by metro from Hakata Central Station, see details below.

Morning flight to Ishigaki International Airport (direct (2 hours 20) or 1 stopover (3 hours 20)). Arrive in Ishigaki in the middle of the day, transfer by airport bus (€4, to be paid to the driver) to the ferry terminal. Then 45 minutes by boat (included) to the rugged island of Iriomote. Arrival in the late afternoon and transfer included to your 4* Hoshino Resort or equivalent.

Iriomote Island, or Japan's last frontier, is 90% covered by rainforest and mangroves. In this unspoilt paradise far from Tokyo, you may see the endangered Yamaneko wild cat.

Dinner is available at your hotel or in the surrounding area.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Iriomote's major attraction is its natural landscape of lush rainforest, sun-drenched beaches and impressive dive sites. The easiest way to see this wild island is to go to the Urauchi River (near your hotel) from where a boat will take you up the river to the island's interior in 30 minutes. A 1 hour hike to a waterfall rounds off the trip, before the hike and boat trip in the opposite direction.

Near your hotel, there are 2 exceptional beaches, one of which is suitable for snorkelling (equipment rental on the beach).

We also offer an optional canoeing activity to discover the island.

You will start to discover another Japan, more in the south, far from the crowded Tokyo or the temples of Kyoto!

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, enjoy the pool at your resort before returning to the main island of Ishigaki in the afternoon (45 min boat, tickets included in your package), to reach your 3* hotel in the heart of the seaside town of Ishigaki.

Breakfast at the hotel.

In Ishigaki you can sunbathe on the white sand, swim in its turquoise waters and dive.

There are many activities available, to be discussed with your hotel upon arrival: diving with an English-speaking guide, snorkelling...and other suggestions in your travel diary!



Not to mention the famous cuisine and nightlife of this charming island.

Breakfast at the hotel.

It's your last day in Japan, so you might as well end on a high note! Discover the small island paradise of Taketomi (20 min ferry ride from the small town of Ishigaki, 5 ferries/hour, tickets included in your package).

On Taketomi, everything can be done on foot or by bike (many bike rentals - no need to book in advance) All the details are in your travel diary!

Don't forget to see the "Hoshizuna" starry sand on the island's beaches, which is unique in the world!

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer back to Ishigaki International Airport (20 minute taxi or airport shuttle bus (€5, to be paid on the spot to the driver, 2 buses/hour).

Return flight to Europe with changes in Tokyo, Fukuoka or major Asian cities like Hong Kong or Taipei.