11D10N Solo-ish Japan (AJTS)

<p>Welcome to Japan! Meet your included arrival transfer at the airport to head to the hotel where you’ll meet your other Solo-ish travellers and CEO for a welcome briefing. Then head off with your new travel mates for a dinner party in Tokyo! Together you’ll cook some of Japan’s most popular dishes like Japanese egg omelet, onigiri, teriyaki and seasonable vegetables. After working together to make the meal, have a seat next to another Solo-ish friend and enjoy the delicious Japanese food! Make sure to arrive no later than 2:00 pm to make it to your welcome briefing and then head to your local cooking class. The most convenient way to get around Japan is by public transportation and on foot. The country’s train system is often considered one of the best in the entire world so the majority of our trips utilize this efficient train network. In this tour, you will need to be able to spend the majority of the day on your feet and carry your luggage through busy train stations and streets. On average, tours in Japan walk about 15,000 steps a day. Please ensure you are fit enough to carry your own luggage and spend most of the day on your feet.</p>

<p>Experience the most fascinating sides of Tokyo with your amazing CEO as your guide. Walk through some of the most important neighborhoods in Tokyo like Shinjuku, Harajuku and Shibuya. Pop in and out of shops along Takeshita Street in Harajuku, and visit Meiji Jingu Shrine in Shibuya. Your CEO will teach you temizu, a way to symbolically purify your body and spirit before entering. Inside, learn how to read your Omikuji, a local fortune. Don’t worry if your fortune is bad, your CEO will teach you how to tie it up and leave it behind!</p>

<p>Start today off with a special surprise that is sure to bring you luck this trip! Then take a local train to Asakusa, one of Tokyo’s more famous neighborhoods. On a tour with your CEO, visit the amazing Senso ji Temple, the oldest temple in Tokyo. Then spend some free time in Asakusa, soaking in this cultural gem. Opt to explore Nakamise shopping street, try some intense matcha ice cream or sit down at a cute mochi cafe. Feel free to ask your CEO for recommendations. After some exploration, take the bullet train to Nagano and check into your Temple stay for the night. While we ride the bullet train, your main luggage will be sent on Japan’s takkyubin service (luggage transfer) to the next destination. Please note, you will NOT have access to your main luggage for approximately 24 hours. You must pack an overnight bag with everything you’ll need until you’re reunited with your luggage the following day. Only one bag per passenger is permitted on the luggage transfer. If you have more, there will be an additional charge at the traveler’s expense.</p>

<p>Rise with the sun this morning and join the monks for their morning prayer ritual in Zenkō-ji temple. You’ll have the special opportunity to hear their chanting in the main temple hall. We’ll have breakfast in the Shukubo temple before heading off to Yudanaka where we can see the Japanese Macaques bathing in the hot springs. Then head back to Nagano for the night.</p>

<p>Visit one of Japan’s grandest castles in the country, Matsumoto Castle. Built in the 1500’s, this six story tower still maintains its original wood and stone work. Walk along the moat and over the many bridges. Then enjoy a free afternoon to explore Nagano. Meals included</p>

<p>After breakfast this morning, catch the bullet train to the town of Fukui. After arrival, visit the Eiheiji Temple, tucked deep in the mountains. A visit to this picturesque temple in the forest will help you start your day off on a peaceful foot. Then take a tour of Takefu Knife Village and watch as the steel-smith’s wield knives with this 700 year old tradition. In the afternoon, arrive to your ryokan stay, a traditional Japanese Inn, where you’ll sleep on traditional tatami mats and have a chance to soak in the onsen. While we ride the bullet train, your main luggage will be sent on Japan’s takkyubin service (luggage transfer) to the next destination. Please note, you will NOT have access to your main luggage for approximately 24 hours. You must pack an overnight bag with everything you’ll need until you’re reunited with your luggage the following day. Only one bag per passenger is permitted on the luggage transfer. If you have more, there will be an additional charge at the traveler’s expense.</p>

<p>Travel to the historic city of Kyoto by bullet train this morning. Opt to join your CEO for lunch in the Nishiki Fish Market before your afternoon adventures. Then join your CEO as they lead you on a tour of the famous Gion district. Walk through the streets that Geishas walk through daily and visit the Yasaka Shrine together.</p>

<p>On your Me Day, spend it exactly how you want! If you’re looking for some alone time, today is your day to do some solo adventures. Opt to hike Fushimi Inari Shrine or visit the Kinkaku-ji Golden Temple. If you’d rather spend the day with your CEO & fellow solo-ish travellers, opt to join your CEO for a zen garden visit, followed by a tour of Arashiyama Bamboo forest and Togetsukyo Bridge. All activities today are optional and at the traveler’s expense, including the activity accompanied by your CEO.</p>

<p>Another bullet train ride brings us to Hiroshima this morning. Arrive in the late morning, head to the hotel, then spend some free time for lunch. This afternoon, we visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, a park that was built on a field created by the explosion of the nuclear bomb. After some time there, enjoy a free evening in Hiroshima. Please note, you will not have access to your main luggage for approximately 24 hours, as we utilize Japan’s takkyubin service to conveniently and reliably transfer luggage from Kyoto to Hiroshima and avoid hauling large bags on crowded trains. You must pack an overnight bag with everything you’ll need until you’re reunited with your luggage the following day.</p>

<p>Today we’ll visit Miyajima, “Shrine Island.” After taking a local train and a ferry ride to the arrive, we’ll visit the beautiful Istukushima Shrine. This coastal shrine is almost 1500 years old. Spend some time admiring this historic structure before enjoying free time on the island. In the afternoon, take the ferry and local train back to Hiroshima. Opt to join your CEO for a farewell dinner over some local okonomiyaki.</p>

<p>Ride one last bullet train with your CEO & fellow solo-ish travellers to Shin Osaka station. Say goodbye to your fellow Solo-ish travellers as your tour ends upon arrival at the airport. You arrived a solo traveller and are leaving with many new friends! For those continuing travels in Japan, your CEO will help you find the correct train in Shin Osaka Station. If you’re headed to the airport, your CEO will accompany you from Shin Osaka to Kansai Airport (KIX). Please book return flights no earlier than 4:00 pm.</p>