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8-Day The Spirit of Japan - Kansai

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Overview

This Japan trip will start and finish in Osaka, this journey takes you through temples and gardens to get to the heart of Kukai temples trail.

With a mixture of free days and organised tours, you'll be able to see Japan your way. Start with a day in Osaka before you go to the pilgrimage town of Koyasan, where Kukai founded the Shingon sect of Buddhism that is prominent in Japan today.

You'll finish the trip in Kyoto with guided tours including comprehensive city tours and an opportunity to go off-the-beaten-track to the outskirts of the city, home to impressive tiered tea plantations. You'll meet one of the 300 families that farm on this land to sample some tea.
Sightseeing
Food & Drink
Culture & Arts
Outdoors & Nature

Itinerary

Day 1

Welcome to Japan

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Welcome to Japan

Welcome to your amazing Japan trip! Enjoy a free day in Osaka. Visit the superb Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, founded in the 3rd century, take a stroll through Tenno-ji Park which features a zoo; visit the elegant Osaka Castle, home to a museum exhibiting samurai weapons and armour, and the Osaka History Museum, which offers a magnificent panorama of the castle. You could finish the day at Osaka's most popular street, Dotonbori Street. It is the epicentre of the city at dusk.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Karaksa Hotel Osaka Namba3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
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    Activities

    Sumiyoshi TaishaOptional Activity

    Tennoji TempleOptional Activity

    Osaka CastleOptional Activity

    DotonboriOptional Activity

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Kansai International Airport to OsakaOptional Activity

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Osaka

Day 2

Koyasan

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Koyasan

Take a ride on the Koyasan Funicular to Koyasan and walk on the enchanting paths of Mount Koya. In the heart of its forests, centuries-old cedars gather to offer you a spectacle of majestic nature. Visit the Okunoin Cemetery, a forest with thousands of graves with many legends. Then go to Kongobu-ji and the Danjo Garan temple both led by Kukai. Finish the day at the Koyasan Reihokan Museum that conserves and exhibits Buddhist works of art belonging to temples located in Kōya-san.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Shukubo Koya-san Eko-in

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
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    Activities

    Koyasan

    Okunoin Cemetery

    Kongobu-Ji

    Danjō-Garan

    Koyasan Reihokan Museum

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Train from Nanba to Gokurakubashi StationOptional Activity

    Cable Car from Gokurakubashi Station to KoyasanOptional Activity

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Osaka

    Kōya

Day 3

Koyasan to Nara

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Koyasan to Nara

In the morning, you'll take the train back to Osaka by yourself and then get a connection to Nara to continue on your Japan trip. Once the capital of Japan, Nara is perhaps between known for its deer park, where wild deer roam freely and are interestingly very friendly thanks to their many visitors. After a half-day of exploring, you'll stay in Nara.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Kotonoyado Musashino

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
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    Activities

    NaraOptional Activity

    Nara Deer ParkOptional Activity

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Train from Gokurakubashi Station to NanbaOptional Activity

    Train from Osaka Station to Nara Station

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Kōya

    Nara

    Tenri

Day 4

Nara to Kyoto

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Nara to Kyoto

Today is free to explore: stroll through the large park in the city of Nara, discover the Kasuga Taisha Shrine with its buildings painted in vermilion red and visit the large Todai-ji Temple, home to the Daibutsu-den building, the largest wooden construction in the world which houses a monumental Big Buddha. Admire the magnificent Nigatsu-Do Temple built on wooden stilts and visit the Hokke-Do Temple also called Sangatsu-do, the oldest building in Todai-ji. You'll make your own way to Kyoto.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Kyomachiya Ryokan Sakura Hongan-G3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
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    Activities

    Kasuga-Taisha ShrineOptional Activity

    Todai-ji TempleOptional Activity

    Kōfuku-ji TempleOptional Activity

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Train from Nara to KyotoOptional Activity

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Nara

    Kyoto

Day 5

Kyoto

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Kyoto

Visit the famous Yasaka-Jinja Shrine, dedicated to the goddess of the sea and Maruyama Park, an essential place for the Ohanami during Sakura. Visit the Kodai-ji Temple, full of maple and bamboo trees and troll through the Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka alleys that look like they come straight out of a samurai movie. Visit the astonishing Kiyomizu-Dera Temple and walk through Gion District. You'll finish the day at the two of the most important temples in Japan, Higashi Hongen-ji and Nishi Hongen-gi.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Kyomachiya Ryokan Sakura Hongan-G3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
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    Activities

    Yasaka Shrine

    Maruyama Park

    Kōdaiji Temple

    Ninenzaka Street

    Sanneizaka

    Kiyomizu-dera Temple

    Gion District

    Nishiki Market

    Teramachi and Shinkyogoku AlleysOptional Activity

    Higashi Hongan-ji Temple

    Nishi Hongan-ji Temple

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    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Kyoto

Day 6

Free Day in Kyoto

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Free Day in Kyoto

Today is yours to enjoy. You could start the day out in Arashiyama, a part of the city that is known for its bamboo grove and monkey park. Then, you could go on a self-guide temple tour of the city, stopping at all the must-see sights such as Tenryu, Nonomiya-Jinja and Nison-in. You could finish the day on the iconic Saga scenic train; it's the only scenic train in Japan.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Kyomachiya Ryokan Sakura Hongan-G3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Arashiyama Bamboo GroveOptional Activity

    Tenryu-ji TempleOptional Activity

    Saga Toriimoto Preserved StreetOptional Activity

    Sagano Scenic RailwayOptional Activity

    Arashiyama Monkey Park IwatayamaOptional Activity

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    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Kyoto

Day 7

The Outskirts of Kyoto

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The Outskirts of Kyoto

Travel in a minibus with your local guide to the Japanese countryside. You'll discover another Japan, as you explore the rice and tea fields in Wazuka. Head north towards Ujitawara where a Japanese couple will welcome you to their small tea factory in a country house. Taste several types of tea from the fields around you. Take a walk on the vermilion bridges and learn about the city of Uji and cormorant fishing. Finally, explore Byodo-in Temple and its museum, featured on the 10 yen coin.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Kyomachiya Ryokan Sakura Hongan-G3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
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    Activities

    Wazuka

    Ujitawara Tea FactoryOptional Activity

    Byodo-in Temple

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and lunch

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Kyoto

    Wazuka

    Uji

Day 8

Departure Day

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Departure Day

You'll have some free time to do some last-minute shopping in Kyoto if you wish. Then, you'll make your own way to Osaka's Itami airport. We hope you enjoyed your Japan trip, and we hope to see you again soon!

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    Activities

    KyotoOptional Activity

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Kyoto to Osaka International AirportOptional Activity

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Kyoto

Included in Price

  • 7 nights accommodation
  • 16 activities
  • 7 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 dinner
  • Licensed English speaking guides

Not Included in Price

  • Airport transfer
  • Alcohol beverages
  • Domestic flights
  • Entrance fees
  • Entry visas / airport departure tax
  • Gratuities
  • Ground transportation
  • International flights
  • Laundry
  • Personal expenses
  • Travel insurance
  • Trekking permits
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