Mainland Japan - post trip
Japan
From
- Overview
- Itinerary
- Esential info
- Packing list
Entry Level
Cultural
Transfers
4 Nights
2 - 12
Group size
Leaders
Highlights
- Nijo-Jo Castle & Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
- Kinkakuji Temple & Kyoto Imperial Palace
- Kiyomizu-dera Temple & Nara's park & Temple
- Bullet train to Tokyo
- Tokyo Bay Cruise
- Sensoji Temple in Asakusa
- Meiji Shrine in Harajuka
For those of you who would like to take the opportunity to explore the ancient capital of Kyoto, with its elegant temples, as well as the bustling metropolis of Tokyo whilst you are here, we have created a 5 day, optional, 'add-on' to your Ryukyu Islands adventure.
For the stunning historical sites of Kyoto, where you will benefit enormously from a private experienced, English speaking guide, we have arranged a private tour. In Tokyo, where there is limited time, we have arranged for you to join an existing larger guided tour group which still enjoys private transport (coach) and input from your English speaking local guide.
Day 1: Travel to Kyoto
Train
Breakfast
Breakfast is included in your Lost Islands of Japan Adventure.
Ideally you will take a morning flight from Naha to Kansai Airport in Osaka (not included). You will be met by an English speaking assistant who can provide you with your train tickets and guide you to the station. You will take the Express Haruka Train (included - 2nd class) to the ancient capital of Kyoto for a relaxing evening in our hotel.
You will also be provided with a Suica card (2000JPY) - a little like an Oyster card, that can be used throughout Japan, so you can independently transfer from Kyoto train station to your hotel (directions will be provided).
Day 2: Private group, guided tour of Kyoto
Transfer
Breakfast
3 star hotel
Kyoto is packed with beautiful and fascinating sights and whilst it is expensive, we felt that a private group tour, with an English speaking guide, was really the only way to see and understand the history of this amazing place. So, to fit in as much as we can on our tour, today we go a little temple crazy!
We use public transport but will be fully guided on our visits and all entrance fees are included. We start with visits to Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine and Kiyomizudera Temple before wandering the pedestrian streets of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka; some of the most picturesque and ambient areas of Kyoto. We also walk through the Higashiyama area; one of the cities best preserved historic districts.
In the afternoon we visit Yasaka Shrine (aka Gion Shrine), one of the most famous shrines in Kyoto, and founded 1350 years ago. The shrine is found in the Gion Geisha District, which we walk through, marvelling at the unique architecture; property taxes were formerly based upon street frontage so the houses were built with narrow facades only five to six meters wide, but extending up to 20m back from the street!
Our last visit is to the beautiful, peaceful, National Special Historic site of Kinkaku Temple (aka Golden Pavillion), set in a Japanese strolling garden.
Day 3: Independent exploration of Kyoto & Shinkansen (bullet train) to Tokyo
Train
Breakfast
3 star hotel
After yesterdays guided tour, it is wonderful to enjoy a day of independence today where you can decide on one of many great options with how to spend your time. We will provide you with information to help you plan your day, which may include:
Nara'a park and temple. Nara was Japan's first permanent capital in 710 and is full of historical treasures and stunning temples. Popular sites are Todaiji Buddhist Temple & Horyuji Temple; the worlds oldest wooden buildings (1.5 return train journey from Kyoto).
UNESCO Nijo Castle built in 1603, set in stunning landscaped gardens (15m train from Kyoto) & Arashiyama, famous for its 'other worldly' bamboo grove (30m train from Kyoto).
Uji; a small city, famed for its green tea, situated south of Kyoto, on the banks of the Uji-gawa river. 20m train journey from Kyoto. Visit the UNESCO Boyodo-In Temple & Ujigami-jinja shrine.
As a group we take the evening Shinkansen [bullet train] to Tokyo (included - 2nd class).
Day 4: Tour of Tokyo
Transfer
Breakfast
There is much to see in Tokyo, and the most effective and cost efficient way of ensuring you get the most out of your time here is to join a bus tour. It includes the Meiji Jingu Shrine, National Diet Building Imperial Palace, Asakusa & Senso-ji, the neon jungle of Ginza, Tokyo Bay Cruise by way of traversing Odaiba & Rainbow Bridge.
Day 5: Independent day of Leisure in Tokyo / departure
Breakfast
Depending on the time of your departure you will have some time to enjoy more aspects of Tokyo before independently taking the one way shuttle bus from your hotel to the Narita Airport for your travel home. If you would like to extend your stay in Tokyo, please contact us to arrange a custom extension.
Adventure Optional Extras
Single Room Supplement
Single rooms are available on a first come, first served basis. We will charge on a pro-rata basis if a single room is only available for part of the trip.
Plant an additional 15 trees for your adventure
Carbon Compensation is not the perfect solution, and it is important to first reduce our carbon emissions as much as we can, yet trees remain an excellent natural technology to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to slow global warming.
For every client and guide who attends a YellowWood Adventure, we donate £30 to our partner charity WeForest to plant 15 trees to (over) compensate for the carbon footprint of the tour.
We also invite our clients to match this with an optional additional £30 for another 15 trees to be planted to help compensate for the carbon footprint of their international flights.
WeForest run many tree planting and tree maintenance projects such as this seedling nursery in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil and many other projects in other countries including Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania & India.
Click Here to find out more about their amazing projects around the world.
Not Included
- Insurance (compulsory)
- Lunches & dinners - see itinerary for details
- Drinks & snacks
- Tips
- Entrance to sites on independent days
Contents
Accommodation
We fully believe in, and practice, Responsible Tourism and recognise the value of using hotels run by locals. As with the accommodation on the main adventure, accommodation in Kyoto & Tokyo continues to accentuate your experience where different types of hotels helps deliver to you the complexity of Japan. It is a crazy patchwork of ancient & modern, corporate & family businesses, nature and urban, all of which coexist peacefully side by side.
Having said that, there are themes with the various types of accommodation Yellowwood Adventures uses, and they will all be chosen for cleanliness, comfort, safety, proximity to our route (to avoid unnecessary extra travel which in Japan can be very expensive) and a warm client welcome, as well as reliability in their service to us.
The list below gives information on our first choice of accommodation for this extension. Where hotels are fully booked or unavailable, we will use an alternative of a similar standard, and equally well situated. We will provide you with an accurate list of accommodation, with contact information to leave with relatives, prior to departure on your adventure.
Kyoto (Day 1 & 2): Resol Kyoto Shijo Muromachi. Modern 3* hotel which marries traditional Kyoto with modern aspects. Expect ensuite rooms, wi-fi, in a central location, amidst Washo stores (kimono stores), Nishiki market, Pontocho and Kawaramachi.
Tokyo (Day 3 & 4): Bakasaka Hotel, Tokyo. A modern 3* urban hotel in a quiet area away from the bustle of Akasaka, but within easy reach (on foot) of Tokyo Midtown & the Roppongi district. Ensuite rooms with Wif-fi. Restaurant & spa.
Facilities
Unless you have booked a single room (where they are available) and paid the single room supplement for those nights, you will be sharing a twin room with another client (of the same gender).
Compulsory
Price:
From
Add-Ons are an optional way of customising & extending your adventure, and making those travel miles more worthwhile. They can not be purchased separately. To select an Add-On, please visit the relevant adventure and add it to your enquiry or booking. The adventures which offer this particular Add-On can be found below:
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Please contact us for more information:
+44 207 846 0197
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Booking Process
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You will receive a reminder email for your final payment 56 days before the departure date.
Feel free to contact us with any questions about your adventure or booking, we're here to help!
Grading
To help you choose the right adventure for you, we have given each itinerary a grading that relates to the level of Walking / Trekking you will experience during the trip. This grading can be found on the Yellow map on the adventure page of the website.
All of our trips involve a level of general activity so are designed for people who are in good health, enjoy the outdoors, and have a taste for adventure and some level of fitness. As will be clear from our destinations, the climate (and altitude) may be different to that which you are used to, so please take this into consideration when choosing the most suitable holiday.
Please read our Adventure Itinerary & Essential Information for more information and don't hesitate to contact us if you would like to chat through whether you have found a suitable adventure for you.
Grade 1-3: Entry Level
You need to be in good physical health to enjoy your active holiday, but you don’t need to be an experienced hiker. These itineraries offer a mix of sightseeing and easier walking for around 2-4hrs a day, with the emphasis on sights and cultural experiences.
Walks will be well marked or on defined pathways, and often around sites of interest. The expected amount of descent/ascent will depend on the landscapes of the destination, but will not exceed 400m/day, and will often be much less. Walks are at low altitude (below 3000m).
You will not be required to carry more than a day sack with water and essentials. Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have a pair of comfortable and worn in walking shoes/boots.
Grades 4-6: Intermediate
You need to have a good level of fitness and be a regular walker for these adventures, with ideally some trekking experience. You can expect to be walking for 3-6 hours per day, not including rest stops, normally on good trail paths but with some uneven surfaces at times.
You will not be required to carry more than a day sack. You may be walking in more challenging temperatures. You will generally be walking at low altitude (below 3000m) but may walk at altitudes up to 4000m. The amount of ascent could be up to 800m in a day but will frequently be less. You may walk on consecutive days.
Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have suitable clothing for this adventure.
Grades 7-9: Challenging
You need to have a good level of fitness with previous experience of trekking. Extra training before your trip will ensure that you get the most out of your adventure. Areas will be remote and terrain uneven.
Expect to walk for 5 – 8 hours a day, not including breaks, with some very steep ascents and descents. You will be walking at altitude (over 3000m but not higher than 5000m).
Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have suitable equipment/clothing for this adventure (see the packing list for your adventure).
Please check individual itineraries for details of what you will need to be carrying with you.
Get in touch
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