Japan: Another World

Welcome to the bright lights and bustling streets of Osaka – Japan’s street food capital and a perfect introduction to the country. On arrival, you’ll transfer to your boutique hotel, where you’ll have time to freshen up before meeting your group and getting excited about the adventures to come. To celebrate your first evening together, you’ll sample some Japanese specialities in the company of a local food expert. Expect to try everything from okonomiyaki and tempura to authentic wagyu beef. The city really comes to life after dark, so if you’re not too jet lagged you might be tempted to stay out and soak up the buzzing nightlife. Your guide will be able to advise on the best places to go to party the night away.

After breakfast, you’ll experience your first ride on Japan’s futuristic bullet train, which will speed you cross-country to Hiroshima in a little under two hours. Once reduced to ashes by the world’s first atomic bomb, today you’ll arrive at a cosmopolitan city of wide leafy boulevards, modern high rise buildings and a vibrant nightlife scene. But memories of the past are never far away. At the tranquil Peace Memorial Park, you’ll learn about the impact of this unprecedented tragedy through sculptures, monuments and an incredibly moving museum. You’ll even meet with an atomic bomb survivor to hear first-hand their personal stories and powerful messages of peace to people around the world. Later, you’ll be free to explore Hiroshima’s lively restaurants, shops and bars. Don’t miss trying an okonomiyaki savoury pancake – the soul food of the city.

It’s a short hop by train and ferry to the small island of Miyajima, where you’ll visit the World Heritage Itsukushima Shrine – one of the most photogenic structures in Japan. Dating back to the 12th century, the giant vermilion torii gate rises grandly out of the sea against a backdrop of forested mountains. Connected to the main complex by boardwalks and pillars, which disappear at high tide, the shrine gives the impression that it’s floating above the water. For lunch, you’ll be treated to an indulgent tasting of fresh locally farmed oysters washed down with a glass of cold, premiere cru Chablis – a match made in heaven. There’ll be time to explore the town before returning to Hiroshima for a relaxed afternoon.

Back on the bullet train, you’ll be whisked away to Japan’s cultural capital: Kyoto. Famed for its Buddhist temples, imperial palaces, wooden townhouses and Zen gardens, it’s an incredibly atmospheric city. Once settled into your new hotel, you’ll transfer by train to Fushimi Inari, perhaps Japan’s most iconic Shinto shrine, where you’ll find thousands of vermilion torii gates winding a path over a wooded mountain. There’ll be time for lunch, before your afternoon visit to another of Kyoto’s celebrated sights: Ginkakju, the Silver Pavilion. Set in immaculate grounds, dotted with ponds, moss gardens and raked sand, it embodies the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi – the art of finding beauty in imperfection.

Today, you’ll be swapping fast-paced city life for the peaceful beauty of Koyasan’s forested mountains. With its endless Buddhist temples and monasteries, Koyasan is one of the holiest sites in the country and an ancient place of pilgrimage. Journeying through narrow valleys and undulating woodlands is like stepping into another world. You’ll be spending the night here in a temple, sleeping on traditional tatami mats, joining the monks for prayers and experiencing their unique dining practices. Through back-to-basics living surrounded by nature, you’ll be encouraged to reflect on life’s simple pleasures. Soaking in a shukubo communal hot water bath (if you’re willing… each bath is single-sex but nakedness is mandatory) is a quintessential Japanese experience.

Wake early for dawn meditation and to learn more about the life of your generous hosts. Then, it’s back to Kyoto to experience a softer side to the city: one of traditional teahouses in lamp-lit alleyways and glimpses of geishas disappearing into hidden doorways. You’ll gain an insight into this mysterious world by taking part in a formal tea ceremony. The whole experience feels mindful and meditative as the tea is prepared according to centuries-old tradition. Later, you’ll sit down to a private meal at the atmospheric Ganko Nijoen. This former townhouse, looking out over a beautiful Zen garden, is the perfect place to experience an authentic kaiseki (multi-course dinner). While you enjoy the small, intricate dishes, you’ll be entertained by your own maiko (trainee geisha) who will dance, sing and play music for your group.  

This morning, you’ll take one final bullet-train east to the historic castle town of Odawara. Here, the pace will slow substantially as you zigzag up the mountain on Japan’s oldest mountain railway. Winding your way through narrow densely wooded valleys, over deep ravines and through tunnels, you’ll stop at six quaint local stations en route to the beautiful hot springs resort of Gora. You’ll be spending the night here in a hillside ryokan (Japanese inn), sleeping on futons and soaking in a traditional bathhouse. Relax with your group and as you’re soothed by the free-flowing natural spring water, drawn from two different hot springs.

You’re finally off to the capital today, but there’s plenty to see along the way. You’ll spend much of the day at the mountain town of Hakone, exploring by train, cablecar, ropeway, boat and bus. Famed for its onsen and stunning views of Mount Fuji, you’ll soak up the tranquillity of this national park with its cobalt-blue crater lake, Ashinoko, before moving on to the metropolis of Tokyo. Having checked into your hotel, you’re free to explore the city. We recommend making your way to neon-lit Shibuya for your first taste of Tokyo madness. Take some time to explore at your own pace, perhaps finding dinner at a local izakaya restaurant, joining young locals and office workers as they feast on simple yet delicious fare.

You’re in for a special ‘only in Japan’ experience today, as you enter into the world of the country’s sacred national sport: sumo wrestling. The rules are simple – the wrestler who gets the other outside the ring, wins – but the ancient rituals and intense discipline of the fighters, make this a spectacle like no other. Your group will meet with a retired wrestler who will explain the history, etiquette and rigorous training regime required to compete as a professional athlete, before demonstrating some moves and joining you for a traditional (and very high calorie) chanko nabe lunch. For the rest of the day, the time is yours to have an adventure of your own. From fish markets and anime exhibits to Samurai museums and Japanese gardens, there are endless sights to uncover.

On your final day, you’ll be heading off on two wheels to explore the backstreets of one of Tokyo’s trendiest districts: Fukagawa. Together with your expert guide, you’ll cycle through the unassuming residential streets to discover laid-back coffee shops and art galleries, small wineries and sake breweries. From there, you’ll be off for your private sushi-making class. No trip would be complete without mastering the basic techniques of Japan’s most famous food. With the ingredients laid out before you, you’ll watch your sushi chef prepare, roll and season sushi before having a go yourself. This evening, you and your fellow Flashpackers will enjoy a farewell drink at a downtown bar. Gazing out across the lights of the city, you’ll toast to new friendships and an incredible 12-day trip.

It’s time to bid farewell to your guide and your group. If you’ve got time, we thoroughly recommend staying a few extra days – we’ll be on hand to give you some tips on where to go, too.