Religious Studies Tour to Japan

Day 1

Fly to Tokyo

Today you will depart on your overnight flight from the UK to Tokyo.

Day 2

Tokyo Arrival & Shibuya Crossing

You arrive in Tokyo today and will be met on arrival by your guide and private coach transport and transfer into the city centre and your hotel. After time for check in, and depending on your flight arrival time, there will be a tour of your local district. There is plenty to keep you interested in this exciting shopping and entertainment district of Tokyo. This evening you head over to Shibuya Crossing for dinner, one of the liveliest parts of the city with its shops, neon lights and crowds of people.

Day 3

Tokyo Temples, Sky Tree & Akihabara

You start the day by visiting one of Tokyo’s most atmospheric neighbourhoods, Asakusa, where you can explore the Sensoji Temple, an ancient Buddhist temple and pagoda which originally dates back to 645 AD.  As you go in through the iconic Thunder Gate – the Kaminarimon – you see the lantern and statues which are a universal symbol of the city. You then explore the lively shops on Nakamise Street with their interesting traditional handicrafts and food stalls which make the perfect opportunity for lunch.

In the afternoon you head across the river to the observatory on the Tokyo Sky Tree, the country’s tallest tower, for a panoramic view over the city from Tembo Deck on floor 350. The high-speed lift ascends at speeds of up to 600 metres a minute to the enclosed viewing deck with its floor-to-ceiling windows and spectacular views, and on a clear day you can see Mount Fuji in the distance.

In the evening we travel to the Akihabara district (known as electric town) where you can find all manner of technology and electrical shops, and also anime, the iconic Japanese form of animation. This is the place where the Otaku hang out. Otaku is a Japanese term for young people who are obsessed with anime comics and videos. It is a very lively district in the evening with neon everywhere.

Day 4

Ginza, Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine & Roppongi

This morning you visit the Ginza. This is historically Tokyo’s main shopping street with many designer outlets located here. From the Ginza you can walk to the Imperial Palace known as Kokyo which literally means the Imperial Residence. This is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. The actual Tokyo Imperial Palace building is located within the grounds of what was Edo Castle and some of the castle’s moats, defensive walls, gate houses and turrets still remain. You explore the beautiful Kiyosumi Garden, a traditional Japanese garden laid out during the nineteenth century Meiji Period. You then visit the Meiji Shrine. This is one of the most iconic and visited sights in the capital with its famous wooden Torii gate marking the entrance. The way is lined with colourful stalls selling all manner of souvenirs. Meiji is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deified spirit of Emperor Meiji, the first emperor of modern Japan who ascended to the throne in 1867. In the evening you head over to Roppongi, a buzzing nightlife district with a great selection of restaurants.

Day 5

Mount Fuji, Lake Ashi & Hakone

Today is a full day excursion to Mount Fuji (3776m) and Hakone Lake. You travel by coach to Fujiyoshida on the north side of the mountain and from there ascend to the Fifth Station – the fifth staging post on the popular Yoshida Trail which is the easiest route to the summit. As a consequence there are normally many hikers here in the main season. With clear weather you get fantastic views towards the snow-capped summit. There are restaurants, gifts shops and outdoor gear shops located here and the place is popular with Japanese tourists who come to see a mountain which is the symbol of Japan. In the afternoon travel to Gora and take the Hakone Ropeway to visit Lake Ashi, also referred to as Hakone Lake due to its proximity to the town of Hakone. This extremely picturesque lake has iconic views of Mount Fuji, especially so from the ropeway journey, and is also the home to three replica eighteenth century ‘pirate’ ships including a replica of HMS Victory. We have a short cruise on the lake and in the afternoon travel to Tokyo.

Day 6

Bullet Train to Kyoto

This morning you travel to Kyoto on the Shinkansen Line where the fastest trains take under 3 hours to make the 500km journey.   After lunch we begin with a stroll through the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove where 30 metre high bamboo stalks filter the sunlight as you pass through.

We continue with a visit to Nijo Castle, the former home of the Shoguns during Japan’s feudal period. We then travel to Pontocho with its traditional wooden buildings and hanging lanterns.  We also visit Gion which is Kyoto’s geisha district, a maze of traditional shops, inns and restaurants with the iconic sakura lanterns. This is the perfect place to have dinner and the nearby Yasaka Shrine is spectacularly illuminated at night.

Day 7

Kyoto

Today we explore some of Kyoto’s most famous shrines and temples

We begin at Kinkaku-ji, known as the Golden Pavilion.  This incredible Zen temple looks as if it is floating on the lake and was originally built in its current form by a Japanese Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. The top two floors of the temple are covered in gold leaf, giving its iconic gold shine, and topped with a Golden Phoenix on the roof. The Mirror Pond and lush green backdrop make for an incredible setting.

We continue by following the Philosopher’s Path, a scenic footpath which derives its name from Nishida Kitaro, the 20th century Japanese philosopher who walked the route for daily meditation.

The afternoon includes visits to several famous temples including Kiyomizu-dera which is one of Kyoto’s top tourist attractions. Known as the Pure Water Temple because of the Otowa waterfall nearby, the temple has an iconic three storey pagoda.

We conclude the day at Fushimi Inari Taisha with its many orange-painted torii gates.

Day 8

Bullet Train to Hiroshima

This morning you travel by bullet train to Hiroshima, the city which was destroyed by the first atomic bomb in 1945.

After lunch we visit the Peace Memorial Park, created in memory of the those killed when the first atomic bomb which was dropped on Japan on 6 August 1945. We can also see the A-Bomb Dome, the remains of the only building to have withstood the blast.  We continue with a visit to the Memorial Museum which documents the events and includes exhibits and written testimony from survivors.

Day 9

Flight from Osaka

This morning you travel to the airport in Osaka for your homeward flight.