Japan Budget Tour

Day 1 – Tokyo:

On the first day of your 13-day budget Japan tour, you will meet your Adventure Leader in the lobby of the Tokyo hostel in the morning. You’ll drop off your luggage and have a briefing, where you’ll discuss the itinerary and get to know your fellow travellers.

After your briefing, we’ll head to the Asakusa District and visit the Sensō-Ji temple, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple.

At lunchtime, you’ll feast on the freshest sashimi you’ve ever eaten! This will take place at Tokyo’s iconic Tsukiji Outer Market, where you’ll be amazed by the variety of fish on offer and catch a glimpse of the famous blue-fin tuna. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, don’t worry, as your Adventure Leader will let you know where you can grab a bite to eat.

After lunch, soak up the incredible views from the top of the Metropolitan Government Building and then take part in some optional activities. You can either experience one of Japan’s national obsessions (baseball, at a local batting cage) or kick back and relax with a drink – or bathe with the locals at a nearby bathhouse.

Day 2 – Tokyo:

In the morning, you’ll discover the Japanese art of sushi-making with an unforgettable lesson from a sushi chef, and then sample your creations for lunch!

Later, you’ll visit Akihabara, Japan’s ‘Electric Town’ and hub of Anime. It’s also home to Japan’s most famous J-pop group, AKB48. You will find venues specialising in manga and games, including the Tokyo Anime Center. Here, you can take part in an optional ‘Made in Tokyo’ experience at one of the Akihabara’s maid cafes.

In the evening, you can head to Golden Gai and experience Japanese nightlife!

Day 3 – Tokyo:

Start the morning with a trip to the unmissable Tokyo Imperial Palace – an abundance of gardens and galleries, with guided tours and castle ruins. Surrounding the home of the Emperor, the grounds are perfectly maintained and are a top attraction for visitors to the capital. Here, you’ll learn more about why Japan’s Imperial Family is so unique.

It’s another afternoon of traditional-modern contrast in the Harajuku area of Tokyo. Your first stop will be Harajuku, which is Tokyo’s fashion district, you will encounter punks, goths, technicolour hair – anything goes in Harajuku. Take in the industrial vibes – and if you want, grab some hair dye and get involved!

After this, you will make your way to Shibuya to visit the Meiji Shrine. This shrine is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken.

Then, you’ll head to the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world and iconic landmark, Shibuya Crossing. This is where you will find the Hachiko Statue. After, why not stop by the Cat Café MoCHA to make some furry friends while enjoying a cup of tea and slice of cake?

If you want to experience some more nightlife, you can explore the streets of Roppongi. If not, you can have a relaxing evening at the hostel.

Day 4 – Tokyo:

First thing in the morning, head to Tokyo’s Iconic area Odaiba to discover Tokyo’s magnificent cityscapes and the urban attraction of the city.

Upon arriving in Odaiba, walk to Joypolis, the indoor amusement park produced by the game company Sega. It has most high-tech rides in the world, and you can enjoy your free time with free rides ticket.

Once you’re done in Joypolis, you’ll meet in front of the Love Sign by Aqua city, and then walk down to see the actual size Gundam Statue. You’ll head back to hostel, and then the rest of the day is yours!

Day 5 – Tokyo & Kamakura:

Today you’re off to a new destination: Kamakura! After breakfast in Tokyo, it’s time to say goodbye to the modern capital and hop on a train to Japan’s medieval centre. Kamakura is a seaside Japanese city south of Tokyo. Once the political centre of medieval Japan, today, Kamakura is a resort town with many Buddhist Zen temples and Shinto shrines.

Upon arrival, you have the option to rent a surfboard and head to the beach, as the hostel is moments away from the coast – or you can make the most of this opportunity to sunbathe. There are beachside bars where you can relax with a drink.

Later on, you will explore some of the town’s many ancient shrines, and then hike over to Kotoku-in Temple to marvel at the solid bronze Great Buddha statue, which stands at nearly 45ft tall – even after a tsunami! Afterwards, you will hike to Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine, or you can kick back in one of the many seafront bars to watch the sun go down.

Day 6 – Hakone:

Say goodbye to Kamakura, as you hop on a series of trains and buses to Hakone station. When you arrive, you’ll hike along the Old Tokaido and enjoy lunch near Moto-Hakone. Hakone used to be a checkpoint to control traffic along the Tokaido, the highway which linked Tokyo with Kyoto during the feudal Edo Period, and today, a passage of the old Tokaido is located along the shore of Lake Ashi.

Later, climb aboard a sightseeing cruise with a twist – it’s a pirate ship! From the deck of this ship, you’ll cross the Lake Ashi’s clear blue waters and, on a cloudless day, get an unforgettable view of the famous Mount Fuji.

You’ll take the Hakone Ropeway for a great cable car journey that drops you at Owakudani, an active volcanic zone where you can try black eggs – a local delicacy coloured by the sulphuric water they’re boiled in.

Spend the evening soaking in the sulphuric water of a traditional Japanese outdoor bath, called an ‘Onsen’. (Please note: those with tattoos may not be able to enter an ‘onsen’ in Japan as tattoos are associated with gang culture – you can read more about it here)

Change into your kimono after a long hot bath, and you’re ready to learn about the art of Japanese rice wine during a sake tasting session! You’ll listen to an introduction about how sake is made, the different varieties, and you’ll top it off with tasting opportunities to truly understand the art.

Day 7 – Kyoto:

Today, you’re off to Kyoto via bullet train. You’ll zoom across the country, covering around 273 miles in two hours, leaving plenty of time to experience Kyoto later in the day and evening. After leaving your luggage at the hotel, we’ll set off for the Kiyomizu Temple, one of the most iconic Buddhist temples in Japan – and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Later on, you’ll have some free time in the Gion Area. Here, you can wander through Pontocho alley in the Geisha District. In the evening, you’ll have option to explore the city centre of Kyoto or return to the hostel with the group.

Day 8 – Kyoto, Arashiyama:

Today, another jam-packed day awaits you. First, you’ll board the beautiful Hozugawa River cruise. From here, you’ll arrive at Togetsukyo Bridge, where we’ll head across to the Arashiyama Monkey Park. Here, you can feed the monkeys or simply enjoy the panorama of Kyoto below.

After an optional lunch, we’ll pay a visit to Tenryu-Ji Temple to see its breathtaking Zen garden. Following this, we’ll leave the temple to take a hike through Arashiyama’s Bamboo Forest. After that, we’ll leave for Kyoto city, where we’ll partake in a calligraphy class.

This evening, it’s karaoke time!

Day 9 – Kyoto:

Take a breather and relax your vocal cords after the previous night’s exertions – today, you have a free day that’s yours to enjoy! If you’ve got the energy, we suggest taking a gentle amble to look at the majestic temples which adorn the Philosopher’s Path.

Alternatively, you could check out the Todaiji Temple and deer Park in Nara, or the Fushimi Inari Shrine. It features thousands of showstopping red torii gates, and is located in the southern part of Kyoto.

Day 10 – Kyoto & Hiroshima:

Today you’ll cycle around Kyoto like a local! First, you’ll ride over to a Zen temple where you can discover your inner peace with a meditation led by a Buddhist monk. Then, we’ll continue our Kyoto adventure and head off to admire an iconic image of Kyoto: the Golden Pavilion at Kinkaku-Ji. Walk around the mirror pond, and prepare to be mesmerised by the shimmering golden reflection of the Pavilion on the water.

After lunch, jump back on your bike and cycle around to the Imperial Palace, before bidding farewell to this magical city. In the afternoon, you’ll take another bullet train and venture further west to Hiroshima.

Day 11 – Hiroshima:

Hiroshima, a modern city on Japan’s Honshu Island, was largely destroyed by an atomic bomb during World War II. Today, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park commemorates the 1945 event. Here, you will find out how this city came to suffer the consequences of the world’s first atomic bomb, but you will also learn that Hiroshima is now the standard-bearer for a peaceful and nuclear-free world.

After a train ride and a short ferry trip to Miyajima Island, you’ll reach the Itsukushima shrine. To avoid angering the gods on the island, the main temple buildings were built on stilts on the shores of the island. Just offshore, you will see an enormous torii gate standing in the sea, and at low tide, you can walk across the sand to take a closer look.

Following this, you’ll make your way back to the hostel and enjoy a free evening to relax.

Day 12 – Osaka:

This morning, another bullet train will take you to Osaka – you’ll arrive in time for lunch in the Shinsaibashi area.

After enjoying your typically Japanese lunch of yakitori, ramen, sushi or whatever takes your fancy, it’s a short subway ride to the Osaka Castle. The castle is one of Japan’s most famous landmarks, as it played a major role in the unification of Japan during the 16th century. Take a stroll around the castle that rises above the moat, and don’t forget to check out the nine-level dungeon.

Then, it’s time for a free afternoon. You can choose to explore more of Osaka on your own, have the ultimate Japanese shopping experience in Shinsaibashi – or have a rest!

This evening, you’ll start the night off by competing to become the Dragon Trip Arcade Challenge Champion. You’ll eat, drink, game, and enjoy the endless Dotonbori and Namba night scenes.

Day 13 – Osaka:

Say goodbye to your fellow Dragons over breakfast in Osaka before catching your final bullet train back to Tokyo – where you’ll arrive at 13:42pm.