Best of Shikoku, Kyushu and Western Japan

14 Days/12 Nights

Best of Shikoku, Kyushu and Western Japan Tour Detailed Itinerary

Walking Level Distance
Light0-2 miles in flat areas or 0-1 miles in hilly areas or with many stairs
Medium2-4 miles in flat areas or 1-3 miles in hilly areas or with many stairs
Heavy4-6 miles in flat areas or 3-5 miles in hilly areas or with many stairs

Day 1: To Japan

Depart Home for Osaka's Kansai Airport. (If you wish to fly to Tokyo's Narita Airport instead, please let us know, and we can make the arrangements for you.)

(Travel: 12 Hours; Walking: Light)

Day 2: Arrive Osaka

You lose a day flying to Japan due to crossing the International Date Line, and gain the day back when you fly home. You are met at Osaka's Kansai Airport by a Samurai Tours guide, who escorts you and the group to the ryokan in Osaka. After checking into the ryokan, we dine on a meal of Okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancakes), which is one of the specialties of Osaka. Dinner at a local restaurant is included.

(Travel: 1 1/2 Hours; Walking: Light)

Day 3: Osaka

After breakfast, we visit the Kuromon open-air market. Here you see many different and exotic foods as buyers for restaurants purchase daily specials. We then travel to Osaka Castle. In its day, Osaka Castle was one of the largest and most important castles in Japan. It was the home of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the son of a farmer who unified Japan after a 100-year civil war. At the top of the castle, you get an excellent bird's-eye-view of Osaka. At the museum inside the castle, we learn about the castle's colorful history. After lunch, we visit Tennoji Temple, first established here by Prince Shotoku, who was primarily responsible for importing Buddhism from Korea and China in the 6th century. We then travel to Sumiyoshi Shrine. It is said that this shrine was first established more than 1,800 years ago. The sea gods are enshrined at this Shinto Shrine, and in ancient Japan - when sending diplomatic missions to Korea and China - the emperor of Japan would come to this place to pray for a safe journey. Here we also learn about Shinto, the indigenous religion of Japan, and how the Japanese use it in their daily lives. A local English-speaking, licensed guide joins us for the day in Osaka. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch and dinner at a local restaurant are included.

(Travel: 1 Hour; Walking: Heavy)

Day 4: Himeji/Takamatsu

We continue on to Himeji with an overnight bag only. The rest of the luggage is delivered to our ryokan in Takamatsu. On our way to Takamatsu, we stop at the city of Himeji, where we tour Himeji Castle. This is the oldest and largest Samurai castle in Japan. It was originally built in the 14th century, and took its present form in 1610. A local English-speaking, licensed, Japanese guide joins us at Himeji Castle. After enjoying lunch, we travel by Shinkansen and express train to the city of Takamatsu on the island of Shikoku. Breakfast on the train, lunch and dinner at a local restaurant are all included.

(Travel: 2 1/2 Hours; Walking: Heavy)

Day 5: Takamatsu

After breakfast at the ryokan, we tour the Ritsurin Koen. This is considered to be one of the most beautiful gardens in Japan, taking more than one hundred years to create. Here we can also take a short break to enjoy green tea and sweets in a peaceful teahouse overlooking a koi-filled pond. Then we are off to tour the Shikoku-mura - an open-air museum of local farmhouses - and other buildings relocated here from around the island of Shikoku. A local English-speaking, licensed guide joins us for the day. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch and dinner at a local restaurant are included.

(Travel: 2 Hours; Walking: Heavy)

Day 6: Okayama/Beppu

We travel by express train back to the city of Okayama with overnight bags only. The main luggage is transferred to the ryokan in Beppu. In Okayama, we tour the Korakuen-koen Garden. This garden is considered to be one of the three most exquisite gardens in Japan by the Japanese themselves. It was built in the late 17th century by one of the local warlords. After touring the garden, we continue on to the city of Beppu on the island of Kyushu. The city of Beppu is one of the largest, if not the largest onsen (hot springs resort) in Japan. There are thousands of small therapeutic baths with mineral-laden water or thermally-heated sand baths that can steam, boil or poach vitality into aching muscles and weary travelers. Breakfast at the ryokan included and lunch and dinner at a local restaurant are include.

(Travel: 4 Hours; Walking: Medium)

Day 7: Beppu

We start the day by touring the famous Beppu "Hells." The boiling mud, forming concentric circles as it oozes through the ground, the colors of the ponds, and the small geyser erupting every 25 minutes on this "hell-on-earth" are sure to fascinate and entertain. The afternoon and evening are free to enjoy the hot springs, or visit the Shonin-ga-hana sand bath on the Beppu beach. Here you lie in a shallow trench and are buried up to your neck in thermally heated sand. Or enjoy an "onsen egg," which have been hard-boiled in one of the many thermally-heated mineral springs. Breakfast at the ryokan is included.

(Travel: 1/2 Hour; Walking: Medium)

Day 8: Beppu/Aso-san/Nagasaki

We start the day by taking an express train that travels through a very scenic rural area to the city of Aso. Aso-San (Mt. Aso) is a huge volcanic caldera consisting of five volcanic cones, one of which is still active. We take a bus and a cable car to the rim of Nakadake, the only remaining active crater on Aso-San (weather and volcano conditions permitting). After arriving at the rim of the crater by cable car, we walk around the rim of the crater to observe the many gas vents and the lake bubbling and spitting scalding steam at the bottom. Later in the afternoon, we travel to the city of Nagasaki. Nagasaki was once the most culturally significant port in Japan. It was here most foreigners and missionaries entered Japan during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. And it was here where the only foreigners were allowed to stay from the mid 17th century to the mid 19th century. However, they were restricted to a tiny, artificial island in the harbor, and were only allowed one ship in and out per year. Nagasaki is best known, today, as one of the cities destroyed by A-Bombs at the end of World War II. Breakfast at the ryokan, lunch at a local restaurant included.

(Travel: 4 Hours; Walking: Medium)

Day 9: Nagasaki

Spend this free day exploring Nagasaki. Tour the Glover Gardens and the Dutch Slope areas. These areas of Nagasaki have a concentration of Western Style homes built in the 19th century. Visit the Chinatown area or visit Teramachi (Temple Row). In the evening, a Kaiseki-style dinner will be served at the restaurant. Breakfast and kaiseki-style dinner at the ryokan included.

(Travel: To be determined; Walking: To be determined)

Day 10: Nagasaki/Miyajima Island

Continuing on to Hiroshima by express train and Shinkansen, we board a ferry for Miyajima Island, and check into our ryokan. Miyajima Island is said by the Japanese to be one of the top three scenic sights in Japan. The evening is free to enjoy the solitude and ambiance of the island after all of the day-trippers head back to the mainland. Breakfast and kaiseki-style dinner at the ryokan included.

(Travel: 4 Hours; Walking: Light)

Day 11: Miyajima Island

The entire day is free to enjoy and relax in the beauty and ambiance of Miyajima Island: ride the cable car to the top of the mountain on Miyajima Island where you can visit with the local monkeys, or visit the Itsukushima-jinja shrine which was built in its present form in 1168. Or just take in the stroll around the island while enjoying grilled oysters, the island's specialty. Breakfast and kaiseki style dinner at the ryokan included.

(Travel: To be determined; Walking: To be determined)

Day 12: Hiroshima/Travel to Kyoto

After taking the ferry back to Hiroshima, we tour the Peace Memorial Museum and the Peace Memorial Park, which are both sobering testaments to the dropping of the A-Bomb on August 6, 1945. Afterwards, we are off to Kyoto via the Shinkansen. Once in Kyoto, we will pick up our luggage and check into our ryokan, where we will be staying for the remainder of the tour. The evening in Kyoto is free. Breakfast at the ryokan included.

(Travel: 3 Hours; Walking: Heavy)

Day 13: Kyoto

After breakfast we will start the day at the famous Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion) Buddhist Temple and Garden, built in the late 15th century where we will be joined by a local, English-speaking Japanese guide. At Ginkaku-ji, in addition to the prototype of today's Japanese style room, we will find a beautiful moss garden and a famous dry garden. Later in the morning, we travel by taxi to Sanjusangendo. This awe-inspiring temple was built in the 12th century, and houses over 1,000 Buddha statues. After lunch on the Sannen-zaka (three year slope), we will have some free time for shopping along the Sannen-zaka and Teapot Lane, both lined with shops selling handicrafts, local snacks and souvenirs. Later in the afternoon we will take a relaxing stroll through the Higashiyama district where you can find many traditional handicrafts in small stores located along the narrow, stone-paved lanes winding through the traditional homes, shops and restaurants. Next, we visit Kennen-ji Temple, the first Zen temple established in Kyoto over 800 years ago. Here you will have some free time to contemplate one of the many Zen-style dry gardens located on the temple grounds, visit the teahouse built in the 16th century by a disciple of Sen-no-Rikyu, the originator of the modern tea ceremony, or roam the temple with the guide to discuss Zen Buddhism. Afterwards, we walk to the Gion Geisha District to attend a "Meet a Maiko" (a Maiko is a geisha in training) session. Here you will meet an actual Maiko face to face, who will serve you tea and sweets, perform a traditional Geisha dance, pose for pictures with you, and answer any of your questions. Then we explore the famous Gion Geisha district, where we will see the tea houses and geisha houses where the Geisha live and work, to learn more about this mysterious world. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch and dinner at a local restaurant included. In the evening, we will attend the Sayonara dinner.

(Travel: 30 Minutes; Walking: Heavy)

Day 14: Home

It's time to say "sayonara" (goodbye). You will be escorted to the Kyoto Train Station, where you will take the express train on your own to the Kansai International Airport, just outside Osaka. Or if you prefer, you can fly out of Tokyo's Narita Airport. (If you plan to fly out of Narita, it is best to schedule a flight after 2 p.m. as it takes four hours to travel from Kyoto to Narita Airport.) (Breakfast at the ryokan is included.

(Travel: 1 1/2 Hours; Walking: Light)