Fall Faves: Japan & Seoul

Welcome to Japan – you must be exhausted after your long flight!

No worries, we’l await you at the airport and check you in into your hotel so you can freshen up, and get some rest for the night (you’ll need it!).

After our welcome breakfast together, we’ll head to the Imperial Palace and its wonderful gardens to start your day with a relaxing walk.

We’ll then explore the Asakusa district in Tokyo in the morning, particularly known for Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple Senso-ji. With lots of souvenir and snack shops, you’ll want to spend a couple of hours strolling through its Nakamise (shops).

In the afternoon you’ll have some free time to explore Tokyo. Whether that’s a visit to Ueno Park, Akihabara (the place to be for anime lovers), an unreal experience at TeamLab Planets, the cutest cat cafe, or just lots of shopping – you’ll have some time to explore Tokyo to your own liking!

Get ready, as we’ll spend a day in in the former capital of Japan, Kamakura! You’ll hop from temple to temple, zen garden to zen garden today.

The historical Kamakura is home to countless Buddhist temples and zen gardens. We’ll stop by Meigetsu-in, a featuring a round window to its stunning garden (which is a must-visit in fall!), the Bamboo Temple Hokoku-ji, where you can try some *real* green tea, Kotoku-in temple known for its large bronze Great Buddha statue, and many more. In between temples and gardens, we’ll have lunch and shop around at the old Komachi shopping street.

Upon return we’ll head to Tokyo Station’s Yaechika: an exciting visit for those wanting to deepdive into the never-ending shopping wonderland – where you can get lost over and over again.

Today we’ll get up early as we’re heading out to see the dramatic Mt. Fuji!
On our way we’ll stop at Owakudani Volcanic Village, to observe the intense volcanic activity from up close.

Don’t forget to snack on some eggs before we hop into our car to continue our journey to Oshino Hakkai, an ancient healing village where Mt. Fuji features as a stunning backdrop. After a relaxing stroll, we’ll pay a visit to the Chureito Pagoda, where you’ll walk up the endless stairs to capture the picture-perfect view of Mt. Fuji.

We’ll pray at Kawaguchiko Masjid, which features a wonderful view of Mt. Fuji in the background, and hop onto the Panoramic Ropeway, where you’ll have the most magnificent view of Mt. Fuji.

Let’s head out for Shibuya Sky, where you can enjoy a panoramic view from the highest point in Shibuya at approximately 230 meters and 47 stories above the ground! Afterwards we’ll head for Tokyo Camii, the largest and most famous Turkish mosque in Japan, to pray our Friday prayers and to enjoy the stunning architecture of the mosque.

We’ll walk through one of the world’s busiest crossings – it can get overwhelming – and see the statue of Hachiko (highly recommend to watch the movie before you visit!), after which it’s due time for lunch (perhaps time to try some of the popular Japanese fluffy pancakes)?

We’ll explore Meiji Jingu, shop around in Harajuku’s famous Takeshita Dori and Shinjuku district before heading back to the hotel – tonight we’ll hop onto the exciting Shinkansen, which will pass Mt. Fuji again, to check into our next adventure: Kyoto.

Good morning! We’ll wake up early to travel to the marvelous Arashiyama Bamboo Forest of Kyoto while the morning air is still fresh. We’ll stroll through the forest and park, along the Katsura river (where you may want to hop onto a boat if available!), and head to Tenryu-ji, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the head temple of Zen Buddhism. We’ll explore the temple from within, and are able to stroll through its garden, which has survived the centuries in its original form.

In the afternoon we’ll head to the famous Golden Pavilion (Kinaku-ji), covered with 18-karat gold leaf, a unique sight only home to Kyoto.

In the morning we’ll head out to Nara Deer Park, where there are over 1200 free-roaming deer (shika in Japanese) for you to interact with. As these deer as so used to the presence of humans, they’re very friendly and will even bow if you bow to them first. You’ll have the option of visiting the Todaiji Temple, said to be the world’s largest wooden building, or the Man’you Botanical Garden.

We’ll them make our way to historic Kyoto and the lovely bright red-colored Fushimi Inari Shrine, which is home to a torii tunnel of almost 4 km in length!

Today we’ll head to Kiyomizu-dera, which is without doubt the most popular temple in Kyoto. Supported by 13-meter-high wooden columns, the temple is made to withstand earthquakes.

We’ll stroll through the Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka slopes to admire traditional Kyoto-esque shops to try local sweets (how does strawberry daifuku, matcha ice cream or dango sound), but not before changing into our kimonos during a green tea ceremony where you’ll master the way Japanese make and drink green tea.

Checking out from our Kyoto hotel, we’ll head towards Osaka, the heart of Kansai.

We’ll explore the 450-year old Osaka Castle’s grounds, now one of the most famous castles in Japan and an important historical landmark.

Then we’ll head towards Namba, Osaka’s foremost downtown center, for one of the many halal options for lunch. We’ll then stop by the Namba Yasaka Shrine, a small shrine featuring a huge 12-meter tall lion’s head.

At night we’ll stroll through the bustling heart of Osaka, the famous Dotonbori canal lit by neon lights and billboards, where we’ll end our last evening in Japan with Japanese Yakiniku barbecue together.

Rest well, as you’ll embark on your Seoul adventure tomorrow!

Optional: you can opt to spend your day at Universal Studios Japan instead (€60) and meet the rest of the group at night for yakiniku.

We’ll check out and hop onto our plane to Seoul, after which we’ll go to the famous Gangnam district (yes, the Gangnam in the 2012 Oppa Gangnam Style!). We’ll make a fair stop at one of Seoul’s most popular temples, Bongeunsa Temple. We’ll then head towards the Starfield COEX Mall, where the grand Starfield Library is located – home to over 70,000 books!

Today you’ll visit the main and most grand of the five palaces built in the Joseon Dynasty, Gyeongbokgung. If we’re lucky we’ll be able see Royal Guard Changing Ceremony! We’ll then head to Bukchon Hanok Village, where we’ll walk around the historical village.

Afer a scenic stroll along Cheonggyecheon, we’ll explore the lively streets of Myeondong, where you can shop (and snack on street food!) ’till you drop – the place to be to find the most fashionable clothing and best skincare.

Any fans of the Korean Drama ‘Itaewon Class’ around? We’ll head to South Korea’s most multicultural neighbourhood Itaewon – the go-to place for the most grammable cafes and entertainment, where we’ll pray the Jumua prayer at Seoul Grand Mosque.

With plenty of halal restaurants around, we’ll have lunch after which you’re free to explore Seoul on your last day as you wish! There might be a thing or two you can’t wait to visit – whether that’s the famous Noryangjin Fish Market, the hip Hongdae district, or an educational trip to the National Museum of Korea.

Today is the last day of your Fall Faves of Japan & South Korea tour! After breakfast we’ll head towards the airport together for your flight back home.