Itinerary
- Day 1
Seoul
You'll get transferred to your hotel in Seoul when you arrive. After you check in and get settled, there's free time to rest or look around the area. In the afternoon, someone will brief you about what the tour covers.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Mercure Ambassador Hongdae)
- Day 2
DMZ Cheorwon - Seoul
Early start heading to the DMZ region in Cheorwon. You'll check out the Second Tunnel, then head to the Cheorwon Peace Observatory for views toward North Korea. Next is the abandoned Woljeong-ri railway station and the Baek Ma Battle Memorial for a French UN battalion. After lunch, you'll visit a local makgeolli producer before heading back to Seoul. The evening includes City Hall, Deoksugung Palace, and Myeongdong shopping district with dinner. Return to your hotel by metro.
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner (Dinner at a local restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Mercure Ambassador Hongdae)
Included Activities
- Visit to the Second Tunnel in the DMZ
- Cheorwon Peace Observatory with museum visit
- Abandoned Woljeong-ri railway station visit
- Baek Ma Battle Memorial visit
- Local makgeolli distillery visit
- City Hall viewing
- Deoksugung Palace viewing (night visit)
- Myeongdong district stroll
- Lunch included
- Dinner included at local restaurant
- Metro ticket included
Landmarks Second Tunnel (DMZ) Cheorwon Peace Observatory Woljeong-ri Railway Station Baek Ma Battle Memorial City Hall, Seoul Deoksugung Palace Myeongdong 
- Day 3
Seoul
You'll spend five hours on a guided tour through Seoul. Start at Changdeokgung Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site, then walk through Bukchon Hanok Village with its traditional homes. The War Memorial of Korea is next. After lunch, head to Gangnam District for shopping, then see the 550-meter Lotte World Tower where you can go up for an extra fee or explore the parks and malls nearby. You'll have free time back at the hotel later.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at a local restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Mercure Ambassador Hongdae)
Included Activities
- Changdeokgung Palace tour
- Bukchon Hanok Village visit
- War Memorial of Korea visit
- Gangnam District visit
- Lotte World Tower exterior viewing
- Lunch included at local restaurant
Optional Activities
- Lotte World Tower entrance ticket (price not specified)
Landmarks Changdeokgung Palace Bukchon Hanok Village War Memorial of Korea Gangnam District Lotte World Tower - Day 4
Suwon - Jeonju
Begin at Gyeongbokgung Palace, which has over 600 years of history and a ceremonial changing of the guard if it's scheduled. Then head south from Seoul to Suwon, a former Korean capital. You'll explore the UNESCO World Heritage fortress walls and see the Hwaseong Haenggung summer palace. After lunch, continue on to Jeonju and explore its historic Hanok Village with traditional houses, shops, and art galleries.
- Meals
- Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Best Western Plus Jeonju), Hotel (Gloucester)
Included Activities
- Gyeongbokgung Palace visit with changing of the guard (if scheduled)
- Suwon fortress walls visit
- Hwaseong Haenggung summer palace visit
- Jeonju Hanok Village historic center exploration
- Lunch included
Landmarks Gyeongbokgung Palace Suwon Fortress Walls Hwaseong Haenggung Jeonju Hanok Village 
- Day 5
Sunchang - Damyang - Haeinsa - Busan
Travel to Sunchang Gochujang Village at Mount Amisan's base to learn how artisans make traditional gochujang. Continue to Damyang and explore the Juknokwon Bamboo Forest with meditation paths and a Bamboo Museum. Lunch features rice cooked inside a bamboo stalk. Then visit Haeinsa temple, built in 802 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which houses 80,000 wooden tablets with Buddhist scriptures. Travel to Busan for the night.
- Meals
- Lunch (Rice cooked and served inside a bamboo stalk (local specialty))
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Crown Harbor), Hotel (Ramada Encore Busan Station)
Included Activities
- Sunchang Gochujang Village hands-on gochujang-making experience
- Juknokwon Bamboo Forest visit
- Bamboo Museum visit
- Haeinsa Buddhist Temple visit
- Lunch included (rice served inside bamboo stalk)
Landmarks Sunchang Gochujang Village Juknokwon Bamboo Forest Bamboo Museum, Damyang Haeinsa Buddhist Temple 
- Day 6
Busan
Early morning trip to Haedong Yonggung, a 14th-century Buddhist temple right by the sea. Back in Busan, you'll visit the UN Memorial Cemetery honoring soldiers from many nations. See the country's largest fish market near Nampo Port, then have lunch. Walk through Yongdusan Park and its 120-meter pagoda. Head to Songdo Beach to ride the country's first marine cable car with bay views (ticket included if weather allows). Explore Gamcheon Culture Village with colorful buildings, art galleries, and pottery workshops. Stay overnight in Busan.
- Meals
- Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Crown Harbor), Hotel (Ramada Encore Busan Station)
Included Activities
- Haedong Yonggung temple visit
- UN Memorial Cemetery visit
- Fish market visit at Nampo Port
- Lunch included
- Yongdusan Park and pagoda visit
- Songdo Beach marine cable car ride (ticket included, weather permitting)
- Gamcheon Culture Village exploration
Landmarks Haedong Yonggung Temple UN Memorial Cemetery, Busan Nampo Port Fish Market Yongdusan Park Songdo Beach Gamcheon Culture Village - Day 7
Busan to Tokyo
Transfer to Busan airport for your included flight to Tokyo. After you arrive and go through border procedures, an assistant will meet you. Take a shared shuttle bus to your Tokyo hotel. You'll have free time to settle in and rest after the journey.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Shinagawa Prince Hotel), Hotel (Moxy Tokyo Kinshicho), Hotel (Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba)
- Day 8
Kamakura - Enoshima - Odawara
Day trip from Tokyo to Kamakura, a former capital with many temples and sanctuaries. Walk through the bamboo forest at Hokoku-ji Zen Temple and have traditional green tea. Visit Sugimoto-dera, the city's oldest temple from 734. Explore Kamakura's city center and see the Great Buddha. Travel along the Pacific coast to Enoshima island with free time for lunch and exploring. Continue to Odawara and visit the medieval Odawara Castle from the Edo era. Overnight in Odawara.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Tenseien Odawara Station)
Included Activities
- Hokoku-ji Zen Temple bamboo forest walk with traditional green tea
- Sugimoto-dera temple visit
- Great Buddha (Daibutsu) viewing
- Odawara Castle visit
Optional Activities
- Lunch and leisure activities in Enoshima
Landmarks Hokoku-ji Zen Temple Sugimoto-dera Temple Great Buddha (Daibutsu), Kamakura Enoshima Odawara Castle 
- Day 9
Hakone - Mount Fuji - Tokyo
Journey through the Hakone region with lakes and mountains near Mount Fuji. Start by going up Owakudani, the 'Valley of Hell,' with steaming vents and bubbling mud (access may be limited due to volcanic activity). If that's closed, visit Arakurayama Sengen Park instead. Head to Oshino Hakkai with eight ponds and Mount Fuji views. Go to the lakeside town of Kawaguchiko with traditional houses and flowers. Enjoy a scenic boat ride on Lake Kawaguchi. Ascend Mount Fuji via the scenic road to the Fifth Station at 2,305 meters. Return to Tokyo by evening.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Shinagawa Prince Hotel), Hotel (Moxy Tokyo Kinshicho), Hotel (Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba)
Included Activities
- Owakudani volcanic valley visit (or Arakurayama Sengen Park if volcanic restrictions apply)
- Oshino Hakkai village visit
- Kawaguchiko scenic boat ride
- Mount Fuji Fifth Station ascent
Landmarks Owakudani Arakurayama Sengen Park Oshino Hakkai Kawaguchiko Mount Fuji Fifth Station 
- Day 10
Tokyo
Five-hour guided tour through Tokyo. Start at Zojoji Temple with views of Tokyo Tower alongside hundreds of colorful Jizo statues. See the famous Shibuya Crossing, the world's busiest intersection, then visit Meiji Shrine for Emperor Meiji and his wife. Walk along Omotesando Avenue and view the Imperial Palace and gardens at Nijubashi Bridge. Pass through Akihabara, the 'Electric Town' for manga and anime culture, and see the sumo wrestling arena. End in historic Asakusa at Sensoji Temple and Nakamise Street. Lunch included. At 6:30 p.m., take the metro to Shinjuku district for dinner (included) and nightlife exploration before returning to your hotel.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at a local restaurant), Dinner (Dinner at a local restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Shinagawa Prince Hotel), Hotel (Moxy Tokyo Kinshicho), Hotel (Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba)
Included Activities
- Zojoji Temple visit with Tokyo Tower views
- Shibuya Crossing visit
- Meiji Shrine visit
- Omotesando Avenue viewing
- Imperial Palace and gardens viewing
- Nijubashi Bridge viewing
- Akihabara district pass-through
- Kokugikan sumo arena viewing
- Sensoji Temple visit
- Nakamise Street visit
- Lunch included at local restaurant
- Shinjuku district exploration
- Dinner included at local restaurant
- Metro tickets included
Landmarks Zojoji Temple Tokyo Tower Shibuya Crossing Meiji Shrine Omotesando Avenue Imperial Palace, Tokyo Nijubashi Bridge Akihabara Kokugikan Sensoji Temple Nakamise Street Shinjuku - Day 11
Tokyo to Kyoto
Early morning departure on the bullet train covering nearly 500 km between Tokyo and Kyoto in just over two hours. Spend the entire day in Kyoto, Japan's former capital from 794 to 1868 and home to the Imperial Court. Kyoto was the only major Japanese city spared from World War II bombing, which preserved its artistic heritage. Visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, the Imperial Palace, and Kinkakuji Temple, the famous 'Golden Pavilion' with gardens. You'll have free time to walk through Gion, Kyoto's traditional district known for geishas and atmosphere.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (New Miyako Hotel), Hotel (Miyako Kioto Hachijyo)
Included Activities
- Fushimi Inari Shrine visit
- Imperial Palace visit
- Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion) visit
- Gion district exploration
Landmarks Fushimi Inari Shrine Imperial Palace, Kyoto Kinkakuji Temple Gion 
- Day 12
Nara - Osaka
Visit Todaiji, a Buddhist temple built in 752 with a giant Buddha statue inside. Take photos and interact with the friendly deer in the surrounding park. After lunch, head to Horyu-ji Buddhist Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with one of the oldest wooden pagodas in the world and Japan's oldest Buddhist temple. Travel to Osaka, arriving in the evening. This vibrant and modern city is Japan's second-largest urban area. Visit Dotonbori, a lively and colorful district with bustling nightlife.
- Meals
- Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Candeo Osaka Namba), Hotel (Holiday Inn Express Osaka City Centre - Midosuji), Hotel (Mystays Midosuji Honmachi)
Included Activities
- Todaiji temple visit with giant Buddha
- Deer park interaction
- Horyu-ji Buddhist Temple visit
- Lunch included
- Dotonbori nightlife district visit
Landmarks Todai-ji Temple Horyu-ji Temple Dotonbori 
- Day 13
Himeji - Okayama
Travel to Himeji to see the large castle complex showing Japanese castle architecture with admission included. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue to Okayama. Visit Korakuen, one of Japan's most beautiful gardens with lakes, waterfalls, and traditional teahouses. Cross a pedestrian bridge to Okayama Castle, a 16th-century Japanese fortification rebuilt in 1966 after World War II bombing (interior not included). You'll have free time to explore this provincial city with over 700,000 people.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at a local restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Gran Via Okayama), Hotel (Ana Crowne Plaza Okayama)
Included Activities
- Himeji Castle complex visit
- Lunch included at local restaurant
- Korakuen gardens visit
- Okayama Castle exterior viewing
Optional Activities
- Okayama Castle interior visit (admission not included)
Landmarks Himeji Castle Korakuen Okayama Castle 
- Day 14
Kurashiki - Hiroshima - Miyajima
Travel to Kurashiki, a city known for its well-preserved historic center where the past feels present. Journey to Hiroshima, forever changed by the 1945 atomic bombing. Visit Peace Memorial Park, see the Atomic Bomb Dome, and go through the Peace Memorial Museum. Take a ferry to Miyajima island to visit the famous Itsukushima Shrine dedicated to the guardian of the seas, partially built over water. Explore the shrine, wander the town center, and enjoy lunch. Return to your Hiroshima hotel with dinner included.
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hilton Hiroshima), Hotel (Ana Crowne Plaza Hiroshima)
Included Activities
- Kurashiki historic center exploration
- Peace Memorial Park visit
- Atomic Bomb Dome viewing
- Peace Memorial Museum visit
- Ferry to Miyajima
- Itsukushima Shrine visit
- Miyajima town center exploration
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
Landmarks Kurashiki Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome Peace Memorial Museum, Hiroshima Miyajima Island Itsukushima Shrine 
- Day 15
Hiroshima
After breakfast, your tour ends here, leaving you with wonderful memories to take home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
