Rosa’s 18th birthday trip – hence the manga / anime / kawaii / kitschy Japanese popular culture theme!
Not strictly ‘next’, as I’ve got Winter Walking in Austria in December and next spring’s Dolpo Expedition first, but Tom and I have just booked flights (ANA (outbound), Lufthansa (return) courtesy of BudgetAir / Kayak), so it’s all systems go!
Destination: Japan (日本国)
When: August 2016
How: HYPERJAPAN’s J-Pop & Go! with Inside Japan Tours, plus 2 days DIY in Tokyo before the group trip starts.
Itinerary:
- London to Tokyo (東京都) (overnight flight)
- DIY day 1: Tokyo
- DIY day 2: Tokyo / Trip day 1: Group meeting in the evening
- Trip day 2 – Tokyo: Tokyo walking tour featuring Harajuku (原宿), Meiji Shrine (明治神宮), Shibuya (渋谷区), J-World and Namja Town
- Trip day 3 – Tokyo: Tsukiji Fish Market (築地市場) (TBC) – Maid café (メイド喫茶 / メイドカフ) – Odaiba island (お台場) – Akihabara (秋葉原)
- Trip day 4 – Tokyo / Hakone: Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park (富士箱根伊豆国立公園) – Mt Fuji (富士山) – Lake Ashi (芦ノ湖)
- Trip day 5 – Hakone / Kyoto: Shinkansen (新幹線) bullet train to Kyoto (京都市) – Kiyomizu Temple (清水寺) – Yasaka Shrine (八坂神社) – Gion (祇園) geisha district walking tour
- Trip day 6 – Kyoto: Gesshin-in Temple – Golden Pavilion at Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺) – Ryoan-ji (龍安寺) – Nijo Castle (二条城)
- Trip day 7 – Kyoto / Hiroshima: Bullet train to Hiroshima (広島市) – ferry ride to Miyajima (aka Itsukushima) (宮島町 aka 厳島) – Itsukushima Shrine (厳島神社) – Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) dinner
- Trip day 8 – Hiroshima / Osaka: Hiroshima’s Peace Park ((広島平和記念公園) and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum – Tate-do Samurai sword stage fighting workshop
- Trip day 9 – Osaka / Tokyo: Dotonbori (道頓堀) – Sennichimae Doguyasuji (道具屋筋商店街) – Bullet train to Tokyo
- Trip day 10 – Tokyo: Studio Ghibli Museum (三鷹の森ジブリ美術館) – Robot Restaurant (warning: flashing lights!!)
- Trip day 11 – Tokyo to London (daytime flight)
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