Essence of South Korea & Japan

Day 1  Seoul            
Welcome to South Korea. On arrival, meet your driver and transfer to your hotel. Later, you will meet your guide and fellow travellers for this evening's welcome dinner.          

Day 2  Seoul          
Begin your Seoul adventure at Gyeongbok Palace and the attend a Korean cooking class where you will make traditional bibimbap and enjoy your own creations for lunch! This afternoon, head to the observation deck of the N Seoul Tower for panoramic views over the city.            

Day 3  Seoul          
Start today early and take a morning tour of the DMZ, a strip of land that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. Explore the DMZ Theatre & Exhibition Hall, walk along the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel, visit Dora Observatory & Station, and see the Bridge of Freedom. Later, return to Seoul and stroll through Gwangjang Market.          

Day 4  Seoul to Gyeongju    
Take a train from Seoul to Gyeongju. A city of cultural and historical relics, Gyeongju is called ‘the museum without walls’. Explore Gyeongju this afternoon, starting at the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple. Later, take a stroll along Anapji Pond.            

Day 5  Gyeongju to Busan  
Begin the day at Gyeongju National Museum. Visit Tumuli Park, filled with the burial mounds of Sillan royals and nobility, and have the opportunity to enter an excavated tomb. Continue by road to Busan. Enjoy a tour of Busan, starting with a walk through the famous Jagalchi Fish Market, one of the largest seafood markets in Asia. Next head to Dongbaekseom Island and soak up the before wandering along Haeundae Beach.          

Day 6  Busan to Fukuoka        
Say goodbye to South Korea fly to Fukuoka on the Japanese island of Kyushu. After you clear immigration, your guide will welcome you to Japan.  

Day 7  Fukuoka to Hiroshima  
Begin the day with a visit to the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shinto Shrine before exploring the National Museum to learn about the city’s past. Later, board a bullet train (Shinkansen) for a speedy journey to Hiroshima.          

Day 8  Hiroshima        
Spend the day in Hiroshima. Begin with a visit to the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, where you will have the opportunity to pay homage to the victims of the 1945 atomic bomb. Later, visit an oyster farm by boat before a short ride over the Seto Inland Sea to the holy island of Miyajima. Here, visit the Itsukushima Shrine and admire its giant torii gate, which appears to float on the water when the tide is in. Return to Hiroshima for dinner.          

Day 9  Hiroshima to Osaka  
Take a bullet train to the town of Kurashiki and explore its beautifully preserved Bikan Historical Quarter. Next, drive to Okayama and visit Koraku-en Garden, one of the ‘Three Great Gardens of Japan’. Later, board another bullet train to the vibrant city of Osaka.    

Day 10  Osaka          
Drive to Nara, Japan’s former imperial capital and look out for the park's beautiful resident sika deer. Visit Todai-ji Temple, the world’s largest wooden structure. After lunch, return to Osaka and enjoy a stroll in Dotonbori, famous for its eye catching billboards. Finally, visit the famous Osaka Castle, known for its views of the city.            

Day 11  Osaka to Kyoto        
Drive to Kyoto. This enchanting city was the capital of Japan for some thousand years and remains the epitome of traditional Japan. Visit Ryoan-ji, the Zen ‘temple of the peaceful dragon’, and the famous Golden Pavilion of Kinkaku-ji before observing the age old rituals of a tea ceremony.          

Day 12  Kyoto          
Start the day by visiting the Arashiyama bamboo forest. Later, try your hand at the Japanese art of fan painting before enjoying the rare opportunity to have lunch with a Maiko (apprentice geisha). This afternoon, visit the mesmerising Fushimi Inari Shrine, which covers Mount Inari.

Day 13  Kyoto to Tokyo        
This morning, transfer to Kyoto station and take a bullet train to Odawara. Visit the Hakone shrine on the shores of Lake Ashi and enjoy the breathtaking views of Mount Fuji in the background. After lunch, take part in a Yosegi marquetry craft experience, before continuing by road to Tokyo, Japan’s capital city.      

Day 14  Tokyo            
Head to the Tokyo Skytree and ascend to the observation deck for magnificent views. Later, head to the vibrant Asakusa district and soak up the ambience of Senso-ji, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple. After lunch, visit a bonsai museum and observe a demonstration before trying your hand at pruning your own. Later, pass by the famous Shibuya Crossing en route back to the hotel. End the day by taking a leisurely farewell dinner cruise on Tokyo Bay for some excellent city vistas.          

Day 15  Tokyo            
This morning is free at leisure before you transfer to the airport for your onward arrangements.