Experience Japan
Japan is a nation of contrasts—neon lights pulse and hum next to centuries-old temples, Shinto monks share sidewalks with anime cosplayers, and Zen meditation is practised in the same parks that friends take selfies in. It may sound chaotic, but Japan has spent thousands of years perfecting the balance between maintaining ancient practices, and instilling a culture of innovation. Make custom sticker photos in a purikura booth one day, and participate in a traditional Kyotoite tea ceremony another. Take a pleasant walk through the sprawling gardens of Kanazawa Castle, followed by a bullet train ride to the bustling electric streets of Tokyo. You can even unwind from the beeping, buzzing techno-wonderland of Akihabara Electric Town with an optional karaoke night. Don’t miss out on an unforgettable journey that’s as educational as it is exhilarating—experience Japan.
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Day 1: Fly overnight to Japan
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Day 2: Osaka
Meet your Tour Director at your destination -
Day 3: Osaka | Kyoto
Visit Osaka Castle
Travel to KyotoTour Fushimi Inari Shrine
Take a walking tour of Nishiki Market and the Pontocho district with your Tour Director
Stop for a photo along the banks of the Kamogawa River
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Day 4: Kyoto
Tour Kyoto with an expert local guide
Visit the Golden Pavilion, a Zen Buddhist temple
Visit Kiyomizudera Temple
Sample green tea ice cream
Enjoy a traditional Japanese tea ceremony
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Day 5: Kyoto | Takayama
Travel to Takayama
Enjoy a Zen meditation experience
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Day 6: Takayama | Kanazawa
Visit the Takayama morning market
Travel to Kanazawa via Shirakawa-go
Stop to learn about Shirakawa-go's traditional architecture
Explore Kanazawa in small supervised groups
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Day 7: Kanazawa
Visit Kanazawa Castle
Explore Kenroku-en Garden
Participate in a gold-leaf chopstick activity
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Day 8: Kanazawa | Tokyo
Travel by bullet train to Tokyo
Tour Tokyo with an expert local guide
Visit the Meiji Shinto ShrineWalking Tour in Harajuku Shopping District
Discover the world of Japanese gaming culture with a visit to a local arcade
Take a walking tour of Shibuya
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Day 9: Tokyo
Take a tour of Akihabara Electric Town
Add this in-depth excursion:
Karaoke
A trip to Japan wouldn’t be complete without an evening of singing your favorite songs with friends in a karaoke lounge. Belt your favorite jams, or just clap along with friends as you unwind and have a wonderful, relaxing evening.
Enjoy an evening reflection in Asakusa
Take a tour of Asakusa Kannon Temple
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Day 10: Depart for home
Add 3 more days
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Day 10: Tokyo • Seoul
Fly to Seoul
Ascend the Seoul Tower
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Day 11: Seoul
Take a tour of Seoul
With your Tour Director, you will:
- See the Blue House—the residence and office of the President of South Korea
- Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace, where you’ll witness a guard-changing ceremony
Participate in a Korean cooking class
Visit the Bukchon Hanok Village
Visit Hyundai Motor Studios
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Day 12: Seoul
Add this in-depth excursion:
Korea Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
Take a full-day tour to Korea’s Demilitarized Zone (better known as the DMZ). This 150-mile long demarcated military area separates North and South Korea. Learn about Korea’s complicated internal struggle as you visit notable sites including the Third Tunnel—one of four tunnels underneath the border.
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Day 13: Depart for home
-
Day 1: Fly overnight to Japan
-
Day 2: Osaka
Meet your Tour Director at your destination -
Day 3: Osaka | Kyoto
Visit Osaka Castle
Travel to KyotoTour Fushimi Inari Shrine
Take a walking tour of Nishiki Market and the Pontocho district with your Tour Director
Stop for a photo along the banks of the Kamogawa River
-
Day 4: Kyoto
Tour Kyoto with an expert local guide
Visit the Golden Pavilion, a Zen Buddhist temple
Visit Kiyomizudera Temple
Sample green tea ice cream
Enjoy a traditional Japanese tea ceremony
-
Day 5: Kyoto | Takayama
Travel to Takayama
Enjoy a Zen meditation experience
-
Day 6: Takayama | Kanazawa
Visit the Takayama morning market
Travel to Kanazawa via Shirakawa-go
Stop to learn about Shirakawa-go's traditional architecture
Explore Kanazawa in small supervised groups
-
Day 7: Kanazawa
Visit Kanazawa Castle
Explore Kenroku-en Garden
Participate in a gold-leaf chopstick activity
-
Day 8: Kanazawa | Tokyo
Travel by bullet train to Tokyo
Tour Tokyo with an expert local guide
Visit the Meiji Shinto ShrineWalking Tour in Harajuku Shopping District
Discover the world of Japanese gaming culture with a visit to a local arcade
Take a walking tour of Shibuya
-
Day 9: Tokyo
Take a tour of Akihabara Electric Town
Add this in-depth excursion:
Karaoke
A trip to Japan wouldn’t be complete without an evening of singing your favorite songs with friends in a karaoke lounge. Belt your favorite jams, or just clap along with friends as you unwind and have a wonderful, relaxing evening.
Enjoy an evening reflection in Asakusa
Take a tour of Asakusa Kannon Temple
-
Day 10: Depart for home
Add 3 more days
-
Day 10: Tokyo • Seoul
Fly to Seoul
Ascend the Seoul Tower
-
Day 11: Seoul
Take a tour of Seoul
With your Tour Director, you will:
- See the Blue House—the residence and office of the President of South Korea
- Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace, where you’ll witness a guard-changing ceremony
Participate in a Korean cooking class
Visit the Bukchon Hanok Village
Visit Hyundai Motor Studios
-
Day 12: Seoul
Add this in-depth excursion:
Korea Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
Take a full-day tour to Korea’s Demilitarized Zone (better known as the DMZ). This 150-mile long demarcated military area separates North and South Korea. Learn about Korea’s complicated internal struggle as you visit notable sites including the Third Tunnel—one of four tunnels underneath the border.
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Day 13: Depart for home
See what an EF tour is really like
Reviews
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Your experience includes
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Airfare & transportation
Round-trip flights on major carriers; comfortable motorcoach; bullet train
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Hotels
8 overnight stays in hotels with private bathrooms (11 with extension)
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Regional-style meals
Breakfast and dinner daily
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Guided sightseeing
2 sightseeing tours led by expert, licensed local guides; 1 walking tour
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Entrances
Golden Pavilion; Kiyomizu Temple; International Manga Museum; Gassho-zukuri Minkaen Open Air Museum; Kanazawa castle; Gold-leaf chopstick activity; with extension: Glover Garden; Dejima Port
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Full-time Tour Director
Your culturally connected Tour Director is with your group 24/7, providing deep local insight while handling all on-tour logistics.
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Expert Local Guides
Your expert local guides are natural historians, adding cultural insight and global perspective on your sightseeing tours.
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Continuous Support
Your dedicated EF team helps you every step of the way—from recruiting and enrolling travelers to planning and managing your tour.
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Worldwide Presence
EF has over 500 schools and offices in more than 50 countries worldwide so wherever you go, we're there too.
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24-hour Emergency Service
Travellers and their families can count on EF's dedicated emergency service team.
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Peace of Mind Program
Feel secure knowing your group can change their destination or travel dates due to unforeseen circumstances. Learn more about your flexible options at eftours.com/peaceofmind.
Pricing that makes travel possible
Payment options
We believe every student should have the opportunity to travel, which is why we let our travellers choose how they want to manage their payments. Enrol in our Automatic Payment Plan with just $199 to start, make fixed and low monthly payments through Uplift, receive invoices and make your payments in less frequent instalments, or pay up front in full.
Program price valid for today. Program price is based on EF’s free place ratio of 8:1 and includes all airline/travel provider surcharges, departure taxes and airport fees. Please call 1-800-387-1460 for more information.