14 Days Anime Japan Tour | Grand Tour

Welcome to Japan! We will have transportation services to take you to your hotel. Please refer to your tour handbook for more information.
Rest at the hotel and be ready to start your exciting tour tomorrow.

**INFORMATION**
From Narita Airport to downtown hotel in Tokyo - about 90 mins(Bus)
From Haneda Airport to downtown hotel in Tokyo - about 30 mins(Bus)

Before our big day at the International Anime Fair - AnimeJapan tomorrow, our Anime tour will visit some of the best anime sites Tokyo has to offer. We begin with a visit to the lively Tokyo Character Street in Tokyo Central Station. The area is lined with various anime-themed shops, including a Jump Store, Pokemon Center, Hello Kitty shop, Ghibli store, and more! There's also Tokyo Ramen Street, Okashi Land, and Gachapon Street, perfect for someone who wants some lunch and to do a little more gift shopping for friends or for themselves!

After our adventures at Character Street, we will head to Akihabara, the town of anime. While there, enjoy shopping ad sightseeing for the rest of the day at some of the most popular otaku destinations, including Animate. Animate carries all kinds of character goods, electronics, and games from current and popular anime/manga series. Be sure to check out Super Potato, SEGA Arcade, and the Gacha Gacha machines while you're there!

After our adventures in Akihabara, it's time for dinner at the Robot Restaurant in Shinjuku for those interested! Enjoy a show like none before, fusing classic Japanese elements with the dreams and fantasies of the future. The restaurant has a wild vibe and a unique experience you are sure to find entertaining.

Today’s the big day of the International Anime Fair - AnimeJapan! Join the many cosplayers, otaku, and anime lovers of all degrees in the biggest Anime event in the world. Anime, manga, doujinshi, guest speakers, figurines, rare items, video games, limited and exclusive covers are all accessible at this large event. Enjoy your day exploring the grounds and meeting people with the same passion as you!

If the fair isn't enough, you also have the option to join an optional tour at 3pm to explore the famous Shibuya Crossing and Harajuku! Enjoy shopping and snacks along Takeshita Dori. This shopping area is the perfect place to get in touch with Japan's pop culture trends, and to sample some of the best crepes in Japan.

We then make our way to Sunshine City to check out the Pokemon Mega Center, a must-go for all Pokemon lovers. Besides all the Pokemon goods they sell, they also have a battling and trading room for customers to interact with other Pokemon fans. After browsing through exclusive products, we will head over to J-World, the Shonen Jump theme-park in Tokyo! Play games and win prizes based on all your favorite characters, including Goku from Dragonball, Luffy and Co from One Piece, Naruto and Sasuke, Kuroko and the rest of the Generation of Miracles, and Hinata and his team of volleyball hopefuls! Win prizes and shop to your hearts content at the J-World store.

We will start our morning heading to Tokyo Tower, Japan’s iconic tower. Tokyo Tower has been taken over by One Piece, resulting in Tokyo One Piece Tower. Known as Tongari Island, this event is filled with attractions, wonderful restaurants, and a live-action show designed to wow fans of all ages. Following our time at the tower, our anime tour will head to the anime specialized shopping complex: Nakano Broadway. Explore the many stores dedicated to anime and otaku goods or try the eight-layer ice-cream they serve downstairs!

Following our time at Nakano Broadway, we head east to visit the famed Ghibli Museum. This animation and art museum exhibits works of Miyazaki Hayao, creator of world famous films such as My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea. Ghibli Film fans will definitely enjoy the artistic museum, which not only exhibits the history and techniques of animation but also plays short movies in a theater room, produced exclusively for the museum.

We begin today with some traditional Japanese culture and shopping at Asakusa. Enjoy shopping at the Nakamise area and the stunning red temple that is Sensoji. Browse through the traditional shops and be sure to take a picture with the temple gates. Afterwords, feel free to enjoy the night at your leisure, or sign up for a few optional excursions. We have the new VR Zone Shinjuku, an incredible VR-focused arcade, enjoy a cup of coffee with excellent service at a Maid Cafe in Akihabara, or sign up for a MariKart experience and drive go-karts around Tokyo dressed as some of your favorite characters!

Our morning begins with a visit to Hakone to visit the Iyashi no Sato, a traditional craft open-air museum reconstructed from the village's thatched roofed houses. Each house features a different exhibit, workshop, or cafe, including some cooking lessons.

After our time in the village, enjoy a ropeway to Owakudani. Owakudani is an active volcanic crater still steaming from its last eruption some 3,000 years ago. There you will get a taste of the local Japanese food, the black egg, cooked in one of the craters. It's said eating one of these eggs will add years to your life!

Before making our way to the next destination, we will stop for Hoto, a Japanese noodle dish native to the Yamanashi area. A hybrid of miso soup and flat udon noodles, this dish is truly a local Japanese specialty

This Japan tour would not be complete without a long relaxing soak in the onsen, hot spring, to rejuvenate you for tomorrow’s adventure. Yukata, a Japanese robe, will be provided for you. The onsen is located in our own ryokan, a Japanese style hotel, which includes a traditional Japanese meal known as Kaiseki Ryori!

Our day begins with a bullet train ride to Kyoto. The bullet train is the fastest way to travel on land and is considered an essential Japanese experience. Enjoy riding to Kyoto in comfort and speed, and be sure to take some photos of the scenery during your ride. We will begin exploring Kyoto with a visit to Fushimi Inari Shrine, one of Kyoto's many can't miss destinations that features hundreds of red tori gates. The path is perfect for photos or just to calm your mind.

Once we get all our photos done, we will stop at the Kyoto International Manga Museum to learn more about Japan's unique manga culture. After our time in the museum, it's off to Nara to see Todaiji Temple. Todaiji Temple holds the World Guinness Record as the largest wooden building. Inside the temple, you will behold the largest Buddha statue in Japan. Just outside the temple is the Nara Deer Park, where you will be greeted by numerous deer that roam around freely. The deer here at the park are known to be friendly and may even bow at you for a little treat.

For today, it's off to Arashiyama to walk through the Bamboo Groove Forest. The morning's sunlight passing through the bamboo makes for a perfect morning sight. We will also enjoy a spirited rickshaw ride through Arashiyama. Guests can enjoy seeing many of the traditional-style shops and temples during the ride.

Following our time in Arashiyama, we will head to the Golden Pavilion, or Kinkakuji Temple, a Japan’s must see attraction where the two upper floors are covered in gold leaf. The reflection of the golden temple on the lake adds to the stunning sight. After our time at the Golden Pavilion, we head off to Teramachi-Kyogoku. This shopping district is the place to go in Kyoto for anime, manga, and souvenir stores. Find exclusive Kyoto-themed anime goods while here, or visit the close by Nishiki Market for a snack.

Taking advantage of the beauty in Kyoto, we will head to Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka, two ancient streets reminiscent of the Edo period, perfect for gift shopping or just to sip on some coffee at one of the many local cafes. We end our day at the Gion Geisha District, Japan’s most famous geisha district. This area is filled with shops, restaurants, and tea houses and the area in Japan that you are most likely to run into real geisha and maiko on their way to perform at the Gion Geisha Center.

Our Japan tour will begin with a bullet train ride to Hiroshima. One of the main highlights here in Hiroshima is the A-Bomb Dome, the only surviving building from the aftermath, and the Peace Park Memorial where you can see and read about the relic of the war.

The A-Bomb Dome has been preserved to be a reminder of the tragedy for future generations and to symbolize its wishes for everlasting peace. We will also see the Peace Park Memorial. Stroll along the park to see famous attractions like that of Sadako’s statue and the freedom bell. Here you can see and read about the relic of the war.

After our visit, we will take a small boat to Itsukushima, a small island off the main shore famously known as Miyajima. It is the home of the floating torii, which at high tide seems to float on water. Along the torii, the Itsukushima Shrine complex is also built over water and is ranked one of Japan’s three best scenery's.

Our day begins in Nagasaki where we have much to cover. We will head to Glover Garden which exhibits Western style mansions. After viewing these gorgeous mansions, we will continue with our foreign influences to the Oura Catholic Church. The Oura Catholic Church is Japan’s oldest standing Catholic church.

We then make our way over to KUmamoto to visit the Johsaien. Johsaien is a shopping arcade by Kumamoto Caslte filled with over 20 shops and the Wakuwaku-za museum featuring the history and culture of Kumamoto. We then proceed to the hotel.

Our day begins in Kumamoto to see Kumamoto Castle. Kumamoto Castle is considered one of the three premier castles in Japan, along with Himeji Castle and Matsumoto Castle. Thirteen structures in the castle complex are designated Important Cultural Property. Several ancillary wooden buildings remain of the original castle. While we won't be going inside the castle due to reconstruction, enjoy the many views and scenery of this famous Japanese castle.

Then we proceed to Takachiho. Legend states, when Susanoo, god of storm, terrorized Amaterasu, his sister and sun goddess, she hid in a cave plunging the world into darkness. The cave is called Ama-no-Iwato, the heavenly rock cave, exists in Takachiho.

Our morning begins in the hot spring town of Beppu, where we are going for an exciting Tour of Hell. From the eight famous spots, we will visit three: the Sea Hell made up of bright cobalt blue hot water, the Blood Pond Hell where hot water containing red melted clay gushes out, and the Tornado Hell, a fiery geyser that erupts every 20 minutes. After lunch, we will take a boat ride to Matsuyama, a castle city.

Following the pattern of hot springs, we will visit one of the oldest hot springs in the world, Dogo Onsen, which is said to have over 3,000 years of history. The onsen is also widely known for welcoming the imperial family as guests and has a room called Yushinden on reserve exclusively for their use. Dogo Onsen's impressive wooden structure served as a model for the famous film Spirited Away. Enjoy an optional Rickshaw ride through the city grounds, or watch a traditional Taiko drum show in the evening (additional fee's may apply).

Our day will begin heading towards Osaka. Traveling East, we will visit one of the most beautiful gardens in Japan that overlooks Mt. Shiun, Ritsurin Garden. Michelin Green Guide graded the garden three stars and is a great place to take photos, especially from the highest point that overlooks the entire garden.

While making our way through Tokushima, we will stop at the Awa-odori Museum, a museum dedicated to the prefectural dance of Tokushima. During the annual Awa-Odori festival, thousands of spectators flock to Japan to watch the traditional dance. Enjoy learning some steps and history of Awa-odori at this great museum.

Our last stop before hitting Osaka is Naruto, a small town off the coast. Here in Naruto, many hope to observe the large Naruto whirlpools that can be seen under very ideal conditions. (*The whirlpool can only be seen at certain times of the day and thus we cannot guarantee seeing the whirlpool in action.)

Your pleasant and memorable Japan tour ends today. The tour will disband after breakfast. Fly home with cherished memories or enjoy your extended stay in Japan.

**INFORMATION**
From downtown hotel in Osaka to KIX Airport - about 70 mins (Bus)
From downtown hotel in Osaka to ITM Airport - about 30 mins (Bus)