Our cherry blossom tour will start the day with a short boat ride over to Miyajima Island. Here, you will find the iconic floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine greeting you as you enter the shrine grounds. The unique sight is due to the natural sequences of the ocean’s tide and is considered on of Japan’s top three most beautiful sights. The island is also known for its Momiji manju and delicious oysters which you can snack on during your visit.

After our morning in Miyajima, we will head into the city of Hiroshima. Spend the afternoon strolling around the historically important A-Bomb Dome, the only surviving building from the atomic bombing of the city during World War Two. Surrounding the dome is the Peace Memorial Park where you can learn more about the bombing and see famous attractions like Sadako’s statue and the Freedom Bell.

Today, we begin our journey into the southern two islands of Japan. Our first stop will be at the city of Kumamoto for a visit to Kumamoto Castle. Kumamoto Castle is one three premier castles in Japan, along with Matsumoto Castle and Himeji Castle which we visited earlier. While we won’t be going inside the castle due to reconstruction, the many views and scenery can still be enjoyed from the castle grounds. The castle grounds also contain Johsaien, a shopping arcade with over 20 shops and the Wakuwaku-za museum featuring the history and culture of Kumamoto.

Next, your cherry blossom tour will travel to the fabled lands of Takachiho. Takachiho Gorge is said to be the hiding spot of the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu, when Susano-o, the God of Storms, was terrorizing her. The natural greenery in contrast with the volcanic rock that forms the gorge makes for a magnificent scenery. Our last stop of the day will be the Tunnel Station which houses the Kagura Shuzo Brewery. Sample the local sake and shop for potential gifts at this unique destination.

Our Southern Japan tour continues onwards to Yufuin, a charming rural hot spring town where we will stop by Lake Kinrin and the local shopping street. A special feature of Lake Kinrin is that on top of the regular spring water, hot spring water also feeds into the lake, creating a layer of wondrous mist during cool mornings.

After a relaxing morning in Yufuin, we’ll head toward Beppu, a famous hot spring city known for its 8 unique hot spring areas intended for sightseeing only. Today, we will stop by the Umijigoku, or “Sea Hell”, which has beautiful cobalt blue waters due to the various minerals present.

After our time in Beppu, our Southern Japan tour is east-bound with a ferry ride to the neighboring island of Shikoku. Our destination is the Japanese castle city of Matsuyama. We then proceed to the hotel.

Our Southern Japan tour starts today with a brief visit to one of the oldest hot-springs in all Japan: Dogo Onsen. With a history of over 3000 years, this onsen is famous for welcoming the imperial family as guests in the exclusive Yushinden room. Slip in for a quick soak, or purchase local specialties along the shopping arcade.

From there, it's off to the Tokushima Prefecture to learn a new skill at an Udon making workshop to learn how to hand-make the popular thick-noodle Japanese dish. While Udon is not as well known as Ramen, it is considered a local specialty of the area loved by all the locals. Enjoy a hearty bowl of Udon while learning the art of crafting your own dish. After filling ourselves with a warm meal, your tour will take a relaxing boat cruise along the Oboke Gorge. Enjoy the nearly untouched beauty of Southern Japan’s natural scenery as you refresh your mind.

The last stop of the day will have the group venturing to the ancient vine bridge of Iya Valley. The bridge is rebuilt every three years and are made from the vines suspended over the Yoshino River.

The last stretch of our Southern Japan journey will take us to what is considered one of the most beautiful gardens in Japan, Ritsurin Garden. With the gorgeous Mt. Shiun overlooking the garden and specifically designed to seem as if the garden does not end, you are sure to snap a great picture wherever you are in the grounds.

After soaking in some natural beauty, the tour will make its way through Tokushima. We will stop at the Awa-odori Museum, a museum dedicated to the prefecture dance of Tokushima. An annual festival where thousands of spectators will flock to the area to watch the dance being performed during Obon season. Here, we’ll learn about the history as well as learn some parts of the dance.

The tour will end the day by heading to Osaka where you can experience the food destination of Japan for dinner on your own.