Japan Adventure with SWAYNAMI

Dinner - Get to know your group and toast to the adventure ahead! Dinner at a local restaurant is included. Dinner is typically a set menu of Japanese cuisine. No drinks included. Additional food and beverages are at your own expense. To get to the restaurant you’ll be taking public transportation for about 15 minutes. *Please note that Japanese cuisine frequently uses ingredients with animal products and/or gluten, therefore vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free diets CANNOT be accommodated.

Overnight in Tokyo.

Breakfast at the hotel is included. Typical hotel breakfasts are continental full/America, or buffet style. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel. *Please note that Japanese cuisine frequently uses ingredients with animal products and/or gluten, therefore vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free diets CANNOT be accommodated.

Connect with Japan’s heritage as you enter the nearly 40-foot high gate that leads into tranquil grounds dedicated to Emperor Meiji (1867-1912) and his wife. You’ll wash your hands in accordance with the Shinto ritual of cleansing, then observe the rituals and prayers that take place here.

Explore the birthplace of Tokyo street style. Since the early 1980s, teens have come here to break free of conformity and express themselves through stunning colors and fashions. The shops and restaurants of Takeshita dori and the vintage treasures of Cat Street await!

This evening you will explore the lively Shinjuku area on foot for a fascinating foodie adventure! Beginning either from your hotel or meeting spot pre-determined by your guide, you will join local crowds in this world-famous foodie’s paradise to hunt for iconic and unique local snacks that will fill up your dinner experience. Three stops will be made at various Japanese pubs and eateries where you will sample izakaya food such as Yakitori, Tempura, as well as some other surprising unique local treats that you normally would not encounter. The type of food items sampled during this tour will largely be meat-based with a few vegetable & seafood items. *Please note that Japanese cuisine frequently uses ingredients with animal products and/or gluten, therefore vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free diets CANNOT be accommodated.

Dinner is included as a part of the Meguro Evening Street Food Tour. You’ll be making 3 stops tonight to try Tempura in an Izakaya, okonomiyaki or seafood depending on the availability of the day, and ramen. Note that the food stops are subject to change. *Please note that Japanese cuisine frequently uses ingredients with animal products and/or gluten, therefore vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free diets CANNOT be accommodated.

Overnight in Tokyo.

Breakfast at the hotel is included. Typical hotel breakfasts are continental full/America, or buffet style. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel.Please note that Japanese cuisine frequently uses ingredients with animal products and/or gluten, therefore vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free diets CANNOT be accommodated.

Don't forget to prepare a small go to bag for tomorrow before dropping off your luggage in the lobby. Your luggage awaits you in your next hotel.

Akihabara is famous hub for anime, manga, and video game culture, making it a must-visit destination for all otaku. We will take our time exploring the district's many anime/manga shops. (And who knows... maybe we'll find a cafe or two to go to!).

Overnight in Tokyo.

Breakfast at the hotel is included. Typical hotel breakfasts are continental full/America, or buffet style. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel. *Please note that Japanese cuisine frequently uses ingredients with animal products and/or gluten, therefore vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free diets CANNOT be accommodated.

This morning you will take the Shinkansen, bullet train, to Kyoto. Kyoto is nicknamed "the city of ten thousand shrines" and is where we'll stay for the next two nights.

Visit the 1,350-year-old Yasaka Shrine then walk Kyoto streets lined with beautifully restored shops before heading to Kiyomizu Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is also known as the Pure Water Temple due to its 3 streams of fresh mountain water which are said to grant luck in love, success in studies, or long life. Just don’t drink from all 3 as that’s considered greedy!

Overnight in Kyoto.

Breakfast at the hotel is included. Typical hotel breakfasts are continental full/America, or buffet style. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel. *Please note that Japanese cuisine frequently uses ingredients with animal products and/or gluten, therefore vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free diets CANNOT be accommodated.

Encompassing 5 blocks in the center of town, this lively retail market known as “Kyoto's Kitchen” specializes in all things culinary. With over 100 shops selling fresh seafood, vegetables, traditional sweets, and more, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

Witness a display of spirituality and skill–called Sao or Cha-no-yu–that has been passed down through the centuries. In this intimate ceremony, practitioners seek to bring harmony and inner peace to their guests by preparing tea with traditional equipment and serving it warm.

Don't forget to prepare a small go to bag for tomorrow before dropping off your luggage in the lobby. Your luggage awaits you in your next hotel.

Overnight in Kyoto.

Breakfast at the hotel is included. Typical hotel breakfasts are continental full/America, or buffet style. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel. *Please note that Japanese cuisine frequently uses ingredients with animal products and/or gluten, therefore vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free diets CANNOT be accommodated.

Today is an exciting day as you get ready to take the train from Kyoto to Osaka, which is also known as the Kitchen of Japan. Osaka is famous for its street food, and you are in for a culinary adventure. The train journey between these two cities is beautiful, with scenic views of the countryside.

Take a 20 minute public transit to embark on an enticing Osaka Street Food Tour, where your taste buds will be treated to the vibrant flavors of the city's bustling streets. The adventure begins in Shinsekai, a nostalgically retro downtown area, where you'll savor kushikatsu, delicious Japanese-style skewers that are a must-try local delicacy. From there, the journey takes you to the heart of Osaka's food scene, Dotonbori, to indulge in takoyaki, the iconic octopus balls that epitomize the city's street food culture. The tour ends with a sit-down farewell dinner, consisting of 8-9 courses that showcases the finest of Japanese cuisine, including a Wagyu Hot-pot, Chicken Sashimi, and Chicken Karaage, among other exquisite dishes. This culinary exploration not only offers a taste of Osaka's rich food heritage but also provides a memorable farewell to the city's gastronomic delights. *Please note that Japanese cuisine frequently uses ingredients with animal products and/or gluten, therefore vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free diets CANNOT be accommodated.

Dinner at a local restaurant is included as the last stop of the Osaka Street Food Tour. Dinner will typically be an 8-9 course that showcases the finest of Japanese cuisine, including a Wagyu Hot-pot, Chicken Sashimi, and Chicken Karaage,etc. All you can drink (soft drinks) is included. Menu and restaurant are subject to change. Then walk 15 minutes back to the hotel. *Please note that Japanese cuisine frequently uses ingredients with animal products and/or gluten, therefore vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free diets CANNOT be accommodated.

Overnight in Osaka.

Breakfast at the hotel is included. Typical hotel breakfasts are continental full/America, or buffet style. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel. *Please note that Japanese cuisine frequently uses ingredients with animal products and/or gluten, therefore vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free diets CANNOT be accommodated.