Japan: Castles & Cuisine

What's Included

• Accommodation
  Hostels (5 nts, multi-share & shared facilities).

• First Night Out Moment

  Connect with new friends on your first night out in a new destination.

• Welcome Moment

  Meet your CEO and group to learn more about your tour.

• Big Night Out Moment in Osaka

  Experience the nightlife of Osaka with your fellow travelers.

• Miyajima Island Visit

  Visit the sacred island of Miyajima to see the famous floating torii gate.

• Free Time in Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Osaka

  Enjoy free time to explore Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Osaka at your own pace.

• All Transport Between Destinations

  All transport between destinations and to/from included activities is provided.

What's Not Included

• Tipping and Gratuities

  Tipping and gratuities are not included.

• International Travel

  International travel to and from Japan is not included.

• Meals

  No meals are included. Allow USD280-365 for meals.

• Japan Rail Pass

  This tour does not include a Japan rail pass.

• Luggage Size Restriction

  Luggage must be less than 160cm in total for travel on Shinkansen bullet trains.

Transport

Local train, bullet train, ferry, walking.

Meals Included

No meals included

Accommodation

Stay in hostels for 5 nights with multi-share and shared facilities, offering a comfortable and social environment for travelers.

Group Size

Max 16, avg 14.

Solo Travellers

We believe solo travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and solo travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price. ...more ...less

Mode of Transport

Travel through Japan using local trains, bullet trains, ferries, and walking, providing an authentic and efficient way to explore the country.

Minimum Age

Minimum age of 18 years for this trip.

Local Dress

In Asia the dress standard is more conservative than it is back home. When packing try to pick loose, lightweight, long clothing that will keep you cool in the usually hot and humid climate of Asian summers.

Important Notes

1. Combo Trip

Please note that this tour combines with other G Adventures tours. As such, the staff and some travel companions on your tour may have previously been traveling together with G Adventures, prior to Day 1 of your tour. Likewise, some staff and travel companions may be continuing together on another G Adventures tour, after your trip concludes.



2. Rail Pass

This tour doesn’t include a Japan rail pass. You may notice members of your group booked on a longer combo tour will have a valid rail pass for a portion of your time together and that it grants them unlimited access to some forms of transport. If you're interested in exploring more of Japan with G Adventures, be sure to check out our 'Epic Japan' tour!



3. Multi-share Accommodation

18-to-Thirtysomethings accommodation in Japan is multi-share. For more information, see About Accommodation.



4. Tattoos

Tattoos are not common or widely accepted in Japan. There is no cause for concern, but do your best to cover your tattoos when possible and note that you may not be permitted to enter public spas or onsens (hot springs).



5. Luggage size restriction – Effective from May 2020 onwards

All G Adventures tours in Japan use the world-famous Shinkansen bullet trains, which have a restriction on maximum luggage size. Your luggage must be less than 160cm in total. This is roughly the size that most airline companies consider as "carry-on baggage" and allow in overhead storage compartments.



We strongly recommend bringing a day pack or backpack to use during the day, in addition to your carry-on sized luggage. Please see “What to take” under Tour details for more information. ...more ...less

Group Leader

All G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of our Chief Experience Officers (CEO). The aim of the CEO is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting - we think it's the best of both worlds. ...more ...less

About Accommodation

Japan is one of the most populous countries in the world and space is at a premium. Therefore, hotel and hostel rooms are small. Additionally, some Japanese hotels do not have designating non-smoking rooms. Therefore, we ask hotels to deodorize rooms before check-in.



Accommodation will be varied throughout your adventure. Some nights on this tour will be multi-share. This may involve 4-6 group members sharing a room. The majority of accommodation will have shared bathroom facilities.



Where we use multi-share hostels, rooming requests of any kind cannot be taken. For private accommodation please see our Japan tours in our Classic Travel Style. ...more ...less

What to Take

It’s essential to pack as lightly as possible for rail travel in Japan. All G Adventures tours use the world-famous Shinkansen bullet trains, which have a restriction on maximum luggage size.



Any luggage brought on board must be less than 160cm in total (calculated as the sum of the height + width + depth of your luggage). This is roughly the size that most airline companies consider as "carry-on baggage" and allow in overhead storage compartments. We strongly recommend bringing a day pack or backpack to use during the day (for daily essentials like water, cameras, passport, etc.).



Please note that travellers who bring luggage that exceeds this restriction will be directly penalized by the Central Japan Railway Company. Any luggage between 160–250cm will require a fee of 1,000 JPY per luggage, for each leg of your train journey, and is strictly subject to availability. Any luggage over 251cm in total is prohibited on the Shinkansen trains.



If you absolutely must bring more than what fits into a single carry-on bag plus day pack, you may bring a second carry-on bag which also must be less than 160cm in total. Please note, however, that as with all G Adventures tours, you must be able to carry your luggage unassisted.



You will also be walking with your luggage in busy public train stations to catch connecting trains, so it is highly recommended that you travel light, have easy to handle luggage, and are capable of walking up and down the stairs with your luggage without any assistance. A large bag will be an inconvenience to you and slow you down!



We recommend keeping the weight of your bags between 10-15kg (22-30 lbs). Large suitcases are not recommended for G Adventures trips. We suggest travellers bring a rucksack or rolling bag of small to medium size. You will also need a day-pack to carry daily essentials like water, cameras, passport, etc.



Luggage Transfer - Japan’s "takuhaibin" service is a convenient and reliable way to transfer luggage from one location to another throughout the country. Pick-up/drop-off/delivery dates and times can be easily scheduled (usually overnight) and costs are moderate. Service can be arranged at most hotels and airports. Using takuhaibin to send your luggage between hotels, or from hotel to airport, is a great way to travel light and avoid hauling large bags on crowded trains or up and down stairs – just be sure to pack an overnight bag with everything you’ll need until you’re reunited with your luggage the following day. ...more ...less

Spending Money

Every traveller is different and therefore spending money requirements will vary. Some travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping. Please also remember the following specific recommendations when planning your trip. ...more ...less