day to day
Day 01
Arrive in Japan (Tokyo)
On arrival in Japan, we will be greeted at Tokyo International Airport by our tour leader, who will give us a thorough overview of our program and teach us some elementary Japanese before we set out to explore this famous city. Our experience today will begin this evening with a trip to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. From the top of this structure, we can enjoy incredible views of this amazing city (which also happens to be the world’s biggest). With favourable weather conditions, we will explore famous landmarks such as Mount Fuji, the Tokyo Skytree, and the Meiji Shrine. Following this, we will venture out for our first taste of Japanese cuisine at a popular local eatery. After dinner, there will be a short time for us to explore one of the city’s buzzing walking streets in downtown Tokyo before we return to our hotel for a much-anticipated night’s rest.
Day 02
Tokyo Robots, Ginza, Harajuku youth district, Manga & Teamlab
This morning we will visit Japan’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan) to learn about Japanese innovation, robotics and new technologies. Despite the recent rise of China, Japan remains at the forefront of quaternary industries and research into artificial intelligence. Here we can meet ‘ASIMO’ – a famous Japanese robot and will have the opportunity to talk to researchers about Japanese robotics and technology. Later, we will enjoy a special excursion to Japan’s incredible TeamLab borderless display. This amazing installation is the result of a collaboration between artists, programmers, engineers, mathematicians, graphic designers and animators who through digital technology have released expressions, thus creating a new and highly original relationship between art and people. In the afternoon we will enjoy a manga workshop to learn first-hand the techniques and practices that have spawned a generation of inspiration, procreating the developments of series such as Pokémon and Transformers. This workshop will be hosted by a talented Manga artist who will share with us the secrets of this immersive storytelling medium, where images rule supreme. The Japanese characters for manga translate as 'pictures run riot' or 'pictures unbounded'. It is manga's visually immersive quality that makes it so popular.
Day 03
Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, Shinjuku Entertainment District, and Shibuya Crossing
Today we will visit one of the country’s inspiring future cities, Kawasaki. As issues of overpopulation, rapid urbanisation and an aging population become particularly acute in Japan, the Japanese government has for nearly a decade been working on meaningful solutions to this common challenge of humanity. The Smart City Project is one such initiative that we will be looking at today. While aiming to provide a more sustainable approach, the project also works to reduce its heavy industrialization footprints in the post-war years. Through visiting industry sites, we will be learning about the business models in Japan’s eco-cities. This activity will be as informative as it is rewarding for future young city planners. Some of the sites we will visit include a massive high-technology recycling plant, a solar panel production centre and the Toshiba Technology Centre. Alternatively, we will visit the Bleeding Edge Panasonic Centre. This interactive science museum is specifically geared toward budding scientists and shares a close association with Nintendo as well as other Japanese technology companies, showcasing interactive games and hands-on activities revolving around scientific concepts and natural phenomena. Following this, we will venture out to visit Chuo-Dori Street. This main section of Ginza is not only known as a major shopping and dining hub but also famed as the centre of the anime pop culture phenomenon. Here, we will find people in various fashion styles, including Harajuku- a fashion movement that has emerged into a variety of subcultures, including cosplay. We will also visit Tokyo’s vibrant Shinjuku and Shibuya districts to experience some of the most vibrant streetscapes and human energy to be experienced anywhere on our planet.
Day 04
Student Initiated Activity Day (Morning) Afternoon travel Tokyo – Hakone (Mt. Fuji)
Japanese martial arts activity: Today we will take part in a highly enjoyable (and physical!) session of ancient Japanese martial arts - Kendo. Meaning “Way of the Sword”, Kendo is the traditional Japanese style of fencing whose roots can be traced to early Samurai. Both a sport and an art form aim to achieve a state of balance between the physical and spiritual realms. For many ‘Kendokas’, Kendo is also a way of living and building character.) Sushi cooking class: Today we will enjoy a hands-on cooking class to learn the secrets of Japan’s most famous culinary export – sushi. Here we will learn of the various techniques and ingredients that go into making this quintessential Japanese dish, before enjoying a wondrous meal along with some other famous Japanese dishes. (NB: alternative cooking classes include Ramen, tempura or a Japanese dessert class) Sumo experience: A very special treat awaits us this morning as we venture out this morning to visit a sumo stable to learn about this quintessential Japanese sport. During this time, we will learn much about the rituals, traditions and special diets of the wrestlers. Fast-paced, colourful and full of ritual, our experience this morning will offer us a fascinating glimpse into traditional Japanese culture and a fun part of any Tokyo itinerary. Sumo wrestlers live in heya (training stables) where they follow strict traditions that dictate their daily lives, from what they wear to what they eat. The top sumo wrestlers are celebrities in Japan, have fan clubs and retain their prestigious titles for life. (Meals: breakfast, lunch) Baseball experience: Despite initially being brought to Japan by Americans, baseball in Japan is more different than you'd think from the American experience. There’s never a dull moment when you’re at a Japanese baseball game where each team has a “side” of the stadium dedicated to their cheering squad, packed with fans who are constantly making raucous, tribal chants of intimidation. Baseball isn’t Japan’s favourite sport for no reason - spectators give their all to cheer for their teams, almost to the point of fanaticism. So, while foreigners may be puzzled for a while when they first see a Japanese baseball game, you’ll soon realize that it’s these quirky traditions that make watching Japanese baseball a very memorable experience. NB: as an alternative to baseball, we will enjoy an epic J-League football match. This afternoon we will farewell Tokyo as we travel south aboard one of Japan’s world-famous bullet trains (Shinkansen) bound for the city of Hakone. The Shinkansen has long been a symbol of Japanese efficiency, but its importance in shaping Japan’s economy is much more than symbolic. Most of Japan’s population lives in a surprisingly small number of places—only 20% of the country’s land is habitable— and a high-speed train is an elegant solution for shuttling workers from one dense city to another. Tonight, we will stay in a traditional Japanese Ryokan – an experience not to be missed. We will be guided by our tour leader regarding proper etiquette when staying in this typical Japanese accommodation.)
Day 05
Hakone - Nagoya
We will venture out for a full-day excursion to Mt. Fuji and its surrounding hinterland. Arriving at the Yoshida Trail, we will be able to enjoy terrific views of the enigmatic Mount Fiji. Mount Fuji is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and it is Japan's highest mountain with a height of 3,776 meters. This nearly perfectly shaped volcano has been worshipped as a sacred mountain and many artists in the early 19th century produced images that had a profound influence on the development of Western art whilst here, we will also learn of the work of Japan’s most celebrated woodworking artists. Artists throughout the country have strived for centuries to create items of unmatched beauty and intricacy, an example being the famous puzzle boxes with secret chambers that require very specific and elaborate patterns of movement to open. After lunch, we will travel to nearby Lake Ashi, to board a boat for a short cruise across the lake. The views from our boat are spectacular indeed from where we may admire the pristine waters surrounding, Mt. Fuji that we enjoy ample view of this day. This afternoon we will visit the workshop of a Japanese artisan to learn about Japanese meticulous woodworking culture and take part in a hands-on craft activity. (Meals: breakfast, dinner)
Day 06
Nagoya - Kyoto Toyota (design headquarters)
We will board our private bus and travel to the town of Toyota – the birthplace and epicentre of the design and manufacturing of the world’s most recognizable automobile . During the Meiji period (1868- 1912) the area was a major producer of silk until the decline of the industry in the 1930s when Mr. Kiichiro Toyoda set up the Toyota automobile manufacturing base here. Japanese car manufacturing is today still the benchmark for automobile engineering that introduced several revolutionary practices including just-in-time manufacturing which we will learn more about today. Whilst here we will also visit the Toyota Kaikan Museum and learn of Toyota’s production processes, innovations and patents - in particular, exhibits presenting advances in hybrid, driverless and environmentally friendly cars. We will also take a comprehensive tour of one of the company’s manufacturing plants to learn of the methods other car manufacturers throughout the world endeavour to emulate. This afternoon we will depart Toyota and travel to the historic city of Kyoto. This beautiful city is the epitome of old Japan - famous for its atmospheric temples, traditional teahouses and geisha hurrying to secret liaisons. Kyoto served as Japan’s capital and the emperor’s residence for over 1,000 years. Over the centuries the city was destroyed many times by wars and fires. We have a short time to stroll around the streets close to our hotel to start to get a feel for the city and perhaps visit the city's famous Nishiki Market before dinner. (Ryokan) (Meals: breakfast, dinner)
Day 07
Kyoto - Osaka (Kansai Airport) OSAKA - Home
There are few better ways to get to know Kyoto than by way of a leisurely bicycle ride. En route, we will visit famous temples, charming waterways, tea houses and delightful bamboo forests as well as merchant houses purposely designed to be impossibly narrow and long to avoid the land taxes in the past. We will also pass by the abodes of Geishas whom we will see several strolling around the streets in their traditional costumes and white-painted faces. Whilst in Kyoto we will also visit one of the country's sublime Zen gardens. Lacking flowers doesn’t mean they lack beauty – the deliberate placement of the stones and the minimalist expressions in the sand, with pebbles placed to look like waves, are a must-see for students of art & design. This afternoon we will partake in a Japanese business etiquette seminar. Japanese companies are renowned for their ability to innovate and disrupt business while retaining strong alignment to traditional hierarchical structures, risk aversion and obsession with detail. Surprisingly, many very successful foreign companies never start a business in Japan or only enter the Japanese market through a distributor. This is often due to fear or intimidation of its business culture. Our activity will give us an insight into this often-confusing procedure. Dinner this evening will be adjacent to one of the city's thriving Dotonbori districts we will have a short time to explore following dinner this evening, before transferring to Osaka’s international airport where our tour leader will take care of all our onward travel arrangements and wave us farewell.
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Since 1999, we've led culturally immersive school trips to Asia, the Middle East, and South America, customizing each to your curriculum and student needs. Our goal: transformative travel experiences. We make a positive impact in local communities, fostering agility, curiosity, and compassion in students to address cultural complexities. We also cultivate global citizenship and inspire lifelong exploration of complex issues like poverty, development, and environmental change. 