Japan 

This island nation, situated in the Pacific Ocean along the “Ring of Fire” tectonic hot-zone, offers everything from high-rise cities and imperial palaces to snow-capped mountains and dense bamboo forests. For anyone who has eaten sushi, sipped sake or read Manga, it's easy to feel a familiarity with Japan. But once you arrive, it's obvious that Japan is a universe unto itself. Prepare yourself to be pleasantly disoriented by this country that's melds the old with the new, blending ancient Gods, customs and ways of life with the newest technology, fashion and cutting-edge culinary creativity.

We recognize the extraordinary role that meaningful international travel can play in shaping the lives of young people, and strive to create itineraries which push travelers to see themselves and the places they visit in a new and exciting light.

Walking Tree organizes programs for teachers and their students.
Don’t see your area of interest highlighted in the itinerary below? Plan your own customized trip today!

Sample Itinerary

Walking Tree Travel specializes in customized group travel. The itinerary below is from a recent program and is provided here as an example of just one of many experiences that are possible in this destination.

Today the group will depart from the US to Tokyo, Japan.

 

Say konnichiwa to your Walking Tree Leader, your expert on all things Japan and your travel partner for the duration of the program. At your hotel, throw on a yukata robe, pour a cup of green tea, and put your feet up to relax after a long day of travel. But don't relax too much! Before long we’ll be off to enjoy our first meal in the Shibuya area of Tokyo, one of the busiest and most famous pedestrian crossings in the world!

 

Learn the ins and outs of Japan's biggest cultural export and try your hand at manga, Japanese comics. Become your own story writer and illustrator. In no time you’ll have created your own comic and be ready for publishing! Later take a step into the past when we visit the impressive Tokyo Edo museum. Learn about feudal Japan and the evolution of Japanese culture over time

 

Rise early and greet the day at the Tsukiji Market, the last stop on a fish's journey from sea to sushi mat. Tsukiji is an open window into Japan's fishing, cooking, and dining heritage. With around 900 vendors, it's the planet's largest seafood market. Put your newfound seafood knowledge to use at a sushi making class. Your instructors are sushi experts and teacher for many sushi chefs in the area. You'll sample a huge range of Japan's signature dish, and learn how to tell the difference between different types of sushi and sashimi. This afternoon we'll check out Asakusa, home to the Sensō-ji, a famous Buddhist Temple. This evening we'll hit up a karaoke lounge which is a quintessentially Japanese experience and one that you'll remember for a lifetime!

 

This morning, the group will depart for Yoshikawa, Lake Oswego's sister city! The group will get settled in with their host families and participate in some community lead activities. Community members from the sister city organization will organize the group's activities during the next two days. In the past years, students have participated in a welcome party, activities with a local high school, a visit to city hall, a tea ceremony, and spend time with host families. As the trip approaches, we will have a clearer idea of exactly what activities will be coordinated by community members.

 

Continuation of activities in Yoshikawa.

 

Continuation of activities in Yoshikawa.

 

Continuation of activities in Yoshikawa.

 

Say "Sayōnara" to our host families in Yoshikawa and depart for Hiroshima. We will be traveling on via train . Once in Hiroshima, we will go out for an evening of Japanese hot pot for dinner while preparing for our visit to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park with an orientation and overview of the history of the city.

 

Today, we will visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which contains a museum, the remnants of buildings destroyed by the 1945 atomic bomb and monuments to the people killed by this nuclear attack. Then we will visit the famous Hiroshima Castle, followed by the downtown district and Shukenin, one of Japan's most famous gardens.

 

We'll also make our way to Miyajima, known for Itsukushima Shrine’s giant Tori Gate which appears to float on top of the water. We will end the day with solo time and reflection on the previous days activities.

 

Today we will make our way from Hiroshima back to Tokyo. Upon arrival in the afternoon, we will end our trip with a baseball game. We will also have a celebratory farewell dinner and final reflection meeting to wrap up our exciting trip.

 

Depart Tokyo for the USA.

 

Teacher Spotlight

Charlotte
Japanese Teacher, Oregon

"Our WT staff guide was an amazing support, guide, and a trove of cultural information. I also felt that we had great support behind the scenes when different situations came up."

All-Inclusive Program Tuition

$3,790 + Plane and world iconInternational Flight

Program Types in this Destination

Service AdventuresConservation ExpeditionsCultural Journeys

Don’t see your area of interest highlighted in the itinerary above?
Plan your own customized trip today!

Program Tuition Includes

All accommodations

Three meals per day

Ground transportation

Drinking water

Full time leadership team

Group activity and entry fees

Taxes and tips

Estimated airfare*

Not included: Baggage fees, Airline minor fees, Passport/visa fees, Laundry, Souvenirs, Activities not listed on the itinerary.

*Estimated airfare: In order to give our travelers the best possible price, we break out airfare from the Program Tuition. We will still handle all booking and ticketing via our flight partner who has access to special fares not available to the general public. Families will be invoiced for the flight once we are able to secure the best airfare for the group.

Global Leadership Activities

Walking Tree Travel has developed tools that will help our travelers mature as global leaders before, during, and after their travel program. These simple, engaging activities are meant to spark discussion, frame the group’s experience, and prepare participants to travel ethically and effectively on our programs now and on their own into the future. Our activities also encourage students to take initiative as leaders in their local communities to make a difference at an immediate level, helping them to understand the impact they can have when they combine cultural understanding with personal and social responsibility.

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