2024 Pacific Ridge Japan Cultural Journey
| Travel Dates: | May 25, 2024 - June 4, 2024 |
| Group Organizer(s): |
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| WTT Contact: |
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| Program Tuition: | $4,990 USD |
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Japan Cultural Journey
This island nation is one of the most remarkable and unique travel destinations in the world. It’s a country with millennia of proud history but also one that rushes forward toward modernity, creating for a fantastic mix of old and new. Ancient shrines bump up against shiny skyscrapers and neon lights blend with the quiet of the countryside. The food is world-class, the landscapes are spectacular and the culture is one that respects tradition and history alongside karaoke and manga. Few places on earth offer an experience as rich and wonderful!
Cultural Journeys
Cultural Journeys allow travelers to gain insights into the heritage, history and modern realities of their destination by offering a broad diversity of experience. We rely on the expertise of our local staff to plan itineraries which not only explore the prominent sites but also make time for the lesser-known local gems and are intentional about regular interaction with local people.
Program Highlights
Check out some of the featured experiences of your program!
Sing your heart out at a local Karaoke!
Have the adventure of a lifetime with your friends
Try your hand at creating anime
Walk through the Harajuku District of Tokyo
Experience some of most iconic parts of Kyoto
Explore Akihabara Electric Town
The Itinerary
We do everything possible to abide by itineraries as originally planned, but decades of experience teachers that we must flexible in our planning. Changes to a trip’s schedule are uncommon, but Walking Tree reserves the right to make adjustments to programming in the best interest of the group.
| Day | Location | Description | Lodging |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA - Japan | Today the group will take an overnight flight to Tokyo. | Airplane |
| 2 | Tokyo | Today we arrive to Tokyo, upon arrival we will meet our program leader and drive to our hotel. After some well deserved reste, we will head out for our welcome dinner. Tonight we will have our big orientation meeting. | Hotel Tokyo |
| 3 | Tokyo | After breakfast we weil begin exploring the bustling city of Tokyo. We will begin exploring the Tsukiji Outer Market. Afterwards, we will visit the Asakusa Kannon Temple in Shitamachi (literally ‘downtown’) is surrounded by crowded street stalls. Asakusa is the city’s oldest Geisha district and also the home to Senso-ji, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple. We will then have lunch at a local restaurant. To finish our day, we will explore Akihabara, an area in Tokyo made famous by its hundreds of electronics shops, and more recently as the center for Tokyo’s anime, manga, video game, and figurine culture. We will then have dinner in the town before heading back to out hotel. | Hotel Tokyo |
| 4 | Tokyo | Today we will continue exploring the city. Our first stop is The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku. We will get a change to go up to its observation decks which provides one of the best panoramic views of Tokyo and beyond. Later, we will head to the Meiji Jingu, Tokyo’s most famous Shinto shrine dedicated to the spirit of the late Emperor Meiji. The park that surrounds the shrine has around 120,000 trees, making you forget that just outside the shrine grounds are two of the city’s popular shopping districts, Harajuku and Omotesando. After lunch, we will make a stop at Harajuku, the shopping haven for all fashionistas and the popular meeting place for teenagers who are usually in eccentric clothing. Finally we will visit the famous Shibuya district and its iconic intersection called ‘The Scramble’, one of the world’s busiest pedestrian lanes, and the statue of Hachiko, the most popular dog in Japan. We will head back to the hotel to pack our bags for tomorrow's departure to Kyoto and have dinner on our way to the hotel. | Hotel Tokyo |
| 5 | Tokyo - Kyoto | Today we say godbye to Tokyo and head to our next destination,. After breakfast, we will head to Tokyo station to take a bullet train to Kyoto. Once in Kyoto, we will visit Ginkakuji and Nanzenji Temples, some of the most importan Zen templas in the country. After lunch, we will take a stroll through Nishiki Market, lso known as "Kyoto's Kitchen", a narrow, five block long shopping street lined by more than one hundred shops and restaurants. We sill make a stop at Higashiyama before heading to Gion District, the old “Geisha district” of Kyoto. We will have dinner at a local restaurant. | Hotel Kyoto |
| 6 | Kyoto | After breakfast, we will head to Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto's stunning pavilion collectively famously know for its pavilion covered in handmade gold leaves. Today we will also visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine, an important Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto. You will have the chance to walk through its famous thousands of vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings. After lunch, we will drive back to out hotel and have some free time until dinner. | Hotel Kyoto |
| 7 | Kyoto | Today we will have a leisurely morning with some free time to explore out neighborhood. Later, we will learn about Japanese cuisine. Students will participate in a workshop well they will learn how to make miso soup, tempura or bento lunch boxes, often artfully arranged. To finish our tour, we will visit Nijo Castle, which oldest building was completed in the early 1600s and has since then been known for its Momoyama-style architecture, decorated sliding doors, and “chirping nightingale” floors | Hotel Kyoto |
| 8 | Kyoto - Nara | Today we will go on a day trip to Nara! Nara Park is a large park in central Nara. Established in 1880, it is the location of many of Nara's main attractions including Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofukuji and the Nara National Museum. It is also home to hundreds of freely roaming deer. Considered the messengers of the gods, Nara's over 1000 deer have become a symbol of the city and have even been designated as a natural treasure. After visitin the Todai-ji Temple we will have lunch at a local restaurant and walk to the Kasuga Taisha Shinto Shrine, famous for its bronze and stone lanterns donated by its worshippers. We will drive back to Kyoto where we will have dinner before heading back to out hotel. | Hotel Kyoto |
| 9 | Kyoto | Today we will have time explore in smaller groups. We can visit some local markets and shops to buy some last minute souvenirs or we may visit other attractions in Kyoto. In the afternoon, we will complete out end of program activities before heading out for dinner at a local restaurant. Back at the hotel, we will pack out bags to prepare for our international departure tomorrow. | Hotel Kyoto |
| 10 | Kyoto - USA | Sayōnara! The group will be transferred to the airport to catch a flight back home. | Your own bed, eventually! |
Safety and Support
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24/7 GLOBAL EMERGENCY LINE
HIGHLY VETTED PARTNERS
EXPERT LEADERSHIP
PRIVATE GROUP GUARANTEE
COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM SUPPORT
DEDICATION TO CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICING
This was our daughter’s 2nd trip with Walking Tree. In 2016, she took her school’s first trip with Walking Tree to Ecuador, and absolutely loved it. Once again, the Walking Tree representative was excellent. My daughter said Ben really made the trip, and worked hard to keep the group happy. Other positives: communication before the trip, website outline, daily blogs and trip photos. Very professional organization. We feel very secure sending our student out into the world with Walking Tree.
Andrea
Parent of Olivia, traveler on California Cultural Journey
Your Adventure Includes
Program Tuition Excludes: Travel insurance, baggage fees, passport/visa fees, laundry, souvenirs, and activities not listed on the itinerary.
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Resource Center
Why should high school students travel abroad? What happens if a participant gets sick? How quickly do we need to enroll? We’re sure you have plenty of questions and we’ve got you covered! Visit our Resource Center to discover the answers to your most pressing questions and contact us anytime with additional questions.