Kon'nichiwa and welcome to Tokyo! Today you arrive in one of the most vibrant and progressive cities in the world. After checking into your hostel, you meet your travel group and look forward to the adventures ahead.

Today is all about discovering everything Tokyo has to offer. Firstly, we visit one of the oldest temples in the country, Senso-ji Temple, before heading to Meiji Shrine. Next on the agenda is the colourful, eclectic and fashionable Harajuku before we venture to the iconic Shibuya intersection, the busiest intersection in the world. After dinner tonight, we'll squeeze into one of the tiny bars in Shinjuku.

Firstly, we meet with a sushi master today to try our hand at the art of sushi rolling. With full bellies, we then have some free time to explore Tokyo before heading off to the futuristic sights and sounds of Akihabara. Known locally as the „Electric City“, Akihabara is famous for its arcades, maid cafes, Japanese photo booths and gaming centres.

Now's your chance to experience Japan's famous bullet train for real. Speeding out of Tokyo at over 320 km/h, we arrive in Nagano just in time to try out the ancient art of origami, followed by a relaxing soak in an onsen, also known as a volcanic hot spring. Tonight we live like locals and settle down in our traditional Japanese ryokan, where we sleep on tatami mats and comfortable futon beds.

This morning we delve deeper into Japanese cuisine by learning how to make our own soba noodles. We then head into the mountains to observe the region's famous snow monkeys, the Japanese macaques. These red-faced troublemakers play among the trees in the summer months and warm themselves by bathing in the natural hot springs in winter. We enjoy the fresh mountain air and then take time to explore the beautiful lakes and forests of Shiga-Kogen National Park (summer).

This morning we board the high-speed train again, this time heading for Hakone. Known for its hot springs, natural beauty and (of course) Mount Fuji, we check into our trendy accommodation, which has its own onsen.

You won't be walking the plank, but you will be exploring Hakone by pirate ship (and cable car) this morning, keeping an eye out for snow-capped Mount Fuji. Then it's on to Osaka, also known as the „Kitchen of the Nation“. To celebrate, we invite you to a barbecue dinner where you can fortify yourself for a night out Osaka-style! Who's up for some karaoke?

This morning you'll have time to relax before we set off as a group to visit the 400-year-old Osaka Castle. It looks like something out of a fairy tale, and you'll struggle not to get house envy as we explore the grounds and hear stories about Japanese history in the castle museum, including the country's most famous warriors - the samurai. Then it's on to Dotonbori, the famous canal region where you'll find the best food in Japan!

Today we spend the night in a 1000-year-old Buddhist temple. We drive into the mountains to the town of Koyasan, where we are welcomed into the temple by the monks who live there. They will introduce us to meditation and serve us their traditional food. This evening we will explore Japan's most famous cemetery.

It's an early start today, but it's worth watching the Buddhist monks perform their morning prayer ritual and fire ceremony. We are then served breakfast before travelling on to our final destination of Kyoto. After checking into our boutique hostel, you will have time to explore Japan's ancient capital on your own. This evening, we will learn more about Japan's mysterious geishas on a tour of the Gion neighbourhood.

Green, lush and vibrant - the bamboo forest of Arashiyama, famous on social media, is our first stop today. After taking a few photos, we make our way to the luxurious Golden Pavilion, which owes its name to the fact that it is completely covered in gold leaf. Tonight is free to visit a sushi restaurant, find an underground bar or challenge your friends to a round of bowling in the arcades.

Today we visit the famous torii gates of Fushimi-Inari. We climb part of the mountainside to see thousands of the magnificent orange-coloured gates. This is one of the most famous shrines in Japan. This afternoon we learn how to wield a traditional samurai sword under the watchful eye of a samurai master.

This morning we explore the beautiful neighbourhood of Sannenzaka and then immerse ourselves in Japanese culture at a traditional tea ceremony. After savouring our cups of matcha tea, we take a local train to spend the afternoon exploring the gardens and temples of Nara. After making friends with the local deer, we return to Kyoto to prepare for our next destination.

Today we travel by high-speed train to Hiroshima. Upon arrival, we will visit the Peace Park and Museum and the Atomic Bomb Dome, which commemorate the tragic bombings of 1945. As we pause at the memorials, we will reflect on this crucial part of history to deepen our appreciation of Japanese society today.

We take the ferry to Itsukushima - also known as Miyajima Island - to see the famous floating torii gate. With temples, deer and hiking trails, we explore the island at our own pace. Tonight we sample Hiroshima's speciality, okonomiyaki, and then seek out a hidden whisky bar.

We make our way back to Osaka at the speed of light (okay, maybe not quite that fast) for one last day of last-minute shopping and sightseeing. Tonight we explore Shinsekai together, a retro neighbourhood in downtown Osaka with lots of fancy restaurants and izakayas, where we eat our way through the streets and toast to the great time we had together!

Your unforgettable adventure comes to an end today. Those flying home will make their way to the airport or extend their stay in Japan with our help and the new friends they have made.