Essential Japan & South Korea (16 days)

Tokyo – Mt. Fuji – Hakone – Kanazawa – Shirakawa – Takayama – Kyoto – Nara – Osaka – Busan – Gyeongju – Seoul

This 16-day small-group tour brings together the cultural and historical highlights of Japan and South Korea. Beginning in Tokyo, the journey takes you to Mount Fuji, the beautifully preserved historic districts of Kanazawa and Takayama, and the ancient temples and gardens of Kyoto and Nara. In South Korea, explore the coastal city of Busan, the former Silla capital of Gyeongju and the vibrant metropolis of Seoul, with an excursion to the Demilitarized Zone. Throughout the journey, enjoy expert local guides, quality hotels, authentic cuisine and a comfortable pace that allows time for independent exploration.

Important Features

• Small group size – average 15, maximum 20.
• Outstanding professional guides.
• Premium hotel accommodations.
• Quality local & Western meals.
• Sushi making lesson.
• Kaiseki dinner accompanied by a private maiko (apprentice geiko) performance.
• Excursion to the Demilitarized Zone near Seoul.
• Farewell dinner in a high-end Korean BBQ restaurant.
• No annoying shopping stops.

Meal Code: B = breakfast / L = lunch / D = dinner

Essential Japan & South Korea Tour Itinerary

Meal Code: B = breakfast / L = lunch / D = dinner

Day 1/Mon: Departing Home City
The journey begins with your transpacific flight departing from a city of your choice. You’ll lose a day upon crossing the International Date Line.

Day 2/Tue: Arrival in Tokyo
Welcome to Tokyo!

Please make your way to the hotel on your own. Detailed up-to-date information on how to get to the hotel will be provided in the final update two weeks before departure. Private transfer can be arranged on request.

Day 3/Wed: Tokyo (B/L/D)
Tokyo, literally meaning “eastern capital” and officially named Tokyo Metropolis, is one of the most populous mega-cities in the world with a population of 14 million. Formerly known as Edo, the city has been the de facto seat of the Japanese government since 1603 when shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu chose the city for his headquarters. The shogun (general) was a hereditary commander ceremoniously appointed by the emperor but held real power over the country during the shogunate period between 1192 and 1867. Edo was renamed Tokyo after Emperor Meiji moved his seat from Kyoto in 1868 when the last shogun was forced to return power to the imperial court. The city covers an area of 2,187 square kilometres following the merger in 1943 of the city of Tokyo and Tokyo Prefecture.

Our full-day sightseeing begins at the plaza in front of the Imperial Palace. A stroll across the plaza accompanied by commentary on the imperial family and the history of Tokyo gets the tour off to a good start.

We then proceed to Senso-ji, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple, whose origins date back to 628.

After lunch, we drive through the ritzy Ginza shopping district on the way to Meiji Jingu, a Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji (1852 -1912) and his wife.

We end the day with a visit to the observation deck atop the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku. Designed by renowned architect Kenzo Tange, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building opened in 1991 and is one of Shinjuku’s best-known landmarks. On a clear day, visitors can see the peak of Mount Fuji, located approximately 95 km to the west.

Welcome dinner features premium Japanese beef.

Day 4/Thu: Tokyo – Mt. Fuji – Hakone – Tokyo (B/L)
We depart at 7:45 AM for a full-day excursion to Mt Fuji and Hakone.

Mt. Fuji, the highest mountain (3,776 metres) in Japan, is a two-hour drive from Tokyo. We stop by the Fujisan World Heritage Center to view the summit and learn about the history, formation and ecology of Mt. Fuji through exhibits and a short film. However, it is purely a matter of luck whether the summit is visible as Mt. Fuji is often shrouded in clouds. Climbing Mount Fuji is not included in our itinerary. The official climbing season generally runs from early July to early September, and reaching the summit from the fifth station typically takes several hours.

We then proceed to Lake Ashi in Hakone for a half-hour cruise across the pristine alpine lake. This is followed by a 10-minute cable car ride that transports us to the station overlooking the sulphur-spewing Owakudani Geothermal Valley. On a clear day, the cable car ride provides stunning views of Mt. Fuji and its surrounding mountain slopes.

We expect to arrive back at the hotel around 6:00 PM.

Day 5/Fri: Tokyo – Kanazawa (B)
Enjoy some downtime before boarding the high-speed train (Hakutaka #561, 11:24/14:17) to Kanazawa. Be sure to grab some snacks for lunch before getting on the train.

On the shores of the Sea of Japan, Kanazawa is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture and a medium-sized city with a population of around 460,000. Considered a jewel of Japanese tourism, the city rewards visitors with its well-preserved legacy from the Edo period.

Due to the proximity of the attractions, our sightseeing in Kanazawa is done exclusively on foot with occasional use of taxis to cover the short distances between some of the locations. Please expect to walk 5 to 8 km per day.

After hotel check-in, we walk, or go by taxi (2 km, 6 minutes) if the weather is rainy, to the Higashi Chaya district. This is one of the three preserved historical geisha districts in Kanazawa (along with Nishichayagai and Kazuemachi) where geisha still entertain today.

Day 6/Sat: Kanazawa (B/L)
Today’s sightseeing on foot begins at Omicho Market, Kanazawa’s largest fresh food market particularly well known for seafood.

From the market, Kanazawa Castle is just a few minutes away on foot. Kanazawa Castle became the seat of the powerful Maeda clan in 1583, when Maeda Toshiie took possession of the site. The castle was reconstructed multiple times following fires throughout its history.

The Hishi Yagura turret, Gojikken Nagaya warehouse and the Hashizume-mon Tsuzuki Yagura turret were faithfully restored in 2001 to their 1809 form using traditional construction methods. Today’s pillars are constructed from the Japanese Hinoki cypress along with the use of the massive American cypress as ceiling beams. The reconstructed buildings feature distinctive roof tiles made from wooden forms covered with lead sheets, which gradually turn silvery white as they weather.

From the castle, we walk across a bridge to enter Kenroku-en, which used to be part of the castle. One of the “Three Great Gardens of Japan” (Koraku-en in Okayama and Kairaku-en in Mito being the other two), Kenroku-en was developed from the 1620s to the 1840s by the Maeda clan, whose successive daimyo ruled the former Kaga Domain.

The restaurant for lunch is a 12-minute walk (700 metres) from the garden.

After lunch, we walk across the street to enter Nagamachi, a historical preservation zone where the residents still go about their daily lives among the remnants of a bygone age. A highlight of the neighbourhood is the restored Nomura Samurai House, whose small but supremely exquisite traditional garden delights visitors from around the world.

Guests who are tired of walking can go back to the hotel from the samurai house by taxi (1.4 km) for about 1,000 yen.

Day 7/Sun: Kanazawa – Takayama – Shirakawa-go – Kanazawa (B/L)
We set out at 7:40 for a full-day excursion to Takayama and Shirakawa.

Famous for its inns, sake breweries, food festivals and local folk art, Takayama (118 km southeast of Kanazawa) is a delightful town nestled amongst the Japanese Alps. Our sightseeing here takes in an open-air market, Sanmachi Historic District, and Takayama Jin’ya – government house of the region during the Tokugawa shogunate period.

After lunch, we travel northbound in the direction of Kanazawa to visit Shirakawa. Situated in a picturesque river valley, Shirakawa-go is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama. The village is famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, distinguished by their steeply pitched thatched roofs designed to withstand heavy snowfall.

Day 8/Mon: Kanazawa – Kyoto (B/L/D)
This morning we ride Hokuriku Shinkansen Kagayaki 503 (09:47/10:28) to Tsuruga Station, where we transfer to express train Thunderbird 16 (10:44/11:39) bound for Kyoto.

Nicknamed the “City of Ten Thousand Shrines”, Kyoto (literally meaning “capital city”) served as Japan’s capital for more than a thousand years before the imperial court moved to Tokyo in 1868 at the beginning of the Meiji Restoration (1868–1912), a period that saw Japan emerge as a modern industrial nation. Founded in 794, Kyoto was laid out on a grid pattern modelled after Chang’an, the capital of China’s Tang Dynasty (618–907), a golden age in Chinese history when Japan was strongly influenced by Chinese culture. Today, Kyoto has a population of approximately 1.4 million and forms a major part of the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area.

Our first stop after lunch is Kinkaku-ji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion). This is a Zen Buddhist temple and one of 17 locations comprising the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto World Heritage Site.

We then proceed to the Arashiyama (Storm Mountain) area where our sightseeing takes in Tenryu-ji Temple and the Bamboo Forest. Located on the western outskirts of Kyoto, Arashiyama is famous for its immense natural beauty as well as its historical and cultural prominence due to the large number of well-preserved ancient Buddhist temples.

Afterwards, we return to the hotel to freshen up before heading out for a traditional kaiseki dinner accompanied by the private performance of a maiko (geisha trainee).

Day 9/Tue: Kyoto (B)
This morning’s walking tour begins at the magnificent Nijo Castle (3 subway stops from our hotel).

Construction of the castle began in 1601 under the orders of Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, and was completed in 1626 under the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu. The Tokugawa shogunate was headquartered in Edo, present-day Tokyo, and Nijo Castle was the shogun’s residence in Kyoto where the imperial court was located. Nijo Castle is also the site that witnessed the ending of the Tokugawa shogunate. In late 1867, the last shogun, Yoshinobu, announced in the castle his decision to return power to the emperor. This was a watershed moment that helped usher in the Meiji Restoration, which, in turn, led to Japan’s industrialization and fundamentally transformed Japanese society.

Afterwards, we travel to Yasaka Shrine, one of Kyoto’s most iconic Shinto shrines, with a history of over 1,300 years. Its vibrant vermilion buildings, lantern-lit grounds, and lively atmosphere make it a beloved landmark in every season.

We then continue to the Gion district, strolling through its historic streets and learning about Kyoto’s centuries-old geisha culture.

Free afternoon to explore on your own.

Optional Matcha experience

Visit Entoku-in, a serene temple celebrated for its graceful gardens and timeless beauty throughout the seasons. Engage in traditional practices such as sutra copying (shakyo), Buddhist image tracing (shabutsu), and quiet contemplation of the dry landscape garden (karesansui). Conclude your visit with a bowl of matcha, prepared by a tea master or whisked by your own hand, and savor the tranquil atmosphere of the garden.

This optional experience is available at US$35/CAD$50 per person subject to a minimum of 4 participants.

Day 10/Wed: Kyoto – Nara – Osaka – Kyoto (B/L)
We depart for Nara at 07:45. The 45 km drive to the magnificent Todai-ji temple takes about an hour. This ancient Buddhist temple is well known for its splendid architecture and the huge bronze statue of the Buddha in its main hall. The surrounding Nara Park is also home to more than a thousand wild deer that roam freely among visitors.

Nara is the capital city of Nara Prefecture and a former capital of Japan (710 – 794). With a population of roughly 370,000 and an area of 280 square kilometres, the city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture. Eight temples, shrines and ruins together with Kasugayama Primeval Forest collectively form “The Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara” – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Afterwards, we continue on to Osaka, where we visit the historic Osaka Castle and Osaka’s legendary shopping and entertainment district known as Dotonbori. Situated at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, Osaka is one of Japan’s largest cities and plays a significant role in the Japanese economy. Osaka was once known as the “nation’s kitchen” because of its function as Japan’s rice trading centre during the Edo period.

Day 11/Thu: Kyoto – Busan (B/L)
Free morning to explore on your own.

Our recommendations include Kiyomizu-dera (Buddhist temple), Kyoto Imperial Palace, Fushimi Inari Shrine (good for hiking), Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion Temple), and Kyoto National Museum.

In the afternoon, we transfer to Kansai International Airport to fly to Busan (1 hr 35 min).

Day 12/Fri: Busan (B/L)
Busan, sometimes spelled as Pusan, is the largest port and second largest city in South Korea with a current population around 3.5 million. The city is known for its beaches, mountains, temples, and long history of trade and cultural exchange with Japan.

Today’s sightseeing begins at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery. Established as a burial ground during the Korean War in January 1951, the 35-acre cemetery contains approximately 2,300 graves of soldiers who served under the United Nations Command. Most of those buried here came from Commonwealth countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. A South Korean guard of honour carries out flag ceremonies daily.

We then proceed to Jagalchi fish market, the largest seafood market in South Korea. Today’s schedule ends with a leisurely walk at Haeundae Beach.

Day 13/Sat: Busan – Gyeongju – Seoul (B/L)
Following breakfast, we drive 100 kilometres northeast to Gyeongju. For nearly a thousand years, the city served as the capital of the Silla Kingdom, leaving behind an extraordinary concentration of historical and cultural treasures.

Our sightseeing in Gyeongju begins at the 8th-century Bulguksa, a magnificent Buddhist temple complex featuring stone pagodas, a series of wooden buildings on raised stone terraces, and a large bronze Buddha. A masterpiece of the golden age of Buddhist art in the Silla kingdom, the temple is classified as Historic and Scenic Site No.1 by the South Korean government and is also listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The Gyeongju National Museum is next on our schedule. The museum houses a large collection of relics from the Silla era giving the visitor a deep insight into the ancient kingdom.

The afternoon train journey to Seoul takes just over 2 hours (KTX #40, 15:07/17:14, 300 km).

Capital of South Korea, Seoul is a huge metropolis where modern skyscrapers, high-tech subways and pop culture meet Buddhist temples, palaces and street markets.

Day 14/Sun: Seoul – DMZ – Seoul (B/L/D)
We spend the morning visiting the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), with more than half of the designated time spent on driving there and back.

The DMZ divides North Korea and South Korea and is one of the last enduring legacies of the Cold War. Stretching approximately 250 kilometres across the Korean Peninsula and measuring about four kilometres wide, it roughly follows the 38th parallel, with its western end lying south of the parallel and its eastern end to the north. Despite its name, the DMZ is bordered by heavily fortified military positions on both sides and remains one of the world’s most heavily guarded borders.

Afternoon sightseeing back in the city includes Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village (traditional residential area on a hill inside the city).

Our farewell dinner is Korean BBQ in a high-end restaurant.

Day 15/Mon: Seoul (B)
Free day to explore on your own. Our recommendations include the National Museum of Korea, War Memorial of Korea, and Changdeokgung (Changdeok Palace).

Day 16/Tue: Returning Home (B)
Your memorable Japan and South Korea tour ends this morning. Transfer to Incheon International Airport, 50 km west of Seoul, on your own.

Taxi costs between 70,000 and 100,000 Korean won (US$56 to US$80) including expressway toll charge, but most of our guests prefer the airport limousine bus for its convenience and low cost.

The Airport Railroad Express (AREX), which runs nonstop between Seoul Station and Incheon International Airport, costs 13,000 won per adult.

 Detailed and up-to-date information on airport transfer will be included in the final update two weeks before the tour starts.

Hotel List

Dates and Prices

* Land Only price does not include international airfare. Contact us for a fare quote.
** Single supplement discount available subject to certain conditions. Contact us for details. 

Japan & South Korea Tour — Q&A

Passport & Visa

Your passport must have at least one blank page and, as a Laurus Travel precaution, remain valid for six months beyond the tour.

Canadian, American, British, Australian and New Zealand passport holders can visit Japan and South Korea visa-free for up to 90 days. Canadians may stay in South Korea for up to 180 days.

South Korea’s temporary K-ETA exemptions are scheduled to expire on December 31, 2026. Depending on the rules at departure, travellers may need a K-ETA or an arrival card.

Vaccination

No vaccinations are currently required for tourists arriving from Canada. Keeping routine vaccinations up to date is recommended.

Travel Health

Japan and South Korea have high public health standards, and tap water is safe to drink. Carry hand sanitizer, tissues and a small towel, as public washrooms often lack paper towels or hand dryers.

Shoes must be removed at certain temples, historical sites and traditional restaurants. We recommend carrying thick socks for comfort.

Travel Insurance – When to Buy

If you cancel for any reason, your deposit remains available as transferable travel credit without an expiry date. Cancellation insurance solely to protect your deposit may therefore be unnecessary.

However, we strongly recommend purchasing trip cancellation, interruption and emergency medical insurance when your final payment is due. Without adequate coverage, cancellation or a medical emergency could result in substantial financial losses.

Please contact us for insurance quotes as your final payment date approaches.