JAPAN GREEN TOUR
11 nights (Self-guided)
Osaka, Tokushima, Kamikatsu, Ayabe Farm, Ine Fishing Village
From £2,325 pp
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Our Japan Green Tour is a trip that encourages sustainable green tourism. What makes this itinerary unique is that it takes you off the beaten track to experience the remote countryside and villages, where you can interact with locals and participate in activities such as farming and food harvesting, depending on the season.
-
Visits to Osaka Tokushima, Kamikatsu, Ayabe Farm, and Ine Fishing Village
-
Stay in a Japanese farm and experience the Japanese farm life
-
Stay in a boathouse in charming Ine Village
-
All trains included
-
11 nights' accommodation
-
Breakfast daily
-
Meet and Greet service upon arrival at the airport
-
Airport transfers from/to Narita International Airport
DAILY ITINERARY
DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN JAPAN, MEET & GREET AT KANSAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (OSAKA)
Welcome to Japan! Our friendly Meet & Greet service representative will be waiting in the Arrivals lobby and holding a sign with your name on. The Meet & Greet will direct you to the next train bound for Osaka. Check in to your clean and comfortable standard accommodation for one night.
DAY 2: OSAKA TO TOKUSHIMA
Today you can pick up some food, snacks, and drinks for the journey to Tokushima on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima is an atmospheric city off-the-beaten-track on the beautiful east coast of Shikoku. Tokushima was historically a famous castle town, and you may want to stop by the castle ruins in the middle of the city. Check in to your hotel for two nights.
DAY 3: TOKUSHIMA
Enjoy your time in Tokushima. Visit the adjacent Naruto city to see the unique natural Naruto Ocean whirlpools (literal translations of Naruto are swirl, spiral, or whirlpool).
DAY 4: TOKUSHIMA TO KAMIKATSU
After breakfast, you can try the Bizan Ropeway which is a cable car that will take you up the mountains high over the city. After enjoying the view, ride back down and transfer to the local bus for a one-hour ride deep into the Shikoku's countryside where few foreign visitors have been before you. Kamikatsu was unknown to most Japanese as well, but it has recently gained recognition for its efforts to become Japan's first zero-waste town. Garbage is recycled into more than 30 categories, and the locals are cooperating coming up with efficient systems to recycle and avoid incinerating garbage. We hope you will bring some ideas back home! You will stay 2 nights in a spacious cabin with a loft where the owners will prepare you appetizing Shikoku dinners included in the stay both nights.
DAY 5: KAMIKATSU
If you are feeling energetic, we recommend you start the day with a hike in the hillsides to see traditional rice terraces and local temples. On a misty morning, you might feel as if you've entered a Japanese landscape painting. The countryside is yours to enjoy as you like, but make sure you stop by the town's impressive recycling facilities.
DAY 6: KAMIKATSU TO AYABE FARM (KYOTO PREFECTURE)
Retrace your steps to Tokushima from where you will head towards Ayabe in Kyoto prefecture by train. Start your 3-night homestay on a Japanese farm this evening, where homemade dinners and breakfasts are included. Be ready for a truly authentic experience that may lead to making new friends for life!
DAY 7 & 8: AYABE FARM STAY
For the next two days you are a Japanese farmer! The owners of the farm will show you the ropes, and by the end of the day you will have good insight into Japanese farm life. We cooperate with several farms in the area and the exact activities will depend on season and available farms. If the timing is right, you could harvest vegetables for tonight's dinner. The farmers have experience accommodating tourists, and their English may range between basic and advanced.
DAY 9: AYABE FARM TO INE FISHING VILLAGE
After breakfast, you will say sayonara to the farm and your friendly hosts and firstly stop by the Amanohashidate Sandbar. Amanohashidate can be translated as the bridge to heaven, and this natural pine-covered bridge-like sandbar is named as one of Japan's three most beautiful sights in historical documents. Any Japanese person would be able to tell you a thing or two about this place, but the distance from other bucket-list destinations in Kyoto where tourists conglomerate protects its natural beauty. Next, you will head to the beautiful Ine fishing village, possibly the last remaining Japanese traditional fishing village in which the ground floor of houses built along the coastline serves as garages for the fishing boats. As the number of fishermen has decreased, locals have bought up empty houses of which some are used for accommodation for travellers seeking the most authentic experiences. Enjoy a couple of nights listening to the sounds of the ocean in one of these charming boathouses!
DAY 10: INE FISHING VILLAGE
Today we recommend you take a boat tour which allows you to enjoy the best views of the boat houses.
DAY 11: INE FISHINGH VILLAGE TO OSAKA
Today head back to Osaka for sightseeing. You will check into a comfortable hotel in Osaka city tonight, making your journey to Kansai Airport tomorrow short and easy.
DAY 12: DEPART JAPAN
Transfer from your hotel to Kansai International Airport (Osaka).
Return to the UK (arrive the same day).
HOW INDEPENDENT TOURS WORK
ENJOY INDEPENDENT TRAVEL BUT NOT THE HASSLE OF PLANNING?
OUR INDEPENDENT TOURS COULD BE JUST THE TICKET!
Carefully put together by our team of specialists, our excellent collection of sample itineraries is designed to inform and inspire your next Japan adventure. Every one of our Independent Tours is fully tailormade for you, ensuring your trip is everything you want it to be.
It's quite straightforward to travel independently in Japan. We will provide just the right amount of support and logistical planning to make you feel comfortable in a very foreign land. These itineraries are available for any departure date (with a few exclusions coinciding with Japanese National Holidays and some weekends). We'll do all the work for you and provide you with an information pack to make your trip run smoothly. You can also add guided tours as indicated and if you do want your own personal guide we can arrange this too.
ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS & LOCATION GUIDE
PRICING & INCLUSIONS
From £2,325.00 per person based on twin/double room occupancy.
PRICE INCLUDES:
-
4 nights' accommodation in a Twin/Double room at standard hotels in Osaka and Tokushima on a bed & breakfast basis
-
2 nights' accommodation in a private two-story bungalow* including delicious local dinners and breakfast in Kamikatsu
-
3 nights' accommodation in a private room on a countryside farm in Kyoto including local dinners and breakfast
-
2 night's accommodation in a private boathouse in a traditional former residence in Ine fishing village on a bed & breakfast basis**
-
Train tickets covering all the journeys mentioned in the itinerary
-
Transfer from and to arrival and departure Airport in Japan by Express Train or Airport Limousie Bus
-
Meet & Greet service on arrival at Kansai International Airport
-
Detailed Japan Journeys digital Information Pack including detailed train schedules, maps, & brochures.
-
Personalised Japan Journeys App to help manage your documents
-
Full financial protection via Japan Journeys’ membership of the Travel Trust Association through which your monies are held in a Trust Account until you return home (under Membership No. U3078)
* Depends on availability
**Depends on availability. Only available for a group of 2 or larger.
NOT INCLUDED IN PRICE
-
International airfare.
-
Meals not mentioned in the itinerary.
-
Entrance fees.
-
Taxi, subway and tramway fees.
-
Insurance.
BOOKING INFORMATION
To make a booking, a deposit of 10% of the total price is required.
-
The balance of the price of the trip must be made 12 weeks prior to departure.
INSURANCE
Travel can be a great experience, but it can also be fraught with problems, so when going anywhere it is essential you are properly covered with good travel insurance. You should be protected against cancellation, curtailment, and loss or damage to your belongings as well as medical emergencies and have peace of mind if the unexpected happens.
Japan Journeys in association with Holiday Extras, is now able to offer excellent low-cost cover to their customers.
