South Korea & Japan: Seoul to Tokyo

Board your overnight flight to Seoul today.

Welcome to South Korea! Settle in to your hotel this evening.

Meet up with your local guide and get to know South Korea’s capital city, Seoul. Situated in the northwestern reaches of South Korea, the thriving metropolis is home to modern skyscrapers, ornate Buddhist temples, grand palaces, and nearly 10 million residents. It’s also the perfect place to experience many of the fun and dynamic Korean cultural trends—from K-pop music to novelty foods—that have flourished around the world throughout the last decade.

• Step inside the 14th-century, 7,700-room Gyeongbokgung Palace, which was built by King Taejo and is widely considered the most beautiful of Seoul’s five grand palaces.
• Watch the Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony, a reenactment of the guard-changing procedure that took place during the Joseon dynasty; the ceremony features colorful reproduction costumes, as well as instruments and weapons, based on historical records.
• Visit the National Folk Museum of Korea to learn about traditional ways of life, which are rapidly disappearing as a result of modernization and urbanization.
• Enter bustling Gwangjang Market, the city’s oldest traditional market, where you’ll find everything from street food to silks to hanbok—traditional Korean clothing whose origins date back more than 2,000 years.
• Enjoy a tasting of the market’s not-to-be-missed street food, followed by free time to shop and explore on your own.
• Get to know your fellow travelers over an included welcome lunch, served with beer or wine.

Enjoy a free evening in Seoul or add an excursion.

Enjoy a free day in Seoul or add an excursion.

Board a high-speed bullet train bound for the city of Gyeongju. Often referred to as the “museum without walls,” Gyeongju is home to several impressive archaeological sites and three UNESCO World Heritage sites.

• Climb aboard your coach for a short transfer to Bulguksa Temple; the treasured head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism was established on the slopes of Mount Toham in the eighth century.
• Explore the temple with a monk as your guide, then choose to make prayer beads or a lotus flower lantern.

Sit down with your group this evening for an included dinner served with beer or wine.

Spend the morning exploring the Daereungwon Tomb Complex, the final resting place of nobility of the Silla Kingdom, or Golden Kingdom, which ruled from 57 B.C.–935 A.D. You’ll have a chance to enter one of its burial mounds and view some of the 11,000 artifacts and royal crowns that showcase the lavish lifestyles of Korean royalty.

Later, travel to the mountainous, seaside city of Busan, where you’ll visit the United Nations Memorial Cemetery. Learn about the history and impact of the Korean War, and pay your respects to those buried in the cemetery.

Enjoy an included dinner this evening served with beer or wine.

Meet up with a local guide to explore Busan, a dynamic port city at the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula. Home to roughly 3.5 million people, Busan is the country’s second-largest city. Here, visitors will find a little bit of everything, from bustling city streets to scenic beaches to excellent restaurants.

• Pass through the heart of the city to popular Yongdusan Park and make a photo stop at its nearly 400-foot-tall Busan Tower, which features an observation deck and cafe.
• Travel to colorful Gamcheon Culture Village and learn how it evolved from a downtrodden destination for Korean War refugees to a must-see destination known for its colorful dwellings and labyrinthine alleyways.
• Head back to the city and visit the vast Jagalchi Fish Market, whose vendors sell just about every kind of fish and seafood imaginable.
• Enjoy free time for shopping and lunch along Gwangbok-dong Cultural & Fashion Street, whose shops sell everything from bargain finds to luxury goods.

Today, fly to Fukuoka, the largest city on Japan’s Kyushu Island. Then, join a local guide for a tour of the city, which was formed in 1889 when the castle town of Fukuoka and the port city of Hakata merged.

• Visit the eighth-century Kushida-jinja Shrine, whose highlights include a fountain where people pray for eternal youth.
• Learn about the shrine’s famous Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival, which takes place every July and culminates with residents of seven Hakata neighborhoods racing beautifully decorated floats along a three-mile course through the city.
• Wander along the Naka River to Nakasu, a small island packed with stalls selling street foods such as Hakata ramen and yakitori.

Head to a local restaurant this evening for an included dinner, served with beer or wine.

Travel to Nagasaki this morning and meet up with your local guide. Set out to explore the area, which was Japan’s early gateway to trade with the West, as well as the target of an atomic bombing by the United States in 1945. Today, the area’s unspoiled beaches and islands attract swimmers, divers, and sea kayakers.

• Visit Nagasaki Peace Park, which serves as both a symbol of hope and a reminder of the horrors of war.
• Explore the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum’s exhibits, which shed light on the city’s devastating history and post-war life.
• Sit down for an included lunch this afternoon at a local restaurant.
• Set off on a walking tour through the city, including its cosmopolitan center, as well as historic neighborhoods, like Dejima, which was constructed in the 17th century as a man-made island to segregate Portuguese residents from the Japanese population.

Board a high-speed bullet train to Kyoto this morning. Then, get to know the city that served as the capital of Japan for more than 1,000 years and is still considered its spiritual capital.

• Start in western Kyoto’s historic Arashiyama district, which is known for its temples, shrines, and stunning natural beauty.
• Step inside the UNESCO-listed Tenryū-ji temple, which was originally constructed in the 12th century and is considered one of Kyoto’s most important sites.
• Wander through the famous and photogenic Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, whose towering, 160-foot-tall bamboo stalks flank a singular pathway.
• Take in views of the rolling, tree-covered hills that surround the Hozu River.
• Cross the wooden Togetsukyo Bridge, which was originally built more than 1,200 years ago and stretches nearly 170 feet across a river that’s known as the Hozu to the west and the Katsura to the east.
• See the famous, 14th-century Kinkaku-ji temple, widely known as the Golden Pavilion, which sits at the edge of a tranquil reflecting pond and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Enjoy a free day in Kyoto or add an excursion.

Board a high-speed bullet train to Tokyo, then spend the afternoon exploring Japan’s bustling capital with your Tour Director leading the way. Ancient shrines and temples, peaceful parks, and modern skyscrapers make up the tapestry of the city, which is home to nearly 14 million people.

• Snap photos of the Imperial Palace, which occupies the site of the original Edo Castle and is home to Japan’s emperor; its impressive grounds feature moats and massive, stone walls.
• Pass through the Shinjuku District, a major hub for shopping and nightlife with neon signs as far as the eye can see.
• Ride an elevator to the top of the Metropolitan Building—a soaring structure with twin towers and observation decks—to enjoy bird’s-eye views of the city.

Join a local guide and get to know more of Tokyo, from its historic past to its vibrant present.

• Drive through central Tokyo to iconic Shibuya crossing and snap photos of the world’s busiest crosswalk—some 3,000 people cross from all directions simultaneously during rush hour—from an elevated viewing point.
• Stop inside Shibuya Station to view “The Myth of Tomorrow,” Japanese artist Tarō Okamoto’s famous 1960s mural that depicts the explosion of an atomic bomb.
• Drive to Yoyogi Park—one of the city’s biggest public parks—and take a short walk to Meiji Imperial Shrine, the final resting place of Emperor Meiji.
• Stroll through the colorful Harajuku neighborhood, where Tokyo’s history and present-day pop culture intertwine.
• Explore Tokyo’s old town, including the ancient Asakusa Kannon Temple, the city’s oldest and most sacred temple.
• Peruse a vibrant variety of handmade crafts and local fare at the centuries-old Nakamise Shopping Arcade.

Enjoy a free afternoon in Tokyo or add an excursion.

Enjoy a free day in Tokyo or add an excursion.

Celebrate your trip during a farewell dinner this evening, served with beer or wine.

Transfer to the airport to board your flight home, or choose to continue your adventure with a visit to Hokkaido.