JAPAN : CHERRY BLOSSOM

BACKPACKING JAPAN

Travel with us through major towns, top rated destinations, sites and off-the-beaten-locations to discover countless hidden gems. Travel by high speed JR train & local trains, sleep in premium hotels, sing your heart out at karaoke bars with the locals, stock up on sushi and sake, visit Japan’s quirky cafes and immerse yourself in Japanese culture.

Every day you’ll see a different side of Japan on our epic budget trip to this fascinating country. The daily contrast makes travelling here completely unique and – if done the right way – very ‘doable’ on a budget.

Highlights of the trip
• JR high speed train journeys
• The Season of Cherry Blossom
• Daily walking tours
• Unesco Protected Zones
• Heritage Sites
• Ancient shrines
• Instagammable Spots
• Edo era architecture
• Offbeat locations

Book early as the rooms are limited ((Thanks to Cherry Blossom Season)

Itinerary :

Trip Dates : 29th March to 5th April

Day 1: Tokyo Arrival (29th March)
• Meeting point in Tokyo will be your hotel & meeting time will depend on the airline you book
• Arrive at the airport & activate your JR pass (we will provide you the JR pass)
• Board your train (we will guide you with all the steps to reach your hotel. This will be an interesting learning day for you)
• Meet & Connect with other travellers as you are going to be with them for the next 8 days
• Complete check in formalities
• Evening visit to Shibuya for Shibuya crossing
• Statue of Hachikō for the dog lovers.

Known as Tokyo’s fashion capital, Shibuya is home to many high end stores.

Boys can even rent a girlfriend , girls can rent a boyfriend or even an old man if they want to talk to someone !
Ample of Anime and Manga attractions in Tokyo if you are a fan!

-Overnight stay in Tokyo

Day 2: Mount Fuji from Lake Kawaguchiko
• Early breakfast & then we will take the train to Otsuki
• Fuji line will drop us to Kawaguchiko
• Walk to the Kawaguchiko lake
• Enjoy the views of Mount Fuji (visibility is always an issue as the views depend on your luck)
• E-Scooter would be provided to everyone to visit the lake (license not required)
• Cycle for those who are not comfortable with an e scooter
• please don’t invite any injury & be honest if you don’t want to try it
• You can even walk to the lake as it’s only 15 minutes walking distance
• You can even take a cable car for better visibility from a height (even these guys don’t guarantee the Mount Fuji view so be patient)
• Free time in the afternoon for lunch
(Please do check the timing of the restaurants if you wish to try one)
• Return to Tokyo by evening
• Overnight dinner & stay in Tokyo

Day 3: Shinjuku Gyoen & TeamLabs Borderless

Post breakfast we will explore the Shinjuku on foot 👣 & it’s a beautiful walk that you’ll definitely enjoy.

Highlights of the day :
• Visit TeamLabs Borderless for an immersive digital art experience
• Visit Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden for a peaceful time (Capture blossom colours here)
• Free time for shopping at Shinjuku
• Back to hotel by evening

Overnight stay in Tokyo!

Day 4: Kyoto Baby
• After a relaxed breakfast take the train to Shin Osaka . Drop your bags at the hotel & proceed for lunch. Board the short train to Kyoto prefecture (island of Honshu)
• Visit the Nishiki market
• Capture the true essence of the historic food market
• Walk towards Gion street. (You might even see a Geisha walking in this area if you’re lucky)

Note : It’s prohibited to click a picture of a Geisha

• Tatami Starbucks is trending & you might want to stop to click or grab a coffee
• Kimono dresses are available for rentals here if you’d like to splurge
• Return to the hotel at your own pace after enjoying the sunset or coffee at the vintage looking Starbucks. The evenings are very pretty in the Gion district and we highly recommend you to explore all of it on
foot!
• You can even enjoy the blossom colours near the riverside and or near the Tatsumi bridge across the Kamo river (highly recommended)

Overnight stay at your hotel in ShinOsaka !

Day 5: Fushimi-Inari
We’ll rise before dawn and take the subway to the Fushimi-Inari Shrine. We arrive early to escape the throng of tourists and work our way through the mountain exploring corridors of never ending red gates

➡️ it’s not mandatory that you have to walk all the way up ! You walk as much as you want (30 minutes or 1 hour or 2 hours)
Spend the afternoon at your own pace after your Summit to Mount Inari is complete!

You can also hop some cute cafes in Kyoto today or maybe try Sake at an authentic izakaya. Kyoto is really beautiful & you will definitely enjoy your time here.

Note: Bamboo forest is an optional tour as it’s very crowded throughout the year so you can hardly enjoy it but if it’s on your list then you’ll have to rush back after finishing Fushimi inari early (local buses run frequently if you want to visit Arashiyama)

Overnight stay in the same hotel!

Day 6: Hiroshima & Miyajima
•Post breakfast get ready for another journey
•Take the Sakura line for Hiroshima
•Visit the Atomic Bomb Dome & the park behind it for Autumn colours
(Peace memorial is optional & those interested can do this in their free time)
•Ferry to Miyajima after Lunch
•Itsukushima Shrine
•Return to Namba by evening
•Overnight stay at your hotel in ShinOsaka

Day 7: Nara Deer Park & Dotonbari
•Enjoy Japanese breakfast at your hotel
•Board your train to Nara
•Click Selfies at the Nara Deer Park
((over 1200 sika deer roam around the park freely)
•Feed a deer if you want (deer food is available at kiosks that are scattered throughout)
•Visit shinsaibashi & dotonbari
•Try some street food
•Last night should be your party night

Overnight stay at your hotel

Day 8: Sayōnara : OSAKA!

Spend your morning doing last minute shopping on the busy streets of Osaka!!
• Last breakfast together
• Check out (Trip ends here)
• Time for a group hug on this sad day
• Fly from Osaka to India or extend your stay if you can manage more leaves

Please note ::
* You have to walk daily in Japan so get a good shoe (but if you don’t want to see a lot of places you can definitely take it slow without the group on some days)
* Toilets can be really fancy in Japan but read the instructions properly or you’ll end up burning your back side
* Many Indians complaint about the food in Japan & if you are fussy about food then you can definitely carry a couple of Maggi or ready to eat packets as you may not like the food at all
* You will get a basic Japanese / Western style breakfast to start your day
* Indian food is available in all Cities if you are fussy about food
* Hotels are located close to the train stations (ask for Hotel names)
* 3 star hotels on Twin / Double occupancy
* Rooms are small almost Everywhere in Japan
* JR Rail pass valid for 7 full days