School Trip to Japan

A school trip to Japan will allow your students to experience a culture completely different to their own!

Together, you’ll explore a world of bright lights and the latest technology, alongside ancient tradition and nature at its finest. You can learn about the country's geography, its art and even its booming economy and fascinating business culture.

Your school trip to Japan will take you to some of the country’s most exciting and beautiful destinations, as you explore buzzing Tokyo, serene Hakone and the imposing Mount Fuji. Why not end your trip in the stunning temples and ancient streets of Kyoto, to experience the more traditional side of Japan?

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

Evening

Overnight flight to Tokyo

Day 2

Morning

Arrive in Tokyo Meet guide and transfer to accommodation

Afternoon

Free time to explore with your guide

Evening

Free evening

Day 3

Morning

Meet the tour leader and local guide for sightseeing - Hamarikyu, Asakusa, Sensoji and Odaiba

Afternoon

Continue sightseeing

Evening

Free evening

Day 4

Morning

Meet tour leader and local guide for sightseeing - Metropolitan Building, Meiji Jingu, Harajuku and Shinjuku

Afternoon

Continue sightseeing

Evening

Free evening

Day 5

Morning

Full-day tour to Hakone with views of Mt. Fuji Enjoy the Komagatake Ropeway and a cruise on Lake Ashi

Afternoon

Visit the Hakone Open Air Museum before returning to Tokyo

Evening

Free evening

Day 6

Morning

Transfer by coach to Odawara station and take the world-famous bullet train to Kyoto Luggage will be forwarded separately

Afternoon

Arrive in Kyoto and transfer to accommodation Free time to explore

Evening

Evening meal at local restaurant or in accommodation

Day 7

Morning

Full-day sightseeing by coach - Kiyomizudera Temple, Sannen-Zaka, Ninen-zaka and Maruyama-koen Park

Afternoon

Enjoy a tea ceremony experience

Evening

Evening meal at local restaurant or in accommodation

Day 8

Morning

Full day sightseeing of Kyoto by private coach: Nijo-jo and Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion)

Afternoon

Arashiyama sightseeing: Togetsukyo Bridge, bamboo groves and monkey park

Evening

Evening meal in local hostel or accommodation

Day 9

Morning

Return flight to UK

Afternoon

Arrive back in UK

3 nights' half-board accommodation in Kyoto
4 nights' bed and breakfast in Tokyo
7 nights' accommodation in multi-occupancy dorm rooms
Airport transfers in resort
Detailed information pack
Free staff place ratio 1:10
Full-time tour leader and additional guide in Tokyo for sightseeing
Itinerary planning service
Luggage forwarding from Tokyo to Kyoto
Public transport and private coach as per itinerary
Return air travel inclusive of tax
VAT

Accommodation

Fuji-Hakone Guest House

This family-run guest house is in the lovely town of Sengokuhara, in Hakone National Park. The highlight of this guest house is that it boasts an on-site onsen (hot spring) for the exclusive use of guests!

Tokyo Central Youth Hostel

Tokyo Central Youth Hostel occupies the 18th and 19th floors of a high-rise building in a very central location, so offers fantastic views over the city, something not usually offered by this style of accommodation. The hostel welcomes guests from all over the world and provides Japanese-style shared baths (separate for ladies/gents), a dining room, a meeting room, a lounge and tourist information centre, making this a great base for exploring Tokyo. Please note that the youth hostel has a curfew of 11pm. Individual room and locker keys provided at check-in.

Tour highlights

Visit the Asakusa Area

The Asakusa Area is one of the more traditionally Japanese areas in Tokyo and is home to a number of Buddhist and Shinto temples and shrines. A popular entertainment district, and Tokyo’s oldest geisha district, the area was famous for its theatres and cinemas in the early 20 th century. However, it was heavily bombed during the Second World War and, although rebuilt, Asakusa was surpassed by other areas such as Shinjuku in terms of entertainment. But it remains a fantastic place in which to learn more about Japanese culture and traditions. There are many fantastic restaurants here serving traditional Japanese dishes and, if you’re lucky, your visit may coincide with one of the many *matsuri* (Shinto festivals) that are held here.

Did you know?

One of the highlights of Asakusa is the Senso-ji, an ancient Buddhist temple that was originally founded here in 645 AD.

See Mt. Fuji

Still classed as an active volcano by geologists, despite not having erupted since 1707, Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan! Despite lying around 100km south-west of Tokyo, it can be seen from the Japanese capital on a clear day. Mount Fuji is one of the country’s ‘Three Holy Mountains’, along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku, and is sacred to both Buddhists and Shintoists. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a national symbol of Japan. Mount Fuji has inspired poets and artists for centuries, placing it right at the heart of traditional Japanese culture - no trip to Japan is complete without a visit here.

Did you know?

Mt. Fuji is actually three volcanoes in one – making it a stratovolcano! The bottom layer is made up of the Komitake volcano, the middle layer is the Kofuji volcano and the top layer, which is the youngest, is Fuji.

Take the bullet train

The bullet train, or Shinkansen, is a network of high-speed railway lines designed to connect the more distant regions of Japan to Tokyo, to help develop economic growth and development in the post-war period. The bullet train’s debut in 1964, just a week and a half before the start of the Tokyo Olympic Games, was a huge victory for Japan, showing the world that the nation had recovered from the Second World War. This was the world’s first high-speed commercial train. So, taking a trip on the bullet train will not only give you the opportunity to spend more time exploring Japan, it will also give your group some insight into the country’s economic history.

Did you know?

The bullet train can travel at speeds of up to 199 mph. This high-speed marvel means you can travel from Tokyo to Kyoto, a distance of 320 miles, in 2 hours and 18 minutes. And you can travel the 559 miles from Tokyo to Hiroshima in just a little over 4 hours!

Educational Activities

Lake Ashi

Lake Ashi (Japanese: Ashinoko) was formed in the caldera of Mount Hakone after the volcano's last eruption 3000 years ago.

Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan, standing at 3,776 metres high about 60 miles west of Tokyo.

Owakudani Valley

Owakudani is the area around a crater created in the last eruption of Mount Hakone 3000 years ago.

Tokyo National Museum

The Tokyo National Museum is the oldest and largest museum in Japan.

Cultural Activities

Asakusa Area

Asakusa is one of the largest downtown amusement centers in Tokyo and a must for visitors to Japan. It boasts

Kinkakuji Temple (or Golden Pavilion)

Kinkakuji Temple (or Golden Pavilion) is one of Kyoto's most famous sights due to the brilliance of its three-story gold-leafed

Tokyo Imperial Palace

The Tokyo Imperial Palace is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. This is a fantastic visit for your students.

Supporting you every step of the way

Creating your perfect trip

Your quote will be put together by an experienced Tour Adviser who’ll be an expert in the subject area and will know the destination really well too. They’ll work with you to create a trip to suit your group’s needs and meet your learning objectives.

Launching your trip to parents and students

The next step is to get your trip approved and then get students signed up to it. Our ‘Trip Launch Pack’ will help you with this step. This is full of resources (all free to download) designed to make your life easier at this crucial point in the trip planning process.

After you’ve booked

Once you’ve booked, your dedicated Itinerary Coordinator will start work on the finer details. They’ll make sure your itinerary makes the most of your time and they’ll take on most of the admin tasks for your trip (freeing you up to do what you do best – teach).

Support while you’re away

From lost property to properly lost, we’ll always be on the end of the phone while you’re out on the trip. You’ll get a final info pack before you go, as well as access to all your trip documents via the Vamoos app.

After your trip

We’ll ask you for feedback, so we can improve our service. Let’s start planning your next trip too, so parents have plenty of time to pay (and so it’s less stressful for you). And don’t forget to head to our resources hub to continue the learning back in the classroom.