Day 1 - Osaka

Osaka, Japan: From Minami's neon-lighted Dotombori and historic Tenno-ji to the high-rise class and underground shopping labyrinths of Kita, Osaka is a city that pulses with its own unique rhythm. Though Osaka has no shortage of tourist sites, it is the city itself that is the greatest attraction. Home to some of Japan's best food, most unique fashions, and warmest locals, Osaka does not beg to be explored—it demands it. More than anywhere else in Japan, it rewards the impulsive turn down an interesting side street or the chat with a random stranger. People do not come here to see the city, they come to experience it. Excluded from the formal circles of power and aristocratic culture in 16th-century Edo (Tokyo), Osaka took advantage of its position as Japan's trading centre, developing its own art forms such as Bunraku puppet theatre and Rakugo comic storytelling. It was in Osaka that feudal Japan's famed Floating World—the dining, theatre, and pleasure district—was at its strongest and most inventive. Wealthy merchants and common labourers alike squandered fortunes on culinary delights, turning Osaka into "Japan's Kitchen," a moniker the city still has today. Though the city suffered a blow when the Meiji government cancelled all of the samurai class's outstanding debts to the merchants, it was quick to recover. At the turn of the 20th century, it had become Japan's largest and most prosperous city, a centre of commerce and manufacturing. Today Osaka remains Japan's iconoclastic metropolis, refusing to fit Tokyo's norms and expectations. Unlike the hordes of Tokyo, Osakans are fiercely independent. As a contrast to the neon and concrete surroundings, the people of Osaka are known as Japan's friendliest and most outgoing. Ask someone on the street for directions in Tokyo and you are lucky to get so much as a glance. Ask someone in Osaka and you get a conversation. The main areas of the city, Kita (north) and Minami (south), are divided by two rivers: the Dojima-gawa and the Tosabori-gawa. Between Kita and Minami is Naka-no-shima, an island and the municipal centre of Osaka. Kita (north of Chuo Dori) is Osaka's economic hub and contains Osaka's largest stations: JR Osaka and Hankyu Umeda. The area is crammed with shops, department stores, and restaurants. Nearby are a nightlife district, Kita-shinchi; Naka-no-shima and the Museum of Oriental Ceramics; Osaka-jo (Osaka Castle); and Osaka Koen (Osaka Park). Restaurants, bars, department stores, and boutiques attract Osaka's youth to Minami (south Chuo Dori); theatregoers head to the National Bunraku Theatre and electronics-lovers to Den Den Town. For a glimpse of old Osaka, visit Tenno-ji Temple and Shin Sekai. The main stations are Namba, Shin-sai-bashi, Namba Nankai, and Tenno-ji. There's easy access to the Municipal Museum of Fine Art and Sumiyoshi Taisha (Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine). The bay area, to the west of the city centre, is home to the Osaka Aquarium and Universal Studios Japan. The Shinkansen stops at Shin-Osaka, three stops (about five minutes) north of Osaka Station on the Mido-suji subway line. To the north of Shin-Osaka is Senri Expo Park.

Day 2 - Tamano

Tamano, Japan: Nestled along the serene coast of Okayama Prefecture, Tamano offers stunning seascapes and an opportunity to explore the contemporary art exhibits of the nearby Naoshima Island. Its ports serve as a gateway to an inspiring juxtaposition of natural beauty and cultural vibrancy.

Day 3 - Itsukushima

Itsukushima, Japan: The small island of Miyajima, also known as "The Shrine Island," is renowned for the Floating Torii Gate, one of "The Three Most Beautiful Views" of Japan. Built in the water, the Torii Gate leads to the Itsukushima Shrine and at high tide, it appears to float. The Torii Gate is one of the most photographed sites in all of Japan. There are many more shrines and paths on Miyajima that invite exploration. Mount Misen boasts a cable car that offers panoramic views as well as trails with roaming wild monkeys and deer.

Day 4 - Beppu

Beppu, Kyushu Island, Oita, Japan: Beppu stands out as Japan’s most renowned hot spring resort, boasting thousands of steaming springs that offer a soothing escape from the everyday. The town is famous not only for its thermal baths but also for the unique "Hells of Beppu," vibrant hot springs that promise a visually arresting natural spectacle.

Day 5 - Moji-ku

Moji-ku, Kitakyūshū, Japan: Moji is a historic international trading port with a collection of well-preserved Western-style buildings lining the waterfront. Southwest of Moji, in Kokura, stands a beautifully restored castle complemented by a nearby garden and the Manga Museum. Additionally, the Hiraodai Limestone Plateau, regarded as Japan’s most iconic karst plateau, offers stunning landscapes peppered with underground caves.

Day 6 - Hagi

Hagi, Japan: Hagi is a former castle town nestled between the ocean, mountains and the Abugawa River. Built at the foot of Mt. Shizuki-yama, Hagi Castle grounds provide a window into the samurai period with its layout preserved from 400 years ago. The town is famed for Hagi-yaki pottery known for its unique texture, as well as its luscious summer tangerines.

Day 7 - Sakaiminato

Sakaiminato, Japan: Enveloped by water from almost every side, Sakaiminato is a small city offering maritime charm. Nearby, the towns of Matsue and Yasugi boast attractions such as Matsue's historic wooden castle and Yasugi's Adachi Museum of Art, celebrated for its extensive Japanese art collection and beautifully cultivated gardens which change with the seasons.

Day 8 - Busan

Busan, South Korea: Known for its pristine white-sand beaches and rejuvenating hot-spring resorts, Busan is a popular destination for both leisure and cultural experiences. Visitors can indulge in relaxation at local spas, tour the Beomeosa temple complex, and enjoy the annual Busan International Film Festival each October. These treasures make it a must-see location even beyond the summer draws.