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Tour Detail
Platinum East Asia's Sun and Flower "Japan and South Korea" (NRT-ICN) with THY
Tokyo (3 nights) – Mount Fuji – Hakone – Osaka (3 nights) – Kyoto – Kobe – Nara – Seoul (3 nights)
11 days 9 nights | All tours and entrance fees included
Day 1 | Istanbul
Meeting at the Turkish Airlines counter in front of the Istanbul Airport international departures terminal at 22:55. Overnight on the plane.
Day 2 | Istanbul – Tokyo
After completing ticket, baggage, and passport procedures, we fly to Tokyo at 01:55 via Turkish Airlines flight TK0300. We arrive at Tokyo Narita Airport at 19:10 local time. After passport and baggage procedures, we transfer from the airport to our hotel by vehicle. We complete check-in procedures and settle into our rooms. Overnight at the 4* Tokyo Bay Shiomi Prince Hotel (or similar) in Tokyo.
Day 3 | Tokyo | [B]
After breakfast at our hotel, we begin the Tokyo tour. Our first stop will be Asakusa Temple, also known as Senso-Ji Temple, one of Tokyo's oldest and most colorful temples, which is a Buddhist temple. Also called Santa-jama (Temple of the Three Gods), it is highly popular among both tourists and locals. It is one of the rare temples that survived the bombing attacks in the final year of World War II, so the original structure of the building remains intact. Built in 1649, legend has it that the temple was constructed to honor three brothers who were deified after finding a statue of the goddess Kannon in a river. Additionally, we will see the shopping street called Nakamise. After the free time given for lunch, we will visit Meiji Shrine, a Shinto shrine dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken. From there, we will tour the Shibuya district, one of Tokyo's busiest areas. Shibuya is one of the city's most important places for young people, standing out with its developed infrastructure, cafes, and world-famous shops. After our tour, we return to our hotel. Overnight at the 4* Tokyo Bay Shiomi Prince Hotel (or similar) in Tokyo.
Day 4 | Tokyo – Mount Fuji – Hakone – Tokyo | [B]
After breakfast at our hotel, we depart for the Mount Fuji and Hakone tour. We will start our tour with Mount Fuji, located 2.5 hours away. Mount Fuji, which earned the right to be included in UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2013, is Japan's highest mountain and is considered the country's sacred symbol. Although generally thought of as a single mountain, Mount Fuji actually consists of three separate volcanoes. Located on Honshu island and positioned as a border between Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures, Mount Fuji is only 100 kilometers from Tokyo and can even be seen from high-rise buildings in Tokyo on cloudless days. After the breathtaking view of Mount Fuji, we will head towards Hakone town. We begin our Hakone tour with Owakudani Valley, a volcanic formation. Owakudani is a valley located around a crater formed during the last eruption of Hakone Mountain approximately 3000 years ago. Today, a large part of the area is an active volcanic region filled with sulfur fumes, hot springs, and hot rivers. We will take a cable car up from Togendai to enjoy the views of this magnificent valley. After the free time given for lunch, we will move to Lake Ashi. After a pleasant boat cruise lasting about 30 minutes on the lake aboard a wooden pirate ship, we will return to Tokyo and our hotel by vehicle. Overnight at the 4* Tokyo Bay Shiomi Prince Hotel (or similar) in Tokyo.
Note: For this morning tour, we are required to leave a small overnight bag in our room when departing from the hotel. Large suitcases left at the hotel will be transferred to our Osaka hotel before us and will reach us the next day.
Day 5 | Tokyo – Osaka | [B]
After breakfast at our hotel, we complete check-out procedures and continue the Tokyo tour. The first place we will see on our tour is the Tokyo Imperial Palace, which includes many buildings such as the Main Palace, private residences of the Imperial family, archives, museums, and administrative offices. The Tokyo Imperial Palace was built on the site where an old castle, where the Shogun resided in the 15th century, stood. In the 19th century, when Emperor Meiji moved the royal house from Kyoto to Tokyo, this became the property of the imperial family. Since most of the buildings were destroyed during World War II, the oldest items remaining from the palace are only 50 years old. Then we will continue our tour with a visit to Akihabara, one of Tokyo's most famous neighborhoods worldwide. Akihabara is an extremely crowded shopping area famous for various types of electronic stores ranging from small stalls to large shopping malls. After our tour in Akihabara, known as the electronics city, we are given free time for lunch. After free time, we continue our tour with the Ginza district, one of the city's most popular shopping areas, filled with luxury boutiques as well as first-class cocktail and sushi bars. At the end of our tour, we transfer to Tokyo Shinagawa train station. We arrive at Shin-Osaka train station via the Shinkansen, the world's first high-speed train, on a journey of approximately 3 hours. From there, we transfer to our hotel by vehicle. We complete check-in procedures and settle into our rooms. Overnight at the 4* Dorsett by Agora Osaka Sakai (or similar) hotel in Osaka.
Day 6 | Osaka – Kyoto – Osaka | [B]
After breakfast at our hotel, we depart for the Kyoto tour. After a journey of approximately 1 hour, our first stop will be Kinkakuji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion. This three-story pavilion covered in gold leaf is one of Kyoto's most famous and recognized historical structures and is internationally recognized as a perfect example of Kitayama garden landscaping art. Due to these features, it was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1994 as an important cultural asset of the former capital, Kyoto. We will continue our tour with Kiyomizu-dera Temple, a Buddhist temple also known as the Pure Water Monastery. The temple offers numerous cherry blossom and maple trees that bloom like a colorful sea in spring and autumn, as well as beautiful views of the distant city of Kyoto. The main hall, built without using nails along with the stage, houses the temple's main object of worship, a small statue of the eleven-faced, thousand-armed Kannon. After the free time given for lunch, we will walk through Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka streets leading up to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Sannenzaka is a stone-paved pedestrian path and a tourist attraction. The road, surrounded by traditional buildings and shops, is often used together with a similar road called Ninenzaka. Sannenzaka is a narrow, sloping road filled with approximately 60 shops and restaurants selling Kyoto's traditional products and foods. Additionally, there are important shops where visitors can closely experience Japanese culture, including Ochaya (tea houses) where tea ceremonies are held, Geiko (the name given to Geishas in Kyoto), and Maiko (Geiko apprentices) makeup services. In the final part of the tour, we will visit Gion, Kyoto's famous geisha district. At the end of the tour, we return to Osaka and our hotel. Overnight at the 4* Dorsett by Agora Osaka Sakai (or similar) hotel in Osaka.
Day 7 | Osaka – Kobe – Nara – Osaka | [B]
After breakfast at our hotel, we depart for the Kobe tour and Nara tour. Our first stop on the Kobe tour will be the Kiku-Masamune Sake Museum (subject to opening status). At Kiku-Masamune, which has adhered to the tradition of producing only dry sake since the Edo period, we will see the stages of sake production and taste it. Almost all equipment found in the museum is classified as "national tangible folk cultural property," allowing visitors to learn more about the lives and work of sake producers. Then we will continue our tour with the Kobe Nunobiki Botanical Gardens, Japan's largest botanical garden, featuring seasonal flowers and magnificent mountain views. After the park, we will go to the Kobe Harborland Umie shopping mall, where we will have free time for lunch. After the meal, we will head to Nara. We begin our Nara tour with a visit to Nara Park. Nara Park is a public park located at the foot of Wakakusa Mountain. Established in 1880, it is one of Japan's oldest parks. There are over 1,200 wild Sika deer roaming freely in the park. Because of these deer, Nara is also known as the Deer Park. After the park, we will continue with Todai-ji Temple. Todaiji not only houses the world's largest wooden structure but also contains the world's largest Buddha statue, known as Daibutsu in Japanese. At the end of our tour, we return to Osaka and our hotel. Overnight at the 4* Dorsett by Agora Osaka Sakai (or similar) hotel in Osaka.
Day 8 | Osaka – Seoul | [B]
After breakfast at our hotel, we complete check-out procedures and continue the Osaka tour. Our first stop will be Osaka Castle, built in the 16th century and playing an important role in the unification of the Japanese nation. The castle is located within a park covering an area of approximately two square kilometers, containing abundant green spaces, sports facilities, a multi-purpose arena (Osakajo Hall), and a mausoleum dedicated to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The park becomes one of Osaka's most popular spots during the cherry blossom season, which usually occurs in early April. After the free time given for lunch, we will see Dotonbori, which has become Osaka's entertainment center. After visiting Dotonbori and the city's main shopping area Shinsaibashi, we transfer to Osaka Kansai Airport. After completing ticket, baggage, and passport procedures, we fly to Seoul at 18:10 via Korean Air flight KE726. We arrive at Seoul Incheon Airport at 20:25 local time. After passport and baggage procedures, we transfer to our hotel by vehicle. We complete check-in procedures and settle into our rooms. Overnight at the 4* Hotel Samjung Gangnam (or similar) in Seoul.
Day 9 | Seoul | [B]
After breakfast at our hotel, we depart for the Seoul tour. Our first stop will be Gyeongbokgung Palace. Built in 1395, the palace is not only the largest of the Five Grand Palaces built by the Joseon Dynasty but is also considered the most beautiful and magnificent. Inside the palace, we will also have the opportunity to see the National Folk Museum. Our next stop will be Namsangol Hanok Village. This village, a residential area of Seoul expanding with modern buildings, is famous for many restored traditional Korean houses called Hanok. After our visit here, we will continue our tour with Myeong-dong, Korea's most famous shopping and fashion district. After seeing this street filled with many shops and restaurants, our next stop will be the Insa-dong area. The central point of the lively Insa-dong is the main street closed to vehicle traffic. The street is filled with tea houses and Korean restaurants, as well as shops selling traditional products such as pottery, tea, and handmade "hanji" paper. The unusual Ssamziegil Complex features cafes and stairs leading to a rooftop terrace decorated with paintings on the walls. At Hakgojae Gallery, modern art works are exhibited. At the end of our tour, we return to our hotel. Overnight at the 4* Hotel Samjung Gangnam (or similar) in Seoul.
Day 10 | Seoul | [B]
After breakfast at our hotel, we depart to undertake the DMZ (Korean Border Area) tour. On this tour, we will visit the military zone established on the border between North and South Korea and gain knowledge about Korean history and culture. After the military zone, Imjingak Park will be our second stop. Inside the park, after the Freedom Bridge used by North Korean war prisoners repatriated to their country, we will tour the Third Infiltration Tunnel, discovered in 1978 and dug 73 meters below the border by North Korea. Upon exiting the tunnel, we will move towards the slope of Dora Mountain and visit the Dorasan Observatory built there. From the observatory, we will be able to see North Korean territory and the border line. At the end of our excursion, we return to Seoul. Following our return, our first stop will be the N Seoul Tower, a communication tower and observatory. After reaching the tower by cable car, we will be able to view the city from Seoul's highest point. Our next stop will be Bongeunsa Temple, which has a 1200-year-old history. Bongeunsa attracts tourists to the area as it is considered the cornerstone of Korean Buddhism, houses one of Seoul's largest statues, Maitreya, and its library holds 3479 sacred Buddhist books. After this, we will see the Starfield Library and the Gangnam Style Statue located within the same complex. At the end of our tour, we return to our hotel. Overnight at the 4* Hotel Samjung Gangnam (or similar) in Seoul.
Note: Due to the DMZ being a military zone, there is a possibility that it may be closed on the tour day without prior notice. In this case, an alternative program will be arranged.
Day 11 | Seoul | [B]
After breakfast at our hotel, we complete check-out procedures and have free time until the transfer time. At the transfer time announced by the guide, we transfer to Seoul Incheon Airport. After completing ticket, baggage, and passport procedures, we fly to Istanbul at 23:20 via Turkish Airlines flight TK0091. Overnight on the plane.
Day 12 | Seoul – Istanbul
We arrive at Istanbul Airport at 05:00 local time, concluding our tour. We bid farewell, looking forward to meeting you on our next distinguished and enjoyable trip.
Abbreviations explanations: [B] = Breakfast, [L] = Lunch, [D] = Dinner
