Flights
✈️ Brisbane 🇦🇺 - Tokyo (NRT) 🇯🇵
QF61: BNE – NRT (9:20am – 5:30pm)
Guides
See the below guide for further details on tips and tricks for navigating your time in Tokyo 🗼
Day 1: Tokyo - Utsunomiya
Monday 31st March
🚄 Take the JR Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo (Tokyo or Ueno stations) to Utsunomiya. The one way trip takes around 50 minutes.
Bamboo Forest Wakayama Farm
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9 -5 (Y900) At Wakayama Bamboo Farm, stroll through serene bamboo groves, pick bamboo shoots (mid-April to early May) or blueberries (July to August), sip matcha from a bamboo cup at a forest tea house, and try your hand at crafting bamboo items—all for a small additional fee, offering a unique hands-on experience immersed in nature.
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Oya History Museum - Historic Quarry Mine
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The Oya History Museum in Utsunomiya, open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, features massive underground caverns from a former Oya Stone quarry, now illuminated with art installations, a rock-carved chapel, and unique event spaces, offering a fascinating blend of history, geology, and creativity.
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🥟 Gyoza Street Miyajimacho-dori
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Gyoza Street in Utsunomiya is a must-visit destination for dumpling lovers, featuring a variety of renowned gyoza restaurants like Masashi, Kouran, and Kirasse, where you can enjoy pan-fried, boiled, and deep-fried gyoza. Known as Japan’s gyoza capital, the street offers a unique culinary experience with a focus on authentic, juicy dumplings in diverse styles.
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Day 2: Nikko
Tuesday 1st April
Day 3: Utsunomiya - Tokyo
Wednesday 2nd April
Today Beau will go do Bonsai and the rest of us will head back to Tokyo.
🚄 Take the JR Tohoku Shinkansen from Utsunomiya to Tokyo (Tokyo or Ueno stations). The one way trip takes around 50 minutes.
Day 4 - Northern Tokyo
Thursday 3rd April
teamLab Planets
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(3,600 JPY) TeamLab Planets in Tokyo is an immersive art experience where visitors become part of the artwork. Featuring interactive digital installations, it invites you to wade through water, walk barefoot over textured surfaces, and explore rooms filled with shifting lights, mirrored floors, and floating flowers. This unique blend of technology and art offers a multi-sensory journey that captivates the imagination.
Details
Discover Northern Tokyo exploring historic Asakusa & Sensoji Temple, and end with sunset views from Tokyo Tower. Ensure you check out the more detailed guides below for my top places for a 1 day tour of western Tokyo and some must eat places in Tokyo.
Day 5: Saitama
Friday 4th April
Details
A day trip to Saitama to visit Beau's Exchange School, the Park behind Beau’s School & Kawagoe
Day 6: Mt Takaeo
Saturday 5th April
Take the JR Chuo Line from central Tokyo to Takao Station (580 yen, about 40 minutes from Shinjuku, covered by the Japan Rail Pass), and transfer to the Keio Line for one more station to Takaosanguchi Station (130 yen, 3 minutes, not covered by the Japan Rail Pass).
Mount Takao
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950 yen (round trip) - Mount Takao, located just outside Tokyo, is a serene natural retreat offering breathtaking views, lush forests, and a variety of hiking trails suitable for all levels. Highlights include the Yakuoin Temple, the scenic Takaosan Monkey Park, and a cable car ride to the summit. On clear days, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of Tokyo and even Mount Fuji. Perfect for a day trip, it blends nature, culture, and accessibility.
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Day 7 - Tokyo to Kyoto
Sunday 6th April
The Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus) is an annual Japanese festival held in Kawasaki to celebrate fertility, marital harmony, and safe childbirth. Known for its vibrant and playful atmosphere, the event features colourful phallic-themed decorations, parades, and a giant mikoshi (portable shrine) in the shape of a steel phallus. It’s a unique cultural celebration that blends ancient traditions with modern festivities.
Kanamara Matsuri (Penis Festival) Kanayama Jinja Shrine
@GCJaplanning
The Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus) is an annual Japanese festival held in Kawasaki to celebrate fertility, marital harmony, and safe childbirth. Known for its vibrant and playful atmosphere, the event features colourful phallic-themed decorations, parades, and a giant mikoshi (portable shrine) in the shape of a steel phallus. It’s a unique cultural celebration that blends ancient traditions with modern festivities.
Details
In the evening catch the Bullet Train from Tokyo to Kyoto
Day 8: Eastern Kyoto
Monday 7th April
Day 9: Kyoto Experiences
Tuesday 8th April
Knife Sharpening / Cooking Class Etc
Day 10: Nagahama Hikiyama Festival
Wednesday 9th April
Nagahama Hikiyama Festival
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The Nagahama Hikiyama Festival, held annually in Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, is a vibrant UNESCO-recognised event known for its stunning floats and children's kabuki performances. The festival features elaborately decorated hikiyama floats paraded through the streets, showcasing traditional craftsmanship and local culture. It is renowned for its unique children’s kabuki theatre, performed on the floats, and offers a fascinating glimpse into Japan’s rich cultural heritage.
Details
Day 11: Western Kyoto
Thursday 10th April
Sagano romantic train
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880 yen - 9:02 AM Sagano Romantic Train (Sagano Torokko). Enjoy the scenic 25-minute train ride through the lush Hozugawa River Valley, with picturesque views of forests, mountains, and the river.
Details
Walk to the Hozugawa River Cruise boarding point (around 10 minutes)
Hozugawa River Boat Ride (Hozugawa Kudari)
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6000 yen - 10:00am. Embark on a 2-hour traditional boat ride down the Hozugawa River. Relax and enjoy the stunning natural scenery, as boatmen expertly navigate the river’s rapids and calm stretches.
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Togetsukyō Bridge
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Stroll across the iconic “Moon Crossing Bridge,” a stunning photo spot surrounded by Arashiyama’s natural beauty
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Lunch Options
Arashiyama Yoshimura
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Famous for handmade soba noodles served with a view of the river.
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Sushi Naritaya
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A traditional sushi restaurant offering beautiful views of the bridge and river.
Details
Afternoon
Tenryu-ji
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Visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site and explore its tranquil gardens, designed to blend seamlessly with the surrounding Arashiyama scenery.
Details
Day 12: Hiroshima
Take the Shinkansen from Kyoto to Hiroshima in the morning. The journey takes approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.
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