Dates: 21 Nov (Fri) – 02 Dec (Tue) 2025 12 days
* Fly Cairns to Kansai direct in 7 hours.

This trip is timed to maximise your experience of Japan’s stunning Autumn colours and includes activities with Rotarians of Ibaraki City, Osaka (& Uji City). We will spend 9 nights in Lyn & Will’s two traditional cottages in Ibaraki, midway between Kyoto and Osaka, one night in a Buddhist Temple at the top of a mountain and one night in a compact hotel, right in the middle of Osaka. Having a convenient home base most of the time allows everyone flexibility. Some can go shopping, while others hike down a mountain or go out on the town with new friends.

As the nights could be getting down to single digits, hot baths at home or a soak in the hot spring down the road go well with drinking hot sake and bargain-priced wine around a bubbling pot of shabu shabu.

Maximum of 8 people

Inclusions:

• Fully escorted by Lyn, a bilingual Australian with extensive knowledge of Japan

• All accommodation - most nights in a traditional Japanese home

• An overnight stay in a Buddhist Temple

• A sleep in a tiny hotel (men & women separated)

• All meals

• All transport within Japan – domestic flight, trains, bullet trains, cable car, monorail, bicycles, taxis

• Most sightseeing, activities and entrance fees

• Assistance with planning should you wish to extend your time in Japan.
  
  Cost: AU$4,980 * All guests must have travel insurance **$300 per person will go to support Ibaraki Rotary projects.

Itinerary

Day 1 (Friday 21 November 2025)　（S)

Guests travelling from Cairns, Australia depart at 12:30pm on Jetstarn JQ 15 and land at 7 pm.
Chauffeur to our home base via Osaka Castle.

Day 4 (Monday 24 November 2025) (B,L,D)

Kyoto was the nation’s capital for over 1000 years and remains the cultural capital of Japan. We will escape the crushing crowds of downtown Kyoto and visit Uji, Kyoto - famous for tea, Byodo-in temple and the writer of Japan’s first novel, Murasaki. We will fine tune our day in collaboration with Uji Rotary Club.

Day 5 (Tuesday 25 November 2025) (B, D)

While we headed northeast to Kyoto yesterday, we’re heading west today. Our first stop is the Kobe Earthquake Museum. We will then head to Himeji to see the World Heritage Himeji Castle and visit Lyn’s favourite garden in Japan - Kokoen.
In the evening, we will zip back to Osaka on the shinkansen (bullet train)

Day 7 (Thursday 27 November 2025) (B,D)

Around 10 a.m, we will take trains right through Osaka, deep into the mountains of Wakayama and up a cable car to the top of Mt Koya, the birthplace of Shingon Buddhism in Japan. Nestled in amongst towering conifers and colourful maple trees are many temples and shrines, some with World Heritage status.  We will gain insight into the lives of Buddhist priests as we eat a traditional vegetarian dinner and sleep on futons, surrounded by autumn splendour.

Day 8 (Friday 28 November 2025) (B,L,D)

Early morning, you may like to join the priests in prayer and meditation. Alternatively, you may snuggle into your futon and stay there until breakfast. Mt Koya has many UNESCO World Heritage sites to see and is a photograph’s paradise. Around 10 am, we will head back down the mountain into the bustling city of Osaka. Lyn will show you around her second home with all it’s craziness and introduce you to the many foods Osaka is famous for. We will stay in a tiny hotel tonight in the centre of Osaka - a huge contrast to our night before. Ibaraki Rotarians may like to join us in the evening.

Day 9 (Saturday 29 November 2025) (B,L, D)
No visit to Japan is complete without seeing some deer. We will go to Nara where lots of deer roam freely around a giant buddha who is housed in the largest wooden building in the world. More UNESCO World Heritage sites today.

Late afternoon, we’ll train back home for a quiet evening.

Day 10 (Sunday 30 November 2025) (B,L,D)

Today will have some down time for washing, emails and a second cup of coffee. At some time today, our neighbor, Nakao-san, will show us around his small sake brewing factory, explain the processes and lead us through a sake tasting session.

Around 4 pm, another neighbour, Ogawa-san will help you to dress in kimono and we’ll do a photo shoot at home.

For dinner, we will likely cook Shabu Shabu at home. This ‘hot pot’ is easy, healthy and delicious.

Day 11 (Monday 01 December 2025) (B, L, D)

Now that the crazy weekend crowds in search of the perfect autumn photos are back at work, we will go to see Katsuoji Temple and Minoh Waterfall about 6 km from our home. Apart from postcard shots of temples, towering maples ablaze with colour and a foot bath for any sore feet, we will snack on tempura maple leaves, yuzu ice cream and other local specialties. Pottery buffs will also love this place. Keen walkers can take on a long hike while others can go by car. .

Late afternoon we will have some time to shop for things you’d like to take home and time to take on some of the challenges in my book Turning Japanese in 101 easy steps.

For our last evening, we’ll invite the Ibaraki Rotarians to join us for dinner in a nearby restaurant.

Day 12 (Tuesday 02 December 2025) (B, L, D)

On this last day, we have until around 4 pm unplanned so you can decide what you want to do and Lyn will help. Those of us leaving Japan for Australia will head to Kansai Airport and depart late evening (JQ 16 to Cairns departs at 9:30 pm).