Korea & Japan Encompassed

Afterward, the route moves south to Busan, where beaches edge the city and there’s time to visit the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple by the sea. Then south-west across the water to Japan, with a visit to Hiroshima Peace Park paired with the nearby island of Miyajima, known for its floating torii gate. Kyoto offers a different pace: gardens, Nijo Castle, and the endless red torii at Fushimi Inari Shrine. Along the way there’s an overnight temple stay on Mount Kōya, which means sharing a simple sleeping space amid a still religious routine.

Train travel dominates, including the bullet train, so luggage rules and a readiness for walking are part of the deal. The tour allows stretches of free time too, such as a stroll through Gion in Kyoto or wandering Tokyo’s Imperial Palace gardens. It is plainly a thorough journey covering streets, mountains and memory.

These are the places the trip visits, in order. G Adventures publishes the day-by-day itinerary on its own site.