South Japan Express

Welcome to Japan! Upon arrival, we´ll provide a transfer to the hotel, where you’ll have free time to relax. In the afternoon, you’ll receive information about the start of the tour.

Total distance covered: 190 km.

Scenery: Densely populated areas, major highways, with occasional sea views.

08:00 a.m. – Departure from Osaka. We’ll head towards Osaka Bay.
09:45 a.m. – Himeji. Admission to the stunning Himeji Castle is included, a masterpiece of traditional Japanese castle architecture. After exploring the castle, we’ll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

Note: If there are long queues at the castle, we recommend enjoying the beautiful surrounding gardens instead.

01:00 p.m. – Departure from Himeji.
02:30 p.m. – Okayama. We’ll visit Korakuen Garden, renowned as one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens, featuring lakes, waterfalls, and traditional teahouses. By crossing a pedestrian bridge over the river, you’ll have the opportunity to visit Okayama Castle, a sixteenth-century Japanese fortification rebuilt in 1966 after being destroyed in a World War II bombing (visit inside the castle not included). Afterward, you’ll have free time to explore the city, an active provincial capital with just over 700,000 inhabitants.

05:30 p.m. – Arrival at the hotel for accommodation.

Note: On some dates, we may stay in Fukuyama or Kurashiki. The visit to Kurashiki may take place on the same day in the afternoon.

Total distance covered: 220 km.


Scenery: Pleasant views and a serene boat trip to Miyajima.


08:00 a.m. - Departure from Okayama.
08:30 a.m. - Kurashiki. This charming city boasts a beautifully preserved historic center, where you’ll have time to stroll through its picturesque streets and soak in its old-world atmosphere.


10:00 a.m. - Departure from Kurashiki.
12:30 p.m. - Hiroshima. Arrival in this city, known worldwide for its tragic history as the site of the atomic bombing in 1945. We’ll visit the Peace Memorial, the Atomic Bomb Dome, and the poignant Peace Memorial Museum. After the visits, you’ll have time for lunch.


In the afternoon, we’ll head to the outskirts of Hiroshima to board a small ferry for a 15-minute ride to Miyajima, an island renowned for its spiritual significance as a place where "man lives alongside the Gods." Here, we’ll visit the iconic Itsukushima Shrine, dedicated to the guardian of the seas and famous for its torii gate that appears to float on the water. You’ll have time to explore the shrine and wander through the charming center of the island.


Note: The order of visits in Hiroshima may vary, with the possibility of visiting Miyajima first and Hiroshima afterward.


07:00 p.m. - Departure from Miyajima. We’ll take the ferry back and continue to Hiroshima, where dinner will be included.

Distance travelled: Journey by boat. Crossing of about 50 km.
Scenery: Interesting scenery on board, passing close to many different islands.
Note: We recommend staying on deck to enjoy the crossing, but bring warm clothing.


Today we will take a boat to the island of Shikoku. The crossing is extremely pleasant and takes two and a half hours, and discover that Japan is formed by many small islands. If there are no changes in the ferry times, it will leave at 09.20hrs (we leave the hotel at 08.00 hrs).

12.00hrs. – MATSUYAMA. Arrival. We will take the cable car and ascend to its impressive castle. Then we will visit ISHITE JI, a beautiful Buddhist temple and place of pilgrimage. Lunch included.


In the late afternoon we will visit DOGO ONSEN (admission included), a traditional Japanese bath built in the 19th century.

Note: we highly recommend you to live the Onsen experience in Japan. There are rules that will be explained to you; The baths are separated by sex and a thorough cleaning must be carried out before entering the hot water naked. In Japanese Onsen they can prohibit the entry of people with tattoos.

Distance travelled: 345 km
Scenery: Pleasant mountain scenery in some places. We walk along huge suspension bridges over the sea. Wear comfortable walking shoes for the journey.


7.30 hrs- Matsuyama.- Departure-.
10.00 hrs.- KOTOHIRA, a Shinto shrine dedicated to the God of fishermen and a place of pilgrimage built on Mount Zozu. To access it, it is necessary to climb 785 steps. Those who do not want to climb the mountain can enjoy sightseeing and visit the small Sake Museum (the traditional Japanese liqueur).


12.00hrs.- Kotohira –Departure-.
13.00 hrs.- TAKAMATSU. Visit to RITSURIN, one of the prettiest gardens in Japan. Lunch included in a local restaurant.


15.00 hrs.- Takamatsu –Departure-.
16.15 hrs.- NARUTO, an impressive bridge that crosses the sea. We will stop to learn how it was built and walk along its glass floor with the impressive waves below us (depending on the times and tides) at a height of 45 metres.


17.15hrs.- Naruto –Departure-. Pretty scenery as we cross huge suspension bridges.
19.00hrs.- KOBE.- Arrival. Modern city by the sea, you can walk through its active center.

Total distance: 40 km

In Kobe we visited the Earthquake Memorial Museum, a place to remind the tragic seism that devastated the city in 1995 and its perfect reconstruction.


Note: Sometimes, the entrance to the Earthquake Museum may be modified by the Sake Museum or the climb to the Kobe Tower.


10.30hrs- We continue to Osaka.
11.15hrs- OSAKA, arrival to the second biggest city in Japan.

Our journey will come to an end, leaving you with wonderful lasting memories. Please check your flight time in case you require an additional night. While the departure transfer to the airport is not included, our guide will provide recommendations for the best public transportation options to suit your journey.