Day 1: Arrival in Okayama
Take a Shinkansen from Tokyo to Okayama. Or there is Sunrise Sleeper Limited Express, departs Tokyo at night and arrives at Okayama in the morning. The train has all amenities same as a hotel. Night transfer is an option on this tour.
Accommodation in Okayama, Kurashiki or stay in Sunrise Express.
Day 2: Okayama, Kurashiki
The top destinations in Okayama prefecture are Okayama City and Kurashiki City. Both have historical townscapes and sites to experience the history. Okayama Castle and Korakuen Garden, near the castle, show Japanese tradition of the samurai period. Kurashiki City prospered with its spinning industry in the 19-20th century. Buildings there have both old Japanese style and Western brick style. There is a rickshaw service in Kurashiki, you can see around the interesting townscape with the local special guide.
Accommodation in Okayama or Kurashiki
Day 3: Tottori
Today, we will visit Japan’s largest sand dune in Tottori. It will take 3 hours to get to the dune by train from Okayama. The extensive view of the dune and the artistic but natural sand ripple marks created by the winds are beautiful. Also, there is a unique ecosystem to a coastal sand dune, rare flowers and plants can be seen in spring and autumn. The view of the ocean from the dune in summer would be refreshing. In winter, the dune is covered with snow and you can enjoy the white view. Some activities to enjoy this dune include riding camel experience, sand board surfing, and a sand art museum.
Accommodation in Okayama or Kurashiki
Day 4: Hiroshima
In the morning, we will transfer to Hiroshima. Maybe, Hiroshima is known by people from other countries as a legacy of World War?. Hiroshima is also one of the top destinations for school trips to learn about the history of war. In Peace Memorial Park, there are a lot of monuments including the A-Bomb Dome that explain the misery of the war, and the museum, the main facility of the park, displays the details of the story of the atomic bomb.
Accommodation in Hiroshima
Day 5: Miyajima Island and Itsukushima Shrine
Hiroshima also has a traditional site to visit. Miyajima Island is a small island in Hiroshima Bay that has full of nature and a shrine floating on the water. To visit this island, we will get a ferry. The view of the huge torii gate and the sacred main shrine on the ocean with the beautiful mountain at the back can be seen from the ferry and the view is designated one of the three greatest sceneries in Japan.
Also, Hiroshima has several local foods. Okonomiyaki is the most popular food in Hiroshima.
Accommodation in Hiroshima
Day 6: Takamatsu (Kagawa)
We’ll depart Hiroshima for Takamatsu in Shikoku. Seto Bridge connects Shikoku and Chugoku from Okayama to Takamatsu. We’ll go back to Okayama once and take a train through the bridge. Kagawa prefecture is known for udon noodle, there are traditional udon restaurants in Takamatsu. Also, recently, some restaurants have western-style butter udon like carbonara and this is getting popular among youth.
Chichibugahama Beach is one of the best sunset spots in Japan. This beach is described as Japan’s Salar de Uyuni. In certain conditions such as tide and wind, you can take a beautiful photo of the sunset reflected at the sea.
Accommodation in Takamatsu
Day 7: Yoshino River
We will spend the day in the middle of island nature today. Transfer from Takamatsu to Oboke Station. Yoshino River is known as one of Japan’s most raging streams. You can enjoy the beautiful scape of the steep valley and surrounding greenery. Kazura Bridge, designated as one of three unexplored regions in Japan, is a suspension bridge built in a primitive way. You will enjoy the thrilling experience of scenic nature, but no one will take care of the view.
Accommodation in Takamatsu
Day 8: Matsuyama & Dogo Onsen
The last destination is Matsuyama (Ehime). Matsuyama has a lot of tradition, prospered as a castle town, and is now loved by people as an onsen town. Train transfer from Takamatsu to Matsuyama will take approximately 2 hours. Matsuyama Castle is a symbol of this city and the entire city has a traditional style. People visit Matsuyama for Dogo Onsen hot spring, and they love the Japanese old-school buildings of the onsen as well as the spa itself. As it is the last night of this tour, please try to take a bath until you get completely satisfied.
Accommodation in Matsuyama
Day 9: Matsuyama – Tokyo
On the last day of this tour, you will enjoy shopping and walking in the traditional cityscape. Matsuyama is called a kingdom of citrus fruits. Thanks to the climate, different kinds of oranges are the local specialty of Matsuyama.
After shopping, transfer back to Tokyo, Osaka or your next destination.
