Fascinating Japan

Day 1: Monday: Arrival in Tokyo Narita/Haneda airport.
Yokoso & Konnichiwa! Welcome to Japan! Seeing that we are arriving from all over the world
on different flights, we’ll all meet at our hotel in Tokyo by Monday afternoon.

Gala opening dinner
and at Chabad-Lubavitch of Japan in Tokyo. And then back to the hotel for a much needed
sleep to prepare for our first touring day tomorrow.
Overnight: Tokyo

Day 2: Tuesday: Modern Tokyo
Tokyo-Yokohama is the world’s most populous mega-city with over 34 million inhabitants. We’ll
begin our tour of the Land of the Rising Sun by plunging into Tsukiji Outer Market,

where the
citizens of Tokyo come daily for the best and freshest seafood with which to start their day.

Here. We’ll also discover typical Japanese street food as we bump shoulders in the alleyways with
locals and tourists from all over the world. From one busy Tokyo site, we’ll continue to another
even busier location; Asakusa, Tokyo’s former entertainment district. Here we’ll visit the oldest
and most important Buddhist temple in Tokyo – Senso-ji, as well as the colorful pilgrimage alley
that leads to it. This is also a shopping stop for those who need it. After these two busy sites, it’s
time to take a break as we cruise along the Sumida river, Tokyo’s primary waterway. Here
we’ll be able to enjoy our lunch as we sail past numerous office and hi-rise towers to Odaiba.
Built on a huge man-made island, it is home to TV studios, shopping malls, hotels and landmarks.
an architecturally futuristic area it’s one of the best places to see some of the most beautiful
urban views of the city. Here, we’ll become part of an immersive art installation called
TeamLab Planets. Suffice it to say that “immersive” is the key word. Our final stop of
the day will be at Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo’s busiest intersection, where thousands of people
mass at the day’s end to make their way home in any and all of the city’s nine railway companies.
Dinner and Chabad.
Overnight: Tokyo.

Day 3: Wednesday: Hakone & Fuji
After Shacharit & breakfast, this morning we will leave Tokyo and head to the mountainous Fuji-
Hakone-Izu National Park. We’ll make our way to the resort town of Hakone, best known for
quality hot springs, beautiful views and art. The bounty of hot springs is a result of the fact that
this is still an active volcanic area (we’ll learn about Japan’s volcanoes along the way). Upon
arrival we’ll board a ship and sail across Lake Ashi, before riding a cable car ride up the mountains to Owakudani Valley, an active volcanic area, where we’ll get up close to this powerful
natural phenomenon. We’ll have lunch here before heading to the Hakone Open Air Museum
where hundreds of sculptures made by the greatest Japanese and world artists are displayed on a
mountain slope, immersed into nature and carefully designed botanical elements. The museum
also houses the world’s largest private collection of the works of Pablo Picasso.
Overnight: Tokyo

Day 4: Thursday: Tokyo – Kyoto – Kobe
After Shacharit & breakfast, we’ll walk down to Shinagawa Station to board the Shinkansen
Bullet Train for the “flight” down the rails to Kyoto, Japan’s ancient capital for over 1,000
years. We’ll start our tour of Japan’s “Jerusalem” with a visit to Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion and its magnificent gardens, one of Japan’s iconic images. We’ll continue to Arashiyama, where
we’ll make a stop at the Tenryuji Zen Temple and its garden, before making our way into Kyoto’s
famous Bamboo Forest. At the end of our visit we’ll head to the port city of Kobe for dinner at
the Ohel Shelomo Sefardi synagogue before continuing to our hotel for a well-earned rest.
Overnight: Kobe

Day 5: Friday: Kobe
After Shacharit and breakfast, we”ll spend the day in the city of Kobe. While not part of
Japan’s regular tourist route, Kobe offers numerous fascinating insights into Japanese culture.
Our first stop will be the Nunobiki Botanical gardens. These are not traditional Japanese
gardens, but are quite spectacular as they are planted on a steep mountain slope overlooking
the city. We’ll take the cable car to the top and then walk down half-way as we admire the gardens. We’ll have some free time wo wander about downtown and then return to our hotel to
and prepare for Shabbat, which we’ll spend with the members of the Ohel Shelomo Sefardi
synagogue. Dating back to the 1880s, and founded by Jews from Iraq and Syria, this is the oldest
functioning synagogue in Japan.

Day 6: Relaxing Shabbat at Ohel Shlomo: Kobe
Even though Ohel Shelomo is a Sefardi synagogue, the community has a Chabad rabbi and
they daven at Chabad times. On the way to shul this morning we’ll pass some of the old former
Jewish homes in the Kitano neighborhood, whose former residents were part of Kobe’s international and diplomatic community. We’ll discover why Jews came to Japan in General and
Kobe in particular, and why it became the haven to the Sugihara rescuees during World War II.
After shul, we’ll enjoy Shabbat lunch with the community, followed by Mincha, and then we’ll
walk back to the hotel for a good Shabbat rest.  After Shabbat, we’ll have an opportunity to go
out on the town and enjoy a classic Japanese Karaeoke Bar.
Overnight: Kobe

Day 7: Sunday: Kyoto
After Shacharit & breakfast we’ll return today to complete our visit to Kyoto. We’ll begin at Nijo
Castle, built by Shogun Tokugawa Eiyasu. He was the shogun who united Japan into one country,
and then left the Emperor in Kyoto while he established his capital in Edo (Tokyo). He was
the first in line of the Tokugawa dynasty which ruled Japan for just over 250 years! We’ll continue
to Nishiki Market, the heart of Kyoto’s food scene for a fascinating walk-through. From there
it’s on to the Kiyomizu Dera (Pure Water) Temple complex with its beautiful architecture and
historic significance. We’ll have some free time here to wander about the fascinating stores and
the old houses in Sanneizaka and Ninneizaka lanes. We’ll then head to meet a Geisha and witness
a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. We’ll have an opportunity to ask her a few questions to
learn about her chosen life. We’ll end the day at a Gion Street where we’ll discover where the Geisha actually live before heading back to Kobe.
Overnight: Kobe

Day 8: Monday: Hiroshima
After Shacharit & breakfast we’ll once again board the Shinkansen and make our way swiftly
to Hiroshima, the City of Peace. We’ll hop a ferry to cross the waters of the Inland Sea to the hallowed island of Miyajima. Here we’ll walk among the sacred deer to visit the Itsukushima Shrine, from where we’ll view Japan’s most famous Torii, an iconic image of Japan (we’ll be seeing at least four of those). Then it’s back to the mainland to visit the Mazda Museum and Factory, for a mind-blowing experience as we watch man and machine working hand-in-hand to create the vehicles for which Mazda has become famous.
We’ll end the day in Hiroshima at the site of the A-Bomb dome, the Peace Park and the A-Bomb
Museum. It’s a somber visit – but it’s an important one.
Overnight: Kobe

Day 9: Tuesday: Osaka – Tokyo
Osaka is Japan’s 3rd largest city, but it’s largest single municipal area. It’s a short drive from
Kobe and we’ll spend most of the day here. We’ll start with a bit of history at the Osaka Castle, a
former Samurai Castle splendidly restored to its original size. We’ll visit Osaka’s busy downtown
areas, Namba and Dotonbori, before ascending to the top of the Umeda Sky Garden building.
The view from the top is breathtaking! Then it’s back down to ground level as we whizz along the
tracks back to Tokyo.

Overnight: Tokyo

Day 10: Wednesday: Tokyo-Narita/Haneda Airport

After Shacharit & breakfast, we’ll check out of the hotel and leave our baggage with reception, as we head out to visit Tokyo’s sites. We will pay our respects at Niju Bridge of the Emperor’s Palace, followed by a visit to the Meiji Shrine, dedicated to the memory of Emperor Meiji, Japan’s 122nd emperor, who ruled from 1867 to 1912 and was responsible for turning Japan from a backward wasteland into an industrial giant. Afterwards, we’re off to Harajuku. Japan is a land of many contrasts. Tradition and modernity. Ancient and super-modern. Conservative and innovative. Harajuku will be the first time we meet this contrast. It’s the area where Japan’s cheeky youth present unusual fashion and modern music.
We’ll return to the hotel to pick up our luggage and head to the airport for our flights back to our
home gateway.

Farewell! Sayonara!

** Important: We will make every effort to complete
this itinerary. However, local conditions
and logistics may result in changes to the itinerary.

• A 9-night tour of Japan.
• Three delicious kosher meals per day, including packed lunches for day tours.
• A complete touring itinerary with a local English-speaking guide.
• Travel in a luxury, air-conditioned coach bus.
• Kosher Traveler’s exclusive program and a complete Shabbat program
• All entrance fees for sites on the tour itinerary.
• Interationally rated hotels

What’s not included?

• $1000 Single Supplement
• International flights 
• Travel insurance – comprehensive travel & health insurance is compulsory.
• Tips for local guides and service providers, $10 per person/per day (except for locales where tipping is culturally offensive).
• Entry visa if required. 

Kosher Travelers is committed to providing all meals of the highest quality and under strict kosher supervision.

We choose the hotels based on the hotel’s willingness and ability to accommodate our kashrut needs and/or the proximity to kosher restaurants if available.

In countries where such supervision is not available, we have a cook/mashgiach travel with us to supervise kashrut and prepare our meals.

• • Comprehensive Travel Insurance covering trip cancellation, medical emergencies and luggage is mandatory at the time of reservation.
  • Israeli Citizens; Kosher Travelers recommends Egert & Cohen Insurance. Contact Tali +972-2-622-7999 ext. 125 or 052-769-9406 or tali@egertcohen.co.il. You may also sign up for insurance online at https://www.egertcohen.co.il/travel/signup-kosher-travel.asp.
  • USA & Canadian Citizens; Kosher Travelers recommends www.traveldefend.com Ph Josh: 18005782871 info@traveldefend.com
  • Arrangements and cost of International flights are not included.
  • We recommend the Travel & Flight Consultant PJ Sahor  pj@tagtravel.co.il

• KOSHER TRAVELERS CANCELLATION FEES AND REFUNDS POLICY:If guest cancels their reservation the following cancellation fees apply:
  • 90 days prior a full refund is payable less $100 admin. per room
  • 45-90 days prior a full refund is payable less $500 per room
  • Within 45 days there is no refund.
  • If government-imposed lockdown of hotel or airport full refund less $100 admin. per person

The common denominator of our clients is Shomer Shabbat and kashrut. There are no religious level criteria to join our tours, cruises or hotel programs and we won’t ask you any questions about your religious observance.

We attract a diverse group of Jewish, English-speaking guests from across the globe, and encourage an accepting atmosphere among our group members.

At Kosher Travelers, we’re passionate about travel. Like you, we believe in opening yourself up to new experiences and breathtaking vistas that will forever expand who you are and how you see the world.

Discover… That’s why we put so much care into giving our customers not just a vacation but a life-changing experience. On a Kosher Travelers tour, you can be confident that every detail will be taken care of, from A to Z. No worries, no stress – just sheer delight and the freedom to fully enjoy every moment.

Enrich… We know what’s important to you. You want not just memorable, but meaningful. A pampering, deluxe, full-sensory experience that also has depth and spirituality.

That’s why we bring the Jewish dimension to our tours, wherever in the world they are and provide the highest level of kashrut and all the amenities required for the kosher traveler.

Connect… Most importantly, when you travel with Kosher Tours, you travel with family. We take pride in creating a family dynamic among our group members. Lifelong friendships have been formed on our tours!

Come experience for yourself the magic of a Kosher Travelers Tour to Fascinating Japan!

Discover. Enrich. Connect. And give yourself the gift of a lifetime.