History School Trip to Japan

• Welcome to the “Introduction to Japan” session designed to enhance your travel experience! Led by a Japanese language teacher and local students, this interactive session aims to equip you with valuable Japanese phrases and fascinating customs, ensuring your trip is both exciting and memorable.
• Following the session, venture out of the room for a fun and engaging adventure game in town, putting your newfound knowledge to the test.
• Visit the beautiful Meiji Shrine, dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and his wife. Take a stroll through the Meiji Gardens and explore freely the Meiji Jingu Museum. Then, move on to the Harujuku district, Tokyo’s cultural epicentre, to see pokemon, punks, goths and fashionistas. Anything goes in Harajuku!
• In the evening, pay a visit to the famous Shibuya Crossing. When the lights turn red at this busy intersection, pedestrians surge into the junction from all sides like a floodgate opening. It’s arguably one of the most iconic modern sights in Tokyo!

• Stroll freely in the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Museum to experience the architecture from the past.
  Since the Edo period, Tokyo has lost many valuable historical buildings because of fires, floods, earthquakes and warfare. Today, the city’s valuable cultural heritage is still being eroded due to social and economic changes.
• Walk through the district of Asakusa, where an atmosphere of ancient Tokyo survives. Discover the charming streets lined with traditional craft shops and street-food stalls and visit Sensoji Temple, one of Tokyo’s most colorful and popular Buddhist temples.
• Next, with the assistance of friendly volunteers, learn how to properly wear a kimono and experience the elegance and grace of this iconic attire.
• You’ll also explore the vibrant Akihabara District. Nicknamed Japan’s ‘Electric Town’ thanks to its post-war industry boom, it’s now a culture epicentre in Tokyo. It’s perfect for lovers of anime, managa, and J-Pop – and is home to the most famous group in Japan, AKB48.

• In the morning, hop on a train to Odawara!
• Once you’ve arrived, stroll freely in the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History. The museum features impressive exhibitions and collections about the formation of solar system, history of the Earth, evolution of life, biodiversity, and nature from Sagami Bay to Hakone volcano.
• Venture to Odawara Castle, which sits at the gateway to Hakone. Alongside internal exhibits on the castle’s history, armor and sword displays, the grounds also house an interactive Ninja Museum and a Samurai Museum too. Spend sometime exploring this fascinating area, uncovering Japan’s storied past.
• It’s time to travel back to Tokyo.

• This morning, you’ll transfer via high-speed bullet train – the Shinkansen – to the beautiful city of Kyoto!
• After lunch, visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine, a major Shinto shrine complex on Mount Inari. Behind the shrine, you’ll find the beautiful walking trails and the seemingly endless path of vibrant gates, one of the most famous images of Japan.
• Toji, or Kyō-ō-gokoku-ji temple is UNESCO heritage and famous for its five storied pagoda, the highest wooden building in Japan. Be amazed with its breathtaking view and capture its iconic image in your photography, or in your mind.
• Walk down the bustling Hanamikoji Dori, a street that runs from Sanjo Dori in the north to Kenninji Temple in the south. Wandering around during the day is enjoyable, but we recommend walking around at night.

• Discover your inner peace in the morning, with a Zen Buddhist monk, who will take you for a meditation class.
• Treat the tastebuds at Nishiki Market. With over 100 stalls and shops lining the covered, narrow street, it has been nicknamed ‘Kyoto’s Kitchen’. Take a stroll through this thriving 400-year old market and taste some of the fresh and preserved treats.
• In the afternoon, walk through quaint side streets to the 1,200-year-old Kiyomizu Dera Temple, where you’ll enjoy postcard-worthy views over Kyoto.
• Travel back to Tokyo and take in the sights of the Japanese landscape as you travel on the bullet train.
• On the last evening in Japan, there will be a chance for students, faculty and adventure leaders to come together for a reflection session. Through discussion, listening and guided thought, participants can process their experiences, digest new ideas and consider what they have learned about the region, its people and themselves during the trip.

Sadly, today your Japan history school trip comes to an end. You’ll head to the airport, ready to fly home.