MBA Trip to Japan | Short-Term Study Abroad

Japan

10 days

Starting from £1,365

Starting from €1,520

Starting from $1,740

Speak to a specialist

The perfect short-term university study abroad program for MBA students. Delve into the world of Japanese business with STEM visits, talks with industry experts and work experience days, without missing out on cultural must-dos during visits to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Here’s our overseas MBA trip to Japan at a glance:

Days 1-6 in Tokyo: Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, business university visit, World Bank talk and Q&A, sushi class, Harajuku, Meiji Shrine, Shibuya Crossing, Tsukuba Science Park, Cyberdyne, Tsukuba Space Center JAXA tour, corporate work experience, business incubator visit, pitch a start-up idea
Day 7 in Osaka: SME office visit, free afternoon
Days 8-10 in Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Arashiyama, Arashiyama Monkey Park, Tenryu-Ji Temple, meditation class at Daisen-In Temple, Golden Pavilion, Gion District, traditional performances at Gion Corner

Like what you see? Discover Japan’s thriving business world in our detailed itinerary below! But remember, all our university trips are completely customisable.

*Prices based on groups of 20 students and 2 free teachers.

See all our Japan trips here.

What's included?

✓ Local tour guide in each city
✓ All accommodation costs
✓ Full board meals for the entire trip
✓ All transportation costs, including airport pick-up and drop-off
✓ All activities listed in the itinerary

✓ 1 free teacher per 10 paying students
✓ 24-hour emergency contact support during the trip
✓ Detailed pre-departure summary & briefing
✓ Full financial failure protection
✓ Public liability insurance
✓ Our trips are fully risk-assessed

Itinerary

Day 1: Aerial Views

Morning

Your MBA trip to Japan begins today! Step off the plane in Tokyo and transfer into the city. Listen up at a trip briefing to make sure you get the most out of your time in Japan.

Evening

Head to the 45^th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building for a view of the city’s fantastic night lights.

Day 2: University Visit

Morning

Visit the business department of a local university, selected to be an appropriate match for your institution. Have a tour around campus and have the opportunity to form discussion groups with students.

Afternoon

Head to the Tokyo office of the World Bank. Here, you will be given a talk by a manager from a social innovation team and will have the opportunity to ask them some questions.

Day 3: Sushi Making

Morning

Roll up your sleeves and get involved in a sushi-making class, led by a master sushi chef. Learn how sushi evolved from a South-East Asian technique of preserving fish in fermented rice.

Afternoon

After you’ve made and eaten your sushi for lunch, head to Harajuku, where tradition rubs shoulders with modernity. Walk through the forest until you reach the Meiji Shrine, dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shokun, who, in the early 20th century, began Japan’s transformation from a feudal to a modern society. Then move on to the Harujuku shopping district to see maids, punks, goths, and fashionistas – anything goes in Harajuku!

Evening

You’ve seen it on the big screen, now it’s time to time lapse it yourself. This evening, you’re seeing the Shibuya Crossing, famed for being the busiest intersection in the world.

Day 4: Tech Day

Morning

Get lost in advanced technology today in Tsukuba Science City. It’s a zone designated to promote scientific discovery, in areas like engineering, biological and agricultural research. We’ll visit the laboratories of Cyberdyne, which develops robotic limbs. Learn more about the research and development activities carried out by the firm, before having an opportunity gain some hands-on experience as your try on some of the products.

Afternoon

Tsukuba Space Center JAXA plays an essential role in supporting the Japanese government’s plans for aerospace development and utilization. Join a tour of the facility and visit the Astronaut Training Facility and the 24-hour Control Centre. (The tour needs to be booked 5 months prior to your visiting month and a passport is necessary.)

Day 5: Tokyo Corporate Work Experience

Morning/Afternoon

Step into the shoes of a Japanese professional, as you visit a local company today. Come prepared with questions, and get ready to work hard!

Day 6: Start-Ups

Morning

Visit a business incubator, which provides office space, strategic advice and funding for start-ups across a range of industries. Listen to a talk from a founder of one of the start-ups, before engaging in a start-up simulation. Develop a start-up idea and prepare a pitch for funding from investors at the incubator.

Afternoon

You’re off to Osaka on a bullet train.

Day 7: SME

Morning

This morning, visit the offices of an SME. Osaka is regarded as Japan’s premier city for small and medium sized enterprises, and they account for 99.6% of all companies operating out of Osaka. Tour the office and hear from a manager about the challenges and opportunities the business is facing.

Afternoon

After a busy morning, relax with a free afternoon exploring Osaka.

Transfer to Kyoto, the final base on your MBA trip to Japan.

Day 8: Culture Day

Morning

Spend a cultural morning at the Fushimi Inari Shrine, a major Shinto shrine complex in wooded hills. To get onto the beautiful walking trails at the back of the complex, you’ll pass through corridors of thousands of bright red gates.

Afternoon

Visit Arashiyama, a district on the Western outskirts of Kyoto. Navigate through Arashiyama’s lush bamboo forests, before starting the 30-minute climb up to Arashiyama Monkey Park. At the top, feed mischievous monkeys or simply enjoy the panoramic views of Kyoto below. Next up, move onto the Tenryu-Ji Temple. It’s the most important of Kyoto’s five great Zen temples, but the temple’s gardens are the real show-stopper. Designed in the 14th century, they have survived the fires and wars that damaged the buildings and have remained in pristine condition for centuries.

Day 9: Golden Pavilion

Morning

Discover your inner peace. Meditate with a Zen Buddhist monk, who’ll take you on a journey of tranquility during a meditation class at the Daisen-In Temple. Afterwards, explore the temple, and enjoy an informal tea ceremony with volunteers from the temple. Then, head to perhaps the most iconic site of Kyoto: the Golden Pavilion at the Kinkaku-ji Zen Buddhist Temple. Walk around the lake and be mesmerized by the shimmering golden reflection of the pavilion on the water.

Afternoon

Explore Gion District to learn more about geishas, and step into the theatre at Gion Corner where you’ll have the chance to see traditional Japanese performances. The program includes real geishas performing their traditional arts, as well as other Japanese performances of comedy, spoken word and dance. The various performances have English translations in the accompanying program.

Day 10: Homeward Bound!

Squeeze everything back into your suitcase and transfer to Kansai International Airport. It might be home time, but it’s not over. Your MBA trip to Japan will follow you home!