DAYS
15
TOUR CODE
JAHI-27
COST
£9850
DAYS
15
TOUR CODE
JAHI-27
COST
£9850
Our immersive new tour sweeps travellers on a voyage from Osaka to Izumo via Hiroshima, Miyajima, Yamaguchi and Hagi, encountering rich mythology, dynamic history and stunning 20th century architecture alongside famous crafts, delicious gastronomy and illuminating cultural practices.
Overview
Anchoring our brand-new tour through the Chūgoku region of Japan are two of the country’s most majestic Shinto shrines: Itsukushima Jinja, on the sacred island Miyajima near Hiroshima, famous for its vermillion torii gate which stands out in the waters of the Inland Sea; and the ancient, venerable Izumo Taisha, on the wild coast of the Sea of Japan.
This landscape of captivating mythology and samurai culture, sublime horticulture and architectural ingenuity, is characterised by its position between the two coasts: a meeting point for everything from diverse traditions and crafts to feudal lords and the gods themselves.
“This picturesque sea served as the backdrop to some of the most tumultuous episodes in Japanese history. We will visit Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and castles that attest to the cultural attainments, the power and prestige of local lords”
– Tour Director Yoko Kawaguchi
We begin in Osaka, where the Abeno Harukasu building offers a sweeping panorama of the entire city and the region’s geography, accompanied by visits to the Shinto shrine of Sumiyoshi Taisha and the ancient Buddhist temple Shitennō-ji. Shintoism will remain a core thread as we delve deeper into the myths and legends associated with this ‘middle’ region and its cultural practices, from paper-making to tea ceremonies. Modern history, meanwhile, is inescapable in Hiroshima, our second stop, where a visit to the Peace Memorial Park is both a sobering reminder of the past and a symbol of the city’s stand against nuclear conflict.
This intersection of the old and new will carry us forward as we travel to Miyajima and then westward towards the tip of the main Japanese island of Honshū. In the town of Yamaguchi, we plan to stay the night at a historical onsen (hot spring) hotel with a Japanese garden, while exploring the famous pagoda at Rurikō-ji temple and the late-15th century temple garden at Jōei-ji.
GATHERING PLACE OF THE GODS
The setting-place of the sun, and a mythical connecting point between this world and the next, Izumo on the coast of the Inland Sea is deeply embedded in Japanese mythology. At Inasa-no-hama Beach near the beautiful shrine of Izumo Taisha, the 80,000 Shinto deities of Japan are said to gather on an autumn day to process to the holy site. References to the setting sun abound, with Amaterasu, the sun goddess, honoured at nearby Hinomisaki Shrine alongside her younger brother Susanoo-no-Mikoto, a multifaceted deity linked to the sea and storms. The region around the Sugaya Tatara village at Unnan is associated with the Shinto myth of an eight-headed, eight-tailed serpent, which was vanquished by Susanoo-no-Mikoto; a sacred sword is said to have been found in the serpent’s tail.
Samurai history and culture will come into the foreground in the port town of Hagi with its well-preserved samurai quarter and historical residential buildings and gardens. During the 19th century the town was famously a gathering place for samurai unhappy with the failing Tokugawa shogunate; many of these men later became statesmen in the new imperial regime.
Connecting the past and the present, our itinerary incorporates a number of sites celebrated for Japanese craftsmanship. Hagi is famous for its stoneware pottery, popular amongst tea-ceremony practitioners for its wabi-sabi (celebrating beauty in flaws and imperfections) character. Meanwhile, the inland villages of Unnan and Oku-izumo, to the south of Izumo, still preserve the ancient tradition of tatara iron production, which was used in Japan until the introduction of western methods.
No trip to this region would be complete without a visit to the celebrated 20th century garden at the Adachi Art Museum, in the town of Yasugi. From Yasugi, we will return to Osaka via the world-famous Himeji Castle; while a day excursion across the magnificent Akashi Kaikyō Bridge, the second longest suspension bridge in the world, to the island of Awajishima, will take us to contemporary Japanese architect Tadao Ando’s Awaji Yumebutai complex with its incredible Hundred Steps Garden.
“This will be a tour of contrasts, starting with the hyper-modern yet ancient commercial hub of Osaka, and Hiroshima, the city risen from the ashes of nuclear devastation. We will travel progressively back in time as we move westward. The picturesque Inland Sea served as the backdrop to some of the most tumultuous episodes in Japanese history. We will visit Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and castles that attest to the cultural attainments, the power and prestige of local lords.
Meanwhile, the northern coast of the region looks out onto the wild expanse that is the Sea of Japan. Remote from the centres of political power, this stretch of land retains its own unique cultural characteristics. The elegant samurai town of Hagi, famous for its beautiful pottery, became a hotbed for revolutionary politics in the 19th century. Izumo, with its venerable Shinto shrine, has been a land of mythological importance for the Japanese since at least the 8th century. It was at Izumo that rival Shinto gods vied for control of Japan. Ancient traditions, such as the Japanese method of smelting iron, has been preserved in Izumo’s mountainous hinterland, where a legendary eight-headed serpent was once said to have dwelt.
The tour will conclude with a return to the modern age, with a visit to buildings on the island of Awaji designed by the internationally renowned contemporary Japanese architect Tadao Ando, whose avant-garde style is infused with his reverence for the Japanese landscape.”
– Tour Director Yoko Kawaguchi
Tour Director
Yoko Kawaguchi
Yoko Kawaguchi is a cultural historian specialising in the relationship between Japan and the west. She publishes widely and regularly leads tours to Japan.
This tour will be led by Yoko Kawaguchi, MA, a cultural historian specialising in the relationship between Japan and the west. Brought up in the US, Canada and Japan, she holds an MA from Kyoto University and has undertaken postgraduate research at Newnham College, Cambridge. Yoko lectures on Japanese garden history, art, architecture and religion, and other aspects of Japanese culture, their reception in the west, as well as on western perceptions of Japanese women. She leads tours to Japan and her publications include Butterfly's Sisters: The Geisha in Western Culture for Yale University Press, Japanese Zen Gardens, and Authentic Japanese Gardens. She lives in the UK.
- ACE customer on a 2025 tour to Japan
Our Accommodation
We will stay throughout at a series of comfortable, welcoming hotels well-positioned for our visits. This region is less frequented by tourists and the accommodation on offer is sometimes of a smaller and simpler standard, however these establishments will enable us to experience the key sites in depth. Accommodation will be characterful where possible, including a typical Japanese onsen (hot spring) hotel with a Japanese garden, subject to final confirmation.
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart London via Tokyo.
Day 2
Arrive Kansai (Osaka) International Airport. Transfer to hotel in Osaka for two nights. Welcome and introduction to the tour: Japanese Culture & the Sea.
Day 3
Visits in Osaka: Abeno Harukas (once the tallest skyscraper in Japan, home to gallery spaces and an observation deck), Buddhist temple Shitennō-ji with its five-storey pagoda (founded at the end of the 6th century) and Shinto shrine of Sumiyoshi Taisha with its famous red Sorihashi Bridge.
Day 4
By Shinkansen train to Hiroshima for visits to Shukkei-en Garden (time permitting) and the city’s Peace Memorial Park. Two nights at a hotel close to Miyajima Island.
Day 5
Relaxed day spent exploring the small, sacred island of Miyajima: Itsukushima Jinja (ancient shrine with ‘floating’ torii), Senjōkaku Pavilion (enormous wooden hall) and Mt Misen (via cable car), the highest peak on the island, to reach the Shishi-iwa Observation Deck and enjoy beautiful views of the Inland Sea.
Day 6
Morning: journey by coach to Yamaguchi. Afternoon: visits to the late-15th century temple garden at Jōei-ji Temple (20th century, dry-landscape garden by the famous landscape architect Mirei Shigemori; 15th century landscape garden), the five-storey pagoda at Rurikō-ji Temple and adjoining gardens in Kōzan Park. Overnight stay at a historical hot spring (onsen) ryokan in Yamaguchi. Evening lecture: Samurai Culture in Miyajima,Yamaguchi and Hagi.
Day 7
Morning: journey by coach to Hagi for visits to the castle ruins in Shizuki Park and the town’s samurai quarter (well-preserved, UNESCO-listed district). Afternoon visits to the Kikuya Family Residence (17th century merchant residence with garden), with opportunity for refreshments at the nearby Seisei-an cafe (where Hagi-ware pottery is used to serve matcha tea and traditional Japanese sweets), and the Shinto shrine of Shōin Jinja. Two nights in Hagi.
Day 8
Morning visit to the traditional pottery studio Senshunraku Jōzan, with its nobori-gama (climbing kiln). Afternoon: Aiba Waterway area south-east of Hagi town centre for a visit to the Yukawa Family Residence (former samurai residence with fascinating water features) and the childhood home of the early 20th century Japanese prime minister Katsu Tarō with its water garden. Evening lecture: Shintoism and Izumo, the Land of Ancient Mythology.
Day 9
Journey by coach to Izumo for a visit to the extensive, ancient Shinto shrine of Izumo Taisha, followed by Inasa-no-hama Beach (connections to the mythology of Izumo) – time permitting. Two nights in Izumo.
Day 10
Visits to a traditional paper-making studio in Unnan and the Izumo Cultural Heritage Museum, housed in the former Esumi Family Residence (featuring three different styles of garden, including a traditional tea house and a roji-style tea garden, with a chance to learn about the history behind the Japanese tea ceremony). Evening lecture: Beauty & Function in Japanese Architectural Design: Himeji Castle & Tadao Ando’s Buildings.
Day 11
Visits to Sugaya Tatara village at Unnan (outdoor museum providing a glimpse into a traditional ironmaking community), Kamosu Shrine and Matsue Castle. Two nights in Matsue.
Day 12
Visit to a local indigo dyeing workshop followed by the Adachi Museum of Art, a unique museum renowned for its thoughtful combination of Japanese artwork and award-winning gardens, regularly named among the very best in Japan.
Day 13
Journey by coach to Kobe via Himeji Castle, among the most famous structures in Japan, and one of the first to be recognised by UNESCO (including grounds and option to visit interior). One night in Kobe.
Day 14
Whole day excursion across the magnificent Akashi Kaikyō Bridge (the second longest suspension bridge in the world) to the island of Awajishima to see contemporary Japanese architect Tadao Ando’s Awaji Yumebutai complex with its Hundred Steps Garden, Awaji Greenhouse, Oval Forum, Circular Forum and water garden; and the nearby Buddhist Honpuku-ji Water Temple (Mizumi-dō), also designed by Ando. Depart Kansai (Osaka) on overnight flight to London.
Day 15
Arrive London.
Frequently Asked Questions
To read our full list of frequently asked questions please visit our general FAQs here.
What is the maximum group size of this tour?
What is the deposit cost for this tour?
What tour staff will be on this tour?
Am I fit enough to travel on this tour?
Fitness Requirements
The majority of ACE Cultural Tours are active in nature. To make the most of our time in a destination and provide excellent value for money, they are busy – there are often several visits included each day. As such, our tours require a certain minimum level of physical and mental fitness, mobility and stamina.
Many visits will involve navigating several steps, uneven ground, steep ascents and descents, and could involve embarking and disembarking aircraft, coaches, trains and cruise vessels. Plenty of walking, punctuated by lengthy periods of standing, is the norm. Some tours may involve long coach journeys.
It is essential that all customers are sufficiently fit and able enough to fully participate. Furthermore, every tour comprises a group of guests. We cannot allow the entire group to be negatively impacted by one participant, either holding up the pace we reasonably need to maintain or disproportionately requiring the attention and support of the tour staff.
We carefully consider the intensity, fitness and other requirements of each itinerary and describe them on the tour pages of our brochures and website. Please study these descriptions closely. When you call to book, we will reiterate those requirements and ask you to confirm that all group members are indeed fit enough and otherwise able to meet the criteria. It is your responsibility to answer fully and honestly. If it transpires that you are not able to keep pace with the tour and/or it reasonably appears you are negatively impacting (or are reasonably likely to negatively impact) the enjoyment of the rest of the group (including their ability to complete all scheduled visits), we may ask you to sit out certain days/visits, take a taxi at your own expense (if available in the location), or even, if we consider there is no other reasonable alternative, ask you to leave the tour and make your own way home.
This is a comprehensive tour and requires a good level of fitness and mobility. Participants should be prepared for a significant amount of walking and standing, and be aware that it is customary to sit on the floor and change or remove footwear at times in Japan. Some visits involve walking over uneven or gravelled ground, uphill and up and down narrow steps. There is also a short ferry journey to and from Miyajima island. Please note some temple interiors are dimly lit, and certain visits will also be made at height, for example, observation decks at Osaka’s Abeno Harukas skyscraper and Miyajima’s Mt Misen (via cable car) – although participants can opt out of these if wished. Participants must meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.
As a minimum, participants should be able to successfully complete the following self- assessment tests:
- Walk for one hour at a reasonable pace and without needing to take a break to rest
- Climb at least two flights of stairs at a reasonable pace
- Stand unaided for at least 30 minutes
- Stand up and sit down ten times in one minute
- Carry or otherwise move your own luggage
Please ensure you have read and understand our full fitness requirements as described in our terms and conditions.
Practicalities
Journey times
The tour features several hotel changes and some long coach journeys of up to four hours in duration, so a good level of stamina is required. Please note that we will make use of the Shinkansen (bullet train) high-speed rail network for some journeys, usually where this is more convenient and takes significantly less time than driving.
Food and drink
Most of the towns we will be visiting on this tour are coastal, and so their local specialities will usually involve fish. However, we also plan to feature a range of other delicacies, from the pork dishes for which Hagi is famous to Izumo’s prized local Wagyu beef, alongside good quality alternatives for those who do not eat meat.
UK Government Travel Advice
For additional travel information from the UK government please consult the following pages.
Flight Information
For customers who wish to make their own travel arrangements, ACE is pleased to be able to offer a flight reduction of £1150.
Cost Details
Japan Ancient & Modern: From Hiroshima to Izumo
May 12 - 26, 2027
Included: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin room, thirteen breakfasts, nine lunches, thirteen dinners with water & non-alcoholic drinks, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.
Not Included: travel insurance, single room supplement £925.
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