AACI’s Kosher, Mystical Japan – In-depth Tour
May 11-27, 2025
Osaka – Kobe – Awaji – Himeji – Hiroshima – Miyajima – Kyoto – EXPO 2025 – Takayama – A special visit to the Japanese Alps – Mount Fuji – Hakone – Tokyo – Nikko
More than any other country, the Japanese have managed to integrate ancient traditions and leading-edge technology harmoniously into their daily lives, with a perfect mix of new and old. In this excellent tour to Japan, you will not miss anything a first-time visitor to Japan should see.
Japan consists of four main islands: Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku. There are another thousand smaller islands all lying to the east of the Asian mainland in the northwest of the Pacific Ocean. This archipelago curves across 3000 km, linking Russian’s Sakhalin Island in the north to Taiwan in the south. We will visit the biggest Island: Honshu, the most culturally significant of these islands.
In the best that Japan has to offer you’ll enjoy a colorful mix of large cities like Tokyo and Osaka, quaint and traditional Takayama, the historically significant ancient shrines and temples of Kyoto and Nara, the testament to peace of Hiroshima, the natural beauty of Hakone, the thermally heated valley of Owakudani and much, much more.
Sunday, May 11 – Depart Tel Aviv – Osaka
Depart Tel Aviv to Osaka. Bon Voyage!
Tour begins:
Day 01, Monday, May 12 – Arrival (Kansai Airport) and the city of Osaka – The program for this day will be announced according to the flight arrival from Israel.
Arrive at Kansai International Airport, built on an artificial island in Osaka Bay.
Day 02, Tuesday, May 13 – Kobe – Miyajima – Hiroshima –Kobe.
This morning after Tefilla and breakfast, we will board the Shinkansen, the famous Japanese bullet train, which will ‘fly’ us westward to the city of Hiroshima. First, we will cross the strait to the holy island of Miyajima and its famous giant torii red gate located in the sea waters. We will also ride the ropeway to the top of mount Misen for magnificent views of the Seto Inland Sea. Continue with a visit to the peace park and peace museum where the tragedy of the atomic bomb dropped on the city is commemorated in a special unique Japanese way.
Back on the Shinkansen to Kobe for dinner at Chabad.
Day 03, Wednesday, May 14 – Osaka – EXPO 2025 – Kyoto
Today, after Tefilla and breakfast, we depart from Kobe to Osaka to attend the EXPO 2025.
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 visiting the World Expo. We’ll start with a quick visit to the Osaka Castle, a former Samurai Castle splendidly restored to its original size. We then continue to the The World Exposition – a place where new technologies and products are born, triggering greater convenience in our daily lives.
The World Expo held every 5 years [first in London 1851 and known as The Great Exhibition] is an event that brings together people and innovations from around the world in an effort to address issues facing humankind on a global scale. You will experience a lively Expo filled with excitement where you can enjoy entertainment such as Water World, music and performing arts events held at event squares, event halls, and other stages, hands-on traditional performing arts and pop culture events, and festivals and parades from around Japan.
Early afternoon we will leave for Kyoto to visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, which is an important Shinto shrine, famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings. The trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari, which stands at 233 meters and belongs to the shrine grounds.
We will finish the long day with dinner at Chabad Kyoto.
Day 04, Thursday, May 15 – Kyoto.
Tefilla and breakfast at hotel then we will drive to Kyoto to the Golden Temple, the icon of the city where the Japanese emperor held his court for 1,000 years. The we move on to Arashiyama, Including Tenryuji, Bamboo forest. Lunch today will be on a traditional boat (Yakatabune) followed by a visit to lNishiki market and Kyoto Arcades.
Dinner at Chabad Kyoto.
Day 05, Friday, May 16 – Kyoto – Hiashiyama area, Kiyomizu Dera, Sanjusangendo – Kodaiji
This morning, after a short drive, we will visit Hiashiyama area, Kiyomizu Dera, Sannenzaka. From here we will enjoy a tea ceremony in Kodaiji, an important part of the refined Japanese culture. Our next Japanese experience will be a Kimona celebration dressing in traditional costumes. We will 
then walk to Sanjusangendo, a Buddhist temple with thousands of statues.
Back to the hotel to get ready for Shabbat and Shabbat dinner at Chabad.
Day 06, Saturday, May 17 – Shabbat in Kyoto.
We will have Shabbat lunch and Seuda shlishit at Chabad. We will also have a walking tour in the vicinity of our hotel and visit the beautiful Heian shrine.
After dinner we will visit Pontocho area (downtown Kyoto)
Day 07, Sunday, May 18 – Kyoto – Seki – Yaotsu – Takayama.
After Tefilla and breakfast in Chabad, we’ll make our way to Kyoto station and then board the Shinkansen toward Gifu-Hashima. Upon arrival, our coach will take us to the town of Seki, known for hundreds of years for the quality katana swords that the local blacksmiths produce. We will visit one of these establishments and have a chance to take a close look at the traditional proses. From here we will go to Yaotsu, where first we will learn how and then will make our own buckwheat soba noodles – a common Japanese dish – and enjoy our own cooking.
Yaotsu is the birth town of the single Japanese Righteous-Among-the-Nations, Sugihara Chiune, who issued lifesaving visas to many Jews while he served as a consul in Kaunas. We will visit his memorial hall and learn about this story. At the end of the day we will drive to Takayama and have dinner delivered from Chabad.
Day 08, Monday, May 19 – Takayama – Gokayama – Shirakawa-go – Takayama
Following Tefilla and breakfast, we will spend the morning at the town of Takayama. Start with the local morning market, continue with the preserved old town center with its wooden houses and many sake breweries. Thereafter, we will visit Yatai Kaikan museum and exhibition hall devoted to the unique and spectacular floats of the Takayama Festival, a magnificent work of wood and gold art of the local artists, begun hundreds of years ago. Now we will leave the town and travel into the mountains, to Shirakawa-go, a traditional village of Ogi-machi. We will visit in one of the thatched houses, watch a local folklore performance.
Back to Gokayama to attend ‘Washi no Sato”, paper making experience. and Chabad delivered dinner.
Day 09, Tuesday, May 20 – Takayama – Kamikochi – Matsumoto –Takayama
After Tefilla and breakfast, the first half of the day will be dedicated to the Kamikochi nature reserve, where we will walk in a nice, flat trail along the river, surrounded by the majestic views of the Japanese Alps and maybe also meet some wild monkeys. Next is a visit to the city of Matsumoto, where the black, raven castle. Back to Takayama for one more night and Chabad delivered dinner.
Day 10, Wednesday, May 21 – Takayama – Tokyo.
Tefilla and Breakfast. This morning we drive to the city of Nagoya, where we board the Shinkansen for the last time this trip. Drop off at the biggest metropolis of the world – Tokyo. We start with a tour of the Imperial Palace and Marunouchi, where the residents of the high ranked samurai used to be, and now the offices of the biggest financial companies are located. We will also visit the Tokyo international forum with its unique architecture. Now to one of the modern wonders – The teamLab digital art museum which no words can describe. After this amazing experience, we will go back in time for a cruise in Tokyo Bay in a traditional yakatabune boat. We will have a kosher dinner on board.
Day 11, Thursday, May 22 – Tokyo – Fuji – Hakone – Tokyo.
Today after Tefilla and breakfast, we will leave Tokyo temporarily and drive towards famous Mount Fuji and the 5 lakes at its foot. We will visit Kubota Ichiku Museum to see the beautiful products of the reconstruction of the old method of dying silk kimonos. Time permitting, we will visit the Oishi Park next to the lake and walk along its bank with views of Mount Fuji so close (if weather permits). Now we drive to Hakone to climb over mount Hakone using a ropeway to see the volcanic active area of Owakudani. Following we will visit the open-air sculpture museum where human art and nature are blending. Then In the afternoon, we will drive back to Tokyo for dinner at Chabad Tokyo.
Day 12, Friday, May 23 – Tokyo.
Tefilla and breakfast. We start today at the Tokyo Tower and view the huge city from one of its sky-high observatories. Next, we will go down to the downtown area of Asakusa and the most important and first Buddhist temple of the city. From Asakusa we move to Meiji jingu, a large shrine located in a quiet forest in the middle of the bustling city. It is dedicated to the emperor who in his time Japan developed into a modern state. Not far away is the Harajuku area where the world fashion finds inspiration. Here you can see it all, from youth rebellious subcultures to high-end world-class designers.
Back to hotel to prepare for Shabbat and Shabbat dinner at Chabad.
Day 13, Saturday, May 24 – Shabbat – Shibuya in the evening.
We will have Shabbat lunch and Seuda shlishit at Chabad. We also will have a walking tour in the vicinity of our hotel to visit a traditional Japanese garden (weather permitting). In the evening, we will experience the best public transportation in the world and go to Shibuya district with its famous crossing and nightlife.
Day 14, Sunday, May 25 – Tokyo – Nikko – Tokyo.
This morning we drive up north to Nikko. First to the beautiful Toshogu Shrine, the lavishly decorated final resting place of Tokugawa Leyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Continue to the heart of Nikko National Park and view the scenic Lake Chuzenji. This area is so lovely that several embassies built their villas here, to house their ambassadors. Here we find the Kegon waterfall, ranked as one of the three most beautiful falls in Japan.
Back to Tokyo and a farewell dinner at Chabad.
Day 15, Monday, May 26 -Tokyo – flight back from Narita airport.
We start our day with a visit Tsukiji market to see and feel the atmosphere. We will continue to Ginza, the upper scale luxurious and beautiful district. Thereafter, we will visit Akihabara, a district in central Tokyo that is famous for its many electronics shops and has also gained recognition as the center of Japan’s otaku (diehard fan) culture. Many shops and establishments devoted to anime and manga are dispersed among the electronic stores in the district. Okachimachi district is a unique shopping hub full of scurrying Japanese shoppers and foreign tourists, and its streets are routinely some of the most packed areas day or night. After your fill of last minute shopping, we will drive to Narita airport, saying farewell to amazing Japan and flying safely back home.
| PRICES COMING VERY SOON Price without flights: $ 8,960 per person in a double room for AACI members $ 10,770 single person in a room Flights from Israel wiill be quoted upon registration. |
$75 pp addition for non AACI member or join AACI
| Flight details Departure flight: EK 932 (Emirates) Sunday, May 11th , 2025: Departing Ben Gurion, Tel Aviv at 19:50. Arrival in United Arab Emirates (UAE) Airport, Dubai: 23:59 Connecting flight: EK 316 (Emirates)Monday, May 12th, 2025: Departing Dubai, (UAE) at 03:00. Arrival Monday, May 12th, 2025 in Osaka, Japan: 17:15 Return flight: EK 319 (Emirates) Monday, May 26th, 2025: Departing Tokyo Airport, at 22:30. Arrival in Dubai airport (UAE) at 04:50, Thursday, May 27th, 2025 Connecting flight: EK 2369 (Emirates)Thursday, May 27th, 2025: Departing Dubai, (UAE) at 07:05. Arrival Thursday, May 27th, 2025 in Tel Aviv at 09:35 NOTE: Flight plans are subject to change. |
Included in the price for this tour:
- 4 Bullet train journeys
- 14 nights in four/five-star hotels
- Kosher full board including provision to make sandwiches for lunch.
- Sightseeing, activities, and attractions as mentioned in the itinerary.
- Tips
- Local Jewish tour guide, fluent in English and Japanese
- AACI Escort
- Whispers
- Wi-Fi on bus
*Please note the rate of exchange used for this tour is subject to change if there are currency fluctuations
Ana Crown Plaza Kobe, May 12-13, 2025
Hotel Okura Kyoto Okazaki Bettei, May 14- 17, 2025
Hotel Associa Takayama Resort, May, 18 – 20, 2025
Sheraton Miyako Hotel Tokyo, May 21 – May 25, 2025
Not included in the price:
- Flights
- Insurance with Corona Coverage
- Personal expenses
- Any items not mentioned in the above itinerary.
Terms of payment:
Registration – $1,000 ($400 nonrefundable)
Second payment : February 2nd , 2025 – 50%
Balance due: April 1st, 2025
Cancellation:
From registration until March 12th,2025 – 400$ nonrefundable
From March 13th until April 10th,2025 – 25%
From April 11th, 2025, full cancelation fee: 100%
Travel insurance is obligatory and should cover illness, luggage & cancellation. It can be purchased through your insurance agent, your Kupat Holim or Diesenhaus Tours.
For further details please email: info@aaci.org.il or call 02-5661181 ext. 205