Silk Way Explore
Japan blends quiet temple towns, bustling cities and pop culture, and it is one of Asia's most popular places to study. Our first visits are in Kansai, around Osaka University and Nara Institute of Science and Technology, and we are exploring other regions with their own universities and famous places.
Late March to mid April in Tokyo and Kansai, a little later further north.
November in Kyoto and Nara, when temples glow red and gold.
February snow festivals in Hokkaido, and summer matsuri festivals from July to August.
A light overview of where our trips go and where the universities are. When you send us your interests, we draw a detailed route for you.
Dots are approximate.
Ask for a detailed routePlenty of places fans travel for. We can build them into your route.
Japan's capital mixes neon, anime culture and quiet temple lanes. Tokyo's top universities sit in leafy districts you can stroll through.
Tokyo's oldest temple and old-town shopping streets
The famous crossing and youth fashion streets
Anime, manga and game shops, plus retro arcades
Great Buddha and seaside train lines, a day trip from Tokyo
Kansai is Japan's cultural heartland: Osaka for food and fun, Kyoto for temples, Nara for deer and ancient history, Kobe for harbour views. Osaka University and Nara Institute of Science and Technology are both here, and the cities are an hour or less apart by train.
Castle gardens by day, neon canal and street food by night
Thousands of red gates and Kyoto's famous hillside temple
Friendly deer and a giant Buddha hall
Osaka's anime, game and electronics district
Thousands of manga to read inside a former school
Harbour promenade and old foreign merchants' houses
Japan's northern island has cooler summers, big nature and fresh seafood. Hakodate is a harbour town with a famous night view; Sapporo hosts a huge snow festival every February.
One of Japan's most famous night views
Seafood breakfast bowls
A star-shaped fort with cherry blossoms in spring
Giant snow sculptures every February
Old warehouses and glass workshops by the water
Sendai is the green 'city of trees' of northern Honshu, close to some of Japan's most scenic coastline and hot-spring towns.
Pine-covered islands, counted among Japan's three great views
Mausoleum of the Date clan lord Date Masamune
Early August star festival with huge paper decorations
Nagoya is a big, friendly city in central Japan, home to castles, shrines and a lot of pop culture, plus easy day trips.
Golden-dolphin castle with restored palace rooms
One of Japan's most important Shinto shrines, set in forest
Anime-themed park in Nagakute, a short ride from Nagoya
Retro shops, cosplay and street snacks
Hiroshima is a calm, river-filled city with a powerful peace story, the island shrine of Miyajima close by, and a university town, Higashihiroshima, known for sake.
A place to reflect, and Hiroshima's best-known site
The 'floating' red gate in the sea, a ferry ride away
Hiroshima-style layered savoury pancakes
Kyushu is Japan's warm southern island: volcanoes, hot springs and some of the country's best food.
One of Japan's great castles, being restored
A tranquil landscaped garden with a mini Mount Fuji
One of the world's largest volcanic calderas
A famous shrine for students: people pray here for exam success
Open-air yatai stalls for ramen and skewers at night
Tell us your goals and we'll suggest a route, no obligation.