This exciting and diverse tour to Japan provides students enriching cultural experiences they will never forget.
Experience spiritual Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples, and futuristic districts.
Evaluate evidence and perspective at the Yushukan Japanese War Museum, evaluating the Japanese version of World War Two. Explore the majesty of Japanese castles and samurai districts. Create your own Manga comic. Learn about (and taste) the incredible foods of Japan.
Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of ancient Shirkawa-go, and Kanazawa, avoiding the crowds and costs of Kyoto.
Witness Hiroshima's atomic bomb memorials and learn about the end of World War Two and its cost. Enjoy Miyajima Island, with its picturesque tori gates, interesting monuments and friendly deer.
Experience Disneyland theme park in Tokyo and Universal Studios in Osaka.
Whether students are focused on language, art, history, or food technology, there is something that will engage everyone.
School tour specialists providing comprehensive teacher resources
Our teacher toolkit provides the planning resources needed to successfully plan an international school trip. From support with fundraising and communication with parents and students to planning checklists, these resources allow busy teachers to stay on track with the planning process.
Group travel management software
EA uses the latest software to make teachers' lives easier by performing tasks and collating information on their behalf. Instead of teachers chasing up parents for students' passport details, medical information, waiver forms, chasing payments etc, now Educating Adventures will do this on your behalf.
Professional local trip representatives providing 24 hour support
The EA difference is our qualified and experienced team on the ground at each of our featured destinations. Your school tour representative will meet and greet, and work with you to ensure flexibility and provide ongoing support throughout your school tour. Our representatives are selected for their ability to quickly develop a great rapport with teachers and students and because they are passionate about providing excellent service.
Bespoke educational trips, customised to your requirements
EA School Tours have been working with schools for 14 years to facilitate informative and inspiring school tours around the world. In addition to key featured trips to the USA, UK & Europe, NZ, South America and Japan, our experienced team can create bespoke educational travel itineraries for your school. All packages are fully inclusive with flights, accommodation, activities and so much more…
Superior organisation for a stress free experience
EA School Tours provides an unsurpassed level of support to teachers. From the concept to completion of your school tour, your dedicated school travel consultant will work with you to ensure a memorable and safe experience for your students, parents, and teachers. There is a high level of communication required in order to successfully plan an international trip and our team will ensure the planning is on track to deliver an exceptional school trip.
Excellent knowledge of local activities
Your school travel consultant will have intimate knowledge of our featured travel locations and a handful of other exciting travel destinations around the globe. Our committed team have been selected because of their knowledge of international travel, their high level of organisational skills and great service, and their ability to source exciting and educational trip activities to add to your overall school travel experience.
Our planning
The next step is to let know that you would like to work with us and we can advise and help you to make this tour a reality. There is no obligation to travel, this step just allows us to make all necessary enquiries and work with our suppliers on organising initial details for your group while you advertise the trip to your school and collect deposits.
Get it right
This quotation and itinerary is a starting point. We enjoy this stage, spending time with teachers to make changes and ensure each school group gets the best itinerary at a suitable package price.
Confirm the trip
To confirm your trip a non-refundable deposit (normally 15% of the package price) is required. Once we have secured the main components of your trip with our suppliers we will send you a confirmation invoice. This will include a remaining payments schedule as agreed with you. Note: international flights are generally only available to be booked 11 months prior to travel.
Price Guarantee
We know how difficult it is for teachers to ask parents for more money. Once we have issued a confirmation invoice the price will never change as long as the itinerary does not change and the numbers of travellers remain the same. So the price of the tour will not increase if flights and/or taxes increase or exchange rate changes. Another reason why EA School Tours makes teachers' lives easier!
Visiting Tokyo is an exciting blend of modern innovation and deep-rooted tradition, where towering skyscrapers stand alongside ancient temples, and every corner offers something new to explore.
Start by visiting Asakusa's Senjo Ji, Tokyo’s oldest and most visited Buddhist temple, founded in the 7th century. Famous for its vibrant Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) and bustling Nakamise Street lined with traditional shops, it offers a mix of spiritual heritage, cultural charm, and local cuisine.
Get an incredible panoramic view from Tokyo Skytree, a striking broadcasting and observation tower in Tokyo, standing at 634 meters (2,080 ft), making it one of the tallest structures in the world. Its sleek, futuristic design combines modern engineering with subtle traditional Japanese aesthetics.
Next, visit Yasukuni Shrine, standing as a solemn and controversial site in Tokyo, dedicated to Japan’s war dead, surrounded by serene gardens and a museum that reflects the nation's complex history.
The Yushukan Museum offer students a unique perspective on Japan’s military history, including World War 2, showcasing artifacts, documents, and exhibits that highlight the experiences of soldiers and the nation’s past conflicts. It is an opportunity to compare evidence and perspective from your home country with that of Japan, to learn how history is analysed and told depending on the source.
After lunch visit the Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery, a peaceful resting place in Tokyo, honoring the unidentified war dead with a serene atmosphere surrounded by beautiful seasonal blooms.
LEARNING FOCUS:
HISTORY
Learning Outcome: Students explore Japan’s historical events, cultural memory, and societal values.
Example: Visits to Yasukuni Shrine, Yushukan Museum, and Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery allow students to analyse artifacts, examine differing historical perspectives on WW2, and reflect on how societies commemorate war and conflict.
LANGUAGE & CULTURE
Learning Outcome: Students engage with Japanese language and cultural practices in authentic settings.
Example: Exploring Senso-ji Temple and Nakamise Street provides opportunities to interact with local vendors, learn common phrases, and understand cultural customs through observation of temple rituals and traditional market activities.
ART
Learning Outcome: Students develop visual literacy and appreciation of design and architecture across historical and modern contexts.
Example: Observing the vibrant details of Senso-ji Temple and traditional shopfronts alongside the sleek, futuristic design of Tokyo Skytree encourages analysis of aesthetic evolution, cultural symbolism, and urban design in Japan.
FOOD TECHNOLOGY
Learning Outcome: Students gain insight into Japanese culinary traditions and the cultural role of food.
Example: Sampling street food along Nakamise Street introduces students to local ingredients, preparation methods, and flavour profiles, highlighting the intersection of culture, history, and gastronomy.
Breakfast and dinner included.
Overnight Tokyo.
This morning students start their day with a photo stop of the Imperial Palace, a majestic symbol of Japan’s history and royalty, surrounded by scenic gardens, ancient stone walls, and a glimpse into the nation's imperial heritage.
Next, get more imperial history by visiting the Meiji Jingu, a serene Shinto shrine in Shibuya, nestled within a lush forest, offering a tranquil escape and a spiritual connection to Japan’s imperial past. For your reference a temple refers to a Buddhist building and a shrine is dedicated to Shintoism. While in Shibuya, experience the famous crossing and visit Pepper Parlor for drinks served by robotic staff.
A walk around Harajuku and Omotesando provides a blend of vibrant youth culture and sophisticated elegance—Harajuku bursts with quirky fashion, street art, and trendy boutiques, while Omotesando’s tree-lined avenues offer upscale shopping, stylish cafes, and stunning modern architecture.
A tour around the sights of Kawagoe provides students a fascinating glimpse into Japan’s Edo-period history, with well-preserved merchant streets, historic temples, and cultural experiences that bring the past to life.
LEARNING FOCUS:
HISTORY
Learning Outcome: Students explore Japan’s imperial and Edo-period history, gaining insights into the nation’s political, social, and cultural development.
LANGUAGE & CULTURE
Learning Outcome: Students engage with Japanese cultural practices, terminology, and urban lifestyle in authentic settings.
Example: Walking through Harajuku and Omotesando exposes students to contemporary language, fashion, and social interaction, while learning distinctions between Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples enriches cultural literacy.
ART
Learning Outcome: Students develop an appreciation for architectural styles, design, and visual culture across historical and modern contexts.
Example: Observing the contrasting aesthetics of Harajuku’s vibrant street art, Omotesando’s sleek modern architecture, and Kawagoe’s traditional Edo-period buildings encourages analysis of visual storytelling and cultural expression.
FOOD TECHNOLOGY
Learning Outcome: Students gain insight into regional food culture, ingredients, and culinary traditions.
Example: Exploring Kawagoe’s historic streets and Harajuku’s lively districts introduces students to local snacks, street food, and the interplay of tradition and modernity in Japanese gastronomy.
Breakfast and dinner included.
Overnight Tokyo.
Next, visit TeamLAB, an immersive digital art museum where you walk through water, and a garden where you become one with the flowers. Spend the afternoon mesmerized by the interactive light installations and breathtaking digital art. The artworks change under the presence of people, blurring the perception of boundaries between the self and the works. This 10,000 square metre space uses 520 computers and 470 projectors to create an experience that will stimulate student’s all five senses.
Other people also create change in the artworks, blurring the boundaries between themselves and the works, and creating a continuity between the self, the art, and others.
Late afternoon it's time to make your own Japanese dinner at a Japanese cooking class.
LEARNING FOCUS:
LANGUAGE & CULTURE
Learning Outcome: Students engage with Japanese language, communication, and cultural customs in authentic settings.
Example: Navigating shops in Akihabara and participating in a Japanese cooking class offers opportunities to use everyday Japanese phrases, understand social etiquette, and experience culinary traditions firsthand.
ART
Learning Outcome: Students develop visual literacy and an understanding of interactive, contemporary art forms.
Example: Experiencing TeamLAB’s immersive digital installations encourages students to observe how art interacts with viewers, stimulates the senses, and challenges conventional perceptions of space, light, and participation.
FOOD TECHNOLOGY
Learning Outcome: Students gain practical skills and insight into Japanese culinary techniques and gastronomy.
Example: Hands-on Japanese cooking class allows students to prepare traditional dishes, learn ingredient selection and preparation methods, and appreciate the cultural significance of Japanese cuisine.
Breakfast and dinner included.
Overnight Tokyo.
This morning students will experience a Manga Workshop Program, (by Manga Dojo Tokyo) a hands-on, creative drawing experience taught by a real Japanese manga artist. It’s designed so participants learn how manga is created from start to finish — even if they’ve never drawn before — and walk away with their own comic artwork
Make your way to Ueno Park and enjoy the open spaces, traditional architecture, cherry blossom trees and exploring some of the art, science, and cultural museums around the park!
Your group may choose 2-3 of these museums as a group and head out with your teacher and tour guide to explore! The museums could include the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo National Museum, National Museum of Nature and Science, Ueno Royal Museum, National Museum of Western Art, or the Shitamachi Museum.
ART
Learning Outcome: Students develop practical drawing skills and visual storytelling techniques while gaining an understanding of contemporary Japanese manga as an art form. This is followed by visits to art museums in Ueno Park such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, National Museum of Western Art, or Ueno Royal Museum to observe how Japanese and Western artistic styles, media, and storytelling have evolved over time.
Example: students learn character design, expressions, and basic panel composition, progressing from concept to a finished comic artwork regardless of prior drawing experience.
HISTORY
Learning Outcome: Students gain an understanding of Japan’s historical development and cultural continuity from traditional society to the modern era.
Example: Exploring museums such as the Tokyo National Museum and Shitamachi Museum to examine artefacts, artworks, and exhibits that illustrate daily life, belief systems, and historical change in Japan, while also observing traditional architecture and landscapes within Ueno Park.
LANGUAGE
Learning Outcome: Students engage with Japanese language in authentic, real-world contexts, building confidence with everyday communication and cultural conventions.
Example: Reading museum signage, using basic Japanese phrases when purchasing food or souvenirs, and listening to explanations from guides and workshop instructors, reinforcing practical vocabulary related to art, history, and daily interactions.
Breakfast and dinner included.
Overnight Tokyo.
Today after breakfast, students will visit Tokyo Disneyland!
Visiting Tokyo Disneyland is an enchanting adventure where fairy tales come to life amidst vibrant attractions, dazzling parades, and beloved Disney characters, creating unforgettable memories for guests of all ages. (Note: Disney Sea park is also an option).
Breakfast included.
Overnight Tokyo.
After lunch near the station and leaving your bags at your accommodation, visit the Nagamachi Samurai District to walk along preserved earthen walls and narrow lanes, gaining insight into the lifestyle and architecture of Kanazawa’s samurai past.
This afternoon, either 1) explore the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Ishikawa prefecture's creative culture centre, a striking circular museum showcasing innovative, interactive contemporary artworks that invite visitors to experience art from multiple perspectives, or 2). visit the Ninja Temple (Myoryuji), a fascinating visit through hidden staircases, trapdoors, and secret rooms that reveals the defensive ingenuity and intrigue of Japan’s samurai era.
Explore Omicho Market, a bustling, centuries-old food market with over 180 shops where students can sample fresh seafood, local produce, and regional specialties while experiencing the city’s vibrant culinary culture and practice their Japanese.
ART
Learning Outcome: Students develop visual literacy and an appreciation for both historical and contemporary Japanese art forms.
Example: Visiting the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, to engage with innovative, interactive contemporary artworks, observing how creativity and technology influence modern artistic expression, and comparing this with traditional visual aesthetics encountered elsewhere in the city.
HISTORY
Learning Outcome: Students gain an understanding of Japan’s cultural and historical heritage, particularly the Edo-period samurai lifestyle.
Example: Walking through the Nagamachi Samurai District, exploring preserved earthen walls and narrow lanes, and reflecting on the social structures, architecture, and daily life of Kanazawa’s samurai past.
FOOD TECH
Learning Outcome: Students develop awareness of Japanese culinary traditions, food presentation, and local gastronomy.
Example: Exploring Omicho Market to sample fresh seafood, local produce, and regional specialties, while observing traditional food practices and the cultural significance and techniques behind Japanese cuisine.
LANGUAGE
Learning Outcome: Students engage with Japanese language in authentic, real-world contexts, building confidence with everyday communication and cultural conventions.
Example: Practicing Japanese while interacting with vendors at Omicho Market, reading signs, and navigating local dining and shopping experiences, reinforcing vocabulary related to food, art, and cultural exploration.
Breakfast and dinner included.
Overnight Kanazawa.
This morning visit Kanazawa Castle Park and Gyokusenimaru Garden, the castle's inner garden where, like the lords of old, you can enjoy sweets in a teahouse overlooking the garden.
Kanazawa Castle Park is a historic site featuring beautifully reconstructed castle buildings, expansive gardens, and scenic walking paths that showcase the city’s feudal heritage and traditional Japanese landscaping.
Visit Kenrokuen Garden to appreciate one of Japan's top three great gardens, nationally celebrated and widely regarded as a top example of traditional Japanese landscape design, blending key aesthetic principles with history and nature. Built and refined over centuries by the powerful Maeda clan during the Edo period, the garden reflects feudal-era tastes, philosophy, and the Japanese concept of harmony with nature. If there's time, enjoy a Japanese Tea Tasting experience at the restored villa of lord of Kaga Clan, in an authentic and tranquil tea room.
Next discover the Higashi Chaya District, Kanazawa's largest and most lively geisha district, which retains the ambiance of 200 years ago.
Visit Sankaido Confectionary Making Workshop, a historical confectionary shop started over 100 years ago, where you can make your own special confectionary box.
HISTORY
Learning Outcome: Students gain insight into feudal Japan and the cultural heritage of Kanazawa.
Example: Exploring Kanazawa Castle Park’s reconstructed buildings and walking paths, discovering the historical significance of the castle and gardens; and visiting the Higashi Chaya District to experience the atmosphere of Kanazawa’s geisha culture from 200 years ago.
FOOD TECH
Learning Outcome: Students learn about traditional Japanese confectionary techniques and food culture.
Example: Participating in a workshop at Sankaido Confectionary, a historic shop over 100 years old, to create their own confectionary box while learning about ingredients, craftsmanship, and presentation techniques.
LANGUAGE
Learning Outcome: Students engage with Japanese language in authentic contexts, developing practical communication skills.
Example: Using Japanese vocabulary when participating in the tea ceremony, interacting with confectionary workshop staff, and exploring the Higashi Chaya District, reinforcing terms related to culture, food, and traditional arts
Breakfast and dinner included.
Overnight Kanazawa.
Explore the Gasshō-zukuri Houses – These iconic thatched-roof farmhouses, some over 250 years old, are the heart of the village. Many are open to visitors as museums or shops.
Visit the Wada House – One of the largest preserved gasshō-zukuri homes, offering insight into traditional architecture and daily life.
Shirakawa-go Open-Air Museum – See multiple historic houses and farm buildings in one spot, demonstrating local craftsmanship.
Hike to the Shiroyama Viewpoint – A short uphill walk rewards you with panoramic views of the village against the surrounding mountains.
Try Local Cuisine – Sample regional specialties like Hida beef, gohei mochi (skewered rice cakes), and mountain vegetable dishes.
Visit Takayama, a beautifully preserved mountain town in Japan’s Hida region, offering students a vivid look into traditional life during the Edo period. Known as “Little Kyoto of the Alps,” Takayama features narrow streets lined with wooden merchant houses, sake breweries, and small family-run shops that have changed little for centuries. Students can walk through the Sanmachi Suji historic district, explore local crafts, and learn how geography and isolation helped preserve Japan’s architectural and cultural traditions.
Surrounded by the Japanese Alps, Takayama also provides a strong sense of place, connecting history, culture, and landscape in an accessible and engaging way for young travellers. The town is compact, safe, and walkable, making it ideal for educational visits.
* for smaller groups there is a tourist bus that does both. Larger groups will get a private coach.
HISTORY
Learning Outcome: Students gain insight into traditional Japanese village life, architecture, and cultural heritage.
Example: Visiting Shirakawa-go to explore the gasshō-zukuri farmhouses, including the Wada House, and learning how these structures and community layouts reflect historical living practices and adaptation to mountainous environments; visiting the Shirakawa-go Open-Air Museum to examine preserved houses and farm buildings.
ART & DESIGN
Learning Outcome: Students develop visual literacy and an appreciation for traditional Japanese architectural design and craftsmanship.
Example: Observing the iconic thatched-roof gasshō-zukuri houses and their structural techniques, as well as panoramic compositions of the village from Shiroyama Viewpoint, reflecting harmony between human-made structures and natural landscapes.
FOOD TECH
Learning Outcome: Students gain awareness of regional culinary traditions and preparation techniques.
Example: Sampling local specialties such as Hida beef, gohei mochi, and mountain vegetable dishes to understand traditional ingredients, cooking methods, and presentation in a regional context.
LANGUAGE
Learning Outcome: Students engage with Japanese in authentic settings, practicing vocabulary related to history, architecture, and food.
Example: Interacting with museum guides, reading exhibit information, and discussing local cuisine during tastings, reinforcing practical language use in cultural and historical contexts.
Breakfast and dinner included.
Overnight Kanazawa.
Catch the bullet trains down to Hiroshima and visit the Hiroshima Peace Park and Museum which is dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in the world to experience a nuclear attack.
Listen to a testimony from one of the survivors of the A-bomb *subject to availability.
Tonight enjoy the local specialty: Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki for dinner.
History
Students explore Hiroshima Peace Park and Museum to understand the events and global consequences of the world’s first nuclear attack on a civilian city. Hearing a survivor’s testimony (subject to availability) provides a powerful personal perspective on memory, peace, and post-war reconciliation.
Language
Traveling by Shinkansen and visiting major national institutions exposes students to real-world Japanese signage, announcements, and formal museum language. Survivor testimonies and exhibits highlight respectful and nuanced use of language when discussing sensitive historical topics.
Art
The Peace Park’s monuments, memorial sculptures, and museum displays demonstrate how art, design, and architecture are used to convey remembrance, loss, and hope. Students see how visual symbolism communicates powerful messages beyond words.
Food Technology
Dinner features Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, showcasing regional food culture and cooking techniques. Students observe how ingredients are layered rather than mixed, and how local food traditions reflect geography, resources, and innovation in Japanese cuisine.
Breakfast and dinner included.
Overnight Hiroshima.
On arrival, students explore Itsukushima Shrine, famous for its “floating” torii gate, wander the historic streets, and experience the island’s blend of sacred landscapes, traditional architecture, and local deer residents.
Return to Hiroshima and take the train to Osaka.
History
Students visit Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to learn about Shinto beliefs, Japan’s medieval past, and the historical importance of Miyajima as a sacred island. The contrast between Hiroshima’s modern history and Miyajima’s centuries-old spiritual traditions deepens understanding of continuity and change in Japanese history.
Language
Using trains, ferries, and island signage gives students further real-world practice with Japanese transport vocabulary, place names, and everyday expressions. Shrine etiquette signs and cultural explanations introduce formal and traditional language used in religious and historical contexts.
Art
Students observe traditional Japanese aesthetics through shrine architecture, vermilion gates, waterfront design, and harmony with the natural landscape. The iconic torii gate and carefully framed views provide strong examples of how art, architecture, and nature are intentionally integrated in Japanese culture.
Food Technology
Miyajima is famous for momiji manju (maple-leaf-shaped sweets) and anago-meshi (sea eel on rice), allowing students to see how food design, presentation, and tourism intersect with tradition.
Breakfast and dinner included.
Overnight Osaka.
Universal Studios Japan in Osaka is a major theme park known for its immersive worlds based on films, games, and popular characters, using advanced ride technology and detailed set design to bring stories to life.
The park features themed areas such as Super Nintendo World, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Minion Park, and Universal Wonderland, offering a mix of thrill rides, shows, and family attractions.
Breakfast included.
Overnight Osaka.
Optional Extra Day:
Depart Kanazawa by train and arrive in Kaga Onsen (30 min). Meet your bus and visit Kausenkei Gorge to take in views of waterfalls and rock formations and perhaps have lunch at the riverside cafe with tea and locally made sweets.
Next visit the Kutani-yaki Kiln Exhibition Hall and take part in a painting workshop. Kutani is the local porcelain with vivid colours and bold designs. Visit the historical kiln and meet the artist to learn how the Kutani is made. Then paint your own ceramic piece using Kutani ware methods, and have it fired at the halls' own kiln.
If there's time do some shopping along Yuge-kaido Street, filled with cafes, galleries and a lively atmosphere.
Return to Kanazawa.
Breakfast and dinner.
Overnight Kanazawa.
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Tokyo, Japan 
