This route to Japan and South Korea, two of Asia’s most economically developed countries while retaining many World Heritage sites and traditional cultures, will satisfy your desire to explore East Asia in depth once and for all. Let’s start in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. No matter what time your flight lands at the Tokyo Airport, you will be warmly greeted by our English-speaking assistant, who will take you to our well-prepared shared car transferring you directly to the hotel in the downtown.

After breakfast, meet our guide waiting for you in the hotel lobby. First, we’ll go to the Imperial Palace, the residence of the Emperor of Japan. Walk the grounds and gardens outside the core office area, and you will find a rare huge green space in the city center where people run or relax.

Then we will visit the Tsukiji Outer Market. Although the once largest tuna market here was a thing of the past, the outer market remains, keeping many famous sushi and seafood shops, giving you a glimpse to the place that closely touches the stomachs of the locals.

Next, we will head to Akihabara, the base of Japan’s electronics trade, anime, game industry, and otaku culture. Here, you can find the cutting-edge electronics, comics, game consoles, gadgets, anime toys, and perhaps the opportunities to catch fashion exhibitions and buskers. Later, let’s explore the exact opposite side of the city, the historic Senso-ji Temple. Passing through the Kaminarimon Gate hung with a giant red lantern, you will be drawn to the bustling Nakamise-dori Street, the other end of which leads to the Senso-ji Temple.

Then, follow the guide to the nearby riverbank, take a Sumida River Cruise south, along the way to enjoy the landmarks and natural scenery on both sides, and take a picture on the deck with the Tokyo Skytree as the background. Finally, the guide will escort you back to the hotel.

Although Mt. Fuji is a little far from downtown Tokyo, we have arranged an efficient way for you to visit it. In the morning, your guide will pick you up from the hotel lobby, and then we’ll take a 1.5-hour bullet train ride to Odawara Station. When taking the local mountain train up the Hakone Mountains, our sightseeing officially begins. After arriving at Owakudani Valley by ropeway, join your guide to marvel at its volcanic landforms and try black eggs if you’d like. You can also enjoy a clear view of Mt. Fuji here if the weather is good. Next, continue our journey to Lake Ashi, and hop on a sightseeing boat for a 20-minute cruise, where you’ll get to see Mt. Fuji’s reflection on a clear day. At the end of the tour, your guide will accompany you on an express train back to Tokyo.

► Today would be the end of the Japanese leg of your East Asia tour. After breakfast, please pack up and check out and make your own way to the Tokyo Narita International Airport. Take a 2.5-hour flight from Tokyo to Busan, South Korea (tickets reserved and included). Upon arrival, our local guide will meet you at the airport.

First, enjoy a 1-hour escorted car ride to the east coast of Busan to visit the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. Admire not only its ingeniously designed and beautifully carved Buddhist architecture dating back to the 14th century, but also its sweeping sea views, for it occupies an advantaged location as the only temple in South Korea by the sea.

Next, head to the Haeundae Beach to enjoy the magnificent view on the soft white sand, and then if time permits, we’ll visit the Nurimaru APEC House on the Dongbaek Island and look at the Gwangan Bridge in the distance before going to the hotel for the night.

In the morning, the guide and the driver will pick you up from your hotel and first lead you to the Oryukdo Skywalk on the southern coast. Put on the free shoe covers, restrain the trembling of your legs when walking onto the U-shaped transparent glass walkway that juts out to the sea and on the 37-meter (121-foot) high cliff, and your heart will race as you get a clear view of the cliff, huge reefs, and the roaring waves under your feet. Appreciate the Oryukdo Islets on the sea and the Haeundae coastline in the distance.

Next, climb the Busan Tower in Yongdusan Park and enjoy a 360-degree view of the entire city from the circular observation deck on the top of the 120-meter (394-foot) high tower.

Afterwards, we’ll spend some time on the BIFF Square, in which BIFF stands for Busan International Film Festival.

In the afternoon, follow the guide to venture into the Jagalchi Market, South Korea’s largest fish market, where you'll get a deep sense of how dependent Korea, like Japan, is on the sea and marine products.

Finally, transfer to the Gamcheon Culture Village featuring colorful houses and murals. Visit ancient Korean buildings, participate in cultural activities such as trying on Hanbok, enjoying traditional music, and learning folk handicrafts, and you’ll feel the charm of traditional Korean culture. Before dark, our guide and the driver will escort you back to your hotel.

After breakfast, our guide and the driver will escort you on a 1-hour car ride to Gyeongju, a city with more than 2,000 years of history that was once the capital of an ancient Korean Kingdom Silla (57 BC – 935 AD). As we approach Gyeongju, let’s first visit the Bulguksa Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Later, we will head to downtown Gyeongju, check into the hotel for a short rest, and in the afternoon admire the monuments in the Gyeongju Historic Areas. First, visit the Daereungwon Tomb Complex, containing 23 huge ancient tombs visible from a distance and 200 underground. Next, see the Cheomseongdae Observatory built with stone between 632 and 646 AD, and marvel at such a great invention at such an early time, which can observe the clouds and constellations in the sky, and determine the orientation and 24 solar terms. Afterwards, head to the Woljeonggyo Bridge to appreciate the antiquity of the oldest wooden covered bridge in South Korea. Finally, we’ll take a leisurely walk around the Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, admiring the beautiful reflection of the palace in the pond.

Today, we will drive 2.5 hours northwest to Andong Hahoe Folk Village, a historic Korean village and World Heritage site. Follow the guide to visit the well-preserved large stone tiled house of the Ryu family in the center of the village, as well as the surrounding attractions established during the Silla era. The tranquility and seclusion here will allow you to find inner peace. If time permits, we’ll visit the Byeongsanseowon Confucian Academy before starting the 2.5-hour drive to Seoul. Upon arrival in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, our guide will escort you to the hotel for check-in, and the rest time is up to you.

Today, we will arrange for you a special join-in tour to the mysterious DMZ (Korean Demilitarized Zone), taking you deep into the Korean border to learn about the wars, conflicts and kinship between the two countries divided on the Korean Peninsula. In the morning, our guide and the driver will take you to the designated gathering point in a private car. Then the guide will accompany you on the bus shared with other travelers. After entering the DMZ, the guide will lead you individually to visit the attractions as follows. 1. Imjingak Park. 2. Freedom Bridge. 3. The Third Tunnel. 4. DMZ Theater & Exhibition Hall. 5. Dora Observatory. 6. Dorasan Station. 7. Pass by Unification Village and end the tour. Finally, take the bus out of the DMZ and our driver will wait for you in a private car to take you back to your hotel.

After breakfast, our guide will pick you up from the hotel to tour the essence of downtown Seoul. First, walk through the Gwanghwamun Square to reach the Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main palace and political center of the Joseon Dynasty, the last unified dynasty in the Korean Peninsula.

Next, we will visit the Bukchon Hanok Village, which is filled with historical residences of the ruling class officials and aristocrats during the Joseon era, leaving many traditional houses, which are still inhabited today, and some of them have been transformed into galleries, traditional workshops, or Hanok restaurants.

Next, drive past the Blue House (Cheong Wa Dae), the former executive office and residence of the South Korean presidents, to Insadong Antique Alley for an immersive tour of the lively cultural district.

Later, spend some leisure time at the Cheonggyecheon Stream, taking photos along the canal that runs through Seoul.

Finally, the guide will take you to the N Seoul Tower, a famous 237-meter (778-foot) tall landmark. It would be impressive when you see the modern illumination to make the pattern of ‘Flowers of Seoul’ in the sky. Let’s take the Namsan cable car to the top of the tower, and enjoy a panoramic view of Seoul to round off this trip. Our guide and driver will then escort you back to the hotel.

Our guide and the driver will provide you with a private car transfer to the airport. We hope you will be satisfied with our service.