Southern Japan: Ancient Forests, Mountain Shrines & the Spirit of the Samurai 2026
Status: open
13 Apr – 27 Apr 2026
Your leaders
Southern Japan: Ancient Forests, Mountain Shrines & the Spirit of the Samurai 2026
Tour Highlights
Travel with Jim Fogarty on a journey through southern Japan, from the historic city of Kyoto to Yakushima, an exquisite island of ancient cedar forests off the south coast. Jim is an award-winning landscape architect and author, and one of Australia’s most knowledgeable experts on Japanese gardens. He won the award for Best Design at the 2009 World Garden Competition in Shizuoka Prefecture, and Gold and Best in Show at the 2011 Gardening World Cup Nagasaki.
- Enjoy the beauty and complexity of Japan’s garden traditions, visiting exquisite stroll gardens, delicate moss gardens and precise dry gardens with immaculately raked sand.
- Stroll mountain paths that link hauntingly beautiful shrines in the hills above Kyoto.
- Explore the well-preserved villages of Kitsuki and Usuki, where Samurai houses line the streets leading to the castles. Wander amongst the stone Buddhas of Usuki.
- Celebrate the importance of peace and remember the lives lost in the atomic bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
- Relax in a traditional onsen town in the mountains, where bathing in natural hot springs soothes the mind, body and soul. Wander through the charming cobbled streets and dine on delicious traditional cuisine.
- Spend 2 days on Yakushima, an exquisite island off the southern tip of Japan. Walk amongst the ancient moss-covered cedar trees and lush, verdant foliage found on this UNESCO World Heritage
Overnight Kyoto (2 nights) • Okayama (3 nights) • Hiroshima (2 nights) • Nagasaki (2 nights) • Kurokawa Onsen (2 nights) • Kagoshima (1 night) • Yakushima (2 nights)
Itinerary
The following itinerary describes a range of gardens, museums and other sites which we plan to visit. Many are accessible to the public, but others require special permission which may only be confirmed closer to the tour’s departure. The daily activities described in this itinerary may change or be rotated and/or modified in order to accommodate alterations in opening hours, flight and train schedules and confirmation of private visits. Participants will receive a final itinerary together with their tour documents prior to departure. The tour includes breakfast daily, lunches & dinner indicated in the detailed itinerary where: B=breakfast, L=lunch and D=dinner.
Kyoto - 2 nights
Day 1: Monday 11 May, Arrive Kyoto
- Tour commences at the Kyoto hotel at 10.00am
- Mirei Shigemori Garden Museum
- Kondo Museum
- Kiyomozu Dera Temple
- Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant
(Overnight Kyoto) D
Day 2: Tuesday 11 May, Kyoto – Kibune – Kurama – Kyoto
- Kibune to Kurama walk, including historic villages and shrines
- Myoshin-ji Temple, and Taizo-in
- Okochi Sanso Villa Garden
(Overnight Kyoto) B
Okayama - 3 nights
Day 3: Wednesday 12 May, Kyoto – Ashiya – Osaka – Okayama
- Asahi Beer Villa Oyamazaki Villa Museum
- Yodoko Guest House by Frank Lloyd Wright, Ashiya
- Shinkansen (bullet train) Osaka to Okayama
(Overnight Okayama) BL
Day 4: Thursday 13 May, Okayama – Bitchu-Takahashi – Okayama
- Rakiyuji Temple
- Bitchu Takahashi historic mountain village
(Overnight Okayama) BL
Day 5: Friday 14 May, Okayama – Takamatsu – Okayama
- Ritsurin koen Garden
- Ismanu Noguchi Garden Museum
(Overnight Okayama) BLD
Hiroshima - 2 nights
Day 6: Saturday 15 May, Okayama – Hiroshima
- Korakuen Garden, Okayama
- Shinkansen Okayama – Hiroshima
- Hiroshima Peace Park and Memorial Museum
(Overnight Hiroshima) B
Day 7: Sunday 16 May, Hiroshima – Miyajima Island – Hiroshima
- Ferry to Miyajima Island
- Itsukushima Shrine
- Mount Misan Ropeway (time and weather permitting)
- Ferry back to Hiroshima
(Overnight Hiroshima) B
Nagasaki - 2 nights
Day 8: Monday 17 May, Hiroshima – Fukuoka – Yoshinogari – Nagasaki
- Shinkansen Hiroshima – Fukuoka
- Komyozen-ji Temple
- Yoshinogari Historical Park
(Overnight Nagasaki) BD
Day 9: Tuesday 18 May, Nagasaki
- Atomic Bomb Museum
- Hypocentre Park and Nagasaki Peace Park
- Mihara Gardens
- Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum
- Dejima (Dutch Island)
(Overnight Nagasaki) B
Korakawa Onsen - 2 nights
Day 10: Wednesday 19 May, Nagasaki – Kurokawa Onsen
- Ferry Across the Ariake Sea (Taira to Nagatsu)
- Afternoon at leisure at Kurokawa Onsen
(Overnight Kurokawa Onsen) BD
Day 11: Thursday 20 May, Kurokawa Onsen – Kitsuki – Usuki – Kurokawa Onsen
- Kitsuki historic village, including Kitsuki Castle and Samurai Houses
- Usuki historic village, including Samurai Houses
- Stone Buddhas, Usuki
(Overnight Kurokawa Onsen) BD
Kagoshima - 1 night
Day 12: Friday 21 May, Kurokawa Onsen – Aso Kuju National Park – Kumamoto – Kagoshima
- Scenic Drive through Mount Aso National Park
- Shinkansen Kumamoto to Kagoshima
- Chiran Peace Museum
(Overnight Kagoshima) BD
Yakushima - 2 nights
Day 13: Saturday 22 May, Kagoshima – Yakushima
- Early morning ferry Kagoshima to Yakushima Island
- Coach tour around Yakushima Island, visiting waterfalls, beaches, villages and shrines
(Overnight Yakushima) BLD
Day 14: Sunday 23 May, Yakushima
- Morning program of walking the island trails to explore the ancient cedar folders
- Afternoon at leisure on Yakushima Island
(Overnight Yakushima) BLD
Day 15: Monday 24 May, Depart Yakushima
- Tour ends in Yakushima
B
Accommodation
All hotels are rated 4-star locally (3-star apartment-hotel in Kyoto) and are comfortable and conveniently situated. All rooms have en suite bathroom. Further information on hotels will be provided in the ‘Tour Hotel list’ given to tour members prior to their departure.
- Kyoto (2 nights): 4-star Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Shijo – located in central Kyoto, conveniently located near eateries and Karasuma-dori, Kyoto’s main shopping street.
- Okayama (3 nights): Hotel Granvia Okayama – a modern, comfortable hotel linked to the train station.
- Hiroshima (2 nights): TBA
- Nagasaki (2 nights): TBA
- Kurokawa Onsen (2 nights): TBA
- Kagoshima (1 night): TBA
- Yakushima (2 nights): TBA
Note: Hotels are subject to change. In this instance a hotel of similar standard will be provided.
Single Supplement
Payment of this supplement will ensure accommodation in a room for single occupancy throughout the tour. The number of rooms available for single occupancy is extremely limited, especially in Kurokawa Onsen. People wishing to take a Single Supplement are therefore advised to book well in advance.
How to Book
Making a Tentative Reservation before the tour price has been published
ASA INTENTION TO TRAVEL APPLICATION FORM
Some ASA tours fill almost immediately. Don’t miss out! You can register your ‘Intention to Travel’ by completing this application and returning this to ASA with a AUD $200.00 per person deposit. Once the tour price has been published, the itinerary and ASA Reservation Application Form will be sent to you. From the time you receive the itinerary you will have two weeks to either:
- Send us a completed ASA Reservation Application Form together with an additional deposit of AUD $800.00 per person. On receipt of this Reservation Application and deposit, ASA will process your booking and if approved, send you a tour confirmation. At this time your deposit of AUD $1000.00 is subject to the tour’s Booking Conditions.
Or
- CANCEL your Intention to Travel in writing. ASA will refund your AUD $200.00 per person deposit, less a $66.00 service fee (including GST).
Participation Criteria
To participate in an ASA tour, you must be reasonably fit, in good health and able to participate in all activities without assistance from Tour Leaders or other tour members. If you require assistance, a fit and able travel companion must undertake to accompany and assist you with all tasks for the duration of the whole tour. ASA’s ability to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate your specific needs, your health and safety and the health and safety of other tour members, is of paramount importance to us. For this reason the ASA Reservation Application includes a Medical Information section. As a general guideline, you must be able to accomplish each of these activities without assistance or support:-
- walk and stand unassisted for at least 2-3 hours a day in hot, humid conditions
- walk confidently on and over uneven surfaces
- climb at least 3 flights of stairs
- embark and disembark from ferries, buses and trains
- walk up and down steep slopes
- walk at a steady pace and no less than 1km every 15-20 minutes
- organise, manage and carry your own luggage
- follow and remember tour instructions
- meet punctually at designated times and places
- administer your own medication.
Practical Information
The number of flags is a guide to the degree of difficulty of ASA tours relative to each other (not to those of other tour companies). It is neither absolute nor literal. One flag is given to the least taxing tours, seven to the most. Flags are allocated, above all, according to the amount of walking and standing each tour involves. Nevertheless, all ASA tours require that participants have a good degree of fitness enabling 2-3 hours walking or 1-1.5 hours standing still on any given site visit or excursion. Many sites are accessed by climbing slopes or steps and have uneven terrain.
This 16-day Cultural Garden Tour of Japan involves:
- Moderate walking and standing during site visits; walking tours may include steep slopes, flights of stairs, cobbled streets and uneven ground during garden visits.
- Walking excursions along mountain trails outside Kyoto and Okayama, and through sub-tropical forests in Yakoshima.
- Rail travel between Osaka and Okayama (Day 3), Okayama and Hiroshima (Day 6), Hiroshima and Fukuoka (Day 8) and Kumamoto and Kagoshima (Day 12).
- No lifts at railway stations; you will be required to carry your hand luggage up and down stairs as you change platforms with a limited time to make the train connection.
- Hotels generally of 3-star or 4-star standard, with six hotel changes.
- Visits to a number of temples. When entering temple buildings you may be required to take off your shoes.
- You must be able to carry your own hand luggage. Hotel porterage includes 1 piece of luggage per person.
It is important to remember that ASA programs are group tours, and slow walkers affect everyone in the group. As the group must move at the speed of the slowest member, the amount of time spent at a site may be reduced if group members cannot maintain a moderate walking pace. ASA tours should not present any problem for active people who can manage day-to-day walking and stair-climbing. However, if you have any doubts about your ability to manage on a program, please ask your ASA travel consultant whether this is a suitable tour for you.
Please note: it is a condition of travel that all participants agree to accept ASA’s directions in relation to their suitability to participate in activities undertaken on the tour, and that ASA retains the sole discretion to direct a tour participant to refrain from a particular activity on part of the tour. For further information please refer to the ASA Reservation Application Form.
Prior to departure, tour members will receive practical notes which include information on visa requirements, health, photography, weather, clothing and what to pack, custom regulations, bank hours, currency regulations, electrical appliances and food. The Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade website has advice for travellers: www.smartraveller.gov.au
Overnight Bags & Luggage Transfer
This tour involves four journeys on Japan’s high-speed bullet trains. Larger suitcases are not permitted on these trains; the group’s main luggage will therefore be transferred by truck to the hotel.
Tour Price & Inclusions
AUD $TBA Land Content Only – Early Bird Special: Book before 31 May 2025
AUD $TBA Land Content Only
AUD $TBA Single Supplement
Tour Price (Land Content Only) includes:
- Accommodation in twin-share rooms with private facilities in hotels generally of 3-star or 4-star standard
- Buffet or served breakfast, lunches & evening meals as indicated in the itinerary where: B=breakfast, L=lunch & D=dinner
- Drinks at welcome and farewell meals. Other meals may not have drinks included.
- Transportation by air-conditioned coach and rail as outlined in the itinerary
- Porterage of one piece of luggage per person at hotels (not at airports or train stations)
- Lecture and site-visit program
- Entrance fees to all sites
- Use of audio headsets during site visits
- Tour notes
- Tips for the coach driver, local guides and restaurants for included meals.
Tour Price (Land Content Only) does not include:
- International Airfare: Australia-Kyoto, Yakushima-Australia
- Personal spending money
- Airport-hotel transfers
- Luggage in excess of 20kg (44lbs)
- Travel insurance.
Tour Map
Gallery
Deposits
A non-refundable deposit of $1000.00 AUD per person is required to reserve a place on this ASA tour.
Cancellation Fees
If you decide to cancel your booking the following charges apply:
- More than 75 days before departure: your initial deposit of $1000.00 is non-refundable.**
- 75-31 days prior 50% of total amount due
- 30-0 days prior 100% of total amount due
**$500.00 of this amount (ie 50% of your deposit) may be credited to another ASA tour departing within 12 months of the original tour you booked. We regret, in this case early-bird discounts will not apply.
We take the day on which you cancel as being that on which we receive written confirmation of cancellation.
Unused Portions of the Tour
We regret that refunds will not be given for any unused portions of the tour, such as meals, entry fees, accommodation, flights or transfers.
Will the Tour Price or Itinerary Change?
If the number of participants on a tour is significantly less than budgeted, or if there is a significant change in exchange rates ASA reserves the right to amend the advertised price. We shall, however, do all in our power to maintain the published price. If an ASA tour is forced to cancel you will get a full refund of all tour monies paid. Occasionally circumstances beyond the control of ASA make it necessary to change airline, hotel or to make amendments to daily itineraries. We will inform you of any changes in due course.
Travel Insurance
ASA requires all participants to obtain comprehensive travel insurance. A copy of your travel insurance certificate and the reverse charge emergency contact phone number must be received by ASA no later than 75 days prior to the commencement of the tour.
Final Payment
The balance of the tour price will be due 75 days prior to the tour commencement date.
Limitation of Liability
ASA is not a carrier, event or tourist attraction host, accommodation or dining service provider. All bookings made and tickets or coupons issued by ASA for transport, event, accommodation, dining and the like are issued as an agent for various service providers and are subject to the terms and conditions and limitations of liability imposed by each service provider. ASA is not responsible for their products or services. If a service provider does not deliver the product or service for which you have contracted, your remedy lies with the service provider, not ASA.
ASA will not be liable for any claim (eg. sickness, injury, death, damage or loss) arising from any change, delay, detention, breakdown, cancellation, failure, accident, act, omission or negligence of any such service provider however caused (contingencies). You must take out adequate travel insurance against such contingencies.
ASA’s liability in respect of any tour will be limited to the refund of amounts received from you less all non-refundable costs and charges and the costs of any substituted event or alternate services provided. The terms and conditions of the relevant service provider from time to time comprise the sole agreement between you and that service provider.
ASA reserves the sole discretion to cancel any tour or to modify itineraries in any way it considers appropriate. Tour costs may be revised, subject to unexpected price increases or exchange rate fluctuations.
Interested in this tour?
Take the next step
or alternatively Download PDF Reservation Application
