Depart London and fly overnight to Tokyo

On arrival in Tokyo the group will be met by our representatives in Japan and taken to the hotel. Once everyone has had time to freshen up after a long flight there will be a full briefing about the tour and travelling in Japan. There may even be some time for a crash course in Japanese! Overnight in Tokyo (Hotel) Meals: dinner.

Today the tour will begin in earnest with a tour around some of the most famous sites in Tokyo. The tour will start with a birds-eye view of the city from the great heights of the observation decks inside one of the city’s architectural master-pieces – The Metropolitan Government Office building. The students will be able to appreciate the mix of modern and ancient as they travel from here to the Imperial Palace, home to Japan’s Emperor and Imperial family. Finally the tour will visit two fantastic and very different museums, the Sumo museum and the Edo-Tokyo museum which guides you through the 400 years of Tokyo’s history by way of fun, interactive displays. Overnight in Tokyo (Hotel) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

The students will simply love today’s tour which is done onboard the amazing Himiko – a space-age water bus. Starting with the futuristic Odiba – this man-made island sits in Tokyo harbour and is full of ultra-modern architecture, interactive educational facilities and show rooms of some of Japan’s wealthiest businesses such as Toyota and Panasonic. In stark contrast to this the students will then visit Tokyo’s old downtown, home to the city’s most famous temple – the Sensoji, built in 645 to house a tiny golden statue of the goddess of mercy. The area around the temple is full of bustling narrow market streets, eel shops, artisans and sushi sellers, simply walking around and experiencing the sights, sounds and smells is unforgettable. After dinner the group will watch an energetic performance at the Kabukiza Theatre. Overnight in Tokyo (Hotel) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Today the group will get to meet the students at the school in Tokyo. A full day of activities will be planned with some joint lessons, games and a basketball match. The day will be organised so there is a good balance between group activities in the class room and time for the students to get to know each other in a less formal environment. Overnight in Tokyo (Hotel) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Today there will be a full day's excursion to the beautiful seaside town of Kamakura. This was Japan's capital from 1192 until 1333. As a legacy it still has 19 Shinto shrines and 65 Buddhist temples as well as two of Japan's oldest Zen monasteries. The towns most famous feature is the 14 foot statue of Buddha built in 1252. This will be a laid back day for the students to walk or cycle around this peaceful place. Overnight in Tokyo (Hotel) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Another day to explore Tokyo. This morning the group will love visiting the Harajuku and Shibuya area. Shibuya is by far the 'coolest' area in Tokyo, all teenagers hang out here, everything worth anything by way of popular culture was launched from Shibuya's streets. A short walk from here and you enter Harajuku, an area that boasts some of Tokyo's most attractive landmarks including Yoyogi Olympic Stadium and the Meiji Shrine. Time will simply fly in this area, the group will have an orientation tour and then will be left to wander, shop and mingle with the hordes of Japanese teenagers who will love to have their photo taken! Overnight in Tokyo (Hotel) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

This morning the group will leave Tokyo on a once in a life time trip on the world famous 'bullet train' or Shinkansen which travels at speeds over 300 km per hour! On arrival in Osaka the group will again be met by a local representative and taken to the hotel where they will be briefed on the next part of their journey before heading out into town for an authentic Osaka dinner. Overnight in Osaka (Hotel) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Today there will be a tour of the famous sites in the city of Osaka, starting with the unlucky Osaka Castle. When it was first built in 1586 it was the largest castle in Japan but it was besieged and destroyed in 1615. It was re-built only to be struck by lightening a few years later and what remained was burnt to the ground during the 1868 fire! Some of the outer buildings remain however including the Temon Tower, Otemon Gate and the dungeon which is now an impressive history museum. The students will have time to take a leisurely lunch and some time to rest in the afternoon.

In the evening the group will go on to visit a lively, little district in the old part of Osaka called Namba. Dotombori Lane is one of Osaka's best eating and drinking options crammed with cheap restaurants, neon signs, bars and tea shops. After dinner here your local guide will take you onto see a Bunraku puppet performance at the theatre. Overnight in Osaka (Hotel) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Today the group will leave Osaka and head for the ancient capital of Kyoto. In the afternoon there will be time to visit Kinkakuji, a glimmering legacy of mediaeval Japan, Yoshimitsu built a temple here in 1358, an exact replica has been built on the same spot (the original was destroyed in an arson attack) complete with gold leaf rood topped with a bronze phoenix. Overnight in Kyoto (Hotel) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Today there will be a tour of two of Kyoto's most beautiful ancient sites. Nijo Castle and the exquisite rock gardens at Ryoan-Ji Temple. In the afternoon there will be a climb up to Kiyomizu-dera temple, pilgrims have climbed the slopes to pray at the sacred fountain here for over a hundred years. The main hall's veranda, a nail-less miracle of Japanese joinery, has stunning views over Kyoto. Overnight in Kyoto (Hotel) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

The final day of sightseeing will be at Nara. This 1300 acre Nara Park was established in 1880 and includes Nara's main attractions including the Todai-Ji Temple and Nara National Museum. Over 1000 tame deer roam the park as they are seen as messengers of the gods in Shinto religion. Overnight in Kyoto (Hotel) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

We have included a second school visit for the last day of the tour. Again the group will spend a full day with the students at a school in Kyoto learning about school life in Japan. There will be plenty of time for games as well and perhaps the opportunity to watch a performance by the Japanese students. There will be a slap-up farewell dinner for the groups last night. Overnight in Kyoto (Hotel) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

This morning the group will say goodbye to Japan and their tour leader. Hopefully they will want to keep in touch with their new found friends and have a desire to visit again. The coach will take the group to the airport for the return flight, via Tokyo to London. Meals: breakfast