Megalithic Japan with Nerdrotic, Forbidden Frontier & Wandering Wolf

4-Day Kansai & Hiroshima Pre-Trip Extension
21 – 24 May 2026

This 4-day pre-trip extension from Osaka takes you through Japan’s Kansai region and the historically rich city of Hiroshima. Journey by bullet train to explore Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park and Museum, visit the tranquil island of Miyajima to see its famous floating torii gate, and try your hand at making momiji manju – a beloved local sweet. Returning to Osaka, you’ll enjoy a warm welcome dinner, rounding out a perfect cultural introduction before your main Japan adventure begins.

Day 1 – Arrival in Osaka

Welcome to Japan! Arrive in Osaka and make your own way to the hotel to settle in before your adventure begins. The rest of the day is free to relax or explore the nearby area at your own pace.

🏨 Accommodation

• Karaksa Grande Shin Osaka Tower or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• None

✅ Activities

• Arrival and hotel check-in
• Free time to explore Osaka independently

Day 2 – Hiroshima Exploration

Travel by bullet train to Hiroshima and spend the day exploring this deeply moving city. Visit the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, along with the Genbaku (A-Bomb) Dome, before gathering for a dinner of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki – a delicious regional specialty.

🏨 Accommodation

• Hotel Intergate Hiroshima or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Dinner

✅ Activities

• Visit Peace Memorial Park & Museum
• See the Genbaku (A-Bomb) Dome
• Enjoy Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki Dinner

🧳 Special Note

• Main luggage remains in Osaka – pack a light overnight bag

Day 3 – Miyajima Island & Momiji Manju Making

Take a scenic day trip to Miyajima Island, famous for its “floating” torii gate and tranquil atmosphere. Optionally ride the cable car up Mt. Miyajima for panoramic views before returning for a fun, hands-on momiji manju making class – learning how to craft Hiroshima’s maple-leaf-shaped treat.

🏨 Accommodation

• Hotel Intergate Hiroshima or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast

✅ Activities

• Visit Miyajima Island and Floating Torii Gate
• Optional Cable Car Ride (Mt. Miyajima)
• Momiji Manju Making Class

Day 4 – Return to Osaka & Welcome Dinner

This morning, return to Osaka by bullet train and check back into your hotel. Enjoy some free time before meeting your fellow travelers in the evening for the group’s official welcome meeting and dinner to kick off your main Japan adventure.

🏨 Accommodation

• Karaksa Grande Shin Osaka Tower or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast

✅ Activities

• Bullet Train Return to Osaka
• Welcome Meeting & Group Dinner

ℹ️ Note that extensions are bookable as add-ons in the booking process, after you have booked your main trip package and entered your personal information.

4-Day Tokyo Otaku Manga & Anime Post-Trip Extension
30 May – 2 June 2026

This fast-paced 4-day adventure dives into the energetic heart of modern Japan—where manga, anime, and gaming collide. Based entirely in Tokyo, you’ll explore iconic districts like Akihabara, Harajuku, Shinjuku, and Nakano, discovering everything from retro game arcades and collectible figurines to futuristic street fashion and pop culture museums. With visits to the Lucky Cat Temple, the Godzilla Head, and the Tokiwaso Manga Museum, this experience is perfect for travelers wanting to see Tokyo’s colorful, creative side up close.

Day 1 – Akihabara Immersion

Arrive in Tokyo and jump straight into Akihabara, the city’s buzzing hub of tech, games, and anime. Explore multi-level arcades, manga megastores, and vintage gaming shops before ending the day with a themed café experience that captures the quirky magic of Japan’s capital.

🏨 Accommodation

• Onyado Nono Asakusa or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• None

✅ Activities

• Explore Akihabara (arcades, anime & game stores)
• Visit Super Potato Retro Gaming Store
• Experience a Themed Café (Maid Café or Anime Collaboration)

Day 2 – Pop Culture and Lucky Cats

Discover Nakano Broadway, a collector’s paradise filled with manga, figurines, and anime treasures. Then, slow the pace at Gotokuji Temple, a peaceful site known as the birthplace of the famous “Lucky Cat,” surrounded by thousands of beckoning figurines.

🏨 Accommodation

• Onyado Nono Asakusa or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast

✅ Activities

• Explore Nakano Broadway
• Visit Gotokuji Temple (Maneki-Neko Lucky Cat Temple)

Day 3 – Godzilla, Fashion, and The Scramble

Begin in Shinjuku with a visit to the towering Godzilla Head and flagship Godzilla Store, then continue to Harajuku’s Takeshita Street for a look at Tokyo’s most vibrant fashion and youth culture. End the day beneath the neon glow of the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing.

🏨 Accommodation

• Onyado Nono Asakusa or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast

✅ Activities

• Visit Godzilla Head and Godzilla Store (Shinjuku)
• Walk Takeshita Street (Harajuku)
• Explore Toy Sapiens Flagship Store
• Evening at Shibuya Scramble Crossing

Day 4 – Manga History and Departure

Wrap up your Tokyo immersion with a visit to the Tokiwaso Manga Museum, dedicated to Japan’s most beloved manga pioneers. Enjoy some final free time for shopping or exploring before your tour concludes.

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast

✅ Activities

• Visit Toshima City Tokiwaso Manga Museum

ℹ️ Note that extensions are bookable as add-ons in the booking process, after you have booked your main trip package and entered your personal information.

Welcome to Japan! Your adventure begins in Osaka today. After arriving at either Kansai Airport or Osaka Station, please head to your hotel. Further arrival details will be provided closer to departure.

If you arrive early or are already in Japan, optional activities will be available and confirmed soon. At 5:00 p.m., meet the group for a welcome meeting and sign-in, followed by a celebratory welcome dinner in Osaka to kick off your trip with a taste of regional cuisine.

🏨 Accommodation

• Karaksa Grande Shin Osaka Tower or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Welcome Dinner

After breakfast, travel by private coach to the scenic Asuka region, where ancient tombs, mysterious megaliths, and rural landscapes await. Begin at the Ishibutai Tumulus, believed to be the tomb of the powerful statesman Soga no Umako, before exploring the Asuka Megalith Circuit. Highlights include the Masuda-no-Iwafune (Rock Ship), Oni-no-Manaita and Oni-no-Setchin (Devil’s Chopping Board and Toilet), Kame-ishi (Turtle Stone), and Sakafune-ishi (Sake Boat Stone).

In the afternoon, visit the Takamatsuzuka Kofun and Kitora Kofun, both known for their 7th-century murals and astronomical artwork, with access to interpretation centers. Stop at Asuka-dera Temple, Japan’s first Buddhist temple, and the Asuka Historical Museum for deeper insights. Return to Osaka for dinner, with the option to join your hosts for an evening wander in Shinsekai, a lively retro district lit by the Tsutenkaku Tower and known for its kushikatsu dining.

✅ Activities

• Ishibutai Tumulus
• Asuka Megalith Circuit (Masuda-no-Iwafune, Oni-no-Manaita, Oni-no-Setchin, Kame-ishi, Sakafune-ishi)
• Takamatsuzuka Kofun & Mural Museum
• Kitora Kofun & Shijin-no-Yakata
• Asuka-dera Temple
• Asuka Historical Museum
• Optional Evening Walk in Shinsekai

🏨 Accommodation

• Karaksa Grande Shin Osaka Tower or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Dinner

Begin the morning at Osaka Castle, exploring its massive stone walls and the famous Octopus Stone near Sakuramon Gate. Learn about the castle’s turbulent history and enjoy the option of entering the main keep, now a museum, to view exhibitions.

After lunch, travel by private coach to Sakai. Enjoy panoramic views of the giant keyhole-shaped tombs from a nearby observation point and explore the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group (UNESCO World Heritage site). The Sakai City Museum rounds out the day’s exploration. 

In the evening, we’ll regroup for a guided walking tour of Dotonbori, one of Osaka’s most vibrant neighborhoods. Packed with neon lights, lively street food stalls, and an incredible energy, Dotonbori is a true food lover’s paradise and the perfect way to experience the city’s nightlife.

✅ Activities

• Osaka Castle and Octopus Stone
• Optional Entry to Castle Keep Museum
• Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group
• Sakai City Museum
• Guided Evening Tour of Dotonbori

🏨 Accommodation

• Karaksa Grande Shin Osaka Tower or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Lunch

Today contrasts mystery and history. First, visit Ishi-no-Hoden, a vast and enigmatic megalith whose origins and purpose remain unknown. Then travel to Himeji Castle, Japan’s best-preserved feudal fortress, admired for its brilliant white walls and samurai-era architecture.

Return to Osaka in the late afternoon. In the evening, join your hosts on an optional visit to Den-Den Town, Osaka’s answer to Akihabara, with streets full of anime, pop culture, and electronics shops.

✅ Activities

• Ishi-no-Hoden
• Himeji Castle
• Optional Visit to Den-Den Town

🏨 Accommodation

• Karaksa Grande Shin Osaka Tower or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast

ℹ️ Special Information

• Your main suitcase will be sent to Tokyo today (one per person included). Please prepare an overnight bag for your train journey. Additional luggage can be forwarded for approximately JPY 2,800 per piece, payable locally.

After breakfast, transfer by private coach to the station for a high-speed Shinkansen ride to Tokyo. Upon arrival, check into your hotel before splitting into two smaller groups for a personalized circuit of the city.

Explore Tsukiji Outer Market, sample fresh seafood, enjoy views from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, and visit Sensoji Temple through the Kaminarimon Gate. Stroll down Nakamise-dori, a bustling street filled with snacks and souvenirs. In the late afternoon, the groups reunite at the hotel, and the evening is free to explore.

✅ Activities

• Tsukiji Outer Market
• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observation Deck
• Sensoji Temple & Kaminarimon Gate
• Nakamise-dori Stroll

🏨 Accommodation

• Shinjuku Washington Hotel or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Lunch

This morning, visit the Imperial Palace grounds, including the serene East Garden and Nijubashi Bridge, where Edo Castle once stood. Learn about the history of Japan’s Imperial Family and take in the tranquil beauty of the site.

In the afternoon, you may continue by private coach to Odaiba, Tokyo’s futuristic waterfront district filled with entertainment, shopping, and spectacular views of the Rainbow Bridge. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant with your group.

✅ Activities

• Tokyo Imperial Palace Grounds Tour
• Optional Afternoon Visit to Odaiba
• Farewell Dinner

🏨 Accommodation

• Shinjuku Washington Hotel or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Farewell Dinner

After breakfast, your journey comes to an end. Depart at your leisure, carrying home memories of Japan’s ancient history and vibrant culture.

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast