17 Sept - 02 October 2026
This tour is operated on behalf of
ORRS TRAVEL
Today (22 October 2025) we are, at last, able to open our much awaited tour to Japan. We will be accepting reservations from now.
We have had unprecedented interest in this adventure and expect it to sell out very quickly. There are only 24 places! First come, first served. Please keep an eye on the fares, though, as we expect them to increase dramatically within days.
We may make a few small alterations to this itinerary, but it will not affect the days or dates. We are still settling on some of the excursions.
This tour is being run by Orrs Travel, led by Alan Couser and Carol Quinn. It will be in the usual, Acetours style, with a relaxed itinerary with little or no early starts or long days. We want you to enjoy this tour, have time to savour the sights and tastes, come home refreshed but full of memories.
For details of the hotels, scroll down or click here.
Day 1. 17 Sept 2026 - Thursday
Travel to Dublin Airport. Check in from 11.20am
Fly Dublin to Osaka with Emirates
Dep Dublin 2.20pm - Arrive Osaka next day.
(Change planes in Dubai)
Day 2. 20 Sept 2026 - Friday
Arrive Osaka 5.15pm
On arrival, we will be met by our guide, who will escort us to the hotel. Our transfer is by private coach. Journey time is around one hour. We should be checking in around 9.00pm, or maybe earlier.
Note: It's going to be quite late and you may be very tired, so we suggest you eat on the flight, bring something with you or, if you are up for it, join your host, Alan, for a late-nite-bite at a local "isakaya". There is also a 24-hour "Seven-Eleven" and a "Lawsons" convience store just 200-300 metres away, where you can get all sorts of snacks and drinks. You won't go hungry.
Day 3. 19 Sept 2026 - Saturday
Breakfast at the hotel. 06.30 - 10.00am (L.O. 09.30am)
Morning excursion to Osaka Castle, with time for lunch (not included)
Afternoon free. If shopping is high on your agenda, today is a great opportunity. You will have a few hours to relax or visit a few of Japan's famous stores.
Early evening excursion to the Umeda Tower, with panorama views of Osaka. (This visit to the tower may take place in the evening, before or after dinner - to be finalised)
A fantastic dinner is included this evening. We will give you details later.
Day 4. 20 Sept 2026 - Sunday
Breakfast at the hotel. 06.30 - 10.00am (L.O. 09.30am)
Morning excursion to Nara, the ancient capital of Japan.
Dinner is not included this evening but we hope you will follow your host, Alan, for some of Osaka;s famous street food. If you wish to eat at the hotel, we may be able to arrange that for you, but at your own expense.
Day 5. 21 Sept 2026 - Monday
Breakfast at the hotel. 06.30 - 10.00am
Morning train to Kyoto departing hotel at 10.15am
NOTE: You will be carrying your own luggage today. You will need to be able to manage it yourself on and off trains, up escaltors or lifts and across the road. On the train, you may ned to lift it above your head onto the overhead rack.
(Taxi to station, train departs 11.00, arrives 11.30am. Times to be confirmed)
Walk across the road to the hotel.
(We cannot check in until 3.00pm earliest in Kyoto, but we can leave our bags)
4 nights in 4* Vischio Kyoto Hotel, B&B basis
We will offer an afternoon excursion to Fushimi-Inari Shrine, one of Japan's most iconic sights, noted for its 10,000 Torii Gates. Alternatively, we will show you where you can get some lunch. do a bit of shopping or do some sightseeing on your own.
Dinner at local restaurant approx.15 minutes walk from hotel.
Day 6. 22 Sept 2026 - Tuesday
Breakfast at the hotel. 06.30 - 10.00am
The Gion District, famous for Geishas and tea houses, is now "off-limits" due to over tourism and bad behaviour of tourists! Don't worry! We have other plans for you to enjoy authentic Japanese culture, later in the programme.
Good walking shoes are recommended today.
Depart 10.00am. Morning visit by taxi to Kiyomizu Temple and Sanjusangen-do Temple, famous for its 1001 golden warriors. (No photography allowed at Sanjusangen-do). Note: This is a walking tour, involving a reasonably steep hill and many steps. After visiting the temple, we will walk down to the main street, through the narrow alleys. If you are not a good walker, leave this tour out! You can meet us later.
Travel by taxi to Nishiki Market. Lunch on your own.
Afternoon free for shopping, visit to Imperial Palace or Kyoto Railway Museum, or maybe try the local tea ceremony.
Dinner is not included tonight. We will take you to 11th Floor, where a multitude of dining establishments awaits you, from the very inexpensive to the less so!
Day 7. 23 Sept 2026 - Wednesday
Breakfast at the hotel. 06.30 - 10.00am
Today we have a morning excursion to the Bamboo Forest. We travel by train and it's only a 30 minute journey. There are a number of activities during our visit and good walking shoes are highly recommended.
We will return to Kyoto in the early afternoon and you have the option for free time or join Alan on an optional excursion to a Sake Brewery. Advance booking is required and the cost is just £10. Maximum no. of 12 per group.
Dinner tonight is in a local "Izakaya", where the food is absolutely "Japanese". A fun evening....
Day 8. 24 Sept 2026 - Thursday
Breakfast at the hotel. 06.30 - 07.20am
Full day excursion to Hiroshima and Himeji on the "Bullet Train)
This will be a long but memorable day!
Sorry, but it's an early start this morning, departing the hotel at 07.30am. The direct daily Shinkansen (Bullet Train) departs at 08.01....and we don't want to miss it. If you are l;ate, we will leave without you. On arrival in Hiroshima, we will transfer to a local train and then the ferry to Miyajima Island. Greeted by the local, friendly Sika deer, we have a chance to visit the beautiful Itsukushima-Jinja shrine. (Let's hope the tide is in for best views!). Maybe grab a quick snack, as it'll be another 4 hours before you have a chance to do so again!
A different ferry takes us directly to the Peace Park and the epi-centre of the infamous A-Bomb. We have time to explore the park, the memorials and then the museum. This will be an experience you will never forget!
We set off towards Kyoto late afternoon but we may have one more stop before we get there - Himeji.
Himeji by night! Another experience you 'll remember!
We'll get back to Kyoto late.
Dinner is not included this evening
(Most visitors on this day-trip, for the return journey, buy a Bento Box from the station or sandwiches/snacks from a convenience store in the station. We should get back to Kyoto about 10.00pm.
Note: the order of today's excursion may change and we may substitute Mijajima Island for Hiroshima Castle. We can confirm this a few weeks before we travel.....it all depends on tides!
Day 9. 25 Sept 2026 - Friday
Breakfast at the hotel. 06.30 - 10.00am (L.O. 09.30am)
Very early train to Kanazawa but no need to worry about your luggage. We're sending it on to Tokyo and you'll only need a small bag for two nights.
Depart hotel 07.45am latest to catch the famous "Thunderbird", which has been operating an express train service since the 1964 Olympics (new trains today, of course!). We change at Tsuruga and board Japan's newest bullet train Shinkansen. Arrive Kanazawa at 10.03am.
Visit to Kenrokuen Gardens and Kanazawa Castle by taxi. There are opportnities for coffee, etc. at the gardens. (We'll deposit our hand luggage at the station) You will have 2-3 hours to explore, mostly on your own. (Kenroku-en Gardens were featured recently on a Monty Don BBC programme. We suggest you check it out on i-Player)
After the visit to the gardens, we'll stroll over to Kanazawa Castle Park, where we can view the castle from the outside, before wandering down to Omicho Market. (10-15 minutes walk)
Lunchtime at Omicho Market. 10 minute walk or 2 minute taxi ride to the station. We'll have a designated meeting time and place.
Late afternoon train departs 4.48pm or 5.10pm and arrives just over one hour later.
1 night in 4* Chateraise Hotel, Nagano.
Japanese Dinner at the hotel
After dinner, perhaps a walk to the "Red Dragon" for a night-cap! Great spot.
Day 10. 26 Sept 2026 - Saturday
After breakfast, check out of hotel.
We depart by coach for Matsumoto Castle, one of
Japan's most beautiful and historic castles. After a lunch break (lunch not included), we will take a scenic drive into the mountains to the stunning resort of Fuji-Kawaguchiko, where we aim to arrive around 5.00pm. Why not indulge in a Japanese Onsen Bath before dinner! It’s a remarkable experience, which you’ll remember for years to come.
We have one night at the resort hotel, Fuji View.
Japanese Dinner included at hotel
Day 11 – 27 Sept 2026.
Check out of hotel after breakfast.
Early morning visit to view Mt. Fuji with lake trip and cable-car ride. We need to be early to have the best chance of catching a good view. Note, Mt Fuji is notoriously shy and is quite often shrouded in mist or cloud. We cannot guarantee you will even see it!
Mid afternoon coach to Tokyo, driving through the Southern Alps and on to the city. Our coach will leave us at Shimbashi.
First Class Tokyo hotel for 5 nights
Grand Nikko Hotel Tokyo Daiba
Note. Traffic is notoriously bad in the evening in Tokyo, especially in the tunnel to Daiba. So, we will be dropped off at Shimbashi, from where we take the quick monorail, right to the door of the hotel.
Collect your cases from the reception area.
Dinner at local restaurant or hotel (TBA)
Day 12. – 28 Sept 2026
Morning excursion to Tokyo Skytree
and Senso-Ji Temple & Asakusa.
Cruise on the Sumida River to our hotel.
We’ll make a stop for a lunch break before visiting the grounds of the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Station, a world heritage site.then travel to Shibuya.
Visit to Government Building Observatory, if we have time. Tokyo skyline is fabulous at night.
Dinner at Barbacoa Brazilian Restaurant
(Please note, today’s itinerary may change order and there is approx.. 4 miles walking over the entire day.)
Day 13 - 29 Sept 2026
Today’s itinerary is a surprise. We will tell you about it the previous evening. You may, however, decide to do your own thing. It will be up to you.
Dinner not included this evening…..however….
By now, you will have a feel of Japan and you should not be intimidated by its size or its language….or its food. We have an opportunity to see Tokyo by night and eat at local Izakaya or Tonkatsu restaurants, but only in small groups. You’ll be quite safe and the memories should linger with you for a lifetime. Your hosts will be your guides this evening in downtown Tokyo.
Day 14. – 30 Sept 2026
Full day excursion by coach to Nikko National Park. Nikko is one of your host, Alan’s favourite National Parks in Japan. All we need is nice weather!
It’s an early start, though, departing hotel at 08.00am, so please be ready at 7.50am. We should be back by around 7.00pm.
Note: There is around one mile of walking and some steps.
Evening meal not included tonight but there are a multitude of possibilities close by, from very reasonable to ludicrous
Day 15 – 01 Oct 2026
We are still planning today’s itinerary. But it will be easy going. Grab a few hours rest before departing the hotel. Late Check out of the hotel.
Depart hotel for airport at around 8.00pm
Day 16. – 02 Oct 2026
Flight departs Tokyo Haneda 00.05
Via Dubai. Arrive Dublin 12.15
Fares: £6350 sharing double or twin
Single supplement £1900
Upgrades to Seats with extra legroom £360
Upgrades to Business Class £3550 (TBC)
Deposits and interim payments
At time of booking £500 per person, plus any flight upgrades requested. Flights will not be confirmed until this is received.
Interim payment of £2000 on or before
17 May 2026 for hotel deposits.
To see a great film on YouTube - Wonders of Japan - Click on the picture above. This film highlights many of the places we shall visit.
The Osaka Excel Tokyu is a first class hotel, centrally situated with good facilities. It features a restaurant, fitness suite and a bar. Air-conditioned rooms include a flat-screen TV, electric kettle and refrigerator. The en suite bathroom includes a bath, hairdryer, toothbrushes and free amenities.
Guests at the hotel can enjoy a buffet breakfast.
The rooms we have on allocation are superior twin rooms for couples, measuring approx 245 sq.ft. We have booked double rooms for single travellers.
We inspected the Vischio Hotel Kyoto by Granvia in 2023, after being recommended it by our local guide, whose groups have used it often. We then used it ourselves in March 2025 and were very well pleased. It is a first class hotel, in an enviable location directly opposite the main Kyoto Station. The hotel features a restaurant, gym, sauna and lounge-bar, offering free soft drinks, coffee, etc. There is no bar serving alcohol, but on ou last visit, we were able to bring our own drinks and enjoy them in the lounge. En-suite rooms feature flat-screen TV, air-con/heating, kettle and a fridge.
Our rooms here ar standard twins, approx 230 sq ft.
It's very close to the station, probably about 250 metres. Like our other hotels, the room facilities are good. They are, however, smaller at around 200sq ft., but we are only here for one night and the location is ideal.
All the rooms on our allocation are identical, standard twin rooms. All rooms feature a bath, shower, flat-screen TV and a kettle.
FUJI VIEW HOTEL, FUJIKAWAGUCHIKO
The Fuji View Hotel is a mountain resort Ryokan, close by the lake and with a view of Mt. Fuji – most days! The reasonably large rooms offer garden or Fuji view, but it’s luck of the draw what you get. Bathrooms offer an in-bath shower but some rooms may be available with walk-in showers. Subject to availability.
Being a Ryokan, the hotel features an outdoor Onsen alongside an indoor sauna and hot-spring bath.
This is a first-class location for our tour of the Fuji district the following day.
The Grand Nikko Hotel has been an excellent find for us; one of the best hotels we have visited or staye at in Tokyo. Situated on a man-made island, overlooking Tokyo Bay and the Tokyo Skyline, remarkably it's only 15 minutes from the city centre. The monorail to Shimbashi stops right at the door!
Gorgeous spacious rooms, all of which feature a harbour view, welcome you to this crazy city. Featuring everything you'd expect from a first-class hotel, such as bath & shower, mini-bar and kettle, A/C, great views, you will love your stay here. The hotel has a number of restaurants, a great bar and a number of othernfacilities, such as an indoor pool and gym.
The grounds and parkland closeby offer a wealth of shopping, entertainment and dining, as well as a beach! What better way than to finish your journey than to spend a few nights in luxury in one of the world's most fascinating city.
What's included and what's not!
Return flights from Dublin to Japan with Emirates Airlines
Seating of your choice aboard all flights
13 nights accommodation with breakfast each morning
8 Evening meals
1 Lunch
First Class "Japan Rail Pass" for 7 days
Pre-loaded "Suica" card for all local transportation by public transport
All excursions mentioned on itinerary .
Entrance to all sites, museums, etc., mentioned.
Full ATOL Protection
Escorted throughout by Alan and Ann Couser
Some optional excursions carry a cost, all of which are mentioned in the itinerary.
Full details of the excursions to follow:
