Japan & South Korea Getaway

Itinerary

• Day 1: Overnight flight

  Board your overnight flight to Tokyo, the capital of Japan, and the most populated metropolitan area in the world.

• Day 2: Arrive in Tokyo

  Welcome to Tokyo, where there are vending machines for everything, bright neon lights everywhere, and more Michelin-starred restaurants than the entire rest of the world combined. Soak it all in.

  Today's highlights:

  • Meet an EF representative and fellow travelers as they arrive at the airport.
  • Transfer to your hotel to check in and check out your room.
• Day 3: Explore Tokyo + Welcome Dinner

  Amidst the neon lights and towering skyscrapers of Tokyo, surprises wait at every corner. You’ll find relics of the ancient city sprinkled throughout, plus a pop culture community that’s off the charts. (Manga much?)

  Today's highlights:

  • Join a local guide for a bus and walking tour of Tokyo.
  • Check out the latest fashion trends as you walk through the Harajuku neighborhood.
  • Keep pure thoughts as you enter the Sensoji Temple and Shrine.
  • Enjoy a Welcome Dinner with fellow travelers at an authentic local spot.
• Day 4: Free Day in Tokyo + optional Hakone day trip

  Get out there and see what Tokyo has to offer. Spoiler: it’s a lot. And if you’re feeling adventurous, join the optional trip to Hakone.

  Free time suggestions

  Tokyo National Museum: When it comes to all things Tokyo, this museum has you covered. Japanese art. Antiques. History. This is the place for you.

  Shinjuku Gyoen park: This is one of Tokyo’s largest parks, and is very popular with Japanese families. You know what they say—do as the locals do.

  Hakone Cable Car & Lake Ashi Cruise (extra cost)

  Ride in a cable car to catch views of Mt. Fuji, then cruise on Lake Ashi to its iconic torii gate. 
  
  Why wait? Save money by booking this optional excursion before your trip departs.

• Day 5: Free day in Tokyo

  Today is your day to do as you wish. Head out with a plan, or simply wander Tokyo’s many bustling neighborhoods. But please, whatever you do, go find yourself some mochi ice cream.

  Free time suggestions

  Tokyo Skytree: Standing at 2,080 feet, this tower is the tallest in the world. Ride up to the observation decks for panoramic views of Tokyo.

  Ghibli Museum: This one-of-a-kind museum showcases the imagination behind Studio Ghibli and the incredible animated films they’ve produced. Buy tickets in advance!

• Day 6: Travel to Seoul

  Next up, South Korea. Fun fact: 20% of South Koreans (nearly 10 million people) live in Seoul. It’s modern, loud, and bursting at the seams with stories to tell. Take it all in during your first day in town.

  Today's highlights:

  • Fly from Tokyo to Seoul and check in to your new hotel.
  • Get an introduction to the city by bus and foot.
  • Walk the narrow, trendy streets of Ikseon-dong and Insa-dong.
• Day 7: Explore Seoul + optional K-Pop dancing class

  Another day in Seoul, another chance to explore more of the city’s 25 distinct districts. Oh, and for the K-Pop fans out there, don’t forget your dancing shoes.

  Today's highlights:

  • Join your Tour Director for a tour of the upscale Gangnam district.
  • Wind through the vibrant, always-bustling Itaewon neighborhood.

  Free time suggestions

  Seoul Sky: Head to the 123rd floor of Korea’s tallest building, Lotte World Tower, and take in Seoul’s magnitude. Feeling brave? Try the thrilling outdoor bridge walk.

  K-Pop dance class in Seoul (extra cost)

  Exactly what it sounds like. Feel the music and dance your heart out to some K-Pop beats.
  
  Why wait? Save money by booking this optional excursion before your trip departs.

• Day 8: Travel to Gyeongju + overnight temple stay

  Known as a “museum without walls,” Gyeongju is the country’s ancient capital, and it is absolutely brimming with history.

  Temple stay details: This is true cultural immersion, so get ready to participate in a number of Buddhist practices guided by monks. You’ll wear provided temple clothing, eat vegan meals in silence, partake in group meditations (including 108 prostrations), and wake up at 5am—just like the monks do. Accommodations for temple stays are shared and divided by gender, which means you could share a room with 3–4 UB travelers. Yes, even if you purchase a single room upgrade, you will have roommates. Bathrooms, however, are private.

  Today's highlights:

  • Grab a window seat on the bus towards Gyeongju.
  • Spend the night at a Buddhist temple for an unforgettable and immersive cultural experience.
• Day 9: Tour Gyeongju + travel to Seoul

  From 57 BCE to 935 CE, Gyeongju was South Korea’s capital city. That’s nearly 1,000 years of being a v important place. If only there was a local guide who could show you—wait, here they come now!

  Today's highlights:

  • Wake up and enjoy the final few hours of your temple stay.
  • Step into Cheonmachong, an ancient tomb famous for its painting of a white horse.
  • Stop at Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, part of a palace complex constructed in 674 CE during the Silla dynasty.
  • Hop on a bus and head back to Seoul for a free evening.
• Day 10: Optional Korean cooking class + Farewell Dinner

  There’s no right way to spend your final day in South Korea, but one that involves a cooking class and a Korean BBQ dinner seems pretty close to perfection.

  Today's highlights:

  • Get out there and try something new during your last day in Seoul.
  • Share some laughs (and maybe shed a few tears) at an included Farewell Dinner with your group.

  Korean cooking class (extra cost)

  Bring an open mind (and mouth) as you learn to cook some classic, mouthwatering South Korean foods.
  
  Why wait? Save money by booking this optional excursion before your trip departs.

• Day 11–12: Fly home

  Annyeong, chingudeul!
  Translation: Goodbye, friends! Your next destination awaits—home. But this isn’t goodbye. It’s “See you later.” The only question is, where?