Trip to Japan

Day 1 | 25 Dec 2026

• Flight QR1376 Durban to Doha, departing 12:25pm.
• One technical stop - 10h40m flight time.

Day 2 | 26 Dec 2026

• Arrive Doha at around 00:05 am.
• Layover of 2h10m until next flight.
• Depart Doha at ~ 02:15am.
• Arrive Narita Airport at 17:55
• Catch train to Narita (20min).
• Check into APA Hotel Keisei Narita Ekimae.
• Dinner nearby.

Day 3 | 27 Dec 2026

• Grab breakfast and walk to Naritasan Shinsho-ji.
• Explore temple area.
• Do the caligraphy class at the Museum of Calligraphy. (Y2000).
• Find lunch nearby in Narita Omotesando.
• Head to Narita Yokun sweet shop and museum.
• Return to hotel to rest.
• Head out somewhere for dinner.

Day 4 | 28 Dec 2026

• Free travel day to explore.
• Visit Fudo Kyuseki Gardens.
• Bespoke furniture store, Marui Kagu.

Day 5 | 29 Dec 2026

• Breakfast and then check out and head to Tokyo (about an hour).
• Leave luggage at Hotel Flora Funabashi.
• Explore the area.
• Depending on time, look at tomorrows activities.
• Afternoon relax.
• Check in.
• Dinner in the area.

Day 6 | 30 Dec 2026

• Explore the area, ideas include
• The Sumida Hokusai Museum,
• Visit Inoue Hamon woodworking shop,
• The Ninja Museum,
• Tobu Museum (trains),
• The National Museum of Modern Art.

Day 7 | 31 Dec 2026

• Get breakfast.
• Head to Yokohama (45min).
• Visit the Nissan Museum.
• Visit Hara Model Railway museum.
• Visit More's for food and shopping.
• Visit harbour.
• Head back to Tokyo.
• Relax and dinner.

Day 8 | 01 Jan 2027

• Breakast and then check out.
• Catch the 9:00am train to Kanazawa (4 hours).
• Arrive 1pm. Leave luggage at APA Hotel Kanazawa Chuo.
• Explore area.
• If possible, visit Kutani Pottery Village (90min).
• Visit Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Traditional Arts and Crafts .

Day 9 | 02 Jan 2027

• Early start to visit Shirakawa, UNESCO village site.
• Visit to Kenrokuen Garden on return.
• Nagamachi Samurai District

Day 10 | 03 Jan 2027

• Today is a rest/free day .
• Suggestions are fishing stores, independent furniture makers, woodworking stores.
• National Craft Museum
• Muro Saisei Kinenkan Museum
• Yoshiro and Yoshio Taniguchi Museum of Architecture

Day 11 | 04 Jan 2027

• Check out, get breakfast and head to station.
• Travel to Osaka (2.5 hours).
• Arrive, leave luggage at hotel.
• Explore area - Osaka museum of Fine Arts.
• Dotonbori at night.
• Possible river cruise (R200).

Day 12 | 05 Jan 2027

• Visit Shitennoji Temple (founded in 593) - outer area free, inner paid.
• Visit Namba Yasaka Shrine with lions head building (free).
• Osaka Castle & museum (Y1200 - R120).
• Kuromon market for lunch (closes at 6pm).
• Abeno Harukas for view (16th floor garden terrace is free).

Day 13 | 06 Jan 2027

• Day trip to Hiroshima (2 hour travel).
• Visit Horishima Castle and shrine (R40 entry fee).
• Visit A-Bomb Dome.
• Return to Osaka.
• Visit Shinsekai in Osaka for dinner.

Day 14 | 07 Jan 2027

• Day trip to Kobe.
• Kobe Animal Kingdom.
• Visit Takenaka carpentry museum.
• Visit to Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens and Roadway.
• Explore.

Day 15 | 08 Jan 2027

• Leave Osaka early for the trip to Kyoto.
• Nishijin Textile Centre.
• Free day to explore and plan.
• Visit Ebisugawadori for local craft and furniture.
• Check out the store KOKO for traditional tools.
• PINT for everyday objects made by craftsman; afternoons only.
• Kyukyodo for calligraphy, paper, incense etc.

Day 16 | 09 Jan 2027

• Taikenkobowaraku in Gion offers sessions making traditional incense, kanzashi hair ornaments or Japanese sweets.
• Marumasu-Nishimuraya near Nijo Castle teaches Kyo-Yuzen silk dyeing, where you paint designs onto silk using traditional techniques.
• Early morning zazen; Kennin-ji, Shunkoin, and Kodai-ji (6am meditation in temples).
• Deirdre to plan.

Day 17 | 10 Jan 2027

• Deirdre to plan.

Day 18 | 11 Jan 2027

• Checkout and travel back to Tokyo.
• Relaxed travel day.

Day 19 | 12 Jan 2027

• Day trip to Kamakura.

Day 20 | 13 Jan 2027

• Checkout and explore missed places.
• Depart Narita Airport at 16:55

Day 21 | 14 Jan 2027

• Arrive Durban.

APA Hotel Keisei Narita Ekimae

Check-in: 2026-12-26  Check-out: 2026-12-29

• 906, Hanazakicho, Narita-shi, Chiba
• Check in/out: 3:00 p.m. / 10:00 a.m
• Tel: 81476-20-3111

Hotel Flora Funbashi

Check-in: 2026-12-29  Check-out: 2027-01-01

• 7-11-1 Honmachi, Funabashi-shi, Chiba
• Telephone: 047-409-5211
• Google Maps

APA Hotel Kanazawa Chuo

Check-in: 2027-01-01  Check-out: 2027-01-04

• 1-5-24, Katamachi, Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa
• Contact: +8176-235-2111
• Check in/out: 3:00 p.m. / 10:00 a.m.
• Google Maps

Tokyu Stay Osaka Hommachi

Check-in: 2027-01-04  Check-out: 2027-01-08

• Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Chuo-ku Kyutaromachi 2
• Phone: +81662620109
• Google Maps

Park Hotel Kyoto

Check-in: 2027-01-08  Check-out: 2027-01-11

• 180 Nishiyokocho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto
• Call: +81757446821
• Check-in time: 15:00
• Check-out time: 11:00
• Google Maps