South Korea & Japan

The capital of South Korea is a huge metropolis where modern skyscrapers, high-tech subways and colorful pop culture meet Buddhist temples, richly adorned palaces and vibrant street markets. On your guided sightseeing tour of the city you’ll spend some time walking along Cheonggyecheon, an 11 km long modern stream that runs through downtown Seoul. The modern canal is a restoration of the stream that was once there during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Insadong Street is one of the most memorable attractions in Seoul and offers a wide variety of goods that can only be purchased or appreciated in Korea: hanbok (traditional clothing), hanji (traditional paper), traditional teas, pottery and folk crafts. And you’ll get one of the most spectacular, 360 degree views of the city from the Seoul Tower and Observatory.

Spend some time walking along Cheonggyecheon, an 11km-long modern stream that runs through downtown Seoul. The modern canal is a restoration of the stream that was once there during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

The Seoul City Wall offers us a glimpse of Seoul’s long history. This footpath is characterized by its winding path which is also a trademark of Naksan Park. The trail links to the sections of Hanyangdoseong (Seoul City Wall), Naksan, and Hyehwa. Enjoy an open view of Seoul and the old fortress’ features.

HiKR Ground was named by combining “Hi” and “Korea” with the concept of a playground (”Ground”). It is a promotional hall that takes a new approach by integrating Extended Reality (XR). The attraction provides a space for everyone to freely roam and enjoy everything HiKR Ground has to offer. The space is filled with technology aimed for the younger generation with smart technology applied to diverse Korea content, including the areas of hallyu, K-Pop, arts and more.

This experiential craft center offers a number of South Korean craft workshops. Try needle crafts, making accessories, hanji crafting, and more.

Learn to cook with the foods that the country you are touring is most famous for. Join a professional chef in the kitchen to learn how to make delicious traditional dishes.

Busan is a trendy city located by the sea and surrounded by mountains. It enjoys a mild climate with four distinct seasons. Being the second-largest city in the country, Busan is full of culture and tradition, and it provides a relaxed beach atmosphere. It's a great city for outdoor and nature lovers as well as for those who love art, history, unique cafe shops, and fun shopping. Don't forget to try the freshest seafood around, straight from the sea at the famous Jagalchi Fish Market!

Dongbaekseom Island (Island of Camellias) is an island located off one end of Busan's famous Haeundae Beach. The island has several attractions, including the monument inscribed with a poem of scholar Choi Chi-won, the mermaid statue based on the legend of Princess Hwagok, and the Nurimaru APEC House. It also offers fantastic views of the Busan shoreline. As the name suggests, camellias burst into bloom everywhere on the island from winter to spring.

 Busan, a large port city in South Korea, is known for its beaches, mountains and temples. A few highlights you’ll see on this guided sightseeing tour are the Yongdusan Park, Busan Tower, Jagalchi fish market and Kukje market.

Karaoke is a popular form of entertainment which originated in Japan. Immerse yourself in this environment, grab a mic, your favorite song and sing your heart out in a Tokyo karaoke venue.

Jangling neon and tranquil temples, radical fashion choices and quietly practiced traditions. Japan's sprawling, chaotic capital combines cutting-edge technology with an age-old culture, generating a directed energy and graceful drive unique to Tokyo. See what all of the buzz is about with a local licensed guide. Start with a whiff of the miraculous at the Senso Temple, where sacred incense smoke is said to have curative powers. Built to commemorate Emperor Meiji and his empress, the Meiji Shrine is one of the most important Shinto shrines in the country. Yearly festivals bring various groups to its iris garden and Treasure House, including the "Seven-Five-Three Festival," in which young children arrive dressed in mini kimonos.

Meiji Shrine, dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Emperor Meiji was the first emperor of modern Japan, born in 1852 and ascending to the throne in 1868 at the peak of the Meiji Restoration when the power was switched from the feudal Tokugawa government to the emperor. Learn the difference between Shinto and Buddism

Odaiba is man-made island in Tokyo offering incredible view of the Tokyo skyline and is home to state of the art museums, shopping and entertainment.

TeamLab Planets is a museum comprised of 4 large-scale artwork spaces and 2 gardens created by art collective teamLab. Visitors go barefoot and immerse themselves in the vast artworks together with others. The artworks change under the presence of people, blurring the perception of boundaries between the self and the works. Other people also create change in the artworks, blurring the boundaries between themselves and the works, and creating a continuity between the self, the art, and others.

See the iconic large-scale anime figure.

Take a trip to the Akihabara district, a mecca for electronic goods and home to Japan's otaku (diehard fan) geek culture. Explore the thousands of shops dedicated to anime, manga and video games.

Jump on the fastest train in the world and zip to Kyoto. The Shinkansen "bullet" train, inaugurated in 1964 and continually improved ever since, can travel up to 200 miles per hour. The newest versions use aviation technology to decrease wind resistance and noise, ensuring a safe, comfortable -- and fast! -- ride.

Nara can be an eye-opening experience. The enormous 50-foot bronze Buddha statue in Todai-ji was dedicated in AD 752 by having a priest symbolically "open his eyes" by scrambling up and painting them in (the original paintbrush remains at the temple); strings dangling off the brush allowed the dignitaries on the ground to hang on and participate in the action. The sense of "more is better" continues at Kasuga Shrine, where a thousand intricate bronze lanterns hang prettily off the building. Don't bother the wild deer roaming the adjacent Nara Park -- once considered messengers of the gods, they are still a nationally protected treasure.

Todai-ji is one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of Nara. The massive building houses one of Japan's largest bronze statues of Buddha (Daibutsu). At 15 meters tall, the seated Buddha represents Vairocana and is flanked by two Bodhisattvas.

Nara’s most celebrated Shinto shrine.

With over 2,000 Buddhist temples and shrines still intact, Kyoto shines as one of the best preserved Imperial cities in Japan. Visit the famous Zen Buddhist Temple Kinkakuji, or Golden Temple, that gets its name from the pure leaf gold that covers the top two floors. Next, head to Inari, the main shrine of the god of business, and see the thousands of red torii, or Japanese gates, that snake their way up the hill to the inner shrine. The Sanjusangendo Temple offers visitors an unusual and unbelievable sight. Its main hall is filled with 1,000 life-size statues of soldiers of the Thousand Armed Kannon which stand to protect the main deity of the temple.

The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is one of Kyoto’s top sights and for good reason: standing amid these soaring stalks of bamboo is like being in another world.

Explore this mountain-top park with breathtaking view of Kyoto. In an interesting reversal of the usual zoo set-up, where animals are in cage, here, visitors can enter a gated area to approach monkeys that roam free in the wilderness on the outside.