Local Dress
In Asia the dress standard is more conservative than it is back home. When packing try to pick loose, lightweight, long clothing that will keep you cool in the usually hot and humid climate of Asian summers.

Optional Activities
Asakusa- Senso-ji Temple Visit (Free)Tokyo- Akihabara Visit (Free)- Harajuku Visit (Free)- Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jingu) Visit (Free-1000JPY per person)- Ueno Park Visit (Free)Takayama- Sake Street Visit (300-400JPY per person)- Biking (200-1000JPY per person)- Hida no Sato (Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village) Visit (700JPY per person)Kyoto- Zen Gardens of Ryoan-ji (500JPY per person)- Gion Walk (Free)- Kiyomizu Temple Visit (400JPY per person)- Nijo Castle and Gardens Visit (600JPY per person)- Day Trip to Nara- Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion Visit (500JPY per person)- Silver Pavilion Visit (500JPY per person)Hiroshima- Hiroshima Park and Peace Memorial (Free-200JPY per person)Miyajima- Mt. Misen Visit (Free-1840JPY per person)Osaka- Instant Ramen Museum Visit- Osaka Castle Park (Free)

What to Take
We suggest that you pack as lightly as possible as you are expected to carry your own luggage. You will be walking with your luggage in busy public train stations to catch connecting trains, so it is highly recommended that you travel light, have easy to handle luggage, and are capable of walking up and down the stairs with your luggage without any assistance. A large bag will be an inconvenience to you and slow you down!We recommend keeping the weight of your bags between 10-15kg (22-30 lbs). Large suitcases are not recommended for G Adventures trips. We suggest travellers bring a rucksack or rolling bag of small to medium size. You will also need a day-pack to carry daily essentials like water, cameras, passport, etc.It’s essential to pack as lightly as possible for rail travel in Japan. All G Adventures tours use the world-famous Shinkansen bullet trains, which have a restriction on maximum luggage size.Any luggage brought on board must be less than 160cm in total (calculated as the sum of the height + width + depth of your luggage). This is roughly the size that most airline companies consider as "carry-on baggage" and allow in overhead storage compartments. We strongly recommend bringing a day pack or backpack to use during the day (for daily essentials like water, cameras, passport, etc.).Please note that travellers who bring luggage that exceeds this restriction will be directly penalized by the Central Japan Railway Company. Any luggage between 160–250cm will require a fee of 1,000 JPY per luggage, for each leg of your train journey, and is strictly subject to availability. Any luggage over 251cm in total is prohibited on the Shinkansen trains.If you absolutely must bring more than what fits into a single carry-on bag plus day pack, you may bring a second carry-on bag which also must be less than 160cm in total. Please note, however, that as with all G Adventures tours, you must be able to carry your luggage unassisted.Luggage Transfer - Japan’s "takuhaibin" service is a convenient and reliable way to transfer luggage from one location to another throughout the country. Pick-up/drop-off/delivery dates and times can be easily scheduled (usually overnight) and costs are moderate. Service can be arranged at most hotels and airports. Using takuhaibin to send your luggage between hotels, or from hotel to airport, is a great way to travel light and avoid hauling large bags on crowded trains or up and down stairs – just be sure to pack an overnight bag with everything you’ll need until you’re reunited with your luggage the following day.

Group Leader Description
All G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of our Chief Experience Officers (CEO). The aim of the CEO is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting - we think it's the best of both worlds.