South Korea & Japan
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Group Leader: Dana Sato
Requested Return Date: 8/15/2025
ABOUT EF
For over 55 years, we’ve dedicated ourselves to one global mission: Opening the World Through Education. Our programs help students expand their knowledge of the world around them, discover more about themselves, grow more confident and independent, and understand new people, places, and cultures.
Compare the natural landscapes of two countries that seamlessly blend modern ways of life with ancient customs.
Explore where cutting-edge technology meets traditional art forms in Seoul and Tokyo, and find tranquility in Busan and Kyoto. Round out your trip with even more interactive experiences, like seeing a kimono show, visiting T.um VR Station theme park, and making kimchi.
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Day 1: Fly overnight to South Korea
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Day 2: Seoul
Meet your Tour Director at the airport -
Day 3: Seoul
Take a tour of Seoul
With your Tour Director, you will:
- See the Blue House—the residence and office of the President of South Korea
- Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace
Visit the Bukchon Hanok Village
Take a walking tour of the Ikseon-dong neighborhood
Explore on your own orAdd this in-depth excursion
Taekwondo class
Learn all about Taekwondo in the country this highly recognizable martial art originates from. Learn from professional instructors and discipline your body and mind as you learn principal moves like jireugi (first strike), makgi (defense), chagi (kick), and jjikgi (strike).
View Seoul from the top of N Seoul Tower
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Day 4: Seoul • Busan
Travel by bullet train to Busan
Explore the white sands of Haeundae Beach
Visit Dongbaekseom Island and the Nurimaru APEC House
Visit Haedong Yoggungsa Temple
Explore the UN Memorial Cemetery and Peace Memorial Museum
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Day 5: Busan
Visit Gamcheon Culture Village
Visit Taejongdae Park
Enjoy a cable car ride over Songdo Beach
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Day 6: Busan • Seoul
Travel by bullet train to Seoul
Visit the Odusan Unification Observatory and learn about the division of North and South Korea
Participate in a Korean cooking class, including a kimchi pancake tasting
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Day 7: Seoul • Osaka • Kyoto
Fly to Osaka and travel to Kyoto
Take a guided tour of Nara
Visit Todaiji Temple
Visit the Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine
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Day 8: Kyoto
Take a guided tour of Kyoto
Visit Nijō Castle, where the Tokugawa shogunate kept a second home
Explore the Golden Pavilion, a Zen Buddhist temple
Take a tour of the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
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Day 9: Kyoto • Tokyo
Travel by bullet train to Tokyo
Tour Tokyo with an expert local guide
Visit the Meiji Shinto Shrine
Explore the Asakusa Kannon Temple
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Day 10: Tokyo • Fuji-Hakone-Izu region
Enjoy views of the awe-inspiring Mount Fuji (weather permitting)
Visit Lake Saiko, one of the Fuji Five Lakes, and the reconstructed village of Iyashi no Sato Nenba
Explore the Fugaku Fuketsu wind cave and Narusawa Hyoketsu ice cave
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Day 11: Tokyo • Sapporo City
Fly to Sapporo City
Take a tour of Sapporo City
With your Tour Director you will visit:
- Asahiyama Observatory
- Sapporo TV Tower
Stop for a photo at Japan's oldest clock tower
Stop for a photo at Lake Shikotsu
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Day 12: Sapporo City
Take an in-depth tour of Shikotsu-Toya National Park with a guide
Visit the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park and learn about Ainu history and culture in Japan
Visit the Nijo Seafood Market
Explore Noboribetsu Hell Valley and Oyunuma Pond, a natural hot spring
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Day 13: Sapporo City • Otaru • Tokyo
Visit a local dairy farm in Otaru
Fly back to Tokyo
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Day 14: Depart for home
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Day 1: Fly overnight to South Korea
-
Day 2: Seoul
Meet your Tour Director at the airport -
Day 3: Seoul
Take a tour of Seoul
With your Tour Director, you will:
- See the Blue House—the residence and office of the President of South Korea
- Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace
Visit the Bukchon Hanok Village
Take a walking tour of the Ikseon-dong neighborhood
Explore on your own orAdd this in-depth excursion
Taekwondo class
Learn all about Taekwondo in the country this highly recognizable martial art originates from. Learn from professional instructors and discipline your body and mind as you learn principal moves like jireugi (first strike), makgi (defense), chagi (kick), and jjikgi (strike).
View Seoul from the top of N Seoul Tower
-
Day 4: Seoul • Busan
Travel by bullet train to Busan
Explore the white sands of Haeundae Beach
Visit Dongbaekseom Island and the Nurimaru APEC House
Visit Haedong Yoggungsa Temple
Explore the UN Memorial Cemetery and Peace Memorial Museum
-
Day 5: Busan
Visit Gamcheon Culture Village
Visit Taejongdae Park
Enjoy a cable car ride over Songdo Beach
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Day 6: Busan • Seoul
Travel by bullet train to Seoul
Visit the Odusan Unification Observatory and learn about the division of North and South Korea
Participate in a Korean cooking class, including a kimchi pancake tasting
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Day 7: Seoul • Osaka • Kyoto
Fly to Osaka and travel to Kyoto
Take a guided tour of Nara
Visit Todaiji Temple
Visit the Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine
-
Day 8: Kyoto
Take a guided tour of Kyoto
Visit Nijō Castle, where the Tokugawa shogunate kept a second home
Explore the Golden Pavilion, a Zen Buddhist temple
Take a tour of the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
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Day 9: Kyoto • Tokyo
Travel by bullet train to Tokyo
Tour Tokyo with an expert local guide
Visit the Meiji Shinto Shrine
Explore the Asakusa Kannon Temple
-
Day 10: Tokyo • Fuji-Hakone-Izu region
Enjoy views of the awe-inspiring Mount Fuji (weather permitting)
Visit Lake Saiko, one of the Fuji Five Lakes, and the reconstructed village of Iyashi no Sato Nenba
Explore the Fugaku Fuketsu wind cave and Narusawa Hyoketsu ice cave
-
Day 11: Tokyo • Sapporo City
Fly to Sapporo City
Take a tour of Sapporo City
With your Tour Director you will visit:
- Asahiyama Observatory
- Sapporo TV Tower
Stop for a photo at Japan's oldest clock tower
Stop for a photo at Lake Shikotsu
-
Day 12: Sapporo City
Take an in-depth tour of Shikotsu-Toya National Park with a guide
Visit the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park and learn about Ainu history and culture in Japan
Visit the Nijo Seafood Market
Explore Noboribetsu Hell Valley and Oyunuma Pond, a natural hot spring
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Day 13: Sapporo City • Otaru • Tokyo
Visit a local dairy farm in Otaru
Fly back to Tokyo
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Day 14: Depart for home
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See your tour come to life
Your experience includes
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Airfare & transportation
Round-trip flights on major carriers; comfortable motorcoach; internal flight (3 with extension); 3 bullet train rides
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Hotels
9 overnight stays in hotels with private bathrooms (12 with extension)
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Regional-style meals
Dinner on arrival day; breakfast and dinner Days 3–10 (Days 11–13 with extension); breakfast on departure day (lunch on Day 12 with extension)
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Guided sightseeing
2 sightseeing tours led by licensed local guides; 3 sightseeing tours led by your Tour Director (5 with extension); 2 walking tours
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Entrances
HiKR Ground; Gamcheon Culture Village; Haeundae Beach; Dongbaekseom Island and Nurimaru APEC House; Haedong Yonggungsa Temple; UN Memorial Cemetery and Peace Memorial Museum; Taejongdae Park; cable car ride; Odusan Unification Observatory; Gyeongbokgung Palace; Bukchon Hanok Village; Museum Kimchikan; N Seoul Tower; Nara; Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine; Nijō Castle; Golden Pavilion; Nishijin Textile Center; Meiji Shinto Shrine; Asakusa Kannon Temple; Mount Fuji 5th Station; Lake Saiko and Iyashi no Sato Nenba; Fugaku wind cave; Narusawa ice cave (with extension: Asahiyama Observatory; Sapporo TV Tower; Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park; Noboribetsu Hell Valley and Oyunuma Pond; dairy farm visit)
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Full-time Tour Director
Your culturally connected Tour Director is with your group 24/7, providing deep local insight while handling all on-tour logistics.
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Expert Local Guides
Your expert local guides are natural historians, adding cultural insight and global perspective on your sightseeing tours.
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Continuous Support
Your dedicated EF team helps you every step of the way—from recruiting and enrolling travelers to planning and managing your tour.
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Worldwide Presence
EF has over 500 schools and offices in more than 50 countries worldwide so wherever you go, we're there too.
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24-hour Emergency Service
Travelers and their families can count on EF's dedicated emergency service team.
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Peace of Mind Program
Feel secure knowing your group can change their destination or travel dates due to unforeseen circumstances. Learn more about your flexible options at eftours.com/peaceofmind.
Questions about this tour? Connect with us one-on-one via live chat,
or give us a call at 800-665-5364.
