Osaka EXPO 2025, Art and Architecture in Kansai (10 days, 9 nights)

Who is this for?
This tour is designed for those who want to experience Japan through its architecture, from its traditional wooden houses to cutting-edge modern structures and visions of the future. Explore the layers of design that shape the country's urban landscapes and natural surroundings. Also ideal for art lovers, this tour invites participants to explore how architecture intersects with creativity.

- This is a private tour. Only you and your group will participate. 
- This trip can be tailored according to your preferences. Please feel free to inquire about any specific requests ahead of time. 

Physical Activity:  Low
Length of Trip:  10 days, 9 nights 
Capacity:  2-15 people

Visualize yourself:
- Discovering the innovation and creativity in the Osaka EXPO 2025 
- Walking through centuries of architectural evolution 
- Observing how architectural design shapes the way people live, work, and interact
- Feeling how nature and art comes together in structure design  

KOBE    |    1 night
Day 1: Travel Day
Arrive in Osaka at the Kansai International Airport and meet your guide and driver. Then follows a smooth transfer to the hotel in Kobe. Take this time to explore the city or rest up for the travels ahead. 

ARIMA ONSEN    |    2 nights
Day 2: Art, Craft, and Hot Springs
Included meals: Breakfast,  Lunch, Dinner

Start the day at the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art to see contemporary and modern art in the galleries of a building designed by architect Tadao Ando. Then, visit the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum. See the craftsmanship behind Japan’s wooden structures, with exhibits showcasing traditional techniques and tools. In the afternoon, stop by Ikuta Shrine, one of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines, to see the execution of techniques learned about earlier in the day. End the day in Arima Onsen, with a stay in a hot spring town in a Japanese Inn.

Day 3: Crossing History in Hyogo
Included meals: Breakfast,  Lunch, Dinner

Begin the day at the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, once the longest suspension bridge in the world until 2022. Experience the observatory walkway for a view high above the waters of the Seto Inland Sea. Then, head to Himeji Castle, with its bright white walls and complex defensive design. In the evening, explore Kobe’s Chinatown, Nankinmachi, where the streets are filled with food stalls, restaurants, and lively energy, making it the perfect place to experience the city's international influences. Head back to the Japanese inn in the Arima Onsen town for the night.

KYOTO    |    ４ nights
Day 4: Mountain Views to Imperial Halls 
Included meals: Breakfast,  Lunch, Dinner

Visit the Rokko Shidare Observatory, a unique structure designed to highlight the surrounding mountain landscape. It has great views of Kobe city below. Then, head to Kyoto Imperial Palace, once home to Japan’s emperors, where elegant architecture and gardens reflect centuries of history. In the evening, take a walk along the Kamo River. See the warm glow of lantern-lit restaurants and shops.  

Day 5: An Exploration of Kyoto's Wooden Past 
Included meals: Breakfast,  Lunch, Dinner

Explore Kyoto’s Higashiyama district. Here narrow cobblestone streets wind through historic neighborhoods filled with wooden machiya townhouses and traditional storefronts. Visit Kiyomizudera, a masterpiece of temple architecture with its massive wooden stage supported by centuries-old pillars. Then, walk along Nene no Michi, a picturesque path lined with preserved buildings. Visit Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka, where stone-paved streets are lined with shops and teahouses. End the day at Yasaka Shrine. 

Day 6: Thatched Roof Houses of Kyoto's Countryside 
Included meals: Breakfast,  Lunch, Dinner
Take a day-trip from Kyoto to visit Miyama’s Kayabuki no Sato.  See the village where traditional thatched-roof houses stand against a backdrop of the countryside. The architecture, preserved for generations, showcases a building style once common across rural Japan but now rare to find. Walking through the village creates a setting that feels almost untouched by time.

Day 7: A Day of Design and Simplicity 
Included meals: Breakfast,  Lunch, Dinner

Start the day at the Miho Museum, designed by architect I. M. Pei, who also created the Louvre Pyramid in France. Nestled in the Shiga mountains, the museum’s entrance tunnel and glass roof blend contemporary design with natural surroundings. Then, visit the Silver Pavilion (Ginkaku-ji), a Zen temple known for its understated beauty, moss gardens, and meticulously raked sand landscapes. In the evening, explore Kyoto at a relaxed pace, taking in its historic districts as the city settles into the night.

OSAKA    |    2 nights
Day 8: A City Built up and Through
Included meals: Breakfast,  Lunch, Dinner
Head to Osaka. Visit Katsuo-ji, a temple in the hills of Osaka known for its countless red Daruma dolls, symbolizing perseverance and success. Then, visit the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living, where life-size replicas of Edo-period streets showcase how the city evolved over time.  Then head to the Umeda Sky Building, an architectural landmark with a beautiful city view. Before leaving, look out for the nearby Gate Tower Building, a rare sight where a highway passes directly through the structure.
 

Day 9: EXPO 2025, Blueprints for the Future 
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 
Spend the day at Osaka EXPO 2025, where cutting-edge architecture and innovative pavilion designs from around the world transform a manmade island into a showcase of the future. Each structure reflects its country’s unique vision, with experimental materials, sustainable concepts, and bold aesthetics shaping the landscape.

Day 10: The Journey Ends 
Included meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a swift transfer to Kansai International Airport. Your next destination? Home sweet home. But remember, it's not sayonara yet, it's "See you soon!" The question is, where to from here?

OR EXTEND YOUR TRIP!
Add another trip of ours on top of this journey and we will be happy to send you off.