Elegant Japan & South Korea Tour with Turkish Airlines, 9 Nights
Highlights:
• Extra Tours Included • 9 Nights Accommodation • With Turkish AirlinesIstanbul – Seoul
We meet at Istanbul New Airport international departures terminal three hours before the flight (one day before the flight date). We complete our baggage, ticket, and boarding procedures.
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Our flight to Seoul is starting with Turkish Airlines scheduled service. After our arrival in Seoul, we board our private bus waiting for us at the airport. Then transfer to our hotel in Seoul and free time to rest. Accommodation at our hotel.
Seoul – Gangnam Square – Seoul
After the breakfast we will have at the hotel, transfer to Gangnam Square. Meaning south of the Han River, Gangnam is the third largest district in Seoul. In the area that gained popularity after PSY’s song Gangnam Style, Cheongdam fashion street, Gangnam Station, Bonguensa Temple, and the Starfield Library are among the places that can be seen panoramically. After the shopping, dining, and photo break we will give, transfer to our hotel in Seoul and free time to rest. Overnight at our hotel.
Seoul – Osaka
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for our full-day Seoul city tour. During our tour, Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Korean National Folk Museum, Insadong Antique Street, Bukchon Hanok Village, and Myeongdong Street are among the places we will see panoramically. Our first stop is Gyeongbokgung Palace, built in 1395; compared with the neighboring palaces, Changdeokgung (East Palace) and Gyeonghuigung (West Palace), it is generally referred to as the North Palace because of its location furthest to the north. Then, the Korean National Folk Museum. The museum gives visitors insight into the daily life, art, and cultural development of the people of South Korea throughout various periods. Afterwards, we will visit Bukchon Hanok Village, whose name means North Village. Hanok are Korea’s traditional houses, and there are about 700 Hanok in this village. Then, transfer to Myeongdong, Korea's most famous shopping and fashion district. On this street, where there are shopping and cosmetic stores and many restaurants, you can do any shopping you wish before leaving the country and taste local flavors. Transfer to Seoul Airport to make our Osaka flight. After passport and baggage procedures, our flight to Osaka with local airlines begins. Upon arrival, we head to our private vehicle waiting for us at the airport and transfer to our hotel in Osaka. Accommodation at our hotel.
Osaka – Osaka Castle – Dotonbori & Shinsaibashi – Osaka
After the breakfast we will have at the hotel, we take our Osaka city tour, Japan's second-largest metropolitan area after Tokyo. Among the places to be seen on our tour are Osaka Castle, which was built in the 16th century and played an important role in the unification of the Japanese nation, Umeda Sky Building, consisting of two structures 173 meters long, Dotombori and Shinsaibashi. Osaka Castle, a five-story castle with a history dating back nearly 450 years, is one of the country's most visually spectacular creations, as well as a beautiful testament to traditional Japanese architecture, from its subtle color balance to the elegant patterns and shapes decorating each floor. Then, we take our Dotonbori & Shinsaibashi tour, a district that was historically a theater district and is now a popular nightlife, shopping, and entertainment area characterized by its eccentric atmosphere and large illuminated signs. At the end of the tour, transfer to our hotel in Osaka. Accommodation at our hotel.
Osaka – Hiroshima – Osaka
After the breakfast we will have at the hotel, transfer to Hiroshima by high-speed train. On our Hiroshima tour, we will first see the Hiroshima Peace Memorial panoramically. Located in Hiroshima, Japan, and also known as the Atomic Bomb Dome, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial is one of the sections of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Since 1996, it has been one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is one of the main places commemorating the people who lost their lives as a result of the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima. Then, we will see Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The park is dedicated to Hiroshima, the first city in the world to be subjected to a nuclear attack, where the death toll had reached 140,000 by the end of 1945. Before the bomb, the area that is now Peace Park was the political and commercial heart of the city. For this reason, it was chosen as the pilot's target. Four years after the bomb was dropped, it was decided not to rebuild the area and instead to allocate it to peace memorial facilities. After seeing the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, transfer to Hiroshima train station. After the transfer we will make by high-speed train, arrival in Osaka and transfer to our hotel in Osaka. Accommodation at our hotel.
Kyoto – Nara – Kyoto
After the breakfast we will have at the hotel, we depart for Nara. Upon our arrival, we set off for our panoramic Nara tour. We begin our tour with Todaiji Temple. Built in 752, the temple was constructed with the aim of being the head of all Buddhist temples. Growing in influence over time, the temple also began to affect politics in the 8th century. Todaiji’s main hall has also earned a place in the record books as the world’s largest wooden structure. The colossal building is home to one of Japan's largest bronze Buddha statues (Daibutsu). Then, we visit Nara Park, a large park in the center of Nara. Founded in 1880, it is home to most of Nara's main attractions, including Todaiji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofukuji, and the Nara National Museum. It is also home to hundreds of freely roaming deer. After getting the chance to take photos with the deer wandering around, transfer to our hotel in Kyoto and free time to rest. Overnight at our hotel.
Kyoto – Arashiyama – Kinkaku-ji & Kiyomizu-dera Temples – Gion
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for our full-day panoramic Kyoto city tour. During World War II, Kyoto was the only city in Japan that was not bombed. Kyoto is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. We begin our city tour with Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. It welcomes visitors to the bamboo forest with a 500-meter walking trail. On this walk along the path, you will enjoy pleasant moments with the sound of the wind passing through the bamboo and be able to take pictures of the forest. Then, we continue with our Kinkakuji Temple tour. Located in northern Kyoto, Kinkakuji Temple, a Zen temple whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf, is also known as the Golden Pavilion. Overlooking a large pond, each floor of the impressive structure represents a different architectural style. Then, we visit Kiyomizudera (Pure Water) Temple, which was established in 780 at the site of Otowa Waterfall in the forested hills east of Kyoto and takes its name from the pure waters of autumn. Then, transfer to Gion, Kyoto's most famous geisha district, located around Shijo Boulevard between Yasaka Shrine in the east and the Kamo River in the west. After our tour, transfer to our hotel in Kyoto and free time to rest. Accommodation at our hotel.
Kyoto – Lake Ashi – Hakone – Mount Fuji – Tokyo
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Kyoto train station to continue our journey to Tokyo. Upon arrival in Hakone, depart for our Hakone & Mount Fuji tour. With a height of 3776 meters, Mount Fuji, which was recognized in 2013 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the highest mountain in Japan and is known for its elegant conical shape. It is the country's sacred symbol, and there are temples and shrines around and on the volcano. If weather conditions permit, you will enjoy a wonderful atmosphere while admiring the magnificent view of Mount Fuji from above the clouds, which we will reach using the fifth station. Then, depart for our Hakone tour. Among the most distinctive features of Hakone is the unique view it offers thanks to its proximity to Mount Fuji. Here, together with our guests, we enjoy this magnificent view by taking our Lake Ashi boat tour. At the end of the tour, transfer to our hotel in Tokyo and free time to rest. Overnight at our hotel.
Note: On the morning of the tour day, when leaving the hotel, you need to take a small one-day bag with you. All other belongings you leave at the hotel will be transferred from Kyoto to the hotel in Tokyo.
Tokyo – Asukasa – Nakasime – Ginza – Shibuya – Tokyo
After the breakfast we will have at the hotel, we set off for our full-day Tokyo city tour. On our panoramic Tokyo Imperial Palace tour, it was built as the residence of the Imperial Family, surrounded by trees, flowers, moats, and Japan's natural scenery in the center of Tokyo. The Imperial Palace has served as the residence of successive Emperors since 1868. We are taking a photo break at Tokyo Tower. Then we visit Asukasa Temple, or by its other name Sensoji Temple, which is a Buddhist temple located in Asukasa and one of Tokyo’s oldest and most colorful temples. According to legend, it was built by two fisherman brothers to pay their respects to the goddess of mercy, Kannon. The temple, whose construction was completed in 645, is entered through the gate called Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) and opens onto a shopping street called Nakamise, which stretches over 200 meters. The other end of the street leads to Hozomon, the temple’s second gate. During the break we will have on the shopping street, you can buy typical Japanese souvenirs such as various kimonos and folding fans, or taste the various traditional local snacks of the Asakusa area. Then we head to Ginza, Tokyo's most famous luxury shopping, dining, and entertainment district, home to numerous shops, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, nightclubs, and cafes. From 1612 to 1800, the present-day Ginza area was the site of a silver coin mint, so Ginza got its name, which means "silver mint" in Japanese. In the continuation of our tour, we visit the Shibuya Crossing, known as one of the busiest pedestrian crossings in Shibuya, one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan's capital. Located in the middle of business and shopping centers, the crossing is situated in one of the busiest areas of the city and is referred to as the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world. At the end of the tour, transfer to our hotel in Tokyo and free time to rest. Overnight at our hotel.
Tokyo – Istanbul
After the breakfast we will have at the hotel, we will check out of the rooms and transfer to Tokyo Airport for our flight to Istanbul. After baggage, passport, and ticket procedures, we will take our flight on Turkish Airlines' scheduled service. We spend the night on the plane. With our arrival at Istanbul New Airport, the tour and our services come to an end.
What's Included
Not Included
Museum, Site and Temple Entrance Fees and Local Guides + Tourist City Taxes 15€ per person ***Will be paid to our guide during the tour***
ACCOMMODATION AND FLIGHT NOTES
Hotel check-in times are between 15:00 – 17:00 / check-out times are between 10:00 – 12:00.
Departure and arrival times are local times.
Flights marked with * arrive at their destination on the next calendar day after the departure date.
Prices are not valid for groups; please ask for our special rates.
The participant hereby acknowledges in advance that they will participate in the scheduled tours specified in the tour program, will not disrupt the program, and accordingly will pay separately to the tour representative during the trip the amount previously announced in the tour program for expenses such as local guide, museum & site entrance fees, city taxes, and if applicable audio headphone system fees. The participant has been fully and completely informed on this matter.
The Kyoto-Tokyo transfer will be made by train for easier and faster transportation. During these transfers, in order for guests to travel comfortably and not carry their luggage, they are required to take a small one-day bag with them before leaving the hotel on the day stated in the tour program. The remaining belongings will be transferred from Kyoto to the hotel in Tokyo.
The Korea Border area is a military zone. It may be closed without notice on the tour day. Our guests who purchased our tour have done so knowing this.
The Mount Fuji fifth station tour will be carried out depending on weather conditions.
Hotel rooms in Japan are mostly Twin (two separate single beds). Our guests who purchased our tour are deemed to have accepted this rule.
Due to the limited square footage of hotel rooms, Triple (3 adults) accommodation is not available.
In order to enter Japan, you need to create an account on the “Visit Japan Web” page at the link below and upload passport, flight, etc. information to this account.
Visit Japan Web:
https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/
Guests traveling to Korea must apply and obtain approval via the website (www.k-eta.go.kr) or the mobile app (K-ETA) no later than 1 month before boarding the plane. In addition, the Consulate General cannot assist you with the K-ETA application process. For healthy tracking of visa procedures, it is recommended that applications be submitted 40 days before the tour departure.
For persons whose K-ETA applications are rejected, the visa application link and the link for the steps to follow are as follows:
https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/tr-istanbul-tr/brd/m_8764/view.do?seq=761645&page=1
07 DECEMBER TK 90 ISTICN 02:15 18:20
16 DECEMBER TK 51 NRTIST 10:15 17:50
25 JANUARY TK 90 ISTICN 02:15 18:20
03 FEBRUARY TK 51 NRTIST 10:15 17:50
15 FEBRUARY TK 90 ISTICN 02:15 18:20
24 FEBRUARY TK 51 NRTIST 10:15 17:50
18 MARCH TK 90 ISTICN 02:15 18:20
27 MARCH TK 51 NRTIST 10:15 17:50
25 JUNE TK 90 ISTICN 01:45 17:40
04 JULY TK 51 NRTIST 10:35 17:45
IMPORTANT NOTES
Our tour program is arranged with a minimum participation requirement of 30 people. If sufficient participation is not achieved for the trip, the final cancellation notification date is 20 days before the tour departure. The tour canceled due to insufficient participation will be communicated to you through your agency.
In cases where there is insufficient participation but the tour is still carried out, English guidance may be provided.
In cases where only category information is provided in the tour program without specifying a name and/or there are multiple options for the same destination, the hotel(s) will be announced by your agency 48 hours before the departure of the trip.
Triple rooms are subject to hotel availability, and the bed assigned to the 3rd person in such rooms is smaller than standard beds. Triple rooms consist of 1 large bed + 1 extra bed. Since extra beds are foldable or coach beds, tour participants making 3rd person and/or child reservations are deemed to have accepted the possible cramped conditions in the rooms and the bed type. Child discounts are valid only for one child in the relevant age group staying with 2 adults. No bed guarantee is provided in hotels for children aged 0-2.
Breakfasts included in the tour program are served in accordance with the breakfast culture of the country visited and generally in a limited menu called continental breakfast, consisting of butter, jam, bread, tea or coffee, and may be served in a separate hall allocated to the group.
Since tour flights are group tickets, flight times may change. You can confirm the current flight details with your agency. Current times will be communicated by your agency with the tour information.
Tour flight times must be confirmed before purchasing domestic flights. If the guest has purchased the domestic connecting flight from a provider independent of the agency, they cannot request any refund from the agency in the event that the trip is canceled by the agency or there is a time change. The guest accepts in advance any financial and moral losses that may arise due to the cancellation/change of the tour upon purchasing the tour. Lidya Tour cannot be held responsible for this situation. Lidya Tour is not responsible if guests who purchase their own domestic flights miss their international flight due to possible delays, flight cancellations, etc.
According to airline rules; if the outbound flight of a round-trip ticket is not used, the return flight is canceled by the airline.
Guests joining the tour without flights must be present at the tour starting point on their own means and without any delay. Otherwise, they will have to arrange all transfers at their own expense.
In accordance with airline rules, Lidya Tour is not responsible for guests who do not arrive at the specified airport at the announced times for tour participation, who do not complete check-in and boarding procedures on time, or who complete check-in and boarding on time but are unable to board the plane and therefore cannot take the flight. The costs of obtaining new round-trip air tickets necessary for guests who miss the plane to join the tour, and any transfers in the region to be visited, etc., are their responsibility.
The personal belongings, bags, suitcases, passports/IDs of participants in the tour are under their own responsibility, and Lidya Tour is not responsible for items forgotten/lost/stolen. If forgotten items are found, there is no obligation to deliver them to the country and/or person, and the costs incurred during delivery are borne by the owner of the item.
In cases such as illness, loss, or theft, since the integrity and continuity of the group are essential for the guide, the guide cannot accompany guests individually in such adverse situations.
When purchasing the tour, it is mandatory to provide the name as it appears in the passport, date of birth, and passport number correctly. Airline tickets are issued according to this information. Penalties for ticket cancellations and changes arising from incorrect information will be charged to you.
In some airlines, food and beverage services and online check-in may be subject to a fee.
During the tour, seat numbers on the bus cannot be guaranteed.
During our tours, the times announced by our guide to the guests are the departure times, the time when the vehicle starts moving. Our guide, who is responsible for treating all guests' rights equally, will move the vehicle without waiting at the meeting times. In the event of a delay, our guest who is late will have to reach the next stop on their own.
Extra tours are organized by the local agency we receive service from, with a minimum participation requirement of 20 people. If the required number is not reached, excursions cannot be carried out, or the prices, content, and vehicle used for extra excursions may vary depending on the number of participants. In addition, the days and times of the tours may be changed by the guide depending on the opening/closing status of museums and sites at the destination and weather conditions. Guests may be accompanied by a different guide during extra tours.
In our classic packages where extra tours are not included, extra tours are optional and not mandatory for the participant. Passengers who do not wish to join the extra tours organized during the tour are deemed to have accepted to wait at an available rest area along the route. These passengers will be dropped off at a roadside rest area before the extra tour starts and picked up from the point where they were dropped off after the tour is completed.
In programs where extra tours are included, payment of museum & site entrance fees to your agency at the time of reservation or to the guide during the tour is mandatory.
The participant hereby acknowledges in advance that they will participate in the scheduled tours specified in the tour program, will not disrupt the program, and accordingly will pay separately to the tour representative during the trip the amount previously announced in the tour program for expenses such as local guide, museum & site entrance fees, city taxes, and if applicable audio headphone system fees. The participant has been fully and completely informed on this matter.
Lidya Tour is an intermediary institution between the airline and the passenger and is subject to the Hague Protocol of 28.09.1955. On scheduled and private flights, there may be a risk of delays or times may change before the current trip and flight. Lidya Tour is obliged to notify these changes as soon as possible. Our passengers have purchased the tour knowing and accepting that flight details may change.
VISA
• There is no visa requirement for Japanese travel for Turkish Republic citizens; for entry into Korea, K-ETA approval or a visa is required. To apply for a visa, you must submit an application with a passport valid for at least 8 months from the end date of travel.
Guests traveling with a Turkish Republic green passport; if the issuance date of their passport is older than 10 years, they must renew their passports. Otherwise, they may not be admitted to the country they are going to and/or their flight may not be operated by the airline. In such a case, the responsibility belongs to the passenger.
The passport police have the authority to deny you entry into the country. Lidya Tour is not responsible for this situation; responsibility lies with the passenger.
In order to avoid problems with customs police at the border gate of the country to be visited due to passports that are torn, worn, wet, and/or damaged in similar ways, such passports must be renewed, and if it is a country that requires a visa for Turkish Republic citizens, the relevant visa must be in the new passport. Otherwise, responsibility belongs to the passenger.
Since for our guests under 18 traveling alone or with only one of their mother or father, the police officer in charge at the country entry/exit may request a document showing the mutual consent of the parents; we recommend that our guests under 18 and their parents pay attention to this matter.