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We’re heading back to one of our most popular destination: JAPAN!
One of World Vegan Travel’s co-founders (Seb) actually lived in Kyoto for 2.5 years waaaayyy back in 1997-2000, and has missed it ever since. We couldn’t be more excited and can’t wait to show you around.
Our trip to the land of the rising sun will take us from the high energy of Tokyo to the quaintness of Kanazawa and its countryside, before heading over to Hiroshima & Miyajima Island and finishing in Japan’s culture capital, Kyoto.
Throughout the trip, we’ll indulge in one amazing 100% veganized Japanese meal after another, while exploring temples, shrines and historical streets. Plus you’ll have the opportunity to partake in some traditional activities such as a tea ceremony (chanoyu), sake tasting and much, much more!
This is the ultimate Japan adventure, and all made vegan! Join us!
There’s too much to see and do in Japan and not everyone wants to do the same things, so we’ve devised a way for everyone to focus on the sights and experiences they most want to enjoy when we’re in Kyoto. You will have the opportunity to choose from a list of special activities, and it’s all included!
Activities may include (*not a definitive final list):
We will be doing a lot of walking on this trip, whether we’re on a guided food tour, visiting a temple, or heading to/from dinner. As such, you should be able to walk for a considerable amount of time..
We’ll be visiting traditional restaurants and temples throughout the country, which means there may be instances where we do as the locals do and sit on the floor. Japan is quite good at providing small seats for those who have issues with this, but not always.
Japan is definitely not at the forefront of veganism — which is why we’re offering this trip! — and you will encounter quite a lot of meat, fish and other animal-product displays. We will be visiting non-vegan restaurants where people at a nearby table may be eating animal flesh. This is sadly unavoidable in Japan, although we’ve taken every step to minimize this.
TBD, but we are aiming for under USD 9995$.
Yes. Cost TBD.
TBD
Tokyo, Japan
Kyoto, Japan
12-20
This trip is open for pre-registration ONLY.
Please note that the itinerary is subject to change as things sometimes change, places close down, or we find a better restaurant or activity. If we need to change anything, it will be only for the betterment of the trip!
Welcome to Japan! After our welcome meeting where we’ll toast to our upcoming adventures, we’ll head out for our first dinner… and yes, as is customary with World Vegan Travel, we might not take the most direct route….
Accommodation:
TBC
Included:
welcome meeting & drinks
dinner
non-premium drinks during dinner
all transportation once the trip begins
Excluded:
breakfast & lunch
transportation to our meeting place in Tokyo
premium drinks
After breakfast, we’ll spend the day exploring Tokyo via some of its culinary delights, blending guided walking tours with food tastings.
Accommodation:
TBC
Included:
guided tours of Tokyo neighbourhoods
breakfast, lunch & dinner
non-premium drinks during meals
all transportation
Excluded:
premium drinks
This morning we board our first train for the 2.5hrs ride through the mountains and to the ancient city of Kanazawa. We’ll arrive in time for a fun lunch before heading out to the old Geisha district for a guided walk and a few stops in its inviting tea shops, sake bars and sweet stores.
We’ll finish up at the castle gardens, one of the most beautiful in all of Japan, before heading to a local restaurant for dinner.
Accommodation:
TBC
green-class Shinkansen bullet train Tokyo-Kanazawa
guided walk through Kanazawa geisha’s district
breakfast, lunch & dinner
non-premium drinks during meals
all transportation
Excluded:
premium drinks
We’ve done the big city and a smaller town, and now’s the time to head into the countryside! We’ll spend the morning at a few quaint villages (bring your camera!!) and breathe in the clean air before sitting down for a cooking demo from a Japanese vegan chef.
Accommodation:
TBC
cooking demo
visit to a quaint Japanese village
breakfast, lunch & dinner
non-premium drinks during meals
all transportation
Excluded:
premium drinks
We board our 2nd train for the 4hr ride to Hiroshima. The city has risen from the ashes to become a vibrant, modern and clean city, and a symbol of peace throughout the world.
We will visit the Peace Memorial Museum with plenty of free time to wander the beautiful and somber Peace Memorial park.
Accommodation:
TBC
visit of the Peace Memorial Museum and park
breakfast, lunch & dinner
non-premium drinks during meals
all transportation
Excluded:
premium drinks
After breakfast, we take a boat to nearby Miyajima Island. Famous for its red torii gate seemingly floating during high tides, it’s also home to fascinating temples and shrines. You will have time to explore its famous shopping street, or head up on the cable car to the summit of Mount Misen for incredible views of the surrounding sea and mountain ranges.
We will head back to Hiroshima for our last dinner in town.
Accommodation:
TBC
Included:
visit to Miyajima Island’s temples and shrines
cable car to the top of Mount Misen
breakfast, lunch & dinner
non-premium drinks during meals
all transportation
Excluded:
premium drinks
We board the Shinkasen train once again for the short ride to one of the gem cities of Japan, Kyoto.
Upon arrival, we switch over to our vehicles for the short drive to Fushimi Inari Taisha, famous all over the world for its tunnel of thousands of orange torrii gates. We then head to the fascinating neighborhood of Higashiyama and a visit to the beautiful Kiyomizu-Dera temple, famous for its wooden terrace.
The afternoon is free for you to CURATE-YOUR-OWN-DREAM-ADVENTURE! We are still working on the list, but some possible options may include:
We will then meet up for an evening stroll through atmospheric Pontocho district on our way to dinner.
Accommodation:
TBC
Included:
guided visits of Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kiyomizu-Dera temple
choice of several activities
breakfast, lunch & dinner
non-premium drinks during meals
all transportation
Excluded:
premium drinks
After breakfast, we’ll head to one of the most famous temples in all of Japan, Kinkakuji, the golden pavillion. We’ll also stop nearby at Ryoanji, the most popular zen garden.
We then head over to the fun Arashiyama area for a walk through its famous Bamboo grove, before sitting down for a Shyojin temple lunch.
This afternoon is once again free for you to Curate-Your-Own-Dream-Adventure before reuniting with the group for dinner.
Accommodation:
TBC
Included:
visits of Kinkakuji temple, Ryoanji garden and the Bamboo grove
choice of several activities
breakfast, lunch & dinner
non-premium drinks during meals
all transportation
Excluded:
premium drinks
On no, it’s already our last day together!
Most of the day today is free for you to Curate-Your-Own-Dream-Adventure and to make sure you haven’t missed out on any experiences or sights.
The final afternoon and evenings on a World Vegan Travel trip are always memorable, and this certainly won’t be the exception! We don’t want to divulge too much, but we’ll be spending some quality time together before heading out for our final dinner.
Accommodation:
TBC
Included:
choice of several activities
memorable final dinner
breakfast, lunch & dinner
non-premium drinks during meals
all transportation
Excluded:
premium drinks
Today is sadly our departure day. We will include transfers to Kyoto train station. If you are flying out of Kansai International Airport, you can continue by train or book a private car (albeit expensive!).
Whatever your plans, here at World Vegan Travel thank you so very much for entrusting us with your precious holiday time, and hope we’ll get to see each other somewhere in the world again soon!
Sayonara!
Accommodation:
N/A
Included:
breakfast
Excluded:
transfer to Kyoto’s main train station
lunch & dinner
We expect this trip to sell out quickly so ensure your spot on the trip and sign up early by paying the sign-up fee per person.
The sign-up fee is non-refundable under any conditions UNLESS the trip is not confirmed by the deadline (see TRIP INFO). Please carefully read our cancellation policy section for more information.
In order to sign up, fill in the form on this page. Any problems or questions? Email us!
If you are signing up as a single, do so quickly! We have limited single rooms. Please read our single travelers section for more information and the single supplement cost.
Please note that signing up before the deadline does not guarantee the trip will run as this depends on having the necessary minimum of participants.
SINGLE ROOMS are available at a premium, unfortunately. Please take note of our SINGLE SUPPLEMENT in the pricing section.
SHARING ROOM WITH ANOTHER SOLO TRAVELER: if you would prefer to share a room with another single, please let us know. We’ll add you to our list until another single of the same gender signs up. We will put you both in touch so you can confirm that sharing is your preference before booking.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Following the sign-up fee (PAYMENT #1), the remaining balance will be due in 2 installments:
We can work with you on a payment plan: pay your trip in the usual 2 installments, or opt for several. Contact us to discuss what works best for you!
PAYMENT METHODS
We currently accept US DOMESTIC BANK TRANSFERS and CREDIT CARDS PAYMENTS.
EXTRA PAYMENT FEES
Online Bank Payment – US only: also called eCheck or ACH, we do not charge a fee for this, although your bank may do so. Please inquire with them directly.
Credit card payment: the following fees will be added to the total:
Since our trips are highly catered and made of activities that need a lot of planning and organization, all payments (the initial sign-up fee, 50% deposit and final payment) are all non-refundable. This is because we must forward payments for accommodation, transportation, suppliers, etc. very early on, in order to privatize our accommodation, activities and our meals.
To see our booking terms and conditions you can click here. You will find the cancellation policy in section 9 and 10.
TRAVEL MEDICAL INSURANCE – MANDATORY
This is a World Vegan Travel requirement. You will need to provide a policy and emergency contact number in order to join the trip. This can be done just prior to the trip’s date.
Trip Insurance (ie. covering your flight tickets, luggage, etc.) is definitely recommended as well, but not mandatory.
ITINERARY
The itinerary is therefore subject to change, especially if we find an experience that we believe would make the trip even better.
DIET RESTRICTION & ALLERGIES
We do try to accommodate everyone’s food restrictions, especially allergies. We can only do so if you let us know of any requirements when you sign up. We begin working with all our hotels and restaurants a long time in advance, and meals are usually locked several months before the trip. At this point, it is often no longer possible to change menus.
In other words: it is your responsibility to alert us of any dietary requirements, restrictions, allergies and needs, when you sign up.
We do realize our prices seem high. However, when compared to many other tours to the region, we are actually comparatively priced when you take into account that our trips include all meals (and vegan to boot!) and drinks, all the tips for drivers and local guides, and many other extras like a amenities/essentials bag, a free laundry day, the support of 2 full time tour leaders (most tours have only one), and, finally, the chance to travel with author and animal advocate Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.
It’s also worth noting that this may very well be the first and only VEGAN group tour to Japan, and the work done behind the scenes cannot be understated. Our trip cost does factor in the lengthy and hard work done with all our hotels, restaurants and local partners in educating and preparing them for our visit (meals, advocacy, toiletries, etc), which is far beyond any tasks that other tour companies are faced with. This work begins several months before the trip, and approaches full-time hours around 2-3 months prior to the trip’s start date.
We also realize that for many, these types of trips are something they’ve dreamed about for many years. As such, we’ve constructed an itinerary that will make this trip truly memorable in regards to our accommodation, meals, and choice of activities.
Absolutely! We have many people on our trip that sign up as solo travelers. However do note that single rooms availability is low, so book quickly! Please see our COST & SIGN-UP section for more information.
Should you still be on the waiting list when the trip closes and gets confirmed, we may be able to offer you a single room (depending on availability).
FLIGHTS
You are in charge of your own transportation — whether it be flights, train, bus, car, etc. — to our starting city, and your return transportation from our departure city.
For your arrival, we ask that you try and arrive early on the first day, as our first meeting tends to be around noon. This exact time and place will be confirmed at a later date, but do plan ahead adequately to leave you enough time to get to our meeting place by that time. Even better is arriving one or more days before. This would provide you with a chance to take care of jet-lag and visit the town.
Please note that your transportation to our first meeting point is not included.
VISAS
For citizens of western countries (ie USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc), no visas are necessary to enter Japan. For other nationalities, please check to make sure what you need to enter Japan.
TRAVEL/MEDICAL INSURANCE
Medical travel insurance is mandatory on our trip. We need to have assurances that you are fully covered in the event of a medical emergency, including repatriation. You will need to send us your policy detail and emergency contact number before the trip’s start date.
Trip Insurance (trip cancellation, lost baggage, etc.), on the other hand, is entirely up to you, though we highly recommend purchasing it. It often comes packaged along with medical travel insurance, or you may get coverage simply by paying for the trip using a credit card (inquire with your card supplier).
As we are not a travel agency or booking agents, we can’t book any flights or ongoing travel (ie hotels, transportation, etc) for you. However we can surely help with recommendations, suggestions and tips as you look into flights, or extending your holiday. It never hurts to ask, so don’t hesitate to contact us with any queries whatsoever!
In general, May is an excellent time of year to visit Japan as it is still relatively cool and before the heat and humidity sets in.
Early May is actually the busiest time of year with Golden Week, one of the main Japanese holiday when seemingly the entire population is traveling around the country, but thankfully we will be going right after!
You should expect day-time temperatures of around 18.5-23 degrees Celsius (65°F-74°F).
While we don’t have a luggage restriction on this trip, we recommend you not to bring more than 1 suitcase per person as will be traveling to 4 cities and hotels.
We do have one free laundry included on the trip, so hopefully this can help in not over-packing. Laundry will also be available on other days at a fee.
In terms of clothing, it’s a good idea to bring a mix of early-summer garb, such as light cotton pants, t-shirts, etc. and some cooler weather garb such as light sweaters & jackets.
A rain jacket or a small umbrella could prove useful at this time of year.
Do bring some comfortable, but sturdy, shoes, as we will be doing a lot of walking.
Other essentials should include:
We will be sending an info packet several weeks before the trip that will include, amongst other bits of information, a packing list.
Yes, your mobile phone should work, but do check with your carrier to make sure. It is highly recommended to turn off global roaming unless you carrier can offer you a package for your stay in Japan. Otherwise you risk being charged exorbitant fees upon you return home!
If your phone is unlocked (please check with your carrier directly) you can also purchase a local Japanese SIM Card before you arrive in the country (mailed to your address or hotel) or at the airport when you arrive. Do note that SIM cards for foreigners are usually DATA only and you won’t be able to make local calls unless you use something like Skype, etc.
More information will be provided in the Trip Information Document we send you once you book the trip.
Yes, our hotels have WIFI, and we will also have internet connection on-board our trains and coaches.
We provide all accommodation, transportation and meals. All expenses during our included activities are taken care of, including tips for guides and drivers.
You will then only need cash for extra purchases such as souvenirs, extra drinks outside of what’s included, extra snacks, etc. There are ATMs in every town and credit cards are now being accepted in more and more places. This mostly means Visa and MasterCard, with American Express having quite a lower acceptance rate outside of hotels and higher-end restaurants.
Having said that, Japan is still a bit cash-oriented so you should take out some cash in Japan (not before arrival) for snacks, souvenirs, etc.
The tour leaders will be carrying extra cash. If you decide to go on an optional activity at the last minute but don’t have enough money, we will be able to help you out and you can simply pay us back when we find an ATM.
This is generally not a problem, but we do need to be informed at the time of booking so we may prepare the meals accordingly. Please be as precise and detailed as possible. Once on the trip, it is difficult and/or not possible to change our meal plans.
We do have quite a lot of walking activities on this trip so you should be able to walk for a few hours.
There is no hiking or other physical activities (ie hiking, etc.) as planned activities.
Youth above 16 years young are welcome. We are currently not accepting any younger children.
There’s no upper age limit, though do note that there is a fair amount of walking on this trip.
We will provide water, juice, coffee, tea, some cocktails and wine/beer during lunches and all dinners and some activities. We will make it clear what’s included and what’s not. Premium alcoholic drinks (ie expensive cognac, whiskey, champagne, etc) are not included. You can pay for those on the spot or sign it to the room and pay when checking out.
World Vegan Travel and Joyful Vegan Trips aim to be a safe place for all LGBTQ+ travelers. We have a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination of any sort.
Generally speaking, Japan is considered perfectly safe for the community though conservative values towards queer sexuality are common. Same-sex mariage is not yet legal in Japan, though there are no laws againstsame-sex relationships, etc.
Public display of affection are not common in Japan, regardless of sex, gender presentation or sexual orientation. As such our LGBTQ+ travelers should feel safe and at east in Japan.