Flower and Sun of the Far East: "South Korea and Japan" | January 26 – February 5, 2027
THE FLOWER AND SUN OF THE FAR EAST: "SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN"
SEOUL (2 NIGHTS) – OSAKA (1 NIGHT) – NARA– KYOTO (2 NIGHTS) – HAKONE – TOKYO (3 NIGHTS)
ALL CITY TOURS, ENTRANCE FEES INCLUDED
FLIGHT BETWEEN SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN INCLUDED
SHINKANSEN EXPERIENCE ON THE WORLD'S FIRST HIGH-SPEED TRAIN INCLUDED
ISTANBUL TO SEOUL > Tuesday, January 26, 2027
Meeting at the Turkish Airlines counter in front of the Istanbul Airport international departures terminal at 14:10. After our ticket, baggage, and passport procedures, we will fly to Seoul on Turkish Airlines flight TK20 at 17:10. We will spend the night on the plane.
SEOUL > Wednesday, January 27, 2027
Arrival at Seoul Incheon Airport at 09:05 local time. After passport and baggage procedures, we begin our tour with a vehicle waiting for us at the airport. Our first stop on the tour will be Gyeongbokgung Palace. Built in 1395, it is not only the largest of the Five Grand Palaces constructed by the Joseon Dynasty but also considered the most beautiful and magnificent. Our next stop will be Namsangol Hanok Village. Located at the foot of Namsan Mountain, this village offers visitors a sense of traveling back in time with its restored traditional "hanok" houses, peaceful gardens, and authentic atmosphere. Here, we will have the opportunity to closely observe Korean living culture, architectural details, and traditional layouts. Passing through, we will also view the former Blue House and Gwanghwamun Square panoramically. After the sightseeing, we will proceed to Insadong Street, famous for its traditional tea houses, art galleries, and souvenir shops. Free time will be provided here. The final stop of our tour will be Myeongdong Street, one of Korea's most popular shopping and fashion streets. After exploring this vibrant area filled with cosmetic stores, local restaurants, and international brands, we will head to our hotel. We will complete check-in procedures and settle into our rooms. Overnight stay at our hotel in Seoul.
SEOUL > January 28, 2027 Thursday> (K)
After breakfast at our hotel, our first stop will be Aegibong Ecopark. Located in the only Demilitarized Zone between South Korea and North Korea, Aegibong Peace Ecological Park stands out as a symbol of peace and harmony. The confluence of the Han River with the Jogang River, which connects different histories and cultures, makes this point even more meaningful. From here, we will have the opportunity to observe the North Korean Propaganda Village on the opposite bank of the Han River and North Korean farmers working in the fields. Additionally, we will have the chance to enjoy our coffee at Korea's first and only Starbucks with a view of North Korea. We will be able to see North Korean territory and the border line from the observation deck. Our tour will continue with N Seoul Tower, which features a communication tower and an observation deck. After reaching the tower via cable car, we will enjoy panoramic views of Seoul from its highest point. Next, we will head to see the Gangnam Style Statue. Then, we will visit Starfield Library located nearby. Our next stop will be Bongeunsa Temple, which has a history dating back 1,200 years. As a cornerstone of Korean Buddhism, Bongeunsa is one of the most visited sites in Seoul, featuring one of the largest statues in the country, Maitreya, and a library housing 3,479 sacred Buddhist texts. After our tour, we will return to our hotel. Overnight stay at our hotel in Seoul.
SEOUL Q OSAKA> January 29, 2027 Friday> (K)
At the time announced by our guide, we will complete our check-out procedures and transfer to the airport. We will fly to Tokyo on flight OZ102 at 09:00. Upon landing at Kansai Airport at 10:45 local time, after completing passport and baggage procedures, we will begin our Osaka tour with our vehicle. After the free time provided for lunch, we will start our tour with a visit to Osaka Castle, one of the city's most important historical structures. During our walk around the castle grounds, we will have the opportunity to photograph this impressive structure and learn about Osaka's history. Next, we provide free time at Kuromon Ichiba Market, one of Osaka's most popular markets. Here, we will have the chance to experience Osaka cuisine with fresh seafood, street food, and local snacks. Then, we move to Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi, one of Osaka's liveliest and most vibrant areas. This district, with its bright signs, shopping streets, and energetic atmosphere, is one of the key points reflecting the city's modern character. At the end of the day, we transfer to the hotel and have free time. We will complete our check-in procedures and settle into our rooms. Overnight stay at our hotel in Osaka.
OSAKA - NARA - KYOTO > January 30, 2027 Saturday > (K)
After having breakfast at our hotel, we will complete our check-out procedures and depart from Osaka to Nara, one of Japan's ancient capitals. First, we visit Todaiji Temple, home to the massive bronze Buddha statue and one of the country's most important temples. Then, we enjoy leisurely moments in Nara Park, where adorable deer roam freely. From there, we head to Kyoto. After free time for lunch, we visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates. Next, we tour Kiyomizu Temple, one of Kyoto's most iconic landmarks listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The temple offers stunning views of distant Kyoto city and is surrounded by numerous cherry blossom and maple trees that burst into vibrant colors during spring and autumn. Its main hall, constructed without using a single nail alongside the stage, houses a small statue of the eleven-faced, thousand-armed Kannon, the temple's primary object of worship. Following our temple tour, we will have walking time and free time along Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka streets, renowned for their traditional wooden houses, souvenir shops, and historic atmosphere. After completing our tour, we transfer to our hotel in Kyoto. We will check in and settle into our rooms. Overnight stay at our hotel in Kyoto.
KYOTO > Sunday, January 31, 2027 > (K)
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for the Kyoto Tour. Our first stop is the stunning Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, famous for its walking path where bamboo trees stretch toward the sky. Next, we visit Kinkakuji Temple (the Golden Pavilion), one of Japan's most eye-catching structures with its gold-leaf-covered exterior. The view of the Golden Pavilion reflected in the pond while strolling through the temple gardens will add a special beauty to your photos. After lunch at Nishiki Market, we explore the gardens of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, which served as the official residence of the Japanese Imperial Family for many years. Later in the day, we tour the Gion district, one of the areas that best reflects Kyoto's historic charm. After the tour, we return to our hotel and have free time. Overnight at our hotel in Kyoto.
Kyoto → Hakone → Tokyo > February 1, 2027 Monday > (K)
After breakfast at our hotel, we will complete our check-out procedures and transfer to Kyoto Station for our journey on the Shinkansen, the world's first high-speed train. After a pleasant 2.5-hour trip, we arrive at Mishima Station. Then, we set off towards Hakone town. Following free time for lunch, we take a pirate ship boat tour on Lake Ashi. On clear days, we enjoy the magnificent view of Mount Fuji from over the lake. At the end of our tour, after transferring back to our hotel in Tokyo, we complete our check-in and settle into our rooms. Overnight stay at our hotel in Tokyo.
Note: Large suitcases collected this morning will be transferred via cargo to our hotel in Tokyo and will reach us the following day. Therefore, we must bring only essential items with us in a small bag for tonight.
TOKYO > February 2, 2027 Tuesday > (K)
After breakfast at our hotel, we depart for the Tokyo tour. Our first stop will be Asakusa Sensoji Temple, one of the city's oldest and most important temples, along with the colorful Nakamise Shopping Street leading to the temple. Here, we get to experience Japanese culture up close and enjoy some leisure time for souvenir shopping. Continuing our tour, we then head to Akihabara, famous for its electronics stores, anime culture, and pop culture shops, where we experience the vibrant atmosphere of the area. After free time for lunch, we have free time for shopping in the Ginza district. Next, we move to Odaiba, a modern entertainment and lifestyle center built on Tokyo Bay. Among the sights to see here are Rainbow Bridge, a replica of the Statue of Liberty, and DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, home to Japan's largest Gundam statue. In the evening, we return to our hotel. Overnight stay at our hotel in Tokyo.
TOKYO > February 3, 2027 Wednesday> (K)
After breakfast at our hotel, you will have free time for the rest of the day. Guests who wish can go shopping, try local Tokyo specialties, shop again, and relax as they please throughout the day. Overnight stay at our hotel in Tokyo.
TOKYO Q ISTANBUL > February 4, 2027 Thursday (K)
After breakfast at our hotel, we continue to the Tokyo Tour. First, we visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office Observation Deck, where we can enjoy a panoramic view of the city from above. Then, we take a short tour in Shinjuku, one of Tokyo's most vibrant and popular districts. After free time for lunch, we proceed to Shibuya Crossing, one of the world's busiest pedestrian crossings. After taking a photo break at one of the world's busiest pedestrian crossings, we see the Hachiko Statue, famous for its loyalty. Next, we visit Harajuku, the heart of youth culture and street fashion, and the famous Takeshita Street. After free time for shopping, we transfer to Haneda Airport with our private vehicle at the time specified by our guide. At the time specified by our guide, we transfer to Haneda International Airport with our private vehicle. After check-in and passport procedures, we depart for Istanbul on Turkish Airlines flight TK199 at 22:05. We will spend the night on the plane.
Q Istanbul > Friday, February 5, 2027
Arrival at Istanbul Airport at 05:45 local time and the end of our tour. We say goodbye, looking forward to meeting again on our next enjoyable trip.
Abbreviations explanations >>> (K): Breakfast | (A): Dinner | (Ö): Lunch
Japan is an archipelago country consisting of 6,852 islands in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it extends from the Sea of Japan to the east of China, North Korea, South Korea, and Russia; from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south. The kanji characters that make up the Japanese name mean "sun" and "origin." Therefore, Japan is also known as the "Land of the Rising Sun." The country is divided into 47 prefectures across eight regions. Most of the islands are mountainous, and some consist of volcanoes. Mount Fuji, Japan's highest peak, is a volcano. With a population of 126 million, 98.5% of whom are Japanese, Japan is the eleventh most populous country in the world.
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia occupying the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, sharing a land border with North Korea. The name Korea comes from Goguryeo, one of the powerful kingdoms of ancient East Asia that ruled over much of the Korean Peninsula, Manchuria, parts of the Russian Far East, and Inner Mongolia under King Gwanggaeto. Its capital, Seoul, is a major global city, and more than half of South Korea's 51 million people live in the Seoul Capital Area, home to the world's fourth-largest metropolitan economy.
Visa Information
No visa is required for Turkish citizens traveling to Japan.
A K-ETA application is mandatory for South Korea. Since the K-ETA application contains personal information, it must be completed by the guest themselves via the link below. Please note that any spelling errors, missing letters, or other mistakes in the K-ETA application may result in denial of boarding on the flight. This applies to all travelers, including those holding green passports. Payment is made by credit card; on the final screen, the site automatically converts the fee into the user's local currency.
https://www.k-eta.go.kr/portal/apply/viewstep1.do
All passengers must hold a chip-enabled passport. Old dark blue chipless passports are not accepted. For this tour, a passport valid for at least six months beyond the end of the tour is required. Guests whose passports do not meet this requirement may be denied boarding by the airline. Immigration authorities have the right to refuse entry to any passenger. In such cases, all responsibility lies with the traveler.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Our tour program operates under a minimum participation requirement. If sufficient participants are not secured for the package tour, it may be canceled 30 days prior to departure. Cancellations due to insufficient participation will be communicated to you.
In cases where the tour program specifies only category information without naming specific hotels and/or offers options for the same destination, the hotel(s) will be notified by our agency 48 hours before the tour departure.
This price list and program remain valid until a new price list is issued, at which point this version becomes entirely invalid.
The prices for all our package programs are limited to a maximum capacity of 10 persons per group. Additional guests beyond this number may incur increased pricing. Please inquire for updated pricing information.
For regular passports, if the issue date is more than 10 years ago, and for other passport types, if the issue date is more than 5 years ago, the parties acknowledge that Sora, acting solely as an intermediary and not as the operator, bears no liability for any service failures directly attributable to passport validity issues. At all customs-controlled international departures, passengers must be present at the port of departure three hours before the scheduled tour departure time. Especially for guests arriving from other cities via domestic flights to reach the port or airport, flight schedules must be adjusted accordingly to ensure timely arrival. Consequently, any delays or failure to join the tour due to late arrival are the sole responsibility of the passenger, and Sora has no obligation to provide compensation.
Sora acts as an intermediary between airlines and passengers and is subject to the Hague Protocol of September 28, 1955. Flight times may change prior to departure. All flight times must be confirmed by the passenger 48 hours before the tour departure. Passengers purchase the tour acknowledging and accepting that flight details may change.
Triple rooms are assigned based on hotel availability. In such rooms, the third bed is smaller than standard beds. Triple rooms consist of one large bed and one additional bed. Since additional beds are foldable or convertible (often referred to as coach beds), participants booking triple occupancy (third person and/or children) are deemed to have accepted potential crowding and the type of bedding involved. Child discounts apply only to one child per room who is within the appropriate age range and accompanied by two adults. Due to limited availability of TWIN rooms (two separate beds) in hotels, please verify your TWIN room request before making a reservation.
If children under 18 travel without at least one parent, written parental consent forms must be carried by the accompanying adult(s) throughout the entire journey.
Panoramic city tours are 2–3 hour sightseeing tours designed to introduce cities and do not include museum or historical site entries unless specified. Such tours may be rescheduled to different days while maintaining the same content. Extra tours are conducted based on a minimum number of participants determined by the tour leader. If this minimum is not met, extra tours may proceed with additional charges, and their dates may be adjusted by the tour leader according to the itinerary. Tours may be canceled due to weather conditions. No tours or visits will be conducted if local authorities prohibit access for any reason. Sora cannot be held liable for the cancellation of such tours.
Passengers must carry relevant medical documentation regarding health conditions, pregnancy status, and any medications they regularly use, along with supporting medical reports.
Tour details, airport representative information, tour leader contact, and hotel notifications will be provided 48 hours before the tour departure.
A passport is an official document. If it is damaged, stained, torn, or otherwise compromised, immigration authorities have the right to deny entry. In such cases, all responsibility lies with the passenger.
A visa is required for Turkish citizens traveling on this tour program. Even with a valid visa, immigration authorities retain the right to deny entry. In such instances, all financial and legal responsibilities rest with the passenger. Please carefully review your passport details and information.
When departing from Turkish border crossings, regardless of nationality (Turkish or foreign), all passport holders must possess a passport valid for at least six months from the date of travel. Our agency will not approve bookings for passports with less than six months of remaining validity. Sora bears no compensation liability for passengers unable to join the tour due to insufficient passport validity.
Guests who do not participate in included tours as specified in the program are not eligible for any refund.
What's Included
Round-trip economy class air tickets on Turkish Airlines scheduled flights for the Istanbul-Seoul/Tokyo-Istanbul route
One-way economy class air ticket on the Seoul/Osaka route
Airport taxes
Journey via Shinkansen high-speed train
Total 8 nights accommodation at specified or similar hotels
Morning breakfasts as specified in the program
Tour of Aeigibong (Korean Border Area)
Seoul Tour
Osaka Tour (Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi, Todaiji Temple, Osaka Castle, Kuromon Ichiba Market)
Kyoto Tour (Kiyomizu Temple, Gion District, Ninenzaka, Sannenzaka, Kinkakuji Temple, Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest tour)
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Tour
Nara Park Tour
Tokyo Tour (Asakusa Temple, Nakamise, Akihabara, Shinjuku, Ginza)
Airport-hotel-airport transfers
All tours and entries specified in the program
Turkish-speaking guide service
Professional liability insurance (as required by Law No. 1618)
Not Included
Exit tax
K-ETA South Korea electronic travel authorization
Personal expenses
Tour guarantee and travel health insurance
All services not explicitly included in the tour program
Tips (5 EUR per person per day, to be collected by the guide)