Ready-made routes

🗼 Japan & South Korea: the Far East Classic

A high-budget but flawlessly organized, safe route with off-the-charts cultural density. Public transport is perfect; little English, but technology solves everything.

18Days
5Stops
$95Per day
$1710On the ground

Visa status for this route

The itinerary below is the same for everyone. What changes is how your passport enters these countries.

Pick your passport to see your visa status

The route, night by night (18 nights)

  1. 01

    Tokyo (Japan)

    4 nights

    Shibuya, Shinjuku, temples, technology; Nikko or Kamakura as a day trip.

  2. 02

    Kyoto & Osaka (Japan)

    5 nights

    Fushimi Inari, the Arashiyama bamboo grove, the geisha district; Osaka street food.

  3. 03

    Hiroshima (Japan)

    2 nights

    The Peace Memorial, the Miyajima torii gate. Easy by Shinkansen.

  4. 04

    Seoul (Korea)

    5 nights

    Palaces, Bukchon Hanok village, Hongdae nightlife, K-culture. (The TravelLab Seoul PDF guide earns its keep here.)

  5. 05

    Busan (Korea)

    2 nights

    The colorful Gamcheon village, the coast, seafood. 2.5 hours from Seoul by KTX.

Best season

March–April (sakura), October–November (autumn colors)

Getting around

Regional JR Pass + Shinkansen in Japan; KTX in Korea. Transit cards (Suica/T-money) are a must.

What to know before you go

  • —Apply for your K-ETA at least 72 hours before the flight, only on the official site.
  • —Japan is largely a cash economy; top up an IC card and keep yen on you.
  • —A regional JR Pass can be cheaper than the national one; map your route and do the math.

Important: this content is general information

Visa rules can change without notice. Always confirm your situation with an official source before you travel: Also check with the embassy or consulate of your destination country in your own country. The information on this page is guidance, not legal advice.