Grand Sumo & Edo-Tokyo
Explore the reopened Edo-Tokyo Museum, then spend the afternoon at the January Grand Sumo Tournament in Ryogoku.
Grand sumo. Tokyo Disney. Kinosaki hot springs and kintsugi. Kyoto temples and tea. Nara and Hiroshima. A private family journey through historic Japan.
This 14-day itinerary moves from Tokyo's museums and sumo tournament to three unhurried nights in Kinosaki, then continues through Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima and Miyajima before returning to Tokyo.
A private family itinerary pairing Japan's major historic sites with hands-on cultural experiences, restorative time in Kinosaki and the January sumo tournament.
Explore the reopened Edo-Tokyo Museum, then spend the afternoon at the January Grand Sumo Tournament in Ryogoku.
A full day at Tokyo Disneyland, with a family-selected alternative available if the park is not the right fit.
Three midweek nights in a traditional ryokan, time for the seven public baths, and a private kintsugi workshop.
Visit Kinkaku-ji, Nijo Castle and Kiyomizu-dera, followed by dinner and a performance with a maiko or geiko.
See Todai-ji and Nara Park, then take part in reserved Zen meditation and tea experiences in Kyoto.
Cook Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, visit Peace Memorial Park, and cross to Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima.
The family flies from Los Angeles on January 14 and returns January 27, 2027. Kinosaki falls Monday through Wednesday, away from the weekend.
14-day itinerary · 12 hotel and ryokan nights · one overnight flight
$11,750 per traveler
The land price includes the full itinerary in Japan and two WanderRock guides. International airfare and travel insurance are separate.
The family and WanderRock guides depart Los Angeles for Tokyo on the overnight flight. International airfare is arranged separately from the trip price.
Overnight flight to Tokyo
Arrive at Tokyo Haneda Airport and transfer together to Shinagawa. After hotel check-in, the rest of the day is intentionally light so everyone can settle in, eat and recover from the flight.
Shinagawa Prince Hotel or similar
Begin in Ryogoku at the reopened Edo-Tokyo Museum, using its full-scale displays to understand how the city grew from Edo into modern Tokyo. After an included lunch, spend the afternoon at the January Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan.
Shinagawa Prince Hotel or similar
Spend a full day at Tokyo Disneyland. If the family decides not to visit the park, WanderRock will substitute another Tokyo activity of comparable scope before reservations are finalized.
Shinagawa Prince Hotel or similar
Travel by Shinkansen and limited-express train from Tokyo to Kinosaki Onsen. Check into a traditional ryokan, change into yukata and begin exploring the town's seven public hot-spring baths.
Kobayashiya or similar ryokan in Kinosaki Onsen
Join a private kintsugi workshop with an English-speaking local guide and professional artisan. Each participant repairs a ceramic piece using a simplified method and takes the finished work home. The current workshop requires participants to be at least 12 years old.
Kobayashiya or similar ryokan in Kinosaki Onsen
A full unstructured day in Kinosaki. The family can revisit favorite baths, ride the ropeway, shop along the Otani River or simply slow down at the ryokan. The guides remain available to help plan the day.
Kobayashiya or similar ryokan in Kinosaki Onsen
Travel by limited-express train to Kyoto and check into the hotel near Kyoto Station. In the evening, enjoy a traditional Kyoto dinner accompanied by a maiko or geiko performance, conversation, games and photographs.
VIA INN PRIME Kyotoeki Hachijoguchi or similar
Use private transport for a full day across historic Kyoto. Visit the Golden Pavilion at Kinkaku-ji, explore Nijo Castle and Ninomaru Palace, pause for an included lunch, and finish among the hillside lanes and temple terraces of Kiyomizu-dera.
VIA INN PRIME Kyotoeki Hachijoguchi or similar
Travel to Nara to visit Todai-ji and see the Great Buddha, with time in Nara Park. Return to Kyoto for reserved Zen meditation and a tea ceremony at Kodaiji. This is the fullest day of the itinerary, and the exact order will be confirmed with the temple.
VIA INN PRIME Kyotoeki Hachijoguchi or similar
Take the Shinkansen from Kyoto to Hiroshima and check into the hotel beside Hiroshima Station. Learn to make Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki on a teppan in a hands-on cooking class.
Hotel Granvia Hiroshima or similar
Visit the Atomic Bomb Dome and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, then continue by rail and ferry to Miyajima. Walk through Itsukushima Shrine and see its famous torii gate in the Seto Inland Sea before returning to Hiroshima.
Hotel Granvia Hiroshima or similar
Return to Tokyo by Shinkansen and check back into Shinagawa. The remainder of the day is open for a final meal, shopping, packing or a low-key family evening before departure.
Shinagawa Prince Hotel or similar
Check out and transfer to Haneda Airport for the return flight to Los Angeles. The guides assist through the airport departure process; international airfare is arranged separately from the trip price.
N/A — departure day
What others are saying about WanderRock trips
"Guides are skilled in leading tours and promoting self-confidence while traveling. Kempf explains that these are groups "comprised of young adults that recognize and accept each other as true peers." He adds that "WanderRock creates unique spaces and life-enriching experiences for those that want to safely step into the unknown."'Read Full Article →
"Kempf and Raede, along with their team of trusted tour guides, have put careful thought into every aspect of each trip. Choosing simple and predictable accommodations means travelers have a safe place to recharge, for example. "The support is the curation," says Kempf."Read Full Article →
The trip I took to Japan with WanderRock was one of the best experiences of my life, I was able to make so many new friends that have similar struggles to me which was so exciting. The guides were great enabling us to experience a new culture which might otherwise be overwhelming, and in a way that made us feel comfortable.
“Unbelievable. I use that word a lot because that describes most of the trip to Europe. It was just unbelievable.
My family goes on vacation about once or twice a year, and I've been suggesting Europe for as long as I can remember, and we've never gone. I never really was confident that I'd be self-sufficient enough to make it over on my own. And now having gone, it was just as amazing as I'd always imagined.”
Wyatt Dunkerly
Novato, California
“All the guides were super helpful and friendly and always willing to answer any questions we had on the trip. It was my first time traveling abroad without my parents. My favorite part was Kinosaki I loved the onsens and it was so relaxing and therapeutic.
I also loved all the different foods, I got to try and experience for the first time. It definitely brought out my confidence in myself I know I can do anything I set my mind to. My biggest lesson I learned is that I need to listen to my body whether it be mentally or physically. I also learned that I can travel on my own. I just need to trust myself.”
Nora Lewis
Concord, California
Doing some of the best things in my life with wonderful people in a stress free environment and getting away from the frustrations of everyday life was amazing.
Having had the best two consecutive weeks literally ever transformed my life and it has made me do a lot of reflecting. This reflection has really made me appreciate how competent and caring all of you guides were.
“I've always had low self-confidence, and never really held any belief in my capabilities. All of that changed after this trip. This trip gave me a peace of mind about myself I'd never known. I learned what I was capable of when put in an environment that fosters growth and learning, and found a place I felt like I belonged.
I found a new sense of confidence in myself that I don't know if I would've found without going on a trip with WanderRock. If you're on the fence about taking this trip, I highly recommend going out of your comfort zone for it. This trip changed my life for the better, and I'm sure it can change yours too if you let it.”
Len Lawler
Millersville, Maryland
“With my trip with WanderRock to Japan I experienced a sense of inner peace and silence even with autism that I had never had before in my life. I learned to see what's in front of me rather than trying to prepare for the next cataclysmic event that was going to be stressful to me. In my opinion, I was given the right amount of freedom to make my own decisions and the right amount of rules and control to not feel overwhelmed.
Help or support was never far away from me on any of the other individuals traveling with me. I'm the kind of person that struggles making any plans without planning it to death. This was the freedom and safety I needed to truly experience and jump right in. The connections and opportunities I was able to be apart of on my trip in Japan was nothing less then stunning.”
Remington Shindel
Monument, Colorado
Going to Japan with WanderRock was perhaps the best decision I ever made. I have saved lives, human and animal. I have inspired and uplifted dozens of children through my work in childcare over the last few summers. I've loved, and laughed, and lived through experiences that many would wish for, and that has been fortunate for me. And of everything I've done, going to Japan with WanderRock is still perhaps the best decision I've ever made.
I got to climb a mountain and feed monkeys, I played at shooting galleries and arcades, put coins in a frankly inadvisable amount of gachapon machines, and ate the most delightful food. Kinosaki is a slower leg, but exploring all the shops in a smaller, more rural town, wearing a rental yukata in the streets, and coming back to enjoy a bath in a private natural hot spring was a level of peace I haven't felt in my entire life, until that trip or since I came home.
While there were plenty of opportunities to engage in modern nerdy culture, and I did partake in my share of that, I much preferred the traditional culture. In Tokyo alone I purchased authentic wood block prints, second hand kimono, and explored quite a few shrines and temples. I keep a good luck charm on me at all times now, at least when I'm out of the house. If you're on the fence about going on this trip, do it. Without hesitation I can vouch that you will love it more than you can possibly imagine. My life is drastically better from having gone on this trip, and I'm sure yours will be too.
Want to ask a traveler directly?
Past travelers regularly answer questions in the WanderRock Discord.
Understanding who this trip is designed for will help ensure you have the best possible experience
You must maintain reliable communication during the trip with a working mobile phone that can connect to WiFi or cellular data in Japan.
You should be able to keep pace with the group while walking and handle standing for extended periods during train rides or activities.
You should be able to handle changes in plans, adapt to new situations, and maintain stable behavior throughout the trip.
You must be able to handle basic daily tasks and self-care independently, without recurring prompting, monitoring or one-to-one assistance.
Independence is the point of this trip. Nobody can hand it to your son or daughter at the end of it. They get it by doing the thing themselves.
So we work with them, not with you. The itinerary, the hotel addresses and the documents all go to them. If something isn't working on the trip, they are heavily encouraged to tell a guide first, and we sort it out from there.
Our guides lead the itinerary, explain plans, coordinate logistics and provide occasional practical help. Guides serve the group as a whole. They do not provide recurring prompting or monitoring, personal or medical care, behavioral or crisis management, or one-to-one supervision. A traveler must not need support that requires a guide to leave the group or materially prevents a guide from supporting the group.
We are not chaperones. It's a group trip, so of course our guides lead the way to places and keep the day moving. What they don't do is shadow anybody constantly, and nobody gets checked in on through the night. In free time travelers go out on their own, eat where they want, and find their own way back.
This is a private family trip, so participating family members travel together with the WanderRock guides.
Travel has risk in it. Trains get missed, weather turns, plans change, and a city is a city. That isn't a flaw in the trip, it's the reason the trip works. No one grows in a week where nothing can go wrong. What we do is keep the stakes sensible and stay close enough to help.
Travel crises are our day job. A missed connection, a lost passport, a cancelled flight, a stomach bug at two in the morning, luggage that went to Frankfurt without its owner. We deal with those constantly and we are good at it.
A mental health crisis is a different thing, and we mean crisis. A hard afternoon isn't one. Feeling overwhelmed isn't one, and neither is needing to skip a day and sleep. Those happen on every trip and we plan for them. We mean someone in real danger, or no longer able to keep themselves safe. We are not equipped for that and nobody on the team is qualified to manage it. If it happens, the trip ends for that traveler and they go home. We will do what we practically can to help with that.
Everyone traveling will have direct contact with the guides, and the WanderRock office remains available whenever the family needs us.
We run it this way because we think they can do it. A lot of them have never had the chance to find out.
If what you need is a guaranteed outcome, supervision or crisis support, this isn't the right trip yet.
There is a fuller version of all of this, with our contact details, at wanderrock.com/parents.
Your trip includes everything you need for a comfortable and engaging experience in Japan
Breakfasts during the three-night Kinosaki ryokan stay
Lunch in Ryogoku, lunch near Nijo Castle and okonomiyaki made during class
Ryokan dinners, dinner with a maiko or geiko and one additional kaiseki dinner
International flights are coordinated separately from the trip price. The schedule uses a January 14 departure from Los Angeles and January 15 arrival at Haneda.
Booked Separately
Final flight numbers and meeting times will be coordinated before booking.
Included in the Land Price
Final flight numbers and meeting times will be coordinated before departure.
Everything you need to know about this trip
This private trip is for the participating family members. There is no public age range; traveler ages are used to confirm rooming and age-restricted experiences.
The traveling party is the family group plus two WanderRock guides. This is not an open-enrollment departure.
No. This is a private family trip, so there is no public application or diagnosis requirement.
This trip has seven family travelers plus two WanderRock guides.
The trip uses Western-style hotels in Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima plus a traditional ryokan in Kinosaki. The trip includes shared twin or family rooms; final room assignments will be confirmed before booking.
The land price includes accommodations, in-country transportation, the meals listed in the itinerary, planned activities, attraction tickets and two WanderRock guides. International flights and travel insurance are not included.
Yes, travel insurance is required for all travelers. This should cover medical emergencies, trip cancellation, and lost baggage. It's very affordable, typically under $40 for comprehensive coverage. We can recommend providers if needed.
Expect to walk 4-6 miles per day at a moderate pace with breaks. Japan is very pedestrian-friendly, but you should be comfortable being on your feet for several hours each day.
Japan has strict medication laws. Some medications that are legal in other countries are prohibited in Japan. While we're happy to help you understand the regulations, you can find the official medication guidelines on the Japanese government's website. We apologize that their site can be confusing - please don't hesitate to contact us if you'd like assistance interpreting the rules.
Japan offers diverse cuisine from traditional to modern. While we encourage trying local dishes, western options are usually available. We can accommodate some dietary restrictions, but please discuss severe allergies with us before booking.
Yes! We schedule daily downtime for rest, relaxation, and processing experiences. This is your time to recharge, do laundry, or explore independently.
U.S. citizens don't need a visa for stays under 90 days. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your return date. Other nationalities should check their requirements.
The itinerary is private to the family and includes two experienced WanderRock guides, a deliberately light arrival day and a full free day in Kinosaki. The plan can be adjusted after the family's review.
Yes. This is a private trip designed for the participating family to travel together.
Our guides lead the group, run the arrangements in your itinerary, and are with the group throughout. They are trip leaders rather than caregivers or support workers, and the trip includes plenty of unstructured time. Everyone traveling needs to manage their own daily tasks.
We have staff in California and London to provide around the clock coverage, and our guides are trained in first aid. Travel insurance is required for every traveler, and your insurer provides emergency medical coverage, evacuation and repatriation.
The family will have direct contact with both WanderRock guides during the trip, and the U.S. office remains available for urgent matters.
Nothing matches that. Ask us directly and we'll answer it.
Please read these before the trip. They cover the practical realities of the itinerary and what we expect of everyone traveling with us.
Due to conditions such as weather, transportation schedules, public holidays, availability or other factors, we may make changes to this itinerary before or during the trip. We will advise you of any such changes as soon as possible.
You will have roommates on this trip. You will be sharing a room with at least 1 other person (sometimes more than 1). We'd recommend bringing earplugs & an eye mask in case they snore.
We'll do our best to make sure your roommates are the same sex as you and in 99% of times that will be the case, however sometimes due to logistics outside of our control, we cannot guarantee this. (On a past trip we arrived at a hotel in Paris, on the hottest day on record ever, to be told that all the rooms with 3 beds in them didn't have working AC. So we had to choose between different sleeping arrangements than planned... or no Air Conditioning.)
We will be staying in a wide variety of accommodation types during our trip. It's important to be aware that our accommodations may differ very significantly from what you are used to at home, as we tend to stay in local style accommodations in order to experience the local culture. This is especially true in Japan, where Japanese-style accommodations differ substantially from western-style hotel rooms.
Please read the below descriptions of our accommodations in detail to avoid surprises. Depending on transportation schedules, we may need to stay the night in a hotel by an airport or train station as well.
Tokyo, Japan: We will be staying in a modern, western style hotel.
Kinosaki, Japan: We're staying in a Ryokan, a traditional Japanese Inn. The rooms themselves are small, with room for a small table and chairs. During the evening those furnishings are pushed aside, and sleeping futons are made up in that space.
That means that, although still very comfortable, your bed may be slightly firmer than you are used to, and will be lower than a traditional western-style bed. You should free of major back problems and easily able to get on and off the floor.
While all rooms contain a sink and toilet, you will not have a shower or bath in your individual room. It is traditional in a Japanese Ryokan to use the Onsen, or hot spring bath. Don't worry, we'll guide you through the process, and you'll quickly realize it is quite enjoyable and relaxing. Due to the length of our stay and for the comfort of all travelers, we expect everyone to maintain proper hygiene.
Kyoto & Hiroshima, Japan: We'll be staying in a modern Japanese hotel with western beds and a full bathroom.
Life on the road means that you may not get as much privacy as you are used to back home. You'll be sharing a room with at least 1 other traveler and will be expected to keep your sleeping area neat (ish). You'll also be expected to practice daily hygiene (brush teeth, shower, deodorant) so that you don't cause discomfort to your fellow travelers.
On most days, our daily itinerary is split into morning/afternoon/evening periods and we aim to allow for daily downtime during one of these periods every day (excluding travel days of course). This is your time to do laundry, call home, play games with your fellow travelers, explore the area, do some shopping or whatever else suits you.
In Japan we will primarily be traveling by train, including Japan's famous Shinkansen bullet train, and will have a few train trips that are 2+ hours in length. You should be in good health and easily able to sit for multiple hours at a time.
A WanderRock trip includes lodging, transportation & activities, but does not include all meals. You should bring a debit/credit card. ATMs are plentiful in the country, and if you'd like you can bring some US cash to exchange at the airport. Our guides will help you with any money-related needs during the trip.
We plan for every known contingency, but unexpected things can and do occur when traveling. If such emergencies occur, we'll do our best to resolve the situation. This may include re-routing part of our itinerary due to natural disaster or health concern, extending or shortening the length of our stay in certain locations or other remedies as the situation requires.
Whatever happens, you can be assured we'll keep everyone traveling with us (and family back at home) advised of the situation, and will communicate as much as possible. Please see "Problems & Emergency Contact Info" below for more details about personal issues such as Illness, Meltdowns or Injury.
We require all travelers to pack for carry-on only, with no checked bag. Plan on seven days of clothes; laundry is available during the trip. Your main bag must be 40L or less. See the WanderRock Packing List for the complete checklist and packing instructions.
Laundry services may not be available every day of the trip. Your guides will advise you on the best days & times to do laundry, and assist as needed.
Japan has humid and tropical summers, and cold and snowy winters. Depending on the time of year of your trip, you should pack accordingly. There will be opportunities to buy sunscreen once we arrive in Japan. Because it can rain suddenly and without warning, a lightweight and packable raincoat is essential. We aren't going to stop just because it is raining!
Our WanderRock guides are here to help you have the best trip you possibly can. They come from many walks of life, from yoga instructors to outdoor adventure guides to people who have worked helping college kids be more independent, and bring their expertise with them to help guide you through the trip.
Unlike a tour guide, they are not deeply knowledgeable about specific touristic attractions & the history of an area, but are trained in things like first aid & CPR, conflict resolution, peacekeeping and basic outdoor survival.
We expect all travelers to behave in a way that is respectful of the cultures, places & people that we are interacting with, and to be respectful of the other travelers and their preferences. Should issues arise, our guides are trained in conflict resolution and will do their best to diffuse and resolve the situation.
In extreme situations where a travelers behavior is a consistent and major disruption to the group, or in cases of concern for the health & safety of any of our travelers, our guides may, at their discretion, remove a traveler from the group, without a refund.
Abuse & Bullying: Everyone has the right to feel safe & accepted when on our trips. For that reason, verbal abuse, physical abuse, bullying and sexual harassment focused on any person (whether thats a fellow traveler, guide or local person) will not be tolerated, and our trained guides will deal with those situations swiftly. Should a traveler be found to be in violation of this policy, they will be removed from the group.
Sex Tourism: Patronizing sex workers isn't tolerated on any WanderRock trip. Anyone who is found to be in violation of this policy will be removed from the group.
Drugs & Alcohol: Use or possession of illegal drugs (as determined by the laws of the country we are in) is not tolerated on any WanderRock trip. If you choose to drink alcohol, you must be at least the legal age to do so in that country, and we expect you to do so in a responsible manner.
Recklessness: We expect all of our travelers to maintain situational awareness and keep themselves safe. Any traveler who has consistently demonstrated an extreme lack of judgment when it comes to keeping themselves safe will be removed from the group.
Note that we are talking about "walks out into the middle of traffic repeatedly" type recklessness, not "forgets to lock the hotel room door".
International travel can be a stressful & amazingly exciting experience at the same time. All travelers need to make sure they are ready to handle the rigors of jet lag, long plane flights, and disruptions to their normal routine, and need to be healthy enough to go on the trip.
Flexibility is a key trait that will help you have a great time. You may have to let go of some preferences you have back home, as we may not be able to accommodate your requests, and may have to change our itinerary at the last moment due to unforeseen circumstances.
When traveling with us, you'll experience the vast array of food available in the world. Some of it will be extremely foreign, and some extremely familiar. We'll do our best to work with your preferences and make sure that you always have something that you can eat, but can't make any guarantees.
If you have certain food allergies, we'll work to the best of our abilities to help you eat food that is safe for you, but can't make any guarantees for many reasons, including language barriers, lack of control of the supply, cultural differences, and lack of choices. If having a certain type of food is a life or death situation for you, this probably isn't the trip for you.
That being said, the locations we are going to are big enough to generally provide as much choice as you are used to at home.
On this trip, you'll need to take the same sort of precautions you do at home. Make sure to wash your hands often, use hand sanitizer, and maintain proper hygiene.
Please consult your doctor and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) website for guidance on specific vaccines you may need.
We are traveling to areas that have little to no violent crime, and very little petty theft, but it is still important to be aware of your surroundings, especially in cities and on public transportation. We recommend carrying a safety whistle and a lock for your bag, as well as a money belt.
The use of illegal drugs is not permitted on any WanderRock trip, and is grounds for immediate removal from the program without a refund. If you choose to drink alcohol, we expect you to do so in a responsible manner and in line with the laws of the country we are currently in at the time. You will be expected to respect all laws of the country that we are currently in.
Should problems arise, whether that be an illness, injury, emotional overwhelming event, or lost baggage, the WanderRock guides accompanying you on your trip are your first place to turn to for help. If, for some reason, you don't feel safe turning to them for help, call the WanderRock office at (628) 529-1318 for assistance.
Some medicines (for example: Adderol) that are perfectly legal in the US are illegal and controlled substances in Japan, and bringing those medications into the country is highly illegal and will likely land you in jail. It is very important that if you take medication (particularly stimulants) that you be very aware of the legal restrictions and laws that may apply. At the end of the day it is ultimately your responsibility to do due diligence and make sure you are complying with all relevant rules & regulations.
Have questions? We're here to help! Reach out to us through any of these channels:
Mailing Address
WanderRock Travel
2443 Fillmore St. #380-2362
San Francisco, CA 94115
Schedule a Call
Have questions or want to ensure this trip is right for you? Let's discuss your needs in detail. We're happy to discuss over zoom or phone, whatever works best for you.
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