Transportation: A rented Toyota Hybrid Corolla will be provided for the full tour. Yoko will be the driver for the entire itinerary. Guests should bring luggage to the lobby when departing each hotel; luggage will travel with the vehicle.
May 21, 2026 (Thu) — Kobe / Hyōgo
Hyōgo prefecture, especially Nada, is known for its long history of sake production. Gokoku Park offers great all‑you‑can‑drink sake tastings!
12:00 PM — Meet at the ANA hotel check‑in lounge
1:00 PM — Lunch at Choraku, Arima Onsen (day‑spa use & strolling the town of Arima‑Onsen)
6:00 PM — Hyōgo Gokoku World — food hall for sake tastings and local foods
Accommodation: ANA Crowne Plaza Kobe by IHG (JR Shin‑Kobe Station) — booking: reservation link.
May 22, 2026 (Fri) — Road Trip: Awaji Island → Tokushima (Official Tour Start)
Awaji Island is famed for its sweet onions and dried seafood products. Mythology names it the first island created — many shrines and ruins to explore.
9:30 AM — Depart Shin‑Kobe Station / ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel (please bring luggage to the lobby)
11:00 AM — Yoga & lunch at Zenbo Seinei
2:00 PM — Depart
3:00 PM — Road Station Uzushio — sightseeing / Naruto whirlpools: details
4:00 PM — Ryōzenji (first temple of the 88‑temple Shikoku Pilgrimage): info
5:30 PM — Kaiseki dinner at Aoyagi — highly praised Naruto sea bream
8:00 PM — Awa Odori theater performance (sample video: YouTube)
Optional late stop: Bar Kohno (whisky & cocktails). Accommodation: Awa Kanko Hotel.
May 23, 2026 (Sat) — Japanese Indigo & Niyodo River “Blue”
Tokushima has a long history with indigo dye; later we visit the Niyodo River’s famed blue waters in Kōchi.
8:00 AM — Breakfast at The Door (local breakfast)
9:30 AM — House of Indigo: Ai no Yakata — indigo workshop (dye a handkerchief)
12:00 PM — Lunch at Orimetei — Handa‑sōmen
3:00 PM — Check in at Qraud Hotel (hotel)
3:30 PM — Chinkabashi & Niyodo River — guided hiking tour if weather permits (If it rains, we visit Sagawa town and museum)
7:00 PM — Dinner at Kuroson — regional seafood specialties
Accommodation: Qraud Hotel — riverside boutique hotel by the Niyodo River. https://www.qraud-kochi.jp/
May 24, 2026 (Sun) — Sunday Market & Makino Botanical Garden
Sunday Market in Kōchi is my favorite farmers' market in Japan — lively with tourists but deeply rooted in local daily life. Kōchi also runs weekday markets on different streets, showing how outdoor markets remain part of everyday life for locals.
9:00 AM — Check out (please bring your luggage to the lobby; luggage will travel with the vehicle)
9:30 AM — Morning Market along the road to Kōchi Castle — sample street sushi, pickles, tea: market guide
12:00 PM — Makino Botanical Garden — details
3:00 PM — Chikurinji Temple — info
4:30 PM — Check in at Hotel Sansuien — onsen/sauna open late
5:30 PM — Dinner walk (“hashigo”) — visit 2–3 local bars/izakaya for small plates and local drinks, finishing at Trattoria Toro Doro for a Kochi vegetable–filled antipasti.
Accommodation: Hotel Sansuien.
May 25, 2026 (Mon) — Kōchi Castle, Sanuki Udon & Konpira Shrine
Kōchi Castle and the nearby markets showcase regional specialties (yuzu products, bonito, unique tea varieties) and the city’s relaxed, food-first culture — perfect for slow exploration before heading to Sanuki Udon.
8:00 AM — Morning walk to Yamauchi Shrine
8:30 AM — Breakfast at local café
9:00 AM — Kōchi Castle
10:00 AM — Check out & load luggage (bring luggage to lobby to load into vehicle), then local market area (Tosa no Sato) — shopping for yuzu vinegar and regional products
11:30 AM — Depart for Kagawa
1:00 PM — Sanuki udon lunch (recommendation: Bakuka Udon)
2:00 PM — Konpira Shrine — visit
4:30 PM — Return to Tokushima city
6:00 PM — Tori Bon Yakitori (Awa‑odori chicken)
7:30 PM — Sushi Isami — izakaya‑style casual sushi (guide orders today's specials)
Accommodation: Awa Kanko Hotel — http://www.awakan.jp/
May 26, 2026 (Tue) — Awaji Island → Kobe (Departure)
9:00 AM — Depart for Awaji
10:00 AM — Lunch on Awaji (decide 2–3 days prior based on weather):
• Option 1: Happy Pancake — ocean view brunch
• Option 2: Awaji Chef’s Garden — Awaji beef hamburger with famous sweet onion
11:00 AM — Hyōgo Flower Park / Awaji Hanasajiki — flower fields & views
12:00 PM — Head back to Shin‑Kobe Station
12:30 PM — Estimated arrival at Shin‑Kobe Station — tour concludes