Rural Japan 8 day tour

Planet

This journey through Japan has a minimal impact on the environment. You'll rely exclusively on public transport and your hosts to get around. Most of this tour also relies on shared services and facilities, due to the rural focus of this vacation.

You'll be visiting places in Japan that are located off the well-trodden tourist path. This means that you won't be adding to the tourist numbers in these places and instead of visiting places that are rarely visited by tourists. The accommodation is mainly homestays and farm-stays, and in Tokyo, you'll be staying in a local community hotel. Staying in this type of accommodation reduces the impact of your visit.

Before you travel you'll also be provided with a 'How to be a responsible traveler' document which will give you information on how to travel through Japan in a responsible way and local issues. We welcome all feedback on environmental risks so that we would be able to raise them with our local partners located in Japan.

People

During this tour through Japan, you'll benefit locals at a grassroots level. The accommodation that we've selected are all either Japanese owned and run or local collaborative efforts. Whilst in Akita, you'll help your hosts with some seasonal work on their farm. Depending on the time of year, it might be vegetable harvesting, rice cutting or planting or perhaps just assisting them with tending to their fields.

You'll be visiting some of the oldest regions of Japan that have remained out of the international eye. On your journey through Japan, you'll also be stopping off on the Sanriku coast which was severely affected by the 2011 East Japan Earthquake & Tsunami. You'll connect with local people who were there on the day, and contribute to the drive for recovery by staying in the area. You'll have time to buy from local shops, cafes and stores. You will be injecting money directly into the local economy and giving it a boost.