JOE 2020 Itinerary (Draft)
Below is the first draft of JOE 2020 itinerary. there are hyperlinks to many of the locations we will be visiting!
| Day | Date | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Thursday 17 Sept | Departure Day: Leave school by coach at 2.00pm (14:00) sharp to Brisbane International Airport 18:10 SNG 266 BNE to SIN arrive 00:15 01:25 SNG 618 SIN to KIX arrive 09:05 |
| 1 | Friday 18 Sept | Arrive at Kansai 09:05 Travel to Kyoto. Luggage to the hotel. Lunch and explore Kyoto Station district. and JR RAIL Pass exchange. Dinner in small groups TEISHOKU. HOTEL: Hotel Elcient, Kyoto |
| 2 | Saturday 19 Sept | Arashiyama; Bamboo Grove; Here’s a movie- Sagano Railway; (Location of railway) Hozu Riverboats; Dinner in small groups TEISHOKU. HOTEL: Hotel Elcient, Kyoto |
| 3 | Sunday 20 Sept | Late morning visit to Fushimi Inari Jinja. Return to Kyoto Station and central area for the Nishiki Markets; Special show; GEAR Buffet Dinner at Aeon Mall. Kitayama Dinning HOTEL: Hotel Elcient, Kyoto |
| 4 | Monday 21 Sept | Sightseeing by private coach Kinkaku – ji Temple, Explore Nijo – jo Castle; LUNCH and Kiyomizudera, Visit Gion District & Gion Corner. Dinner in small groups -TEISHOUKU. HOTEL: Hotel Elcient, Kyoto |
| 5 | Tuesday 22 Sept | Depart for Himeiji Jo – Climb Castle visit Kokoen Garden. Picnic Lunch. Return to Kyoto. Dinner at Japanese restaurant Maruyama. (Kaiseki ryori). HOTEL: Hotel Elcient, Kyoto |
| 6 | Wednesday 23 Sept | Send on luggage by TAKUBIN to sister school. Shinkansen to Hiroshima. Ferry to Miyama. HOTEL: Miyajima Mori no Yado Inn (RYOKAN) |
| 7 | Thursday 24 Sept | Full day sightseeing; Miyajima & the Itsukushima Shrine. Climb Mt Misen, catch the Ropeway down. Travel by ferry to the mainland. HOTEL: Aki Grand Hotel. (MODERN RYOKAN) After dinner special treat; night cruise to the Torii Gate |
| 8 | Friday 25 Sept | Up early to visit the Peace Museum. Visit Iwakuni; Kintaikyo; 100 Icecream! Return to Hiroshima. HOTEL: Hiroshima Garden Palace Hotel |
| 9 | Saturday 26 Sept | Travel to Nagoya by Shinkansen then onto Minokamo (HIDA 11 12:48 arrive 13:27) arrive in the afternoon at Mino Ota Station, picked up by school bus. Meet and greet, orientation, hand over to host families. Minokamo School |
| 10 | Sunday 27 Sept | Students will have free time with their Host Families. |
| 11 | Monday 28 Sept | Welcome Assembly. Students attend class with buddies, Japanese lessons. CHADOU Japanese Tea Experience; Home Stay (Schedule Changeable) |
| 12 | Tuesday 29 Sept | Students attend class, visit with buddies. KENDO Experience. Home Stay (Schedule Changeable) |
| 13 | Wednesday 30 Sept | Students attend class, visit with buddies. JUDO Experience Home Stay (Schedule Changeable) |
| 14 | Thursday 1 Oct | Students attend class, visit with buddies. Farewell Party Home Stay (Schedule Changeable) |
| 15 | Friday 2 Oct | Depart Minokamo to Hakone by private coach. Travel to the Hakone region. Drive-up Mt Fuji to the 5th Station Hakone Open Air Museum; Travel to Lake Kawaguchi Ko HOTEL: Hotel Mount View, Hakone (RYOKAN) |
| 16 | Saturday 3 Oct | Travel directly from Hakone to Disney Resort, Tokyo. A full day sightseeing in Disneysea or Disneyland. We will stay until the end to view the electric lights parade & fireworks (Gates open 10.00am and closes at 9.00pm) HOTEL: Oriental Hotel – Disney Resort, Tokyo Bay |
| 17 | Sunday 4 Oct | Leave Tokyo Bay; travel to Odaiba central Tokyo. Mori Digital Museum; Tokyo Sight Seeing; Dinner at Asakusa; SkyTree; Travel to Haneda airport. Depart 22:55 SQ635 HND to SIN Depart 07:20 SQ265 SIn to BNE |
| 18 | Monday 5 Oct | Arrive Brisbane Airport 16:55 (4:55pm) Parents to collect from Brisbane International Airport. |
| This is a draft itinerary and there are likely to be some changes. Thank you |
genesis2japan 
Hi Learna,
This is Vrishin’s Dad.
We are all very excited for wonderful journey planned and look forward to all the updates on the blog site.
Hi Rachel, I hope you are enjoying your school lessons. It looks like lots of fun from what we can see in the photos. Have a great day off with your host family tomorrow. xxx
Hi Ben Turner, Angela’s dad. Looks like it is going well.
Hi Kyeria look like you are happy and having fun
Hey everyone everything is going well and I am having so much fun!!!
Hi Kyeria – it is great to hear that you are having so much fun. Can’t wait to see all your photos. Take care – love from Dad, Mom, Ryan and Sky.
Hi Kyeria how’s it going, On the second stage.
Hey family I am having a great time in Japan. I have so many great photos.
Miss you all!!!
Love you
Hiya great photos,everyone is looking happy
Hope you got lots of photos to share with us.
HIII DADDY!
The itinerary looks amazing! Some new experiences this time (different from 2012). The art/samurai activity in Kyoto and the food art place would be interesting. The kids are going to need a week to recover!
I always try to mix it up, and try something new. Going to Matsumoto Jo is a new place for me! Great students so should be an amazing trip, feeling blessed indeed!
Wow under a week to go. Learna you have done an amazing job. God Bless to you and the JOE Team.
Not long now. (I just noticed the 4am Airport dropoff !!) Claire (Michael’s mum)
Hi Claire…thank you for bringing that to my attention…I sent out an email and changed the time in the students survival manual for drop off to be between 4:30 to 4:45 sharp… I’ll change it on the blog! Regards
The itinerary sounds amazing! Everyone is going to have a blast!
Learna you have done an amazing job!
Wishing the team all the best, Alicia will have a blast, just like I did back in the day 🙂
PS I’ll book my ticket now 😛 haha!
Only 58 days to go…..how exciting !! Mandy Brydon – Mitchell Clarke’s Mum
Hi Mandy, thank you for your post. Let me know if you can now see the future posts. Regards Learna Shimizu
I want to go too!! – Jody Taylor (Meegan Hannon’s mum)
I often receive that request from parents! I see it as a compliment… Only 80 days till the team leave.
Yay less than 3 months to go!!
Soo excited for this :DDD
Tomorrow I’ll show you all a few more new places we are going to! Very exciting!
It’s gonna be so fun!
Yes it is, I know you are going to have an amazing time!
Sue Gant – Zoe Gant’s Mum
Welcome to our blog Sue. I hope you find this site helpful and when we are over there you will be able to follow Zoe’s adventures everyday!
I’m so excited to go! 😀