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Journey to Atlantis at SeaWorld Orlando

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What is Journey to Atlantis?

Journey to Atlantis is a family-friendly water coaster (though some might call it a high-grade flume ride). This ride will take you through the lost city of Atlantis, exploring watery passageways and secret tunnels. Out of all the attractions at SeaWorld Orlando, Journey to Atlantis boasts some of the most beautiful and varied intricate theming, from dark tunnels with sparkling lights to bright and playful underwater reefs.

Where is Journey to Atlantis located?

In the Sea of Legends at SeaWorld Orlando

Journey to Atlantis – height restrictions and other factors

Height requirement is 42 inches; included in Quick Queue.

Journey to Atlantis – what you wish you knew before you experienced it

Journey to Atlantis is a water-coaster, so prepare to get wet. The main drop is featured prominently to guests even casually walking by, so that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. What may surprise folks is the second – albeit much smaller – drop, where some even claim to get more wet than on the first.

While we’re all at least vaguely familiar with the concept of the Lost City of Atlantis, it doesn’t hurt to reinforce that idea here. What scholars and historians disagree on is why the city is indeed lost, and this attraction offers its own answer to that age-old question: because it doesn’t want to be found! The main drop in the ride is the city expelling unwanted guests (i.e, you) from its waters.

How scary is Journey to Atlantis?

We rate Journey to Atlantis three out of five water-falls. The ride itself isn’t scary in the least. In fact, most of the attraction hosts some of the most peaceful and tranquil moments you might find at SeaWorld Orlando, but the darker tunnels and two drops are enough to get your heart rate up!

What was Journey to Atlantis’ opening date?

April 17, 1998

Journey to Atlantis – OI fun fact

Journey to Atlantis underwent refurbishment in 2017 to be more family-friendly.

Journey to Atlantis – real guest reviews

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Fodor's Expert Review Journey to Atlantis

SeaWorld's coaster offering is a hybrid, combining the elements of a high-speed water ride and a roller coaster with lavish special effects and a story line. The lost continent of Atlantis has risen in the harbor of a quaint Greek fishing village, and you board a Greek fishing boat to explore it. An ominous current tugs at your vessel, and an old fisherman (actually Hermes, the messenger of the gods, in disguise) offers a golden sea horse to protect you from the evil Sirens. The LCD technology, lasers, and holographic illusions are really cranked up during a watery battle between Hermes and Allura, queen of the Sirens. Amid this story, you experience frequent twists, turns, and short, shallow dives, as well as one hair-raising plunge that sends you nearly 60 feet into the main harbor (plan on getting soaked). This is followed by a final nosedive into S-shaped, bobsledlike curves. Although the ride is a little dated, it's still not for the faint of heart, anyone with back, neck, or heart problems; anyone who's pregnant; or anyone who dislikes the dark or enclosed spaces. For people with disabilities: You must transfer from your wheelchair to the ride vehicle. Come first thing in the morning or about an hour before closing. Going at night is awesome, and if there's a wait at all, it will be short. Last resort: spring for a Quick Queue Pass.

Quick Facts

SeaWorld, Florida  32821, USA

www.seaworldparks.com

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Journey to Atlantis (SeaWorld Orlando)

Journey to Atlantis is a water roller coaster located at SeaWorld Orlando in Orlando, Florida, USA. Opened on April 17, 1998, the ride combines roller coaster elements , such as chain lifts and steep drops, with boat-based attraction elements, such as splashdown landings. [1] The attraction contains elements of a dark ride, such as slow-moving sections and lots of animatronics and theming. It is also notable for being the first Mack Rides Water Coaster . [2]

Journey to Atlantis was announced on March 20, 1997. [3] The ride debuted on April 17, 1998. [4]

In January 2017, the ride closed for a refurbishment that saw elements of the ride changed to be more family-friendly. It reopened in March 2017. [5]

Ride experience

As the boat departs the station , passengers travel through a dark ride portion. A male holding a seahorse will then say "Go, Hermes. Show them the way. Wait. Hermes must guide you." The seahorse turns into a Greek god named Hermes. Magic sparkles around the walls as the boat continues through a coral reef. A mermaid named Allura says "Welcome friends. Do not be afraid. Come closer. All I give you the magic." The boat then enters a scenery that resembles a city. A statue of a female and fountains can be seen in the area. As the boat keeps going, a projector shows Allura turning into Medusa. After navigating the dark ride portion, passengers will hear thunder as strobing lights are seen on a statue. This statue is above the first chain lift hill. During the first chain lift hill, a green light will flash. At the top, the door opens and the boat heads outside. Passengers travel through the exterior of the temple and make a left turn as Beetlejuice music is heard on the speakers. The boat then passes through an archway and climbs the second chain lift hill. As the boat reaches the top, water geysers will be activated and passengers will then hear the announcer on the speaker saying "Please sit upright and hold on tight, then brace yourself for a sudden slope at the bottom of the hill." Passengers make a left turn and go straight into a chamber. After that, passengers drop into the water. The boat makes a right turn passing the scenery. Passengers encounter a conveyor belt lift, which leads into a small drop. Then Allura on speaker says, "I left so soon. I think not." Soon afterwards, the boat climbs the third chain lift hill as the speakers play the same music, along with the announcer. Then, the boat heads back into the building. Once inside, the boat makes a right turn and Allura will say "Now you will escape my sirens! You'll be mine forever!" As a vanishing sound effect is heard, passengers approach an S-curve drop into the water. The boat passes through more scenery until passengers make a right turn. After a conveyor belt lift, the boat returns to the station.

Single car trains. Riders are arranged 2 across in 4 rows for a total of 8 riders per car.

The first switchback section

The Three Sisters mural

The loading area

The entrance sign

The final splashdown

• ↑ "The Theme Park History of Journey To Atlantis (SeaWorld Orlando)" . YouTube . Theme Park History . Retrieved April 19, 2020 .
• ↑ "JOURNEY TO ATLANTIS WILL BE A WILD RIDE FOR SEA WORLD VISITORS" .
• ↑ "VISITORS CAN RETURN TO ATLANTIS AT SEAWORLD ORLANDO" .
• ↑ "Evil mermaids removed from Journey to Atlantis ride at SeaWorld Orlando" .

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Ultimate Rollercoaster

Journey to Atlantis

Seaworld orlando.

• Currently 0 / 5

SeaWorld Orlando's Journey to Atlantis is a water coaster, a unique thrill ride, that is part water flume ride and part roller coaster. The attraction begins with the ride vehicles floating in a flume passing by dark ride scenery, special effects, and animatronics. After several scenes the vehicles begin an ascent up two lift hills that leads to the ride's signature six-story drop into the splash down pool far below. It can be wet experience, but in the Florida heat it's usually welcome.

In the second half of the water coaster, the vehicles entering the show building once more to begin a another ascent. This time the ascent ends with the vehicles out of the water and rolling onto a steel roller coaster track. After a quick drop into a diving helix, Journey to Atlantis concludes with a wet finale into another splash pool.

Roller Coaster Stats

• Drop 60 feet
• Train Designer Mack  

Journey to Atlantis Facts & History

Individual car has four rows each, seating two abreast per row.

Height requirement: Riders must be at least 42 inches tall with an adult or 48 inches to ride alone

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• Journey To Atlantis

Journey to Atlantis (SeaWorld Orlando)

• View history

Journey to Atlantis is a water roller coaster located at SeaWorld Orlando in Orlando, Florida. The ride combines roller coaster elements , such as chain lifts and steep drops, with boat-based attraction elements, such as splash-down landings.

Photo Gallery [ ]

4. You may not need a park ticket to ride it...  sometimes ...

Rumors abound that in Epic Universe, Universal is looking to redefine some of the "rules" we're used to seeing in a theme park. For sure, a major one is that each of the park's four IP lands will be accessed by its own portal, and  allegedly , Universal is interested in the ability to shift admission turnstiles to those portals. At least in theory, that's for the very intriguing proposition that once the park's normal operating hours conclude in the evening, each of the four portals can be powered down and gated off leaving the massive, central hub area open to the public – yes, even those without a park ticket! – till the wee hours of the morning.

When you think about it, it makes sense. The new "South Complex" taking shape around Epic Universe will be a bus ride away from the existing CityWalk retail and dining district, meaning Epic Universe day guests – and those staying at the three on-site hotels already under construction for the South Complex – will need a place to eat, shop, dance, and play once the park closes. Given that this massive hub is packed with quick service, full service, snack, and bar-style dining outlets, retail spaces, water shows, and programmable pockets, it really  could  end up being an attraction in its own right and a playground for guests staying on-site in the Helios Grand, Stella Nova, and Terra Luna hotels .

Likewise, Epic Universe is strategically located very near to the tourist-packed International Drive district  and  the Orange County Convention Center. At least in theory, that will mean that when conventions let out and families flock back to International Drive in the evening, Epic Universe's hub could shift into a "CityWalk South," absorbing thousands and thousands of guests into Universal's property. Indeed,  Universal’s CEO Jeff Shell confirmed  as recently as December 2022 that the park will be an “experiment” in many ways as it relates to its flexible operations.

Though the park is still far from having an operational model decided, it’s  possible  that when the Hub is open, Universal will continue to operate the Constellation Carousel and Starfall Racers at a pay-per-ride rate. Theoretically, the Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit coaster back at Universal Studios Florida was purposefully constructed with the same capability (with the ability to route guests to it from CityWalk rather than through the park). There, the pay-per-ride plan was never put into action. But in an Individual Lightning Lane world, guests may not balk at paying $15 per person to ride Starfall Racers after the park has closed! We’ll see…

5. It’s manufactured by a Universal Orlando newcomer

Like most parks, Universal Orlando’s feature coasters from several high profile manufacturers, each bringing their unique specialty and personality to the parks –? Intamin – VelociCoaster and Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. Given Intamin’s experience in launched, dueling coasters and their clear partnership with Universal, many suspected they’d be behind Starfall Racers. But, nope!

Starfall Racers is instead being manufactured by Mack Rides (pronounced “Mock”) of Germany. Owners of Germany’s Europa Park (which serves as the firm’s showplace and testing ground), Mack has a  very  extensive history in the industry, and has created  well over 150 coasters  in its time.

Their portfolio includes dozens of simple wild mouse coasters, plus custom water coasters (including SeaWorld’s Journey to Atlantis), family coasters (including both Universal Studios Hollywood’s Flight of the Hippogriff and Disney World’s Slinky Dog Dash), specialty inverted powered coasters (like Universal Beijing’s Jurassic Flyers and Europa Park’s Arthur) plus very large and renowned launched rides like  Europa Park’s Blue Fire  and  Silver Dollar City’s Time Traveler . (Those last two are the POV videos to watch if you want to see what Mack is capable of.)

Just given our few shots of the track for Starfall Racers, it’s clear that Mack’s specialty for launches, weightless, graceful rides will translate beautifully to this ride, and that the mix of high-thrill and almost poetic, dance-like layouts that Mack develops will add a unique new mix to Universal Orlando’s coaster collection.

6. It has some tricks up its sleeve

Based on site plans for Epic Universe, Orlando ParkStop created the above layout showing just how complex and intertwined the two tracks of Starfall Racers are expected to be. Their sources suggest that each of the two tracks will reach heights of about 140 feet, traveling along over 4,700 feet of track – both statistics being comparable to VelociCoaster.

It appears that the two tracks will have a number of exhilarating features, beginning with twin launches that will accelerate the trains into a first act where they’ll dance alongside each other on parallel, parabolic arcs before breaking apart and spiraling away from one another in mirrored out-and-back layouts. For this first half of the ride, the trains will be visibly racing, completing identical (but flipped) courses as they dive over hills all the way out to the edge of the park, then back toward the hub. That’ll lead to the two tracks visibly “dueling” in a sweeping turn along the park’s hub – sure to be a big photo moment.

They’ll then realign and accelerate through a second high speed launch, reaching the coasters’ top speed. That second launch will send both trains into the ride’s signature moment – a new track element patented by Mack that will send the two trains spiraling around one another in orchestrated zero-G rolls. (Can we recommend calling it a "cosmic roll"?)

The cool thing is that in this second half – beginning with the newly-patented maneuver – the trains will cease their parallel race and instead begin a process that might best be described as dancing. For the rest of the ride, sweeping turns and hills will see the two trains alternate sides, crossing over one another back and forth as they soar through the skies like twin comets. Don’t get us wrong – it’ll be high-speed, high-thrill, and a whole lot of fun… but it’ll also be somewhat beautiful, graceful, and harmonious – words you may not always equate with multi-launch roller coasters! And that brings us to coolest part…

7. We can see what it’ll be like to ride…

Having analyzed the site plans, support structure blueprints, and current construction (which is well underway), AmusementInsider has created what’s shaping up to be a ridiculously accurate digital recreation of Starfall Racers – with its parallel, mirrored, racing first half, and its poetic, interchanging, “dancing” second half.

You can watch Amusement Insider’s full digital recreation above (with the point-of-view simulation itself beginning at about 1:15. As you can see, not only will Starfall Racers have the length, height, and speed of Velocicoaster, but it’ll have a significant capacity boost thanks to the double tracks, sending pairs of trains through the 90 second ride together.

There’s no doubt that E-Ticket dark rides themed to MarioKart, The Wizarding World, and Universal Monsters will be top tier headliners for Universal Epic Universe when it opens in 2025… but in that unique way that only Universal can manage, the park will also be balanced with a world-class coaster collection with Starfall Racers as its crown jewel. A sort of “spiritual rebirth” of Dueling Dragons, this cutting edge, 21st century mix of race, duel, and dance is shaping up to be one of the best coasters in Orlando – and maybe the country.

Are you excited for Starfall Racers? Or will you leave this thrill ride to the pros and stick to the Constellation Carousel? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Just your friendly neighborhood fan of tropical hideaways, Victorian boardwalks, mid-century tomorrows, ancient temples, and cursed forests! In between dreaming of Dole Whips, I'm a museum experience developer. I'm also the researcher behind Theme Park Tourist's  Legend Library   – filled with stories of  Lost Legends , Modern Marvels , Declassified Disasters , and more.

I think the sides for this dueling coaster will be called Corona and Crescent.

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Journey to Atlantis • SeaWorld Orlando

Score of 63,2%.

Theming Fun Dead spots

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Journey to atlantis features, also in seaworld orlando   8.

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Journey to Atlantis - SeaWorld Orlando

• Thread starter fartsalad
• Start date Sep 26, 2022

Roller Poster

• Sep 26, 2022

Is there any insight to what the future holds for JTA in Orlando? With more than 1000 rides up until 2012, and only recently returning to ride.. seeing it in its current state was shocking. At least 80% of the theming,story, video projections. Narration, props, animations, light FX, animatronics, music and sound.. all gone. No more popout evil lady at the lift and no chandelier falling on the drop.. Even what's remaining is in sad condition. I'm aware of the financial implications from. COVID and management shakeups (i was an office staff when they split from AB) but what's happening to SeaWorld Orlando water coaster ?  

hawaiicoasterenthusiast

i noticed the same when I was there last year. The ride has gotten very rough in areas as well  

Hyper Poster

I thought to myself when getting off the ride yesterday it looked in such a state. Operations were pretty shocking too! Needs a huge cash injection to fix it up.  

I haven’t done JtA since 2016, but I remember the dark ride elements of it being really quite nicely done at the time! It’s a shame to hear that it’s deteriorated so much… Correct me if I’m wrong, but they’ve removed the whole Medusa narrative from it now, haven’t they? I seem to remember watching a POV where it just played some nice gentle music during the initial dark ride section and then played random dance music for the rest of it… they removed the Medusa storyline to make it less sinister for little kids, didn’t they? It’s a shame, as I remember things like the whole “Leaving so soon? I think not!” before going back into the building being quite cool, but I can understand why they did it, as I can imagine that theming being quite scary for young families. I also remember the coaster section being quite rough… not quite as rough as something like Poseidon, but not too far off. It’s a shame to hear that the retrack doesn’t appear to have solved this… perhaps roughness is simply inherent within Mack Water Coasters? I must admit that I’m surprised to hear of the operations being sub-par, though; it dual loads like Poseidon, doesn’t it? With that in mind, I’d have expected it to be a right queue muncher!  

Nicky Borrill

Strata poster.

Nicky Borrill said: There's supposed to be effects on it??? Click to expand...

• Some fisherman gives you a magical seahorse, who takes you to the underwater city of Atlantis.
• A friendly mermaid greets you and lures you in to meet the siren, but this turns out to be a trap, because the siren turns out to be Medusa.
• Medusa then taunts you through little audio greetings throughout the ride (such as "Leaving so soon? I think not!" just before you head up the second lift hill).
• You ultimately escape Medusa's clutches via the coaster section.

• Sep 27, 2022

Matt N said: From memory, it used to have some nice lighting effects, some little jumping water features that jumped over your head in the initial dark ride section, some nice projection mapping and a big Medusa head that flashed up over your head with strobe lights. That's what it had when I rode in 2016, anyway. When I last did it, it had a proper synchronised audio track and storyline... correct me if I'm wrong here, SeaWorld aficionados, but I seem to remember it being something along the lines of: Some fisherman gives you a magical seahorse, who takes you to the underwater city of Atlantis. A friendly mermaid greets you and lures you in to meet the siren, but this turns out to be a trap, because the siren turns out to be Medusa. Medusa then taunts you through little audio greetings throughout the ride (such as "Leaving so soon? I think not!" just before you head up the second lift hill). You ultimately escape Medusa's clutches via the coaster section. Apologies for the slightly vague description... perhaps a better way for me to show you what the ride used to be like would be to embed an old POV: Click to expand...

It was incredible. Watch POV from about 2015 or earlier  

Nicky Borrill said: Yeh the general brightly coloured theming was present, but I don't remember the lighting that is synced to audio, I don't even remember hearing that audio. Nor do I remember seeing any projection. The figure that appears above the lift was present though. I could of course just have missed it all. But it certainly looks a lot better in that video than what I remember. It's worth noting that it was down all day on our first visit. Click to expand...

fartsalad said: The Greek dude introducing "Elise" the seahorse as your guide to safety.. Atlantis going from beautiful to burning.. As the siren would melt away from the projections on then statues, the water flying around dodging the seahorse sparkle. The "now you've done it! You puny little pony!!! YOUR FRIENDS ARE NO LONGER WELCOME HERE.." ... "COME... TOO... MEEE...." And the Beetlejuice film score played in sync going up the second lift hill and it crescendos until the chandelier breaks and falls down towards the boat. The second half was so much more intense with the siren screaming in anger about your aided escape"no!!! NO!! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!" Click to expand...

I was lucky enough to ride it in April of 1998 just a week or so after it opened. Its for sure gone way downhill from what it was, a shell of its former self. Hermes was the best!  

• The ride saw a "rehab" in 2017, which at the time felt like the chance for SeaWorld to properly restore all special effects to their former glory. Virtually all effects were removed however, save simple uplighting and the jumping fountains. With that only being five years ago, it feels any hope for proper restoration to be gone.

Hyde said: Two things: The ride saw a "rehab" in 2017, which at the time felt like the chance for SeaWorld to properly restore all special effects to their former glory. Virtually all effects were removed however, save simple uplighting and the jumping fountains. With that only being five years ago, it feels any hope for proper restoration to be gone. I only just rode Atlantis at the end of 2021, and I will say - it was great! Totally understand that I never experienced the full OG ride (just as few if anyone here got to experience Disaster Transport with all of it's original effects ), but I still enjoyed the coaster in earnest. It's a weird, zany contraption that will always have been, ahead of it's time. Click to expand...

• Sep 28, 2022

I was lucky enough to ride it in 2005 when it still worked properly. The core ride is still fun (I disagree on the roughness) but the narrative no longer makes any sense. To be honest, despite some headline coaster additions since my last visit, it really felt like SeaWorld had gone downhill. My partner last visited in 2015 not long after we'd met and had the same observation.  

Best Topic Starter

Having also ridden JTA in both its forms I agree it's a shadow of its former self these days. There isn't really a story to follow any more and the good effects are all long gone. Really is a ride that needs a proper refresh.  

Mega Poster

• Sep 30, 2022

I remember it being amazing before they modified it. The first scene with the story being told and water jets jumping about was so cool, it truly was something really special. Rode it again in 2017 and they've just removed most of the effects and painted some stuff in vibrant rainbowy colours. And it made me sad we lost the Beetlejuice music on that specific bit of the ride. Really suited it well! I remember riding it in 1999 when it was brand new and then 4 or 5 times throughout the years since then.  

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Journey to Atlantis Dark Ride / Water Flume (SeaWorld Theme Park - Orlando, Florida) - 4K Dark Ride POV Experience

• 2 years ago

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We did their Kumano Kodo and Nakasendo walks in late May 2014, back-to-back, as two self-guided tours. Each tour was about 36 miles of walking in 5 days.

For the Kumano Kodo, the hiking effort was strenous, and moderate for the Nakasendo. Most days had a climb and then a descent.

Oku booked us into local inns - basic accomodations (futon on the floor, shared baths) with excellent Japanese food (dinner & breakfast included).

We were happy with the package that Oku put together - a detailed itinerary and lots of helpful info were included, but there are a few things that they didn't communicate really clearly up front:

- Nearly every day included a trip on a bus and/or a train or more than one - usually pretty short (maybe half an hour or an hour max). Where possible, Oku provided tickets and reserved seats ahead of time.

- Oku's packages don't include moving your luggage, so either you need to carry all your stuff with you (some people did - it's 5 days and you only need to mainly carry clothes), or you need to have your luggage sent ahead and rendesvous with it every 2-3 days. We did that and it worked fine - we used the Takkyubin service which is somewhat like Fedex only cheaper.

- Oku gave us a choice between regular or extra-fancy lodgings. We chose the higher-level option, but with hindsight it really wasn't worthwhile - most towns you walk through and stay in overnight only offer a few inns, of similar quality, and Oku seems to have one or two in each place that they always use for everyone. The only places where we clearly got the higher-level lodging were hotels in Osaka and Kyoto at the start of each trip.

We only knew a couple dozen words of Japanese between us, and the idea of taking Japanese buses and trains and dealing with Japanese inns for transporting luggage all seemed intimidating, but everything turned out to be fairly easy.

Overall it was a great trip!

Good to hear about your experiences! I'm not a tour person, but walking tours like that sound like they offer something a lttle different. How would you evaluate their services in terms of enrichung your trip as opposed to if you had organized it yourself?

Oh, and by the way, 200$ for insurance seems quite steep to me...is it a matter of where you live? I got mine for 15€ covering 72days of travelling per year. Evac included. I can't imagine paying that kind of monex

I don't really think of what they did in terms of enriching the trip... rather they organized it! I don't speak Japanese, so it would have been impossible to do this trip without their help - maybe I could have organized the trains (maybe), but certainly not all the inns, nor would I have been able to figure out the bus routes ahead of time.

Re. the insurance, it was actually $127. And I think that's fairly typical for trip insurance for US citizens; I checked several other providers.

we loved walking, but was overshadowed by feeling a bit cheated by Oku Japan, would not do that again!

The most contact I have had with this travel agency is requests for payment and reminders when payment is due. Very little assistance otherwise.

As for Kumano Kodo, you might want to reserve a tour on Kumano Tourism Center Official Site.

http://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/itineraries/list/

I am looking at the guided Nakassendo trail trip so will ask if that changes the luggage element. I'm not keen on transportIng luggage every day on and off buses and trains. What was your overall rating of the walking trail? Easy, moderate, scenic? What month did you go? Lastly, have you heard anything about the company World Expeditions?

Art mom- When do you go on your trip? I'd really like to know what your experiences is like. Hopefully it's better than your communication to date. I am looking to book Oku's guided Nakassendo trail but I am wary now. Do you know anything about the company World Expeditions?

Although we enjoyed the walk we did feel that we overpaid. The Nakasendo is well marked and we didn't feel that we needed their instructions. In retrospect I think I could have booked the inns and trains myself using Japanese guest houses and HYPERDIA.

Yes, Oku wasn't cheap, and I agree that the trail was mostly well marked and easy to follow.

But we don't speak any Japanese, so for us it was worth what we paid - considering that they booked all accommodations for us (even tiny places in out of the way villages), and also got us our train tickets, and provided info about train & bus schedules etc.

Hi. Would you recommend this tour to be done solo?

• Osaka to Kyoto with 3 young kids 04:34
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10 Questions With Oku Japan Tours

We at Pogogi are very pleased to have done an interview with Oku Japan .  Oku Japan operates guided, self-guided and custom tours around Japan. They are launching a new tour that involves Japanese Food! Please read on and enjoy this wonderful interview.

1. Can you tell us about your new guided tour “Japan's Culinary Heritage” and how it all came together?

In Japan, food is the best way to engage with local lifestyles and to gain an in-depth experience of regional culture, the daily life of Japanese communities, and individual inhabitants. We truly believe there is much more to experience than the ordinary food encountered on most standard itineraries. We decided to use our knowledge and our local connections to offer travellers a unique culinary adventure as a way to know Japan and its people through some of the best-kept culinary traditions. This tour really relies on the local people we personally know!

2. Which of your Guided packages do you anticipate to be the most popular in the next few years?

In general, we see a trend in the adventure travel industry towards shorter trips. People are seeking immersive experiences, and highly customized itineraries.　While scheduled tours remain popular, more and more clients are looking for flexible dates so they can travel with friends, family or their special-interest groups. Our Nakasendo Trail tour is our best-selling product at the moment. We hope our culinary tour will match its popularity! We have scheduled departures, but we can offer private trips and can customize tour elements depending on clients’ requirements.

3. Oku Japan’s tours include overnight stays in Japanese inns. Can you describe what makes staying at an inn in Japan so special?

Staying in a traditional Japanese inn is a highlight of any journey in Japan. Many inns are in charming historic buildings, and all focus on providing a personal service. The classic Japanese inn, the Ryokan, comes in many styles but all are united by flawless service and exquisitely-prepared food. Ryokan may be in modern or traditional wooden buildings, but rooms are always Japanese style, with Tatami (straw mat) floors and futons for sleeping laid out in the evening by the Ryokan staff. Minshuku are similar to Ryokan but family-run and with less formal service. Each Ryokan prides itself on its cuisine, featuring local ingredients freshly prepared each day. Meals usually consist of many different courses, with a great variety of dishes.

4. What can you offer to Japanese Food lovers?

There are many good reasons to travel in Japan, but food has to be one of the most compelling. One of the highlights of our tours is to taste real, home-made Japanese food. Our guests need to be prepared for the freshest of produce! Fish, chicken, pork, rice, miso soup, tofu and vegetables are at the heart of many meals. We crafted our Japan’s Culinary Heritage tour in order to show travellers how food is the most intimate way to uncover Japanese culture. In Japan, food reflects the daily life of Japanese community, and our tour is the best introduction to the country travellers can get.

5. How is your Tour Company different from others?

Our main office is in Kyoto, with additional members of the team based in the UK. We also have a branch office – which is also a Minshuku inn – in the village of Chikatsuyu, along the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Trail. This means we have unparalleled connections with the local communities our tours explore, and we can provide a 24/7 local support to our guests. Being part of the community allows us to craft itineraries that take people to places they would not be able to visit if we weren’t there. In addition to our guided tours, we also offer self-guided walking tours and we were the first tour operator to offer self-guided walking tour on the Nakasendo trail. We are the first and only tour operator in the world to offer self-guided walking tours on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage Trail. We are proud of our staff with deep knowledge and passionate about Japan. Our staff members’ expertise makes our tours and our clients’ experience exceptional. We also have top-quality English-speaking guides.

6. Which tour packages offer the best off-the-beaten path travel?

We try to strike a balance between comfortable travel and reaching destinations which require a degree more effort to discover. Some of our destinations are not visited by any other tour company, and that's because they are not suited to mass-market tourism. Our favourite inns may not have internet access or even their own website, but they have the freshest food and personal service you can't reproduce on a large scale.

7. Which Guided packages is recommended for someone who have never experience Japan before?

It all depends on clients’ interests. We offer an array of guided tours that can cater to different tastes. We focus on soft adventure, often with a walking discovery of the country, but we also offer more cultural tours with less walking. For those less interested in walking, our cultural tour Shoguns and Samurai is an ideal introduction to the country. It includes key destinations that are on many visitors ‘must see’ list. In addition to the historic treasure house of Kyoto, Takayama is a city of great cultural accomplishments and Shirakawago is a UNESCO World Heritage site with Gassho-zukuri farmhouses and unique living traditions.

8. What do Foreigners visiting Japan need to know to ensure a pleasant and enjoyable experience?

While Japanese culture and customs can be confusing at first, as a visitor from overseas you are generally not expected to understand them. In fact, many Japanese take a pride in the belief that their culture is extremely complex and impossible for outsiders to comprehend. You will likely be forgiven for any minor cultural gaffs you make.

1. Language – try to learn at least a few phrases. Japanese is not really so difficult, and there are few sounds that are challenging for a native English speaker to pronounce. Your efforts will be rewarded even with just a few words, and the Japanese will never make fun of your mistakes.

2. Shoes – make sure to remove your street shoes before entering Ryokan, Minshuku, temples, shrines, and some restaurants – anywhere that has a raised floor. Remove slippers before walking on Tatami straw matting. Lastly, change out of your normal slippers into the special toilet slippers at the entrance to the toilet. Use these slippers only within the toilet area and be sure to change back into your regular slippers on exiting the toilet.

3. The Japanese consider over-familiarity inappropriate, so hearty backslaps or hugs are best avoided if you have just met someone.

4. Topics such as the Imperial Family and Japan’s role in World War II are best avoided as they are still sensitive subjects in Japan.

9. How does the experience of a tourist in Japan today differ from that of 30 years ago?

Japan is now a far easier destination for overseas visitors than three decades ago. English signs abound and this makes navigation around cities and around the country far easier. Japanese people still tend to be shy about their spoken English ability, but their tradition of hospitality means that a polite request for assistance is usually met with great kindness and concern. Of course, modern technology is a great help, too!

10. What is the food scene in Japan like in 2017?

The Japanese eat out on average several times a week and the sheer number of restaurants, eateries, canteens and hole-in-the-wall snack bars is incredible. These restaurants can be found in stations, in underground shopping areas, the top floors of department stores, and along shopping arcades. Socialising in Japan nearly always involves eating out, as Japanese people rarely invite each other to their homes. More and more people have started to care about food and well-being. This means considering not only the taste of the food, but its source and whether it is environmentally friendly and locally produced. The impact of chemicals is of greater concern now; organic farming or minimal use of chemicals on food are becoming more important criteria in the food scene, a trend which mirrors similar movements in the west.

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Oku Japan self guided tours - Japan Forum

Oku japan self guided tours.

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This sounds like a good tour agency. Has anyone had any direct experience with the company?

We did in 2010 for our honeymoon and loved it. They helped us plan it in a very short period if time ( our fault) , but crafted an amazing itinerary that included very well visited sites as well as places where we were the only foreigners. We would do it again in a heartbeat.

Would love to hear your feedback.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

• Osaka to Kyoto with 3 young kids 02:34
• Recommended itinerary in Sapporo, Niseko, Lake Toya, Asahika 01:50
• Planning to spend 4-5 days in Kyoto 01:30
• Pocket wifi or esim? 01:19
• Late april Cherry blossoms around Tokyo 01:13
• Yet another....Itinerary Check and JR Pass question. 00:58
• Chitose Airport Limousine Bus 00:50
• Train pass help Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe? 00:50
• Do I have to get my luggage for another airline intl flight? 23:55
• Max withdrawal from 7-11 atm’s 23:45
• Help with bus schedule 23:33
• Himeji-jo 23:02
• Need help with few things 22:59
• Itinerary advice 22:14
• 'semi double' rooms 5 replies
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Walk Japan is an independent organisation offering a different vision of how to create and manage tours in Japan; how to provide service to our customers; and how to carry out our business as a whole.

Our Purpose

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About Oku Japan

Oku Japan operates guided, self-guided and custom tours around Japan. Our main office is in Kyoto, and some of our sales staff are based in the UK. In spring 2015, Oku Japan opened a branch office in the village of Chikatsuyu, where we are proud to be part of the local community.

Our guides are professional, trained guides who are bilingual Japanese and English (as well as some who speak German or French) and have a deep knowledge of and passion for Japan's people, culture and history.

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Race Across the World series four review – TV that makes you feel that there is hope

It’s back! The BBC’s smartphone-free travel sends contestants racing from Japan to Indonesia, and it’s as full of human kindness and intimate relationship portraits as ever

R ace Across the World might be one of television’s most wholesome shows. Now into its fourth series proper, after a Covid-delayed celebrity spin-off last year, it follows paired teams as they attempt to travel thousands of miles without some of the comfortable trappings of modern life. Contestants hand over their smartphones and bank cards and are given the cash equivalent of the cost of a one-way flight to their final destination. They must get to the end through a series of checkpoints using public transport and ingenuity, taking on odd jobs to earn extra funds, and, crucially, relying on the kindness of strangers along the way.

Since it made its debut in 2019, the series has grown in popularity, and by 2023, moved from its original BBC Two home to BBC One, much like Bake Off and Peaky Blinders before it. During the pandemic, it offered much-needed escapism. It even got a celebrity version, as all successful TV competitions must. Better still, the celebrity version wasn’t a substandard cash-in. Watching an All Saint and a member of McFly carting their mums from Marrakech to the Arctic Circle on a series of exhausting overnight rail journeys might not sound like gripping TV, but the show was remarkable. Its challenge highlights the kindness of strangers and plumbs the psychology of some of our closest relationships.

Series four offers more of the same, with a few subtle differences. The competitors seem a little younger, and Japan’s bullet trains are forbidden. Otherwise, it is business as usual, and this suits it very well.

Over the course of eight episodes, the five teams must travel from the island of Hokkaido, in the north of Japan, to the Indonesian island of Lombok, a journey of roughly 9,300 miles (15,000km), across seven countries, over 50 days. Last series, the pairs travelled across Canada, where most people they encountered spoke English. But this journey entails linguistic barriers, and a need to navigate what may be, for some, brand new cultural norms.

Episode one introduces us to the teams and sets them off on a voyage through Japan. At the start, they are usually jittery and error-prone. One of the teams, best friends Alfie and Owen, are the show’s youngest participants to date. They are baby-faced 20-year-olds who are the most overtly competitive and they have, perhaps, the most to learn – about the world and about themselves.

“We have got to budget our bums off,” insists Alfie, sweetly, before either he or Owen – they’re not going to argue about it, although they clearly will – misplaces the all-important map.

At the other end of the age spectrum are Stephen and Viv, an older married couple who have both recently suffered health problems, and whose approach is more laid back. As Alfie and Owen frantically yoyo between Tokyo and other destinations, Stephen and Viv enjoy a bath in hot springs. Betty and James are siblings, aged 25 and 21, who have polar-opposite approaches to travel: Betty likes to take in other cultures; James prefers an Ayia Napa trip with the lads. And there are two mother-daughter teams, Eugenie and Isabel, and Brydie and Sharon.

Travelling in this manner is high-pressured and alien, even for contestants with globetrotting experience, and Race Across the World shows just how illuminating and revelatory it can be to take people out of a familiar environment and task them with making their way in a wholly new one. Isabel turns out to be a language savant, picking up Japanese at a rate that impresses her stunned mother. Brydie, who has severe dyslexia, says that she is so used to asking people for help that she has no problem doing so on this adventure. And even for people who know each other very well, the challenge creates supercharged intimacy.

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Race Across the World is a travelogue, a history lesson, an exploration of psychology, and a thrilling competition (the programme-makers are very good at making it all seem impossibly close in the edit, even when teams are hours apart). But I love that it is also humanitarian, when all can seem so very bleak, and suggests there is still hope in the world, if we open our horizons.

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Race Across the World review: Return of BBC smash proves travel is best without a smartphone

The hit bbc travel-adventure show returns for its fourth series, and is best understood as being like tourism but in a more intense, concentrated and indeed exhausting form, article bookmarked.

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I have to admit that I find travel so exhausting that I’m at a loss as to why anyone would willingly watch an episode of Race Across the World , let alone have the stamina to keep up with the whole nine hours of viewing that lies before us.

Having tagged along vicariously for the first leg of their journey, north to south across most of Japan, Race is best understood as being like tourism but in a more intense, condensed, concentrated and indeed exhausting form. The five pairs of contestants, ranging from annoying siblings barely in their twenties to a reassuringly mellow couple in their sixties, are tasked with travelling from snowy Sapporo in northern Japan down to the paradise island of Lombok in Indonesia, via various waypoints in Korea, Cambodia and Malaysia – some 15,000 kilometres in total.

Just like any backpacking holiday, the idea is that you move as fast as possible for the least cost (the budget is fixed at £1,390, the price of two air tickets from Japan to Indonesia), and in order to make the best of the adventure try and squeeze in some sightseeing, local culture and pick up a bit of casual work along the way to pay the bills. So it is a race, in the sense that you want to get to the checkpoints and to Lombok first, and win the £20,000 prize money, but to do it within budget and with some actual pleasure along the way. It’s all about balancing these priorities, and that essential nuance gives the show its charm. The only forms of transport that are banned are planes and the ultra-fast Japanese bullet trains, which would spoil the vibe. They should probably call it “The Sort-of Race Across the World”, if accuracy is the thing.

This, therefore, isn’t a full-on scramble, like some version of Challenge Anneka or a leisurely, carefree Portillo-esque travelogue , but one where the contestants have to find a more optimal vacation balance. It was interesting that the winners on this first Japanese leg are Eugenie and Isabel, a mother and daughter who took a pretty long detour to see the isolated, tranquil and lovely offshore island of Sado, on the “wrong” coast from the point of view of sheer speed. It’s so off the beaten track, even for the Japanese, that it was once used as a place of exile for out of favour politicians and the like.

Yet they still arrived, after five days on the road and having missed a connection, two minutes before twins Alfie and Owen, who just about managed to squeeze in a glimpse of Mount Fuji along their supposedly efficient but actually overly panicky and rushed route. It seems that Isabel’s impressive attempt to get a random Japanese boy to teach her the language on a long bus ride paid off; public signage makes little concession to the foreigner, and the universally friendly citizenry speak surprisingly little English. Our contestants don’t remark on it, but Japanese society is an evidently self-sufficient affair, something visitors always find a novelty.

Stephen and Ivy, the retired couple, aren’t that bothered about coming first, and took their opportunity to tarry at a wasabi farm, pulling up roots, burning their mouths off and cadging a useful lift. Maybe it was something about the famous sauce, but Ivy unloaded how “unintentionally offensive” her husband of many years is, just as he’s asking his hosts how old they all are: “Some have learned to tolerate him, but I love him”. Touching.

What’s also striking about Race Across the World , and something sadly impractical in the “real” world away from reality TV, is how much richer the travel experience of all those involved is because they are deprived, under the rules of the show, of their smartphones. They end up exploring their relationships with their journey partners as much as the picturesque countryside and bustling cities.

The young siblings from Yorkshire, Betty and James, for example, seem to be getting to know each other for the first time on Japanese trains and in random cafes, despite having grown up together. Something similar is also true of the two sets of mum and daughter: Eugenie and Isabel, and Sharon and Brydie. Thrown together and almost forced to talk to one another rather than scrolling through social media, their personal odyssey acquires an emotional and, around the Buddhist shrines, a spiritual dimension. As noted by young James, an unimaginative traveller by his own admission, you don’t get that with a week “having it off in Ayia Napa”. A different kind of pursuit, that.

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135 helpful votes. Our experience using Oku Japan for self-guided walking tours. 9 years ago. Save. We did their Kumano Kodo and Nakasendo walks in late May 2014, back-to-back, as two self-guided tours. Each tour was about 36 miles of walking in 5 days. For the Kumano Kodo, the hiking effort was strenous, and moderate for the Nakasendo.

Oku Japan operates guided, self-guided and custom tours around Japan. Our main office is in Kyoto, and some of our sales staff are based in the UK. In spring 2015, Oku Japan opened a branch office in the village of Chikatsuyu, where we are proud to be part of the local community. Our guides are professional, trained guides who are bilingual ...

Read OKU Japan independent reviews and make booking enquiries on responsible holidays. 19 holidays found Nikko and Yumoto Onsen walking tour, Japan ... A Japan small group tour spending twelve days discovering the cities, cultural and coastal highlights of this unique country. Any Japan cultural tour has to include metropolitan and historical ...

8 years ago. Save. Has anyone experienced one of Oku Japan's small group guided walking tours. I am looking at the Nakasendo Trail trip. I have been searching different travel companies (World Expeditions, G Adventures, etc.) and quite like this trip...I would feel better to read some reviews though. Thanks!

Here are a selection of comments about our tours from past participants. Discover the testimonies and reviews sent by our guests. Our Guests. No one can express the delights experienced on an Oku Japan tour better than our guests themselves. Here we have compiled a small sampling of testimonials our guests have kindly provided; whether their ...

We did this 10 day walk beginning November 12 2016 We dealt with Andy Moser from Oku Japan who was fantastic to deal with ... Have just finished a 12 day guided walking tour with Oku Japan on the Nakasendo Way. Highly recommend this tour company for a professional, well organised and informative tour. Learned so much about the history, culture ...

Oku Japan is a UK owned company that focuses solely on self-guided and guided walking holidays in Japan. While the sales team is based in the UK, their primary office is in Kyoto and they have a sub-branch in Tsumago (along the Nakasendo Way). Most of their trips are inn to inn hiking but some include self-driving tours and a multi-sport island ...

103 reviews. 133 helpful votes. Our experience using Oku Japan for self-guided walking tours. 9 years ago. Save. We did their Kumano Kodo and Nakasendo walks in late May 2014, back-to-back, as two self-guided tours. Each tour was about 36 miles of walking in 5 days. ... I would not recommend OKU JAPAN for guided walking tours. I have booked to ...

By Newsdesk Jun 1, 2023 12:33pm. Oku Japan Japan Tourism Tour Operators Walking Tours. Following a very busy cherry blossom season that saw hotels and guides in short supply, and demand already ...

We offer small-group guided and self-guided village-to-village hiking tours along Japan's network of historic trails, including cultural visits and city stays. Stay at family-run inns, dine on the best regional cuisine, and soak in wonderful local hot springs. With easy walking from 2-6 hours per day, and expert bilingual guides, Oku Japan ...

Our self-guided and small-group guided tours are carefully crafted by a team of experts with a passion for Japan. Select a destination and get started on planning your Oku Japan adventure today. A focus on getting away from the crowds & into the real Japan, thoughtfully created itineraries by those with a passion for Japan. Book a tour today.

Our experience using Oku Japan for self-guided walking tours. We did their Kumano Kodo and Nakasendo walks in late May 2014, back-to-back, as two self-guided tours. Each tour was about 36 miles of walking in 5 days. For the Kumano Kodo, the hiking effort was strenous, and moderate for the Nakasendo. Most days had a climb and then a descent.

Oku Japan's tours include overnight stays in Japanese inns. Can you describe what makes staying at an inn in Japan so special? Staying in a traditional Japanese inn is a highlight of any journey in Japan. Many inns are in charming historic buildings, and all focus on providing a personal service. The classic Japanese inn, the Ryokan, comes in ...

In 2010, Oku Japan pioneered self-guided walking tours in Japan's Kumano Kodo and Nakasendo regions. Since then we have continued to build on this strong foundation as leading experts in sustainable off-the-beaten-path self-guided tours in Japan, and now offer a range of tours featuring not only walking, but cycling, kayaking and other cultural experiences across the country.

Simply an amazing company. We did a self guided tour with Oku Japan of the Kumano Kodo in May 2014. Superior company. Don't hesitate using them - they are exceptional. Great trail notes, with options for shorter/longer hikes on many days. Super well organized. Simply but lovely accommodations. Amazing food.

About Oku Japan. Oku Japan operates guided, self-guided and custom tours around Japan. Our main office is in Kyoto, and some of our sales staff are based in the UK. In spring 2015, Oku Japan opened a branch office in the village of Chikatsuyu, where we are proud to be part of the local community. Our guides are professional, trained guides who ...

Kumano Kodo: OKU Japan, self-guided hike Tanabe-Kii-Katsuura - See 154 traveler reviews, 292 candid photos, and great deals for Kinki, Japan, at Tripadvisor. ... Japan and the Kumano Koda will be one of our life's treasures and travel experiences to cherish. Date of experience: June 2015. Ask Adventurer80218 about Kumano Kodo.

Japan Guided Tours. Sign up as individual travelers and leave as lifelong friends on an Oku Japan small-group guided tour. With a maximum of 13 people in any group, our tours ensure you get the full attention of your local guide who themselves share a passion for Japan. Whether it's traditions, food, society or history, learn the ins and outs ...

Walk Japan was born to show Western guests what they've been missing. Everyone's talking about authenticity (ad nauseum) these days, but until someone comes up with a better word for realness ...

Over the course of eight episodes, the five teams must travel from the island of Hokkaido, in the north of Japan, to the Indonesian island of Lombok, a journey of roughly 9,300 miles (15,000km ...

With two daily nonstop flights between New York (JFK) and Tokyo (HND) including JL5 & JL6 that operate with the newly-minted A350-1000 aircraft, Japan Airlines (JAL) invites you to immerse yourself in luxury above the clouds before discovering the best of Japan's world-class capital.

Having tagged along vicariously for the first leg of their journey, north to south across most of Japan, Race is best understood as being like tourism but in a more intense, condensed ...

Nara Ancient Capitals self-guided walking 5 days. Explore ancient Nara through paved and forest trails - the walks are typically moderate, but strenuous at times, with days of up to 5 hours of hiking. A focus on getting away from the crowds & into the real Japan, thoughtfully created itineraries by those with a passion for Japan.