What's up at a glance

• Rabbi Eli and Cantor David are putting together a 10-day trip to Japan (9 nights), starting in Kyoto and ending in Tokyo

• Our primary focus is on the Jewish aspects of Japanese history. You may want to consider the option of additional days in Kyoto before and in Tokyo after the main program. It offers the perspective of the most emblematic sights, and is especially recommended for the first-time travelers to Japan

• The trip is guaranteed; that means it is taking place, is not conditional upon minimal number of participants, and once you have registered you can buy your flight tickets while the prices are still appealing

• As in the previous years, we are planning to keep the group small. The number of participants is limited. Booking before Jan 10, 2027 enables you to enjoy the early bird special of a free flight from Nagasaki to Tokyo. It is also very likely that later on, the ferry will run out of the deluxe cabins included in the package, and the late bookers will have to either pay a premium for the more luxurious options if available, or opt for the ferry dorms

• The prices, besides a small donation to The Lodzer, are at cost for our members. There is a surcharge for the non-members, who are also welcome to join

Important: the trip is not organized by The Lodzer. It is under the sole responsibility of Rabbi Eli and the local service providers in Japan.

To book now, contact us at lodzercentre@rogers.com

            Four optional days in Kyoto for early arrivals:

• Sun, Oct 31 – Kyoto (Arashiyama, Higashiyama, Gion)
  A full day focusing on Kyoto's core districts. We begin at the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove to walk the forest trails. In the afternoon, we explore the preserved historic streets of the Higashiyama neighborhood, visit two celebrated temples: Sanjusangendo and Kiyomizu, and conclude with immersing ourselves in the timeless old-world atmosphere of Gion, Japan’s most famous geisha district.

• Mon, Nov 1 – Nara and Wazuka
  We drive through Wazuka village to see the regional green tea plantations. Then, we spend the day in Nara, Japan's ancient capital. Visit Todai-ji Temple, the main attraction housing the world's largest bronze Buddha statue, followed by a walk through Nara Park to meet (and feed if you like) the resident free-roaming deer.

• Tues, Nov 2 – Miyama, Ine, and Amanohashidate
  Head into the countryside to visit Miyama village and admire its traditional thatched-roof houses. Next, travel to the coastal fisherman village of Ine for a short boat cruise in the bay to view the unique waterfront boathouses. Conclude the day at Amanohashidate, a pine-covered sand spit recognized historically as one of Japan’s top three scenic landscapes.

• Wed, Nov 3 – In the steps of Chiune Sugihara
  Start the day by boarding the bullet train to Nagoya (33 min ride), where our coach, upon picking us up, will first stop at the square bearing Sugihara’s name in front of the middle school he once attended. A life-size bronze statue ensemble depicts him passing a transit visa to a Jewish family fleeing Europe. There are also highly detailed ceramic plate reproductions of the Visas to Life.

From there, it’s a ride of a bit over an hour to Sugihara’s birthplace. The town of Yaotsu proudly exhibits Sugihara’s Memorial Hall offering detailed exhibits, replicas of his Kaunas consulate room, and many testimonies of the survivors. Upon return to Nagoya, we will get a taste of the local sites prior to boarding our return train to Kyoto.

Main Package

• Thur, Nov 4 – Day trip from Kyoto to Tsuruga
  The main package begins with a day trip to the port town of Tsuruga. We will visit the local museum dedicated to the history of the harbor where thousands of Jewish refugees arrived via the Trans-Siberian Railway using transit visas issued by Chiune Sugihara. We return to Kyoto in the afternoon and get a chance to freshen up for the welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

• Fri, Nov 5 – Kyoto to Kobe
  We spend the morning touring Kyoto (we won’t be repeating the sights covered on the optional tour). In the afternoon, we transfer by coach to Kobe and check into our hotel. We will have our evening Shabbat meal at the Kobe Synagogue, home to Japan's oldest existing Jewish community.

• Sat, Nov 6 – Kobe and Osaka
  Shabbat services and lunch will be hosted by Chabad of Kobe. In the afternoon, we will take a walking tour of Ijinkan, the neighborhood featuring Western-style residences constructed during the early Meiji period. In the evening, we take a local train to Osaka for a brief tour of the city's central district and the bustling Dotonbori Street.

Sun, Nov 7 – Osaka and the Night Ferry
We go on a bus tour exploring Osaka, including the grounds of Osaka Castle and the Museum of Housing and Living (besides offering a great background for photos on old streets of the city, and a thoughtfully laid out array of exhibits, they also offer you the option of trying on the traditional kimono - at a very modest price, too).

Fish/vegetarian lunch (included in the package)                                   

In the evening, we board the overnight ferry across the Inland Sea to the island of Kyushu.

• Mon, Nov 8 – Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, and Nagasaki
  After disembarking the ferry, we travel to Fukuoka to view the seasonal November sumo morning practices. Following an introductory city tour of Fukuoka, we transfer by bus to Nagasaki for our overnight stay preceded by an optional evening stroll.

• Tues, Nov 9 – Nagasaki
  Our itinerary in Nagasaki includes the Nagasaki International Jewish Cemetery, the Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum, and a walk through Glover Garden to see the historic 19th-century Western merchants' residences overlooking the harbor.

• Wed, Nov 10 – Nagasaki to Tokyo and Yokohama
  We take a late-morning domestic flight from Kyushu to Tokyo. Upon arrival, we transfer directly to Yokohama for an afternoon city tour of the historic port district and the waterfront park. Walk around the Chinatown and compare it to the one in Nagasaki.

• Thur, Nov 11 – Day trip to Nikko
  We take a day trip north to the mountain town of Nikko. The tour includes the highly decorated Toshogu Shrine complex and the surrounding cedar forests. In November, Nikko is at its most beautiful, that is the peak of momiji (foliage) season, with lovely Japanese maple trees wearing their autumn colours. A visit to the 97m tall Kegon Falls will give us a particularly spectacular view.

• Fri, Nov 12 – Kamakura
  We spend the day touring Kamakura, the historic medieval capital. We will visit the Kotoku-in Temple to see the Great Bronze Buddha and pay our respects at the gravesite of Chiune Sugihara. We return to Tokyo in the afternoon to prepare for Shabbat, followed by services and dinner at Chabad.

• Sat, Nov 13 – Tokyo
  We join the morning service and Kiddush at the local Conservative Synagogue. In the afternoon, we conduct a neighborhood walking tour, concluding the main package with a festive group farewell dinner in the evening.

As our returning travelers know, our tours are always full of perks of surprises we prefer to keep under wraps till the day comes 😉

Tokyo Post-Tour Extension

• Sun, Nov 14 – Tokyo Highlights Tour
  We navigate Tokyo using the city's subway system. The itinerary includes the forested grounds of Meiji Shrine, the historic temple district of Asakusa (Senso-ji), and a walk through the Shibuya Crossing and Ginza commercial areas.

• Mon, Nov 15 – Fuji-San Day Trip
  Mt Fuji is one of the most iconic sites, and symbols, of Japan. Our coach will take us to the famous 5th Station (2,300m above the sea level), to the lovely village of Saiko-Iyashi-no-Sato offering arguably the best view of the mountain, the floral parks and views from Lake Kawaguchi.

Pricing and conditions

 This message, as always, is for friends. There are no tricks, no hidden taxes or fees, no “contact us for pricing if you might be interested”. What you see is what you get, and the offer is as good as they come.

The price of the main package for the members of The Lodzer is CAD$5,770 per person.

We also ask for a $180 per person donation to The Lodzer (with a charitable donation receipt, of course).

The offer is per person at double occupancy (single occupancy supplement $1,480).

For the non-members of The Lodzer, the price will be a little higher; $6,350 per person, plus a suggested $360 donation to The Lodzer. There is no surcharge for the non-members on either single occupancy or the extra days.

Early bird special: for anyone who will register before Jan 10, 2027, we will include the flight tickets from Nagasaki to Tokyo.

The prices for the additional days before and after are on the per-day basis (i.e. you can pick and choose). Each day requires a minimal number of participants (depending on the numbers, we may have to move around their order).

Optional days (feel free to mix an’ match):

Extra night at the hotel  ~CAD$280 per room (double or single; this is a reference point within 5% accuracy range, exact prices for Kyoto and for Tokyo TBA)

Tours:

Sun, Oct 31 Kyoto – CAD$250

Mon, Nov 1 Countryside – CAD$280

Turs, Nov 2 Nara & Wazuka – CAD$280

Wed, Nov 3 Nagoya, Yaotsu – CAD$350

Sun, Nov 14 Tokyo Highlights – CAD$250

Mon, Nov 15 Fuji-San – CAD$280

 The package includes:

 -         8 nights in good 4-star hotels

 -         1 night in a deluxe cabin on the ferry Osaka-Kitakyushu

-          8 hotel breakfasts, 1 buffet breakfast on the ferry, 4 full Shabbat meals, 2 fish/vegetarian dinners at local restaurants in Kyoto and Tokyo, 1 lunch in Osaka

-          comfortable tourist coach where necessary as described

-          Bullet and local trains and other public transportation as per the itinerary

-          Rabbi Eli, Cantor David and wonderful English-speaking guides staying with you as per the program

-          Sites, entertainment, and events' entry fees described above as included

-          All applicable taxes and surcharges

 The package does not include:

 -          Insurance (cancellation, personal, luggage, etc); please do get it, as the small group commitment does not leave much room for cancellation refunds

-          The flight from Nagasaki to Tokyo (get it for free by registering before Jan 10, 2027)

-          Other flights

-          Extra nights

-          Personal expense (e.g. souvenirs etc)

-          Anything not covered by the program

-          Meals except those listed above

-          Airport transfers

-          Single occupancy surcharge (CAD$1,470 for the main package)

-      Tips (almost no one takes tips in Japan, the only exceptions are the drivers – the bus company even prescribes how much they should receive – and the guides, who are gaijin; suggested: USD$100 per person for the main program, an extra US$10 per day for the additional tours. All tips will be collected on the last day)

 Payment schedule:

                       - CAD$1,200 upon registration 

                      - 50% of the balance by Jan 10, 2027

                      - the remaining balance by Aug 10, 2027

                      - Donation by Sept 15, 2027

 Please note that since the departure is guaranteed, each payment becomes non-refundable upon its collection date! Make sure to get a good insurance covering cancellations and interruptions!

 Suggestions and ideas:

                        - If you are flying to Japan with a stopover, consider flights that take you to Osaka (KIX: Kansai International Airport) directly from your intermediate destination, without an additional stop in Tokyo. If you prefer flying directly to Tokyo, you can choose between a short domestic flight to Osaka and taking the bullet train to Kyoto. We’ll be happy to help you make an informed choice.

                       - If there is significant interest (say, 6-8 people or more) in flying through a particular city, Rabbi Eli will happily consider joining you on the way there or back to offer a tour of that destination.

                      - Talk to us if you need special dietary, mobility, or other accommodations. We'll do our best.

 General Notes and FAQs:

Some of us would like having as tightly packed a schedule as ever, while others prefer having some time on their own to relax and explore at own pace. We are doing what we can in order to cater to both tastes by arranging the entire itinerary in flexible parts, sort of modules. You will find some plans and activities here that you will be able to skip without missing out on the trip as a whole. Contact us for suggestions on what are the absolute must-do’s and what can be missed if you need more “you-time”.

-       How fit do I have to be overall to enjoy this trip?

We do not expect anyone to stand up to serious athletic challenges. If you can walk for a few hours on a moderately paced guided tour with stops, including some urban ascents and descents, you’ll fit in. Some destinations will require negotiating stairs (a couple dozen’ steps in some cases, and in at least one – over 150 steps, though not all at once and without rushing). The tough ones can be skipped – ask us.

-       Yaotsu, Sugihara’s birthplace, is clearly a Jewish interest destination. Why is it featured as an extra day and not a part of the core program?

It is a long day, involving travel by both bullet train to Nagoya and coach onwards. It is also costly, as shinkansen tickets are always pricey. For anyone who’d want to spare the time, effort, or budget, we decided to keep it as an optional day. However, it is adjacent to the main program, so everyone who’s interested can just start the tour with us a day early, even if you’ve been to Japan before and are not interested in the more “general interest” sighsseeing.

-       How do the hotels compare to the ones we’ve had on previous trips?

In terms of service and facilities, expect no less than a solid level of a western 4-star hotel. Rooms in Japanese hotels are notoriously small. We are doing our best to keep the optimal balance between the cost, size, location, and other factors of importance.

-       I only eat certified kosher. Fish/vegetarian/vegan options do not work for me. Will you be able to accommodate me on this trip?

Other than the Shabbat meals, we could order boxed meals from Chabad in Kyoto and Tokyo at extra cost. Check with us regarding the solutions in Kyushu. However, our other included meals (welcome dinner in Kyoto, Osaka Sunday brunch, farewell dinner in Tokyo) are fish/vegetarian meals at restaurants with no kosher supervision.

-       I have other dietary limitations. Will you be able to accommodate me on this trip?

We’ll do our best. Please let us know before registering.

-       Can I upgrade my hotel room?

If you are looking for a suite, a bigger room, or something special, it may be possible in some cases.

-       I have a question that is not covered here.

Please contact us! We love hearing from you. Write to, or call Rabbi Eli directly.