Japan & South Korea Dreams — Self-Launched

Land at Incheon, take the AREX all-stop train to Seoul Station (~₩4,750/£2.70, 60 min) or the express (~₩11,000). Check into a hostel in Myeongdong or Hongdae. Ease in with a wander through Myeongdong street food stalls (tteokbokki, hotteok, ~£8 dinner) and walk up Namsan for the N Seoul Tower views at dusk (free to walk, ~30 min up). Pick up a T-money card at any convenience store (₩2,500) and top up ~₩30,000.

🚌AREX train from Incheon ~£3; subway/walking ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Myeongdong/Hongdae — £18-30

• →Myeongdong street food crawl
• →Namsan Park walk & N Seoul Tower views
• →T-money card setup

The original does Gongju (Tomb of King Muryeong, Gongsanseong Fortress) en route to Jeonju — do it yourself on the KTX. Take the KTX from Seoul to Gongju (~50 min, ~₩12,000/£7), leave bags at the station, and walk or taxi to Gongsanseong Fortress (free entry, ramparts walk ~1 hr) and the Tomb of King Muryeong (₩1,200). Then a local bus/train to Jeonju (~1.5 hrs, ~₩8,000). Evening in Jeonju Hanok Village: free to wander, and dinner is the point — bibimbap (Jeonju's signature) plus street snacks ~£10.

🚌KTX Seoul–Gongju ~£7; bus Gongju–Jeonju ~£5

🛏Hanok guesthouse dorm/private, Jeonju — £20-32

• →Gongsanseong Fortress walk
• →Tomb of King Muryeong
• →Jeonju Hanok Village evening wander
• →Jeonju bibimbap dinner

Bus or train from Jeonju to Suncheon (~2 hrs, ~₩12,000/£7). Head to Suncheon Bay Wetland Reserve (entry ~₩8,000) and the reed fields and Bay Garden boardwalks — the sunset from the observatory is the highlight. Late afternoon continue to Yeosu (~40 min by train, ~₩4,500). Yeosu is a port city with a night-time cable car over the harbour (~₩15,000 return) and a lively seafood market — grab grilled shellfish or a seafood stew for ~£12.

🚌Intercity bus/train ~£7-9; local bus to wetland ~£1.50

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, Yeosu — £22-35

• →Suncheon Bay Wetland Reserve & reed fields
• →Suncheon Bay Garden
• →Yeosu harbour cable car
• →Yeosu seafood market dinner

Stop at Jinju on the way east: the fortress (free) sits above the Namgang river and is a lovely 1.5-hr wander. Trains from Yeosu to Jinju take ~1 hr (~₩6,000); Jinju to Busan another ~1.5 hrs (~₩9,000). Arrive Busan mid-afternoon and head straight for Jagalchi Fish Market — the biggest in Korea — and the Gukje international market next door for street food (seed hotteok, fish cake, ~£9). Catch sunset at Gwangalli Beach, or the cheaper option, Songdo or Haeundae beach walk.

🚌Trains Yeosu–Jinju–Busan ~£9 total; subway ~£1.50

🛏Hostel dorm/private, Busan (Haeundae or Seomyeon) — £18-30

• →Jinjuseong Fortress
• →Jagalchi Fish Market
• →Gukje Market street food
• →Gwangalli Beach sunset

Early train or bus Busan–Gyeongju (~1 hr, ~₩5,000). Gyeongju is an open-air museum: rent a bike (~₩10,000/day) and loop Daereungwon tomb park, Cheomseongdae observatory and Donggung Palace pond. Take bus 12 to Bulguksa Temple (₩6,000 entry) and hike or bus up to the UNESCO Seokguram Grotto (₩6,000). Afternoon bus/train to Andong (~2 hrs, ~₩10,000). Evening: Andong jjimdak (braised chicken) is the local dish, ~£10.

🚌Busan–Gyeongju ~£3; Gyeongju–Andong ~£6; bike hire ~£6

🛏Guesthouse or hanok stay, Andong — £20-32

• →Bulguksa Temple
• →Seokguram Grotto
• →Daereungwon tomb park bike loop
• →Donggung Palace & Wolji Pond
• →Andong jjimdak dinner

Morning at Andong Hahoe Folk Village (UNESCO, entry ~₩5,000) — bus 46 from Andong station, ~35 min. Then the long transfer north: bus Andong to Gangneung/Wonju then to Sokcho (~4-5 hrs total, ~₩25,000/£15). Base yourself in Sokcho near Seoraksan National Park. If time is short, ride the Seorak cable car to Gwongeumseong Fortress (₩11,000 return) for the ridge views; otherwise save the park for the morning.

🚌Bus Andong–Sokcho ~£15; local bus to Hahoe ~£1.50

🛏Guesthouse or budget motel, Sokcho — £22-35

• →Hahoe Folk Village
• →Seorak cable car to Gwongeumseong Fortress
• →Sokcho waterfront evening

Full morning in Seoraksan National Park — a UNESCO biosphere reserve. The Ulsanbawi rock-granite trail (4-5 hrs return, free entry just a small parking fee) is the classic, or the gentler Biryong Falls trail (1.5 hrs). Bus 7 runs from Sokcho to the park gate (~₩1,400). Late afternoon intercity bus Sokcho to Seoul (~2.5 hrs, ~₩18,000). Evening in Seoul — cheap kalguksu noodles or gimbap ~£7.

🚌Local bus to park ~£1; bus Sokcho–Seoul ~£11

🛏Hostel dorm/private, Seoul — £18-30

• →Ulsanbawi or Biryong Falls hike
• →Seoraksan National Park entry
• →Seoul evening food market

Do the half-day Seoul city tour yourself: Gyeongbokgung Palace (₩3,000, free with hanbok rental ~£15 if you fancy it) with the changing-of-the-guard ceremony, then Bukchon Hanok Village, Insadong and a walk up to Naksan Park along the old city wall. Afternoon at Gwangjang Market for bindaetteok and mayak gimbap (~£8). Finish with a Cheonggyecheon stream stroll. Book no tours — everything is walkable plus subway.

🚌Subway day ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm/private, Seoul — £18-30

• →Gyeongbokgung Palace & guard ceremony
• →Bukchon Hanok Village
• →Gwangjang Market food
• →Cheonggyecheon stream walk

Cheap flights Seoul (Gimpo/Incheon) to Tokyo (Haneda/Narita) on Jeju Air, Peach or Zipair typically run £50-90 one way if booked ahead — check comparison sites. From Narita, the Keisei Skyliner or Limousine bus gets you into town for ~£12-18; Haneda is cheaper via monorail/Keikyu line (~£3). Check into a hostel in Asakusa, Shinjuku or Taito. Afternoon wander Asakusa's Senso-ji and buy a Suica/Pasmo card at the airport (~£15 load). Dinner: ramen or standing sushi ~£8.

🚌One-way flight ~£70; airport train ~£12; city subway ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm/private, Tokyo (Asakusa/Shinjuku) — £25-40

• →Flight Seoul–Tokyo
• →Senso-ji Temple & Asakusa evening
• →Suica card setup

Replicate the original's Tokyo morning tour on foot and metro: Meiji Shrine at opening (free, forest walk), then walk to Harajuku's Takeshita Street, then metro to the Imperial Palace East Gardens (free, closed Mon & Fri) and finish at Asakusa Kannon temple and Nakamise shopping arcade. A GetYourGuide/Klook half-day walking tour runs ~£30-40 if you'd like a guide; otherwise free. Optional afternoon: Tokyo Disneyland/DisneySea tickets ~£55-65 if you want the theme park day.

🚌Metro day pass ~£5

🛏Hostel dorm/private, Tokyo — £25-40

• →Meiji Shrine
• →Harajuku Takeshita Street
• →Imperial Palace East Gardens
• →Asakusa Senso-ji & Nakamise arcade

Take the Odakyu Romancecar or a JR train to Odawara (~£15-20, 1.5 hrs) and buy the Hakone Freepass (~£40-45 for 2 days) which covers the whole loop. Ride the Hakone Tozan train and cable car, cruise Lake Ashi, and take the Hakone Ropeway to Mt Komagatake peak for Fuji views (clear-weather morning best). If Fuji is cloudy, the alternative is the Hakone Sekisho checkpoint and Onshi Park. Note: the Fuji 5th Station bus is seasonal (~mid-July to early Sept only) — outside that, Komagatake and Lake Ashi are the views. Overnight in a Hakone hostel or onsen ryokan-style guesthouse (~£35-55).

🚌Train Tokyo–Odawara ~£18; Hakone Freepass ~£43

🛏Hostel/guesthouse with onsen, Hakone — £35-55

• →Lake Ashi cruise
• →Hakone Ropeway to Mt Komagatake
• →Hakone Tozan train & cable car
• →Onsen soak

Morning Shinkansen Odawara (or Odawara–Mishima) to Kyoto — roughly £70-80 (Kodama/Hikari). Drop bags at the hostel then take the JR Nara Line (~45 min, ~£4) to Nara. Walk to Todaiji Temple with its giant Buddha (₩/¥800), feed the deer in Nara Park, and visit Kofukuji Temple's five-storey pagoda. A Klook/GetYourGuide Nara walking tour runs ~£35 if you want a guide. Back to Kyoto for dinner in Pontocho alley (~£12). Book your Kyoto hostel early — cheap beds sell out in peak season.

🚌Shinkansen ~£75; JR to Nara ~£4

🛏Hostel dorm/private or budget hotel, Kyoto — £25-40

• →Todaiji Temple
• →Nara Park deer
• →Kofukuji Temple
• →Pontocho alley dinner

Buy a Kyoto bus/subway day pass (~£5-6) or rent a bike (~£8). Start early at Fushimi Inari Shrine (free) before 8am to beat the crowds on the torii gate trail. Then Nijo Castle (¥1,300) and Kinkakuji Golden Temple (¥500). Lunch on a traditional Kyoto set — yudofu or nishin soba (~£10) instead of the tour's included lunch. Afternoon: Gion stroll and the Philosopher's Path. All independently accessible; no guide needed.

🚌Bus/subway day pass ~£6; entries ~£10

🛏Hostel dorm/private, Kyoto — £25-40

• →Fushimi Inari Shrine early
• →Nijo Castle
• →Kinkakuji Golden Temple
• →Gion & Philosopher's Path

The original keeps this as an optional day. Do it your way: JR/train to Arashiyama (~£2) for the bamboo grove, Tenryuji Temple garden (¥500) and the Togetsukyo bridge. Afternoon back in Gion — book a machiya tea ceremony (~£20-30 on Klook) and, if you want a geisha-culture experience, the Gion Corner show (~¥5,500) or simply walk Hanamikoji at dusk. Budget for a final Kyoto dinner ~£15.

🚌Train ~£2; bus ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm/private, Kyoto — £25-40

• →Arashiyama bamboo grove & Tenryuji
• →Togetsukyo Bridge
• →Tea ceremony (self-booked)
• →Gion evening walk

The tour ends with a transfer to Osaka. Take the JR Special Rapid or Hankyu line from Kyoto to Osaka (~30-45 min, ~£3-4), or the Haruka airport train direct to Kansai International (~£20, 75 min). Last-minute souvenir stop at Kuromon Ichiba market in Osaka for takoyaki and mochi before your flight. If your flight is later, a half-day Osaka Castle or Dotonbori wander is easy to add.

🚌Kyoto–Osaka ~£4; Haruka to KIX ~£20

🛏N/A (departure day)

• →Kuromon Ichiba market
• →Optional Osaka Castle or Dotonbori
• →Departure transfer to KIX