13 Days | An onsen-soaking, sake-sipping, bullet train-zipping tour
This 13-day adventure through Japan will introduce you to the cultures – old and new – that define this small but influential archipelago. Beginning in tech-haven Tokyo and finishing with three nights in Kyoto, this immersive trip will also introduce you to lesser-known cities through Japan’s centre and southern reaches. Discover scenic beauty on the Hakone ropeway, sip the best sake in Takayama, find out about the Hiroshima of today and wonder at the floating torii gate of Miyajima. You’ll have a local to guide you through these lesser-known destinations and reveal layers of culture and history. What are you waiting for?
Trip overview
- Start
- Tokyo, Japan
- Finish
- Kyoto, Japan
- Theme
- Explorer, Rail
- Destinations
- Japan
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Original
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 12
- Trip code
- CJST
- Soar high above Lake Ashi and (on a clear day) get a glimpse of glorious Mt Fuji on a ride on the Hakone ropeway.
- Be impressed by the efficiency and ultra modernity of Japan’s bullet trains as you zip from place to place.
- Explore traditional Japanese culture in Edo-period Takayama and visit a folk village, tour a 600-year-old market and a enjoy a sake brewery tasting.
- Visit the Peace Park for moving insight into the devastation of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, then cruise to peaceful Miyajima Island where wild deer roam the streets.
- Finish your tour with three nights in Kyoto, Japan’s cultural capital and home to literally thousands of temples, the Gion District where Geisha entertain the wealthy elite and renowned Kyoto sushi.
- We think Japan is best explored on foot, so this tour involves lots of walking. Please ensure you bring sturdy walking shoes and comfortable clothes. To make the most of the trip, it's best if you have at least a moderate level of fitness.
- In some destinations you may be staying in a minshuku, which is a Japanese-style inn. It’s a great taste of tradition, however not everyone finds futon mattresses on the tatami-mat floor, small bathrooms and close proximity to other guests comfortable. Read more about it in the ‘Accommodation’ section of the Essential Trip Information. For some departures, we may swap them with hotels or vice versa depending on seasonal availability. Please consult your booking agent if you need more details.
- Be prepared to pack light and smart for this trip as you'll be required to carry your own luggage between train stations and to hotels, which can include going up and down multiple flights of stairs in crowded areas.
Itinerary
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2025 - 31 December 2025
Inclusions
2 breakfasts, 2 dinners
Boat, Public Bus, Cable Car, Ferry, Metro, Bullet Train, Train
Hotel (8 nights), Japanese Inn ( 4 nights)
- Nikko - Toshogu Shrine
- Hakone - public onsen
- Hakone - Cable car/Ropeway
- Hakone - Lake Ashinoko boat cruise
- Takayama - Hida Folk Village
- Takayama - Market visit with snack sampling
- Takayama - Sake brewery tasting
- Hiroshima - Peace Park & A - Bomb Dome
- Hiroshima - Peace Museum
- Hiroshima - Miyajima Island
- Himeji - Himeji Castle
- Kyoto - Temple/Shrine entrance (2)
- Kyoto - Gion District walk
- Tokyo - Hama Rikyu Garden - JPY300
- Tokyo - Sumida Hokusai Museum - JPY400
- Tokyo - Tokyo National Museum - JPY1000
- Tokyo - Ueno Park - Free
- Nikko - Bus to Chuzenji Lake (return) - JPY2500
- Nikko - Imperial Villa - JPY600
- Hakone - Open-Air Museum - JPY2000
- Hakone - Checkpoint Museum - JPY500
- Hakone - Onsen (public hot spring bath) - JPY1500
- Takayama - Festival Float Museum - JPY1000
- Takayama - Kusakabe Traditional House - JPY1000
- Takayama - Bike hire (per day) - JPY1000
- Takayama - Showa Museum - JPY1000
- Takayama - Takayama Jinya Building - JPY440
- Miyajima - Itsukushima-jinja Shrine - JPY300
- Kyoto - Bike hire (per day) from - JPY1200
- Kyoto - Sanjusangendo Temple - JPY600
- Kyoto - Kiyomizu-dera - JPY500
- Kyoto - Tea Ceremony with Maiko/Geisha - JPY14300
- Kyoto - Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) - JPY500
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A Single Supplement is currently not available for this trip due to limited rooms at our chosen accommodation.
2. It is essential that you pack light and compact for rail travel in Japan. There are size restrictions for luggage on Shinkansen trains. Luggage from 160cm to 250cm may require an additional JPY1000 oversize luggage fee per train journey. Luggage over 251cm will NOT be permitted on the Shinkansen trains at all. Please notify your tour leader at your Welcome Meeting if your luggage is from 160cm to 250cm so they can make the necessary arrangements.
3. We are currently unable to book pre or post trip accommodation at our start and finish point hotels due to limited room availability. We recommend booking a hotel of your choice through your booking agent.
4. We are not able to book airport shuttle service for Japan now. Japan has an extensive and efficient public transport system and the joining and finishing point instructions are listed in the Essential Trip Information.
5. Please note that there are generally less double rooms in Japanese hotels, even those in Western style. While every effort will be made to accommodate double room requests, this may not always be possible.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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