Tour overview

This 12-day journey travels Japan in comfort, with some memorable places to stay. A tour leader travels with the group, which numbers no more than twelve, by bullet train and local train. You stay eleven nights in well-located hotels, including a ryokan in Hakone where every room has its own onsen, with breakfast daily, two lunches and four dinners.

After a welcome dinner in Tokyo you explore its temples and neighbourhoods and join a sushi-making class at the Tsukiji market. In the mountains of Hakone you relax in your private hot spring, then travel to the old merchant town of Takayama for its morning market.

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In Hiroshima you visit the Peace Memorial and share an okonomiyaki dinner. On the way to Kyoto you stop at Himeji Castle, then tour Kyoto's temples and the Fushimi Inari shrine, with a farewell dinner.

The physical rating is low. This trip suits travellers who want Japan's highlights with quality stays.

Trip highlights

  • A sushi-making lunch (Day 3)
  • A private onsen in Hakone (Day 4)
  • Takayama morning market (Day 6)
  • Hiroshima (Day 8)
  • Himeji Castle (Day 9)
  • Fushimi Inari (Day 11)

Your route

8 stops from Tokyo to Kyoto

12-day route: Tokyo – Hakone – Takayama – Hiroshima – Himeji – Kyoto
  1. Tokyo Days 1–3
  2. Hakone Day 4
  3. Takayama Days 5–6
  4. Shirakawa-go Day 6
  5. Hiroshima Days 7–8
  6. Miyajima Day 8
  7. Himeji Castle Day 9
  8. Kyoto Days 9–12

Why choose this tour

Upscale hotels and a private-onsen ryokan. Japan's classic route in comfort.

Best suited to

  • Travellers who value comfort
  • First-time visitors to Japan
  • Food lovers
  • Couples and solo travellers
An artfully presented kaiseki dinner

Day-by-day itinerary

12 days from Tokyo, Japan to Kyoto, Japan

  1. Day 1 · Tokyo Tokyo

    A welcome dinner.

    Hotel
    The Gate Hotel Kaminarimon
    Meals
    Dinner
  2. Day 2 · Asakusa, Tokyo Tokyo

    Temples and neighbourhoods.

    Hotel
    The Gate Hotel Kaminarimon
    Meals
    Breakfast
  3. Day 3 · Tsukiji Tokyo

    A sushi class.

    Hotel
    The Gate Hotel Kaminarimon
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  4. Day 4 · Hakone Hakone

    A private onsen.

    Hotel
    Susukinohara Ichinoyu
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  5. Day 5 · Takayama Takayama

    Into the Alps.

    Hotel
    Hotel Around Takayama
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  6. Day 6 · Takayama morning market Takayama

    An old merchant town.

    Hotel
    Hotel Around Takayama
    Meals
    Breakfast
  7. Day 7 · Hiroshima Hiroshima

    An okonomiyaki dinner.

    Hotel
    Hotel Intergate Hiroshima
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  8. Day 8 · Peace Memorial Park Hiroshima

    A moving visit.

    Hotel
    Hotel Intergate Hiroshima
    Meals
    Breakfast
  9. Day 9 · Himeji Castle, Kyoto Kyoto

    A white castle.

    Hotel
    The Gate Hotel Kyoto Takasegawa
    Meals
    Breakfast
  10. Day 10 · Kyoto Kyoto

    A city tour.

    Hotel
    The Gate Hotel Kyoto Takasegawa
    Meals
    Breakfast
  11. Day 11 · Fushimi Inari Kyoto

    A farewell dinner.

    Hotel
    The Gate Hotel Kyoto Takasegawa
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  12. Day 12 · Kyoto Kyoto

    The trip ends.

    Meals
    Breakfast
Senso-ji temple in Asakusa, Tokyo

Where you stay

  • Tokyo (3 nights) The Gate Hotel Kaminarimon
  • Hakone (1 night) Susukinohara Ichinoyu
  • Takayama (2 nights) Hotel Around Takayama
  • Hiroshima (2 nights) Hotel Intergate Hiroshima
  • Kyoto (3 nights) The Gate Hotel Kyoto Takasegawa

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 11 nights in upscale hotels and a ryokan
  • Meals 11 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 4 dinners
  • Bullet trains and local trains
  • Sushi-making class
  • Hakone ryokan with private onsen
  • Himeji Castle and Fushimi Inari
  • Tour leader throughout

Not included

  • Flights and airport transfers
  • Meals not included 8 lunches and 7 dinners
  • Optional activities
  • Travel insurance and personal spending
A historic street in Takayama

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want a budget trip
  • You want an active holiday
  • You want most meals included
  • You want flights included — they are not

Good to know

Meals by day Breakfast: Days 2–12 · Lunch: Days 3 and 5 · Dinner: Days 1, 4, 7 and 11
FCDO advice UK FCDO travel advice for Japan
Mount Fuji above Lake Ashi in autumn

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £5,272 per person, twin share, tour only. 222 upcoming departures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

Do I need a visa for Japan?

No, UK citizens can visit Japan visa-free for up to 90 days.

What is the Hakone ryokan like?

A traditional inn where every room has its own private onsen bath.

Are airport transfers included?

No, they are not included.

Do I carry my own luggage?

On trains, yes; luggage forwarding is used on some days.

Can I have my own room?

A single supplement is available on request.

How many people travel together?

No more than twelve travellers, with a tour leader.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary

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