Tour overview

This 12-day trip travels across Japan by bullet train and local rail, mixing famous sights with time in quieter towns. A local leader travels with the group, which numbers no more than twelve. You stay eleven nights in hotels, a traditional minshuku inn and a family homestay, with a few meals included.

From Tokyo you head to Hakone for a cable car ride and a boat across Lake Ashi, staying in a Japanese inn. In the mountain town of Takayama you browse the morning market, visit the Hida Folk Village and make incense at a temple.

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You visit the Peace Park and museum in Hiroshima and the island of Miyajima, then spend two nights with a family in Hagi, a coastal samurai town, before finishing among the temples and gardens of Kyoto.

The physical rating is medium. This trip suits travellers who want classic Japan with real local encounters.

Trip highlights

  • A Japanese inn in Hakone (Day 2)
  • Lake Ashi by boat (Day 3)
  • Takayama morning market (Day 5)
  • Hiroshima Peace Park (Day 6)
  • Miyajima (Day 7)
  • A family homestay in Hagi (Days 8–9)

Your route

7 stops from Tokyo to Kyoto

12-day route: Tokyo – Hakone – Takayama – Hiroshima – Miyajima – Hagi – Kyoto
  1. Tokyo Day 1
  2. Hakone Days 2–3
  3. Takayama Days 4–5
  4. Hiroshima Days 6–7
  5. Miyajima Day 7
  6. Hagi Days 8–9
  7. Kyoto Days 10–12

Why choose this tour

Classic Japan plus a homestay. Bullet trains and local life.

Best suited to

  • First-time visitors to Japan
  • Culture lovers
  • Solo travellers
  • Rail lovers
The torii gate on Lake Ashi in morning mist

Day-by-day itinerary

12 days from Tokyo, Japan to Kyoto, Japan

  1. Day 1 · Tokyo Tokyo

    Welcome to Japan.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  2. Day 2 · Tokyo, Hakone Hakone

    To the mountains.

    Hotel
    Minshuku
  3. Day 3 · Lake Ashi, Hakone Ropeway Hakone

    A lake cruise.

    Hotel
    Minshuku
  4. Day 4 · Takayama Takayama

    By bullet train.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  5. Day 5 · Takayama morning market, Hida Folk Village Takayama

    An old town.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  6. Day 6 · Hiroshima Peace Park Hiroshima

    Peace Park.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  7. Day 7 · Miyajima Miyajima

    The floating torii.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  8. Day 8 · Hagi Hagi

    A samurai town.

    Hotel
    Homestay
    Meals
    Dinner
  9. Day 9 · Hagi Hagi

    Family life.

    Hotel
    Homestay
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  10. Day 10 · Kyoto Kyoto

    The old capital.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  11. Day 11 · Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto Kyoto

    Temples.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  12. Day 12 · Kyoto Kyoto

    The trip ends.

A historic street in Takayama

Where you stay

  • Tokyo (1 night) Hotel
  • Hakone (2 nights) Minshuku
  • Takayama (2 nights) Hotel
  • Hiroshima (2 nights) Hotel
  • Hagi (2 nights) Homestay
  • Kyoto (2 nights) Hotel

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

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 11 nights in hotels, an inn and a homestay
  • Meals 4 breakfasts and 2 dinners
  • Bullet trains and local transport
  • Hakone cable car and Lake Ashi cruise
  • Hida Folk Village and incense making
  • Hiroshima Peace Museum and Miyajima
  • Local leader throughout

Not included

  • Flights
  • Meals not included 7 breakfasts, 10 lunches and 9 dinners
  • Optional activities
  • Travel insurance and personal spending
The floating torii gate at Miyajima

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want luxury hotels
  • You want most meals included
  • You dislike carrying luggage on trains
  • You want flights included — they are not

Good to know

Meals by day Breakfast: Days 5–6 and 9–10 · Lunch: none included · Dinner: Days 8–9
The Atomic Bomb Dome at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, Japan

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £3,356 per person, twin share, tour only. 181 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 homestay like?

Two nights with a local family, sharing their home and meals.

How do we travel?

By bullet train, local trains and buses.

Which meals are included?

A few breakfasts and dinners, including homestay meals.

Can I have my own room?

A single supplement may be available; otherwise solo travellers share with someone of the same gender.

How many people travel together?

No more than twelve travellers, with a local 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
From £3,356
See dates & prices