Japan and South Korea are neighbours, a one-hour flight apart, and both serve up palaces, temples, bullet trains, extraordinary food and cities that seem to run about 20 years ahead of ours. But they feel completely different. Japan is serene, precise and quietly perfectionist: the land of the 3am queue for a perfect bowl of ramen. Korea is louder, warmer and more spontaneous: the land of the barbecue that somehow turns into karaoke. Picking one first is a lovely problem to have.
This guide explains how they differ, compares our South Korea tours, and covers the two tours that let you skip the dilemma entirely by doing both. For Japan on its own, our Japan tours guide compares every tour in detail.
The quick answer
- Japan first if you want the classic temples and gardens, Mount Fuji and the Golden Route.
- Korea first if you love food, want somewhere less crowded and usually better value, or are a fan of K-culture.
- Both on South Korea & Japan by Bullet Train (16 days, everything included) or South Korea & Japan’s Scenic South (22 days).
- Best Korea starter: Highlights of South Korea with Flights, or Discover South Korea for a small group and a temple stay.
The tours compared
| Tour | Days | Price from | Physical rating | Group size | Flights included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Both countries | ||||||
| South Korea & Japan: Seoul, Kyoto & Tokyo by Bullet Train – 16 Days | 16 | £8,624 pp incl. flights | Not stated | Not stated | Yes | Everything included, by bullet train |
| South Korea & Japan’s Scenic South with Flights – 22 Days | 22 | £8,576 pp incl. flights | Medium | Not stated | Yes | Six nights in Korea, then Japan's south |
| South Korea | ||||||
| Highlights of South Korea with Flights – 13 Days | 13 | £4,409 pp incl. flights | Low | Not stated | Yes | The classic route, with flights |
| Scenic South Korea with Flights: Seoul, Busan & Mount Seorak – 13 Days | 13 | £6,590 pp incl. flights | Low | Max 28 | Yes | Full board, with flights |
| Discover South Korea: Seoul, Gyeongju & a Temple Stay – 12 Days | 12 | £4,710 pp | Low | Max 16 | No | Small group, temple stay |
| Luxury South Korea: Seoul, a Temple Stay & Jeju – 9 Days | 9 | £3,311 pp | Low | Max 12 | No | In comfort, with Jeju |
| South Korea Food Adventure: Seoul, Jeonju, Gyeongju & Busan – 8 Days | 8 | £2,083 pp | Medium | Max 12 | No | Food lovers |
| South Korea for 18–35s: Seoul, Jeonju, Daegu & Busan – 9 Days | 9 | £1,110 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | 18 to 35s |
| Japan, for comparison | ||||||
| Japan Highlights: Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima & Osaka – 9 Days | 9 | £2,560 pp | Low | Max 12 | No | Japan's highlights in nine days |
Prices are per person, twin share, live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). The lowest price can apply to a later departure, so check the dates you want on each tour page.
Ask us: Korea, Japan or both? →
How they differ
Atmosphere. Japan is calm, orderly and polite to a degree that will make you apologise to vending machines. Korea is lively, emotional and sociable, with a fondness for night markets and singing.
Food. Both are spectacular. Japan is about precision: sushi, kaiseki, ramen, the perfect tempura. Korea is about abundance and sharing: barbecue at the table, bibimbap, fried chicken and beer, and a dozen little side dishes (banchan) with everything.
Sights. Japan has Kyoto’s temples, Mount Fuji, Hiroshima and Nara. Korea has Seoul’s palaces, the DMZ, Gyeongju’s royal tombs and the mountains of Seoraksan.
Crowds and cost. Japan’s famous sights can be very busy, especially in cherry-blossom season. Korea is usually quieter and often better value, though both are easy, safe and efficient to travel around.
Do both on one tour
South Korea & Japan: Seoul, Kyoto & Tokyo by Bullet Train
South Korea & Japan: Seoul, Kyoto & Tokyo by Bullet Train – 16 Days
- 16 days
- From £8,624 per person incl. flights
- Seoul, South Korea to Tokyo, Japan
- Flights included
- Departures in March, April, May, September, October, November
Sixteen days, fully inclusive: return flights from the UK, 3-star-plus and 4-star hotels, every meal, guided sightseeing with entrance fees and high-speed trains in both countries. In Korea: Seoul’s changing of the guard, a bibimbap cooking class, the DMZ, Gyeongju and Busan’s markets. A one-hour flight to Fukuoka then leads to Hiroshima and Miyajima, Kurashiki, Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Hakone and Tokyo.
Suits: travellers who want both countries with everything arranged. The honest drawback: most days are fully guided, and there’s little time for your own restaurant finds.
South Korea & Japan's Scenic South
South Korea & Japan’s Scenic South with Flights – 22 Days
- 22 days
- From £8,576 per person incl. flights
- Busan, South Korea to Tokyo, Japan
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights included
- Departures in March, April, May, September, October
Twenty-two days with a tour director and return flights from London Heathrow: six nights in Korea (Busan’s Gamcheon village and Jagalchi market, Gyeongju, Hahoe Folk Village and Seoul with the DMZ), then a flight to Fukuoka and Japan’s lesser-visited south: Nagasaki and the abandoned island of Gunkanjima, the hot springs of Beppu, Miyajima and Hiroshima, before the Golden Route to Tokyo, with a night in a traditional ryokan and a kaiseki dinner.
Suits: travellers who want depth in Japan as well as a taste of Korea. The honest drawback: it’s long, rooms in Japan are compact, and few meals are included.
South Korea on its own
Highlights of South Korea with Flights
Highlights of South Korea with Flights – 13 Days
- 13 days
- From £4,409 per person incl. flights
- Starts and ends in United Kingdom
- Physical rating: low
- Flights included
- Departures in March, April, May, September, October, November
Thirteen days with a tour director, return flights, transfers and checked luggage: Gyeongbok Palace and Gwangjang Market in Seoul, a free day, the DMZ and a soju tasting at a family distillery, a hand-pulled barge to Abai Village in Sokcho, Seoraksan National Park, Hahoe Folk Village, Gyeongju and Busan with a Korean barbecue, then the KTX bullet train back to Seoul.
Suits: first-timers who want everything arranged, flights included. The honest drawback: not a small group, and few meals are included.
Discover South Korea: a small group and a temple stay
Discover South Korea: Seoul, Gyeongju & a Temple Stay – 12 Days
- 12 days
- From £4,710 per person
- Max 16 people
- Starts and ends in Seoul, South Korea
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in March, April, May, September, October
Twelve days with a tour leader and four to 16: Seoul’s palaces and Bukchon hanok village, Panmunjom on the border, a cooking class and a walk in Seoraksan, Hahoe Folk Village, Gyeongju’s tumuli and Bulguksa, a night at Haeinsa Temple with a vegetarian meal and a dawn ceremony, Busan and the bullet train back to Seoul.
Suits: culture lovers who want a small group. The honest drawback: early starts, and only a few meals beyond breakfast.
Luxury South Korea: Seoul, a temple stay and Jeju
Luxury South Korea: Seoul, a Temple Stay & Jeju – 9 Days
- 9 days
- From £3,311 per person
- Max 12 people
- Seoul, South Korea to Jeju Island, South Korea
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
Nine days for up to 12, premium: a hot-pot welcome dinner, lunch at a food expert’s home, a meeting with a North Korean defector, the DMZ, Jeonju’s hanok village and bibimbap, a night at Haeinsa Temple, and the volcanic island of Jeju with Sunrise Peak, black pork barbecue and a meeting with the haenyeo, Jeju’s famous women divers.
Suits: food lovers who want comfort and memorable encounters. The honest drawback: the temple night is simple, and it moves on often.
Also in Korea: Scenic South Korea (13 days) with flights and every meal, including Boseong’s tea fields and Yeosu; the South Korea Food Adventure (8 days), from fried chicken and beer in Seoul to a night in a hanok in Jeonju and a cooking class in Busan; and South Korea for 18–35s (9 days), by bus and train, mostly in hostels.
How to choose
First trip to Asia? Either works brilliantly. Japan’s classic sights are the bigger draw for most people; Korea is the easier, quieter and usually cheaper introduction.
By time. A week to 10 days for one country; 16 days for both; three weeks for both with Japan’s south.
By budget. Korea’s small-group and 18–35s trips are good value. The combined tours include flights and, on the 16-day trip, every meal, so they look higher. Live prices are in the table above.
When to go
Spring (cherry blossom, roughly late March to April) and autumn (October and November, with spectacular leaves) are the best seasons in both countries. Summer is hot, humid and wet; winter is cold but clear. The months for each tour are in its fact panel above.
UK visitors need a K-ETA (electronic travel authorisation) for South Korea, unless exempt at the time of travel, and no visa for a holiday in Japan. Check the FCDO travel advice for South Korea and Japan for the latest rules.
Frequently asked questions
Should I visit South Korea or Japan first?
Japan first for the classic temples, gardens and Mount Fuji; Korea first for food, fewer crowds and usually better value. Or combine both on one tour.
Can I visit South Korea and Japan on one tour?
Yes, South Korea & Japan by Bullet Train (16 days) and South Korea & Japan’s Scenic South (22 days), both with flights from the UK.
How do you travel between Korea and Japan?
Both combined tours fly from Korea to Fukuoka on Kyushu, which takes about an hour.
Is South Korea cheaper than Japan?
Usually, especially for food and small-group trips, though prices depend on the tour and season.
Can I visit the DMZ on a tour?
Yes, most of our South Korea tours, and the 16-day combined tour, include a DMZ visit.
When is the best time to visit Korea and Japan?
Spring and autumn, for blossom or autumn colours and comfortable temperatures.
Korea, Japan or both?
Tell us what you're most excited about, and a Travelisto specialist will help you choose where to start, or how to do both.
Keep planning
- All escorted tours in South Korea
- Escorted tours in Japan
- Japan tours compared
- South Korea holidays
- Japan holidays
Prices are live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). Tour details and dates can change; your specialist will confirm everything before you book.
