Tour overview

This 9-day trip packs Japan's highlights into a short holiday, travelling by public transport and bullet train. A local leader travels with the group, which numbers no more than twelve. You stay eight nights in hotels and one in a countryside homestay, with a few meals included.

After exploring Tokyo's historic temples and neon districts, you head into the green-tea country of Kawane for a night with a local family, sleeping on futons on tatami mats.

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In Kyoto you visit its most photogenic temples and shrines, then travel by bullet train to Hiroshima for the Peace Park and the island of Miyajima, finishing in Osaka with its street food.

The physical rating is low. This trip suits first-time visitors who want Japan in a week.

Trip highlights

  • Tokyo (Day 2)
  • A homestay in Kawane (Day 3)
  • Kyoto (Days 4–5)
  • Hiroshima Peace Park (Day 7)
  • Miyajima (Day 7)
  • Osaka street food (Day 8)

Your route

6 stops from Tokyo to Osaka

9-day route: Tokyo – Kawane – Kyoto – Hiroshima – Miyajima – Osaka
  1. Tokyo Days 1–2
  2. Kawane Day 3
  3. Kyoto Days 4–5
  4. Hiroshima Days 6–7
  5. Miyajima Day 7
  6. Osaka Days 8–9

Why choose this tour

Japan's highlights in nine days. A night with a local family.

Best suited to

  • First-time visitors to Japan
  • Travellers short on time
  • Solo travellers
  • Food lovers
Tokyo Skytree framed by Senso-ji Temple

Day-by-day itinerary

9 days from Tokyo, Japan to Osaka, Japan

  1. Day 1 · Tokyo Tokyo

    Welcome to Japan.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  2. Day 2 · Asakusa, Shibuya Tokyo

    Temples and neon.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  3. Day 3 · Kanaya, Kawane Kawane

    Tea country.

    Hotel
    Homestay
    Meals
    Dinner
  4. Day 4 · Kyoto Kyoto

    The old capital.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  5. Day 5 · Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama Kyoto

    Shrines.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  6. Day 6 · Hiroshima Hiroshima

    By bullet train.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Dinner
  7. Day 7 · Hiroshima Peace Park, Miyajima Hiroshima

    Peace Park.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  8. Day 8 · Osaka Osaka

    Street food.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Dinner
  9. Day 9 · Osaka Osaka

    The trip ends.

    Meals
    Breakfast
Neat rows of a green tea plantation in Japan

Where you stay

  • Tokyo (2 nights) Hotel
  • Kawane (1 night) Homestay
  • Kyoto (2 nights) Hotel
  • Hiroshima (2 nights) Hotel
  • Osaka (1 night) Hotel

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

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 7 hotel nights and 1 homestay night
  • Meals 2 breakfasts and 3 dinners
  • Public transport and bullet trains
  • Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima walks
  • Kawane homestay
  • Miyajima ferry
  • Local leader throughout

Not included

  • Flights
  • Meals not included 6 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 5 dinners
  • Optional activities
  • Travel insurance and personal spending
The floating torii gate at Itsukushima

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want a slow pace
  • You want luxury hotels
  • You want most meals included
  • You want flights included — they are not

Good to know

Meals by day Breakfast: Days 4 and 9 · Lunch: none included · Dinner: Days 3, 6 and 8
The vermilion torii gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £2,560 per person, twin share, tour only. 145 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?

A night with a family in a rural home, sleeping on futons on tatami mats with shared facilities.

How do we travel?

By metro, local trains, buses and bullet trains.

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 £2,560
See dates & prices