Classic Japan

  • Duration : 12 days
  • Locations : Tokyo, Hakone Mt Fuji, Hiroshima, Kyoto

This tour of Japan takes you to Tokyo, Kyoto, Mount Fuji, Hiroshima and the sacred island of Miyajima.

Included in this self-guided tour : accommodation, Japan Rail Pass, airport transfers, pocket Wi-Fi and a complete mini-guide.

Japan Experience's added bonus: in Kyoto, a night visit of the geisha district included, with an English speaking guide. Immersion in Japanese culture guaranteed !


12-day itinerary 

  • Departure city/airport : Tokyo (Narita : NRT or Haneda : HND)
  • Tokyo (4 nights)
  • Hakone-Mount Fuji (1 night)
  • Hiroshima (2 nights)
  • Kyoto (4 nights)
  • End Return airport : Osaka (Kansai international airport : KIX)

Please find below the itinerary details.

Tour length :11 nights / 12 days (+ 1 day at the beginning if you leave from Europe)

Indeed, the tour departure and end dates presented on this page relate to your stay in Japan. On departure, you will have to leave Europe on the day before. The return flight is on the same day due to the time difference.

Example : 

  • Departure from Europe : January 1st
  • Arrival Tokyo (date to be selected in the tour calendar while booking) : January 2nd
  • Return flight from Kansai international airport : January 13th

Like this tour but are also drawn to the Japanese Alps ?

Instead, we recommend "Highlights of Japan".


Why this trip to Japan ?

  1. Welcomed at the airport by our team, you will be taken to your hotel in Tokyo by shuttle bus
  2. Head to the edge of Mount Fuji for an unforgettable dinner and overnight stay in a ryokan
  3. Take the Shinkansen to Hiroshima and visit the sacred island of Miyajima
  4. Go to Kyoto, where a night-time guided tour of the Gion district awaits you
  5. Take advantage of your transport passes : Japan Rail Pass, Hakone Free Pass...
  6. Enjoy unlimited internet access thanks to your pocket Wi-Fi
  7. If needed, contact our bilingual Japanese/English-speaking assistance team available 7/7
  8. A number of guided days or other optional activities are available
  9. On the final day, a shuttle bus will take you from your accommodation to the airport
  10. Benefit from the expertise of Japan Experience, European leading travel agency in Japan.

 

Your trip in detail

Itinerary

  • Day 1 : Wake up in Tokyo 東京

    Arrival at Tokyo airport (Narita or Haneda).

    Welcome to Japan! Yokoso 日本へようこそ!

    Welcomed out of customs by our airport assistant, who will give you all your travel documents and Pocket WiFi.

    Unaccompanied transfer from the airport to Tokyo (see details).

    This transfer is done in a shared shuttle or bus, with other guests departing for the same hotel or a hotel close to yours. These transfers depart between 1.5 and 3 hours after your scheduled flight arrival and stops can be made before your hotel.

    If you would like a private, non-stop transfer directly after the actual arrival of your flight, feel free to take the "Private Taxi from the Airport" option.

    Check-in at Hotel OMO3 Tokyo Akasaka by Hoshino Resorts or same category hotel 3* (rooms available from 3:00pm).

    Dinner and evening at your leisure.

  • Day 2 : First steps in the capital

    What is there to do in Tokyo on the first day?

    We advise you to slowly start visiting Tokyo from its western districts:

    - Harajuku: the avant-garde district

    - Meiji Jingû, the imperial shrine

    - Takeshita-Dori: the most famous street in Japan

    - Omotesando: Tokyo's Champs-Élysées

    - Shibuya and its unmistakable "crossroads"

    One of our many experienced English-speaking guides can also accompany you to visit the classic sights of Tokyo (optional, from 9:00 to 17:00).

  • Day 3 : The big loop

    For this second day of visiting Tokyo, we recommend the following "loop".



    Start from Tokyo Central Station, with its original architecture, then go to visit:

    - Ginza, Tokyo's chic district

    - Tsukiji, the small outdoor food market

    - Hamarikyu, the Japanese garden between Tokyo's buildings

    - Asakusa, a traditional district and place of pilgrimage, accessible by a cruise on the Sumida River

    - Sensô-ji Buddhist temple, one of the oldest in the city

    - Tokyo Sky Tree reaching a height of 643m, and its panoramic view of Tokyo at sunset 

    Enjoy a cruise on the Sumida River between Hamarikyu and Asakusa.

  • Day 4 : Follow the guide

    There are still many places to discover according to your taste ! Ueno, Yanaka, Odaiba...

    Don't hesitate to book an English-speaking guide for the day (optional) to visit Tokyo off the beaten path!

    Make the most of our many optional activities:

    - Are you looking more for fun? Ghibli Museum, Disneyland or Hello Kitty Park are waiting for you!

    - Do you prefer a themed activity? book a visit on an architecture tour, gardens, home cooking or Noh's theatre.

    - Chasing thrills? Let yourself be tempted by a helicopter ride or a sumo tournament (in season)!

  • Day 5 : At the heart of the Japanese soul

    In the morning, we advise that you have your luggage sent to the hotel in Hiroshima (details in your travel diary, check with the hotel reception) and that you travel light for your night in Hakone.

    Go to Shinjuku station to activate your Hakone Free Pass and board a train to Hakone Yumoto (1.5 hour journey, details in your travel guide, all inclusive). The train will gradually leave the Japanese megalopolis behind and head deeper into the valleys of the Mount Fuji region. You will arrive in Hakone in the late morning. Reach your Ichinoyu Shinkan ryokan or same category hotel  to drop off your small bag and explore the area.

    Be charmed by the beautiful scenery of this spa, Lake Ashi and its view of Mount Fuji (on a clear day!). Not forgetting the volcanic site of Owakudani, accessible by cable car. All transportation (train, bus, cable car, funicular) is included in your package.

    If you wish to be accompanied during this day, one of our English-speaking guides can show you all the secrets of the Mount Fuji region (optional).

    Come back to the ryokan in the late afternoon as your traditional Japanese dinner awaits you around 18:30, before enjoying a Japanese-style night!

    Details below on the night in the ryokan.

  • Day 6 : Make way for history

    Traditional Japanese breakfast at the ryokan.

    Meet at Hakone Yumoto station and then Odawara station to board one of the fastest trains in the world : the Shinkansen!

    Shinkansen trip to Hiroshima (1 change, about 5 hours, free with your Japan Rail Pass). Enjoy Mount Fuji one final time from the right side of the train.

    Arrive in Hiroshima in the early afternoon. Check into your 3* Intergate Hotel or same category hotel .

    Visit the park and the peace memorial, the castle and its park full of cherry trees before tasting one of Hiroshima's specialities: okonomiyaki!

  • Day 7 : The Sacred Island

    Breakfast at the hotel.

    A short 30-minute journey and boat ride to Miyajima Island, its shrines and its large gate (ootorii) standing in the sea.

    (Please note: The ootorii is under construction until an unspecified date). Take the cable car up to Mount Misen and then descend on foot. A breathtaking view of Hiroshima Bay is waiting for you!



    In the late afternoon, head back to Hiroshima. 

  • Day 8 : The former capital

    Breakfast at the hotel.

    Take the Shinkansen to Kyoto (about 2h30) and check into the Tsugu 京都三条 Hotel or same category hotel 3*.

    You have 3 days to visit Kyoto.

    Start in the afternoon in the historic Gion district near your accommodation :

    - Kiyomizu-Dera, the great water temple

    - The historical streets of Sannen-zaka & Ninnen-zaka

    - Kodai-ji, the maple and bamboo temple of Kyoto

    Finish off seeing the sunset in Gion. Meet your guide at 19:00 to start your late stroll around Gion, Kyoto's historic district.

    More details on the exact time and location in your travel diary. At the end of this 1 hour 30 walk, your guide will be able to advise you on the best places to eat out! Please note that it is strictly forbidden to take photographs in the historic district of Gion.

  • Day 9 : Gold and Silver Treasures

    We recommend the following itinerary for this second day's visit to Kyoto:

    - Ryoan-ji Zen Garden

    - The Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)

    - Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)

    - The bewitching path of philosophy

    - The Nanzen-ji temple

    One of our many experienced English-speaking guides can accompany you on a tour of these symbolic sites (optional, from 9:00 to 17:00).

  • Day 10 : Now for some activity...

    Continue to visit Kyoto heading west :

    - Nishiki, Kyoto's culinary market

    - Nijo castle, former residence of the shogun

    - Arashiyama, to visit the bamboo grove and its monkey mountain

    This is your last full day to visit Kyoto, so make the most of our many optional activities:

    - Want to enjoy nature? Check out our cycling activities along the Kamogawa River or hiking in the Takao Gorge!

    - Prefer Japanese arts? tea ceremonies, meditation activities or private visits to secret gardens will seduce you.

    - Looking for Japanese countryside? Let yourself be tempted by a trip to Ohara, or try our flagship activity: on the Tea Road!

  • Day 11 : Between temples and deer

    For your last day, we recommend taking the 50 minute journey to Nara, which is included in your package.

    Visit to Nara, the first permanent capital of Japan in the 8th century:

    Discover:

    - The Shinto shrine Kasuga Taisha and its thousands of lanterns

    - The Todaiji, its great bronze Buddha and the imposing Nan-Daimon gate

    - Kofukuji temple and its beautiful pagoda

    Return to Kyoto and stop for sunset at Fushimi Inari, the huge 10,000 torii sanctuary in Kyoto. If you wish to be accompanied on this day, one of our English-speaking guides will unveil all the secrets of Japan's first capital (optional, return trip from Kyoto).

  • Day 12 : Sayonara, and see you next time!

    Direct transfer to Kansai International Airport (included but not accompanied).

    Return flight to Europe, North America, Australia.

    Do not hesitate to extend your trip by one or more days to Kansai or elsewhere... We will be able to advise you!

     

     

    Included in your self-guided tour

  • Accommodation

    - 4 nights in a 3* hotel in the heart of Tokyo, close to public transport

    - 1 night in a 3* ryokan in Hakone Mount Fuji, traditional half-board

    - 2 nights in a 3* hotel in Hiroshima, between the train station and the Peace Memorial Park

    - 4 nights in a 3* hotel in the heart of Kyoto, close to public transport

    The basic rate includes a twin room for two people.

  • Transport

    Airport transfers to Tokyo

    - Return airport transfer Kyoto -> KIX

    - Prepaid public transport card

    - Hakone Free Pass for 2 days

    - Japan Rail Pass for 7 days

  • Experiences and meals

    Airport welcome

    Traditional dinner and breakfast in the ryokan at Hakone

    Discounts at many Hakone tourist sites

    - 2 breakfasts in Hiroshima

    Guided night tour of Gion (1h30)

  • Additional services

    - Unlimited Wi-Fi access with pocket Wi-Fi

    - Complete e-travel diary sent before your departure

    - The helpline is available from 8am to 10pm Japanese time, 7 days a week, in English and Japanese. The number will be given to you in your travel pack. It is valid for telephone calls and Whatsapp.

  • Not included in the price of your trip

    - Flights Europe <> Japan

    - Optional insurance policies

    - Personal expenses including meals (breakfast optional)

    - Public transport when your transport cards have run out (see details)

    - Anything not included in the "included in your tour" section

More about your trip

Your tour :

  • The prices displayed on this page may vary according to the exchange rate of the Japanese ¥.
  • Unfortunately, this tour is not accessible to people with reduced mobility.
  • Pets are not allowed.
  • Children and babies accepted. From 3 to 11 years old a child rate is offered. In each accommodation, a standard adult bed will be offered to them, and a standard seat will be allocated to them in transport. From 0 to 2 years old inclusive, a "baby" rate is offered. This price corresponds to the allocation of a cot in the majority of the accommodation of the chosen circuit. However, we cannot guarantee a baby cot in each accommodation.
  • This programme is subject to change due to circumstances such as weather conditions or any other case of force majeure. Please note that due to the current circumstances, any information mentioned is subject to change or modification.
  • Your travel documents will be given to you as follows:
    • Travel diary by email 3 weeks before departure, and other electronic documents 
    • Paper documents (airport transfer ticket, transportation card, Japan Rail Pass voucher) and Pocket WiFi upon arrival at the airport by our airport assistant.
  • N.B.: no ticket for airport transfers from Kansai airport. The reservation is registered in the name of the tour reservation.
  • N.B.: In very rare cases, mostly in very high season, steps might be reversed. You will be informed in your mini travel-guide. Thanks for your kind understanding.

Your accommodation :

  • Some hotels may ask you to pay a tourist tax on arrival. This depends on the city and even the hotel, as some do not include it in the booking price. Normally, it is 200¥/night/person (about £1.37/1.93$) but can be slightly higher in 4* hotels. It must be paid in cash at the hotel reception. For traditional Japan Experience accommodations, it is included in the initial tour price.
  • Room size: in Japan, a densely populated country where everything is compact, 3-star luxury hotels are of very good quality but the rooms are often quite narrow (12 to 20m2/129 sq ft to 215 sq ft) depending on the hotel. Please note the size of the single room, between 10 and 16m2 (107sq ft and 172 fq ft). For more comfort, you can choose our luxury 4* accommodation upgrade option. 
  • Double room: Rooms for two people in western hotels have 2 single beds (twin rooms) by default, which can usually be joined together. As an option, you can select a double room instead of a twin if you prefer a double bed.
  • Single room: People travelling alone and wishing to book a single room must pay a supplement at the time of booking. The single room supplement is compulsory for orders with an odd number of participants. Please note that if you request more than two people in a single room, the single room supplement will be applied to all accommodation except for the ryokans (3 and 4*). In fact, as this is traditional accommodation, people with the same reservation are grouped together in spacious rooms for up to 5 people.
  • 3-person room: If there are 3, 5 or more of you and you do not select the single supplement, a triple room will be allocated to you.
  • In the case of a group order (> 5 people), it is possible, depending on hotel availability, that not all members of the group will be accommodated in the same hotel. Nevertheless, we aim to keep you close. 
  • Names of the hotels : The names given on the site are for information only. In the event of unavailability, an establishment of equivalent standing will be scheduled. Hotels, corresponding to local standards, are given as an indication and may be changed on site for hotels of a similar category.
  • In the ryokan, guests sleep on comfortable futons placed on the tatami mat. The room has a private sink and toilet. As is customary in Japanese ryokan, the onsen bathroom is shared (not mixed) unless you take the "private bathroom in the room" option.

    OPTIONAL: Enjoy a private Japanese bathroom (traditional or modern onsen) in your room. This option is recommended for mixed couples, families, people who are modest or have visible tattoos.

    The 4* ryokan (see 4* option) have comfortable futons raised on either western beds in a traditional tatami room. The bathrooms and toilets of the 4* ryokans are private.

Your transport :

  • Flights are not included in this tour. Do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to include flights in your order: Flights in economy class with stopovers or direct flights, eco-premium or business air upgrades, provincial departures or abroad: we will be able to advise you.
  • The tour departure and end dates presented on this page relate to your stay in Japan. You will arrive in Japan via Tokyo (Narita or Haneda airports) and depart from Kansai airport (KIX, not Itami ITM). On departure, you will have to leave Europe the day before and land at 6:30 p.m. at the most to make the most of the airport services of your circuit (reception and transfer to Tokyo).

    The return flight is on the same day due to the time difference, with a departure time of 9am at the earliest. Please do not hesitate to consult us for any uncertainty or need for precision in the choice of international flights.
  • If the flights have been purchased by your care without the intervention of Japan Experience, it is necessary to send us by mail 1 month before your departure your flight information (flight number, airport, date and time of arrival) to allow us 'Organize your welcome and airport transfer.
  • Airport Transfers: The shared limousine bus leaves from the airport and stops either in front of your hotel or at a stop within 1-15 minutes walk from your hotel. Our airport assistant in Tokyo will drive you to the platform to pick up the airport transfer. The transfer to the hotel is unassisted. If you wish to be accompanied from the airport to your hotel reception, please choose the option "Accompanied Airport Transfer". This transfer is done in a shared shuttle or bus, with other clients leaving for the same hotel or a hotel close to yours. These transfers leave between 1.5 and 3 hours after your flight's scheduled arrival and stops can be made before your hotel. If you would like a private, non-stop transfer directly after the actual arrival of your flight, feel free to take the "Private Taxi from the Airport" option. Please note: due to the many changes in flight schedules by the airlines, if the airline notifies you of a change in arrival time less than 72 hours before your departure, and if it exceeds 45 minutes, we cannot guarantee your airport shuttle. You will then have to take a taxi at your own expense, requesting a refund from your airline for abusive schedule changes. The same applies to your return journey: 72 hours before your return flight, we cannot change the shuttle schedule. Similarly, you will have to take a taxi booked with the hotel, at your own expense, with reimbursement procedures with the airline company being the only solution. Japan Experience is not responsible for last minute schedule changes. On the way back, the shared shuttle bus leaves from your hotel or very close by to take you directly to the Kansai KIX airport in 1 hour 30.
  • Included in your tour is a pre-charged transport prepayment card of ¥ 1,500 (around £10.30 / 14.54$) (Suica or Pasmo brand); a transport pass for the Tokyo Shinjuku -> Hakone route and all transport in the Hakone region (excluding taxis) and a 7-day Japan Rail Pass. These 3 cards should cover a large part of your trips during the stay. Upon expiry of the 1,500¥ Transport Prepayment Card, or if the line you are travelling on is not covered by your Japan Rail Pass, any travel will be at your own expense by recharging your pre-paid transport card (at vending machines in all stations and metro stations). 
  • The Japan Rail Pass is a personal train pass for foreign travelers who wish to visit Japan. This pass allows unlimited travel for 7 consecutive days on all Japan Railways (JR) trains throughout Japan. You will receive a voucher to be exchanged at a JR office when you are welcomed at the airport by our assistant (list of addresses provided in your travel guide). You will be asked to show your passport and fill in a form. During this exchange, you will select the start date of your pass. Once your Pass has been activated, it will be valid for 7 consecutive days from the date chosen. To prevent wasting time when you arrive at the airport, you are requested to exchange your voucher upon arrival in Tokyo City. This is because exchanging it at the airport could delay your airport shuttle. With your Japan Rail Pass in hand, just go to the station, show your pass to the ticket inspector at the entrance gates and board any JR train. Trains in Japan are almost all open seating. If you are worried about not having a seat (on a shinkansen for example), simply go to a ticket office and reserve your seat at no extra charge. The Japan Rail Pass covers all JR and Shinkansen lines in Japan. The following journeys are not covered:
    • Travel by metro and bus in the cities (payable by pre-paid transport card, included in your package)
    • Transfers from the train station to the hotels (by foot, bus, metro or taxi)
    • Travel on private train lines (other than JR)
    • Travel on Nozomi and Mizuho high-speed trains (shinkansen)
    • Trips made outside the validity period of the Japan Rail Pass
  • Japan Rail Pass: It is not necessary to possess a Japan Rail Pass which covers your entire stay. This is only cost-effective if it is used for long journeys between the different stages of your stay (especially in shinkansen) which are very expensive. In large cities like Tokyo, only about ⅓ of public transport is covered by the Japan Rail Pass and getting around is relatively cheap (Tokyo metro tickets: £1.71 / 2.42$; Kyoto daily bus card: £4.28 / 5.97$). Thus, providing you with a Japan Rail Pass for more than 7 days (14 or 21) would not be cost-effective and, on the contrary, would significantly increase the cost of your trip.
  • /If a person taking part in the tour is a Japanese national and a resident of Japan, or a foreigner with tax residence in Japan (including a student), then that person is not eligible for the Japan Rail Pass. Please contact us to get the price of the tour without a Japan Rail Pass. They will have to buy the train tickets for the tour directly in Japan. The Kansai Thru Pass is also subject to the same nationality/residency requirements. This is not the case for the Hakone Free pass. If this person is a Japanese citizen but not a resident of Japan, then he/she can benefit from the Japan Rail Pass under certain conditions (see https://www.japan-experience.com/frequently-asked-questions).

Your activities :

  • Airport reception is in English. Your airport assistant will be waiting for you at the customs exit holding a sign with the name of the reservation. They will give you your travel documents and take you to your airport transfer. They will not accompany you to Tokyo (this is possible, but optional).
  • The guided tour of Gion takes place in groups of 12 people maximum, from 6pm to 7:30/8:00pm. In English. More details on the meeting place in your travel journal. Dinner is not planned but your guide will be able to give you their best spots.

Your meals :

  • Traditional Japanese dinner and Japanese breakfast (mostly savory) are included in your Hakone tour. Do not hesitate to indicate any dietary requirements you may have, we will pass them on to the ryokan so that they can take them into account when planning the meals. If the ryokan does not take any of these dietary requirements into account, we cannot be held responsible and no compensation will be issued.
  • Breakfasts which are not included in your package can be added at the reception when you arrive at the hotel. However, you will find many cafés near your hotel serving copious breakfasts, often tastier than those in the hotels, which sometimes have tight schedules and are predominantly savory. However, if you would like to add breakfast to your offer when you make your reservation, you can select it as an option.

Your additional services:

  • A pocket wifi is included in your tour. It allows unlimited high-speed internet access. Your Pocket WiFi will be given to you at the airport of arrival.
  • It comes with a small booklet to operate your device (don't panic: simple operation) and a prepaid envelope to return your device at the end of your stay. Your pocket wifi will work naturally until the last day of your trip to Japan.
  • A maximum of 5 devices can be connected to a pocket wifi (phone, tablet, computer).
  • A single pocket wifi is provided for a circuit order of 1 to 5 people. For an order of 6 people or more, a second pocket wifi will be added automatically and at no extra cost to your reservation.

When you buy, Japan Experience offers you 2 types of protection:

Japan Experience Flex : 

Cancellation insurance before departure under conditions.

Japan Experience Protect :

Pre-departure cancellation insurance under conditions and on-site assistance under conditions. 

 

Frequently asked questions

Our commitments as Japan Experience, Europe No. 1 travel in Japan

  • The guarantee of the first tour operator specialised exclusively in Japan for 40 years
  • A wide range of products to let you Experience Japan from the inside
  • Competitive prices thanks to a single team in UK, Europe, USA and Japan, with no intermediaries
  • Assistance available in Japan throughout your trip
  • specialised team is available 7 days a week by phone or email
  • The best advice thanks to the 3,500 articles available on our website

Classic Japan

From
$1,709 / pers - 12 days

Optional services

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