Discover Japan
- Duration : 13 days
- Locations : Tokyo, Hakone Mt Fuji, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Miyajima
This guided tour in Japan takes you to Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima. Not to mention the majestic Mount Fuji, the sacred island of Miyajima and the historic city of Kanazawa.
This small group tour allows you to discover the country in just under 2 weeks, in the company of a specialist English-speaking guide. It's ideal for your first organised trip to Japan!
2 week itinerary in Japan (13 days):
- Departure city/airport : Tokyo (Narita : NRT or Haneda : HND)
- Tokyo (3 nights)
- Hakone - Mount Fuji (1 night)
- Kyoto (4 nights)
- Hiroshima (1 night)
- Kanazawa (1 night)
- Tokyo (2 nights)
- End return airport : Tokyo (Narita : NRT or Haneda : HND)
Please find below the itinerary details.
Tour length : 12 nights / 13 days (+ 1 day at the beginning if you leave from Europe)
Please note that the tour departure and end dates indicated on this page relate to your actual stay in Japan. On departure, you will have to leave Europe the day before. The return flight is on the same day due to the time difference.
Example :
- Departure from Europe : January 1st
- Arrival in Tokyo (date to be selected in the tour calendar upon reservation) : January 2nd
- Return flight from Tokyo : January 14th
Why book this trip to Japan?
- Accompanied by a bilingual English-speaking guide, a specialist in Japanese culture
- Inclusive: guide, accommodation, transport, transfers
- Small groups of between 9 to 15 people maximum
- Visit to the must-see places for a first trip to Japan
- Stays in 3* hotels and ryokan (traditional Japanese accommodation)
- A variety of visits, activities, meals and transport (Shinkansen, minibus...)
- One free day in both Tokyo and Kyoto, which can be guided if desired
- 40 years of expertise from Japan Experience, the leading European travel agency in Japan
- Phone assistance in English, from 8AM to 10PM, 7/7
Your trip in detail
Itinerary
Day 1 : Sunday - Wake up in Japan
Arrival at Tokyo airport (Narita or Haneda).
Welcome to Japan! Yokoso! 日本へようこそ!Greeted at airport arrivals by our airport welcome team.
Unaccompanied transfer from the airport to central Tokyo.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 may 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 add the "Private Taxi from the Airport" option.
Accommodation at Hotel La'Gent Shinjuku Kabukicho or a similar standard 3* hotel (check in from 15:00).
You'll be welcomed by your guide at 19:00 with an introduction of the tour during a welcome dinner, provided by Japan Experience.
Day 2 : Day 2: First steps in the capital
Breakfast at the hotel.
Depart around 8:30 am, for a guided tour of Tokyo:
- Tokyo Sky Tree* and its panoramic views of Tokyo.
- Nakamise Dori Street, a long and narrow street lined with thousand-year-old shops
- Senso-ji Buddhist temple, one of the city's oldest temples
- Asakusa, a traditional district and place of pilgrimage
- Hamarikyu, a beautiful Japanese garden amongst Tokyo's tall buildings
- Ginza, Tokyo's chic shopping district
Lunch is provided by Japan Experience. Dinner is for you to find yourself - your tour guide can recommend some tasty spots!
Transportation for the day is on public transport, and on foot (about 10 km in total).
(*) One of the three tallest towers in the world, reaching a height of 634m. In case of bad weather or reduced visibility, Japan Experience reserves the right to replace this visit with another viewing point.
Day 3 : Tuesday: Tour of Tokyo
Breakfast at the hotel.
Continue to explore Tokyo with your tour guide:
- Ueno: the must-see of Tokyo with its park full of cherry trees and lotus pond
- Harajuku: the avant-garde neighbourhood - Meiji Jingu, the imperial shrine
- Takeshita-Dori: the birthplace of many of Japan's fashion trends
- Omotesando: often called Tokyo's Champs-Élysées
- Shibuya and its iconic "crossroads"
Lunch is provided by Japan Experience. Dinner is not included. Transportation for the day is on public transport and on foot (about 10 km in total).
Day 4 : Wednesday - On the way to Mount Fuji
Breakfast at the hotel.
Luggage transfer to Kyoto organised by Japan Experience (1 piece of luggage per person). Plan to bring a small overnight bag for this night spent in Hakone - Mount Fuji.
Train ride to the centre of Hakone - Mount Fuji (about 1h30).
Check-in at Ichinoyu Honkan ryokan or similar standard ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel). Rooms with private bath.
Depart to the heights of Hakone for a breathtaking view of Mount Fuji (weather permitting).
- Stroll along the old Tokaido road, that used to link Tokyo to Kyoto
- Visit Ashi-no-ko lake and its Japanese torii gate which stands in the water
- See the incredible volcanic site of Owakudani**.
Meals provided (lunch and traditional Japanese dinner) by Japan Experience.
**The site may be inaccessible due to volcanic activity.
Day trips by train and on foot (about 7km in total).
Day 5 : Thursday - Tracing the past
Enjoy a traditional Japanese breakfast in the ryokan (mostly savoury).
Leave for Odawara station on foot or by public transport, then take the Shinkansen train to Kyoto (2 hour journey).
Accommodation at the Hotel Intergate Kyoto or similar standard hotel.
Start your guided tour of Kyoto:
- Gion, the historical district of Kyoto and Sannen-zaka & Ninnen-zaka streets, as well as the Gion district.
- Kodai-ji, Kyoto's maple and bamboo temple.
Please note that it is strictly forbidden to take photographs in the historic district of Gion. Meals (lunch and dinner) are provided by Japan Experience. Transportation for the day in Kyoto is on public transport and foot (about 6km).
Day 6 : Friday - Treasures of the old capital
Breakfast at the hotel.
Take a tour of Kyoto by minibus in the morning, then on foot:
- The Zen garden of Ryoan-ji
- The famous Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
- Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)
- The enchanting Philosopher's Path
Lunch is provided by Japan Experience. Dinner is for you to find - Your tour guide will be able to recommend some of Kyoto's best dinner options!
Transportation for the day is by minibus and on foot (about 8km in total).
Day 7 : Saturday - Between temples and deer
Breakfast at the hotel in Kyoto.
Train ride to Nara (50min).
Take a tour of Nara, the first permanent capital of Japan back in the 8th century.
With your tour guide, discover:- Kofukuji temple and its beautiful pagoda
- Todaiji temple with its giant bronze Buddha and the imposing Nan-Daimon gate
- Kasuga Taisha shrine and its myriad of lanterns
Return to Kyoto and stop to enjoy the sunset at Fushimi Inari, a huge shrine in Kyoto with 10,000 torii gates creating tunnels up the mountainside.
Lunch is provided by Japan Experience.
Dinner is at your own expense.
Transportation for the day is by train and on foot (about 10km in total).Day 8 : Sunday - Free day
Breakfast at the hotel.
Free day: enjoy the many wonders of this incredible former capital at your own pace.
Your guide will be able to advise you on what to do. Only breakfast is provided by Japan Experience at the hotel. You'll be left to your own devices for other meals, transport and visits, which are not organised by Japan Experience. We recommend a visit off the beaten track to the tea fields in the countryside near Kyoto (as an option, contact us!).
Day 9 : Monday: Japan's sacred island
Breakfast at the hotel.
Luggage transfer to Tokyo (for 2 nights) organised by Japan Experience (1 piece of luggage per person). Plan to bring a small bag for your nights in Hiroshima and Kanazawa.
Travel to Hiroshima by Shinkansen train (2 hours 30) then Miyajima Island by ferry (10 minutes) to visit the sacred island and its famous large torii gate (ootorii).
Return to Hiroshima and check into the Intergate Hiroshima or similar hotel. Lunch and dinner (inc;uding okonomiyaki, Hiroshima's speciality) provided by Japan Experience. Transportation for the day is by Shinkansen, boat and on foot (about 10 km).
Day 10 : Tuesday - Historic cities
Breakfast at the hotel.
In the morning, take a tour of the Peace Memorial Park and its museum.
Early afternoon, depart for Kanazawa by Shinkansen and Express train (4h).
Check-in at Hotel OMO5 Kanazawa Katamachi or a similar category hotel. Meals (lunch and dinner) are provided by Japan Experience.
Transport for the day is by public transport, by Shinkansen and on foot (about 10 km).
Day 11 : Wednesday - Ishikawa's pearl
Breakfast at the hotel.
Discover Kanazawa, a small city nestled between the sea in the north and the Japanese Alps.
- Kenroku-en, Kanazawa's beautiful Japanese garden, considered one of the top 3 gardens in Japan!
- Omicho, a huge fish market selling seafood fresh from the Sea of Japan
- The Nomura house, once a Samurai residence, located in a picturesque old quarter of the city.
In late afternoon travel to Tokyo by Shinkansen (2 hours 45) and check in at your hotel La'Gent Shinjuku Kabukicho or similar. Lunch is provided by Japan Experience. Dinner at your leisure
Transportation for the day by public transport, bus, Shinkansen and on foot (approx. 10km)
Day 12 : Thursday - Don't miss a thing
Breakfast at the hotel.
A free day to visit the countless other interesting monuments and sites in the capital and its surroundings: your guide will be able to give you recommendations.
Lunch, transportation and tours are unaccompanied and not organised by Japan Experience.
In the evening, a farewell dinner is provided by Japan Experience.
Day 13 : Friday - Sayonara, and see you next time!
Transfer to Tokyo (Narita : NRT or Haneda : HND).
This transfer is by shuttle or shared bus, with other customers departing from the same hotel or a hotel close to yours. These transfers arrive between 3 hours and 1.5 hours before the actual departure of your flight, and stops can be made before you arrive at the airport.
If you prefer a private transfer at a time of your choice, direct to the airport and with no intermediate stops, select the "Private taxi to the airport" option.
Return flight to your home country.
Accommodation
- 11 nights in 3* hotels
- 1 night in a ryokan at Hakone - Mount Fuji (room with private bath)
The basic rate includes a twin room for two people.
Transportation
- Transfer airport <> Tokyo
- Prepaid public transport card
- Japan Rail Pass for 7 days
- Other transport during your stay, except on free days
- Luggage transfer (see details in the itinerary)
Experiences and meals
- Guidance from an English-speaking specialist on Japan
- Tours and activities mentioned in the programme
- Almost full package: all meals (except free days and half of the dinners during the tour)
In Japan, breakfast is traditionally savory. Western-style hotels typically offer a variety of choices, but traditional accommodations like ryokan or temple lodgings often provide a more traditional Japanese breakfast experience.
Additional services
- Unlimited Wi-Fi access, except on free days
- Complete travel diary sent to you 20 days before your departure
- Phone assistance in English, from 8AM to 10PM, 7/7; in addition to the guide's assistance during the day
Not included in the price of your trip
- Flights between your country <> Japan
- Optional insurance policies
- Personal expenses (including 5 dinners at your leisure and any expenses for the two free days)
- Drinks with meals (except water and sometimes tea)
- Anything not included in the "included in your tour" section
About the risk of cancellation of your guided tour
While there is very little risk that your guided tour will be canceled, this risk does exist. It is usually 4%.
If you are unfortunately in this 4%, you will be informed 3 to 2 months in advance and we will ALWAYS offer you another tour, in the same season and most of the time on the same dates. We also offer, as an alternative, 100% reimbursement of the tour (excluding flights).
In 2023, out of our 300 guided tour customers, just 12 had to be redirected to another tour and 0 remained at home.
Upon reservation Japan Experience offers you 2 types of protection:
Japan Experience Flex :
Cancellation insurance before departure (conditions apply).
Japan Experience Protect :
Pre-departure cancellation insurance and on-site assistance (conditions apply). COVID protection included.
Frequently asked questions
Our commitments as Japan Experience, Europe's No. 1 travel agency in Japan
- The guarantee of the first tour operator specialising 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 the UK, Europe, USA and Japan, with no intermediaries
- Assistance available in Japan throughout your trip
- A specialist team is available 7 days a week, by phone and email
- The best advice thanks to the 3,500 articles available on our website
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