Japan's Iconic Sights and Spiritual Journeys
Touch down in Tokyo for a 13 day Japan adventure that loops back to the capital. Explore neon streets and serene shrines – from Skytree views and Asakusa to an evening in Shinjuku. Speed by bullet train to Hiroshima for Peace Park and ferry to Miyajima’s Itsukushima Shrine. Sail to Shikoku for Matsuyama Castle and a soak at Dogo Onsen. Cross to Kobe, then continue to Mount Koya for a monastery stay. Kyoto delivers Fushimi Inari and the Golden Pavilion. Expect alpine villages, Matsumoto Castle and onsen, Nikko’s masterpieces and Kamakura’s Great Buddha – plus Hakone, Lake Kawaguchiko and Mount Fuji – before ending in Tokyo.
For a detailed itinerary and information about visas, money, weather and more.
Tour Overview
Duration
13 daysHotel Rating
3-4 star hotelsStarts
TokyoEnds
TokyoMinimum Age
No minimum ageMaximum Age
Tours have upper age limits for several reasons, such as but not limited to: tour pace, activity level, and accommodation standards. If you fall outside of this age limit, we do have lots of other tours in Japan that are suitable for all ages!
Arrival Transfer
YesDeparture Transfer
NoTour Guide
Yes - English speaking guides (guiding may be in additional languages to English)Country
JapanPassengers
£4,025.00
£300.00
Tour Style
Group Size
Min 2 / Max 65
Trip Type
Large Coach Tours
Range
This tour is operated by our trusted local partner and has been handpicked by us to deliver you an unforgettable trip.
Guiding Style
This tour includes scheduled sightseeing with expert guides in key destinations as per the Inclusions, as well as transportation (either with a driver or public transport), plus of course your accommodation. There is no single tour guide or tour leader throughout the trip. You’ll have support where it counts, and more freedom in between. Our cruise tours also fall into this category where you will be looked after by a crew. For more information, check the Inclusions of this tour.
Tour Pace
A balanced pace, with a mix of free time and visits to multiple locations, allowing for both relaxation and exploration. Generally doesn't visit more than one or two destinations per day.
Physical Rating
A moderate amount of walking is required during sightseeing, with some free time, offering a balance between activity and relaxation. As a general rule, you should be able to walk 2-kilometres without stopping.
Tour Guide
Yes - English speaking guides (guiding may be in additional languages to English)Group Size
Min 2 / Max 65Range
This tour is operated by our trusted local partner and has been handpicked by us to deliver you an unforgettable trip.
Guiding Style
This tour includes scheduled sightseeing with expert guides in key destinations as per the Inclusions, as well as transportation (either with a driver or public transport), plus of course your accommodation. There is no single tour guide or tour leader throughout the trip. You’ll have support where it counts, and more freedom in between. Our cruise tours also fall into this category where you will be looked after by a crew. For more information, check the Inclusions of this tour.
Tour Pace
A balanced pace, with a mix of free time and visits to multiple locations, allowing for both relaxation and exploration. Generally doesn't visit more than one or two destinations per day.
Physical Rating
A moderate amount of walking is required during sightseeing, with some free time, offering a balance between activity and relaxation. As a general rule, you should be able to walk 2-kilometres without stopping.
Trip Type
Large Coach ToursPlaces You'll See
Tokyo
Hiroshima
Matsuyama
Kotohira
Takamatsu
Naruto
Kobe
Osaka
Mount Koya
Kyoto
Tsumago
Matsumoto
Nagano
Monkey Park
Kusatsu
Ikaho
Nikko
Kamakura
Odawara
Gora
Mount Fuji
Kawaguchiko
Included
Not Included
Itinerary
Day 1 - Tokyo
Welcome to Japan. After completing customs formalities, we’ll arrange your shared shuttle bus transfer to your hotel in Tokyo. The rest of the day is yours to spend at leisure – in the afternoon we’ll provide details about the start of your tour.
Please note: This tour may have travellers joining or departing at various points along the route, meaning group composition can change during the tour. Please also be aware that depending on group composition, guiding may be in additional languages as well as English.
Day 2 - Tokyo
This morning we take an extended guided tour – around seven hours – covering many of Tokyo’s highlights. We pause at Zojoji Temple for one of the best views of Tokyo Tower and to see rows of Jizo statues, guardians of children, dressed with knitted hats, bibs and pinwheels. From the bus we observe the famous Shibuya Crossing, then visit Meiji Shrine, dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his consort. Admission is included to Tokyo Skytree’s Tembo Deck at 350 metres for sweeping city views. We finish in Asakusa to explore Sensoji Temple and Nakamise Street, before returning to the hotel via Akihabara – the Electric City, a centre of manga and anime culture – and the Ginza district.At 6.30 pm we meet our guide in the hotel lobby and take the subway – tickets included – to Shinjuku for a guided stroll, followed by dinner at a local restaurant – included. We return to the hotel by subway with our guide. Note: The order of visits may vary depending on the timed admission for Tokyo Skytree. In case of bad weather or other exceptional circumstances limiting access, we will substitute another iconic city viewpoint.
Day 3 - Tokyo - Hiroshima
After breakfast, we transfer to the station for the bullet train to Hiroshima – a journey of around four hours covering roughly 800 kilometres. On arrival, we explore the city, visiting Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome and the Peace Memorial Museum – a sober reflection on 1945 and the resilience that followed. Later, we board a ferry to the island known as the place where gods and people live together. We visit the iconic Itsukushima Shrine, built partly over the sea and dedicated to the guardian of the seas. You’ll have time to explore the shrine, wander the island’s charming centre and find lunch. We return to Hiroshima for the evening – dinner is included. Note: The order of visits in Hiroshima may vary, but everything described will be included.
Day 4 - Hiroshima - Matsuyama
We take the ferry to Shikoku – a scenic crossing of about two and a half hours. On arrival in Matsuyama, we ride the cable car up to visit its impressive castle, then continue to Ishiteji, a beautiful Buddhist temple and a well‑known pilgrimage site. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. Later in the afternoon, we include admission to Dogo Onsen – a traditional Japanese bathhouse dating from the 19th century.
Day 5 - Matsuyama - Kotohira - Takamatsu - Naruto - Kobe
We leave Matsuyama for Kotohira to visit its Shinto shrine to the god of sailors, an important pilgrimage site on Mount Zosu reached by climbing 785 steps. We then continue to Takamatsu to explore Ritsurin, regarded as one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens. Lunch will be included at a local restaurant.Afterwards, in Naruto, we’ll stop at the impressive sea bridge to learn about its engineering and walk along the glass-floored section, looking down 45 metres to the powerful whirlpools below. Our scenic route then carries us across striking island‑linking bridges over the sea before we arrive in Kobe for the night.
Day 6 - Kobe - Osaka - Koyasan (Mount Koya)
We begin in Kobe with a visit to the Earthquake Memorial Museum, which honours the 1995 earthquake and the city’s reconstruction. We then continue to Osaka before heading to sacred Mount Koya – the most important centre of Shingon Buddhism in Japan. Here we visit the Okuno Mausoleum, a deeply spiritual forest cemetery with more than 200,000 graves, and Kongobuji Temple, built in 1593.We spend the night in a Buddhist monastery, where monks lead a Zen meditation practice (Ajikan), and a vegetarian dinner is included. If you wish, you can attend the religious ceremony at the temple before breakfast. Please note that on certain dates the Earthquake Memorial Museum may be replaced by the Sake Museum or a trip up Kobe Tower. Monastery stays are traditional and simple – rooms are tatami-style without private bathrooms and facilities are shared – and the meditation session cannot be guaranteed during peak dates. As temple accommodation on Mount Koya is limited, we may occasionally stay in nearby hotels, with half board included.
Day 7 - Koyasan (Mount Koya) - Kyoto
We begin with a traditional Japanese breakfast at the temple, then set off early for Kyoto – Japan’s imperial capital from 794 to 1868, spared from wartime bombings and later the site of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. We’ll visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, the Imperial Palace and Kinkaku–ji, the Golden Pavilion, with its beautifully maintained gardens. You’ll have free time to explore before we continue to Gion, the historic district known for its Geisha culture, where you’ll have further time to wander at your own pace. If you have visited Kyoto earlier in the tour, our guide will share tailored suggestions to help you discover different areas independently.
Day 8 - Kyoto - Tsumago - Matsumoto - Nagano
We’ll depart Kyoto for Tsumago, travelling through rural scenery. This small village is renowned for its wooden houses and is considered one of the prettiest places in Japan. You’ll have free time to explore, and lunch is included. We’ll then continue to Matsumoto to visit its impressive 16th century castle, nicknamed the Crow. Afterwards, you’ll have free time to discover the city at your own pace. We’ll finish the day in Nagano for an overnight stay.
Day 9 - Nagano - Monkey Park - Kusatsu - Ikaho
In Nagano, we visit Zenko-ji Temple, a renowned pilgrimage site that houses Japan’s first Buddhist image, and take part in the Gomakuyo ceremony – a traditional ritual to invite good fortune. We then head into the Japanese Alps to Jigokudani Monkey Park, walking forest trails by rivers and steaming springs where Japanese macaques live and bathe. Continuing through high–mountain landscapes reaching 2,172 metres and passing semi–active volcanoes, we arrive in Kusatsu, a classic hot–spring town. We take a relaxed stroll through the city park with its open–air onsen, and you’ll have free time for lunch. Our day ends in Ikaho, another picturesque hot–spring town, where we wander the old centre and its famed stone stairways. We stay overnight in a ryokan – traditional Japanese dinner included – and we recommend enjoying the hot–spring baths. In autumn, macaque movements can be unpredictable and the park may close. From November to April, the visit to Kusatsu may be cancelled due to weather.
Day 10 - Ikaho - Nikko - Tokyo
We continue to Nikko for a visit to the impressive Nikko-Toshogu Temple – including its famous room with the sound of a dragon – and the serene Taiyuinbyo Mausoleum. We then follow the path through Kanmangafuchi Abyss, where hundreds of Jizo statues line the riverbanks. You will have free time to explore the town centre before we return to Tokyo, arriving at around 6:30 pm.
Day 11 - Tokyo - Kamakura - ENOSHIMA - Odawara
We leave Tokyo for Kamakura, once Japan’s capital for two centuries and known for its temples and gardens. At Hokoku-ji we stroll through the bamboo grove and enjoy a cup of green tea – admission included – then visit Sugimoto-dera, the city’s oldest temple. You’ll have free time in the centre before we visit the Great Buddha (Daibutsu) – admission included. We then follow the Pacific coast to Enoshima, a small island linked to the mainland by a bridge; you’ll have free time for lunch and a walk. We continue to Odawara, where we include admission to the castle – a major Edo period fortress restored in the 20th century. Overnight in Odawara.
Day 12 - Odawara - Mount Fuji - Kawaguchiko - Tokyo
From Odawara, we travel into the Hakone region of lakes and mountains near Mount Fuji. We ascend to Owakudani – the Valley of Hell – a volcanic crater with steam vents, bubbling pools and sulphur gases. If access is closed due to volcanic activity, we’ll visit Arakurayama Sengen Park instead. We then continue to Oshino Hakkai, a small village with eight ponds offering views of Mount Fuji. Next, we head to Kawaguchiko, a town beside its lake, where we enjoy a scenic boat ride on Lake Kawaguchiko. Later, we begin our ascent of Mount Fuji along the road to the Fifth Station at 2,305 metres (7,562 feet), passing through forested slopes and lookout points. In winter, this road is often closed due to snow or weather – we’ll go as far as permitted. We return to Tokyo at the end of the day.
Day 13 - Tokyo
After breakfast, we conclude our journey in Tokyo. The tour ends here – you can make your own onward travel arrangements. We hope you leave with lasting memories of your time in Japan.
Tour Reviews
Extras and add-ons
If you'd like to add extras or add-ons to your booking, you can do this easily during checkout. Just review the available options and select any additional services or upgrades you'd like before completing your purchase.
Pre and Post Tour Accommodation
Extend your tour with us by booking pre and post-accommodation, available at a per-person, per-night rate.
Post-Tour Accommodation - Tokyo
Pre-Tour Accommodation - Tokyo
Hotels
The hotels listed below are examples which we frequently use on this tour. Alternative hotels of a similar standard may be used instead.
Confirmation of the hotels used may not be available until 48 hours before the tour departs.
If you are interested in booking pre or post-tour accommodation, here are some of the hotels we typically use.
Prices & Dates
Departure dates are guaranteed with 2 travellers. 'Double/Twin' prices are per person when there are 2 people on the same booking sharing a room. 'Single' prices are applicable to anyone wanting the privacy of their own room. 'Triple' prices are per person when there are 3 people on the same booking sharing a room. 'Shared' prices are for solo travellers who are happy to share with another solo traveller of the same sex in a twin room - a single room will be provided at no additional cost if there are no suitable travellers to share with.
Can't find a date that works for you?
Looking for a date not yet released?
Similar Tours
Explore more exciting tours in Japan to discover even more unforgettable adventures!
On The Go Tours
Our agents are waiting to chat to you...
Are you a Travel Agent or Customer?
Do you have an booking reference?