Self-Guided Japan

Make your own way to the hotel on arrival - included in your tour is a one-way journey on the Keisei Skyliner, a fast, comfortable, and convenient train service departing every 20 minutes. On arrival at the hotel, the rest of your first day is at leisure.

Today's exploring is self-guided, but the activities are included as part of your tour. Hop aboard the Sky Hop Bus, a comfortable open-top double-decker with unlimited hop-on, hop-off access from 9am to 6pm, giving you the freedom to reach Tokyo's best-known sights and linger wherever catches your eye. An audio guide, available in seven languages, comes as part of the experience, bringing each stop to life along the way.

Also included is the Tokyo Self-Guided Audio Tour, which takes you through the city's streets on foot. Warm, engaging narration reveals the history and stories behind its landmarks, all at whatever pace you choose.

The first part of today is at leisure, before your included Shibuya food tour this afternoon. Head into Shibuya to explore its hidden food scene, tasting your way through five stops that capture the best of Japanese cooking. Stroll through Shibuya's colourful backstreets, where local stories bring the neighbourhood's blend of modern energy and old-world charm to life, before sampling iconic dishes and everyday favourites loved by locals, including a visit to the famous Depachika food market.

The tour finishes at a local izakaya tucked beneath Shibuya Crossing, where you're treated to a complimentary drink and round things off with a traditional dessert.

Tokyo - Kyoto. You leave Tokyo today, with train tickets to Kyoto included. Arriving just before midday, you are free to make your own way to the hotel. The rest of your first day in Kyoto is at leisure.

Today's exploring in Kyoto is self-guided, but included with your tour. Start by discovering Kyoto aboard the Sky Hop Bus, an open-top double-decker with unlimited hop-on, hop-off access to the city's top attractions from 9am to 6pm, with a multilingual audio guide (available in seven languages) providing context as you go.

Later, a self-guided audio walking tour takes you through Fushimi Inari Shrine, one of Japan's most striking sights and home to the Senbon Torii - a path of a thousand vivid red gates. Guided by turn-by-turn directions, you'll stroll through tranquil forest scenery, learning about the Shinto rituals and beliefs tied to the shrine, spotting fox statues along the way, and stopping at the Heavy-Light Stone, where tradition holds you can make a wish. It's an easy walk, suited to all fitness levels.

Kyoto - Osaka. Enjoy a free morning to further explore Kyoto before making your way to the train station in the mid-afternoon for your included train journey to Osaka. On arrival, make your own way to the hotel.

Spend the day exploring Osaka, with two included self-guided activities. Settle in for a panoramic ride aboard an open-top double-decker bus, passing Osaka's top landmarks in just over an hour: Osaka Castle, the neon-lit streets of Dotonbori, Tsutenkaku Tower, and Shitennoji Temple, all brought to life with multilingual audio commentary. There's an optional drop-off at Abeno Harukasu, Japan's tallest skyscraper, if you'd like to extend your afternoon.

Later, the Osaka Audio Guide App lets you continue exploring on foot and at your own pace. Choose the spots that interest you most and build your own route, with audio commentary revealing the history and culture behind each one - offline access means you're not reliant on a signal as you go.

Your tour comes to an end today, with an included ride to the airport aboard the Nankai Electric Railway.