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13 days · Japan

Highlights of Japan

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  • Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto, Japan

    Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto, Japan

  • The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Kyoto, Japan

    The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Kyoto, Japan

  • The Great Buddha of Kamakura, Japan

    The Great Buddha of Kamakura, Japan

  • Himeji Castle, Japan

    Himeji Castle, Japan

  • Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan

    Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan

  • Okayama Castle in autumn, Japan

    Okayama Castle in autumn, Japan

  • The Shibuya Crossing at night, Tokyo, Japan

    The Shibuya Crossing at night, Tokyo, Japan

  • The Kintaikyo Bridge in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi, Japan

    The Kintaikyo Bridge in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi, Japan

From AED 13,570per person, twin share

Total2 travellersAED 36,410

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See all 15 dates and prices

Thirteen days in Japan, from Tokyo to Osaka, Kyoto and Kanazawa, through its top sights and lesser-known places, old traditions and modern cities.

Duration
13 Days / 12 Nights
Route
Starts and ends in Tokyo
Country
Japan
Activity level
Moderate (3 of 5)
Packed days with city walking tours, temple and castle steps, and one early-morning start, plus a Shinkansen transfer; no hikes or altitude
Accommodation
3- and 4-star hotels in Tokyo, Shizuoka, Iga, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Takayama and Kanazawa, 12 nights in total
Meals
12 breakfasts and 3 dinners
Group
Group tour, up to 46
Guide
English-speaking tour leader throughout
Transport
Air-conditioned coach, Shinkansen bullet train
Best time to go
Runs spring to autumn: cherry blossoms in spring, hot and humid summers, and comfortable autumns. No departures in deep winter

Tour overview

Thirteen days in Japan, from busy Tokyo and Osaka to a view of Mount Fuji and a ride on the Shinkansen. Hiroshima, Kyoto, Takayama and Kanazawa add history and lesser-known corners, with ninjas, sumo and samurai along the way, on a trip that mixes the past with modern Japan.

Highlights

  • A traditional welcome dinner in Tokyo
  • Tokyo’s neighbourhoods on a city tour
  • The Senso-ji Temple and the Meiji Shrine
  • The Tsukiji Fish Market
  • Kamakura’s Great Buddha
  • The Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shinto shrine
  • Hakone Shrine, beside Lake Ashi
  • A photo stop with a view of Mount Fuji
Show all 36 highlights
  • A visit to a green tea plantation
  • A miso factory tour
  • The Toyota Museum
  • The Iga Ninja Museum, with a ninja demonstration
  • The Kehaya Sumo Museum and the world of sumo
  • Osaka and its famous Dotonbori district
  • Himeji Castle
  • An Okonomiyaki dinner
  • A walk along the Kintaikyo Bridge
  • Miyajima Island’s Itsukushima Shrine
  • The Peace Memorial Park and Museum
  • Kurashiki, a peaceful, canal-lined city
  • Time in Kyoto
  • The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
  • Fushimi Inari Taisha
  • The Kiyomizu Temple
  • Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion
  • Genkyuen Garden in Hikone
  • Gujo Hachiman’s tranquil waterways
  • Edo-period Japan in Takayama
  • A taste of authentic Japanese Sake
  • Takayama Jin-ya
  • The Open Air Museum of Gassho-Zukuri Minka-en
  • Shirakawa-go, a step back in time
  • The beauty of Kenrokuen Garden
  • A former Samurai home in Kanazawa
  • The Shinkansen bullet train back to Tokyo
  • Farewell dinner in Tokyo

See the journey come to life

Explore more travel reels

Route and hotels

Where the tour goes and where you sleep, night by night.

Map of the route, with each hotel stay numbered in order: 1 Tokyo, 2 Shizuoka, 3 Iga, 4 Osaka, 5 Hiroshima, 6 Kyoto, 7 Takayama, 8 Kanazawa, 9 Tokyo.
Hotel stays, in orderOn the wayBy roadBy trainAbout 1,850 km by roadMap data: © OpenStreetMap contributors; OpenMapTiles, OpenFreeMap; terrain Mapzen; roads OSRM

  1. Tokyo

    2 nights · Days 1–2

    Hotel Kazusaya

  2. Kamakura

    Day 3 · on the way

  3. Hakone

    Day 3 · on the way

  4. Shizuoka

    1 night · Day 3

    Hotel Associa Shizuoka

  5. Makinohara Tea Farm

    Day 4 · on the way

  6. Miso Factory

    Day 4 · on the way

  7. Toyota Museum

    Day 4 · on the way

  8. Iga

    1 night · Day 4

    Route-Inn Grantia Wakuranoyado Igauenojomae

Show all 19 stops

  1. Osaka

    1 night · Day 5

    Noku Osaka

  2. Himeji

    Day 6 · on the way

  3. Hiroshima

    2 nights · Days 6–7

    Mystays Hiroshima Peace Park

  4. Kurashiki

    Day 8 · on the way

  5. Kyoto

    2 nights · Days 8–9

    Oriental Hotel Kyoto Rokujo

  6. Hikone

    Day 10 · on the way

  7. Gujo Hachiman

    Day 10 · on the way

  8. Takayama

    1 night · Day 10

    Grand Chisun

  9. Shirakawa-go

    Day 11 · on the way

  10. Kanazawa

    1 night · Day 11

    Mystays Premier Kanazawa

  11. Tokyo

    1 night · Day 12

    Hotel Kazusaya

Day-by-day itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Start of tour in Tokyo

    Dinner included

    Konnichiwa Japan. You arrive in Tokyo, the country’s busy capital, where hotel check-in opens at 3 PM and an info pack is waiting for you. In the evening, the welcome dinner at a local restaurant is where you meet your tour leader and the group, and get a first taste of Japanese cuisine, known worldwide for fresh, high-quality ingredients.

    Included

    • Welcome dinner at a local restaurant with your tour leader and group
    Overnight
    Tokyo
    Hotel
    Hotel Kazusaya
  2. Day 2

    Tokyo

    Breakfast included
    Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan

    A Tokyo city tour takes in top attractions such as the Meiji Shrine and the Senso-ji Temple. You have free time over lunch at Tsukiji Fish Market, then a wander along Takeshita Street, odd, stylish, young and busy all at once. The optional Tokyo+ evening tour is also on offer, taking in Skytree Tower views, dinner in Omoide Yokocho, and a stroll through lively Shinjuku City.

    Included

    • Guided city tour: the Meiji Shrine and Senso-ji Temple
    • Free time at Tsukiji Fish Market and Takeshita Street

    Optional extras

    Overnight
    Tokyo
    Hotel
    Hotel Kazusaya
  3. Day 3

    Kamakura – Hakone – Shizuoka

    Breakfast included
    The Great Buddha of Kamakura, Japan

    You say goodbye to Tokyo for now and travel towards Shizuoka. On the way, the tour stops in Kamakura, a seaside city famous for its Great Buddha, then gives you time of your own in Hakone for lunch and sightseeing, in a picturesque town with fine views of Mount Fuji. The last stop is Shizuoka, where you check into the hotel and the evening is free.

    Included

    • Visit Kamakura’s Great Buddha and the Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shrine
    • Visit Hakone Shrine on the shores of Lake Ashi
    • Photo stop for views of Mount Fuji
    Travel
    Tokyo → Shizuoka by coach, via Kamakura and Hakone
    Overnight
    Shizuoka
    Hotel
    Hotel Associa Shizuoka
  4. Day 4

    Makinohara Tea Farm – Miso Factory – Toyota Museum – Iga

    Breakfast included

    Today is full of distinctly Japanese experiences. In Makinohara, a traditional farm growing green tea shows you how tea is produced. Free time for lunch comes next, then a tour of a miso factory explains what goes into this much-loved Japanese staple. The Toyota Museum follows, with its impressive collection of automobiles, before the day ends at tonight’s hotel in Iga.

    Included

    • Visit a green tea plantation in Makinohara, with the chance to try tea picking
    • Tour a miso factory
    • Visit the Toyota Museum’s collection of historic cars
    Travel
    Shizuoka → Iga by coach, via Makinohara
    Overnight
    Iga
    Hotel
    Route-Inn Grantia Wakuranoyado Igauenojomae
  5. Day 5

    Iga Ninja Museum – Sumo Museum – Osaka

    Breakfast included

    After breakfast, the day heads to the Iga Ninja Museum for a demonstration of Ninja skill and weaponry. Next comes a visit to the Kehaya Sumo Museum, for a closer look at this one-of-a-kind form of wrestling. Finally, the tour travels to busy Osaka for an orientation tour, and time to spend as you like in the famous Dotonbori area. Tonight, you can join the optional excursion for a feast of Wagyu beef. Note that the Sumo Museum does not always open. On days it is closed, the visit instead goes to ancient Nara, known for historic temples and deer that roam freely.

    Included

    • Ninja skill and weaponry demonstration at the Iga Ninja Museum
    • Visit the Kehaya Sumo Museum
    • Orientation tour of Osaka with free time in Dotonbori

    Optional extras

    Travel
    Iga → Osaka by coach
    Overnight
    Osaka
    Hotel
    Noku Osaka
  6. Day 6

    Osaka – Himeji – Hiroshima

    Breakfast and dinner included
    Himeji Castle, Japan

    On the way to Hiroshima, the tour visits Himeji Castle, a 14th-century hilltop castle with fine views and a well-preserved interior to explore. You reach Hiroshima this afternoon, where the hotel is home for the next two nights. Dinner is included: Okonomiyaki, a savoury pancake among the most popular dishes in Japan.

    Included

    • Visit Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
    • Okonomiyaki dinner, a savoury Japanese pancake
    Travel
    Osaka → Hiroshima by coach, via Himeji
    Overnight
    Hiroshima
    Hotel
    Mystays Hiroshima Peace Park
  7. Day 7

    Hiroshima

    Breakfast included
    The Kintaikyo Bridge in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi, Japan

    Hiroshima’s highlights come into view today: first, the impressive 17th-century Kintaikyo Bridge. A ferry ride reaches the serene Miyajima Island, home to torii gates that seem to float on water, at the Itsukushima Shrine, with free time for lunch. For something sweet, you can try momiji manju: dough shaped like a maple leaf, filled with a sweet red bean jam. Later, you visit Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park and Museum, and the evening is free.

    Included

    • Walk across the Kintaikyo Bridge
    • Ferry to Miyajima Island and the Itsukushima Shrine’s “floating” torii gate
    • Visit the Peace Memorial Park and Museum
    Overnight
    Hiroshima
    Hotel
    Mystays Hiroshima Peace Park
  8. Day 8

    Hiroshima – Kurashiki – Kyoto

    Breakfast included
    The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Kyoto, Japan

    After breakfast, you leave Hiroshima for Kurashiki, a town where canals run past historic rice storehouses. Kyoto, a highlight of travel in Japan, follows in the early afternoon, with a visit to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and a walk among towering stems of bamboo. The evening is then free.

    Included

    • Free time in Kurashiki’s canal district
    • Walk through the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
    Travel
    Hiroshima → Kyoto by coach, via Kurashiki
    Overnight
    Kyoto
    Hotel
    Oriental Hotel Kyoto Rokujo
  9. Day 9

    Kyoto

    Breakfast included
    Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto, Japan

    The day is spent exploring Kyoto: the 10,000 red torii gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine, the Kiyomizu Temple, more than 1,200 years old, and the striking “golden” Kinkakuji Pavilion. The optional “An Evening in Kyoto” excursion offers a taste of traditional Gion arts, including a maiko (apprentice Geisha) performance, for an evening that puts Japan’s cultural and culinary artistry on display.

    Included

    • Early visit to Fushimi Inari Taisha’s thousands of red torii gates
    • Visit Kiyomizu Temple
    • Visit Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion

    Optional extras

    Overnight
    Kyoto
    Hotel
    Oriental Hotel Kyoto Rokujo
  10. Day 10

    Kyoto – Hikone – Gujo Hachiman – Takayama

    Breakfast included

    This morning, you visit Hikone on Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, and the Genkyuen Garden. Gujo, a quaint town known for its waterways, comes next, and later the tour reaches Takayama in the mountainous Gifu Prefecture. There, the Edo-era Sanmachi district tells of its artisan history, and a shop with Sake vending machines offers a taste of Japan’s national drink.

    Included

    • Visit Genkyuen Garden in Hikone
    • Visit the waterways of Gujo Hachiman
    • Explore Takayama’s Edo-era Sanmachi district
    • Sake tasting at a shop with sake vending machines
    Travel
    Kyoto → Takayama by coach, via Hikone and Gujo Hachiman
    Overnight
    Takayama
    Hotel
    Grand Chisun
  11. Day 11

    Takayama – Shirakawa-go – Kanazawa

    Breakfast included

    After breakfast, the first visit is to Takayama Jin’ya, once an Edo-era government building, then the Gassho-Zukuri Minka-en Open Air Museum and its traditional wooden farmhouses. Next comes Shirakawa-go, a village set against the Japanese Alps, and later Kanazawa, with a walk in Kenrokuen Garden. Tonight, the optional excursion lets you try making your own temarizushi.

    Included

    • Visit Takayama Jin’ya, a former Edo-era government building
    • Visit the Gassho-Zukuri Minka-en Open Air Museum
    • Visit Shirakawa-go’s UNESCO-listed thatched-roof village
    • Visit Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa

    Optional extras

    Travel
    Takayama → Kanazawa by coach, via Shirakawa-go
    Overnight
    Kanazawa
    Hotel
    Mystays Premier Kanazawa
  12. Day 12

    Kanazawa – Tokyo

    Breakfast and dinner included

    Kanazawa is best known for its Nagamachi Samurai District, where a former samurai home shows how these ancient Japanese warriors lived. In the afternoon, you board the Shinkansen to Tokyo, a bullet train known for its speed, up to 320kph (200mph). On arrival, you check into the hotel, and a farewell dinner follows tonight.

    Included

    • Visit a former samurai home in the Nagamachi district
    • Farewell dinner with the group in Tokyo
    Travel
    Kanazawa → Tokyo by Shinkansen bullet train
    Overnight
    Tokyo
    Hotel
    Hotel Kazusaya
  13. Day 13

    End of tour in Tokyo

    Breakfast included

    After 13 days exploring Japan’s highlights and lesser-known places, the tour ends this morning after breakfast. If you extend your stay, there is time to return to favourite spots, have lunch or shop for souvenirs before heading home. Safe travels, and Sayōnara.

Dates & prices

Prices per person, sharing a double or twin room. A single room costs the supplement shown.

16 dates

Show all 16 dates

What’s included

Included

  • 12 nights in mostly 3-star and 4-star hotels, in twin rooms with a private bathroom
  • A room to yourself for a single supplement, subject to availability
  • 12 breakfasts and 3 dinners, with a vegetarian option at every meal on request
  • A modern coach with air conditioning and reclining seats
  • The Shinkansen bullet train from Kanazawa to Tokyo
  • Public transport the tour uses, except on free days
  • Guided from start to finish

Not included

  • Flights to the start of the tour and home from the end: we can book them from Dubai
  • Travel insurance: take out a policy that suits your trip

Optional extras

Excursions and upgrades you can add to the tour. Prices are per person.

  • Tokyo+

    Day 2    AED 225per person

    Ride to the top of Tokyo Skytree Tower’s observation deck for panoramic views, then find dinner among the food stalls of Omoide Yokocho before a walking tour of neon-lit Shinjuku. ¥9500, booked with your tour leader on the day.

    See day 2 in the itinerary

  • Wagyu Beef Feast in Osaka

    Day 5    AED 425per person

    Sit down to a dinner of Matsusaka Wagyu beef, one of Japan’s most prized cuts, alongside seafood and side dishes, plus dessert, with a drink on arrival. ¥18000, booked with your tour leader on the day.

    See day 5 in the itinerary

  • An Evening in Kyoto

    Day 9    AED 495per person

    Spend an evening in Gion, Kyoto’s historic geisha district, over a kaiseki dinner, Japan’s traditional cuisine of many small courses, with maiko performing traditional arts as you eat. ¥21000, booked with your tour leader on the day.

    See day 9 in the itinerary

  • Flavours of Kanazawa

    Day 11    AED 365per person

    Step into a century-old machiya townhouse in Kanazawa to learn temarizushi, bite-sized sushi balls made with fresh sashimi and seasonal vegetables, then eat your own creation with a drink included. ¥15500, booked with your tour leader on the day.

    See day 11 in the itinerary

To add an extra, mention it in your booking notes, and we confirm it with your seats before you pay. Some are booked with your tour leader on the day instead: their description says so.

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Good to know

Practical details to read before you travel.

  • Passport & visas

    UAE passport holders with an ICAO-compliant e-passport do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days.

    Other nationalities living in the UAE who need a visa can apply for Japan’s eVisa for tourism: documents are handed in at VFS in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, along with a day-by-day itinerary. Our visa team prepares and checks your application.

  • Flights and timings

    Flights to and from Tokyo aren’t included. The Shinkansen bullet train from Kanazawa to Tokyo on day 12, and any public transport used on tour days, are included.

    You meet the tour at a Tokyo hotel: check in at reception from 6pm on day 1 and say you are joining the tour. The tour ends at 10am on day 13, after breakfast at the hotel in Tokyo.

    Our team can book your flights from Dubai to match.

  • Meals and dietary needs

    12 breakfasts and 3 dinners are included: a welcome dinner on day 1, an Okonomiyaki dinner on day 6 and a farewell dinner on day 12. Lunch is on you every day, so you can try local restaurants and street food.

    Tell us about any dietary needs, halal included, when you book, and we pass them on before the tour.

  • Money

    Japan’s currency is the yen, and Japan still runs on a lot of cash, even though cards are now accepted in most hotels and city shops. Carry yen for smaller towns, temples, shrines and vending machines.

    Optional extras booked on tour are paid to your tour leader in cash or by card, in the currency shown.

  • Weather and packing

    This tour runs from March to November. Spring brings cherry blossoms and mild days, summer is hot and humid, and autumn is comfortable with clear skies.

    Pack comfortable walking shoes for temple steps and cobbled streets, layers for changeable weather, and a light rain jacket, especially in spring and early summer.

  • Temples and shrines

    This tour visits many temples and shrines, including Meiji Shrine, Senso-ji, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kiyomizu Temple, Kinkakuji and the Itsukushima Shrine. Modest clothing that covers your shoulders and knees is a good idea at these sites, and you will often need to remove your shoes before entering a building.

    Many of these sites involve steps or uneven ground, so comfortable, easy-to-remove shoes are worth packing.

Plan your trip

Our Dubai team arranges what goes around the tour, so it is booked in one place.

  • Visas

    Check the visa for each country on the route. Our visa team in Dubai applies for UAE residents once the tour is booked.

    Japan visaAsk our visa team

  • Flights

    Flights are not included. We can book them with the tour: Dubai to Tokyo and back. Tick “Flights” when you book and we quote them with your confirmation.

    Book and add flights

  • Pay in instalments

    Split the cost with Tabby or Tamara, or over 3 to 12 months on a UAE bank credit card for bookings from AED 1,000.

    How instalments work

Book this tour

Book in a minute. Your seats are held as soon as you book; you name the other travellers and pay once we have confirmed them.

Your trip

  • TravellersPriced per person
    Travellers2
  • Rooms1 double room

Lead traveller

Total for 2 travellersNothing to pay nowAED 36,410

You add the other travellers’ details after booking. See our privacy policy.

Questions before you book? Our support team is on WhatsApp +971 4 589 0001.

Questions about this tour

  • What will my days look like?

    Days are full. Most start with breakfast, then the main sights with a local guide or your tour leader. Afternoons often leave free time to wander, stop for a coffee or join an optional extra. Expect a fair amount of walking: some days mean two or three hours on your feet, so bring comfortable shoes.

  • Who will I be travelling with?

    Travellers from all over the world, of different ages and backgrounds, who share a wish to see more. Up to 46 people share this tour, and most know each other’s names within a few days.

  • What are the hotels like?

    Mostly 3 and 4 star, all clean, comfortable and well located, with private en-suite bathrooms. They are chosen so you sleep well and are ready for the next day. The destinations come first, but the hotels are never an afterthought.

  • How active is this tour?

    You carry your own luggage, sometimes up hotel stairs. Some walking tours run for up to three hours, and a few sites have plenty of steps. The itinerary and the activity level at the top of this page show whether the pace suits you.

  • How do optional extras work?

    Optional extras run in the tour’s free time, and your tour leader tells you what is on offer as the tour goes. The ones on this tour are booked with your tour leader on the day, and the Optional extras section shows each one with its price.

  • Will I have time to explore on my own?

    Yes. The itinerary builds in free time to wander at your own pace, and your tour leader can point you to the places that suit you, so you are never left to work it all out alone.

  • What support do I have while I’m on tour?

    Your tour leader travels with you from start to finish. They know the places most visitors miss, can suggest a restaurant before you ask, and deal with whatever crops up on the way. Transport and hotels are all arranged for you.

    There is also an emergency number staffed 24 hours a day, and our team in Dubai is there to help.

  • How do I book Highlights of Japan?

    Press Book now, choose a date, your travellers and rooms, and give your name, email and mobile. We hold your seats and email your booking reference straight away; you then add each traveller as their passport shows on your booking page. Our Dubai team confirms the seats with the tour operator, then emails you a secure payment link. Nothing is charged when you book.

  • When do I pay?

    Once the tour operator confirms your seats. We email you a secure payment link for the total in AED, and your booking is complete when it is paid. To pay in instalments, say so in your booking notes.

  • Is the price per person?

    Yes. Prices are per person sharing a double or twin room. Travelling alone? A single room costs the supplement shown next to each date.

  • Are flights included?

    Only when the tour lists them under what is included. We can book flights from the UAE to the start city and home from the end city with your tour.

  • Do I need a visa?

    That depends on your passport and the countries on the route. Our visa team arranges Schengen and other visas for UAE residents, and can apply for yours once the tour is booked.

Payment plans

Take the trip now. Pay for it in pieces.

Every booking qualifies, from holidays and tours to visas. Spread it over 3 to 12 months at 0% on a credit card plan, or with Tabby or Tamara; some banks add a one-time processing fee.

  • Credit card plans from AED 1,000
  • Tabby and Tamara, no minimum
  • Terms from 3 to 12 months
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