Essential Japan

About this trip

Exactly what you do each day, where you sleep, and how it flows — written by us, from the real itinerary.

1. 1
   Day 1 · TokyoTokyo

   

   You'll arrive in Tokyo and attend a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you get in early, explore on your own – Sensoji Temple and the Imperial Palace are free to visit, or try the Avatar Robot Café where people with disabilities operate the service robots remotely. Dinner with your group afterwards is optional.

2. 2
   Day 2 · TokyoTokyo

   Spend the morning in Shibuya checking out the famous intersection from the station and the Hachiko statue. Browse the depachika food hall, grab lunch in Yoyogi Park, then visit Meiji Jingu Shrine. The afternoon is yours to wander Harajuku or, if cats appeal, head to Gotokuji Cat Temple.

3. 3
   Day 3 · KanazawaKanazawa

   

   Take the bullet train through central Japan to Kanazawa, a city built on samurai heritage and home to the 17th-century Kenroku-en gardens. After checking in, you can explore Kenroku-en Garden and Kanazawa Castle Park. The evening is free to roam the streets and try local izakayas and seafood.

4. 4
   Day 4 · KanazawaKanazawa

   Walk the Higashi Chaya district with your group, wandering traditional alleyways lined with Chaya houses where geishas traditionally entertained. Sit in on a tea ceremony at one of the local tea houses if it appeals. The afternoon is unscheduled.

5. 5
   Day 5 · KyotoKyoto

   

   Train through the Japanese Alps to Kyoto, Japan's former imperial capital with over 2000 temples and shrines. Use the bus network to visit Kinkaku-ji Temple's gold-plated structures or Nijo Castle with its famous squeaking 'nightingale floors'. Meet your leader in the evening for a walk through Gion, the geisha district.

6. 6
   Day 6 · KyotoKyoto

   Learn the Kyo-Yuzen hand-painting dyeing technique from the 17th century, using stencils to decorate a handkerchief, phone case or tote bag. Walk through the wooded hills near Fushimi Inari-Taisho to see the atmospheric red torii gates of this famous fox temple. The afternoon is free to explore.

7. 7
   Day 7 · HiroshimaHiroshima

   

   Bullet train to Hiroshima. Your leader takes you to the Peace Park and the A-Bomb Dome – one of few structures still standing after the atomic bomb on 6 August 1945. The museum documents the blast and international peace. Spend the afternoon exploring, then eat okonomiyaki, Hiroshima's famous savoury pancake, cooked on a hotplate in front of you.

8. 8
   Day 8 · Miyajima IslandHiroshima

   Take a local train and ferry to Miyajima Island to see its iconic 'floating' Torii Gate and Itsukushima-jinja Shrine. Hike Mt Misen through the woods for views of the Inland Sea – watch out for the island's bold deer. You have the evening free back in Hiroshima.

9. 9
   Day 9 · OsakaOsaka

   Bullet train to Osaka, Japan's culinary capital with the motto 'kuidaore' (eat until you drop). The city invented kaiten-zushi conveyor belt sushi. Join your leader for a walking tour of Dotonbori, the entertainment and shopping district packed with restaurants and bars.

10. 10
    Day 10 · OsakaOsaka

    No scheduled activities. You can depart anytime after checkout, though you can arrange to stay longer and explore other neighbourhoods of Osaka with your booking agent.

What's included

• Guide: All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leader or local representative. The aim of the group leader or local representative is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced group leader or local representative however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your group leader or local representative is new to a particular region or training other group leader or local representative. Your group leader or local representative will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your group leader or local representative can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip. , Due to Japan's popularity it has been necessary to go outside our traditional sources for employing tour leaders. As a result, our passionate, professional and trained tour leaders may either be Japanese or long term foreign residents in Japan.
• Meals: 1 dinner
• Activities: Tokyo - Meiji Jingu Shrine Tokyo - Shibuya walking tour Tokyo - Yoyogi Park Tokyo - Harajuku street Kanazawa - Higashi Chaya District walking tour Kyoto - Gion District walk Kyoto - Fushimi Inari-Taisha Kyoto - Kyo-Yuzen Dyeing Workshop Hiroshima - Peace Park & A - Bomb Dome Hiroshima - Peace Museum Hiroshima - Miyajima Island Osaka - Dotombori District walking tour
• Transport: Public Bus, Metro, Train, Bullet Train
• Accommodation: RYOKANS : & MINSHUKUS: Japanese-style accommodation - ryokans or minshukus (traditional inn/guesthouse) involve sleeping on futons or matresses on tatami mat floors, with bedding often packed away during the day. Attached bathrooms/toilets will usually be very small and many will only have shared bathing facilities with certain hours, or times available for booking at reception. Your leader will explain etiquette involved in using the shared facilities. As this style of accommodation will often not have furniture (ie. chairs or beds) in the rooms, please consider choosing a different trip style in Japan if you have difficulty getting up from the floor or have knee, hip or back issues. Some establishments may have a curfew when travellers need to be back in the accommodation - this is usually around midnight. Please also be aware that you would normally be required to change to slippers when entering into your room in such properties. Extra fees will be charged if dirty marks are left on their beddings or towels that require professional cleaning. Some of such properties will only give 1 key for each room so you can leave the key at the reception so that you and your roommate won't have to conform to the same schedule when you are out exploring. , AVAILABILITY: The recent huge increase in tourism to Japan has put a lot of pressure on accommodation. On occasion, we may need to change accommodation from what is listed in the itinerary in order to operate your departure with minimal changes. , ONSENS: We like to encourage travellers to visit traditional Japanese 'onsens' while in the country as it is a quintessential local experience. In public onsens this means bathing naked with others of the same gender. While the experience can feel strange at first for some, most of our groups end up enjoying this activity. There is very specific etiquette for visiting onsens - your leader can give you some tips and instructions. Please be aware that travellers with tattoos may not be permitted to enter public onsens. Private onsens may also be available - talk to your leader for more information. See our guide to onsens here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/japan-onsen-guide/ Multishare Hostel (5 nights), Pod Hostel (2 nights), Family Owned Guesthouse (2 nights)

How travellers rate it

Your free day in Tokyo

Landing early, staying on, or filling free time? The best-rated day experiences in Tokyo — you book on Viator (we may earn a commission).

5Young crowd

Tsukiji Fish Market: Street Food Tour with Tasting

2hfrom £47

5Young crowd

Tokyo Ueno Food Tour Sushi Ramen and Local Favorites

3hfrom £79

5Budget-friendly

Harajuku Meiji Shrine Walking Tour in Tokyo

2hfrom £19

5Budget-friendly

ENJOY-ALL-SHINJUKU《Red Light District Walking》with DEEPest info!

2hfrom £18

Common questions