“Worth it if you're comfortable self-navigating between cities and want strong local guides. Think twice if you need hand-holding with transport logistics or expect a cohesive group experience.”
- About £137/day across 8 days
- We only rate a price against this trip's own history once we've tracked it for 21 days — no guessing before that.
- Cheaper per day than 3 of 4 similar trips we compared
- 4.2★ from 6 traveller reviews
Price movement, fill and the all-in cost come from our own daily tracking— not the operator’s feed. You book on TourRadar; the live price always applies there.
About this trip
Eight days across Japan's classic route, taking in Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka in a small group. It's a solid introduction to the country's temples, castles and food, moving at a pace that covers a lot without feeling rushed.
Tokyo sets the tone with old-city temples and market energy, before you head to Mount Fuji and then into Kyoto's temples, shrines and bamboo groves. Nara and Osaka round things out with deer parks, sacred shrines and a famous castle.
A partially guided trip, so there's a mix of organised sightseeing and time to explore on your own.
What you'll do
- Visit Senso-ji Temple and browse Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo
- See Mount Fuji
- Explore Kyoto's Kinkaku-ji Temple and the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
- Walk through the torii gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
- Wander Gion, Kyoto's old geisha district
- Visit Nara's temples and Osaka Castle
- Covers five major destinations in eight days, so expect to change base often
- Partially guided — some days are structured, others left free for you to explore
- Rated easy, suited to families and those new to group travel
Day by day
Exactly what you do each day, where you sleep, and how it flows — written by us, from the real itinerary.
What's included
- Guide: All tours are led by our hand-selected expert guides. Each day, a different local guide leads your experience, each one a specialist in their field with unique insights. Unlike other tours with a single guide throughout, our rotating approach offers a richer, more diverse understanding of Japan
- Meals: 4-5 traditional food tastings at the Tsukiji Fish Market
- Transport: Transportation from centralized pickup locations. Centralized meeting points keep tours running on time, maximizing the day for more sights and experiences. Tokyo Metro pass during the Tokyo Day Tour Bullet Train (Shinkansen): Tokyo-Kyoto Train: Kyoto-Osaka-Kyoto Please note that train tickets are non-refundable
- Accommodation: Accommodation is included. You can choose your preferred hotel standard at checkout.
- Activities: Entrance fees Kyoto & Nara (approx. 1300 JPY per person) Gratuities Note: Transfers between hotels and train stations are not included in the package Participants are responsible for making their own way between the hotels and meeting points. Unless otherwise requested, included hotels are chosen for their close proximity to the meeting points
- Optional: Airport transfers (optional)
- Insurance: Personal travel insurance
How travellers rate it
Cheapest live departure per day, in £, recorded by our tracker since 24 Jul. Never a brochure “was” price.
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).
Worth it if you're comfortable self-navigating between cities and want strong local guides. Think twice if you need hand-holding with transport logistics or expect a cohesive group experience.
- Guides like Sofia, Tim, Mark, and Toshi were genuinely knowledgeable, funny, and went beyond remit with food tips.
- Transport between cities is a nightmare: incorrect ticket instructions, language barriers, took two hours leaving Tokyo.
- Not actually a cohesive group tour; you're mixed daily with strangers from other booking platforms, different guides each day.
- Hotel rooms are small, Tokyo breakfast not included, and some guide quality varies wildly within the same trip.
Distilled from real traveller reviews on TourRadar — we don't edit out the bad bits.
The same-vibe trips, side by side — price, value per day, and how each is moving. Only we can lay two operators' trips out honestly.
Sorted by fit — never by who paid. Price moves and availability come from our own daily tracking.
Getting there
One-way so you can book your return whenever. Prices & booking shown on Trip.com.
Hotels in Tokyo
View more accommodationLive prices via Booking.com & partners, booked on their site — separate from your tour. We may earn a commission; it never changes your price.
On a budget?
Hostels in Tokyo for the night before your tour · 30 Jul – 31 Jul
Booked on Hostelworld, separate from your tour. We may earn a commission — it never changes your price.
Common questions
How long is Highlights of Japan Small Group Tour Package?
It's a 8-day trip. It starts in Tokyo and finishes in Kyoto.
How much does Highlights of Japan Small Group Tour Package cost?
The land price starts from £1,094 per person for the 8-day trip. You book on TourRadar, where the live price always applies.
What's included in the price?
The price covers all your accommodation, transport during the trip, a group leader/guide. Anything the operator lists as optional or not included — see the full breakdown on this page.
What's not included?
travel insurance (required) is not included, so factor it into your budget. We show typical flight costs and can point you to insurance on this page.
How big is the group?
Groups are capped at around 50 travellers — a small-group trip, mostly solo 18–35s travelling to meet people, not a coach tour.
When does Highlights of Japan Small Group Tour Package run?
It runs across roughly 15 months of the year, so there's usually a departure to fit your dates. Check live availability and prices in the dates section above.
Sort the essentials
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