Original
Explorer
Rail
Japan Highlights
4.8
Excellent
circle168 reviews 
location_on 8 days 
location_on
Start
Tokyo, Japan
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Finish
Osaka, Japan
tour
Trip Code
CJSH
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Min Age
15
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Trip Size
1 - 12
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Physical Rating
restaurant_menu
Meals
1 breakfast, 2 dinners
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Transport
Public Bus, Metro, Local Train, Bullet Train
bed
Accommodation
Hotel (6 nights), Homestay (1 night)
 From £2,361(8 days)
 Trip Informations 
 Why you’ll love this trip 
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Explore all the highlights of Japan in just over a week! This is a cultural and culinary whirlwind from the streets of Tokyo to the eats of Osaka.
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Experience the many sides of Shibuya in Tokyo, from busy intersections to the tranquility of the ancient Meiji Shrine and the quirky fashion of Harajuku.
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Visit a local tea farm and learn about harvesting tea leaves and making Japanese green tea, then settle into your farm stay, pick some fresh ingredients from the farm and prepare a home-cooked, farm-to-table feast with your hosts for the perfect blend of Japanese hospitality and country life.
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Ride the rails like the locals, from lightning-fast bullet trains to scenic mountain rails offering seasonal views of cherry blossoms and autumn leaves.
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Veer off the busy tourist track with a visit to Mishima – a small town built on the old lava flow of Mt Fuji – then head to the cultural heart of Kyoto, where you can dive into local history and traditions among shrines, geishas and a 300-year-old sake brewery.
 Is this trip right for you? 
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Japan is best explored on foot and by public transport. You’ll need to be fit enough to spend most of each day on your feet and able to handle your luggage as you navigate busy train stations. We recommend comfortable shoes and packing light.
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Double rooms in Japanese hotels can be smaller than you may be used to (e.g. 20 sqm). Every effort will be made to accommodate double room requests. However, during busy periods, there may be occasions when we are unable to offer a double room, so a twin room will be provided.
 Itinerary 
Travel from Tokyo to Kyoto, sampling all the sake in between
Home of the sumo, geishas, sake, karaoke, onsen and izakaya – Japan is a feast for all your senses. This eight-day journey hits all the right spots, giving you a true appreciation for the land of the rising sun. Absorb the bustle of Tokyo before heading into the countryside for a farm stay with local tea harvesters and a walk along a 400-m suspension bridge with spectacular views of iconic Mt Fuji. Travel on a futuristic bullet train to Kyoto and step into this nation’s history before wrapping up your adventure in the foodie paradise of Osaka. This is THE trip to take in Japan!
- DAY 1Day 1 • Tokyo
- DAY 2Day 2 • Tokyo
- DAY 3Day 3 • Mishima
- DAY 4Day 4 • Kawane
- DAY 5Day 5 • Kyoto
- DAY 6Day 6 • Kyoto
- DAY 7Day 7 • Osaka
- DAY 8Day 8 • Osaka
 Inclusions 
restaurant_menu Meals
1 breakfast, 2 dinners
airport_shuttle Transport
Public Bus, Metro, Local Train, Bullet Train
bed Accommodation
Hotel (6 nights), Homestay (1 night)
festival Included activities
circleTokyo - welcome meeting and orientation walk
circleTokyo - Sensoji Temple
circleTokyo - Meiji Jingu Shrine
circleTokyo - Shibuya walking tour
circleMishima - Mishima Skywalk
circleKawane - Homestay & Home-cooked Dinner
circleKawane - Tea Farm Visit & Tea Brewing & Tasting
circleKawane - Scenic Train Ride
circleKyoto - Gion District walk
circleKyoto - Nishiki-Koji Market
circleKawane - Home-cooked Japanese Breakfast
circleKyoto - Fushimi Inari-Taisha
circleKyoto - Sake Brewery Visit & Tasting
circleOsaka - Dotombori and Kuromon Street Food Walking Tour
museum Optional activities
circleTokyo - Shinjuku-gyoen - JPY500
circleTokyo - Yoyogi Park - Free
circleTokyo - Imperial Palace - Free
circleMishima - Mishima Taisha Shrine - Free
circleMishima - Rakujuen Park - JPY300
circleMishima - Kakitagawa Park - Free
circleKyoto - Gion Corner cultural centre - JPY5500
circleKyoto - Imperial Palace - Free
circleKyoto - Kyoto Tower - JPY900
circleKyoto - Bike hire (per day) from - JPY1200
circleKyoto - Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) - JPY500
circleKyoto - Ryoanji Zen Garden - JPY600
circleKyoto - Arashiyama Bamboo Forest - Free
circleKyoto - Path of Philosophy (Tetsugaku-no-Michi) - Free
 Dates and availability 
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
Sunday Oct 26, 2025
Sunday Nov 02, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Wednesday Oct 29, 2025
Wednesday Nov 05, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Sunday Nov 02, 2025
Sunday Nov 09, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 3 spaces left 
£3,333
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Wednesday Nov 05, 2025
Wednesday Nov 12, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left 
£2,772
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Sunday Nov 09, 2025
Sunday Nov 16, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 1 space left 
£3,465
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Sunday Nov 16, 2025
Sunday Nov 23, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 1 space left 
£3,465
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Sunday Nov 23, 2025
Sunday Nov 30, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 7 spaces left 
£2,778£2,361
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Sunday Nov 30, 2025
Sunday Dec 07, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left 
£2,651
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Sunday Dec 07, 2025
Sunday Dec 14, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 7 spaces left 
£3,003£2,553
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Sunday Dec 14, 2025
Sunday Dec 21, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left 
£2,651
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Saturday Jan 17, 2026
Sunday Jan 25, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 8 spaces left 
£2,893
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Sunday Jan 18, 2026
Sunday Jan 25, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 7 spaces left 
£2,937
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Saturday Feb 14, 2026
Sunday Feb 22, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left 
£2,855
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Sunday Feb 15, 2026
Sunday Feb 22, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left 
£2,789
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Saturday Feb 28, 2026
Sunday Mar 08, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 11 spaces left 
£2,965
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 Important notes 
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1. We are currently unable to offer a single supplement, airport transfers or additional accommodation in Japan due to limited availability.
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2. It is essential that you pack light and compact for rail travel in Japan. Luggage size restrictions apply. Please review the ‘Packing’ section of the Essential Trip Information for more details.
 Reviews (165) 
5 stars
143
4 stars
15
3 stars
4
2 stars
3
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Vanessa
Oct 07, 2025
A quick trip through Japan. Friendly people, good accommodation, enough inclusions. Can recommend!
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Sarah
Oct 04, 2025
Perfect introductory trip to Japan. Loved the farm stay. All hotels were clean and comfy! Lots of walking and trains making the trip very environmentally sustainable. Our guide Mayumi was amazing! 
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Alexandra
Oct 03, 2025
Fabulous trip! Perfect mix of group time and solo time. An excellent jumping off point to learning about Japanese culture and major places. We were so impressed and will absolutely be back again! Many thanks to Intrepid for once again broadening my horizons and allowing me to dive head first into appreciating another culture. I’m all the more better for it!
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David
Oct 02, 2025
I can't fault anything about the tour, it was well organised, well led and very well appreciated by me and my partner
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Sarah
Sep 26, 2025
The Japan Highlights trip was a fantastic way to see some great parts of Japan including a homestay in a rather remote village. Jane, our tour leader, was fantastic and we had great fun with the people in our group including Oliver our trainee leader.
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Helen
Sep 25, 2025
An amazing, full experience of first visit to Japan which covered a lot of sights, experiences and activities with fill days and great evening meals.
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Steven
Sep 24, 2025
Very short trip, great guide and experience. Learn to say Thank You, Sorry, Excuse me and Delicious in Japanese. With those words and a translation service on your phone you should be able to get help and show respect. The country is very clean and has high fines for litter and few public rubbish bins so be prepared to carry rubbish to your hotel or sit and eat or drink!
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Nicola
Sep 18, 2025
What a great experience! Our guide was brilliant, knowledgable and very helpful. We had a good balance of organised activities and free time. 
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Thayer
Sep 17, 2025
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Jane
Sep 17, 2025
We had an excellent time on this trip. Kyo, our guide, was exceptional and made everything easy for us on this trip, and we did things we couldn’t easily have organised ourselves. Fabulous group of people to travel with. Highly recommend this tour