Original
Explorer
Rail
Japan: Land of the Rising Sun
13 days • 4.8
5
Excellent
179 reviews
13 days
Start
Tokyo, Japan
Finish
Kyoto, Japan
Trip Code
CJST
Min Age
15
Trip Size
1 - 12
Physical Rating
Meals
1 breakfast, 1 dinner
Transport
Boat, Public Bus, Cable Car, Ferry, Metro, High Speed Train, Train
Accommodation
Hotel (8 nights), Japanese Inn ( 4 nights)
From £2,995(13 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
Soar high above Lake Ashi and (on a clear day) get a glimpse of glorious Mt Fuji on a ride on the Hakone ropeway.
Be impressed by the efficiency and ultra modernity of Japan’s bullet trains as you zip from place to place.
Explore traditional Japanese culture in Edo-period Takayama and visit a folk village, tour a 600-year-old market and a enjoy a sake brewery tasting.
Visit the Peace Park for moving insight into the devastation of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, then cruise to peaceful Miyajima Island where wild deer roam the streets.
Finish your trip with three nights in Kyoto, Japan’s cultural capital and home to literally thousands of temples, the Gion District where Geisha entertain the wealthy elite and renowned Kyoto sushi.
Is this trip right for you?
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.
In some destinations, you may be staying in a minshuku, a Japanese-style inn. It’s a great taste of tradition; however, not everyone finds futon mattresses on the tatami floor, tiny bathrooms and proximity to other guests as comfortable as more Western-style hotels and beds. Read more about it in the Accommodation section of the Essential Trip Information. For some departures, we may swap them with hotels or vice versa depending on seasonal availability. Please consult your booking agent if you need more details.
This trip is a great way to see a lot in a short period of time and it can be part of a longer itinerary if you have more time to explore. You might like to check out Ultimate Japan.
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
An onsen-soaking, sake-sipping, bullet train-zipping trip through Japan
This 13-day tour of Japan will introduce you to the cultures – old and new – that define this small but influential archipelago. Beginning in tech-mecca Tokyo and finishing with three nights in Kyoto, this immersive tour will also introduce you to lesser-known cities through Japan’s centre and southern reaches. Discover scenic beauty on the Hakone ropeway, sip the best sake in Takayama, find out about the Hiroshima of today and wonder at the floating torii gate of Miyajima. You’ll have a local to guide you through these lesser-known destinations and reveal layers of culture and history.
Inclusions
Meals
1 breakfast, 1 dinner
Transport
Boat, Public Bus, Cable Car, Ferry, Metro, High Speed Train, Train
Accommodation
Hotel (8 nights), Japanese Inn ( 4 nights)
Included activities
Nikko - Toshogu Shrine
Hakone - Cable car/Ropeway
Hakone - Lake Ashinoko boat cruise
Takayama - Hida Folk Village
Takayama - Market visit with snack sampling
Takayama - Sake brewery tasting
Takayama - Incense making in Zenkoji Temple
Hiroshima - Peace Park & A - Bomb Dome
Hiroshima - Peace Museum
Hiroshima - Okonomiyaki dinner
Hiroshima - Miyajima Island
Himeji - Himeji Castle
Kyoto - Gion District walk
Kyoto - Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
Kyoto - Fushimi Inari-Taisha
Kyoto - Japanese sweet making & Mocha tea experience
Kyoto - Nishiki Market walk with snack sampling
Optional activities
Tokyo - Hama Rikyu Garden - JPY300
Tokyo - Sumida Hokusai Museum - JPY400
Tokyo - Tokyo National Museum - JPY1000
Tokyo - Ueno Park - Free
Nikko - Bus to Chuzenji Lake (return) - JPY2500
Nikko - Imperial Villa - JPY600
Hakone - Open-Air Museum - JPY2000
Hakone - Checkpoint Museum - JPY500
Hakone - Onsen (public hot spring bath) - JPY1500
Takayama - Festival Float Museum - JPY1000
Takayama - Kusakabe Traditional House - JPY1000
Takayama - Bike hire (per day) - JPY1000
Takayama - Showa Museum - JPY1000
Takayama - Takayama Jinya Building - JPY440
Miyajima - Itsukushima-jinja Shrine - JPY300
Kyoto - Bike hire (per day) from - JPY1200
Kyoto - Sanjusangendo Temple - JPY600
Kyoto - Kiyomizu-dera - JPY500
Kyoto - Tea Ceremony with Maiko/Geisha - JPY14300
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
















Important notes
1. We are currently unable to offer a single supplement, airport transfers or additional accommodation in Japan due to limited availability.
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 (173)
5 stars
145
4 stars
18
3 stars
7
2 stars
3
Tracy
Apr 28, 2025
I booked the 12 day Land of the Rising Sun in Japan. It was amazing. It was my first tour with Intrepid and wont be my last.
Tammy
Apr 27, 2025
Our Japanese Land of the Rising sun tour was perfection We are normally not tour type of people, but due to our busy lives and getting older, we wanted a break from planning and decisions. There is no way we could have covered so much on our own. Thank you Intrepid
Ross
Apr 27, 2025
Intrepid's Land of the Rising Sun is the perfect introduction to Japan for the young and young at heart. Joining a small group, with an experienced tour leader, the adventure started in bustling Tokyo, and took us to mountain retreats, spring fed bathing pools, up mountains via cable car, over volcanoes and on ships and ferries to ancient islands. We absorbed temples, shrines, museums and had some of the best food in the world. Our tour leader, Kosuke, was fun to be with, and got us through the adventure in one piece. Albeit forever changes by the experience. Arigatou Gozaimasu Intrepid!
Louise
Apr 25, 2025
Our 13 day taster of Japan was incredible. The most on the go trip we’ve ever done usually we do island holidays centred around diving. But this worked for us both in late 50s and 2 teens. Lucked out with 2 teens from another family so spent the trip enjoying not only an exquisitely beautiful country in Cherry blossom glory but watched some beautiful friendships form. The crowds were so well behaved don’t be turned off by peak times. The whole trip felt like we were living in a Japanese painting. The landscape, wildlife and people really are beautiful.
Susan
Apr 24, 2025
This Japan 13 day trip was excellent, well run, fun & we saw all that possible in the time available.
Alison
Apr 22, 2025
This trip was exactly as described in the itinerary details and offers a good variety between cities and more rustic locations. The group leader was calm, efficient and excellent company. The group was small and unobtrusive. An excellent first visit to Japan. Highly recommended.
Dilruba
Apr 19, 2025
Our two weeks experience was excellent with Intrepid travel to Japan . I highly recommend this trip if you are interested in knowing Japan and Japanese culture/heritage/ hospitality. It requires a lot of walking , we on average walked 6-10 miles everyday . You will definitely need good walking shoes .
Ian
Apr 17, 2025
We had a fantastic trip. Baku was a great trip leader, often pivoting to add more to our trip.
Robert
Apr 14, 2025
Ein fantastischer Trip, ich hatte extrem viel Spaß. Kumi war ein perfekter Tourguide. Japan ist eines der besten Länder, welches man als Alleinreisender besuchen kann. Viele optionale Aktivitäten und Übernachtungen in traditionellen japanischen Inns lassen dich weiter in die Kultur eintauchen.
Andrew
Apr 13, 2025
Great trip and excellent for an immersion into Japanese life and culture. Blessed to see cherry blossoms. Timing made it an expensive time to go.
Friends and Family Travel is an agent of Intrepid Travel. All Trip content and associated images are copyright of Intrepid Travel.
You are protected
Contact Information
Call us at
0208 058 4003
Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM GMT.
Contact our customer support
contact@friendsandfamily.travel
We’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

© 2024 Friends and Family Travel | All rights reserved.