Original
Explorer
Rail
Japan: Land of the Rising Sun
13 days • 4.8
5
Excellent
circle179 reviews
location_on 13 days
location_on
Start
Tokyo, Japan
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Finish
Kyoto, Japan
tour
Trip Code
CJST
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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, 1 dinner
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Transport
Boat, Public Bus, Cable Car, Ferry, Metro, High Speed Train, Train
bed
Accommodation
Hotel (8 nights), Japanese Inn ( 4 nights)
From £2,995(13 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
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Soar high above Lake Ashi and (on a clear day) get a glimpse of glorious Mt Fuji on a ride on the Hakone ropeway.
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Be impressed by the efficiency and ultra modernity of Japan’s bullet trains as you zip from place to place.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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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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.
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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.
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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
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.
- DAY 1Day 1 • Tokyo
- DAY 2Day 2 • Tokyo - Nikko
- DAY 3Day 3 • Nikko
- DAY 4Day 4 • Hakone
- DAY 5Day 5 • Hakone
- DAY 6Day 6 • Takayama
- DAY 7Day 7 • Takayama
- DAY 8Day 8 • Hiroshima
- DAY 9Day 9 • Miyajima - Hiroshima
- DAY 10Day 10 • Kyoto
- DAY 11Day 11 • Kyoto
- DAY 12Day 12 • Kyoto
- DAY 13Day 13 • Kyoto
Inclusions
restaurant_menu Meals
1 breakfast, 1 dinner
airport_shuttle Transport
Boat, Public Bus, Cable Car, Ferry, Metro, High Speed Train, Train
bed Accommodation
Hotel (8 nights), Japanese Inn ( 4 nights)
festival Included activities
circleNikko - Toshogu Shrine
circleHakone - Cable car/Ropeway
circleHakone - Lake Ashinoko boat cruise
circleTakayama - Hida Folk Village
circleTakayama - Market visit with snack sampling
circleTakayama - Sake brewery tasting
circleTakayama - Incense making in Zenkoji Temple
circleHiroshima - Peace Park & A - Bomb Dome
circleHiroshima - Peace Museum
circleHiroshima - Okonomiyaki dinner
circleHiroshima - Miyajima Island
circleHimeji - Himeji Castle
circleKyoto - Gion District walk
circleKyoto - Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
circleKyoto - Fushimi Inari-Taisha
circleKyoto - Japanese sweet making & Mocha tea experience
circleKyoto - Nishiki Market walk with snack sampling
museum Optional activities
circleTokyo - Hama Rikyu Garden - JPY300
circleTokyo - Sumida Hokusai Museum - JPY400
circleTokyo - Tokyo National Museum - JPY1000
circleTokyo - Ueno Park - Free
circleNikko - Bus to Chuzenji Lake (return) - JPY2500
circleNikko - Imperial Villa - JPY600
circleHakone - Open-Air Museum - JPY2000
circleHakone - Checkpoint Museum - JPY500
circleHakone - Onsen (public hot spring bath) - JPY1500
circleTakayama - Festival Float Museum - JPY1000
circleTakayama - Kusakabe Traditional House - JPY1000
circleTakayama - Bike hire (per day) - JPY1000
circleTakayama - Showa Museum - JPY1000
circleTakayama - Takayama Jinya Building - JPY440
circleMiyajima - Itsukushima-jinja Shrine - JPY300
circleKyoto - Bike hire (per day) from - JPY1200
circleKyoto - Sanjusangendo Temple - JPY600
circleKyoto - Kiyomizu-dera - JPY500
circleKyoto - Tea Ceremony with Maiko/Geisha - JPY14300
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
Sunday Jun 01, 2025
Friday Jun 13, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Sunday Jun 08, 2025
Friday Jun 20, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 11 spaces left
£4,279£2,995
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Sunday Jun 15, 2025
Friday Jun 27, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 1 space left
£5,121£4,352
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Tuesday Jun 17, 2025
Sunday Jun 29, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£4,279
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Sunday Jun 22, 2025
Friday Jul 04, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 4 spaces left
£4,741£4,030
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Sunday Jun 29, 2025
Friday Jul 11, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 8 spaces left
£4,279£3,637
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Tuesday Jul 01, 2025
Sunday Jul 13, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 4 spaces left
£4,604£3,683
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Thursday Jul 17, 2025
Tuesday Jul 29, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 2 spaces left
£4,758£3,806
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Sunday Jul 20, 2025
Friday Aug 01, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£4,450
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Thursday Jul 24, 2025
Tuesday Aug 05, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£4,450
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Sunday Jul 27, 2025
Friday Aug 08, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 5 spaces left
£4,604£3,683
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Thursday Jul 31, 2025
Tuesday Aug 12, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£4,279
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Sunday Aug 03, 2025
Friday Aug 15, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 5 spaces left
£4,334£3,467
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Sunday Aug 10, 2025
Friday Aug 22, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 8 spaces left
£4,334£3,467
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Sunday Aug 17, 2025
Friday Aug 29, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 9 spaces left
£4,279£3,423
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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 (173)
5 stars
145
4 stars
18
3 stars
7
2 stars
3
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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.
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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
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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!
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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.
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Susan
Apr 24, 2025
This Japan 13 day trip was excellent, well run, fun & we saw all that possible in the time available.
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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.
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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 .
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Ian
Apr 17, 2025
We had a fantastic trip. Baku was a great trip leader, often pivoting to add more to our trip.
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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.
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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.