Premium
Explorer
Premium Highlights of Japan
9 days • 4.7
4.5
Excellent
circle30 reviews
location_on 9 days
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Start
Tokyo, Japan
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Finish
Kyoto, Japan
tour
Trip Code
CJPH
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Min Age
15
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Trip Size
1 - 12
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Physical Rating
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Meals
8 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 4 dinners
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Transport
Train, Bus
bed
Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights), Feature Stay (1 Night)
From £3,693(9 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
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Experience a traditional Japanese Onsen (an area of natural hot springs surrounded by traditional inns and bathing facilities) at your Feature Stay and soak away a day of hiking to the Jigokudani Monkey Park.
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See and touch some traditional samurai weaponry, try on some authentic attire and learn about the rich history of these warriors with an authentic samurai experience at a 400-year-old dojo run by contemporary ninjas in Tokyo.
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Take a day trip to Kamakura, a coastal treasure known for its history, and see the sights on a traditional, person-led rickshaw, followed by a train ride on one of the oldest electric railways in the country.
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Feast your way through Japan with an all-inclusive dinner cruise on a yakatabune in Tokyo, a market visit in Kanazawa where you can pick your ingredients for a lunchtime cooking class at a local’s home and a sweet-making class in Kyoto.
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Explore Arashiyama – a nationally designated Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty in Kyoto. Walk through the bamboo grove and participate in ritual at the many temples and shrines in the area.
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
Learn samurai traditions, wander ancient temples and soak in a mountainside onsen
If you want to experience a few (of the many) highlights of Japan, all while staying in comfortable accommodation with like-minded travellers, this Premium adventure from Tokyo to Kyoto is a must! You’ll spend nine days exploring world-class shopping neighbourhoods, geisha districts, hole-in-the-wall eateries, ancient temples and markets with some of the freshest seafood you’ll find. Learn about the history of samurai from a family of contemporary ninjas, feast on monjayaki and teppanyaki on a dinner cruise in Tokyo, try to find snow monkeys bathing in hot springs on the mountain in Yamanouchi, wander through a designated Place of Scenic Beauty in Arashiyama and Japan’s most celebrated landscape garden in Kanazawa and follow the trail at a sacred shrine in Kyoto.
- DAY 1Day 1 • Tokyo
- DAY 2Day 2 • Tokyo
- DAY 3Day 3 • Tokyo
- DAY 4Day 4 • Yudanaka
- DAY 5Day 5 • Kanazawa
- DAY 6Day 6 • Kanazawa
- DAY 7Day 7 • Kyoto
- DAY 8Day 8 • Kyoto
- DAY 9Day 9 • Kyoto
Inclusions
restaurant_menu Meals
8 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 4 dinners
airport_shuttle Transport
Train, Bus
bed Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights), Feature Stay (1 Night)
festival Included activities
circleTokyo - Welcome dinner
circleTokyo - Authentic Samurai Experience
circleTokyo - Sensoji Temple
circleTokyo - Monja Boat Dinner Cruise
circleTokyo - Kamakura Day Trip
circleKamakura - Enoden Ride
circleKamakura - Rickshaw Ride
circleKamakura - Kotoku-In temple
circleYudanaka - Snow Monkey Park
circleYudanaka - Onsen Experience
circleKanazawa - Kenrokuen Garden
circleKanazawa - Samurai District Walking Tour
circleKanazawa - Higashi Chaya District walking tour
circleKanazawa - Market Visit and Sushi Making Experience
circleKyoto - Traditional Sweet Making Experience
circleKyoto - Arashiyama Walking Tour
circleKyoto - Gion Night walk
circleKyoto - Fushimi Inari - Taisha
circleKyoto - Nishiki market visit
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
Saturday Jun 28, 2025
Sunday Jul 06, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 2 spaces left
£4,725
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Saturday Jul 05, 2025
Sunday Jul 13, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 6 spaces left
£4,345£3,693
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Wednesday Jul 30, 2025
Thursday Aug 07, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£4,345
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Saturday Aug 16, 2025
Sunday Aug 24, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£4,345
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Saturday Aug 23, 2025
Sunday Aug 31, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 11 spaces left
£3,911
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Saturday Sep 06, 2025
Sunday Sep 14, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 9 spaces left
£4,824
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Saturday Sep 13, 2025
Sunday Sep 21, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 1 space left
£5,176
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Saturday Sep 20, 2025
Sunday Sep 28, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£5,011
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Saturday Sep 27, 2025
Sunday Oct 05, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 5 spaces left
£5,104
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Saturday Oct 04, 2025
Sunday Oct 12, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 3 spaces left
£5,170
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Saturday Oct 11, 2025
Sunday Oct 19, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 1 space left
£5,165
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Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
Thursday Oct 23, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 9 spaces left
£5,055
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Saturday Oct 18, 2025
Sunday Oct 26, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 10 spaces left
£5,049
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Saturday Oct 25, 2025
Sunday Nov 02, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£5,011
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Saturday Nov 08, 2025
Sunday Nov 16, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 6 spaces left
£4,868
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Important notes
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1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
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2. When travelling by train, we include the transfer of one piece of luggage from destination to destination. Please review the Packing section of the Essential Trip Information for more details on luggage transfers and luggage size.
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3. We are currently unable to offer airport transfers in Japan. Please refer to the Joining Point Instructions of the Essential Trip Information for our recommendations on arrival. Your leader will be able to advise the best way to reach the airport at the end of your trip.
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4. For the departures starting in March, November and December, the Yudanaka area may experience up to 20 cm of snow. It is therefore recommended to bring suitable footwear – e.g. snow boots, hiking boots, etc. – for the short group hike here.
Reviews (31)
5 stars
24
4 stars
6
3 stars
1
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Tim
Jun 05, 2025
The Japan trip was very good, we discover the Japan life in Tokyo, Kyoto, Kanazawa. We stayed on very good hotel, having good meal
on excellence restaurants. visit lot of temples, landmarks. It is worth the price we pay. We loved our trip
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Alan
May 23, 2025
As a first-time traveller for Intrepid, I was a little bit apprehensive on joining a tour of this type - However after doing the tour, I am glad that I done it. The tour locations and the communication especially from our team leader Hiroko was awesome. She had knowledge on all of the areas that we visited as part of the "Premium Highlights of Japan" tour. She was communicative, knowledgeable, kind and approachable for everyone on the tour. She went out of her way to assist everyone's specific guests' needs during and even after the tour had finished. The only piece of feedback that I would like to give is that Hiroko needs a bigger sign. It was sometime difficult to see it during the peak hours inside in the Japanese stations - Otherwise, it was an incredible trip, and I look forward to going on another Intrepid tour soon. :)
Best regards,
Alan
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Gary
May 02, 2025
Excellent tour, delivered as advertised with a great compatible small group of 12 (6 Aussie, 2 Kiwi's, 2 Spaniards). Good country guide and excellent hotel accommodations.
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Nicola
Apr 28, 2025
My partner and I really enjoyed this trip. We had a great group and a great guide. The locations we visited were great and we enjoyed the walking and exploring the cities. We left with an appreciation for Japan and its culture and the Japanese way of life. The tour was just the right length and well organised.
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Robin
Apr 26, 2025
We are traveling around the world and have 3 tours booked with Intrepid. Egypt, Japan and Brazil, been great so far. Thanks
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Andrijana
Apr 19, 2025
I enjoyed this trip. It was as described with few minor disapointments (the quality of our room, especially bathroom, in the featured stay - ryokan). They were also many highlights like sushi making experience in Kanazawa. I feel itinerary was apropriate for a relatively short trip with the word “highlights” in the title. So much happened in the last 8 days, it will take long time to process it all :) The group and the trip lead Toyoko were excellent!
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Victoria
Apr 06, 2025
I feel like I said goodbye to my family today and our leader Eiko was our mum. Cannot fault this incredible trip!
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Bradley
Apr 06, 2025
Fantastic trip to Japan with intrepid. Great bunch of people, excellent food, beautiful spring flowers. Eiko our guide was amazing. Japan, we will be back!
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Janet
Mar 24, 2025
An absolute cracker of a trip to experience the culture and food of Japan. The smaller towns were a nice contrast to the big cities
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Melissa
Mar 23, 2025
An excellent trip with a wonderful guide, Shiji. Japan is an amazing country and we loved it all.