Japan Discovery Tour (12 Days)

Tokyo, Japan

12 days (approx.)
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Discover the best of Japan with ease on a 12-day tour that covers top attractions from Tokyo to Kyoto. Visit Tsukiji Fish Market, Akihabara and Ginza districts, Edo Castle and more in Tokyo, then see Mt Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi in Hakone. Continue to Kanazawa, Shirakawa, Takayama, and Kyoto to take in UNESCO World Heritage sites and natural wonders. Includes 10 nights of accommodation, transportation, and most admission fees.

12-day tour of Japan from Tokyo to Osaka
Immerse yourself in Japan’s culture, history, and natural beauty
See more of Japan without the hassle of booking on your own
Includes 3- and 4-star accommodation, transportation, and most meals

What's Included

English-speaking Tour Guides
Small groups of maximum 26 travelers guaranteed.
The tour with private mini bus within some cities still operate with a smaller group of 16 people
If there are 15 people or less, we will be unable to conduct the Standard Tour.
For small groups, private tours or in some cases, there may be multiple tour guides.
10 nights accommodations: 3 – 4* overnight stay at traditional and modern hotels or inns
Transportation costs included in the itinerary
Sightseeing per itinerary in modern air-conditioned vehicles, trains, or other transportation.
Comprehensive, guided sightseeing and entrance fees per itinerary (optional activities not included)
One luggage forwarding per person from Tokyo to Kyoto.
one large parcel with maximum dimensions of 80 cm x 40 cm x 30cm, less than 25 kg
Guests pack small luggage (carry-on size or smaller) for overnight stay in Kaga Onsen and Takayama.
Option to transfer from Kyoto to Osaka (or Tokyo upon request) on Day 12 at no additional cost.
Breakfast (10)

Breakfast
Lunch (4)

Lunch
Dinner (6)

Dinner

Other fees not included in the tour
Optional activities at the guests’ leisure
Drinks other than water for meals or additional food during meals provided
Transfers to and from the airport

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Tokyo, Japan

End point

Osaka, Japan

Itinerary

Day 1

Day 1 – Depart for Tokyo

1 Stop

Haneda Airport Terminal 3 Observation Deck (Pass By)

Accommodation: Not included

Meals: Not included

Day 2

Day 2: Arrive in Tokyo

1 Stop

Tokyo (Pass By)

Accommodation: Overnight in Tokyo

Meals: Dinner

Day 3

Day 3: Tokyo (Tsukiji Fish Market, Sushi Demonstration, Akihabara, Ginza)

1 Stop

Tokyo

8 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Overnight in Tokyo

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4

Day 4: Hakone (Itchiku Kubota Art Museum, Hakone Ropeway, Lake Ashi, Mt. Fuji area) and local dinner in Tokyo

1 Stop

Tokyo

10 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Overnight in Tokyo

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5

Day 5: Tokyo (Imperial Palace, Asakusa, Meiji Shrine, Harajuku)

1 Stop

Tokyo

8 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Overnight in Tokyo

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6

Day 6: Kanazawa (Kenroku-en, Nomura Family House, Myouryu-ji)

1 Stop

Kanazawa

12 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Overnight in Kanazawa

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7

Day 7: Shirakawa-go and Takayama

1 Stop

Shirakawa

12 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Overnight in Takayama

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8

Day 8: Takayama, Nagoya, Kyoto (Bullet-train to Kyoto)

1 Stop

Kyoto

12 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Overnight in Kyoto

Meals: Breakfast

Day 9

Day 9: Kyoto (Tea Ceremony, Kiyomizu-dera, Gion, Heian Shrine)

1 Stop

Kyoto

12 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Not included

Meals: Breakfast

Day 10

Day 10: Kyoto (Rickshaw at Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji, Nijo Castle)

1 Stop

Kyoto

8 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Overnight in Kyoto

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11

Day 11: Kyoto, Nara ( Fushimi Inari Taisha, Todai-ji, Nara Park, Maiko Dinner)

1 Stop

Nara

12 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Overnight in Kyoto

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 12

Day 12: Depart Japan from Osaka

1 Stop

Osaka City Air Terminal (Pass By)

Accommodation: Not included

Meals: Breakfast

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
For children (Age 12 and below), the children must stay in the same room as adults.
For guests age 13 and up, guests may stay in a separate room, or may share a room with parents at request
Passports may be required to verify age on the day of the tour.
It is each traveler’s responsibility to have a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the dates of travel and a visa if required.
Guests are provided with the tour guides’ phone number before the tour and you can call the tour guide if you need to meet the group in the next location.
All guests arrive at the location at least 10 minutes before the designated meet-up time.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Bring comfortable walking shoes, a sweater, clothes you can layer and an all-weather jacket. Some religious sites may require modest dress to enter: No shorts or short skirts, knees must be covered by long pants or a long skirt. No sleeveless tops, shoulders must be covered and a shawl or scarf is frequently not accepted as a cover.
The tour operates in all weather conditions (except when there is a typhoon or other extreme situations). Please dress appropriately for all weather conditions. In such case, please note that the tour may change slightly to accommodate for the weather.
What if I’m late to meet up with Tour Guide during the tour? - We ask that all guests arrive at the location at least 10 minutes before the designated meet-up time. Since this is a group tour, we may not be able to wait for you if you are late. The tour will begin without the late guests and you can meet the rest of the group at the next location. Guests are provided with the tour guides’ phone number before the tour and you can call the Tour Guide if you need to meet the group in the next location.
How fit do I need to be for this tour? - This active tour covers a good amount of ground each day. Expect to walk about two to four hours on some touring days. Although the pace is moderate, you may encounter some uneven surfaces, stairs, steps and significant slopes on this tour and there are some areas in the open air and with no shade. There may also be changes in set drop-off and pick-up locations due to driving conditions and regulations, which may require additional walking between the different locations.
Is this an ideal tour for first-time visitors to Japan? - Yes, this tour is ideal for first-time visitors to Japan. While this introductory Discovery Tour will visit many of the most iconic locations in Japan, there are also other places you’ll visit that are not the main landmarks. This will provide you with a better idea of what life in Japan is like for locals, as well as visit to some of the main attractions that Japan has to offer.
What is the difference between this tour and the Japan Autumn & Winter Illuminations Discovery Tour in late November to early December? - The Japan Autumn & Winter Illuminations Discovery Tour is an extension of the Japan Discover Tour. The tour will cover the same cities as the Japan Discovery Tour, but will include Kobe City and other scenic spots for Autumn Foliage and Winter Illuminations throughout the route (the time at some attractions in the Japan Discovery Tour will be shortened to accommodate additional attractions on this tour).
Small groups of maximum 26 travelers guaranteed. The tour with private mini bus within some cities will still operate with a smaller group of 16 people. If there are 15 people or less, we will be unable to conduct the Standard Tour. For small groups or private tours (available at request), or in some cases larger groups, there may be multiple tour guides based on availability and scheduling.
Booking Confirmation based on number of guests: The tour will be confirmed within 30 days of the start date of the tour.
A minimum number of 16 guests in total is required to operate this tour with private bus for local transfers within some cities (transportation from major cities will always be with bullet train). The Tour Manager will be the same throughout the tour with 16 or more guests (with some exceptions in peak seasons).

Trip Preparation: It is each traveler’s responsibility to have a passport valid for at least six months beyond the dates of travel and a visa if required. All travelers should familiarize themselves with local conditions, such as high altitude or required immunizations, which could affect their health. We recommend you consult with your personal healthcare provider, the Centers for Disease Control and/or the World Health Organization for their recommendations.
Strict Cancellation Policy:
We will charge a cancellation fee of 100% if booking is cancelled 7 days or less before event
We will charge a cancellation fee of 75% if booking is cancelled 14 days or less before event
We will charge a cancellation fee of 50% if booking is cancelled 30 days or less before event
We will charge a cancellation fee of 25% if booking is cancelled 45 days or less before event
How far in advance should I book?
Preparing a customized tour requires some time, especially if reservations for restaurants or other venues are required. We recommend making a reservation as early as possible. Ideally, it should be 3 months before your travel date, or 1 month before the travel date at the very least. For Custom Tour bookings that are requested with less than 7 days before the travel date, we may not be able to arrange your custom tour in time so your booking request may be cancelled and you will receive a full refund.
Why am I charged a service fee if I make a cancellation after you started planning the trip?
Organizing and planning a trip requires a lot of time and if we have made reservations on your behalf, it may be very challenging to cancel some booking requests. Once we receive your booking and your answers from the Custom Tour form, we will begin putting together your Itinerary Sheet and will start arranging your tour guide, buying tickets, making reservations at venues for your tour, etc.
If you cancel the tour any time after we have sent you the custom Itinerary Sheet, the service fee of 15% of your total tour cost will be nonrefundable.
Japan Awaits is a licensed tour operator in Japan, with hundreds of registered and vetted tour guides nationwide. We offer tours in any location in Japan and manage all details, including transportation and tickets. Visit Japan Awaits to learn more about our tours or inquire about a custom experience today.
Availability:
June 8th – June 19th, 2025
Jun 15th – Jun 26th, 2025
July 6th – July 17th, 2025
Aug 17th – Aug 28th, 2025
Sept 7th – Sept 18th, 2025
Oct 19th – Oct 30th, 2025
Nov 9th – Nov 20th, 2025 (Japan Autumn & Illuminations Discovery Tour)
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 26 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Reviews

5.0

based on 2 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Amazing trip

Steven_M, Nov 2024

We just returned from Japan after visiting from 10/19-11/02/24. This was our first trip overseas, not just Japan. The overall experience was amazing and was easily the best trip that we’ve ever taken. My wife and I went on the Japan Discovery tour as a private group, and I would highly recommend going this route if you can afford it. Since the tour only included us, we were able to make several changes/adjustments to the itinerary and even fit in some additional activities (e.g. Kabuki theater). The hotels that we stayed in were all top notch, and the rooms were comfortable and clean. The tour was well organized and prompted us to explore sites and activities that we would never have considered on our own. Neither of us speak Japanese and were unfamiliar with many of the local customs, but our guides were incredibly helpful and made it a smooth experience for us both. Our first tour guide was Miya Mikami in the Tokyo/Hakone areas. Miya-san was an amazing guide. She was always helpful and would frequently check to ensure that we had everything we needed. She was knowledgeable about Japanese history, best places to shop, various restaurants based on food preferences, etc. She was always happy to answer our questions, regardless of the topic. She went out of her way to make sure we always had the best view of wherever we went and took multiple pictures of us throughout the tour. I would highly recommend Miya-san as a tour guide, private or otherwise. Our second guide was Naoko Kito. She covered Kanazawa, Takayama, and Shirakawa-go. Naoko-san was also very nice and accommodating. There was a bit of a language barrier, but we were able to communicate effectively 99% of the time. Naoko-san also tried to ensure that we were always satisfied and having a great time. She gave my wife and I handmade tote bags to carry the items we purchased, and she also taught us how to do origami. We had to take two trains on the day that we left the area. The first train got delayed on the tracks, and we were very close to missing the Shinkansen at our scheduled time. Naoko-san quite literally ran through the train station to guide us through. When we reached the ticket entry area, our tickets wouldn’t work. She then spoke with the guard and got us through. Since we didn’t know how to reach the right platform, Naoko-san convinced the guard to let her guide us. We got on the Shinkansen as it was leaving, then suddenly heard someone shout our name. Before we could react, Naoko-san had jumped on the Shinkansen to give me a bag that I dropped in the station. Overall, she went above and beyond to make sure that we were happy and I would definitely recommend her as a guide. Fair warning - she walks very fast so try to keep up. 😂 Our third guide was Yukari Onishi for Kyoto/Nara. Yuka-san was an amazing guide as well. She was extremely knowledgeable about the history of Kyoto/Japan, and she always had interesting tidbits of information to supplement our tours. She was very friendly and accommodating and she spoke/understood English very well. Yuka-san was always happy to take us wherever we wanted to go, regardless of the scheduled itinerary. She was always on time, but she never made us feel rushed. She also took multiple photos of us and made sure we had the best possible backgrounds. At the end of our tour, she gave us several postcards that represented each of the areas we saw together. Overall, Yuka-san was an amazing guide and I highly recommend her for any upcoming travels.