8 Days | Travel from Tokyo to Kyoto, sampling all the sake in between
Home of the sumo, the geisha, sake, karaoke, onsen and izakaya – Japan is a true feast for all of your senses. This 8-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 farmstay with local tea harvesters and a quiet hike featuring spectacular views of Mt Fuji. Travel on a futuristic bullet train to Kyoto and step into history before wrapping up your adventure in the foodie paradise of Osaka.
Trip overview
- Start
- Tokyo, Japan
- Finish
- Osaka, Japan
- Theme
- Explorer, Rail
- Destinations
- Japan
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Original
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 12
- Trip code
- CJSH
- This is THE trip to take in Japan – a cultural and culinary whirlwind from the streets of Tokyo to the eats of Osaka.
- Explore the many sides of Shibuya in Tokyo, from busy intersections to rooftop city views and from the tranquillity of the ancient Meiji Shrine to quirky Harajuku.
- Settle into rural Japanese life at a local farmstay, where you might help harvest tea and prepare a home-cooked, farm-to-table feast and hike a quiet country trail passing through tea plantations and featuring the unmissable view of Mt. Fuji along the way.
- Ride the rails like the locals, from lightening-fast bullet trains to scenic mountain rails offering seasonal views of cherry blossoms and autumn leaves.
- Immerse yourself in the history and tradition of Kyoto among shrines, geishas and a 300-year-old sake brewery, and follow it up with the mouth-watering street food in Osaka.
- 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.
- 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.
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2025 - 31 December 2025
Itinerary
Inclusions
1 breakfast, 2 dinners
Public Bus, Metro, Local Train, Bullet Train
Hotel (6 nights), Farm Stay (1 night)
- Tokyo - welcome meeting and orientation walk
- Tokyo - Sensoji Temple
- Tokyo - Meiji Jingu Shrine
- Tokyo - Shibuya walking tour
- Tokyo - Shibuya Sky Observation Platform
- Kawane - Homestay & Home-cooked Dinner
- Kawane - Tea Farm Visit & Tea Brewing & Tasting
- Kawane - Scenic Train Ride
- Kawane - Home-cooked Japanese Breakfast
- Shizuoka - Tokai Nature Trail Soft Hike
- Shizuoka - Nihondaira Yume Terrace (Mt. Fuji viewing platform)
- Kyoto - Gion District walk
- Kyoto - Nishiki-Koji Market
- Shizuoka - Shimizu Fish Market & Brunch
- Kyoto - Fushimi Inari-Taisha
- Kyoto - Sake Brewery Visit & Tasting
- Osaka - Dotombori and Kuromon Street Food Walking Tour
- Tokyo - Tsukiji Fish Market - Free
- Tokyo - Shinjuku-gyoen - JPY500
- Tokyo - Yoyogi Park - Free
- Tokyo - Imperial Palace - Free
- Kyoto - Gion Corner cultural centre - JPY5500
- Kyoto - Imperial Palace - Free
- Kyoto Tower - JPY900
- Kyoto - Bike hire (per day) from - JPY1200
- Kyoto - Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) - JPY500
- Kyoto - Ryoanji Zen Garden - JPY600
- Kyoto - Arashiyama Bamboo Forest - Free
- Kyoto - Path of Philosophy (Tetsugaku-no-Michi) - Free
Dates and availability
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.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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