Japan Itineraries
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- Visiting the museum and Japanese gardens in Tokyo's Imperial Palace that exhibit traditional Japanese art and history
- Seeing the shrines in Kiyomizu-dera Buddhist temple
- Visit to Kinkaki-ji also known as the Temple of Golden Pavilion
- Enjoying a Japanese tea ceremony (or chado), appreciating the unique way that green matcha tea is prepared and served
- Climbing Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain
- Hiking in the Yakushima forest or the Sagano bamboo forest
- Paying respects at Hiroshima Peace Park and museum, a tribute to the victims of Hiroshima bombing
- Seeing to Himeji Castle, built during medieval period for defense purpose
- Chanting with Buddhist monks in the early hours of the morning at a Monestary in Koyasan
- Soaking in a traditional onsen, sans clothes, as per the Japanese custom
- Walking among the many zen temples and gardens in Kyoto
- Visiting one of the may popular themed cafes, from animal to anime
- Admiring the cherry blossoms of spring, an annual ritual known as hanami
- Indulging in sushi and kobe beef, soba noodles, ramen and sake to your heart’s content
- Wandering through Kyoto’s Gion district to see geishas in traditional kimonos
- Watching a sumo match, a sport that dates back at least 2,000 years to the Edo period
Classic Japan Itineraries
Japan has reported 998 confirmed cases of coronaviraus, including 705 cases aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Yokohama, as of March 4th. Travelers are advised to exercise caution when visiting Japan. There is a level 2 travel alert in place from the CDC and a level 2 advisory from the State Department, both due to coronavirus.
Japan in 1 Week
Safe to say that a country where you travel by bullet train one day and experience the calm of zen the next, is full of fascinating contradictions. With 7-10 days in Japan you can experience all facets that make this country unique.
Day 1, Tokyo: See the largest crosswalk in the world, explore the distinct sections of the city, and partake in some karaoke!
Day 2, Hakone: Enjoy the peace and tranquility of this mountain town, famous for hot springs. Take an excursion to Ōwakudani and eat a black egg for good luck. Spend the night in a traditional “ryokan” or inn.
Day 3-4, Kyoto: Walk among the many Buddhist and Zen temples in Kyoto. See Nijo Castle and Kinaku-ji Golden Pavilion. Participate in a traditional tea ceremony in Gion where you can glimpse Geishas through upstairs windows.
Day 5-6, Hiroshima: Visit the Peace Park and museum dedicated to the atomic bomb attack in 1945. Take a ferry ride to Miyajima Island and see the floating torii gate.
Day 7-8, Koyasan: Stay in a traditional monk residence at Mount Koya Temple, observe ancient rituals and chants, explore expansive Oku-no-in Cemetery.
Day 9, Osaka: Excursion to Himeji Castle, explore the bustling bar and street food scene of Osaka.
Japan in 2 Weeks
With two weeks, you can explore farther reaches of Japan, while also hitting the main highlights.
Day 1, Tokyo: See the largest crosswalk in the world, explore the distinct sections of the city, and partake in some karaoke!
Day 2, Takayama: Explore the beautiful countryside complete with rice paddies and thatch roof homes. Rent bikes or walk and wander through local markets.
Day 3-5, Kanazawa: Take a guided walking tour through this 17th century castle town. See classic Geisha and Samurai districts. Visit Ninja Temple, Kenrokuen Garden, and Omicho Market.
Day 6, Hakone: Enjoy the peace and tranquility of this mountain town, famous for hot springs. Take an excursion to Ōwakudani and eat a black egg for good luck. Spend the night in a traditional “ryokan” or inn.
Day 7-8, Hiroshima: Visit the Peace Park and museum dedicated to the atomic bomb attack in 1945. Take a ferry ride to Miyajima Island and see the floating torii gate.
Day 9-10, Kyoto: Walk among the many Buddhist and Zen temples in Kyoto. See Nijo Castle and Kinaku-ji Golden Pavilion. Participate in a traditional tea ceremony in Gion where you can glimpse Geishas through upstairs windows.
Day 11-12, Nagasaki: Visit the peace park and museum dedicated to the second atomic bombing in 1945. Admire the views from Mount Inasa.
Day 13-14, Tokyo: Return to Tokyo via train or flight. Take an excursion to Mount Fuji before departing home.
Japan Winter Getaway
Soak in a warm Onsen, as the snow falls outside. Hit the slopes on some of Japan’s beautiful ski mountains, and explore winter villages.
Day 1-3, Sapporo: Visit the incredible snow sculptures at the Sapporo Snow Festival. Take in incredible views from the JR Tower Observation Deck. Try your hand at the Olympic ski jump!
Day 4, Otaru: Snow Light Path festival, see the canals lit up with hundreds of floating candles
Day 5-6, Shirakawa: Enjoy two nights in this wintery village that looks straight out of the European Alps.
Day 7-8, Nagano: See the red-faced “snow monkeys” in Yudanaka, visit Zenkoji Temple, explore the Yuzawa Snow Museum
Day 9, Kyoto: End in Kyoto for a chance to visit the cities famous temples and zen gardens.
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Japan Reviews & Ratings
A
Adam
Apr 2025
Simply Japan
We had a terrific time on our March 9 trip thanks to our excellent tour leader Zi(lola). She was very well informed about all the places we visited and provided reg...
T
Trusted Customer
Apr 2025
Japan Unrivalled
The Japan Unrivalled trip was an amazing blend of hitting all the touristy hotspots, finding out of the way gems, learning all about the amazing history, and eating ...
T
Trusted Customer
Apr 2025
Simply Japan
Simply Japan is pretty much as described in the trip notes, a full-on tour. Owing to the challenges of travelling by Minibus on Japan's highways the tour makes full ...
T
Trusted Customer
Apr 2025
Simply Japan
Our tour leader, Giulia, was just amazing! Her knowledge and enthusiasm for Japan really came across and I learnt so much about the people, places and culture from h...
T
Trusted Customer
Apr 2025
Simply Japan
Trip covered so many iconic places, the organisation was per...
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