Naming tours can sometimes be quite a thoughtful process for our Product Managers. Should we take the poetic route and give our tours names worthy of a romantic tale, or should we simply name them after what you, as our guest, will experience?
And it’s been no different when it comes to Japan.
In a country with so many highlights that it’s impossible to capture them all in a single tour, choosing the one that truly deserves the name ‘Highlights of Japan’ can be quite the challenge. Of course, all our tours to Japan feature some of the classics, but each one is sprinkled with unique touches that give it its own character.
The real question is, which tour should you choose when only one carries the name ‘Highlights’, while the others hide just as many gems?
Comparison of our tours
The answer really depends on what you dream of experiencing in Japan. Would you like to explore Japan’s classic highlights? Walk in the footsteps of the samurai along historic mountain trails? Or is it important for you to see and experience as much as possible?
Below, we’ve made it a little easier for you to find the tour that best suits your interests.
You can also view a complete overview of our tours in Japan.
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Kyoto & Tokyo |
Highlights of Japan |
The Japanese Alps & Tokyo |
Japan’s nature and cities |
Traditional & modern Japan |
The grand Japan tour |
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Number of days |
10 days |
13 days |
13 days |
13 days |
14 days |
18 days |
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Osaka (arrival) |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
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Kyoto |
✓ |
✓ |
– |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
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Hiroshima |
– |
✓ |
– |
– |
– |
✓ |
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Kanazawa & Shirakawa-go |
– |
✓ |
– |
– |
✓ |
✓ |
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Tokyo |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
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Nagoya |
– |
– |
✓ |
– |
– |
– |
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Takayama & Shirakawa-go |
– |
– |
✓ |
– |
– |
– |
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Nagano |
– |
– |
✓ |
– |
– |
✓ |
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Nara |
– |
– |
– |
– |
✓ |
– |
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Hakone |
– |
– |
– |
✓ |
– |
– |
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Sendai & Yamadera |
– |
– |
– |
✓ |
– |
✓ |
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Unique to the tour |
Plenty of free time in the big cities of Kyoto and Tokyo, with the option to add extra excursions. |
Classic route featuring Hiroshima and many other well-known highlights. |
A nature-filled and historical tour through local Japan along the Nakasendo trail and the Japanese Alps. |
Magnificent nature experiences in Hakone National Park and at Yamadera’s mountain temple.
7 nights with access to an onsen or sentō bath. |
Classic route including Nara and many other famous highlights. |
An experience-packed tour combining destinations from all the other tours. |
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Who this tour is best for |
Those who want to focus on Japan’s major cities. |
Those who want to experience Japan’s classic highlights. |
Those who dream of delving deeper into Japan’s history, nature, and lesser-known highlights. |
Those who want to combine nature and hidden gems with Kyoto and Tokyo. |
Those who want to experience Japan’s classic highlights while staying in higher-standard hotels. |
For those who want to see as much of Japan as possible in a single tour. |
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Best time to visit |
Mid-February to late May. Late September to early December. |
Early March to late May. Late September to early December. |
Mid-March to early June. Mid-September to early December. This tour is also ideal in the summer months if you want to avoid the worst of the summer heat. |
Mid-February to early June. Late September to early December. |
Early March to late May. Late September to early December. |
Early March to late May. Late September to early December. |
Kyoto & Tokyo – 10 days
The shortest and most straightforward of our Japan tours, focusing on the two cities of Kyoto and Tokyo.
You’ll have an extra free day in Tokyo (compared to our other tours), which you can use to explore the city on your own. You’ll also have access to a wide range of optional tours.
Perfect if you dream of getting a taste of everything Japan has to offer in its two most famous cities.
See prices and the full itinerary for Kyoto & Tokyo.
Highlights of Japan – 13 days
This tour combines many of the places most people associate with Japan’s must-see highlights:
Of course, the tour includes both Kyoto and Tokyo, but on top of that you can look forward to visiting Hiroshima with its moving and significant history, the charming city of Kanazawa – often referred to as “Little Kyoto” – where you can explore the beautiful Kenrokuen Garden, as well as enjoy a full-day excursion to the small UNESCO-listed village of Shirakawa-go, famous for its traditional thatched-roof houses.
An ideal tour if you want a broad taste of Japan’s classic highlights.
See prices and the full itinerary for the highlights of Japan.
The Japanese Alps & Tokyo – 13 days
This tour is designed for those who wish to delve deeper into Japan’s fascinating history and natural beauty.
After your arrival and an overnight stay in Osaka, the journey continues to Nagoya – a vibrant local metropolis with its own unique character and delicious cuisine. From the serene mountain town of Takayama, you’ll enjoy a full-day excursion to the UNESCO-listed village of Shirakawa-go, and in Nagano, you’ll visit Zenko-ji Temple and, during the winter months, you may even spot the famous snow monkeys relaxing in the hot springs. This tour is wonderful all year round but is particularly rewarding in summer for its cooler temperatures in the Japanese Alps, and in autumn for the dazzling colours of the season.
A wonderful tour for those dreaming of combining Japan’s best-known highlights in Tokyo and Kyoto with more nature and history in the country’s lesser-known regions.
See prices and the full itinerary for the Japanese Alps and Tokyo.
Japan’s nature and cities – 13 days
Combine Tokyo and Kyoto with some of Japan’s stunning natural landscapes. Hakone National Park offers breathtaking scenery and maybe even a glimpse of Mount Fuji. Sendai – one of Japan’s most underrated cities – serves as the starting point for a full-day excursion to the magnificent mountain temple Yamadera, dramatically perched on a mountainside overlooking the valley below.
Perfect for those who want to combine nature and hidden gems with Kyoto and Tokyo.
See prices and the full itinerary for Japan’s nature and cities.
Traditional & modern Japan – 14 days
This tour is similar in structure to the highlights of Japan, but with a few key differences: instead of Hiroshima, you’ll visit Nara – the city of tame deer and some of Japan’s oldest Buddhist monuments. You’ll also have a free day in Nara, offering a truly authentic and local experience rather than just passing through on a day trip. The tour also includes Kanazawa and Shirakawa-go, and ends in Tokyo.
A comprehensive and well-balanced tour that focuses on many of Japan’s classic highlights.
See prices and the full itinerary for Traditional & modern Japan.
The grand Japan tour – 18 days
This tour brings together the very best of our other itineraries: Hiroshima, Kanazawa and Shirakawa-go, the Japanese Alps, and Nagano – a relaxed small city home to one of Japan’s finest temples, the Yamadera Temple. And of course, the journey also includes Kyoto and Tokyo.
A tour designed for those who want to experience it all in one unforgettable journey.
See prices and view the full itinerary for the Grand Japan Tour.
Need a helping hand?
Still unsure which of our tours to Japan is right for you? Get in touch with our travel specialists today, and together you can find the tour that best matches your travel dreams.
TourCompass – From tourist to traveller
