Join our budget-friendly backpacking tour in Japan for an enriching adventure led by a welcoming group and expert tour leader. This affordable yet extraordinary journey ensures you’ll partake in unforgettable experiences and activities that showcase the best of what this vibrant destination has to offer.

1 – Tokyo

Your tour begins at 4pm! Join the group for an orientation followed by a visit to the Senso-Ji temple in the Asakusa district.  Enjoy a sashimi lunch in Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji Outer Market and then take in city views from the top of the Metropolitan Government building. There is the option to try your hand at baseball, visit a Japanese bathhouse, or shop around Asakusa later on that day.

2 – Tokyo

Receive a culinary lesson from a skilled sushi chef before visiting the ‘electric town’ of Akihabara. Enjoy some free time in the town and maybe visit one of the gimmicky maid cafés. If you’d like to bring an old-time favourite video game to life, you can choose to take part in a MariCar! experience. Hit the night life at the Golden Gai club post-drive!

3 – Tokyo

In the morning you’ll visit the impressive Tokyo Imperial Palace and it’s stunning gardens. Spend some time in the wacky fashion district of Harajuku and in the afternoon head to Shibuya to visit the Meiji Shrine. You’ll also get to walk Shibuya’s busiest pedestrian crossing to visit the iconic Hachiko statue. Recharge with a coffee break at a cat café before getting ready for Roppongi’s nightlife!

4 – Tokyo

Today’s a culture experience with a scheduled visit to Tokyo’s fascinating Edo-Tokyo history museum in Ryogoku. You’ll have the option to experience ‘a day in the life’ of a sumo wrestler followed by a visit to the Sumo Museum to find out about the traditional Japanese sport. The afternoon offers a chance to learn the ancient art of samurai with a live sword demonstration, and you’ll even try on a samurai outfit and have a go yourself! A Robot Show experience is on offer for some evening entertainment. Excursion to Fujikawaguchi, offering stunning views of Mount Fuji.

5 – Kamakura

After brunch you’ll jump on a train to the historical town Kamakura. The hostel you’ll be staying at is a stone throw from the beach where you can relax or if feeling adventurous, try your hand at surfing! Witness all historical aspects of this town including ancient shrines and the Kotoku-in temple hike where you’ll get to stand in awe of the Great Buddha statue. For a real treat you’ll hop over to the small offshore island of Enoshima to visit little temples and enjoy the sunset from a selection of beachside bars.

6 -Hakone

You’ll travel further down the coast via buses and trains to the beautiful town of Hakone. Hike along the Old Takaido path and then enjoy a lovely lunch near the Moto-Hakone cedar trees.  The next activity is site-seeing cruise with a little bit of a twist – climb aboard a PIRATE SHIP to cross the Lake Ashi’s crystal waters, and on clear days, view the iconic Mount Fuji!  Catch a cable car to Owakundani, which is an active volcanic zone, famous for its black eggs which have been boiled in sulphuric water – a real delicacy! Enjoy these sulphuric waters another way with a dip in the outdoor baths.  Indulge in a sake tasting session in your post-bath kimono, and listen to an introduction about how this rice wine is produced.

7 – Kyoto, Arashiyama
Next, you’re off to Kyoto via bullet train. You’ll zoom across the country, covering around 273 miles in two hours, leaving plenty of time to experience Kyoto later in the day and evening. Later, you’ll head across to the Arashiyama Monkey Park. It’s a tough climb up, but at the top, you can feed monkeys or simply enjoy the panorama of Kyoto below.

After, you’ll visit the Tenryu-Ji Temple, one of the most important Zen temples. With this, you’ll walk around the temple’s gardens, that were designed in the 14th century and are a real show-stopper.

Finally, you’ll hike through Arashiyama’s famous Bamboo Forest. In the evening you will have the option to attend a live geisha performance, which also features a tea ceremony, puppet show, traditional music and more. For something quintessentially Kyoto, you can also wander through Pontocho alley, full of lanterns and intimate wood-panelled restaurants – quietly sip on sake and look out for geishas wandering past!

8: Nara, Kyoto:
Start the day by wandering the hillside streets to the Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which leads into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari.

Head to Nara- this treasure trove of cultural delights has a feast of highlights to gorge upon. We’ll wander through Nara Park, the grounds of the Kofuku Temple, Himuro Shrine, Todai Ji.

That evening, it’s time for ramen and Purikura. This is a classic Japanese experience – a photo booth with a whole array of gizmos. Then let your hair down and enjoy some Japanese karaoke with the rest of your group!

9 – Kyoto:
Take a breather and relax your vocal cords after the previous night’s exertions – you have a free day to enjoy!

If you feel you have the energy, we would suggest taking a look at the majestic temples that adorn the Philosopher’s path.

Alternatively, you could check out the International Manga Museum. Fancy ending the day with some art? Pick up Japanese calligraphy skills with a lesson from a master

10 – Kyoto and Hiroshima

Cycle to a Zen temple to take part in a spiritual mediation session led by a Buddhist monk. You’ll go to the iconic Golden Pavilion at Kinkaku-Ji and circle the mirror pond to be mesmerised by its golden reflection. In the afternoon, you can cycle around the Imperial palace, before jumping on another bullet train bound for Hiroshima!

11 – Hiroshima

This modern city on Japan’s Honshu Island was largely destroyed by the famous atomic bomb during World War II. The Peace Memorial Park commemorates the event that occurred in 1945 and explains how Hiroshima is now a world leader in striving for a peaceful and nuclear-free world. Take a train and short ferry trip to the Itsukushima shrine on Miyajima Island. Temple buildings were built on stilts to avoid upsetting the gods, and there is an enormous torii gate just offshore which can be reached at low tide. Enjoy a relaxing evening digesting what you’ve learned today.

12 – Osaka

You’ll head off on another bullet train to Osaka, just in time for a traditional Japanese lunch of Ramen, sushi or yakitori in the foody district of Shinsaibashi. The famous Osaka castle is an iconic landmarks that played a major part in Japan’s reunification during the 16^th century. Stroll around the moat and don’t get lost exploring the 9-level dungeon! During your free afternoon, explore Shinsaibashi before your final night out on the town. Tonight you’ll sleep in a unique ‘capsule hotel’ which is an experience in itself!

13 – Osaka – Tour ends

We can organise a train return to Tokyo for those that require it. Happy travelling if you’re continuing to explore Japan and beyond! We can arrange transfers at an extra cost.

• Japanese Bathhouse – approx ¥5oo per person (Tokyo), Shopping, have snacks on Hoppy Street or go for Happy Hour Beers (Tokyo)
• Night out in Roppongi – approx ¥1000 if you go to a club with an all you can drink fixed fee from 7-11pm (Tokyo)
• Chanko-Nabe lunch – approx ¥1500-¥2000 per person (Tokyo)
• Cat Cafe MoCHA – Basic: ¥200/1o min + plus tax, Unlimited drinks: ¥350 + tax, Cat treats: ¥500 + plus tax (Tokyo)
• Maid Cafe – Entry fee: ¥500/60min excluding tax, food and drink aprox. ¥1500-¥2500 per person (Tokyo)
• Street Kart – $99 and must be booked before trip (Tokyo)
• Night out in Golden Gai (Tokyo)
• Tokyo Sumo District experience $80 (Tokyo)
• Robot Show – must be booked before trip (Tokyo)
• Japanese Onsen & have dinner nearby (Hakone)
• Amazake – approx. ¥500 per person (Hakone)
• Walk along Pontocho Alley – all restaurants here are very expensive and need to be booked ahead, so we suggest having dinner nearby (Kyoto)
• Calligraphy lesson $30 (Kyoto)
• Ramen dinner at Kairikiya – approx. ¥1000-¥1500 per person (Kyoto)• Karaoke – approx. ¥1000-¥1500 per person (Kyoto)
• O Okonomiyaki at Okonomiyaki village – approx ¥1500-¥2000 per person (Hiroshima)
• Ekiben – lunch (Osaka)
• Shopping in Shinsaibashi and Namba areas near Capsule Hotel (Osaka)
• Visit Tsutenkaku, an iconic tower famous for its neon lights (Osaka)
• Night out in Osaka (Osaka)
• Takoyaki Dinner (Osaka)
• Arcade challenge (Osaka)
• Karaoke bar (Osaka)
• Nightclub (Osaka)

Additional Services

If you want to stay on in Japan after the group tour has ended, you can upgrade your Japan Rail pass to 14 days for £165 or 21 days for £275. If you wish to upgrade to include this pass, you need to let us know 2 months before your departure date.

• All accommodation is included for the duration of the tour.
• Hostels, guesthouses and one night in a traditional Ryokan.
• Expect to share a room with 4-8 people, depending on where you are staying. We cannot guarantee same- sex dorm rooms in high season but will try our best to accommodate any requests.
• If you would like to have your own room, you can pay a supplement for this.
• The final three nights will now be in twin beds (not dorm)

Family Adventure Tour Members

• 3-star hotels in twin/double or triple rooms on your Japan family tour.
• Your stay in Hakone will be a traditional Japanese ryokan in a family room on futon beds. Accommodation in 3 star, city-centre hotels, such as Apa Hotel, My Stays Hotel or similar. Hotel rooms in Japan are small, but very comfortable, clean and have excellent service

• You will need to budget money for food.
• Your tour leader will take you to good local restaurants each day where you will be able to eat cheaply.
• You are also welcome to choose your own restaurants.