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Japan Discovery
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Length
10 Days
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Quality
This indicates the overall quality of the tour operator's products. A low rating does not mean it is not good - it just means that it does not include as much, or perhaps is of a more standard quality than the higher quality tours. For example, a 3 star quality rating means that it is a more standard/economical tour, while 5 stars is a very luxurious tour that often includes a lot of amenities. -
Starts in
Tokyo (Japan)
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Ends in
Osaka (Japan)
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Available Tour Start Dates
APR 17, 2027 to APR 8, 2028
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Activity Level
No Rating Provided
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Language
English
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Guaranteed Date(s)
Yes means that there is at least one tour date that the vendor guarantees will occur. No means that there is not at least one tour date that the vendor guarantees will occur, which usually means that the vendor wants a certain amount of reservations on each tour in order for each one to occur. Of course, the terms and conditions of the vendor do allow for the vendor to cancel guaranteed tour dates for certain reasons (for example, a natural disaster).Yes
From
Pricing listed is per person, based on double occupancy, and is the least expensive price for at least one departure date of this tour. Price is for the tour only. Additional items, including but not limited to, airfare (unless noted otherwise), travel insurance, and more, are additional.
$3,783.38
Overview
In Tokyo, you pass beneath neon signs, stand in the hush of temple courtyards and feel the bullet train hum beneath you as you travel between city and mountain. You look towards Mt. Fuji, its peak piercing the sky and, when the season allows, you pass spring cherry blossom in soft clouds of pink and white petals. In Kyoto, you trace the city through temple gates, wooden lanes and its colorful Geisha district, where lanterns glow against old timber. Across 10 days from Tokyo to Osaka, you pause on polished station platforms, catch the scent of incense at temple doors, wander down narrow city lanes and marvel at incredible landscapes.
Visited During Tour
Hakone (Japan) | Himeji (Japan) | Hiroshima (Japan) | Itsukushima Shrine (Japan) | Kurashiki (Japan) | Kyoto (Japan) | Mount Fuji (Japan) | Osaka (Japan) | Tokyo (Japan)
Dates, Offers & Prices
Tour Itinerary
More Details
Dates, Offers & Prices
The following are Japan Discovery tour dates available from Trafalgar. Select a bonus offer graphic to view its details, including its terms.
Tour Itinerary
Trafalgar Tour Code 943-2469
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Day
1Begin Your Journey in Tokyo
You arrive in Tokyo to the sound of station chimes, glowing vending machines and the rich scent of broth wafting from small restaurants. As you begin to explore, you pass paper lanterns outside doorways, pause to read handwritten menus tucked into windows or glance up at glass towers rising above pockets of old timber. Between one street and the next, you pass from quiet wooden façades to wide crossings, where traffic lights click and people wait in neat lines. At dinner, you meet your Travel Director and fellow travelers, sharing your first Japanese dishes around the table.
- Meals Included:
- Dinner
Accommodations: Shinjuku Washington Main -
Day
2Explore Tokyo from Skyline to Shrine
High in the Tokyo Metropolitan Observatory, you step up to the glass and watch the city stretch beneath you, a vast sweep of rooftops, rail lines and narrow streets running towards the horizon. At Meiji Jingu Shrine, you notice the sound of the city fall away among tall trees and crunchy gravel paths. In Asakusa, you follow Nakamise Street past stalls selling sweet rice crackers, folded fans and small traditional treats. Within Sensō-ji Temple’s grounds, smoke curls from the incense burner before you pass beneath Kaminarimon, its huge red lantern hanging above the gate. This afternoon, choose one of today’s Optional Experiences. Spend time with art, armor and ancient treasures at the Tokyo National Museum, with shopping time among Ameyoko’s market stalls and Ginza’s elegant department stores. Or learn how to turn takoyaki as it sizzles on the hot griddle before sharing smoky yakitori skewers or steaming bowls of ramen.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Shinjuku Washington Main -
Day
3Journey from Tokyo to Mt Fuji
Today, you travel towards Mt. Fuji, Japan’s highest volcano, watching the city give way to wooded slopes and mountain roads as the cool air brushes your skin. Weather permitting, the road rises to Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, where you stand 2,300 meters above sea level with the Fuji Five Lakes area spread far below. You’ll have free time for lunch in the mountain’s shadow, with Mt. Fuji’s volcanic cone rising beyond you in a sweep of rock and forest which, in the colder months, unfolds in white fans of snow. Later, choose today’s Optional Experience and ride the Komagatake Ropeway, gliding above Hakone towards Lake Ashi, a crater-formed lake surrounded by tall trees and ridges. On the drive back, you pass mountain landscapes and traditional buildings, watching the ridges fold into the distance before returning to Tokyo, where the evening is yours to explore.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Shinjuku Washington Main -
Day
4Ride the Bullet Train to Kyoto
This morning, the bullet train carries you towards Kyoto, its smooth rush through the landscape giving way to a city of temple roofs, timber teahouses and old streets. At Kinkaku-ji, you pause beside Kyokochi, the mirror pond, where the Golden Pavilion’s gold leaf and pine trees shimmer in the still water. At Heian-jingu Shrine, you pass beneath the great vermilion torii gate before learning how Shinto ritual, imperial history and Kyoto craftsmanship meet in one place. Later, at a traditional handicraft center, you browse the Japanese crafts. At dinner, you take your place in a local restaurant, with savory aromas from the kitchen, the click of chopsticks and dishes arriving at your table.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: Kyoto Tower Annex -
Day
5Kyoto Your Way: Markets, Gardens and Gion
Kyoto is yours to shape today, whether you start among Ginkaku-ji’s raked sand, mossy gardens and pale temple walls or make your way to Gion, where you may glimpse Geishas in silk kimono shuffling along wooden-fronted lanes. In Nishiki Market, you may follow the scent of soy, vinegar and toasted rice between narrow stalls. Or choose today’s Optional Experience to Nara, where you watch artisans turn black ink into a deep, satin sheen before trying the slow, careful movements of bokusho yourself. Continue to Tōdai-ji Temple and Nara Park, where you walk past stone lanterns, open lawns and deer stepping close enough for you to notice the soft sound of hooves on the path. Another Optional Experience leads you to Fushimi Inari Shrine, where you walk beneath rows of vermilion torii gates as the wooded path climbs the mountain.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Kyoto Tower Annex -
Day
6Japan’s Historic Quarters: Kurashiki to Hiroshima
You leave Kyoto for Kurashiki, where your Travel Director guides you through the historic Bikan Quarter, past black-and-white warehouses, willow-lined canals and narrow lanes. Beside the water, you notice reflections trembling against old storehouses and the soft dip of willow branches over the canal. You may choose today’s Optional Experience and try on a kimono for a photo in this classic setting. Later, continue to Hiroshima, a city known around the world for the atomic bomb attack of 6 August 1945. The rest of the day is yours to explore, pause for reflection or simply take in the city at your own pace.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: Hiroshima Tokyu Rei -
Day
7Visit Miyajima and Hiroshima’s Peace Memorials
By ferry to Miyajima, you cross the Seto Inland Sea as salt air cools your cheeks and the island rises ahead. At the 12th-century Itsukushima Shrine, you walk through halls that stretch out over the sea, the soft sound of water lapping below, before looking out to the great red-orange torii gate, which seems to float on the tide. Back in Hiroshima, you enter the Peace Memorial Park, wandering between open lawns and memorial stones. At the Cenotaph, you pause before the names of those who lost their lives on 6 August 1945. Inside the Memorial Museum, ragged clothes, a melted lunchbox and a watch stopped at 8.15am make the human cost painfully specific. Your tour ends at the UNESCO-listed Peace Memorial, the Genbaku Dome, preserved near the hypocentre of the atomic bomb. This afternoon, you may choose the ‘Secrets of Hiroshima’ Optional Experience.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Hiroshima Tokyu Rei -
Day
8Himeji’s Heights: White Heron Castle
Leaving Hiroshima, you travel to Himeji, with free time for lunch before your afternoon visit to its UNESCO-listed castle. Your Local Specialist leads you towards Himeji Castle, a 400-year-old fortress known as White Heron Castle, where white-plastered walls and dark tiled roofs rise above a canopy of green. You look up from the grounds to pale towers stacked high on their stone base, the castle lifting over the treetops as though reaching up towards the clouds. After learning about its history, continue to your hotel, with the evening free to spend as you choose.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: Nikko Himeji -
Day
9Discover Osaka’s Food and History
On your final full day in Japan, you may visit a sake brewery with a Local Specialist, where you watch freshly steamed rice, water, koji and yeast slowly transform into crisp, clear sake. Afterwards, Osaka greets you with arcades humming with bells and chatter, the raindrop-like patter of okonomiyaki crackling on the grill and shop signs stacked above narrow streets. With the afternoon free, you may explore the city or choose today’s Optional Experience to the Umeda Sky Building and Osaka Castle. At the Floating Garden Observatory, you stand 170 meters above the city, with wind on your face and Osaka spread below in roads, towers and river bends. At Osaka Castle, you wander through the museum galleries before pausing at the golden tea room, where gilded surfaces sparkle in the light and the small ceremonial space glows like a jewel box. This evening, perhaps join a final Optional Experience in Namba, where you follow the smell of sauce, smoke and frying batter through dining streets alive with chatter.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Hankyu Respire Osaka -
Day
10Say Goodbye To Japan
Your Japan journey ends with farewells to your Travel Director and fellow travelers. Leave with a camera full of memories and Japan’s sounds, scents and flavors still vivid long after the final goodbye.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
More Details
Trafalgar is informing us of the following additional details regarding their Japan Discovery tour:
Travelers Notes
* TRIP RUN BY COSTSAVER* ARRIVAL: Guests are to arrive into Narita International Airport (NRT) or Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND). * DEPARTURE: Guests are to depart from Kansai International Airport (KIX) or Osaka International Airport (ITM).* TRANSFERS: Both complimentary and chargeable transfers are not offered in conjunction with this trip. Guests should make their own way from/to the airport at their own expense. * BULLET TRAIN: Guests will need to pack a small bag for the journey. All other luggage will travel by motorcoach.* GROUND HANDLER: This trip is operated by JTB Global Marketing & Travel Inc.* IMPORTANT: Various vehicles without onboard washrooms are used, depending on the group size; however, the Travel Director will arrange regular comfort stops during longer journeys to ensure guests¿ comfort.* LUGGAGE ALLOWANCE: Luggage is restricted to one suitcase per person, with maximum dimensions of 58 linear inches (147cm), the total of length, width, and height - and a weight not exceeding 44lbs (20kg). Carry-on/hand luggage is restricted to one piece per person, such as a purse, backpack, or similarly sized item that fits comfortably under the seat in front of them or the overhead compartment weighing no more than 15lbs (7kg) and must be taken on and off the coach by the guest.* PORTERAGE: Porterage is not included; guests will be required to handle their own luggage throughout their tour.* NOTE: This Trip falls under LEVEL 2. Please refer to the Deposit, Payment and Cancellations policies on our website.
Pricing listed above for tours is per person, in US Dollars, and is based on double occupancy. Pricing may change for other occupancy types. Pricing is based on the last time the vendor electronically sent us pricing data, which varies by vendor (usually occurs overnight or multiple times throughout each day).
Pricing and availability are subject to change and must be confirmed by one of our travel advisors, who can contact the vendor to do so. Intra-vacation air (also referred to as internal air) is usually based on economy class seating (do not assume otherwise, unless explicity noted otherwise) and may be 100% non-refundable at time of final payment. Air quotes (including intra-vacation airfare) may be subject to change until final payment has been received by the vendor. Flight confirmation may be based on availability. Air reservations may not be able to be confirmed until a passport copy is received by the vendor. The following charges are not included in the vacation price unless otherwise noted: airfare to and from the start of your vacation; airline baggage fees including checked and/or excess baggage fees; Federal inspection fees for the Federal U.S. Customs and Immigrations; International Air Transportation tax; agricultural tax; other per person taxes imposed by government entities; airport taxes and fees, including the September 11th Security fee, passenger facility charges, Federal domestic flight segment fees, and U.S. and international arrival and departure and other government-imposed fees added by the airline and applicable at time of booking; port taxes; passports; visas and vaccinations; tips to your Cruise Director, Local Host, driver, Local Guides, and/or ship's crew; gratuities on ferries, trains, and cruise ships; laundry; telephone; minibar; alcohol, beverages, and food outside of the contracted menu as presented at a hotel or restaurant or onboard your vessel (these extra items will be billed to you before leaving the hotel, ship, or restaurant); airport transfers on non-qualifying flights; optional excursions; additional activities and excursions purchased online; porterage at airports and train stations; Travel Protection; and all other items of a personal nature. Itinerary details are provided by the vendor. Vendors may reserve the right to change itineraries, even on existing reservations. There may be instances where the name of a tour contains a tour length in it, but where there is a version of the tour that is a different number of days in length. You can check the true length of a tour by referring to the length value listed in association with that tour. Destination images displayed on this web page, some which are supplied by the related vendor and some which are not, are intended to simply give a general representation of the region of the world being visited during the tour. Such images are not necessarily of the exact areas being visited during the tour. Hotel details (including, but not limited to: rating/class, descriptions, images, amenities and addresses) are provided by Trafalgar. Hotel amenities may be communicated in shorthand by Trafalgar (for example, if "Laundry" is listed that may only mean that the hotel has an optional fee-based service that would allow for your laundry to be done by their staff). We reserve the right to correct errors.