Best of Japan - Fully Escorted Tour

16 Days/14 Nights

Register for this tour

Tour Inclusions

The full-time services of a Samurai Tours guide.

Local, licensed, English-speaking, Japanese guides where indicated in the itinerary detail.

Travel Guard Group Policy from Travel Guard, one of the world's largest travel insurance providers. (The insurance provided by Samurai Tours will cover the land portion only. Insurance to cover airfare is the tour member's responsibility.)

Download a PDF of the Travel Guard Group Policy

The provided insurance coverage includes:

  • Trip Cancellation (up to trip cost)
  • Trip Interruption (up to 150% of trip cost)
  • Trip Delay (up to $750)
  • Missed Connection (up to $250)
  • Baggage and Personal Effects Loss (up to $1,500)
  • Baggage Delay (up to $250)
  • Medical Expense (up to $25,000)
  • Medical Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains (up to $250,000)
  • Accidental Death or Dismemberment (up to $25,000)
  • Coverage for financial default of tour operator
  • Cancel for Work Reasons
  • A waiver of any pre-existing medical conditions that could eventually cause you to interrupt your trip

Travel Insurance Opt-Out: If you would prefer to opt out of the travel insurance, please note this at the time of registration. You will receive a $100 credit per person, which will be reflected on your invoice. In the event that you would need to cancel your tour, cancellation penalties may apply. See the Terms and Conditions page for the Cancellation Fees Schedule.

Airport transfer from Tokyo's Narita Airport and airport transfer to Tokyo's Narita Airport or Osaka's Kansai Airport (Transfers to Osaka's Itami Airport are not included.)

Meeting service at Tokyo's Narita Airport and sending service to the Kyoto train station. (The meeting service will meet you at the airport and escort you to the ryokan in Tokyo. The sending service will escort you to the Kyoto train station and make sure you board the correct train. The sending service will not accompany you to the airport. For those requiring meeting or sending services on other than the scheduled arrival/departure dates, there will be a $100 fee for the meeting service from the airport into Tokyo or the sending service to the Kyoto train station.)

Lodging for 14 nights in Japanese-style ryokans

Meals

  • Japanese-style or Western-style breakfast every morning
    (Please Note: Some ryokans offer Japanese breakfasts only.)
  • Six Japanese-style lunches
  • Six Japanese-style dinners (including 3 gourmet kaiseki dinners at the ryokans, and a shojin-ryori - traditional Buddhist vegetarian cuisine - dinner at a Buddhist temple)

14-day Japan Rail Pass (allows unlimited train travel.)

The appropriate amount of free time to allow you to explore and discover your own personal Japan.

All transportation costs when traveling with the group. (Transportation costs during scheduled free times are the tour member's responsibility.)

Admission fees to the following destinations and activities (itinerary specifics subject to change):

  • Tokyo
    • Tsukiji Fish Market
    • Tokyo City View Observation Deck
    • Ginza District
    • Sumida River Cruise
    • Nakamise-dori
    • Senso-ji Temple
    • Asakusa Shrine
  • Kamakura
    • Hase-dera Temple
    • Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
    • Hokokuji Temple (Bamboo Temple) including tea and sweets in the bamboo garden
  • Hakone Yumoto Onsen
  • Hakone
    • Lake Ashi Sightseeing Boats
    • Hakone Ropeway
    • Owakudani
  • Takayama
    • Sanmachisuji
    • Morning Farmer's markets
    • Takayama Jinya
  • Koya-san
    • Overnight stay at a Buddhist Temple
    • Oinori (Morning Prayer Service)
    • Okuno-in Cemetery and Temple
    • Garan Temple
    • Meditation Lessons
  • Osaka
    • Osaka Castle
  • Miyajima Island
    • Free Day
  • Hiroshima
    • Peace Museum and Park
  • Kyoto
    • Ryoan-ji Garden
    • Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
    • Nijo Castle
    • Nishiki-koji Open Air Market
    • Gion Geisha District Walking Tour
    • Private Maiko Dinner Party
    • Optional Home Visit (no extra fee)
  • Fushimi
    • Fushimi Inari Shrine
  • Nara
    • Nara Park
    • Todai-ji Temple (Great Buddha)
  • Uji
    • Authentic tea ceremony
    • Byodoin

Sayonara dinner at the end of the tour

Luggage delivery from the ryokan in Tokyo to the ryokan in Takayama (one bag only)

Luggage delivery from the ryokan in Takayama to the ryokan in Osaka (one bag only)

Luggage delivery from the ryokan in Osaka to the ryokan in Kyoto (one bag only)

Luggage lockers in Hiroshima

Each tour member receives an electronic copy of our tour handbook. This handbook is full of tips and suggestions taken from our Japan travel experiences that allow you to better plan and prepare for your trip, and therefore enjoy your trip even more. The tips and suggestions included cover everything from how to save while exchanging money, what to pack, some basic Japanese-language tips, general etiquette do's-and-don'ts, ryokan customs, etc.

Exclusions

Airfare is NOT included

Alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and desserts are NOT included - except at the Sayonara dinner on the final evening of the tour