1.866.316.7268 [email protected]
WPCS 2.1.3
1.866.316.7268 [email protected]
WPCS 2.1.3

Best of Japan in 22 Days

If you don’t want to miss anything in Japan, the Best of Japan in 22 Days tour is for you. From Sapporo to Nagasaki, you will enjoy the best Japan has to offer including some of Japan’s best onsens, gardens, castles, natural scenic areas, historical districts, temples and shrines, cultural activities and much, much more in a tour that will create travel memories to last a lifetime.

Price
From$7,975.00
Price
From$7,975.00
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Tour Factors

Tour Immersion in Culture
Cultural Immersion
Tour Pace
Pace
Tour Physical Activity
Physical Activity


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Tour Details

You’ll stay overnight at a mountaintop Buddhist temple where Buddhist monks will serve you meals of shojin ryori (the traditional Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) and attend prayer services at the temple early the next morning, climb to the top of a samurai castle, stroll through farmer’s markets, meet a “maiko” (geisha-in-training) face-to-face, see where the geisha live and work, stay overnight on beautiful and quiet Miyajima Island, soak in the thermally-heated mineral waters at some of Japan’s best onsens and admire sacred Mt. Fuji (weather permitting), the icon of Japan.

You’ll enjoy Tokyo where the sheer energy level will sweep you away, and Sapporo, host to the 1972 Winter Olympics with its many, fine restaurants, explore the morning market of Hakodate, where you can have the local specialties of crab, sea urchin or squid prepared for you for breakfast. You will enjoy Matsushima, considered to be one of three most scenic places in Japan, visit the sobering testament to peace of Hiroshima and the ostentatious over-the-top shrines and temples of Nikko. The rural, mountainous island of Shikoku will charm you with its natural beauty, and the island of Kyushu with the history-filled city of Nagasaki will surprise you with its diversity.

  • Travel from northern-most tip of Japan to the southern-most tip of Japan
  • Overnight at Buddhist temple and morning prayer service
  • “Meet a Maiko” session (a Maiko is a Geisha in training)
  • Overnight on Miyajima Island
  • Overnight at several Onsen with naturally heated mineral waters
  • Three “Kaiseki” style dinners
  • 3 Shojin-ryori meals (Buddhist vegetarian)
  • Nine separate rides on a Shinkansen (bullet train)
  • Five overnights at a Japanese-style ryokan
  • Travel Guard Gold Policy (for American tour members only)
  • 21 Day JR Rail Pass
  • Meeting service at the arrival airport
  • Sending service to the appropriate train station
  • Baggage transfer from city to city
  • Electronic version of Tour Handbook and Japanese History
  • Domestic airfare from Nagasaki to Sapporo during the tour
  • International airfare is NOT included.
  • A printed itinerary is not included
  • Alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and desserts are NOT included
Map
Tour Destinations
  • Tokyo
  • Hakone
  • Takayama
  • Kyoto
  • Koya-san
  • Himeji
  • Takamatsu
  • Kotohira
  • Matsuyama
  • Dogo Onsen
  • Miyajima Island
  • Hiroshima
  • Nagasaki
  • Sapporo
  • Noboribetsu Onsen
  • Hakodate
  • Sendai
  • Matsushima
  • Nikko
Itinerary
Expand All

Day 1Arrive in Tokyo

After clearing customs and immigration, you will be met at Tokyo’s Narita Airport by a Samurai Tours meeting staff member. They will then purchase a limousine bus ticket for you and help you board the bus to the hotel. After checking in, the evening is free. No meals are included.

Travel: 1-1/2 Hours; Walking: Light

Day 2Tokyo – Tokyo Skytree, Ginza, Asakusa

After breakfast, you will start the day with a Welcome/Orientation meeting. Next, the licensed, English-speaking guide will escort you to the Tokyo Skytree for a birds-eye view of Tokyo. Next we will travel to the nearby Asakusa area. Here we will tour the Nakamise-dori, Senso-ji Buddhist Temple and the Asakusa Shrine where you will learn about Buddhist and Shinto Japanese religious practices. Afterwards, we will travel to the famous Ginza district. The Ginza is recognized by many as one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world, attracting visitors and regulars alike from across the globe. We will return to the accommodations, where we will go through the train tickets for the rest of the tour. Breakfast at the accommodations and lunch at a local restaurant included.

Optional Tour – Yakatabune Dinner Cruise

Optional Tour – Yakatabune Dinner Cruise

$125.00 (You must pre-register before arriving in Japan.)
Tour the Tokyo bay while relaxing with dinner and drinks! Sites include Rainbow Bridge, Odaiba and Tokyo Skyline from Tokyo Bay all lit up at night. Dinner includes sashimi and tempura or vegetarian kaiseki dinner with all-you-can-drink beer, sake, shochu, plum wine, whiskey, white wine, red wine, coffee, tea, and soft drinks. We will provide an escort to the port. but you will travel from the port on your own with our guidance, no guide included.


Travel: 1 Hours; Walking: Heavy

Day 3Travel to Hakone; Tour Hakone; Overnight Hakone Yumoto Onsen

Before leaving for the morning, you will prepare your luggage to be transferred to Takayama and will be traveling to Hakone and Takayama with an overnight bag only. You should prepare your overnight bag with enough items for 2 days and 1 night. You will travel to Hakone Yumoto Onsen, where we will stay overnight. Here you can enjoy the thermally-heated mineral baths at the ryokan. In the afternoon, you will tour Hakone. we will tour Hakone. Hakone is famous for its natural beauty and the view of nearby Mt. Fuji (weather permitting). We will be taking many different forms of transportation (electric train, funicular, gondola and bus) around Hakone including the Hakone Sightseeing Boats on Lake Ashi. In good weather, a fine view of Mount Fuji, and enjoy Hakone’s rich scenery reflected on the lake’s calm surface. Breakfast and dinner at the hotel included.

(PLEASE NOTE: High winds and/or heavy rain can, and will often cause cessation of services on the Sightseeing Boat cruise. Should this occur, we will not be able to operate the itinerary as listed above, and will replace it with the best possible alternative given the weather conditions. Also, in the case of bad weather, even if the boats are still operating, we may alter the itinerary for your comfort and safety as Mt. Fuji will not be visible anyway.)

Travel: 1 1/2 Hours; Walking: Heavy

Day 4Travel to Takayama

After checking out of the ryokan, we will travel to Takayama. Takayama, in the middle of the Japan Alps, with its traditional inns, shops, and sake breweries, has managed to retain its traditional charm. Breakfast at the ryokan included.

Travel: 5 Hours; Walking: Light

Day 5Takayama – Miyagawa Morning Market, Jinyamae Morning Market, Takayama Jinya, San-machi-suji District, Free Afternoon

This morning we stroll through the farmer’s market, sampling the numerous options from vegetable stands and stalls selling herbs, pickles, and souvenirs. After that, we tour the Takayama-jinya, the governing office of Takayama and the surrounding area since the early 17th century. After lunch, the guide will escort you to the San-machi-suji district, consisting of merchant homes dating back to the 16th century. From here the rest of the day is free to roam and explore Takayama including the San-machi-suji. Visit the many temples, shrines and museums, rummage through antique shops, or relax at one of the sake breweries. The evening is free to enjoy one of the many nearby Hida Beef restaurants. (Hida Beef is the same thing as the more famous Kobe Beef.) Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch at a local restaurant is included.

Optional Tour – Takayama

Optional Tour – Takayama

$75.00 (Or 10,000 Yen in Japan.)
After finishing the scheduled tour of Takayama at the Takayama Jinya, the guide will take you on a tour of the San-machi-suji District. Lined with merchant homes, sake breweries and craftsmen’s workshops, it was the center of the old town and today it still retains its quaint atmosphere. After enjoying lunch, we will continue to Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine and Yatai Kaikan. Sakurayama Hachiman is the oldest shrine in Takayama and is beautifully constructed in unpainted wood design. Sakurayama Hachiman also sponsors the popular Takayama Festival. On our next stop to Yatai Kaikan, you will get to take an up-close look at the traditional and spectacular hand-carved floats that are displayed during the Takayama Festival.

Travel: N/A; Walking: Medium

Day 6Travel to Kyoto; Kyoto - Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion)

Before leaving Takayama, you will prepare your luggage to be transferred to Kyoto, and will be traveling with an overnight bag only. You should prepare your overnight bag with enough items for 2 days and 1 night. In the morning, we will travel by express train and Shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto. For many, just the name of Kyoto conjures up the classic images of Japan: streets of traditional wooden houses, the click-clack of geta (wooden sandals) on the paving stones, geisha in a flourish of brightly colored silks, and a tea master deliberately warming water and making tea. Steeped in history and tradition, Kyoto has in many ways been the cradle of Japanese culture. A stroll through Kyoto today is a walk through 11 centuries of Japanese history. After lunch we will visit Nijo Castle. Built in 1603, it was the Kyoto home of Tokugawa Ieayasu, the first Tokugawa Shogun. The ostentatious style of construction was intended as a demonstration of Ieyasu’s prestige, and to signal the demise of the emperor’s power. The finest artists of the day filled the castle with delicate transom woodcarvings and paintings by the Kano School on sliding doors. One of the castle’s most intriguing features is the so-called “nightingale” floors. To protect the Shogun from real or imagined enemies, these floorboards creak when stepped on. Finally, we will visit Kinkaku-ji. Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, is one of Kyoto’s, as well as Japan’s, most recognizable attractions. The gleaming building covered in gold leaf seems to float on the aptly named Mirror Pond, especially on a sunny day. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch at a local restaurant is included.

Travel: 3 1/2 Hours; Walking: Medium

Day 7Fushimi - Fushimi Inari Shrine; Kyoto - Higashiyama District, Yasaka Shrine, Gion Geisha District, Meet a Maiko Session

After breakfast, we are off by train to the nearby city of Fushimi, one of the largest sake producing regions of Japan. Here we will visit the Fushimi Inari shrine. This Shinto Shrine, established in the 8th century, is famous for the long tunnels of vermilion torii gates straddling a network of trails leading to the top of the heavily forested Mt. Inari. We will then travel to the Higashiyama District. This area of narrow, cobblestone alleys with its temples, shrines, numerous shops and restaurants is truly enjoyable and relaxing. We will stop for lunch in the Higashiyama District. We will then visit the Yasaka Shrine, also known as the Gion Shrine. This shrine, built over 1350 years ago, is one of the most famous shrines in Kyoto. Next, we will walk to the famous Gion Geisha District. Here, you will see where the Geiko (in Kyoto they call themselves Geiko, not Geisha) and Maiko live and work. We will have the opportunity to meet a Maiko (a Maiko is a Geiko in training), and eat dinner at a local restaurant. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch and dinner at a local Japanese restaurant are included.

Travel: 1 1/2 Hours; Walking: Heavy

Day 8Travel to Koya-san; Koya-san - Okunoin Cemetery and Temple, Garan Temple Complex, Overnight at a Buddhist Temple

Before leaving Kyoto, you will prepare your luggage to be transferred to Takamatsu, and will be traveling with an overnight bag only. You should prepare your overnight bag with enough items for 2 days and 1 night. We will board an express train to Osaka, and then continue to Koya-san by train and funicular. Koya-san, the world headquarters of the Shingon School of Esoteric Buddhism, was established in the year 816 by Kobo Daishi, considered by many to be the most influential religious person in Japanese history. After dropping off the luggage at the temple, we will enjoy a vegetarian lunch. After lunch, we will wander through the huge cemetery leading up to the Okuno-in temple. Kobo Daishi is buried at this temple, and many Japanese still believe that he is not dead, but merely in a very advanced state of meditation, waiting to awaken at the appropriate time. After touring the Garan Temple complex and checking into our shukubo (Buddhist temple lodging), you are free to roam and visit one of the 110 temples in the area or just rest in the garden at the shukubo. Your dinner of shojin-ryori (traditional Buddhist vegetarian cuisine – no meat, fish, onions or garlic) will be served by the Buddhist Monks from the temple. Breakfast at the ryokan, Shojin-ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) lunch at a local restaurant and Shojin-ryori dinner at the temple is included.

Travel: 3 Hours; Walking: Heavy

Day 9Koya-san – Morning Prayer Service, Travel to Himeji; Himeji - Himeji Castle; Travel to Takamatsu

Early in the morning, we will attend a Buddhist prayer service held at the temple. After a vegetarian breakfast, we will travel back to Osaka, and continue by Shinkansen to Himeji where we will tour Himeji Castle. Built about 400 years ago, it is only one of four castles in Japan that has been designated as a national treasure and has also been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After touring the castle, we will continue to Takamatsu by Shinkansen and express train. The sprawling city of Takamatsu is located on the northern shore of Shikoku, the smallest, islands of Japan. Despite a relaxed atmosphere, Takamatsu hums with an urban energy. Walking down the city’s wide, sunlit boulevards or numerous covered shopping arcades you will find funky shops, artsy cafes and exciting nightlife. Shojin-ryori breakfast at the temple, lunch and dinner at local restaurants are included.

Travel: 4 Hours; Walking: Medium

Day 10Takamatsu - Ritsurin Garden; Travel to Kotohira; Kotohira - Konpira Shrine, Kanamaruza Kabuki Theater

Before leaving for the day you will prepare your luggage to be transferred to Matsuyama, and will be traveling with an overnight bag only. You should prepare your overnight bag with enough items for 2 days and 1 night. We will start the day at Ritsurin Garden, thought by many to be one of best gardens in Japan. This garden was designed by the local feudal lord family and took over 100 years to create. The more than 1,400 twisted and contorted pines set this garden apart from other gardens. We will also stop for tea and sweets in a tea house overlooking a beautiful koi-filled pond. Next we travel by street car to the nearby city of Kotohira, where we will visit Kompira Shrine. Kompira Shrine is the main shrine of multiple Kompira shrines found around Japan that are dedicated to sailors and seafaring. Located on the wooded slope of Mount Zozu in Kotohira, the approach to Kompirasan is an arduous series of 785 stone steps. Before returning to Takamatsu, we will tour the Kanamaruza Kabuki Theater. Built in 1835, the Kanamaruza Theater is Japan’s oldest surviving, complete kabuki theater. Breakfast at the hotel and lunch at a local restaurant included.

Travel: 1 Hour; Walking: Heavy

Day 11Travel to Matsuyama; Matsuyama - Matsuyama Castle, Dogo Onsen

In the morning, we will travel by express train to the city of Matsuyama. We will start the afternoon at Matsuyama Castle. Matsuyama Castle is one of Japan’s most beautiful original castles. It is located on Mt. Katsu, a steep hill in the city center providing visitors to the castle with a bird’s eye view of Matsuyama and the Seto Inland Sea. The castle was constructed between 1602 and 1628. The current three storied castle tower was constructed in 1820 after the original five storied one was destroyed by lightning. In the evening, you will visit the famous Dogo Onsen. It is thought this was the first onsen in Japan, and the history of the onsen goes back 1,000 years. The current main onsen building was built in 1894, and includes a bath reserved exclusively for visiting Emperors. Breakfast at the hotel is included.

Travel: 3 Hours; Walking: Medium

Day 12Matsuyama - Ishiteji Temple; Travel by ferries to Miyajima Island; Overnight on Miyajima Island

Before leaving the hotel in the morning, we will transfer the luggage to Nagasaki. You will need enough items for three days/two nights. In the morning, we will tour the nearby temple of Ishiteji. This temple is one of the 88 temples (#51) on the Shikoku Pilgrimage. Ishiteji is known for its Niomon Gate, a designated national treasure. The main hall and pagoda are also designated important cultural properties, and all of the structures exhibit the typical architecture style of the Kamakura Period (1192-1333). In the afternoon, we will travel by high-speed ferries to Miyajima Island. The Japanese proclaim Miyajima Island to be one of the top three scenic sights in Japan. The evening is free to enjoy the solitude and ambiance of the island after all of the day-trippers head back to the mainland. Breakfast at the hotel and Kaiseki-style dinner at the ryokan is included.

Travel: 3 1/2 Hours; Walking: Medium

Day 13Miyajima Island – Free Day

The entire day is free to enjoy and relax in the beauty and ambiance of Miyajima Island: ride the cable car to the top of the mountain on Miyajima Island, or visit the Itsukushima-jinja shrine which was built in its present form in 1168. Or just stroll around the island while enjoying grilled oysters and momiji manju (a popular Japanese confection), the island’s specialty. Breakfast and kaiseki dinner at the ryokan included.

Travel: TBD; Walking: TBD

Day 14Travel to Hiroshima; Hiroshima – Peace Park and Museum; Travel to Nagasaki

We will travel by ferry and train to the city of Hiroshima. Here we will visit the Hiroshima Peace Park and Museum, both sobering monuments to the tragic event on August 6, 1945. Late in the afternoon, we will travel to Nagasaki on the island of Kyushu. Breakfast at the ryokan included.

Travel: 6 1/2 Hours; Walking: Heavy

Day 15Nagasaki - Dejima, Glover Garden, Free Afternoon

We will start the day by visiting Dejima. Dejima was a man-made island in the port of Nagasaki constructed in 1636. A few years later, the Dutch trading factory was moved to Dejima. The Dutch workers, the only remaining Westerners allowed in the country, were restricted to Dejima during Japan’s two centuries of isolation. Today, Dejima is no longer an island, as the surrounding area has been reclaimed during the 20th century. However, a number of Dejima’s historical structures have been reconstructed, including various residences, warehouses, walls and gates. There are many displays in these buildings documenting the daily life of the Dutch residents. Next, we will tour Glover Garden. Glover Garden is an open air museum, exhibiting mansions of former western residents of Nagasaki. It is located on the hill where western merchants settled down after the end of Japan’s era of seclusion in the second half of the 19th century. You can also enjoy a panorama of the city from the garden. The rest of the day will be free. Breakfast at the ryokan and lunch at a local restaurant included.

Travel: 1 Hours; Walking: TBD

Day 16Travel to Sapporo; Sapporo - Sapporo Beer Garden

Before leaving Nagasaki we will transfer our luggage to Hakodate. You will need enough items for three days/two nights. The entire day is a travel day. We will be traveling by air to Sapporo, Hokkaido’s largest city and host of the 1972 Winter Olympics. In the evening, we will enjoy dinner at the Sapporo Beer Garden, located in the original Sapporo Beer Brewery, where you can try the local specialty of grilled lamb, cooked yourself at the table. Breakfast at the hotel and dinner at a local restaurant included.

Travel: 8 Hours; Walking: Light

Day 17Sapporo - Upopoy Ainu Museum and Village; Travel to Noboribetsu Onsen

After breakfast, we will travel to Shiraoi wehere we will visit the nearby Upopoy National Ainu Museum where we will learn more about and experience Ainu culture. In the afternoon we will travel to Noboribetsu Onsen, one of the most popular and famous hot spring resorts in Japan. Breakfast at the hotel and dinner at the ryokan included.

Travel: 1 1/2 Hours; Walking: Heavy

Day 18Noboribetsu Onsen - Free morning; Travel to Hakodate

The morning is free to explore Noboribetsu Onsen, including the Jigoku-dani (Hell Valley) and the other geothermal activity in the area. In the afternoon, we will travel to the city of Hakodate. Hakodate was one of the first cities open to the west after the Meiji Restoration. Breakfast at the ryokan is included.

Travel: 3 Hours; Walking: Light

Day 19Hakodate - Hakodate Morning Market; Travel to Sendai

Before leaving, we will transfer our luggage to Tokyo. (You will need enough items for three days/two nights.) Early in the morning, we will visit the Hakodate Morning Market, where the sellers can prepare the specialties of Hakodate (crab, sea urchin and squid) fresh from their stalls for breakfast. In the afternoon, we will travel to Sendai. Breakfast at the hotel is included.

Travel: 4 Hours; Walking: Medium

Day 20Travel to Matsushima; Matsushima - Matsushima Bay Cruise, Entsuin Temple, Zuiganji Temple; Travel to Sendai

Today we will tour Matsushima. Matsushima, near Sendai, is known as one of Japan’s three most scenic areas, and has been visited by numerous dignitaries over the years including the famous haiku poet Basho who wrote a very famous poem about Matsuhsima published in the late 17th century. First, we will take a sightseeing boat that will navigate between the 260 small islands sculpted by the waves and covered with pine trees. During the cruise, you will see how Matsushima got its name (Matsu means pine and shima means island). After the cruise, we will visit the Entsuin Temple and the temple’s beautiful gardens. This temple was built in 1646 to house the mausoleum of Date Mitsumune. Of the two gardens that are near the main hall, the first is a Japanese style moss and maple garden with a heart shaped pond, while the second is a Western-style rose garden that was influenced by painting from inside the mausoleum. After completing a tour of Entsuin Temple and gardens we will continue on with a visit to Zuiganji Temple. Originally founded by the Tendai Buddhism sect in 828, the current buildings were built by the Date feudal lord family in 1606. Here, along the entrance to the temple, we will find the numerous Buddha statues carved by hand into the rocky-cliff face by buddhist monks to show their dedication. Breakfast at the hotel and lunch at a local restaurant are included.

Travel: 1 1/2 Hours; Walking: Medium

Day 21Travel to Nikko; Nikko - Rinno-ji, Toshogu Shrine, Taiyuan; Travel to Tokyo

We board a Shinkansen (bullet train) and local train to Nikko, where the Tosho-gu Shrine is located. This shrine, built by Tokugawa Iemitsu, is a dedication to his grandfather, Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. (James Clavell’s fictional Shogun in his novel Shogun was based on this person.) One of the most elaborate monuments in Japan, no expense was spared in this shrine’s construction. After touring Nikko, we will travel by local train and Shinkansen to Tokyo. In the evening, we will enjoy our Sayonara dinner. Breakfast at the hotel and lunch and dinner at a local restaurant is included.

Travel: 5 Hours; Walking: Heavy

Day 22Return Home

You will travel to the airport by express train to catch your flight home. Breakfast at the hotel is included.

Travel: 1 1/2 Hours; Walking: Light

Walking level descriptions:
Light – 0 to 2 miles on level ground
Medium – 2 to 4 miles on level ground or 0 to 2 miles on hilly ground
Heavy – 4 to 6 miles on level ground or 2 to 4 miles on hilly ground

Dates & Pricing
DatesPrice (land only) / Single Supplement
(All prices are per Person)
StatusAssigned Lodging
Sep 29, 2024 - Oct 20, 2024
Fall Foliage
$8,446.00$967.17AvailableLodging
Oct 27, 2024 - Nov 17, 2024
Fall Foliage
$8,748.82$967.17AvailableLodging
Mar 23, 2025 - Apr 13, 2025
Cherry Blossom
$9,165.97$967.17AvailableLodging
May 4, 2025 - May 25, 2025
$8,446.00$967.17AvailableLodging
May 11, 2025 - Jun 1, 2025
$8,446.00$967.17AvailableLodging
Jun 8, 2025 - Jun 29, 2025
Summer
$8,214.25$967.17AvailableLodging
Sep 28, 2025 - Oct 19, 2025
Fall Foliage
$8,446.00$967.17AvailableLodging
Oct 26, 2025 - Nov 16, 2025
Fall Foliage
$8,748.82$967.17AvailableLodging
Photos

Add-On Tours

Our tours and tour itineraries are the best, but as the saying goes, “you can’t make everyone happy all of the time”. There may a specific destination or a specific experience you may want to include in your visit to Japan that may not be included your tour. Choose from our Add On tours to include your interests and make your Japan tour even better.

Click HERE to view all of the Add-On Tours.

Or, use the arrows to scroll though the recommended list of Add-On Tours for this tour. 

Inclusions
  • Local, licensed, English-speaking, Japanese guides
  • Travel insurance from Travel Guard, one of the world’s largest travel insurance providers, will be provided to everyone from the United States. All others will receive a $100 per person credit and will be responsible for obtaining their own travel insurance in their own home country. (The insurance provided by Samurai Tours will cover the land portion only. Insurance to cover airfare and other additional expenses is the tour member’s responsibility.)
  • Meeting service at Tokyo’s Narita Airport or Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and transfer to the ryokan in Tokyo
    • The meeting service will meet you at the airport and provide you a transfer to the ryokan in Tokyo
    • Meeting service can only be provided between 6am and 9pm. If you arrive at a time outside of these hours, we will need to provide alternative directions for you to get to the ryokan on your own.
  • Sending service to the closest train station in Tokyo and transfer to Tokyo’s Narita Airport or Tokyo’s Haneda Airport
    • The sending service will escort you to the 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 Tokyo train station.

  • Lodging for 21 nights in Japanese-style ryokans or western-style hotels
  • Meals
    • Japanese-style or Western-style breakfast every morning (Please Note: Some ryokans offer Japanese breakfasts only.)
    • 10 Japanese-style or western-style lunches
    • 9 Japanese-style or western-style dinners (including 2 gourmet kaiseki dinners, a Shojin-Ryori (traditional Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) dinner at the Buddhist temple and All-You-Can-Eat Grilled Lamb Dinner at the Sapporo Beer Garden)
  • Reserved seat train tickets (where applicable)
  • Use of audio tour guide system (must provide own headphones)
  • An electronic version of the itinerary
  • 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 destinations and activities listed in the Tour Highlights column on the right. (Itinerary specifics subject to change.)
  • Sayonara dinner at the end of the tour

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 dos-and-don’ts, ryokan customs, etc.

Exclusions

  • Airfare to and from Japan is NOT included
  • A printed itinerary is NOT included
  • Alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and desserts are NOT included
63 Reviews

William Jacobs

Tour Date: Oct 2nd, 2022

Dale and Kay Rhoney

We have highly recommended you to friends and I think Teri and Paul Graham from Lake Oswego, OR (good friends of +35 years!) are taking our 22 day tour with you in ?April/May?
We didn’t remember about the 5% discount for them but know they will enjoy the great overview of Japan with you…. like we did!!

Tour Date: Oct 6th, 2019

Excellent trip with diverse cuisine, scenery. I like the new system of payment, Suica card, a big Japan Rail pass card.
The best of the very best tour guides.

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Thank you so much for your high ratings and positive comments about our tours! We appreciate them very much, and agree with you that our guides are the very best in the business. We are so glad you had a great time on your tour, and we hope to travel with you again sometime!

~ Samurai Tours Staff

Tour Date: Nov 3rd, 2019

Kris Anderson

I loved this trip. My only wish would have been to have a little more breathing room for rest and recovery. I knew it was going to be fast paced but it proved to be tougher than I thought.
lic
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Thank you so much for your kind words and feedback on our tours! We are so glad you had a good time. Yes, our guides are truly the best in the business and they are dedicated to making sure our clients trips are wonderful. And the public transit system in Japan is truly amazing! We hope to see you again in Japan soon!

~ Samurai Tours Staff

Tour Date: May 19th, 2019

Margaret Hungerford

A terrific tour. Our only warning would be that it is really fast paced with very little down time. Whoever takes this tour needs to be in good health and have the ability to handle their overnight luggage on public transportation including carrying it, on some occasions, up and down flights of stairs when there are no elevators or escalators. Other than this caveat, this is a wonderful tour with amazing guides. In reviewing what the trip cost and what we received from Samurai, this was a real value.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to provide feedback on our tours. We are so happy that you enjoyed your experience with us! We do strive to make each clients trip a once in a lifetime journey. And our guides are dedicated to making our clients feel at home in their city. We hope to see you in Japan again soon!

~ Samurai Tours Staff

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