A 12-day duration is ideal for you to explore Japan's highlights at a more relaxed pace. It would allow you to visit the top cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka as well as popular nearby places, such as Hakone, Nara, or Mount Fuji. You could also explore traditional villages, such as Takayama and Kanazawa, or other close-by places that interest you.
In this article, we've handpicked four 12-day Japan itineraries to help you plan a beautiful, once-in-a-lifetime-special, and stress-free journey. We would customize any itinerary based on your preferences.
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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Our second trip is now booked with Alisa Liu of Asia Highlights
She represents the very best travel agent to coordinate and customize your journey to Asia. This second trip, using Alisa Liu, will take us through Japan. More
, Mar 2024
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Customized Trip Planning
My experience with Alisa at Asia Highlights has been excellent. I wanted to customize my trip to South Korea and Japan. I made several changes and asked many questions which she answered promptly. My trip included only hotels and transportation because I wanted to explore on my own. This gave me the option to book my own tours if I want. I selected Asia Highlights because of the great reviews and booked because Alisa was helpful in planning my trip. More
JBC, Feb 2024
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Japan Tour
Alisa did a fantastic job, answering all my questions and catering to what I want for our upcoming Japan tour. The itinerary was so detailed! We are so excited for our trip! More
Theresa Beltran, Feb 2024
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The experience of working with Bert was…
The experience of working with Bert was amazing! Everything is clear! The route he introduced and planned for the travel in Japan was amazing! More
Polina Fedorina, Feb 2024
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Outstanding Agent
We haven't taken our trip to Japan yet with Asia Highlights, but I am so impressed by the thoroughness, communication skills, and attention to detail of their hard working agent, Claire Wong. I sent an inquiry to Asia Highlights and immediately I was given Claire as my agent. She designed a trip for my family that works for us and my communications with her via WhatsApp have been excellent. She always gets right back to me with answers and suggestions. Her English is perfect. Because of Claire, I have a very high regard for Asia Highlights, and I'm glad that I chose this company for our trip to Japan. More
Edwin Lowe, Feb 2024
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Japan Trip Planning
Although our travel plans will not materialize for another 2 months, we had the absolute pleasure of working with Bert Hu in putting our trip to Japan together. Bert was extremely professional in meeting our needs and tailoring a trip to our interests. Bert was also quite patient and helpful when we had to change a few details and add a couple days. I'm sure I'll have more wonderful things to say after our experience in Japan. More
John, Feb 2024
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Bert Hu knowledgeable travel adviser.
Hello! My trip adviser Bert Hu gave very clear instructions about the my travel plan to Japan. He is very knowledgeable and guided me step by step. I highly recommend Bert Hu as a personal travel adviser. Thank you for making my future trip easily accessible. More
Fatema Mohammedi, Feb 2024
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Awesome
Such a great company to help us find our next family trip. We have been working with Bert Hu he is very informative and helpful. Looking forward to continuing doing business and our travels to Japan. More
Shaunda, Feb 2024
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It is my first time in Japan
It is my first time in Japan, I am glad that i found Asian highlights especially meeting claire the travel agent! She is amazing. She is very helpful all through out the process, she respond quickly to all my inquiry. She made the process so smooth. During the trip, I have to praise the company for giving us amazing accomodations and the best tour guides. Claire made everything happened. There are few bumps and she solve it right away.She was honest about the things that she can not provide. It is my first time to ask for help from a travel agency , I am glad I found Asia highlights. If I will plan tour in the future I will definitely ask help for this company. I recommended this company to my family and friends! Thankyou once again. More power! Keep it up Claire! More
Cc, Jan 2024
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Claire has listened carefully
Claire has listened carefully to our ideas and has created a highly customized journey for us. She has been very responsive and has shown a deep knowledge of travel options in Japan. More
Michael Brandenburg, Jan 2024
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Sharon from Asia Highlights
I highly recommend Sharon and her tour guidance.She is very patient and utmost polite.I absolutely loved coordinating my iteniery with her although I was unable to travel to Japan this time.She is an absolute gem and I recommend her to make your Japanese holiday an extraordinary and hassle free experience. More
Tess Thomas, Jan 2024
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10 Day Family Vacation in Japan
We had the absolute best time in Japan! Jennifer was our wonderful tour guide in Tokyo and Ho was our amazing tour guide in Kyoto and Osaka. We can’t thank them both enough for making our 10 day sightseeing trip truly a trip of a lifetime!! More
Sabrina Wilmoth, Jan 2024
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Trip to Japan
Family trip to Japan. Excellent itinerary, allowed for seeing many different sights in multiple cities in Japan. The tour was well-paced with enough time to explore on our own in the evenings. Tour guides were knowledgeable, had great attitudes and were accommodating, willing to modify our plans to allow us to see other sights if we wanted to as well. The vans were large and comfortable for the longer drives and water was always provided. More
May, Nov 2023
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Alisa Liu is a star to work makes Asia Highlights even better
Alisa Liu was my contact person for Asia Highlights. She was remarkably punctual, she was thoughtful, and she handle an emergency on my end, with grace and patience. She recommended great hotels in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka Japan that put us in the center of the action. The guides she choose were personable, punctual a knowledgeable about their cities. More
Brent Zadorozny, Oct 2023
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Excellent service
Started using Asia Highlights to plan my trip to Japan. Sharon was very helpful, giving me all the information I would need for the tour. I would definitely use Asia Highlights again, when planning another trip to Asia. More
Rachel Nelson, Oct 2023
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Japan tour
Our airport pick-up went very smoothly. Our guide, Vivian, on the second day was very nice, very accommodating, took into account our preferences. In Osaka, our trip to the castle was a very long walk with lots of steps to climb and quite honestly wasn’t very interesting. But Dotonburi is a must-see and we enjoyed that very much.Our trip to Hiroshima was very memorable. I highly recommend it. Our guide, Etsuko, was very knowledgeable and kind. The trip to Miyajima island, on the other hand, wasn’t too memorable. Our next city, Kyoto, is a truly wonderful place to visit. All the temples we went to were very interesting and very distinctive from each other (Kinkakuji temple, Nijo castle, Sanjusangendo temple,Kiyumizo temple, Fushimi Inari shrine, Kasuga Taisha shrine, Tojaidi temple). The sake tour was a downer and wouldn’t recommend it.Our guide, Ritsuko, was a darling. She was very knowledgeable too and kind and warm and easy to talk to. Our last tour in Tokyo was a rainy day and Sue, our guide, was able to change our tour to the next day. She was so efficient and so accommodating and so kind and very knowledgeable too. More
Mrs Cristina Hidalgo Loris, Oct 2023
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Very good tour of Japan
Very good tour around Japan for 10 days, including Tokyo, Hakone and Kyoto. Excellent guides and experiences. Albee, the tour organiser, was always available to sort out changes to itinerary or extra requests. More
Guy Slimmon, Oct 2023
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Everything is good
All of the hotels were wonderful and our guides were super friendly, knowledgeable and flexible. We had a 10 day trip that included multiple cities and lots of different sights, we squeezed in as much as we could, including a 2 day hiking trip to Mt. Fuji (our guide Sun Nan was awesome!). Our guide in Tokyo, Jennifer, was lovely and our guide for 2 days in Kyoto, Dennis, was also super great. We did a food tour in Osaka with Vivian which was nice Sallie Fujimoto-Swun More
Ideale Tran, Oct 2023
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Thank you for the wonderful experience…
Thank you for the wonderful experience we all truely enjoyed. From the beginning (making first contact with Sharon from Asia Highlights) to the end (Saying good bye to our amazing guide Lilly) the experience was top notch. Great communication while preparing the trip and excellent local knowledge of our tour guide. I can highly recommend Asia Highlights and would not hesitate to use them again for our next trip. More
Dany Gruosso, Oct 2023
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Vacations in Japan
The guides Jessie and Vivian were very kind and professionals and the drivers as well. In a future vacation we will get in touch with Asia Highlights without a doubt. More
Hilda Andrade, Oct 2023
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Itinerary 1: Classic Japan (Grand Cities and Traditional Villages)
- 3 nights in Tokyo
- 1 night in Takayama
- 2 nights in Kanazawa
- 3 nights in Kyoto (side trip to Nara)
- 2 nights in Osaka
This 12-day itinerary is excellent for a first trip to Japan, with plenty of authentic experiences and activities. Not only could you explore the best of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, but you could also delve into the less-crowded towns of Takayama and Kanazawa to see picturesque rural views and unique farmhouses.
Start your journey in Tokyo. Wander along the wide stone path lined with tall trees at wooden Meiji Shrine in the downtown area, and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Tokyo's most spiritual Buddhist temple, Senso-ji. You could also try your hand at making sushi for lunch to discover a prominent element of Japanese culinary tradition.
Then, take the efficient Shinkansen (bullet train) to explore serene Takayama, Shirakawa, and Kanazawa. These three cities have well-preserved sites and picturesque countryside views.
- Takayama: Wander around the well-preserved old town to soak up the Edo vibe, hold delicate handicrafts, such as lacquer and ceramics, and sample some representative Hida beef.
- Shirakawa: The unique gassho-zukuri farmhouses, which have steep thatched roofs that are named after 'praying hands'. These farmhouses are extremely charming when covered in snow and illuminated at night during January and February.
- Kanazawa: Stroll through one of the three most celebrated Japanese gardens — Kenroku-en — to admire the manicured landscapes, relax and enjoy a cup of matcha at a traditional teahouse, and experience attaching gold leaf to chopsticks.
Contiune your trip to tradition Kyoto. Immerse yourself in the Fushimi Inari Shrine to see amazing sight of thousands of orange-red torii gates. Spend a night at a Japanese ryokan for a cozy night. And feed and enjoy close interactions with the deer in nearby Nara.
Osaka is your final stop. You'll experience highlights like unique ukiyo-e printmaking, sample local snacks in the Dotonbori district, and watch an impressive Japanese sporting event — a sumo wrestling match.
Our Japan travel expert would tailor-made a private tour for you based on your preferences and requirements.
Itinerary 2: For a Family with Teenagers Including Hands-On Activities
- 3 nights in Tokyo
- 2 nights in Hakone
- 3 nights in Kyoto (side trip to Uji and Nara)
- 3 nights in Osaka
This 12-day Japan itinerary is the perfect choice for families with teenagers. It satiates kids' love for anime and games, offers abundant family-friendly activities, and you won't have to change hotels frequently.
Start your trip from Tokyo. Discover some Japan-exclusive products at the most popular Pokémon Center, enjoy coffee and desserts at an anime café, and immerse yourself in interactive experiences at high-tech museums, such as TeamLab.
Next, travel to Hakone for its onsens (hot spring baths) and charming rural views. Don't miss experience at a traditional ryokan (inn) with a family room (accommodating 3–5 people). A ryokan typically has 5–15 rooms, and they easily become fully booked, so you're advised to book at least 3 months in advance to ensure a wider range of options. Our Japan travel advisors would help you to select a family-friendly ryokan based on your preferences.
Take the comfortable Shinkansen to Kyoto. You'll wear kimonos to explore the Gion district and take memorable family photos, engage in a matcha-making experience to savor the refreshing taste of tea, and feed the lovely deer in Nara.
Finish your wonderful family trip in Osaka. Here, you could try on ninja outfits to learn about ninja weapons and techniques from a ninja master. Interact with cute farm animals and participate in hands-on activities, such as cheese-making and horseback riding, at Rokkosan Farm. Alternatively, you could spend a day fully immersed in the magical world of Mario at Super Nintendo World.
Our Japan travel expert would carefully design each private tour to cater to your unique interests and requirements.
Itinerary 3: Classical Japan with Himeji
- 3 nights in Tokyo
- 1 night in Hakone
- 4 nights in Kyoto (side trip to Nara)
- 3 nights in Osaka
With this 12-day itinerary, you would visit the highlights of Japan in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Indulge in the enchanting sights of shrines, experience a traditional tea ceremony or wear a kimono (or both), stay at a ryokan for a memorable night, and feed the deer in Nara.
You would visit the well-preserved castle in Himeji, which is located near Osaka. Himeji Castle is particularly enchanting during the cherry blossom season when it's adorned with beautiful cherry blossoms. The castle's white exterior walls and magnificent structure amaze many at first sight, and you would have the opportunity to explore the castle's interior.
If you have other requirements, contact us and our Japan travel expert can make it happen.
Itinerary 4: Essence of Japan with Beach Time in Okinawa
- 3 nights in Tokyo
- 2 nights in Okinawa
- 3 nights in Osaka
- 3 nights in Kyoto (side trip to Nara)
With this 12-day itinerary, you would explore the essence of Japan in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. You would immerse yourself in traditional shrines, enjoy delicious cuisine, visit world-class theme parks, stay at a traditional ryokan, and experience authentic activities, such as making cup noodles or creating Kyoto pottery.
Moreover, you could head to Okinawa to delve into the long history of this small island. Okinawa possesses some of the most stunning beaches in Japan and you could enjoy exciting outdoor sports, such as snorkeling, diving, and surfing, and take a leisurely walk on a sandy beach to see a beautiful sunrise or sunset.
Okinawa also boasts its rich and unique Ryukyu culture. Visit Ryukyu Mura to gain insights into the ancient Okinawan culture. You could see a variety of traditional Ryukyu performances, experience the traditional Okinawan musical instrument called a shamisen, taste authentic Ryukyu cuisine, and interact with the local people.
Contact us for more suggestions based on your interests.
How Much Does 12 Days in Japan Cost?
US$350-500 per person per day is the typical cost for a private tour with 4-star hotels, based on a family of 3–5 people. This includes a private guide, private car, full-day itinerary, tickets for attractions, all intercity transport within Japan, and hand-picked 4-star hotels. Thus, the total cost for 12 days in Japan is about US$4,200-6,000 per person (international flights not included).
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Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
Our guide lele is a wealth of information, Lele is very professional and very attentive to our needs. Lele is amazing. Lele got everything spot on. It probably helps that Guilin is a brilliant place to visit so Lele has great material to work with but that doesn't take anything away from how much Lele helped make it a great trip.
moreOur guide for Beijing was super knowledgeable and experienced and able to help us to achieve as much as we wanted within the time given. We had a fun time guided by him as he is also super humorous and you can see how he interacts with the vendors and people whom he comes by. Thank you for a very enjoyable time in Beijing and accommodating to all our needs!
moreOur China Highlight guide. Michael, was attentive, thoughtful and knowledgeable. He narrated many interesting historical events about Chengdu while touring around the city and having afternoon tea with us. He was thoughtful to provide us with snacks during long hikes at Leshan or walks around the city.
moreShe was very flexible and added extra time when we needed it and we felt extremely well taken care of. She also chose the best restaurants for us,
moreOur tour guide Helen, was excellent, she was very kind, professional and passionate for her work and she also loves Pandas! She will take you to take the best panda photos and to know more about Chengdu city. Our tour was great, she took us to all our destinations always with the best spots: Temples, pagodas, famous streets, theaters, pandas...you name it! Everything was great.
moreHe picked up our pre-booked boat/other excursions tickets so we were able to avoid all the long lines and chaos. He is knowledgeable of the places we visited, courteous, fun to travel with and well-versed in Chinese classics.
moreTom is the guide that will take you to where no other guide will. We pushed for the experience and Tom and the team delivered more than what we could have ever asked for. His English speaking ability and his Chinese history knowledge is second to none.
moreTom is the guide that will take you to where no other guide will. We pushed for the experience and Tom and the team delivered more than what we could have ever asked for. His English speaking ability and his Chinese history knowledge is second to none.
moreOur day trip to Hangzhou was phenomenal. Derek, our guide, was impeccable. By far the best guide we have had so far. He is extremely knowledgeable about the country’s history and geography and was always excited to share his insights.
moreXian es encantadora, el hotel Eastern house boutique muy buena elección por parte de la agencia, los desayunos muy completos para complacer todo tipo de gusto, lo recomiendo 100%, el itinerario fue muy acertado fueron 2 días en la ciudad xian, compartimos con la guía Susana, la atención, la amabilidad y sobre todo su profesionalismo fue lo que marcó la diferencia, sus detalles, estaba siempre en el lugar y momento correcto para hacer de xian un lugar inolvidable.
moreGet Inspired with Some Popular Itineraries
At Asia Highlights, we create your kind of journey — your dates, your destinations, at your pace. You can have any trip tailor made for your travel.