Interested in Japan but don't want to handle the difficulties when traveling with your family? Simply travel with us and let our experienced tour planners and local guides make your vacation worry-free.
Discover the history of Japan, breathe in the mountain town air, wander through exquisite shrines and palaces, ride aboard a speeding bullet train, enjoy yourselves in the top theme parks, shop on the busy streets, and experience the public transportation like a local!
What you are waiting for? Read the customizable itinerary and travel with us your way!
Journey Route
This is an ideal tour for first-time visitors and families. Sign up for your favorite part of the tour or simply treat the whole tour as inspiration, designing each element specially for you.
Highlights
Wash your hands in Meiji Shrine and connect with Japanese traditions.
Dive headfirst into the pulsating center of Tokyo's youth culture.
See the panorama of Tokyo city from the tallest free-standing broadcasting tower in the world.
Have fun in both Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan with your kids!
Board the different classes of Shinkansen and explore different parts of Japan.
Zoom through the incredible Japanese Alps and enter a traditional Hida folk village.
Stay overnight in traditional Japanese ryokan — complete with tatami mat floors and sliding doors.
Learn the value of peace at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
Wonder at the Floating Torii Gate and count the red torii gates at the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine.
Admire Nijo Castle — a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Feed the wild deer at Nara Park and share in the idyllic scenery.
What Our Customers Said
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Handcrafted tour of Japan by Asia Highlights
My initial inquiry to this company (based in China) was answered in under 10 hours by an amazing travel consultant, named Alisa. She is such a professional in the ways she conducts herself and serves her clients. Alisa is a great communicator and listener. She is very open to requests for additional experiences which require research on her part to arrange. Alisa also provides very detailed information about each experience, location, guides, private car transfers, trains, hotels. This approach is very appealing since detailed communication is so useful and important to me. Alisa also makes the process simple and easy to follow. Answered tons of questions and created the perfect tour for us. We are looking forward to this once in a lifetime visit to Japan and are so grateful we have had the chance to work with Alisa at Asia Highlights! MoreLaurie Lee, Feb 2023
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Handcrafted tour of Japan by Asia Highlights
I am planning a private, very “hands-on” experiential tour of Japan for my family and friends. I chose to work with the 11 day Classic Japan tour and add our own spin. This will be our first visit to the home of our ancestors. I reviewed 20+ travel companies before making the choice to use Asia Highlights because of their private “handcrafted” tours. MoreLaurie Lee, Feb 2023
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Great Overall Experience
Our guide in Tokyo, Fuki, was outstanding. We saw things we would never have otherwise seen, if Fuki had not been there. MoreTodd Hankinson, Dec 2022
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Great Overall Experience
Albee was always available, helpful and forthright with what was available and what was not.She was very helpful. MoreTodd Hankinson, Dec 2022
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Plenty of options and personalized tours as needed
Monica Mo was very helpful from the beginning after I enquired about my travel plans to Japan. She listened with understanding and took careful notes and clarified things to make sure she got everything. MoreGinybel Belgira, Sep 2022
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Asia Highlights especially Ms. Kanae Chida superb
Asia Highlights and particularly our Tokyo guide, Ms. Kanae Chida, were the best. When Kanae met us, she asked for details of what we wished to see and she constructed an outstanding combination of visits for the day. MoreGeoff Rayner-Canham, May 2019
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Asia Highlights especially Ms. Kanae Chida superb
When Kanae met us, she asked for details of what we wished to see and she constructed an outstanding combination of visits for the day. In addition to the temples and the old historic streets, she discovered that I loved azelia flowers. MoreGeoff Rayner-Canham, May 2019
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I have arranged a 27 day tour of China, Japan and Hong Kong China
Peggie's English is impeccable and she uses lots of nuances which usually only a native English speaker would know. I have found her very prompt in responding to emails and her knowledge is terrific. MoreAilsa West, Jul 2018
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Itinerary in Detail
We arrange plenty of cultural activities to help create memorable experiences along the way. We also take time to observe deer, regarded by Japanese people as messengers of the gods, and have fun in both Disneyland and Universal Studios. Of course, all of them are adjustable according to your ideas!
Konnichiwa! Welcome to Tokyo — capital city of Japan!
You will be met on arrival at the airport and have a private transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for your own leisure.
Explore both ancient and modern Tokyo with your private guide:
- Head to Meiji Shrine, dedicated to the deified spirits of the former Emperor and his wife.
- Exploring some of Tokyo's latest trends and fashions in Shibuya.
- Step into Kokyo Gaien, the plaza gardens outside the Imperial Palace, snap a photo in front of the charming Meganebashi ('Spectacles') Bridge, which has a distinctive European flare.
- Leave behind the ultra-modern bustle to discover the quiet side streets of Asakusa, and enter the 7th Century Buddhist temple — Sensoji, by passing through the Thunder Gate.
- Finish the day with an incredible panorama of the city, at the Tokyo Skytree.
Have a day with your family in Tokyo Disneyland, one of the best theme parks in Japan:
- A 1-Day Pass would be arranged.
We'd make an early start to get the Shinkansen to Takayama.
- Glue your face to the window as we zoom through the incredible Japanese Alps.
- Pay a visit a traditional Hida folk village for an insight into what mountain life was like back in the day.
- Rest your heads at a traditional ryokan, complete with tatami mat floors and sliding doors straight out of The Last Samurai.
Take some free time to explore Takayama before heading to Hiroshima.
- Take the train to Hiroshima.
- Check in to your hotel in Hiroshima upon arrival.
Have a good rest with your family in the morning. The day's touring starts in the afternoon from your hotel:
- Spend the morning at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which is located at the center of Hiroshima City.
- Free at leisure or discover the city on your own in the afternoon.
The day starts with a half-day tour of Hiroshima, and then you would head to Osaka by train.
- Visit the Itsukushima Shrine, a unique shrine that looks as if it is floating in the sea. It displays the solemn and gorgeous architectural beauty of the shinden style, the palace style popular around the 10th century.
- After spending the day at Miyajima, travel by Shinkansen from Hiroshima to Osaka, the journey takes under 1½ hours to cover 342 km (213 miles).
- Upon arrival, your meet-and-greet assistant would escort you to your hotel in Osaka by public transportation. The rest of the day would be free leisure time.
Have a day with your family in Universal Studios Osaka.
- A 1-Day Pass would be arranged.
The day would start with a train journey from Osaka to Kyoto, followed by exploring Kyoto:
- Visit Fushimi Inari Shrine which was used in the movie Memoirs of a Geisha. It is home to over 10,000 red torii gates, which form a path up the mountain behind the temple.
- Enter Sanju-sangendo, a temple in eastern Kyoto that is famous for its 1,001 statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy.
On day 10, we would see the highlights of Kyoto with a unique day tour of its classic cultural treasures.
- Delve into Japan's history, starting at the glittering Kinkakuji Temple, known also as the Golden Pavilion.
- Discover the Nijo Castle, one of the most famous and ornate castles in the country, and listen to the 'chirping' floors as you walk. They were designed this way as an additional security measure of the castle.
- Admire the beautiful structure with its bright vermillion columns and complimentary jade tiled roofs at Heian Shrine.
- Take a sip from one of the three streams of fresh mountain water at the Pure Water Temple, which will grant you fortune in love, luck in studies, or elongate your life.
The day would start with a short train ride to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Nara with your private guide:
- Start off your adventure in this historic area at the jaw-dropping Todaiji Temple, the world's largest wooden building.
- Then, head to Nara's most celebrated shrine, the bright and beautiful Kasuga Taisha, established in 768 AD.
- Before returning to Kyoto, take a wander through Nara Park, also called Deer Park, where you could have a chance to encounter wild deer in person.
On day 12, we would discover the charm and tranquility of Arashiyama, located on the Western outskirts of Kyoto, by private vehicle.
- Start the day at Okochi Mountain Villa, which has impressive views of the city below. Take a moment to enjoy a complimentary matcha green tea and traditional Japanese sweets in this charming setting.
- Lose yourself on a peaceful stroll through the bamboo grove.
- Stop at Nonomiya Shrine. Set amongst the bamboo, this Shinto shrine was a sanctuary for princesses.
- After the tour, you are free to explore Kyoto on your own.
Hand-Picked Hotels
We have selected hotels with different styles and for different budgets. Let us know your preferences and we will help you find the right one.
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Kid-friendly traditional Ryokan in Takayama
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Hotel with convenient location in Hiroshima
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Central located hotel for leisure in Osaka
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Unique warm hotel with fine location in Kyoto
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Our Service Includes:
- Private airport transfers, for Takayama and Arashiyama, public transport and personal English-speaking tour guide
- All guided sightseeing as detailed in the itinerary
- Hotel accommodation mentioned in the itinerary
- Breakfasts at hotels
- Governmental taxes
Tour code: ah-jp-13
Start planning your tailor-made tour now. Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.
Why Travel with Asia Highlights During the Pandemic
- Tailor-made experience: All of your ideas/needs will be carefully considered to create your ideal trip.
- Worry-free planning: Your 1:1 travel consultant in Asia will take all the uncertainty out of your planning, helping you navigate any travel restrictions.
- No-risk booking: 100% refund policy! (prior to 3 weeks before departure, more details)
Get Inspired with Our Sample 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.
