Japan must see small group tour

Planet

You’ll zip across the country by Shinkansen bullet train between the major stops, take buses and metros in Tokyo, board a ferry across to Miyajima island, and even hitch a ride on a pirate ship across Lake Ashi, in the shadow of Mount Fuji. Travelling this way isn’t just a lot more fun than sitting in the back of a car, it keeps you closer to everyday life in Japan, as it is really lived.

This tour largely follows Japan’s Golden Route – it is no secret how busy this can get, particularly in peak season (spring and autumn). However, your guide will tailor city tours, particularly in the bigger cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, to steer clear of overtouristed sights, like the Golden Pavillion at peak time.

Staying in locally run ryokan inns and small hotels maintain traditional, sustainable practices. In Hakone, the group stays in a Japanese-style, family-run ryokan with English speaking staff. Settle in your room with shoji paper screens and futon mattresses on tatami-mat floors before taking a long, relaxing dip in an onsen hot bath, fed by natural volcanic waters.

Behind the scenes, every booking feeds the Impact Fund, backing long-term nature and community work linked to where we operate. We track and report where it goes.

People

Our team of guides in Japan come from a wide range of backgrounds, and each brings their own lived experience to guiding – whether that’s their favourite place for a night of karaoke in Osaka, their family ties to Hiroshima’s past and perhaps their favourite place to eat okonomiyaki. Their Japanese language skills don’t just get the group from A-B, they open up richer conversations with local people, and get to the heart of stories that make history feel more personal.

While this is a tour that focuses on the most popular cities and well-visited spots, the food-hopping tour in Osaka is based in Tsuruhashi, Osaka's Korea Town. It’s an area largely ignored and under visited by inbound tourists to Japan. By hopping between cafes and restaurants in this district, you’ll get to taste food few others realise are a part of Japan’s food culture, and steer clear of bigger chains. There’s an entire street dedicated to BBQ foods, and more kimchi variations than you can count.