Are you looking for a cheap tour of Japan? If so, why not check out our 12-day Affordable Japan? This budge Japan tour takes in Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Okayama and Osaka. The land tour starting at CA$4692 (US$3450) features outstanding guides, first class (3-star accommodations) and shinkansen bullet train which travels up to 300 km/h. Cheap may be a wrong choice of word to describe this popular small-group Japan tour. Budget-friendly is more like it!
Experience the highlights of Japan on this 12-day Affordable Japan tour designed for active travelers. This small-group itinerary takes you from Tokyo’s bustling streets to Kyoto’s historic temples, Hiroshima’s poignant memorials, and Osaka’s vibrant culture. With inter-city travel by bullet train, guided sightseeing, and ample free time for personal exploration, this tour offers a balanced mix of structured activities and independent adventures—all while keeping the experience budget-friendly.
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This affordable Japan tour uses a combination of chartered bus, taxi and public transit to get around – read the itinerary for details. The style is very active and requires the participants to walk up to 8 kilometres (5 miles) a day at a brisk pace. In addition, each participant is allowed to bring only one small suitcase, which must qualify as carry-on luggage (21.5″ x 9″ x 15.5″) per major commercial airlines. This is necessary because the hotel rooms are small and taxis for transfers between hotels and train stations have very limited space for luggage.
If you can live with the above restrictions, you will have a fantastic time on this budget-friendly Japan tour.
Important Features
- Small group size – 15 maximum
- Experienced professional guide
- Inter-city travel by shinkansen bullet train
- No shopping stops
- Daily breakfast
- One lunch (BBQ) in a quality restaurant
- One dinner (sukiyaki style) featuring premium Japanese beef
Meal Code: B = breakfast / L = lunch / D = dinner
Day 1/Mon: Departing Home City
Depart for Tokyo and lose a day upon crossing the International Date Line.
Day 2/Tue: Arrival in Tokyo
Welcome to Tokyo! Please make your way to the hotel on your own. Detailed information on how to get to the hotel will be provided in the final update two weeks before departure. Please expect to spend around US$25 per person for the transfer.
Day 3/Wed: Tokyo (B/L)
Tokyo, literally meaning “eastern capital” and officially named Tokyo Metropolis, is one of the most populous mega-cities in the world with a population of 14 million. Formerly known as Edo, the city has been the de facto seat of the Japanese government since 1603 when shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu chose the city for his headquarters. The shogun (general) was a hereditary commander ceremoniously appointed by the emperor but held real power over the country during the shogunate period between 1192 and 1867. Edo was renamed Tokyo after Emperor Meiji moved his seat from Kyoto in 1868 when the last shogun was forced to return power to the imperial court. The city covers an area of 2,187 square kilometres following the merger in 1943 of the city of Tokyo and Tokyo Prefecture.
Our full-day sightseeing begins at Senso-ji, the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo dating back to 628.
We then drive through ritzy Ginza shopping district to arrive at the plaza in front of the Imperial Palace (the palace itself is closed to tourists) for a stroll.
After lunch, we tour the grounds of the tranquil Meiji Jingu, a Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji (1852 -1912) and his wife.
We end the day with a visit to the observation deck inside the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku. On a clear day, the visitor should be able to see Mount Fuji located 84km to the west.
Today’s mode(s) of transportation: chartered bus
Day 4/Thu: Tokyo (B)
Today is set aside for you to explore on your own.
Our recommendations include Ginza and Akihabara shopping districts, which even non-shoppers would find exciting. Also recommended are the top-rated Tokyo National Museum and the adjacent National Museum of Western Art located at Ueno Park.
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