Going on Japan tours from USA has never been easier due to the large number of direct daily flights between the two countries.
On top of that, you don’t need a visa to visit Japan and a strong dollar is making Japan more affordable. If you travelled to Japan in 2019, you’d remember that a dollar would buy you about 115 to 120 yen back then. Today, the same dollar would get you over 145 yen!
Feel tempted? Below is a popular Japan tour for you to consider. In fact, the itinerary also includes South Korea.
Best of Japan & South Korea (17 days)
Tokyo – Mt. Fuji – Hakone – Kanazawa – Takayama – Shirakawa-go – Kyoto – Nara – Osaka – Busan – Gyeongju – Seoul
This meticulously crafted itinerary showcases the best of Japan and South Korea, two neighbours that have influenced each other in so many ways since time immemorial and yet still remain so distinct from each other. One of our most popular Asia tours, this extraordinary 17-day journey presents a perfect balance between the old and new giving the visitor a well-rounded introduction to two of Asia’s most successful modern economies rising out of the ashes of war and destruction.
Important Features
- Small group size (average 15, maximum 20)
- Expert guides
- Quality local and Western cuisines
- Special dinner featuring maiko performance
- Seafood dinner in Busan
- Excursion to the Demilitarized Zone near Seoul
- Korean BBQ farewell dinner
- Optional day trip to Hiroshima & Miyajima
Meal Code: B = breakfast / L = lunch / D = dinner
Day 1/Mon: Departing Home City
The journey begins with your transpacific flight departing from a city of your choice. You’ll 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 will be provided in the pre-trip update one month before departure.
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 (April 2022) in the city proper. 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 (Shallow Grass Temple), 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 the peak of Mount Fuji which is located about 84 km to the west.
Day 4/Thu: Tokyo – Mt. Fuji – Hakone – Tokyo (B/L)
We depart at 7:30 AM for a full-day excursion to Mt Fuji and Hakone.
Mt. Fuji, the highest mountain (3,776 metres) in Japan, is a two-hour drive from Tokyo. We stop by the Fujisan World Heritage Center to view the summit and learn about the history, formation and ecology of Mt. Fuji through exhibits and a short film. However, it is purely a matter of luck whether the summit is visible as Mt. Fuji is often shrouded in clouds. Our schedule does not include hiking the mountain – the trails are open between July and early September and it would take the average person at least six hours to hike to the summit even if one starts from the highest station at 2,305 metres above sea level.
We then proceed to Lake Ashi in Hakone for a short cruise across the lake. This is followed by a 10-minute cable car ride that transports us to the station overlooking the sulphur-spewing Owakudani Geothermal Valley. On a clear day, the cable car ride provides stunning views of Mt. Fuji and its surrounding mountain slopes.
We expect to arrive back at the hotel around 6:00 PM.
Day 5/Fri: Tokyo – Kanazawa (B)
We spend the morning relaxing or exploring on our own. The Koishikawa Kōrakuen (traditional garden) near the hotel is highly recommended.
The afternoon Shinkansen bullet train (Hakutaka #563, 12:24/15:17) to Kanazawa provides the passenger a perfect way to enjoy the beauty of Japan’s countryside.
Kanazawa is a jewel of Japanese tourism that is often overlooked by foreign tourists due to its relatively remote location. However, Japanese tourists come here in droves. Travellers coming here are richly rewarded with the well-preserved Edo-period city, where the samurai, merchants, geisha, and daimyo (lords) all left their mark. Kanazawa is part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Crafts and Folk Art.
Day 6/Sat: Kanazawa (B/L)
Morning sightseeing begins at Omicho Market, Kanazawa’s largest fresh food market particularly well known for seafood.
From the market, Kanazawa Castle is just a few minutes away on foot. The restored castle was first originally built in 1580 for Maeda Toshiie, the fourth son of a minor samurai family who entered the service of a powerful daimyo at the age of 15 and quickly rose through the ranks. The castle was reconstructed multiple times due to fire damages throughout its history. The last time a fire destroyed the castle was in 1881. The Hishi Yagura turret, Gojikken Nagaya warehouse and the Hashizume-mon Tsuzuki Yagura turret were faithfully restored in 2001 to their 1809 form using traditional construction methods. Today’s pillars are constructed from the Japanese Hinoki cypress along with the use of the massive American cypress as ceiling beams. The castle’s distinctive whitish roof tiles are made of lead.
From the castle we walk across the road to Kenroku-en Garden which used to be part of the castle. One of the Three Great Gardens of Japan (Koraku-en in Okayama and Kairaku-en in Mito being the other two), Kenroku-en was developed from the 1620s to the 1840s by the Maeda clan, the daimyo that ruled the former Kaga Domain.
The restaurant for lunch is a 5-minute walk from the garden.
After lunch we visit Nagamachi, a historical preservation zone where the residents still go about their daily lives among the remnants of a bygone age. A highlight of the neighbourhood is the restored Nomura Samurai House, whose small but supremely exquisite traditional garden delights visitors from around the world.
We wrap up the day with visit to Higashi Chaya Street. Higashi and chaya respectively translate to “eastern” and “tea house”. During the Edo Period, a chaya was found in designated entertainment district where geisha entertained male patrons with dance and music. Higashi Chaya Street today is a popular tourist attraction similar to Kyoto’s Gion district, with almost all of its businesses serving the needs of tourists (souvenirs, refreshments and so forth).
Day 7/Sun: Kanazawa – Takayama – Shirakawa-go – Kanazawa (B/L)
We set out at 7:30 to embark on a full-day excursion by coach to Takayama and Shirakawa-go.
Famous for its inns, sake breweries, food festivals and local folk art, Takayama (118 km southeast of Kanazawa) is a delightful town nestled amongst the Japanese Alps. Our sightseeing takes in an open-air market, Sanno-machi Historic District, a sake shop and the historical Takayama Jin’ya – government house of the region during the Tokugawa shogunate period.
After lunch, we travel northbound in the direction of Kanazawa to visit Shirakawa-go (go in Japanese means township). Situated in a picturesque river valley, Shirakawa-go is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama. The village we visit Shirakawa-go is called Ogimachi, the largest village in the township and the main attraction of Shirakawa-go. The village’s gassho-style large houses with steeply pitched thatched roofs are said to be the only examples of their kind in Japan.
Day 8/Mon: Kanazawa – Kyoto (B/L)
This morning we ride the express train (Thunderbird #16, 09:54/12:09) to Kyoto.
After lunch, we tour the historical Nijo Castle on arrival. Nijo Castle. This is the site that witnessed the commencement and ending of the Tokugawa shogunate (1600 -1868).
We spend the rest of the afternoon exploring Kinkaku-ji (Temple of Golden Pavilion). This is a Zen Buddhist temple and one of 17 locations comprising the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto World Heritage Site.
Day 9/Tue: Kyoto (B/D)
Nicknamed “City of Ten Thousand Shrines”, Kyoto (literal translation: capital city) served as Japan’s capital for more than one thousand years before the imperial court moved to Tokyo in 1868 with the onset of the Meiji Restoration (1868 to 1912, a historical period associated with the emergence of Japan as a modernized nation). Kyoto is a scaled replica of the Chinese Tang Dynasty’s capital Chang’an, present-day Xi’an. The Tang Dynasty (618 – 907) was a golden era in Chinese history and a time when Japanese adoption of Chinese culture reached its peak. Kyoto today, with a population of 1.5 million, forms a major part of the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area.
Morning sightseeing at Arashiyama (Storm Mountain) area takes in Tenryu-ji Temple and the Bamboo Forest. Located on the western outskirts of Kyoto, Arashiyama is famous for its immense natural beauty as well as its historical and cultural prominence due to the large number of well-preserved ancient Buddhist temples.
We go back to the hotel for a quick break before heading out again. There are lots of eateries around the hotel for lunch.
We spend the rest of the day touring the sprawling complex of Kiyomizu-dera. Kiyomizu-dera is a Buddhist temple and part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage site. Its veranda provides stunning views of the city.
Today’s traditional multi-course dinner (kaiseki) features performance by a maiko (geisha trainee).
Day 10/Wed: Kyoto (B)
Today is set aside for you to explore on your own. Our recommendations include Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kyoto National Museum and Fushimi Inari Shrine (for hiking). The beautiful Kano River flowing through the city and the iconic Kyoto Railway Station are also popular among visitors. The traditional entertainment district known as Gion is a good place for tea ceremony but you may need to make a reservation for it.
Optional Day Trip to Hiroshima & Miyajima
Following breakfast, we embark on a full-day (11 hours total) excursion to Hiroshima and Miyajima. The modes of transportation include bullet train, local commuter train, ferry and taxi. Please be warned that this is a strenuous outing requiring the participants to walk at least 8 km or 5 miles at a brisk pace. The optional day tour costs US$225 or its CAD equivalent and is subject to a minimum of 6 participants.
Hiroshima, literally meaning ‘broad island’, is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture and the largest city in the Chugoku region with a population of 1.2 million. Hiroshima is best known as the first city in history to be targeted by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on the city (and later on Nagasaki) at 8:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945, near the end of World War II. The highlight in Hiroshima, understandably but sadly, is the Peace Memorial Park which includes the Peace Memorial Museum, and the Atomic Bomb Dome that once served as the industrial promotion hall of the local prefect.
Miyajima Island, 30 minutes away from Hiroshima Station by commuter train, may be added as bonus if we sacrifice lunch time and also move fast. Officially known as Itsukushima, Miyajima is a small island (30 square kilometres, population 1,760) in Hiroshima Bay famous for its forests and ancient temples. The seaside Itsukushima Shinto Shrine on the island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the “floating” torii gate in front of the shrine is the main reason for most visitors to come here.
Day 11/Thu: Kyoto – Nara – Osaka – Kyoto (B/L)
After breakfast we drive to Nara (45 km) and visit the magnificent Todai-ji temple on arrival. This ancient Buddhist temple is well-known not only for its splendid architecture and the huge bronze statue of the Buddha in the main hall but also for the 1,200 wild deer roaming freely on the grounds of the temple.
Nara is the capital city of Nara Prefecture and a former capital of Japan (710 – 794). With a population of roughly 370,000 and an area of 280 square kilometres, the city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture. Eight temples, shrines and ruins together with Kasugayama Primeval Forest collectively form “The Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara” – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Afterwards we continue on to Osaka, where we visit the historic Osaka Castle and Osaka’s legendary shopping and entertainment district known as Dotonbori. Situated at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, Osaka is Japan’s third most populous city (after Tokyo and Yokohama) and plays a significant role in Japanese economy. Osaka was once known as the “nation’s kitchen” because of its function as Japan’s rice trading centre during the Edo period.
We should be back at the hotel in Kyoto around 5:00 PM.
Day 12/Fri: Kyoto – Busan (B/D)
The morning flight to Busan takes one and half hours. Transfer to the hotel on arrival and have the rest of the day at leisure. Enjoy a seafood dinner in a small, family-run restaurant.
Day 13/Sat: Busan (B/L)
Busan, sometimes spelled as Pusan, is the largest port and second largest city in South Korea with a current population around 3.5 million. The city is known for its beaches, mountains and temples.
Today’s sightseeing begins with a visit to the United Nations Memorial Cemetery. Established in January 1951, the 35-acre burial ground contains 2,300 graves of fallen soldiers who fought on the side of the United Nations during the Korean War (Jun 25, 1950 – Jul 27, 1953). The majority of the interred soldiers were from the Commonwealth of Nations including the United Kingdom (886), Canada (378), Australia (281), New Zealand (34) and South Africa (11). A South Korean guard of honour carries out flag ceremonies daily.
We then proceed to Jagalchi fish market, the largest seafood market in South Korea. Today’s schedule ends with a leisurely walk at Haeundae Beach.
Day 14/Sun: Busan – Gyeongju – Seoul (B/L)
Following breakfast we drive 100 kilometres northeast to Gyeongju. The city was the capital of the 1,000-year-long Silla dynasty and is known for its extensive historical remains.
Our sightseeing in Gyeongju begins at the 8th-century Bulguksa, a magnificent Buddhist temple complex featuring stone pagodas, a series of wooden buildings on raised stone terraces, and a large bronze Buddha. A masterpiece of the golden age of Buddhist art in the Silla kingdom, the temple is classified as Historic and Scenic Site No. 1 by the South Korean government and is also listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The Gyeongju National Museum is next on our schedule. The museum houses a large collection of relics from the Silla era giving the visitor a deep insight into the ancient kingdom.
The afternoon train journey to Seoul takes just over 2 hours (KTX #40, 15:07/17:14, 300 km).
Capital of South Korea, Seoul is a huge metropolis where modern skyscrapers, high-tech subways and pop culture meet Buddhist temples, palaces and street markets.
Day 15/Mon: Seoul – DMZ – Seoul (B/L)
We spend the morning visiting the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), with more than half of the designated time spent on driving there and back.
The DMZ divides North Korea and South Korea and is one of the last remnants of the Cold War. The DMZ runs across the Korean Peninsula and roughly follows the 38th parallel north (popular name given to latitude 38° N) on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and the east end lying north of it. With over a million soldiers on watch each day, this stretch of land measuring 250 kilometres (160 miles) long and about 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) wide is the most fortified border in the world.
Our afternoon sightseeing includes Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village (traditional residential area on top of a hill inside the city).
Day 16/Tue: Seoul (B/D)
Morning sightseeing takes in the War Memorial of Korea and the National Museum.
Free afternoon to explore on your own.
Day 17/Wed: Seoul – Home City (B)
Your memorable Japan and South Korea tour ends this morning. Transfer to Incheon International Airport, 50km west of Seoul, on your own. Taxi costs between 70,000 and 100,000 Korean won (US$56 to US$80) including expressway toll charge, but most travellers prefer the Airport Railroad Express which costs 9,500 won (US$7.50) one way per person.
Check out current departure dates and prices
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best time to visit Japan?
Climatic patterns in Japan are diverse ranging from subtropical islands in the south to sub-arctic winter temperatures in northern Hokkaido.
Like neighbouring Korean Peninsula and most of China, Honshu (literally “Main Island” or “Main Province”), the island we travel across, has cool and cold weather in winter (Jan-Mar). June and July is rainy season across Japan except Hokkaido – a popular destination for Japanese to escape summer heat. Autumn (September to mid-December) is usually cool and clear on Honshu. Cherry blossom season from late March to early April and the autumn foliage season (November) see huge influx of international visitors to join the large number of local vacationers on the move.
If you have a choice, you should stay away from Japan during their Golden Week holiday (end of April to early May) when hotels and air flights get incredibly expensive. For the high prices, you’d be rewarded with overcrowding at all the tourist sites – a phenomenon that rivals China’s National Day holiday week (Oct 1-6).
Winter (Jan-Mar) is supposed to be low season for Japan’s tourism industry, not anymore. The rapid rise of middle class throughout Asia and the decline of the Japanese Yen against so many currencies in the past few years ensure Japan is overrun with international visitors all year round. That said, in winter hotels, the single biggest budget item for many, can be had for less than half of the price of high season.
What’s the best time to visit South Korea?
Korea has four distinct seasons with spring (April – June) and autumn (late September-November) being the best for visitors. Spring flowers in April and May and autumn leaves in late October and early November will intoxicate nature lovers.
Korean winter is cold while summer hot and humid. Japan’s main island, Honshu, can be described the same way.
Do I need a visa to enter Japan?
American tourists do not need visa to enter Japan if the stay is less than 90 days.
Does Laurus Travel offer help with my airfare purchase?
We are ready to help you with airfare purchase. We are particularly proud of our ability in tracking down the best business class fares.
