Enriching  Japanese guided tours & holidays

Japan is an incredible country, with so much to see, do and experience. We offer a range of itineraries to suit different interests, from two-week introductions to Japan’s highlights, to in-depth tours that’ll take you off the tourist track to experience the ‘real’ Japan. We also run dedicated solo Japan escorted tours, with departures specifically for solo travellers.

Travelling in Japan can be challenging, so having a knowledgeable, Japanese-speaking tour manager (and a great group of like-minded people) with you makes such a difference.

From city-centre stays to traditional ryokans, all the hotels featured on our holidays are hand-picked to ensure they’re just right for our customers. Simply scroll through the online itineraries to see where you’ll be staying each night.

On our tours we’ll travel either by coach or by Shinkansen bullet train – a classically Japanese experience. The shinkansen are clean and comfortable, and famously punctual!

For a destination with such variety, only a wide selection of dates and tours will suffice. Our Japan holidays depart throughout the year. In the spring, wander the cherry blossom-lined boulevards. In the autumn, photograph the blaze of orange and red leaves.

When the snow falls in winter, we’ll take you north to Hakodate and Sapporo, where the Japanese macaques (snow monkeys) warm up in the hot springs and you can visit the famed Sapporo Snow Festival. We also run dedicated solo Japan escorted tours, with departures specifically for solo travellers.

Plus, with our award-winning VIP door-to-door travel service, you can switch on holiday mode from the get-go. You’ll be whisked off to the airport from your very front door (and they’ll drop you home again) no matter where you live in the UK.

Japan is a year-round destination. In the spring, you can wander the cherry blossom-lined boulevards, while in the autumn, you can photograph the blaze of orange and red leaves - for first timers, these are two of the best seasons in which to travel to Japan.

May and September can start to get a bit hotter and wetter, but it's a great time to experience some of Japan's famous festivals - ask our travel advisors about some of our special departure dates which coincide with these. When the snow falls in winter, we can take you north to Hakodate and Sapporo, where Japanese macaques (snow monkeys) warm up in the hot springs and you can visit the famed Sapporo Snow Festival.

There are plenty of delicious foods to try on Japan tours. Sushi, sashimi, crunchy tempura, miso soup, all sorts of noodle dishes. Our product manager, Cassie, highly recommends the traditional kaiseki dinner that's served in the ryokan we stay in on a couple of our itineraries - multiple courses, all meticulously prepared and exquisitely served.

If you're interested in learning to make a few Japanese specialities, our Grand Tour of Japan includes masterclasses in making filled oyaki flour buns, crisp okonomiyaki pancakes, and udon noodles.

The currency in Japan is the yen. Japan has a strong cash culture – for convenience on arrival, it’s worth taking a mixed amount of cash in yen - US$ can also be exchanged on arrival.

ATMs may be more difficult to find outside of major cities and may not accept foreign credit or cash cards. Visa and MasterCard are generally accepted at hotels and larger restaurants, although American Express isn’t widely accepted.

Visa requirements for Japan holidays vary depending on the passport you hold and the length of time you’re planning on staying. For the most up-to-date information on visas, please use the quick-check tool on our visa requirements page.

Prices for our holidays are available to view online – just click on the ‘View departures’ button on the tour page. Flights, hotels and our VIP door-to-door transfers from home are all included in the price. You can also view details of included meals and excursions on the individual tour pages. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Our prices are based on flights from London Heathrow. For details of connecting flights from other airports around the UK, speak to one of our travel advisors. All of our Japan escorted tours fly into Tokyo. Essence of Japan and Japanese Winter Wonderland also fly back from Tokyo. Grand Tour of Japan flies back to the UK from Fukuoka, while Essence of Japan with South Korea flies back from Seoul.

Flight time from London to Tokyo is approximately 11 hours 50 minutes.