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The Award-Winning Tour Specialist

Discover Japan

14 days Fully Inclusive Classic Group Tour

Celebrating 25 Years of tour excellence

Discover Japan

Japan is a country of contrasts, where ancient gods rub shoulders with modern technology, skyscrapers give way to paddy fields and crowds disperse into the tranquillity of a classical garden. This tour is the perfect introduction to this fascinating archipelago.

  • Fully Inclusive
    Touring with Guides and entrance fees
  • Included Meals
    Breakfasts: 11 , Lunches: 10 , Dinners: 11
  • Flights
    International flights and current taxes
  • Accommodation
    11 nights in 3+ star accommodation
  • Group Tour
    Max Group Size: 28
  • Physical Rating 1
    A reasonable level of fitness is required but it's more about spending time on your feet rather than covering large distances. You'll be getting on and off coaches and boats, walking around the sights and climbing some steps.
    Learn More
    Walking, some steps and time on your feet.
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Classic Group Tour
14 DAYS
From $10,890PP
Tokyo (2N) Mt. Fuji Suwa (1N) Matsumoto Takayama (2N) Shirakawago Kanazawa (1N) Kyoto (2N) Nara (1N) Koyasan Osaka (2N)
125 Reviews
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Tour Highlights

Our Discover Japan tour will see you exploring the most iconic sites, delving into deep-rooted culture and dining on delicious cuisine and thoroughly researched to bring you a range of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, many of which are entirely exclusive to us.

Day by Day Itinerary

Tokyo (2N) - Mt. Fuji - Suwa (1N) - Takayama (2N) - Kanazawa (1N) - Kyoto (2N) - Nara (1N) - Osaka (2N)
  • Days 1-2
    Fly to Tokyo
    Dinner
    Days 1-2: Fly to Tokyo

    Fly overnight to Tokyo, Japan's capital, for a two-night stay. Tokyo was once known as Edo and was a small fishing town. Depending on your time of arrival the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture.

    Dinner
  • Day 3
    Vibrant Tokyo
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 3: Vibrant Tokyo

    Head to the top of Tokyo Skytree for sweeping views of the city. Next, visit Asakusa and wander through Nakamise shopping street and Senso-ji Temple, one of Tokyo's most colourful and popular temples. Enjoy lunch and stop at the Imperial Palace to view the Nijubashi, two bridges that form an entrance to the inner palace grounds. This afternoon, stroll through the Hamarikyu Gardens and in the evening, enjoy a dinner cruise around Tokyo Bay.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 4
    Mount Fuji
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 4: Mount Fuji

    Take the super-fast bullet train to Odawara. Enjoy a boat trip on Lake Ashi for spectacular panoramas of this beautiful area before venturing up the Komagatake Ropeway. Next, ascend over 2,000 metres up Mount Fuji to the 5th Station, (weather permitting) and take in the breathtaking views over the Fuji Five Lakes area below.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 5
    Matsumoto Castle
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 5: Matsumoto Castle

    This morning, drive 2 hours to Nagano to explore the formidable 16th century Matsumoto Castle. There are steep ladder-style steps in the Matsumoto Castle that you must climb up and back down again. If you choose not to look inside the castle, you can enjoy the surrounding gardens, moat and architecture of Matsumoto Castle. After lunch, stop at a Miso House to learn about the process of making this Japanese seasoning. Try Miso soup before travelling a further 2 and a half hours to Takayama, nestled high in the mountainous Hida region.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 6
    Takayama
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 6: Takayama

    Wander to the Miyagawa morning market and sample some of the region’s fruit and vegetables. Later you will visit traditional houses and local museums, including the Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall, Kusakabe Folk Museum and the Takayama Jinya. Enjoy some free time to explore the local shopping streets, which date back to the 17th century.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 7
    Charming Shirakawa-Go Village
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 7: Charming Shirakawa-Go Village

    Travel to the UNESCO World Heritage listed village, Shirakawago, famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. Try your hand at making traditional Japanese washi paper before continuing to Kanazawa. On arrival, wander through the beautiful Kenroku-en, one of the ‘Three Great Gardens of Japan’, before checking in to your hotel.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 8
    Travel To Kyoto
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 8: Travel To Kyoto

    This morning, learn the process of how gold leaf is made and applied to everyday objects. Try it for yourself by decorating a pair of chopsticks and take your newly created artwork home! Later, stroll down the traditional Higashi Chaya (Eastern Teahouse District), visiting Ochaya Shima – a historical geisha house. After lunch, drive 4 hours to Kyoto, Japan’s ancient capital, check in to your hotel and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 9
    Explore Kyoto
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 9: Explore Kyoto

    Kyoto was capital for a thousand years; today it is the legacy of ancient Japan, full of tranquil temples, silk-clad geisha and sublime gardens. This morning, head to a restored Japanese wooden townhouse and try your hand at origami and enjoy the rituals of a tea ceremony. In the afternoon, visit Ryoanji Temple, which means 'temple of the peaceful dragon', and the famous Kinkakuji, a Zen temple known as the 'Golden Pavilion'.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 10
    Kyoto to Nara
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 10: Kyoto to Nara

    Visit the unforgettable Fushimi Inari Shrine, which features in the movie Memoirs of a Geisha. It is famous for its thousands of orange torii gates and is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Foxes are thought to be Inari’s messengers, and you will see many fox statues here. Later travel to Nara, a charming town virtually untouched by the ravages of modernity. Home to much early art and architecture, you will stroll through Nara Park to Todai-ji Temple, meeting the resident Sika deer en route, before exploring Isui-en Gardens.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 11
    Koyasan
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 11: Koyasan

    The holy mountain of Koyasan is home to a cluster of over a hundred monasteries nestled in a valley enclosed by peaks said to resemble a lotus flower. Full of atmosphere, savour the tranquillity and spectacular views as you discover Kongobu-ji Temple and the Garan Temple complex before wandering around Okunoin – a vast forest cemetery of 200,000 stupas. Continue on to Osaka.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 12
    Osaka Castle
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 12: Osaka Castle

    This morning, visit the famous Osaka Castle before taking a stroll around the Dotonbori district, a restaurant mecca, where you can sample delicious local delicacies. Next, enjoy a 20-minute cruise along the Yodogawa River. Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure before a farewell dinner this evening.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Days 13-14
    Fly Osaka To Australia
    Breakfast
    Day 13-14: Fly Osaka To Australia

    Fly to Australia, arriving home the same or following day. (B)

    Breakfast
Discover Japan map

Download Tour Dossier & Trip Notes

Accommodation

We draw from a wide range of hotels on our holidays, each one is chosen to suit the tour you are travelling on meaning your accommodation can range from a smart business hotel in one city to a family run guesthouse in a smaller town. Here are some examples of the type of hotel you can expect to find on this tour.

Book With Confidence

When to go

The best time to visit Japan is during spring (March to May) when the Cherry Blossoms are bursting into life and autumn (September to November) when the scenery is ablaze with colour, and the climate is temperate.

City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kanazawa
  • 1
    7
    4
  • 270
  • Kyoto
  • 1
    9
    5
  • 50
  • Nara
  • 0
    9
    4
  • 50
  • Osaka
  • 3
    10
    6
  • 45
  • Takayama
  • 4
    9
    7
  • 8
  • Tokyo
  • 1
    10
    5
  • 65
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kanazawa
  • 1
    7
    4
  • 172
  • Kyoto
  • 1
    10
    6
  • 68
  • Nara
  • 0
    10
    5
  • 63
  • Osaka
  • 3
    10
    7
  • 62
  • Takayama
  • 5
    10
    7
  • 15
  • Tokyo
  • 2
    10
    6
  • 58
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kanazawa
  • 3
    11
    7
  • 159
  • Kyoto
  • 4
    13
    9
  • 113
  • Nara
  • 2
    13
    8
  • 103
  • Osaka
  • 6
    14
    10
  • 104
  • Takayama
  • 7
    13
    10
  • 41
  • Tokyo
  • 4
    14
    9
  • 77
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kanazawa
  • 8
    17
    13
  • 137
  • Kyoto
  • 9
    20
    14
  • 116
  • Nara
  • 7
    20
    14
  • 98
  • Osaka
  • 11
    20
    15
  • 104
  • Takayama
  • 13
    18
    15
  • 31
  • Tokyo
  • 9
    19
    14
  • 118
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kanazawa
  • 13
    22
    17
  • 155
  • Kyoto
  • 14
    25
    19
  • 161
  • Nara
  • 12
    24
    18
  • 144
  • Osaka
  • 16
    24
    20
  • 146
  • Takayama
  • 17
    22
    20
  • 43
  • Tokyo
  • 14
    23
    18
  • 145
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kanazawa
  • 18
    25
    22
  • 185
  • Kyoto
  • 19
    28
    23
  • 214
  • Nara
  • 18
    27
    22
  • 189
  • Osaka
  • 20
    28
    24
  • 184
  • Takayama
  • 21
    25
    23
  • 58
  • Tokyo
  • 18
    26
    22
  • 135
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kanazawa
  • 22
    29
    26
  • 232
  • Kyoto
  • 23
    32
    27
  • 220
  • Nara
  • 22
    31
    26
  • 165
  • Osaka
  • 24
    32
    28
  • 157
  • Takayama
  • 24
    28
    26
  • 36
  • Tokyo
  • 22
    29
    26
  • 81
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kanazawa
  • 24
    31
    27
  • 139
  • Kyoto
  • 24
    33
    29
  • 132
  • Nara
  • 23
    33
    28
  • 112
  • Osaka
  • 25
    33
    29
  • 91
  • Takayama
  • 26
    30
    28
  • 16
  • Tokyo
  • 23
    31
    27
  • 113
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kanazawa
  • 20
    27
    23
  • 226
  • Kyoto
  • 20
    29
    25
  • 176
  • Nara
  • 19
    28
    24
  • 163
  • Osaka
  • 22
    29
    26
  • 161
  • Takayama
  • 23
    27
    25
  • 57
  • Tokyo
  • 20
    27
    23
  • 131
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kanazawa
  • 13
    21
    17
  • 177
  • Kyoto
  • 14
    23
    18
  • 121
  • Nara
  • 12
    22
    17
  • 111
  • Osaka
  • 16
    23
    19
  • 112
  • Takayama
  • 17
    21
    19
  • 38
  • Tokyo
  • 14
    22
    18
  • 132
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kanazawa
  • 8
    16
    12
  • 265
  • Kyoto
  • 8
    17
    12
  • 71
  • Nara
  • 6
    16
    11
  • 71
  • Osaka
  • 10
    18
    14
  • 69
  • Takayama
  • 12
    16
    14
  • 16
  • Tokyo
  • 8
    16
    12
  • 128
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kanazawa
  • 3
    10
    7
  • 282
  • Kyoto
  • 3
    12
    7
  • 48
  • Nara
  • 2
    11
    7
  • 47
  • Osaka
  • 5
    12
    9
  • 44
  • Takayama
  • 7
    12
    9
  • 6
  • Tokyo
  • 4
    12
    8
  • 109

Pricing & Availability

All of our tour departures include international flights and taxes in the price unless a land only option is selected

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  • Departure: All
1 Room, 2 Guests
  • 1 Room, 2 Guests
  • 1 Room, 1 Guest
    Depart AUStart Date
    Return DateEnd Date
    Price
    Availability

    Additional Price Information

    • Flight Inclusive rates only: These include airline fuel surcharge and taxes. Correct as of 1 August 2023. Please note supplements may apply if lead in economy rates are not available.
    • Tipping is generally not part of the culture in Japan; however, you may wish to tip your National Escort at your discretion.
    • Depending on airline schedules, you may depart and/or arrive on Day 2. Extra nights' accommodation (pre or post tour) or stopovers may be required at an additional cost.
    • Flight Inclusive rates only: Based on departures from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide & Perth. Departures from other cities and flight upgrades available on request
    • Please note: cherry blossoms & autumn leaves are weather dependent and it is not guaranteed that they will be in bloom at the time of your arrival.
    • Price listed is based on new bookings only

    Group Tour includes

    • International flights and current taxes (excluded if a land only option is selected)
    • All Meals (refer to itinerary)
    • Domestic transportation
    • 3 – 4 star accommodation
    • Touring with guides and entrance fees
    • Dedicated Solo Departures only: Complimentary airport lounge pass in Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne, complimentary chauffeur transfers within a 50km radius, single room included in price

    Important Information For Your Tour

    Before Booking
    Travel Protection, Booking Conditions
    and more
    Before you go
    Passports & Visas, Travel Guides & Packing Lists, Holiday FAQ’s and more

    Extensions and Stopovers

    Extend your holiday or break up your journey with one of our extensions and stopovers. Choose from city breaks or some beach time, or spend more time in your chosen destination.

    What our Customers Say

    Rated 4.6 out of 5 based on 5526 reviews

    Review for Discover Japan
    A memorable holiday that delivered what it promised. Having an excellent guide made all the difference. Great organisation throughout the tour.
    Dec 04, 2024
    Review for Discover Japan
    Very interesting holiday busy itinerary.
    Saw lots excellent guide.
    Nov 20, 2024
    Booking Experience for Discover Japan
    Could not get through to start with and requested a call back
    This came a couple of hours later.
    Andrew was very helpful and answered our queries very quickly.
    We were then time to think through options
    Andrew even stayed beyond his finishing time to call us back
    The deal offered was very competitive and so we booked the trip.
    Good clear advice without any of pressure to book
    Very impressed!
    Jun 16, 2024
    Booking Experience for Discover Japan
    Sandra and the team were exceptionally helpful.

    Good knowledge and experience regarding the areas we were interested in visiting.
    May 27, 2024
    Review for Discover Japan
    Great if like us, you haven't been to Japan before and would find the country difficult to navigate. It seems expensive on the face of it, but actually with all the flights and meals included it's reasonable in comparison to others. Our guide was the tops and with a group of 27 - mostly antipodean and UK participants, she managed us well. You get to see a lot but don't expect a lot of time off. I recommend you stay longer than the tour dates if you want that. This was our first organised tour, which takes a bit of getting used to. You are giving up some freedom for certainty and a lot less to worry about. Highly recommended.
    May 01, 2024
    Review for Discover Japan
    The tour was excellent from the beginning when it was first organised to the food and trips with our brilliant guide. We saw temples and shrines and learnt the history relating to them. We saw beautiful gardens and visited local restaurants as well as exemplary hotels.
    It made me think again about the people and culture of Japan.
    Apr 23, 2024
    Review for Discover Japan
    Fantastic experience visiting Japan with an excellent group touring together with another really well organised Wendy Wu holiday.
    Apr 21, 2024
    Booking Experience for Discover Japan
    Thoroughly professional and welcoming
    Apr 17, 2024

    Our Award-Winning Guides

    Meet Yoko
    Meet Yoko

    I always treat my tour groups like a family, making sure that everyone is happy throughout the tour. I am very passionate about Japanese history. If anyone is interested in learning about Samurai or the Meiji Restoration, you'll have to come to Japan and ask me!

    A special thank you to Yoko our National Escort, whose friendly, professional and organised approach to the holiday made sure everything ran smoothly and made the trip to Japan so memorable.
    Mr Degville
    Meet Takako
    Meet Takako

    It is great being able to explore my own country with different people who can offer a different perspective. I ensure my groups experience our culture as much as possible, because travel isn't just about the things that you see, it's also about the things you do.

    Our National Escort Takako Kaneko made the holiday. She was excellent, informative, hardworking and had obviously researched information for us.
    Mr Mcintosh
    Meet Michiyo O
    Meet Michiyo O

    I love sharing the culture of my country with visitors, that's why I become a tour guide! From noodles and sake to classical gardens and temples, learning about our culture is surely the best way to understand more about Japan as a whole.

    Our National Escort Michiyo 'made' this holiday with her charm, knowledge, lots of interesting details and her send of humour.
    Mrs Brownridge
    Meet Michiyo H
    Meet Michiyo H

    It's such a pleasure to introduce Japan to people from all over the world and explore its culture, history and traditions, as well as its unique cuisine. Along with this, I enjoy taking care of each and every member of the tour group, which is why I love being a tour guide.

    Michiyo was fantastic and went out of her way to make it a memorable experience. We would absolutely use Wendy Wu Tours again.

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