The Award-Winning Tour Specialist
18 days Fully Inclusive Classic Group Tour
This tour is crafted for travellers who appreciate not only iconic cultural sights but also the artistry of Japanese gardens. From tranquil moss gardens and meticulously raked zen temples to vibrant contemporary landscapes, Japan in Colour immerses you in the horticultural traditions that have shaped the nation’s aesthetic for centuries.
A highlight of this departure is that part of the journey will be accompanied by expert gardener and Vegepod co-founder, Simon Hollaway. His deep knowledge and passion for sustainable gardening and design will enrich your experience as you explore Japan’s most celebrated gardens, learn about regional planting styles, and gain insights into the craftsmanship behind these living works of art.
Our Japan in Colour 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.
Take time to reflect the city's past in Hiroshima and also visit Miyajima Island.
Explore Japan’s most stunning landscapes with our expert horticulturalist. Stroll through historic castle grounds, admire the elegance of Kenrokuen and Koko-en, and experience the golden beauty of Kyoto’s Kinkakuji Temple. Gain insider insights into garden design, horticulture, and seasonal highlights as each breathtaking setting comes to life.
Spend a refreshing day in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan’s orchard paradise, alongside Simon Holloway as you explore some of the region’s best fruit farms. Nestled between mountains and blessed with abundant sunshine, Yamanashi is famous for its juicy peaches, crisp grapes, and fragrant pears.
If you're lucky, you will have the opportunity to see snow monkeys on this tour.
Admire the elaborately dyed silk creations of artist Kubota Itchiku at his eponymous art museum. Itchiku singlehandedly revived the traditional and beautiful technique of 'tsujigahana'.
Discover the traditional process of paper making before getting your hands dirty making 'washi' (Japanese paper) the age-old way.
Experience the perfect display of Japanese culture as you witness the preparation and performance involved in the 'Way of Tea', a traditional tea ceremony.
Fly overnight to the dazzling metropolis of Tokyo, Japan's capital city. Depending on your time of arrival, the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture.
Stroll through the vibrant Asakusa district and soak up the ambiance of Sensoji, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple. Next, walk along the famous Nakamise Street which is lined with souvenir shops on both sides. In the afternoon, ascend to the observation deck of the 634-metre Tokyo Skytree. Continue to the Meiji Shrine, a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken.
Begin today with a stroll through the Imperial Palace East Garden. You will later go to Shukaen Bonsai Museum, a bonsai garden and museum opened by bonsai artist and master Kunio Kobayashi, before heading to the trendy district of Shibuya where you will have the opportunity to walk on the world’s most famous pedestrian crossing. End the day with a dinner cruise onboard a traditional yakata on Tokyo Bay and witness the city lit up at night.
Journey by road through the foothills of the iconic Mount Fuji to its base where we find the Fuji Five Lakes. The region is spectacularly dotted by the calm waters of five lakes, formed by past volcanic eruptions, reflecting Mount Fuji’s picture-perfect cone. Enjoy a boat trip on Lake Ashi for spectacular panoramas of this beautiful area before venturing up the Hakone Ropeway to the volcanic Owakudani Valley.
En route to Nagano take in more views of Mount Fuji. Also visit the Itchiku Kubota Art Museum to view the elaborate dyed silk creations of artist Kubota Itchiku. Take part in some fruit picking in the Yamanashi area. Continue by road to Nagano.
Travel deeper into the Japanese Alps, to the small town of Yudanaka. Here, enjoy a light hike through the forest to the Jigokudani Monkey Park, where if you’re lucky, you may see the Japanese macaques (snow monkeys) bathe and play in their hot spring pool at the Jigokudani Monkey Park. After lunch, visit Zenkoji, one of Japan’s most prolific Buddhist temples.
Travel to the town of Matsumoto. Stop first at a wasabi farm before heading to explore the formidable 16th-century Matsumoto Castle. Later, visit the Ishii Miso House to learn all about this essential Japanese seasoning, In the afternoon continue by road to Takayama and relax in the hotsprings at your hotel.
Spend the day exploring the town of Takayama. Browse the local handicrafts and fresh produce at the Miyagawa Open Air Market and wander past some of the lovely traditional houses. Also visit several of the excellent local museums, including the Yatai Kaikan – a museum which displays traditional Japanese floats used in many festivals and Kusakabe Folk Crafts Museum. Your last stop today is and Takayama Jinya, a former Government office for 300 years.
Begin the day travelling by road to the rural village of Shirakawago, a UNESCO World Heritage Listed site, renowned for its thatched roof houses. Here, explore a 300-year-old Gassho-style Wada House. Next, it’s off to Gokayama for a hands-on washi paper making experience before continuing by road to Kanazawa, stopping enroute at the Nomura Samurai House.
Begin the day strolling through Kenrokuen, one of the ‘Three Great Gardens of Japan’, which is dotted with waterfalls, ponds and charming tea houses. Next, continue by road to Kyoto. Capital for 1,000 years, Kyoto is an enchanting city is the epitome of traditional Japan with over 2000 temples and shrines and exceptionally preserved wooden buildings.
Spend the day exploring some of the city’s highlights Enjoy one of Kyoto’s most delightful spots, beginning with a visit to the Fushimi Inari Shrine, renowned for its 10,000 vermilion torii gates. End the day with Kiyomizu, a 8th-century Buddhist temple. Also experience the age-old rituals of a traditional tea ceremony with a tea master.
This morning, visit Togetsukyo Bridge in the heart of the vibrant Arashiyama district and walk through the bamboo forest. Continue with a visit to Kinkakuji Temple, also known as ‘Golden Pavilion’. Continue to Ryoanji, the ‘Peaceful Dragon Temple’, which boasts the most famous rock garden in Japan. End the day with a journey on the impressive bullet train to Hiroshima.
Hiroshima is a vibrant, forward-thinking city that is a pleasure to explore. Reflect on the city’s tragic past at the Peace Memorial Park and Museum paying homage to the victims of the 1945 atomic bomb. Next, take the ferry to the holy island of Miyajima to visit the Itsukushima Shrine and enjoy some time at leisure.
Depart Hiroshima, stopping en route to explore the magnificent 17th-century Himeji Castle, also known as the ‘White Heron Castle’ due to white exterior and elegant appearance. Also take a stroll through Kokoen, a traditional-style garden. Continue by road to Osaka.
Today we will start early and stroll the village of Wazuka Town, an area known for its long history of tea cultivation and production of Uji Tea. Later, spend some time in Nara, the small, history-filled city that was Japan’s first capital. Stroll through Nara Park to Todaiji Temple and admire the traditional Isuien Garden. Return to Osaka for a short walking tour of central Osaka. Farewell dinner at the hotel
Fly to Australia, arriving home the same or following day.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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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All of our tours offer a single room supplement, which means you’ll have a room to yourself throughout your chosen tour. Continue the check-out process for the applicable supplement.
On most tours, you can choose our 'Happy to Share' option, which may enable you to share a twin room with other solo customers of the same gender who also request Happy to Share. If a share partner is found, the Single Supplement will be removed from your booking. If a share partner is not found, the Single Supplement will remain and is payable with your final balance.
If you are booking on a Dedicated Solo departure, a single room is already included in the price and there are no additional single supplements to pay.
With our flight inclusive option, we'll do the planning for you and meet you on arrival.
We include airport pickup upon arrival at your destination and drop off at the end of your tour (on the scheduled tour arrival and departure days) and when booking pre or post tour accommodation with us.
We partner with established and reputable airlines for your international flights.
We can assist with upgrading your seat to premium or business class for an additional cost.
Our team will work with you to choose your ideal routing and if we make changes to your tour itinerary that impact flights, we’ll rebook them for you.
Our On-Tour Support Team is available to provide advice about how to handle flight changes.
