Australia
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Small Group Tour ●IJT Superior
Luxury Japan
from US$11578 per person
Luxury Japan is our newest superior Small Group Tour. Designed for travellers who want to see Japan's most celebrated sights alongside the lesser-known spots, without compromising on comfort. Read more >
Over 14 nights you travel at an unhurried pace, stay in carefully selected upper 4-star and 5-star hotels, and are guided by your Insider tour leader.
With luggage forwarding between key stops, and an Insider who keeps everything running smoothly, you can focus on the culture and the moments in between. This wrap-around support starts in Tokyo with a private arrival transfer and group welcome dinner, with a guided tour through Tokyo’s justifiably famous and lesser-visited spots: Senso-ji temple, Koishikawa Korakuen Garden and Jimbocho.
This luxury Small Group Tour of Japan leans into the traditions that most first-time visitors miss, or are hard to reach when travelling independently. In Inuyama, a riverside castle town with one of Japan’s oldest surviving castles, you’ll see a goma Buddhist fire ceremony.
En route to Kyoto you’re treated to a traditional kaiseki banquet. Once there, you’ll explore the city by private bus with your Insider, taking in Sanjūsangendō’s hall of 1,001 life-size Buddhist sculptures, the towering pagoda of Daigo ji and Heian Shrine’s gardens. Your first evening includes an exclusive dinner with a geisha, offering insight into Kyoto’s performing arts traditions.
Further south in Kyushu, Nagasaki city is built on centuries of global exchange. Visit Dejima Dutch Trading Post and Glover Garden, with time at the Atomic Bomb Museum. Beyond the city, Higashi Sonogi and the pottery village of Okawachiyama bring a quieter perspective: tea fields, kilns, and communities known for local produce and crafts.
In Fukuoka, your Insider introduces the nighttime yatai food stalls, before a day trip to Yanagawa for a boat ride through historic waterways – the “Venice of Kyushu”.
Your final stop is Osaka, “Japan’s kitchen”, with street food, contemporary art, plus an optional day trip to Nara, before returning to Tokyo for a final evening.
Luxury Japan brings cultural depth into sharper focus, backed by premium comfort and expert Insider guiding, from the major cities to the less obvious corners.
If this sounds good and makes you want to see even more, why not extend your tour in Japan?
Important Tour Information
Travelling with family? Under 18s get 10% off the tour price.
The accommodation listed is for 2026 departures. Please note that accommodation is subject to change. Final details of the accommodation will be included in your Info-Pack, which will be sent out approximately four weeks before departure. If you would like to know more, please speak to your travel consultant.
Group Size: 4 - 14
Single Supplement: This tour has a single supplement. This guarantees a single room throughout the tour.
Fitness: Even when not using public transport, sightseeing in Japan often involves walking between sights, climbing up steps in temples and being 'on the go' for much of the day. To enjoy any of our Small Group Tours you should be of moderate fitness, able to walk and climb stairs without difficulty and able to maintain a pace that is comfortable for the majority of the group.
Check-in: Please note that rooms at the Tokyo hotel are only available from 3pm. (You can, however, securely leave your luggage at the front desk at any time).
The tour leader will be staying at the first hotel for two nights before this Small Group Tour starts so they will be available for advice if you choose to book pre-tour nights. We recommend booking at least one extra night to check in and relax before the tour begins.
Transport: We will have the use of a private minibus on Day 2 in Tokyo, Day 3 from Nagoya to Inuyama, Day 5 from Inuyama to Kyoto via Otsu, Day 6 in Kyoto and Day 10 from Nagasaki to Fukuoka via Higashi Sonogi and Okawachiyama. For all other transfers, we will be making use of Japan's first-rate transport network.
Luggage: We highly recommend that to make your stay more enjoyable you pack reasonably light. Although there is often a porter service available at hotels, large suitcases will be an inconvenience to you. A small case or bag with wheels or a rucksack are most appropriate for this tour as you will have to carry your bags for short distances and some stations do not have escalators or elevators/lifts. You will also need a small overnight backpack (for up to two nights) for use when we forward our main bags to the next location.
Accommodation: All accommodation on this tour has full en-suite bathroom facilities. The accommodation in Inuyama also offers shared natural hot-spring baths for your enjoyment. All accommodations offer western-style beds; Japanese-style futon bedding is not used on this itinerary.
In Japan, twin rooms are very much the norm. Please understand that on this tour we are not able to offer double rooms at any of the locations.
International Flights: This tour starts and finishes in Tokyo for arrivals and departures at Tokyo Narita Airport or Tokyo Haneda Airport.
What's included
Your InsideJapan Info-Pack
Full-time services of your InsideJapan tour leader (Insider)
14 nights' accommodation
Breakfast daily, four lunches and seven evening meals
Arrival and departure airport transfers by private car
IC transport card with 3,000yen credit for city transport
All transport between destinations in Japan
Entrance fee to Koishikawa Korakuen Garden in Tokyo
Entrance fee to Noritake Craft Center and Museum in Nagoya
Goma Buddhist fire ceremony experience in Inuyama
Entrance fees to Inuyama Castle and Urakuen Garden in Inuyama
Entrance fee to Mii-dera temple in Otsu
Tickets for sightseeing stops on Day 6 in Kyoto
Entrance fees for Glover Garden, Dejima and Atomic Bomb Museum in Nagasaki
Tickets for Mt Inasa cable car in Nagasaki
Tea tasting and tea fields visit in Higashi-Sonogi
Kiln visit in Okawachiyama
Canal cruise and Toshima Family Residence in Yanagawa
Entrance fee for Kinutani Koji Tenku Art Museum in Osaka
Ticket for TeamLab Botanical Garden Osaka
Luggage forwarding from Tokyo to Kyoto, Kyoto to Fukuoka and Fukuoka to Tokyo
Shared portable Wi-Fi access throughout trip
What's NOT included:
International flights
Any local transport (subways, taxis, buses) unless covered by the included transport passes
Entrance fees (including those for temples, shrines and museums) unless otherwise specified
Baggage handling and luggage forwarding unless otherwise specified
- Tour Price: From US$11578
- Single Supplement: From US$3444
- Pre-Tour: Twin Share From US$504 pp Single From US$952 pp
- Post-Tour: Twin Share From US$406 pp Single From US$756 pp
View full price information
Tour Price Information
2026
Extra Nights
Tour Highlights
- Explore hip, lesser visited neighbourhoods in Tokyo
- Spend three nights in Kyoto, including a geisha dinner and a free day for your own adventures (your Insider will make suggestions)
- Meet tea growers in Higashi Sonogi and visit the pottery village of Okawachiyama – off the tourist route, and hard to reach
- Visit Inuyama's historic castle and watch a Buddhist fire ceremony
- Discover Nagasaki's history at the Dejima trading post, Glover Garden and Atomic Bomb Museum
- Take a gentle boat ride along the historic waterways of Yanagawa town
Ready to plan your trip?
For more information email us: [email protected] or call: + 44 117 244 3470
What, where, when and how...
Luxury Japan - 15 Days
Luxury Japan - 15 Days - Day by Day
Luxury Japan - 15 Days - Accommodation
Luxury Japan - 15 Days - Experiences
Luxury Japan - 15 Days - Booking
Single supplement from US$3444
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Day 1-2
Visit hip and lesser-known neighborhoods and get an authentic taste of local Tokyo life.
Arrive in Tokyo and meet your private driver for a smooth transfer to the hotel where your tour leader will be waiting in the lobby to welcome you. On your first evening, join your Insider for a short tour orientation and an included welcome dinner in the lively Akasaka district, where countless small restaurants line the side streets.
On Day 2 you'll hop between Tokyo's neighbourhoods by bus. Many of them aren't as widely known, offering a window into the everyday undercurrents that give Tokyo its true character. Beginning at Koishikawa Korakuen Garden, an Edo-period landscape of carp ponds and maple-lined paths framed by skyscrapers, you'll then shift to the old quarter of Yanaka and the vermilion shrine-gate tunnels of Nezu Shrine. We'll break for lunch in Jimbocho, recently named ‘world's coolest neighbourhood' by Time Out magazine. We then continue to Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest temple in Asakusa, and Kappabashi Dougu-gai (cookware street), stacked with chef's knives and lacquerware. You'll have time to browse before heading back to the hotel, with a free night for dinner.
Overnight: The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho
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Day 3-4
Wake up in the metropolis of Tokyo, go to sleep in a traditional castle town the same day.
Board the Shinkansen bullet train to Nagoya and transfer by private coach to the Noritake Museum, tracing the Meiji-era story of porcelain innovation. You'll have lunch at the city's oldest restaurant, where European-inspired dishes are prepared with local ingredients. We'll continue to Inuyama, a riverside castle town backing onto forested hills. After check-in and some time to relax in the on-site onsen hot spring baths, we'll sit down to an included dinner at the hotel restaurant, complete with castle view.
The morning of day 4 brings a mesmerizing blaze of flames at Inuyama's foremost Buddhist temple – a Buddhist goma fire ceremony shows off the rhythms and rituals of esoteric Buddhism. Your Insider will then take you for a wander through Inuyama's jokamachi castle town with some free time for lunch at one of the local restaurants. The afternoon includes a visit to Inuyama Castle, one of only twelve original samurai-era castles remaining in Japan. Later, try matcha and traditional wagashi sweets at Urakuen Garden. This evening is free, but you have the option to join your Insider (tour leader) for dinner at a local restaurant in the old town.
Overnight: Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden
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Day 5-7
Visit one of Japan's largest temple complexes overlooking Lake Biwa and try a traditional kaiseki banquet lunch in Otsu before three nights spent in Japan's ancient capital.
This morning we'll travel by private bus towards Kyoto, stopping in Otsu city on the shore of Lake Biwa. Here, we're treated to a refined kaiseki Japanese banquet lunch, before continuing to nearby Mii-dera, one of Japan's largest temple complexes with panoramic views over the lake. After arriving in Kyoto, tonight's highlight is an exclusive Kyoto geisha dinner. You'll have the chance to meet a maiko (young geisha), talk with her about her life and watch her perform.
On day 6 you'll visit the quieter side of Kyoto, avoiding some of the more well-trodden sights that have become over touristed in recent years. At Sanjūsangendō, 1,001 life-size Buddhist statues line the temple hall, and Daigo-ji temple Kyoto's oldest pagoda backs onto forested slopes. We'll pause for lunch in the Fushimi-Momoyama sake district, before heading to Heian Shrine to explore the exquisite gardens. Returning to the hotel, you'll have a free evening to explore Kyoto's restaurant scene.
Your third day in Kyoto is a free day to follow your interests, with guidance from your Insider. If you're feeling “templed out”, you might opt to spend the day browsing the city's antique districts. Or if you want to go further afield, your Insider will be happy to help you purchase train tickets. There's the nearby city of Himeji, home to the largest surviving samurai-era castle in Japan, or you could head further west to Hiroshima and visit the sobering Peak Park and Memorial Museum.
Overnight: The Thousand Kyoto
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Day 8-9
Travel from Kyoto to Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands, where Nagasaki's trading history and a lively food culture offer a change in pace from the well-trodden paths of Honshu main island.
You'll travel in style in the bullet train's first class ‘Green Car'. On arrival we'll take a short walk to Glover Garden with views across Nagasaki harbour. It was once home to Thomas Glover, a 19th century Scottish merchant – a key figure of Japan's early international trade and modernisation. Dinner tonight is included at one of your Insider's favorite local spots. You may get to try the classic Nagasaki dish champon – steaming, Chinese-style seafood noodles.
On day 9, you'll begin at Dejima, the restored island trading post that was once Japan's sole gateway to the Western world. You'll then visit the Nagasaki Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum, a place for thoughtful reflection on the events of 9th August 1945. The afternoon is free for you to explore – your Insider will have suggestions based on your interests. You could wander the Teramachi temple district or explore the Gunkanjima digital museum, which showcases the history of an island coal mine which was mysteriously and suddenly abandoned overnight in the 1970s. Before a free evening for dinner, join your Insider for a trip up Mt Inasa by cable car. The panorama at the summit is ranked as one of the top three night views in Japan.
Overnight: Hotel Indigo Nagasaki Glover Street
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Day 10-11
A trip to a Nagasaki countryside tea farm, explore a small pottery village and a cruise through “the Venice of Kyushu”.
This morning you'll leave the city behind, travelling by private bus into the rural Higashi-Sonogi district, home to Kyushu's “tea country” where you'll take a deep dive into the local tea farming culture. You'll walk between tea rows, learn how to brew the perfect cup, meet the farmers and finish with lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you'll continue to Okawachiyama, the “village of secret kilns”. You'll visit a potter's workshop before some free time to explore this secluded mountain town – no public transport reaches here. It's then a short drive on to Fukuoka, with dinner selected by your Insider.
On day 11, you'll catch a local train to the quiet canal town of Yanagawa – known as the “Venice of Kyushu”. You'll take a leisurely ride along the traditional willow-lined waterways, passing under low bridges and alongside old merchant homes. You'll visit the Toshima Family Residence, an Edo-period samurai home, before returning to Fukuoka for a free evening. You might like to join your Insider for a night of Fukuoka fun – hopping between the yatai open-air food stalls. Rub shoulders with locals while slurping down piping hot noodles and let the rest of the evening's fun unravel from there!
Overnight: The Gate Hotel Fukuoka by HULIC
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Day 12-13
A feast for both the eyes and the stomach. Contemporary art and street-food hopping in Japan's merchant capital, nicknamed “Japan's Kitchen”.
This morning we'll head back to Japan's main island by bullet train, arriving in Osaka, Japan's “merchant capital” by midday. On arrival you'll visit the Kinutani Koji Tenku Art Museum, celebrating a local artist who combined Italian fresco techniques with Japanese themes. Expect dragons, mythological deities riding jet skis, and Mt Fuji in bold, colourful, and almost cartoonish style. This evening, join your Insider for a street-food tour in the Shinsekai district – crisp kushikatsu skewers, takoyaki octopus balls, and savoury okonomiyaki pancakes are just some of the local Osaka specialties you might try. No one's going hungry.
Day 13 is free for you to continue your cultural adventure, in Osaka or beyond. You may join your Insider on a day trip to Nara, Japan's first capital, where today, wild deer wander between ancient Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. Or staying in Osaka, you might explore vintage shops in Nakazakicho, the contemporary youth sub-culture of Amerika-mura, or continue your education into Osaka's food scene at the Kuromon Market. Regroup in the evening for a visit to TeamLab Botanical Garden, an open-air digital art exhibition where light installations transform Nagai Botanical Garden.Overnight: Osaka Marriott Miyako
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Day 14-15
Your chance for some final Tokyo exploration and toast the end of your trip with a final night meal at one of Tokyo's top restaurants.
This morning you'll return to Tokyo by bullet train, arriving around midday with a free afternoon in the capital for any last-minute sightseeing or shopping. Your hotel overlooks Hamarikyu Garden, a serene spot with tidal ponds and pine groves. Or, you could head over to the upscale Ginza district for art galleries, historic department stores with hidden basement food halls, classic cafes and high-end boutiques. Tonight's farewell dinner brings the group together to raise a final toast to the journey.
On your final morning, say sayonara to Japan and the group, as you return by private car to Haneda or Narita Airport for your flight home, or to continue your onward journey.Overnight: Mesm Tokyo, Autograph Collection
-
Day 1-2
Visit hip and lesser-known neighborhoods and get an authentic taste of local Tokyo life.
Arrive in Tokyo and meet your private driver for a smooth transfer to the hotel where your tour leader will be waiting in the lobby to welcome you. On your first evening, join your Insider for a short tour orientation and an included welcome dinner in the lively Akasaka district, where countless small restaurants line the side streets.
On Day 2 you'll hop between Tokyo's neighbourhoods by bus. Many of them aren't as widely known, offering a window into the everyday undercurrents that give Tokyo its true character. Beginning at Koishikawa Korakuen Garden, an Edo-period landscape of carp ponds and maple-lined paths framed by skyscrapers, you'll then shift to the old quarter of Yanaka and the vermilion shrine-gate tunnels of Nezu Shrine. We'll break for lunch in Jimbocho, recently named ‘world's coolest neighbourhood' by Time Out magazine. We then continue to Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest temple in Asakusa, and Kappabashi Dougu-gai (cookware street), stacked with chef's knives and lacquerware. You'll have time to browse before heading back to the hotel, with a free night for dinner.
Overnight: The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho
-
Day 3-4
Wake up in the metropolis of Tokyo, go to sleep in a traditional castle town the same day.
Board the Shinkansen bullet train to Nagoya and transfer by private coach to the Noritake Museum, tracing the Meiji-era story of porcelain innovation. You'll have lunch at the city's oldest restaurant, where European-inspired dishes are prepared with local ingredients. We'll continue to Inuyama, a riverside castle town backing onto forested hills. After check-in and some time to relax in the on-site onsen hot spring baths, we'll sit down to an included dinner at the hotel restaurant, complete with castle view.
The morning of day 4 brings a mesmerizing blaze of flames at Inuyama's foremost Buddhist temple – a Buddhist goma fire ceremony shows off the rhythms and rituals of esoteric Buddhism. Your Insider will then take you for a wander through Inuyama's jokamachi castle town with some free time for lunch at one of the local restaurants. The afternoon includes a visit to Inuyama Castle, one of only twelve original samurai-era castles remaining in Japan. Later, try matcha and traditional wagashi sweets at Urakuen Garden. This evening is free, but you have the option to join your Insider (tour leader) for dinner at a local restaurant in the old town.
Overnight: Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden
-
Day 5-7
Visit one of Japan's largest temple complexes overlooking Lake Biwa and try a traditional kaiseki banquet lunch in Otsu before three nights spent in Japan's ancient capital.
This morning we'll travel by private bus towards Kyoto, stopping in Otsu city on the shore of Lake Biwa. Here, we're treated to a refined kaiseki Japanese banquet lunch, before continuing to nearby Mii-dera, one of Japan's largest temple complexes with panoramic views over the lake. After arriving in Kyoto, tonight's highlight is an exclusive Kyoto geisha dinner. You'll have the chance to meet a maiko (young geisha), talk with her about her life and watch her perform.
On day 6 you'll visit the quieter side of Kyoto, avoiding some of the more well-trodden sights that have become over touristed in recent years. At Sanjūsangendō, 1,001 life-size Buddhist statues line the temple hall, and Daigo-ji temple Kyoto's oldest pagoda backs onto forested slopes. We'll pause for lunch in the Fushimi-Momoyama sake district, before heading to Heian Shrine to explore the exquisite gardens. Returning to the hotel, you'll have a free evening to explore Kyoto's restaurant scene.
Your third day in Kyoto is a free day to follow your interests, with guidance from your Insider. If you're feeling “templed out”, you might opt to spend the day browsing the city's antique districts. Or if you want to go further afield, your Insider will be happy to help you purchase train tickets. There's the nearby city of Himeji, home to the largest surviving samurai-era castle in Japan, or you could head further west to Hiroshima and visit the sobering Peak Park and Memorial Museum.
Overnight: The Thousand Kyoto
-
Day 8-9
Travel from Kyoto to Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands, where Nagasaki's trading history and a lively food culture offer a change in pace from the well-trodden paths of Honshu main island.
You'll travel in style in the bullet train's first class ‘Green Car'. On arrival we'll take a short walk to Glover Garden with views across Nagasaki harbour. It was once home to Thomas Glover, a 19th century Scottish merchant – a key figure of Japan's early international trade and modernisation. Dinner tonight is included at one of your Insider's favorite local spots. You may get to try the classic Nagasaki dish champon – steaming, Chinese-style seafood noodles.
On day 9, you'll begin at Dejima, the restored island trading post that was once Japan's sole gateway to the Western world. You'll then visit the Nagasaki Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum, a place for thoughtful reflection on the events of 9th August 1945. The afternoon is free for you to explore – your Insider will have suggestions based on your interests. You could wander the Teramachi temple district or explore the Gunkanjima digital museum, which showcases the history of an island coal mine which was mysteriously and suddenly abandoned overnight in the 1970s. Before a free evening for dinner, join your Insider for a trip up Mt Inasa by cable car. The panorama at the summit is ranked as one of the top three night views in Japan.
Overnight: Hotel Indigo Nagasaki Glover Street
-
Day 10-11
A trip to a Nagasaki countryside tea farm, explore a small pottery village and a cruise through “the Venice of Kyushu”.
This morning you'll leave the city behind, travelling by private bus into the rural Higashi-Sonogi district, home to Kyushu's “tea country” where you'll take a deep dive into the local tea farming culture. You'll walk between tea rows, learn how to brew the perfect cup, meet the farmers and finish with lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you'll continue to Okawachiyama, the “village of secret kilns”. You'll visit a potter's workshop before some free time to explore this secluded mountain town – no public transport reaches here. It's then a short drive on to Fukuoka, with dinner selected by your Insider.
On day 11, you'll catch a local train to the quiet canal town of Yanagawa – known as the “Venice of Kyushu”. You'll take a leisurely ride along the traditional willow-lined waterways, passing under low bridges and alongside old merchant homes. You'll visit the Toshima Family Residence, an Edo-period samurai home, before returning to Fukuoka for a free evening. You might like to join your Insider for a night of Fukuoka fun – hopping between the yatai open-air food stalls. Rub shoulders with locals while slurping down piping hot noodles and let the rest of the evening's fun unravel from there!
Overnight: The Gate Hotel Fukuoka by HULIC
-
Day 12-13
A feast for both the eyes and the stomach. Contemporary art and street-food hopping in Japan's merchant capital, nicknamed “Japan's Kitchen”.
This morning we'll head back to Japan's main island by bullet train, arriving in Osaka, Japan's “merchant capital” by midday. On arrival you'll visit the Kinutani Koji Tenku Art Museum, celebrating a local artist who combined Italian fresco techniques with Japanese themes. Expect dragons, mythological deities riding jet skis, and Mt Fuji in bold, colourful, and almost cartoonish style. This evening, join your Insider for a street-food tour in the Shinsekai district – crisp kushikatsu skewers, takoyaki octopus balls, and savoury okonomiyaki pancakes are just some of the local Osaka specialties you might try. No one's going hungry.
Day 13 is free for you to continue your cultural adventure, in Osaka or beyond. You may join your Insider on a day trip to Nara, Japan's first capital, where today, wild deer wander between ancient Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. Or staying in Osaka, you might explore vintage shops in Nakazakicho, the contemporary youth sub-culture of Amerika-mura, or continue your education into Osaka's food scene at the Kuromon Market. Regroup in the evening for a visit to TeamLab Botanical Garden, an open-air digital art exhibition where light installations transform Nagai Botanical Garden.Overnight: Osaka Marriott Miyako
-
Day 14-15
Your chance for some final Tokyo exploration and toast the end of your trip with a final night meal at one of Tokyo's top restaurants.
This morning you'll return to Tokyo by bullet train, arriving around midday with a free afternoon in the capital for any last-minute sightseeing or shopping. Your hotel overlooks Hamarikyu Garden, a serene spot with tidal ponds and pine groves. Or, you could head over to the upscale Ginza district for art galleries, historic department stores with hidden basement food halls, classic cafes and high-end boutiques. Tonight's farewell dinner brings the group together to raise a final toast to the journey.
On your final morning, say sayonara to Japan and the group, as you return by private car to Haneda or Narita Airport for your flight home, or to continue your onward journey.Overnight: Mesm Tokyo, Autograph Collection
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