Destination Japan

Japan Excursions

Mount Fuji and Hakone One-Day Tour

Operated: Daily, 09:00 — 20:30

This excursion takes guests to the most iconic image of Japan and some of Japan’s most stunning countryside. A 120-minute coach ride from the Hamamatsucho Bus Terminal takes us westwards from bayside Tokyo through stunning mountainous alpine scenery to the famous Mount Fuji. The first stop at the Fuji Visitor Centre provides vital background information ahead of the visit to the actual mountain. The 3776-metre peak is divided into ten stations, with the first station at the foot of the mountain and the tenth station at the summit. Paved roads go as far as the fifth station halfway up the mountain and we drive to this station to get a breathtaking view from 2,300 metres above sea level. After a delicious Japanese-style lunch, we continue onto Lake Ashi, a crater lake that is famous for its views of Mount Fuji and its numerous hot springs. We then take a cruise aboard a large sightseeing boat modelled after a pirate ship. The adventure continues with a ride on the Mount Komagatake Ropeway, to get an elevated view of beautiful Hakone National Park. We then return to Tokyo with an expected 8.30pm arrival time in the Ginza district.

Tokyo Tower, Imperial Palace and Sensoji Temple (Asakusa)

Operated: Daily (mornings), 09:00 — 12:30

This tour provides a great orientation to the capital city, taking in famous landmarks including the home of the ruling royal family and the parliament building. We leave the Hamamatsucho Bus Terminal early in the morning, with the first stop at the famous Tokyo Tower. At 333-metres, this structure is 13-metres taller than its model, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and is the world's tallest self-supporting steel towers. It was completed in 1958 and serves as a television and radio broadcast antenna and tourist attraction. Visitors can ascend to the special observatory at 250-metres to get a bird’s eye view of the city. The excursion continues with a drive by the National Diet Building. This building was completed in 1936 and is home to the House of Representatives on the left wing and The House on the right wing. Next stop, is the residence of Japan’s Imperial Family; the Imperial Palace Plaza for photo opportunities. The tour continues onto Sensoji, also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple, one of Tokyo’s most colourful and oldest temples, dating back to 645. The promenade leading to the temple, called Nakamise-dori, is lined on both sides with small food and souvenir shops. On the way back to the train station, we drive through Ueno, the main hub of North-Eastern Tokyo, which is a popular cherry-blossom viewing place and home to a zoo and one of Tokyo’s most popular parks. The tour will disband upon arrival at Akihabara or Tokyo Station.

High-rise Observatory, Sumida River Cruise, Sensoji Temple, Imperial Palace

Operated: Daily (afternoons), 13:40 – 18:30

This tour provides excellent photo opportunities – including the Imperial Palace, Tokyo’s most famous temple and a view of the city from a river boat. We leave Hamamatsucho Bus Terminal for the first attraction on the tour, a panoramic view of Tokyo from the Seaside Top, an observatory deck on the 40th floor of the World Trade Centre Building. We then take to the river to enjoy a 40-minute sedate cruise which offers an entirely different perspective of the city. Along the way, we will pass under a dozen historic bridges, each one unique and architecturally interesting. Next stop is Sensoji, also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple, one of Tokyo’s most colourful and oldest temples, dating back to 645. The promenade leading to the temple, called Nakamise-dori, is lined with many small food and souvenir shops. En-route to the Imperial Palace for photo opportunities, we pass through the famous Ginza area, the most celebrated shopping district in Tokyo. The tour disbands at the Hamamatsucho Bus Terminal between 5.30pm to 6.30pm, depending on traffic conditions.

Dynamic Tokyo: Tokyo Tower, Tea Ceremony, Imperial Palace, Sumida River Cruise and Sensoji Temple

Operated: Daily, 09:00 – 18:30

This is truly a dynamic tour and takes guests to some of Tokyo’s most iconic landmarks and includes participation in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. We set off from the Hamamatsucho Bus Terminal, with the first stop at the iconic Tokyo Tower. At 333-metres, this structure is 13-metres taller than its model, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and is the world’s tallest self-supporting steel tower. It was completed in 1958 and serves as a television and radio broadcast antenna and tourist attraction. Visitors can ascend to the special observatory at 250-meters to get a bird’s eye view of the city. We then participate in a traditional tea ceremony in the beautiful setting of the Happoen Japanese Garden. After a relaxing and refreshing cup of tea we enjoy a delicious barbecue lunch at the renowned Chinzanso Restaurant. Next we head to the Imperial Palace for photo opportunities and then take to the river to enjoy a 40 minute sedate cruise which offers an entirely different perspective of the city. Along the way we will pass under a dozen historic bridges, each one unique and architecturally interesting. The tour continues onto Sensoji, also known as the Asakusa Kannon Temple, one of Tokyo’s most colourful and oldest temples, dating back to 645. The promenade leading to the temple, called Nakamise-dori, is lined on both sides with many small food and souvenir shops. En-route back to the bus station, we pass through the famous shopping Ginza area. The tour disbands at the Hamamatsucho Bus Terminal between 17:30-18:30.

Sushi-making and the Tsukiji Fish Market Tour

Operated: Daily (mornings), 09:00 – 13:30

This is a great tour for lovers of Japanese cuisine. You will be instructed in the art of making sushi by a professional chef and get to eat your efforts for lunch. The tour leaves the Hamamatsucho Bus Terminal by subway for Tsukiji Fish Market, the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. A visit to this working facility will give guests an insight into how seriously the Japanese people take their seafood. On average, this trading complex handles more than 400 different types of seafood from inexpensive seaweed to the most expensive caviar available on the market. Overall, more than 700,000 metric tons of seafood are handled every year at the three seafood markets in Tokyo, with a total value in excess of 600 billion yen (approximately USD$5.5 billion). This tour gives a great insight into this hugely important industry and offers interaction with local people.

Kamakura Walking Tour (with rickshaw ride)

Operated: Daily, 09:00 — 18:00

This leisurely excursion takes guests to Kamakura, a very popular tourist destination for its temples, shrines and historical monuments. We board a local train on the Yokosuka Line to Kamakura and also take a train on the rustic Enoden Line to Hase. We proceed to the Hasedera Temple with its famous statue of Kannon and enjoy superb views of Kamakura and the ocean, before taking a short walk to the Great Buddha, the second largest Buddha statue in Japan. After lunch at a Japanese restaurant, we take a traditional rickshaw ride to the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. This is Kamakura’s most important shrine and is the symbol of the first Shogun. We then walk back to Kamakura Station via Komachi Shopping Street, which is packed with interesting art and craft shops. We then take a local 55-minute train ride back to Tokyo.

Osaka One-Day Walking Tour

Operated: Daily, 09:00 — 16:30

This full-day tour takes guests to the second largest city in Japan’s to see its interesting and exciting attractions. We travel by bus to the Aerial Garden Observatory, where you will get a sweeping view of Osaka. After lunch, we visit Osaka Castle. Built in 1583, this is one of Japan’s most famous castles and played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century. This ancient structure towers over the city on a stone rampart and many relics of the Toyotomi, who built the castle and old Osaka are exhibited inside. We then walk to the nearby river boat dock to board the Aqua Liner for an hour-long cruise which takes in views of Osaka Castle, the Twin Towers and the City Hall on Nakanoshima Isle. The tour disbands on arrival at Osaka Station.

Kyoto Morning Tour from Osaka

Operated: Daily (mornings), 09:00 — 15:00

This fascinating excursion is a must for lovers of history and takes guests to the ancient former capital of Japan. We start the day off with a train ride from Osaka to Kyoto, Japan’s capital from 794 to 1868. The first stop is at Nijo Castle, the former residence of the Tokugawa-era shoguns. This attraction has a marvellous gold-leaf covered Golden Pavilion which houses sacred relics of Lord Buddha. Guests get plenty of time to stroll around the Golden Pavilion’s garden to enjoy the solitude of this beautiful place. We then take a walk through the Kyoto Imperial Palace where we can view craftsmen ply their trade at the Kyoto Handicraft Centre, with the option to buy these locally-made handicrafts. We then head back to Osaka aboard a rapid train and the tour ends at JR Osaka Station at around 3pm.

Kyoto One-Day from Osaka

Operated: Daily, 09:00 – 18:00

This extensive tour gives an in-depth orientation to the historic former capital of Japan. The tour starts with a train ride from Osaka to Kyoto, Japan’s capital from 794 to 1868. We visit Nijo Castle, the former residence of the Tokugawa-era shoguns. This attraction has a marvellous gold-leaf covered Golden Pavilion which houses sacred relics of Lord Buddha. Guests get plenty of time to stroll around the Golden Pavilion’s garden to enjoy the solitude of this beautiful place. We then take a walk through the Kyoto Imperial Palace where we can view craftsmen ply their trade at the Kyoto Handicraft Centre, with the option to buy these locally-made handicrafts. After lunch at this attraction, we walk through Sanjusangendo Temple, the country’s longest wooden structure and browse through the specialty shops leading up to the Kiyomizudera Temple for a sweeping view of the city. We then head back to Osaka aboard a rapid train and the tour ends at JR Osaka Station at around 6pm.

Nara Afternoon Tour from Osaka

Operated: Daily (afternoons), 12:40 – 18:30

This tour offers guests an insight into one of Japan’s most culturally rich cities. Nara is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and boasts a plethora of temples, shrines and ancient ruins. We leave Osaka for Kyoto aboard a JR rapid train. First stop is the Todaiji Temple, the world’s largest wooden structure and home of the largest Buddha in Japan. We then mingle with over 1,000 deer that roam freely in the 1,250-acre Nara Park. If you wish to feed the deer, they will happily eat from your hand. The next stop is the Kasuga Taisha Shrine. This features some 3,000 antique stone and bronze lanterns. The tour ends at Kintetsu Namba Station at around 6:30 pm.

Hiroshima and Miyajima One-Day Tour from Osaka

Operated: Daily, 09:00 — 18:00

This tour gives a great insight into history, along with visits to some of Japan’s most beautiful shrines. The tour gets underway with a JR Shinkansen train journey from Osaka. Of the two destination attractions on this tour, Miyajima is famous for its Itsukushima Jinja Shrine. Its red torii gate appears to be standing in the sea during high tide. In Hiroshima, we take a walk through the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, dedicated to promoting peace around the world. This site is near to the epicentre of the A-bomb dome and the fascinating Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum which features exhibitions related to this infamous period of world history. It is dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in the world to suffer a nuclear attack and to the memories of the bomb’s direct and indirect victims. We then take a JR Shinkansen train back to Osaka.

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Destination Asia can assist with sightseeing options in locations other than those listed.

We also have an assortment of overland tours to various destinations throughout Japan highlighting the best that this wonderful country has to offer. Traveling overland allows us to see more and to have some flexibility in our time as it may be possible to stop at times when we see something of interest or a beautiful scene.

Tour products may change without notice from time to time so for further information on sightseeing and overland tour options in Japan, please contact Destination Asia’s Japan office.