Japan Customized Tours and Trips

Dominated by towering mountains, peaceful forests and snow-capped summits, Japan is considered to be one of the best countries for hiking in Asia. Popular with nature enthusiasts and outdoor sporting types alike, Japan’s varying landscape, climate and altitude allows hikers of all abilities to find their stride amidst glorious surroundings. Hiking in Japan might entail following in the footsteps of emperors on a long-distance pilgrimage route, tackling the sandy shores of southern Japan, or enjoying a short circular hike through lush green forest. In this article, we list our picks of the top seven trails in Japan to hike in a day. We've included the best time to visit and the distance, duration and difficulty level of each route. You’ll also find our trail highlights and a few personalized tips to ensure you get the best out of each and every trail!

Although trekking might not be traditionally associated with travel to Japan, this technologically advanced nation is surprisingly rich in stunning countryside, beautiful mountain landscapes and well-maintained nature trails. As such, there are loads of fantastic trekking opportunities to be had. The best part? While exploring Japan's well-marked trails you're sure to come across ancient temples, spectacular volcanic peaks and a wide range of absolutely breathtaking views. Apart from multi-day trekking, there are also several alluring one-day hiking trails in Japan which can be completed even by novice hikers. Trekking in Japan really is a must-do and to help you out, we've come up with the top six routes for you to try. Let's take a look!

The Kumano Kodo trail is a network of spectacular paths that crisscross their way across the largest peninsula in Japan, the Kii Hanto. The beautiful trails in Kumano Kodo lead through lush forest, along sandy beaches, and up glorious mountainsides, offering breathtaking views over the peninsula. Previously used as pilgrimage trails to reach the sacred site of ‘Kumano Sanzan,’ the trails are now predominantly used as exceptional hiking routes. Offering many routes, each varying in difficulty and length from half-day walks to multi-day treks, the Kumano Kodo has something for everyone!

When it comes to planning a trip to Japan, you’re going to want a solid list of things to do in Tokyo to ensure you don’t waste a second in this incredible city! Tokyo is a fast-paced destination with a lot to offer including trying your hand at sumo wrestling, picnicking amidst botanical gardens, taking a day trip to nearby Mount Fuji, and dining in a funky themed restaurant. While there are many places of interest in Tokyo, narrowing this down to a selected few can be a difficult task, that’s why we’ve done it for you. Check out our list of the best things to do in Tokyo below, split up into 6 unmissbale things and 4 things to do just for fun. 

In a country where landscapes range from high-tech, sci-fi-inspired megacities to majestic mountains surrounded by natural hot springs and verdant forests, you have endless options for how to spend your holidays in Japan. Want to eat fresh sushi surrounded by the neon lights of Tokyo? Or walk one of only two UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage trails in the world? You’ve come to the right place! It was hard to narrow it down, but in this article, we’ve picked the top 20 things to do in Japan.

Japan is a foodie’s dream—a country full of exotic, delicious cuisine totally unlike standard western fare. Whether you want to snack on grilled yakitori in the alleys of Tokyo or try fugu in Osaka, every meal will be an experience, with something new on every plate. If you’re trying to decide what to eat in Japan, we’ve got you covered with this list of some of the most popular (and delicious) food you simply can’t miss. From sushi to sweets, you’re in for a treat! 

A thirteen-day Japan tour is the perfect serving to explore its different parts, traveling from east (Tokyo) to west (Kyoto), or up and down the country. You can either cover three to four new places in one go, or spend the entire day focusing on the highlights of one city. From Hokkaido to Yukashima to the insanely mesmerizing Kyushu Island, landscapes littered with cherry blossoms, snowy headquarters and coastal beaches, discover a plethora of gems during 13 days in Japan.

Picture motorbiking through the Japanese Alps, trekking along ancient pilgrimage pathways where Japan’s spirituality all began, or exploring the neon-lit futuristic neighborhoods of Tokyo. If these scenarios pique your interest, we say book a trip to Japan right away. Spend 21 days in Japan and dive deep into each destination—as many as five major places on a single trip—and enjoy the freedom of taking your time through cities and towns. Unravel famous UNESCO-listed marvels, witness spectacles like ice caves, and head deep into ancient landscapes, or just stay a couple of days at a temple to meditate and heal.

Twelve days is just enough time to experience Japan, a country of extreme contrasts that will transport you back to the distant past at one moment and hurtle you forward to a futuristic world at the other. Explore this fascinating dichotomy on the tour of megacities like Tokyo and Osaka. Fall head over heels for traditional onsen resorts, preserved villages and post towns. Dedicate full days on a 12-day Japan tour for hiking or opt for beachscapes, discovering mountain ranges and coastlines of Japan. With 12 days in Japan, you can uncover different facets of this beautiful country.

The well-established transportation infrastructure in Japan makes traveling between places easy, convenient and fast. You can cover its best parts on an 11-day Japan trip. Whether you’re a foodie, an outdoor enthusiast, a history buff or a culture vulture, Japan has everything to indulge your fixes. With 11 days in Japan, you could choose to spend a couple of days in few cities like Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, before venturing off to nearby towns and villages for sightseeing and cultural tours. Go temple hopping, waterfall chasing or even skiing (in Niseko).

Japan is famous for many reasons, and with a nine-day travel itinerary, you can discover much of its magic! Bullet trains make it easy to explore several places in a short time; first-timers can hit up the Golden Triangle: Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, adding Hiroshima or Mount Fuji. With nine days in Japan, you can uncover awe-inspiring architecture and landscapes, from Tokyo’s modern skyline to the Zen Great Gardens, and get a cultural overload, whether talking manga, geisha, or samurai. Learn the history dating from the Edo period to WWII. Explore its natural beauty in the Mount Fuji area of Hakone, or the mountains of Koyasan. A 9-day Japan trip allows you to experience the country's biggest highlights without rushing through them all.

The island nation of Japan may look small but with over 260 inhabited islands (and over 14,000 in total!), there is so much land to cover and sites to see. Spending 8 days in Japan might not cover the 34-thousand kilometers of coastline or tick off all the cultural landmarks, but it is enough time for an in-depth exploration of major cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, and some smaller gems as well. With an 8-day Japan tour you can easily hit four cities, spending 2 days at each place, and explore villages, onsen towns, and nature-infused hamlets, like Nikko, Gora and Yunomine. If you’re following your taste buds, take the foodie trail across Japan. Or, if slower travel is your preference, immerse yourself in one destination such as the Kumano Kodo trail and the Mount Fuji area.

Seven days in Japan guarantees plenty of time for discovering multiple destinations — up to three new places in a day — and with day trips a guarantee on any agenda. Whether you’re after a Japanese food-centric extravaganza, exploring picturesque landscapes laden with cherry blossoms and tea plantations, or diving into the country’s historical antics and wartime past, a week-long vacation in Japan makes everything possible. Explore hot spring onsen towns and bamboo forests, castles, lakes, mountain passes, and iconic cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima!

Traditional onsen inns, lake cruises, dazzling megacity neighborhoods, cobbled alleyways from yesteryears, castles, fascinating institutes (hello, Cup Noodles Museum!), famous red torii gates, recreated villages from centuries ago, waterfalls, beaches, and bamboo groves—Japan has so much to offer visitors. While 6 days in Japan may not sound like much, you can actually cover a lot of these sites in about a week, thanks to the country’s highly innovative and efficient transport system. Whether it’s major cities, southern islands, or lesser-known towns you’re interested in—or all three—a 6-day Japan trip is ideal for discovering it all.

From exploring Tokyo’s ultra-modern and old-world neighborhoods to learning about Kyoto’s geisha culture, and from having the ultimate bathing experience in Hakone’s onsens to delving into Kamakura’s centuries-old samurai history, many exciting adventures are possible during just 5 days in Japan. By taking the country’s renowned bullet train, you can travel between most destinations in a jiffy. You can either focus your tour on a few cities for a slow, meaningful exploration or hop between multiple destinations in a day. Five days is just the right amount of time for a delicious serving of all the quintessential Japanese must-dos and see.

It’s no secret that Japan is home to the famous Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train, which makes traveling across the country nearly instantaneous. With lines running from Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, you can really experience and sightsee a lot in just 4 days in Japan, discovering two to three different destinations in the timeframe. Choose iconic Tokyo or Kyoto, for example, take day trips to the foothills of Mount Fuji, or over to Osaka and Nara. Temples with iconic red torii gates, cherry blossom landscapes, bamboo groves, iconic Japanese street foods, manga culture, incredible and unusual shopping and onsens—cover them all in just 4 days’ stay in Japan!

October ushers in a vibrant tapestry of travel opportunities, from autumn leaves adorning Kyoto in Japan to spring flowers awakening in Argentinian Patagonia. If spiritual retreats are more your style, Nepal offers serene escapes amid its stunning landscapes. Meanwhile, Morocco’s Chefchaouen invites you to wander through its vibrant blue streets, and New Zealand’s blooming landscapes beckon hikers to explore.We have curated a list of our picks for good places to visit in October, highlighting destinations that boast ideal weather conditions, captivating events, manageable crowds, and a perfect blend of natural and cultural attractions. From Peru’s ancient wonders like Machu Picchu and India’s Rajasthani castles to the sun-soaked beaches of Mauritius and the vibrant festivals in Spain and Germany, these locations promise unforgettable adventures. Here are our recommendations for the 10 best places to visit in October.

Enjoy the last of the ski season in Switzerland, bask on sun-dappled shores in Cadiz, marvel at lush cherry blossoms blooming in Japan, or get your Mamma Mia fix on a tour of Santorini—April offers so many travel opportunities. Northern hemisphere countries start to lose their winter chill this month, but the best weather in April can be found around southern Europe and Southeast Asia, while springtime harvest festivals and Easter celebrations are rampant.In this article, we’ve hand-picked the 10 best places to visit in April for the perfect blend of price, crowd level, weather, festivals, and amazing things to see and do. We’ve not just picked the most popular places either— there are a few seriously underrated gems on this list! Dive in and learn more about the top 10 places to visit in April.

New Year’s celebration is one event that is eagerly anticipated worldwide, even in many places that don’t follow the Gregorian calendar. December 31st, or New Year’s Eve, is when the world comes together to bring in the new calendar year with cheers and warm hugs exchanged with the backdrop of fireworks. The time is frequently marked by reminiscing the past year's highlights and setting goals for the new one, although many countries and cultures have their own traditions that have been passed down.An international trip for New Year's celebrations definitely needs a lot of planning and budgeting. We are highlighting the 20 best places to celebrate New Year’s 2025 (in no particular order) so you can get the right head start in 2024 itself. Visit one of these spots and mark your new beginning with a unique take!

Winter in Japan stands in stark contrast to other seasons. The general pace of the county seems somewhat slowed down, as most parts of the country receive snowfall. But snow and cold weather do not take away the charm of Japan. They add another layer to its allure. For many, it may strike as counterintuitive to take a trip to Japan in the winter season, but the season offers a surprising amount of sights, attractions, and activities that one could enjoy. From the ski resorts in Hokkaido to the hot springs and historic sites in Nagano to the numerous tourist sites in Tokyo, visitors will have no shortage of fun things to do and places to visit in Japan during winter.

As the summer sun shines over Japan, the country is enveloped by lush greenery and picturesque landscapes. The weather around this time is generally hot and humid, but this is more than compensated by long daylight hours. Visitors will have plenty of time to thoroughly enjoy their time visiting popular attractions and spending time outdoors. From the bustling streets of Tokyo to the scenic sights around Mount Fuji to the tranquil countryside of Hokkaido, a trip to Japan in summer promises a wealth of cultural treasures, natural beauty, and a wholesome experience for everyone. Summer in Japan is also the season of many festivals that pack plenty of punch, with food, fireworks, and festivities all around.