Osaka Tours in October 2026

An excellent fortnight's overview of Japan's main island, in which we saw/ experienced a huge amount in the time available - ranging from modern cities to centuries-old gardens, temples and culture; snow monkeys and temple homestays (surprisingly comfortable and enjoyable), islands and the (very moving) Peace Museum in Hiroshima; markets and a wide range of Japanese food. Our tour guide was exceptional, too - immensely knowledgeable about both the history and the modern-day culture, and guiding us in a laid-back way through the marvels of the Japanese transport systems.

Througherly enjoyed trip to Japan. Found it full on, a lot of walking and use of public transport which was good for experiencing the country but took its toll on the old legs. The public baths in the hotels were great for a soak after a long day on the go. Would like to have seen more of the Japaneses arts and crafts like calligraphy, ceramics, production and dyeing of clothes, indigo, tie dye, shibori, lacquerware and perhaps other things that would be new to me. Another week would have been perfect.

We had an excellent trip and enjoyed it all. My only complaint was that we did too much too quickly and would have preferred having the Hiroshima part as a 3 night extension which would have allowed us more time in the fortnight to have slightly longer stopovers. Our guide Kerique was excellent and really knew his Japanese history and explained things so well. He always had good suggestions for free time and where to eat etc.

Explore ensured my first trip to Japan was amazing, incorporating a walking trip with thoughtful, cultural experiences. Our tour leader, David Lam, ably guided us through interesting aspects of Japanese modern life and ancient customs. We tried amazing dishes of food, onsen, visits to shrines and temples, ancient Kyoto nightlife and the modern mayhem of Osaka nightlife. I always felt we were in good hands with David. Walking on the Kumano Kodo was another fantastic highlight of the trip, guided by Jennifer Fujino and associates. Jennifer helped us experience what it would have been like for early travellers on this pilgrim way, adding a whole new level of understanding to the walk. Explore have put together an excellent package of walks and experiences that just make me want to come back again to Japan.

I really enjoyed this trip. It covered many of the key highlights you would expect and more besides. It was a good mix of cities and smaller towns, closer to nature. I liked trying all the different transport, it really gives you a feel for a country travelling on public transport. Karique is an excellent guide. He has extensive knowledge of Japanese culture, etiquette, the language and of course, the food. His recommendations for eating out meant that we were able to try a wide variety of local cuisine. A lot of these places we would not have been able to find independently. Karique kept us all informed of the fine detail of the itinerary throughout the holiday and it ran like clockwork. There were so many highlights, its difficult to find one that stands out. Although, I loved the day on Miyajima Island, a real contrast from the cities. I definitely recommend this trip, it really makes the most of the time in Japan to see as much as possible. It may not suit people who want a bit more downtime as we were on the move early nearly every day.

The Walk Japan tour was excellent in many ways. I learned so much about Japan history, culture and modern day life. David Lam, our tour guide, was very organized, communicated very well keeping us informed and on schedule. The accommodations were comfortable and in good locations, especially the hotel in the Asakusa area of Tokyo. Hiking the Kumano Kodo trails and our stay at the onsen were highlights.