Walking & Sightseeing in Japan

Your local leader will meet you at Haneda airport to transfer you to our hotel where you’ll have free time to relax before dinner. If you’re arriving independently, your local leader will meet you in the hotel lobby at 6pm.

Explore Japan’s present-day capital on a walking tour that begins at Tokyo Tower, where on a clear spring or autumn day you’ll catch sight of Mount Fuji. Then soak up the city’s past at Nihonbashi, a centuries-old commercial district known as the ‘centre of Japan’. 

Window shopping is on a whole other level in Ginza - elegant department stores and craft shops are sure to lure you in. Afterwards, we’ll ride the subway to Harajuku to visit the Meiji Shrine, a Shinto shrine dedicated to the first emperor of modern Japan. 

Distance: 3.5 miles (6 km)

Travel by coach from Tokyo to the traditional hot spring village of Yudanka Onsen, nestled in the mountains of Nagano, stopping along the way for lunch at a local restaurant. We’ll visit the snow monkeys, which come and bathe in the outdoor hot springs.

Distance: 4 miles (6.5 km)

Ascent: 650ft (200m)

Descent: 130ft (40m)

This morning we travel into the remote Kiso Valley with the Japanese Alps nearby, an area of high peaks and volcanoes, fertile valleys, mountain and ski resorts, and traditional villages.

Over the next two days we walk from village to village, staying in a small, family-run country inn (minshuku). Our luggage will be sent ahead to Kyoto, and we’ll carry a daypack with overnight items.

We start near Nagiso, one of eleven post towns along the Kiso Valley section of the Nakasendo. Post towns were resting places where travellers could find accommodation and food as they walked between Kyoto and Edo (as Tokyo was then called). Forested trails lead us to the charming post town of Tsumago, one of the prettiest and best-preserved in the area.

Distance: 5 miles (8 km)

Ascent: 1,200ft (365m)

Descent: 590ft (180m)

We’ll continue our walk to the village of Magome over the Magome Pass, stepping through cedar forests and ascending hilly terrain.

In Magome, you’ll have some free time to explore and have lunch – we recommend you try the Gohei mochi. Later, we journey by coach and train to Kyoto, the western end of the Nakasendo Path, and transfer to our accommodation.

The once-upon-a-time capital of Japan, Kyoto is bursting with must-see historic buildings and gardens. Walk along the Philosopher’s Path, a delightful canal-side walk lined with cherry trees and a number of temples. We’ll end up at Nanzen-ji temple, home to an excellent example of a zen garden.

Then we explore Gion, Kyoto’s best-known geisha district, where hopefully we’ll see a geisha/geiko or maiko (apprentice geisha) making their way through the narrow streets.

Today we travel by coach to the north-western area of Arashiyama, designated by the Japanese government as a Place of Scenic Beauty.

 Our walk begins at the Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple, continuing through temple precincts, past local craft shops and gorges, and through the famous bamboo grove to Tenryu-ji, Arashiyama’s most significant temple.

Today you’re free to explore Kyoto independently. If you’re looking for suggestions on places to visit your local leader will be happy to help. Some places we recommend include:

Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion) – surrounded by a Japanese garden, this temple was originally built by the Ashikaga Shogun at the end of the 14th century.

Ryoan-ji – a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a famous rock garden.

Fushimi Inari shrine – on the southern fringes of the city you’ll find this Shinto shrine, where hundreds of torii gates snake up the hillside. It’s easily reached by light rail.

Nijo castle – a fascinating UNESCO site, which provides some insight into the days of the shogun in Kyoto.

Higashiyama district – in addition to the beautiful ‘Yasaka pagoda’, these atmospheric back lanes offer a wonderful opportunity to shop for traditional crafts and souvenirs.

Ascent/ Descent: 270m

Our luggage is sent ahead as we’ll travel by train to Nara, Japan’s first permanent capital. It’s home to wow-worthy UNESCO World Heritage temples and shrines, including Todai-ji Temple, which we’ll visit after winding our way along the shops, stopping to see mochi being made the traditional way. Spend time in Nara Park, too, where tame deer wander freely.

Distance: 6 miles (10km)

Explore the area around Nara, walking along a section of one of Japan’s oldest roads. Celebrated in the Nihon-shoki – the ancient histories of Japan, similar to the Domesday Book – the Yamanobe-no-michi skirts the mountains and meanders through villages past ancient temples and shrines. Walking on a mixture of paved and dirt trails and village roads, we’ll step into another element of Japan’s fascinating heritage.

Distance: 5.5 miles (9 km)

Ascent: 1,375ft (420m)

Descent: 1,390ft (425m)

We travel by train to Asuka, known as the spiritual home of the Japanese people. Our walk explores the village and surroundings, introducing us to its important landmarks, including ancient burial mounds. We then continue by train to our hotel in Osaka.

See all the sights in Osaka, known as the working heart of Japan. Visit the Shitenno-jo Temple, one of the oldest in Japan, followed by Osaka Castle. Once we’ve built up an appetite, it’s time to head out on a street food tour around the famous Dotonbori area, known for its neon lights and vibrant nightlife – as well as tasty treats like Takoyaki, lightly fried pieces of batter-covered octopus.

We return to Tokyo today, travelling on the famous Shinkansen – bullet train. You’ll have time to yourself before meeting up for our final dinner together, and a look back on our adventures in the Land of the Rising Sun.

After breakfast, we transfer to Haneda Airport.