Trip Overview
TRIP VIBE = iconic sights and in-depth adventures with a local Trip Leader. Don't just want to see Japan, but EXPERIENCE it? In all its ancient, futuristic, kooky, incredible glory? You're in luck. In under two weeks, this Delve Deep trip gives you the highlights and the hidden gems. The culture and the crazy. The ultra-modern and the historic. The scenery and the cities. And all the ramen, okonomiyaki, udon, katsu, yakitori and sake your fat pants can handle (you packed those, right?). This is your insider guide. Japan is waiting.
Worth noting…
On this trip you'll be travelling like a local. Meaning? Pack light! You’ll need to make sure your luggage is no bigger than 160 cm in total (height x width x length) for travel on the Shinkansen (aka bullet train).
Tales From Topdeckers
Trip itinerary
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Tokyo
2Down your cup of matcha – we’re off to check out the Meiji Shrine this morning. Tokyo’s grandest Shinto shrine – take in all the spiritual vibes, make an offering and wander the blooming (or not) gardens. Next, we’re heading to the quirky Harajuku district (aka cosplay heaven) with our in-the-know Trip Leader. Expect kawaii culture galore: neon tutus, rainbow-coloured wigs, bubble tea and fairy floss. We’ll also swing by the legendary Shibuya Crossing to watch the Mario Karts zoom past. It’s all the crazy. Then: the afternoon’s yours to wander the futuristic streets of Shibuya. Add some slappin’ skills to your CV with an optional taiyaki making experience. A fish-shaped waffle cake never tasted so good. And tonight? It starts with a ‘K’ and ends with an ‘E’. Nope, not kale. K-A-R-A-O-K-E time!
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Included Today
- Visit Meiji Shrine
- Walking tour of Harajuku and Shibuya with Trip Leader
- Group karaoke experience
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Taiyaki (fish-shaped cakes) making experience: from 5,600 JPY
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Included Today
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Tokyo
3It’s your last day in Tokyo – so, you do you. Been waiting for an opportunity to shamelessly wear Mickey Mouse headwear and fan-girl/boy over Cinderella? An optional trip to Tokyo Disneyland is calling. Say g’day to allll your fave characters. This evening: quiz your Trip Leader on where to find the best ramen – and be prepared to order on a ticket machine with pictures of the dishes. It might be a lucky dip, but that’s what adventuring is all about.
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Visit Tokyo Disneyland: from 13,200 JPY
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Meals
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Tokyo – Takayama
4Rise and shine – it’s an early start to get the iconic Shinkansen (bullet train FYI) to Takayama. Glue your face to the window as we zoom through the incredible Japanese Alps. Once we’ve pulled in, we'll check into our authentic AF accommodation: a traditional ryokan – complete with tatami-matted floors and sliding doors straight out of The Last Samurai. This afternoon, it’s time to visit a traditional Hida folk village for an insight into what mountain life was like back in the day. Tonight, an optional Hida beef dinner with the gang is on the menu – vegetarians look away now.
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Included Today
- Train ticket to Takayama
- Visit the Hida folk village
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Hida beef dinner: from 6,000 JPY
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Included Today
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Takayama – Hiroshima
5Breakfast is the most important meal of the day – so we’ll kick things off traditional-style in the ryokan before visiting the bustling morning riverside markets. Then, strap on your Nikes to explore Takayama Jin'ya – the last remaining government outpost from the time of the Samurai and Shoguns. Round it all up with a sampling of the good stuff at a local sake brewery before jumping on the train to Hiroshima. And tonight? An included group dinner's on the cards, so get ready to show off your expert chopstick skills (or drop even more stuff down your T-shirt).
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Included Today
- Visit the morning riverside markets
- Visit Takayama Jin'ya
- Sake tasting at a local brewery
- Train ticket to Hiroshima
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Meals
- Breakfast
- Dinner
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Included Today
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Hiroshima
6You’ve seen the photos. Read the book. Now it’s time to experience the history for yourself. Take a tour of Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park and Musuem – home of the A Bomb Dome. Then, it’s all aboard the ferry to the island of Miyajima. With an afternoon free to explore you just gotta visit the Itsukushima Shrine before settling in for sunset. The floating torii gate may be undergoing renovations, but the view is still pretty spectacular. Hankering for even MORE local culture? We’ve got a visit to a traditional onsen (aka hot springs) on offer too. Disclaimer: while the onsen is 100% optional, nudity is not – and all tattoos are strictly a NO-GO here. Soz. Back in Hiroshima, put those fat pants to the test with a steaming bowl of Onomichi ramen – chased with a glass of the local sake. When in Japan, right?
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Included Today
- Visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum
- Visit the Itsukushima Shrine
- Ferry to Miyajima
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Traditional onsen experience (tattoos not allowed): prices available locally
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Included Today
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Hiroshima – Osaka
7And just when you thought your jeans couldn’t get any tighter – today we’re headed for Osaka: the foodie capital of Japan. Here, they even have a word for “scoff till you drop” – kuidaore. Dump your bags at tonight’s traditional Buddhist lodge. This arvo, we’ve got a walking tour with our Trip Leader. The main character? Umeda. Glittering skyscrapers. Endless shopping opportunities. And entertainment that’s wayyyyy better than scrolling for hours (and hours). We see you TikTok addicts. Tonight, we’ll tuck into an included dinner, then head to the buzzing Ura-Namba district for micro bars, plenty of sake and a spot more karaoke (the Drunken Clam is the best FYI).
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Included Today
- Train ticket to Osaka
- Half-day tour of Osaka with Trip Leader
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Meals
- Breakfast
- Dinner
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Included Today
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Osaka
8Tuck into a traditional Buddhist breakfast before heading out to do your own thing. It’s your chance to uncover the real Osaka – so make every second count. Thrill-seeker? Jump aboard an optional day trip to Universal Studios. Foodie? Head to the Dotonbori district (aka Eat Street). History buff? There are plenty of temples and an awesome castle to explore. Tonight, the local experts will show us the ins and outs of Osaka’s nightlife on an optional tour.
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Full day tour of Universal Studios: from 13,200 JPY
- Osaka nightlife tour: from 10,267 JPY
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Meals
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Osaka – Kyoto
9Ever wondered what life as a Buddhist monk was really like? Rise early and find out with a morning Buddhist ritual – complete with Goma Kito Fire Ceremony and a walk around the temple with a local monk. Then we’re hitting the tracks to Japan’s traditional capital, Kyoto. Home to over 2,000 temples and shrines, this place ticks all the spiritual boxes. We’ll visit the incredible Fushimi Inari Shrine – with plenty of time to hike to the top and explore the torii gates. Then, dinner is up to you. Our suggestion? Head to Nishiki Warai for seriously good yakisoba and okonomiyaki *wipes drool from chin*.
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Included Today
- Experience Buddhist morning rituals
- Train ticket to Kyoto
- Visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Included Today
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Kyoto
10Time to explore this place properly with our expert Trip Leader. We’ll tick off the Zen Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion and Tenryu-ji Temple before moving on to the sprawling Arashiyama bamboo grove, where there’s free time to delve deeper into this fairytale forest. All the walking making you hangry? DW, we’re stopping by the Nishiki food market next. Food baby in tow, we’ll then head to the Gion district to say g’day to the geishas. Afterwards: the evening’s yours for exploring. Discover the traditional restaurants and teahouses along lantern-lit Pontocho Alley. Or slurp up some more noodles and watch life go by in one of the Kawaramachi district’s relaxed cafés.
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Included Today
- Visit Kinkaku-ji Temple
- Visit the Arashiyama bamboo forest
- Visit the Nishiki food market
- Walking tour of the Gion district with Trip Leader
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Included Today
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Kyoto
11PSA: this is your last day in Kyoto. Get moving! Check out Yokai (‘Monster’) Street, where homemade creatures from Japanese folklore are waiting to greet you outside the shops. You can even dress up as a geisha or samurai (we told you it would get weird). Later, we’ll regroup and head to a local eatery for a send-off to remember. This has been one hell of a trip.
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Meals
- Breakfast
- Dinner
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Optional extras
- Dress as a geisha or samurai: from 10,533 JPY
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Meals
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Kyoto
12After breakfast it’s sayonara to the Land of the Rising Sun and our newfound family. Swap Snapchats and start planning that next adventure. We hear the ski season here is pretty sick.
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Meals
What's included
Included experiences
- - Visit the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo
- - Walking tour of Tokyo’s Harajuku and Shibuya districts with Trip Leader
- - Group karaoke experience in Tokyo
- - Visit the Hida folk village
- - Visit the morning riverside markets in Takayama
- - Half-day tour of Takayama
- - Visit a sake brewery in Takayama
- - Visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum
- - Visit the Itsukushima Shrine on the island of Miyajima
- - Half-day tour of Osaka with Trip Leader
- - Experience Buddhist morning rituals in Osaka
- - Visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto
- - Visit Kinkaku-ji Temple in Kyoto
- - Visit the Arashiyama bamboo forest
- - Visit the Nishiki food market in Kyoto
- - Walking tour of Kyoto’s Gion district with Trip Leader
Accommodation
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-8 nights in hotel-style accommodation (twin or double), 1 night in traditional ryokan, 2 nights in a temple lodge
Transport
High-speed trains and public transport
Optional activities
- FYI: these are optional activities available locally. Things might change – prices are here to give you a rough idea.
- Taiyaki (fish-shaped cakes) making experience: from 5,600 JPY
- Visit Tokyo Disneyland: from 11,600 JPY
- Hida beef dinner: from 4,000 JPY
- Traditional onsen experience (tattoos not allowed): prices available locally
- Full day tour of Universal Studios: from 11,600 JPY
- Visit Osaka Castle: prices available locally
- Osaka nightlife tour: from 9,600 JPY
- Dress as a geisha or samurai: from 8,400 JPY
- Bento Box cooking class: from 10,700 JPY
Views & Reviews
Latest Reviews
Average rating based on 31 reviews
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Anonymous February 2023
Firstly let me say that I love Topdeck and I absolutely recommend this trip. Katherine the trip leader was one of the best I’ve had - she went out of her way to make it an excellent trip for all of us.
There were some things that were pretty disappointing and some clear communication would have really helped. I was disappointed to discover on the first day (no heads up prior from TD) that most of the extra activities were cancelled or substituted out. I really wanted to do the sushi demo and the ramen making class and neither were available despite being on the itinerary. Same goes for the day trip to Mt Fuji. We also paid quite a lot of money for a “nightlife tour” in Osaka which didn’t go ahead and instead of getting refunded, we got taken out to a dinner with a budget for food/drinks that was CONSIDERABLY less than what we’d originally paid. We were all pretty bewildered at why we weren’t offered a refund. what was our money used for? Also, the trip details mentioned that to ride the bullet train we needed a suitcase within certain dimensions, which I arranged. Then whilst on the trip we were told twice that we had to go 2+ days without our suitcase and could only take a backpack/overnight bag. I had no idea this would happen (it was not in any of the pre-trip information) and only had a small backpack which couldn’t fit what I needed. Some clear communication up front would have made that so much easier for everyone.
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Anonymous October 2022
It is extremely overpriced and badly planned. If it weren't for our guide adjusting the itinerary where possible, the tour would have been horrible. There was no warning before the trip started that there would be not just one overnight with a backpack, but the stay in Osaka would be two nights with only a backpack. We could have taken our suitcases but were advised not to. I would have prepared for this before leaving home if I'd known.
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Bailey L February 2019
Excellent
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