Solo Travel in Japan

  • Duration : 15 days
  • Locations : Tokyo, Hakone Mt Fuji, Kyoto, Koyasan, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Tokyo

Ideal for solo travellers, this Japan tour allows you to visit the main tourist sites as well as other, unspoilt places.

This self-guided tour includes private rooms in various types of accommodation (hotels, ryokan, and temple hotels), transportation, and 3 mini guided tours of Japan's major cities.


2 week itinerary 

  • Departure city/airport : Tokyo (Narita : NRT or Haneda : HND)
  • Tokyo (3 nights)
  • Hakone Mount-Fuji (1 night)
  • Kyoto (4 days including 1 day in Nara)
  • Koyasan - night in a Buddhist temple (1 night)
  • Osaka (1 night)
  • Hiroshima and the sacred Island Miyajima (2 nights)
  • Kanazawa (1 night)
  • Tokyo (1 night)
  • End Return airport : Tokyo (Narita : NRT or Haneda : HND)

Please find below the itinerary details.

Tour length : 14 nights / 15 days (+ 1 day at the beginning if you leave from Europe)

Indeed, the tour departure and end dates presented on this page relate to your stay in Japan. On departure, you will have to leave Europe on the day before. The return flight is on the same day due to the time difference.

Example : 

  • Departure from Europe : January 1st
  • Arrival Tokyo (date to be selected in the tour calendar while booking) : January 2nd
  • Return flight from Tokyo : January 16th

Why this trip to Japan ?

  1. A tour of Japan designed for solo travellers with adapted accommodation and activities!
  2. Welcomed at the airport by our team, you will be taken to your hotel in Tokyo by shuttle bus
  3. In Tokyo, you will participate in a tour of the typical restaurants of the Shinjuku district
  4. Head to the edge of Mount Fuji for an unforgettable dinner and overnight stay in a ryokan
  5. In Kyoto : a guided tour of the traditional geisha quarter awaits you 
  6. Go up the sacred hill of Koyasan, for a night in a Buddhist temple
  7. Then, move on to Osaka, a gastronomic city, with another unique night in a capsule hotel!
  8. Round off the trip in Tokyo, after passing through Hiroshima and Kanazawa
  9. Enjoy unlimited internet access thanks to your pocket Wi-Fi
  10. If needed, contact our bilingual Japanese/English-speaking assistance team available 7/7
  11. A number of guided days or other optional activities are available
  12. Benefit from the expertise of Japan Experience, European leading travel agency in Japan.

 

Your trip in detail

Itinerary

  • Day 1 : Wake up in Tokyo 東京

    Arrival at Tokyo airport (Narita or Haneda).
    Welcome to Japan! Yokoso 日本へようこそ!

    Accueil à la sortie des douanes par notre assistant aéroport, qui vous remettra tous vos documents de voyage et votre Pocket WiFi.
    Unaccompanied transfer from the airport to Tokyo (see details).

    Check-in at Hotel OMO3 Tokyo Akasaka by Hoshino Resorts or same category hotel 3* (rooms available from 3:00pm).

    The hotels on this tour have been chosen for the comfortable size of the rooms for single travelers, at least 16m2 (172 fq ft), whereas most of the rooms in Japan are between 10 and 16m2 (107sq ft and 172 fq ft) especially in Tokyo.

  • Day 2 : First steps in the capital

    What is there to do in Tokyo on the first day?

    We advise you to slowly start visiting Tokyo from its western districts:
    - Harajuku: the avant-garde district
    - Meiji Jingû, the imperial shrine
    - Takeshita-Dori: the most famous street in Japan
    - Omotesando: Tokyo's Champs-Élysées
    - Shibuya and its unmistakable "crossroads"

    In the evening, enjoy a typical Japanese dinner in the Shinjuku district! Your guide will accompany you to several unique "izakaya" restaurants, where few tourists set foot!

  • Day 3 : The big loop

    For this second day of visiting Tokyo, we recommend the following "loop".

    Start from Tokyo Central Station, with its original architecture, then go to visit:
    - Ginza, Tokyo's chic district
    - Tsukiji, the small outdoor food market
    - Hamarikyu, the Japanese garden between Tokyo's buildings
    - Asakusa, a traditional district and place of pilgrimage, accessible by a cruise on the Sumida River
    - Sensô-ji Buddhist temple, one of the oldest in the city
    - Tokyo Sky Tree reaching a height of 643m, and its panoramic view of Tokyo at sunset 

    Enjoy a cruise on the Sumida River between Hamarikyu and Asakusa.

     

  • Day 4 : On the way to visit the emblem of Japan: Mount Fuji!

    Head to Hakone (1h20, 1 change, included in your package).

    Check-in at your ryokan Ichinoyu Shinkan or same category hotel

    You will be charmed by the magnificent scenery of this spa resort, Lake Ashi and its view of Mount Fuji (in good weather!). Not forgetting the volcanic site of Owakudani, accessible by cable car.
    If you wish to be accompanied for this day, one of our English-speaking guides will reveal all the secrets of the Mount Fuji region.

    At night at the ryokan, you will be treated to a tasty traditional Japanese dinner before retiring to your tatami room.

  • Day 5 : Heading for the old capital

    Traditional Japanese breakfast at the ryokan.

    In 2h40, reach Kyoto (1 change, included in your package) and check into the Hotel RAKURO 京都 by THE SHARE HOTELS or same category hotel 3*. 

    You have 3 days to visit Kyoto.
    Start in the afternoon in the historic Gion district near your accommodation :
    - Kiyomizu-Dera, the great water temple
    - The historical streets of Sannen-zaka & Ninnen-zaka
    - Kodai-ji, the maple and bamboo temple of Kyoto

    Finish off seeing the sunset in Gion.
    Meet your guide at 19:00 to start your late stroll around Gion, Kyoto's historic district.

    More details on the exact time and location in your travel diary. At the end of this 1 hour 30 walk, your guide will be able to advise you on the best places to eat out! Please note that it is strictly forbidden to take photographs in the historic district of Gion.

  • Day 6 : Gold and Silver Treasures

    We recommend the following itinerary for this second day's visit to Kyoto:
    - Ryoan-ji Zen Garden
    - The Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
    - Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)
    - The bewitching path of philosophy
    - The Nanzen-ji temple

    One of our many experienced English-speaking guides can accompany you on a tour of these symbolic sites (optional, from 9:00 to 17:00).

  • Day 7 : Now for some activity...

    Continue to visit Kyoto heading west :
    - Nishiki, Kyoto's culinary market
    - Nijo castle, former residence of the shogun
    - Arashiyama, to visit the bamboo grove and its monkey mountain

    Make the most of our many optional activities:
    - Want to enjoy nature? Check out our cycling activities along the Kamogawa River or hiking in the Takao Gorge!
    - Prefer Japanese arts? Tea ceremonies, meditation activities or private visits to secret gardens will seduce you.
    - Looking for Japanese countryside? Let yourself be tempted by a trip to Ohara, or try our flagship activity: on the Tea Road!

  • Day 8 : Between temples and deer

    For your last day in Kyoto and its surroundings, we recommend taking the 50 minute journey to Nara, which is included in your package.

    Visit to Nara, the first permanent capital of Japan in the 8th century.
    Discover:
    - The Shinto shrine Kasuga Taisha and its thousands of lanterns
    - The Todaiji, its great bronze Buddha and the imposing Nan-Daimon gate
    - Kofukuji temple and its beautiful pagoda

    Return to Kyoto and stop for sunset at Fushimi Inari, the huge 10,000 torii sanctuary in Kyoto. If you wish to be accompanied on this day, one of our English-speaking guides will unveil all the secrets of Japan's first capital (optional, return trip from Kyoto).

  • Day 9 : Attack on the Sacred Mount

    Depart on train and cable car to the sacred mountain of Koyasan (3h, 2 changes and cable car. All included with your Kansai thru pass. Details in your travel diary):
    - Visit the sumptuous Kongobuji temple
    - Visit Danjo-Garan, one of the main religious sites of the village

    Enjoy a unique experience with a traditional vegan dinner and overnight in a temple with the monks.
    Due to the altitude, the temperature in Koyasan is often lower than other cities visited previously.

  • Day 10 : First steps in the capital of Kansai

    Traditional vegan breakfast served in the temple.
    Depending on availability of the monks, possibility to attend a Buddhist ceremony (availability not guaranteed currently).

    In the morning, discover the fabulous mystical necropolis of Okunoin.

    Then travel to Osaka by cable car and train (1 change, included in your Kansai Thru Pass, 1 hour 45). Enjoy the lively Namba district and Dotonbori Street. The many restaurants there have earned Osaka the title "gastronomic capital of Japan".

    If you have some time left in the afternoon, visit the medieval Osaka Castle before walking through the restaurant district in Dotonbori!

    Settle into your capsule hotel: a special night awaits you!

     

  • Day 11 : Make way for history

    Leave for Hiroshima. We advise you to make a stop in Himeji, to discover its castle, classified as a UNESCO heritage site (details in your travel diary), or to plan the day on the island of Naoshima.

    Arrival in Hiroshima, and check-in at your 3* hotel between the train station and the peace park. You will discover this dynamic student city which has successfully recovered from the tragic events of the middle of the last century. In the evening, we recommend you try okonomiyaki, Hiroshima's gastronomic speciality.

  • Day 12 : The Sacred Island

    Breakfast at the hotel.

    A short 30-minute train and boat ride to Miyajima Island, its Itsukushima-jinja shrine and its large gate (ootorii) standing in the sea.
    (Please note: The ootorii is under construction until an unspecified date). Take the cable car up to Mount Misen and then descend on foot. A breathtaking view of Hiroshima Bay is waiting for you!

    In the late afternoon, make your way back to Hiroshima.

     

  • Day 13 : The pearl of Japan

    Breakfast at the hotel.

    In 4h30, reach Kanazawa  (1 change, included in your package).

    Check-in at your hotel.

    Explore Kanazawa, between the North Sea and the Japanese Alps:
    - Kenroku-en, the beautiful Japanese garden of Kanazawa
    - The contemporary art museum and its outdoor gallery
    - Omicho, the sea of Japan fish market
    - The Nomura house, residence of the samurai and its picturesque old quarter

    Night in your hotel.

     

  • Day 14 : Return to Tokyo

    Departure to Tokyo in the morning (2 hours 30) by Shinkansen high-speed train, included in your package.

    Check into your hotel. 

    Make the most of this last day to do your last bits of shopping and start packing your bags...

     

     

  • Day 15 : Sayonara, and see you next time!

    Transfer to Haneda or Narita airport (included but not accompanied).

    This transfer is by shuttle or shared bus, with other customers departing from the same hotel or a hotel close to yours. These transfers arrive between 3 hours and 1.5 hours before the actual departure of your flight, and stops can be made before you arrive at the airport.

    If you prefer a private transfer at a time of your choice, direct to the airport and with no intermediate stops, select the "Private taxi to the airport" option.

    Return flight to Europe, North America, Australia.

     

    Included in your self-guided tour

  • Accommodation

    - 3 nights in a 3* hotel in the heart of Tokyo, close to public transport

    - 1 night in a 3* ryokan in Hakone Mount Fuji, traditional half-board

    - 4 nights in a 3* hotel in the heart of Kyoto, close to public transport

    - 1 night in a 2/3* temple hotel in KoyaSan

    - 1 night in a capsule hotel in Osaka

    - 2 nights in a 3* hotel in Hiroshima, between the train station and the Peace Memorial Park

    - 1 night  in a 3* hotel in Kanazawa, between the station and the city centre

    - 1 night in a 3* hotel in the heart of Tokyo, close to public transport

    The basic rate includes a twin room for two people.

  • Transport

    Airport transfers

    - Prepaid public transport card

    - Japan Rail Pass for 14 days

    - Hakone Free Pass for 2 days

    - Unlimited transport pass in the Kansai region for 3 days (Kyoto, Nara, Koyasan..) 

    Limited express train to Koyasan is not included.

  • Experiences and meals

    Airport welcome

    Traditional dinner and breakfast in the ryokan at Hakone and in Koyasan temple

    Breakfasts excluding Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka

    Discounts at many Hakone tourist sites

    - Culinary evening in Tokyo with a guide

    Guided night tour of Gion (1h30)

  • Additional services

    - Unlimited Wi-Fi access with pocket Wi-Fi

    - Complete e-travel diary sent  before your departure

    -The helpline is available from 8am to 10pm Japanese time, 7 days a week, in English and Japanese. The number will be given to you in your travel pack. It is valid for telephone calls and WhatsApp.

  • Not included in the price of your trip

    - Flights Europe <> Japan

    - Optional insurance policies

    - Personal expenses including meals (breakfast optional)

    - Public transport when your transport cards have run out (see details)

    - Anything not included in the "included in your tour" section

More about your trip

Your tour :

  • The prices displayed on this page may vary according to the exchange rate of the Japanese ¥.
  • Unfortunately, this tour is not accessible to people with reduced mobility.
  • Pets are not allowed.
  • Children over 3 years of age are allowed. Rates for children are available for people from 3 to 11 years old inclusive.
  • This programme is subject to change due to circumstances such as weather conditions or any other case of force majeure. Please note that due to the current circumstances, any information mentioned is subject to change or modification.
  • Your travel documents will be given to you as follows:
    • Travel diary by email 3 weeks before departure, and other electronic documents 
    • Paper documents (airport transfer ticket, transportation card, Japan Rail Pass voucher) and Pocket WiFi upon arrival at the airport by our airport assistant.
  • Note : In very rare cases, mostly in very high season, steps might be reversed. You will be informed in your mini travel-guide. Thanks for your kind understanding.

Your accommodation :

  • Some hotels may ask you to pay a tourist tax on arrival. This depends on the city and even the hotel, as some do not include it in the booking price. Normally, it is 200¥/night/person (about £1.37/1.93$) but can be slightly higher in 4* hotels. It must be paid in cash at the hotel reception. For traditional Japan Experience accommodations, it is included in the initial tour price.
  • Names of the hotels : The names given on the site are for information only. In the event of unavailability, an establishment of equivalent standing will be scheduled. Hotels, corresponding to local standards, are given as an indication and may be changed on site for hotels of a similar category.
  • In the ryokan, guests sleep on comfortable futons placed on the tatami mat. The room has a private sink and toilet. As is customary in Japanese ryokan, the onsen bathroom is shared (not mixed) unless you take the "private bathroom in the room" option.
    OPTIONAL: Enjoy a private Japanese bathroom (traditional or modern onsen) in your room. This option is recommended for mixed couples, families, people who are modest or have visible tattoos.
    The 4* ryokan (see 4* option) have comfortable futons raised on either western beds in a traditional tatami room. The bathrooms and toilets of the 4* ryokans are private.
  • At the Buddhist temple in KoyaSan, you will sleep on comfortable futons on a tatami mat. The rooms do not have private bathrooms or toilets. The non-mixed collective Japanese baths ("onsen") then serve as a shared bathroom, with showers and thermal baths. They are freely accessible, subject to the schedules in force on site. These baths are often not accessible to people with visible tattoos. With the 4* options, the rooms have a private washbasin and toilet, but the bathroom remains shared.

Your transport :

  • Flights are not included in this tour. Do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to include flights in your order: Flights in economy class with stopovers or direct flights, eco-premium or business air upgrades, provincial departures or abroad: we will be able to advise you.
  • The tour departure and end dates presented on this page relate to your stay in Japan. You will arrive in Japan via Tokyo (Narita or Haneda airports) and will also leave from Tokyo. You will have to leave Europe the day before and land at 18pm at the latest to make the most of the airport services of your tour (welcome and transfer to Tokyo). The return flight is on the same day due to the time difference, with a departure time of 9am at the earliest. Please do not hesitate to consult us for any uncertainty or need for precision in the choice of international flights.
  • If the flights have been purchased by your care without the intervention of Japan Experience, it is necessary to send us by mail 1 month before your departure your flight information (flight number, airport, date and time of arrival) to allow us 'Organize your welcome and airport transfer.
  • Airport transfers: The shared shuttle bus leaves from the airport and stops either in front of your hotel or at a stop located between 1 and 15 min walk from your hotel. Our airport assistant in Tokyo will drive you to the platform to take the airport transfer. Afterwards, this hotel transfer is unassisted. If you would like to be accompanied from the airport to your hotel reception please choose the option "Accompanied Airport Transfer" Same for the return transfer.
  • Included in your tour is a pre-charged transport prepayment card of ¥ 1,500 (around £10.30 / 14.54$) (suica or Pasmo brand); a 14-day Japan Rail Pass, a Hakone Free Pass for 2 days and an Unlimited transport pass in the Kansai region  for 3 days. These cards should cover a large part of your trips during the stay. Upon expiry of the 1,500¥ Transport Prepayment Card, or if the line you are travelling on is not covered by your Japan Rail Pass, any travel will be at your own expense by recharging your pre-paid transport card (at vending machines in all stations and metro stations). 
  • The Japan Rail Pass is a personal train pass for foreign travellers who wish to visit Japan. This pass allows unlimited travel for 14 consecutive days on all Japan Railways (JR) trains throughout Japan. You will receive a voucher to be exchanged at a JR office when you are welcomed at the airport by our assistant (list of addresses provided in your travel guide). You will be asked to show your passport and fill in a form. During this exchange, you will select the start date of your pass. Once your Pass has been activated, it will be valid for 14 consecutive days from the date chosen. To prevent wasting time when you arrive at the airport, you are requested to exchange your voucher upon arrival in Tokyo City. This is because exchanging it at the airport could delay your airport shuttle. With your Japan Rail Pass in hand, just go to the station, show your pass to the ticket inspector at the entrance gates and board any JR train. Trains in Japan are almost all open seating. If you are worried about not having a seat (on a shinkansen for example), simply go to a ticket office and reserve your seat at no extra charge. The Japan Rail Pass covers all JR and Shinkansen lines in Japan. The following journeys are not covered:
    • Travel by metro and bus in the cities (payable by pre-paid transport card, included in your package)
    • Transfers from the train station to the hotels (by foot, bus, metro or taxi)
    • Travel on private train lines (other than JR)
    • Travel on Nozomi and Mizuho high-speed trains (shinkansen)
    • Trips made outside the validity period of the Japan Rail Pass
  • Japan Rail Pass: It is not necessary to possess a Japan Rail Pass which covers your entire stay. This is only cost-effective if it is used for long journeys between the different stages of your stay (especially in shinkansen) which are very expensive. In large cities like Tokyo, only about ⅓ of public transport is covered by the Japan Rail Pass and getting around is relatively cheap (Tokyo metro tickets: £1.71 / 2.42$; Kyoto daily bus card: £4.28 / 5.97$). Thus, providing you with a Japan Rail Pass for more than 14 days (21) would not be cost-effective and, on the contrary, would significantly increase the cost of your trip.
  • If a person taking part in the tour is a Japanese national and a resident of Japan, or a foreigner with tax residence in Japan (including a student), then that person is not eligible for the Japan Rail Pass. Please contact us to get the price of the tour without a Japan Rail Pass. They will have to buy the train tickets for the tour directly in Japan. The Kansai Thru Pass is also subject to the same nationality/residency requirements. This is not the case for the Hakone Free pass. If this person is a Japanese citizen but not a resident of Japan, then he/she can benefit from the Japan Rail Pass under certain conditions (see https://www.japan-experience.com/frequently-asked-questions).

Your activities :

  • Airport reception is in English. Your airport assistant will be waiting for you at the customs exit holding a sign with the name of the reservation. They will give you your travel documents and take you to your airport transfer. They will not accompany you to Tokyo (this is possible, but optional).
  • The guided tour of Gion takes place in groups of 12 people maximum, from 6pm to 7:30/8:00pm. In English. More details on the meeting place in your travel journal. Dinner is not planned but your guide will be able to give you their best spots.
  • The culinary evening in Tokyo starts at 5pm and lasts until 8.30pm. In groups of 2 to 10 people. In English. Dinner and drinks included. A variety of dishes await you: izakayas are typical Japanese restaurants where you can find all kinds of cuisines.

Your meals :

  • Breakfasts which are not included in your package can be added at the reception when you arrive at the hotel. However, you will find many cafés near your hotel serving copious breakfasts, often tastier than those in the hotels, which sometimes have tight schedules and are predominantly savoury. However, if you would like to add breakfast to your offer when you make your reservation, you can select it as an option.
  • Traditional Japanese dinner and Japanese breakfast (mostly savoury) are included in your ryokan in Hakone and Koyasan temple. Do not hesitate to indicate any dietary requirements you may have, we will pass them on to the ryokan so that they can take them into account when planning the meals. If the ryokan does not take any of these dietary requirements into account, we cannot be held responsible and no compensation will be issued.

Your additional services:

  • A pocket wifi is included in your tour. It allows unlimited high-speed internet access. Your Pocket WiFi will be given to you at the airport of arrival.
  • It comes with a small booklet to operate your device (don't panic: simple operation) and a prepaid envelope to return your device at the end of your stay. Your pocket wifi will work naturally until the last day of your trip to Japan.
  • A maximum of 5 devices can be connected to a pocket wifi (phone, tablet, computer).
  • A single pocket wifi is provided for a circuit order of 1 to 5 people. For an order of 6 people or more, a second pocket wifi will be added automatically and at no extra cost to your reservation.

When you buy, Japan Experience offers you 2 types of protection:

Japan Experience Flex : 
Cancellation insurance before departure under conditions.

Japan Experience Protect :
Pre-departure cancellation insurance under conditions and on-site assistance under conditions. 

 

Frequently asked questions

Our commitments as Japan Experience, Europe No. 1 travel in Japan

  • The guarantee of the first tour operator specialised exclusively in Japan for 40 years
  • A wide range of products to let you Experience Japan from the inside
  • Competitive prices thanks to a single team in UK, Europe, USA and Japan, with no intermediaries
  • Assistance available in Japan throughout your trip
  • specialised team is available 7 days a week by phone or email
  • The best advice thanks to the 3,500 articles available on our website

Solo Travel in Japan

From
$3,624 per person - 2 weeks

Optional services

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