Tokyo to Okinawa beaches
- Duration : 18 days
- Locations : Tokyo, Hakone Mt Fuji, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Okinawa
This Japan tour gives you the opportunity to visit Tokyo and Kyoto, contemplate Mount Fuji, and discover Hiroshima and its sacred island, Miyajima.
Finish this trip to Japan with 5 days on the fabulous beaches of the Okinawa islands!
This trip includes transportation, guided tours, and unique accommodation: a ryokan, a Japan Experience house, and a beach resort. A trip to make whatever the season!
3 week itinerary in Japan (18 days)
- Departure city/airport : Tokyo (Narita : NRT or Haneda : HND)
- Tokyo (4 nights)
- Hakone-Mount Fuji (1 night)
- Kyoto (3 nights including one day in Nara)
- Miyajima island and Hiroshima (2 nights)
- Fukuoka (Kyushu island) and surroundings (2nights)
- Okinawa (Iriomote and Ishigaki islands) (5 nights)
- End Return airport: Ishigaki (Ishigaki International Airport : ISG)
Please find below the itinerary details.
Tour length : 17 nights / 18 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 Sapporo (date to be selected in the tour calendar while booking) : January 2nd
- Return flight from Ishigaki international airport : January 19th
Do you like Okinawa?
Don't hesitate to have a look at our other 3 week tour "Archipelago from North to South", which ends with several days in its paradisiacal islands
Why this trip to Japan?
- Welcomed at the airport by our team, you will be taken to Tokyo by shuttle bus
- Head to the edge of Mount Fuji for an unforgettable dinner and overnight stay in a ryokan
- Travel by Shinkansen to Kyoto where a guided tour of the traditional geisha quarter awaits you
- In Kyoto, an English-speaking travel angel will welcome you to a Japan Experience house
- Go to Hiroshima and the sacred island of Miyajima before arriving in Fukuoka
- The Okinawa archipelago will have you seduced by its natural beauty and white sandy beaches
- Transportation: Japan Rail Pass, Hakone Free Pass, flight to Okinawa, boat between islands
- Recommendations available in your travel diary
- Enjoy unlimited internet access thanks to your pocket Wi-Fi
- If necessary, contact our assistance from 8am to 10pm Japanese time, 7 days a week, in English or Japanese.
- Numerous guided days or other optional activities available
- Benefit from the expertise of Japan Experience, Europe's number one travel agency in Japan
Your trip in detail
Itinerary
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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!Welcomed out of customs by our airport assistant, who will give you all your travel documents and Pocket Wi-Fi.
Unaccompanied transfer from the airport to Tokyo (see details).This transfer is done in a shared shuttle or bus, with other guests departing for the same hotel or a hotel close to yours. These transfers depart between 1.5 and 3 hours after your scheduled flight arrival, and stops can be made before your hotel.
If you would like a private, non-stop transfer directly after the actual arrival of your flight, feel free to take the "Private Taxi from the Airport" option.
Accommodation at Hotel OMO3 Tokyo Akasaka by Hoshino Resorts or a same category hotel 3* (rooms available from 3:00pm).
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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"One of our many experienced English-speaking guides can also accompany you to visit the classic sights of Tokyo (optional, from 9:00 to 17:00).
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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 sunsetEnjoy a cruise on the Sumida River between Hamarikyu and Asakusa.
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Day 4 : Follow the guide
For this fifth day, there are still many places to discover according to your taste!
Or better still, book an English-speaking guide for the day (optional) to visit Tokyo off the beaten path!
In addition, make the most of our many optional activities:
- Are you looking more for fun? Ghibli Museum, Disneyland or Hello Kitty Park are waiting for you!
- Do you prefer a themed activity? Book a visit on an architecture tour, gardens, home cooking or Noh's theatre.
- Chasing thrills? Let yourself be tempted by a helicopter ride or a sumo tournament (in season)! -
Day 5 : At the heart of the Japanese soul
In the morning, we advise that you have your luggage sent to the hotel in Kyoto (details in your travel diary, check with the hotel reception) and that you travel light for your night in Hakone.
Go to Shinjuku station to activate your Hakone Free Pass and board a train to Hakone Yumoto (1.5 hour journey, details in your travel guide, all inclusive). The train will gradually leave the Japanese megalopolis behind and head deeper into the valleys of the Mount Fuji region. You will arrive in Hakone in the late morning. Reach your Ichinoyu Shinkan ryokan or same category ryokan to drop off your small bag and explore the area.
Be charmed by the beautiful scenery of this spa, Lake Ashi and its view of Mount Fuji (on a clear day!). Not forgetting the volcanic site of Owakudani, accessible by cable car. All transportation (train, bus, cable car, funicular) is included in your package.
If you wish to be accompanied during this day, one of our English-speaking guides can show you all the secrets of the Mount Fuji region (optional).Come back to the ryokan in the late afternoon as your traditional Japanese dinner awaits you around 18:30, before enjoying a Japanese-style night!
Details below on the night in the ryokan. -
Day 6 : The old capital
Traditional Japanese breakfast with ryokan.
Head to Hakone Yumoto Station and Odawara to board one of the fastest trains in the world: the Shinkansen!
In 2 hours 30, reach Kyoto.
From noon onwards, you can settle into your traditional Japan Experience house! A Travel Angel will welcome you, show you some unique details and help you to have an unforgettable stay in Kyoto. You will be able to "live the Japanese way" for a few days, with a space much bigger than a hotel room and a kitchen to prepare good Japanese food!
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 KyotoFinish off seeing the sunset in Gion.
Meet your guide at 19:00 to start your late stroll around Gion, Kyoto's historic district.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 7 : 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 templeOne of our many experienced English-speaking guides can accompany you on a tour of these symbolic sites (optional, from 9:00 to 17:00).
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Day 8 : Between temples and deer
For that first day out of Kyoto, 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 pagodaReturn 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).
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Day 9 : Make way for history
After checking out in your Japan Experience house, leave for Hiroshima. We advise you to make a stop in Himeji, to discover its castle, classified as a UNESCO heritage site, or to plan the day on the island of Naoshima. In this case, your travel angel can help you to send your luggage to the hotel in Hiroshima the day before.
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.
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Day 10 : 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 evening, return to your hotel in Hiroshima.
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Day 11 : The capital of Kyushu
Breakfast at the hotel.
Continue from Hiroshima to the island of Kyushu and its capital, Fukuoka, in 1 hour by Shinkansen (included in your JRPass).
Arrive in the centre of the vibrant city of Fukuoka and check into your hotel near the central station.
With its 2000 years of history, the capital of Kyushu has always been the gateway to Asia (Korea and China) and Western culture (Portugal and its Jesuits, Holland). Another Japan, more Asian and further away from Tokyo, awaits you. Capital of a booming region, Fukuoka is now one of the most dynamic cities in Japan with its many high-tech companies and the hosting of a global event: the Rugby World Cup in October 2019.
Meet your English-speaking guide for the afternoon to visit one of Fukuoka's many iconic sites:
- Momochi district: Fukuoka Tower and other futuristic buildings - Japan in the 22nd century
- Canal City Hakata, a huge shopping centre integrated into the city, its city park and its canals
- Asian Art Museum, the world's first museum for modern Asian art
- Shofoku-ji Temple, the oldest Zen temple in Japan
- Hakata Machiya, a district of old merchants' housesIn the evening, visit the lively Nakasu and Tenjin districts and their yatai - hundreds of delicious and welcoming open-air restaurants at low prices. A great way to spend the evening!
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Day 12 : Between sea and volcano
A visit to Fukuoka or a getaway to the surrounding area... there's no shortage of ideas:
- The beaches around Fukuoka, such as Itoshima or Karatsu, accessible in 45 min from Fukuoka.
- The old lordly town of Kumamoto and its Japanese castle (50 min. one way from Fukuoka), at the foot of the Aso volcano.
- The onsens (open-air thermal baths) of Beppu (2 hours one way from Fukuoka) - one of the most popular spas in Asia. More than 3000 hot springs provide baths for everyone: sandy, muddy, ferruginous, clay, carbonated and more or less hot, with all the modern comforts for baths at low prices or even free.
- The city of Nagasaki (2 hours from Fukuoka), with a long history: a port open to the world, Nagasaki welcomed Europeans, merchants and religious in the 16th century and then became the only window open to the West until 1868. From this original history, the city has kept a cosmopolitan charm, as in the European island of Dejima and its Japanese-style churches or the Chinatown district. A guaranteed change of scenery. Not to forget the Peace Park and Museum, where the poignant memory of the tragedy of the Second World War is still present.Most of these destinations are accessible with your Japan Rail Pass, for which this will be the last day.
In the evening, second night in your hotel in Fukuoka.
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Day 13 : Arrival in the tropics
Transfer to Fukuoka International Airport (Japan's 4th largest airport, located in the heart of the city) in 5 minutes by metro from Hakata Central Station, see details below.
Morning flight to Ishigaki International Airport (direct (2 hours 20) or 1 stopover (3 hours 20)). Arrive in Ishigaki in the middle of the day, transfer by airport bus (€4, to be paid to the driver) to the ferry terminal. Then 45 minutes by boat (included) to the rugged island of Iriomote. Arrival in the late afternoon and transfer included to your 4* Hoshino Resort or same category hotel.Iriomote Island, or Japan's last frontier, is 90% covered by rainforest and mangroves. In this unspoilt paradise far from Tokyo, you may see the endangered Yamaneko wild cat.
Dinner is available at your hotel or in the surrounding area.
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Day 14 : The Amazon in Japan
Breakfast at the hotel.
Iriomote's major attraction is its natural landscape of lush rainforest, sun-drenched beaches and impressive dive sites. The easiest way to see this wild island is to go to the Urauchi River (near your hotel) from where a boat will take you up the river to the island's interior in 30 minutes. A 1 hour hike to a waterfall rounds off the trip, before the hike and boat trip in the opposite direction.
Near your hotel, there are 2 exceptional beaches, one of which is suitable for snorkelling (equipment rental on the beach).
We also offer an optional canoeing activity to discover the island.
You will start to discover another Japan, more in the south, far from the crowded Tokyo or the temples of Kyoto! -
Day 15 : Beach umbrellas and coconut trees
Breakfast at the hotel.
In the morning, enjoy the pool at your resort before returning to the main island of Ishigaki in the afternoon (45 min boat, tickets included in your package), to reach your 3* hotel in the heart of the seaside town of Ishigaki.
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Day 16 : Sheltered from the waves
Breakfast at the hotel.
In Ishigaki you can sunbathe on the white sand, swim in its turquoise waters and dive.
There are many activities available, to be discussed with your hotel upon arrival: diving with an English-speaking guide, snorkelling...Not to mention the famous cuisine and nightlife of this charming island.
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Day 17 : A lovely village
Breakfast at the hotel.
It's your last day in Japan, so you might as well end on a high note! Discover the small island paradise of Taketomi (20 min ferry ride from the small town of Ishigaki, 5 ferries/hour, tickets included in your package).
On Taketomi, everything can be done on foot or by bike (many bike rentals - no need to book in advance).
Don't forget to see the "Hoshizuna" starry sand on the island's beaches, which is unique in the world!
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Day 18 : Sayonara, and see you next time!
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer back to Ishigaki International Airport (20 minute taxi or airport shuttle bus (€5, to be paid on the spot to the driver, 2 buses/hour).
Return flight to Europe, North America, Australia, with changes in Tokyo, Fukuoka or major Asian cities like Hong Kong or Taipei.


















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Accommodation
- 4 nights in a 3* hotel in the heart of Tokyo, close to the metro.
- 1 night in a 3* ryokan in Hakone Mount Fuji, traditional half-board
- 3 nights in a traditional Kyoto house (cleaning, bed linen/towels and tourist tax included)
- 2 nights in a 3* hotel in Hiroshima, close to train station
- 2 nights in a 3* hotel in Fukuoka, close to train station
- 2 nights in a 4* beach resort on Iriomote Island (Okinawa)
- 3 nights in a 3* hotel on Ishigaki Island (Okinawa)
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Transport
- Transfer airport > Tokyo
- Prepaid public transport card
- Hakone Free Pass 2 days
- Japan Rail Pass 7 days
- Domestic flight from Fukuoka -> Ishigaki
- Ishigaki ferry <-> Iriomote and back
- Ishigaki ferry <-> Taketomi and back
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Experiences and meals
- Welcome at the airport by our assistant
- Traditional dinner and breakfast in the ryokan at Hakone
- Discounts at many Hakone tourist sites
- All breakfasts except in Tokyo, Kyoto and Fukuoka
- Welcome to Kyoto by a travel angel
- Night time guided tour of Gion, Kyoto (1h30)
- Guided tour of Fukuoka (half-day)
Included in your self-guided tour
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Additional services
- Unlimited Wi-Fi access with pocket Wi-Fi
- Complete e-travel diary
- 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.
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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
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.
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