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A trip to Japan is a thrilling mix of hyper-modern cities, serene temples, bullet trains, and steaming onsen. You'll hit highlights like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Mount Fuji, while also discovering lesser-known gems such as Kanazawa and art-filled Naoshima.

With Rough Guides' tailor-made travel in Japan, everything is taken care of, no stress, no guesswork. Local experts design each trip around what you love, no matter if that’s sushi and street food, ancient shrines, or hiking through Hokkaido. You’ll travel deeper, smarter, and without the hassle.

Japan trips by Rough Guides

Crafted with ❤️ by local experts

Japanese umbrella's

10 days

Choose a culinary tour across Japan designed for travelers who value authentic, tailor-made experiences. Each of our Japan trips is shaped by local experts who connect you with genuine Japanese flavors, hands-on culinary traditions, and quiet places rarely encountered by visitors.

Begin with a personal consultation, and we will translate your interests into a customized plan, securing exclusive food experiences and distinctive accommodations along the way. Reserve your dates and turn curiosity and appetite into a journey crafted around your tastes and pace.

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Asian Lanterns

10 days

Make your travel personal with a self-guided adventure in Japan, designed for travelers who seek authentic, tailor-made experiences. Our Japan trips give you the freedom to shape your route, stay in carefully selected local accommodations, meet welcoming hosts, and choose cultural encounters that reflect your interests.

With practical planning tools, expert local contacts, and flexible options that suit your pace, you can create a journey that feels truly your own. Reserve your place and transform curiosity into lasting memories.

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Cherry blossoms in Japan

7 days

This Japan trip from Tokyo to Osaka invites you to experience the country through a tailor-made journey that reveals local rituals, hidden neighborhoods, and unforgettable moments. Designed for travelers who value authentic encounters, personal guidance, and flexible pacing, our Japan trips offer the freedom to shape your experience around your interests.

Secure your dates, share what inspires you, and let us create a private, responsive plan that matches your rhythm and curiosity. Begin your bespoke Tokyo to Osaka journey and transform your visit into a deeply personal experience.

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Imperial Palace, Tokyo

10 days

Let Japan’s quiet rituals and seasonal flavors become part of your story. Our Japan trips are thoughtfully designed for travelers who value authenticity, bespoke experiences, and meaningful connections beyond the well-trodden path.

Share immersive moments with local hosts, personalize elements of your itinerary around your interests, and travel in a small, like-minded group that prioritizes depth over speed. Reserve your place to secure a spot on an upcoming departure and turn curiosity into a journey curated uniquely for you.

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Fushimi Inari Kyoto

14 days

Join the Secrets of Japan journey and discover Japan trips shaped around insider access and genuine connection. Travel with a small group and meet local storytellers, take part in intimate rituals, and explore hidden places that most visitors never see. With mindful pacing, personalized touches, and hands-on cultural moments, every day feels authentic and thoughtfully tailored.

Reserve your place now and turn curiosity into unforgettable memories, crafted just for you.

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Cable car at Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, Japan © Shutterstock

12 days

Let winter reveal Japan on your terms with Japan trips designed around your tastes. Feel the onsen steam rise into crisp mountain air, watch snow monkeys soaking in natural hot springs, and unwind in carefully chosen ryokans selected for privacy, comfort, and authentic character.

Work with a local specialist to shape a personal pace, private encounters, and insider access where it matters most. Request a custom itinerary today and turn a seasonal idea into a private winter journey that reflects who you are as a traveler.

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Hakusan Shirakawago White Road © Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League

13 days

Transform your travel into one of those Japan trips that feels truly personal, a hiking journey shaped around your pace, passions, and sense of discovery. Imagine moss-covered trails, volcanic panoramas, and restorative onsen evenings, all planned to match your fitness level and curiosity.

We will craft a private, authentic adventure with local guides, handpicked accommodations, and thoughtful experiences that reveal Japan beyond the postcard. Share your preferred dates, activity level, and cultural interests, and we will create a personalized proposal that turns inspiration into a seamless, unforgettable trip.

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Himeji Castle, Japan

15 days

Turn family time into lifelong memories with Japan trips designed for shared discovery. This family adventure in Japan connects you to local rituals, hands-on crafts, and hidden landscapes, with the comfort of authentic, tailor-made travel. Shape meaningful days through private cultural exchanges, family-friendly culinary workshops, and experiences chosen for your children’s ages and interests.

Start planning today. Share your priorities, set your pace, and reserve expert guides who curate every detail for your family. Create a journey that sparks curiosity, deepens bonds, and leaves everyone inspired.

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Osaka, Japan

9 days

Make your Japan experience the way you truly want to travel: authentic, private, and purposeful. Created for discerning travelers who value custom encounters, our trips to Japan connect you with trusted local specialists who design a personal itinerary around your passions. From private meals and cultural workshops to neighborhood discoveries and hidden corners, every detail is tailored so you can explore with depth and ease.

Share your interests, schedule a consultation, and let us craft an unforgettable Japan journey that reflects your style, curiosity, and pace.

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Tokyo

5 days

Make your magical Japan trips feel like your story. Travel with local guides, set your own pace, and create an authentic, tailor-made plan that blends intimate food experiences, neighborhood discoveries, and peaceful shrine moments. Add flexible transport and handpicked stays that match your style.

Start by choosing three meaningful experiences you want most, and I will shape them into a curated itinerary that brings Tokyo and its nearby gems to life.

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Amami, Japan

8 days

Choose our Okinawa and Amami journey for one of the most soulful trips to Japan, a tailored escape into subtropical islands, clear seas, and living traditions. Move beyond standard tours with an authentic, slow-paced experience shaped by local insight and personal attention.

We design every detail around your curiosities, from meaningful cultural encounters to immersive nature moments that stay with you. Reserve your bespoke itinerary now and turn curiosity into travel that truly transforms.

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Yakushima, Japan

6 days

Reserve your Yakushima Forests and Waterfalls journey and turn curiosity into a private, sensory adventure through Japan’s island heart, one of the most memorable Japan trips for nature lovers. Work with local specialists to shape a plan that matches your pace, interests, and travel standards.

Secure your dates, and we will arrange authentic stays, meaningful encounters, and quiet hidden moments that stay with you. Start with a quick consultation, and we will design the Yakushima experience you truly want.

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Ogasawara Islands, Japan

6 days

Claim your place in the secluded Pacific on our Ogasawara Islands journey, one of the most distinctive Japan trips for travelers who want something truly remote. With local experts at your side, we design a tailor-made experience that follows your curiosity and your rhythm.

From pristine ocean and ancient forests to starlit skies, each day becomes a personalized canvas for discovery. Start planning now to secure local guidance and thoughtful details that turn this far-flung corner of Japan into a story written just for you.

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Shiretoko, Japan

6 days

Hokkaido Horizons is one of our most immersive trips to Japan, inviting discerning travelers to experience Shiretoko’s untamed beauty through a custom, authentic journey. With deep local knowledge and a flexible pace, the experience is shaped around your interests and your rhythm.

Contact us to design your tailored itinerary, secure your dates, and arrange private guides and local stays. Claim your place beneath Hokkaido’s vast starry skies, and let us craft the details that make it truly yours.

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Meet our Japan travel experts

They will craft your perfect trip

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Things to know before your Japan trip

What does a trip to Japan look like?

A Japan trip usually starts in Tokyo, a neon-soaked city where high-tech meets tradition, before heading to Kyoto for its ancient temples and peaceful gardens. Osaka brings street food and nightlife, while Hiroshima offers moving history and leafy parks. You might soak in a hot spring near Mount Fuji or catch the snow in Hokkaido.

Looking for something quieter? Try Kanazawa’s samurai district or Naoshima’s avant-garde art museums. Every Japan itinerary is crafted around you, the big names, and the backroads.

Can I customize my Japan trip?+

How far in advance should I start planning?+

Is it more expensive to book Rough Guides tailor-made travel?+

Who are the Japan local experts?+

Our current Japan trips

Discover Japan with Japan trips designed by people who know it best, from Tokyo’s neon neighborhoods and Kyoto’s temple-lined lanes to the onsen towns of Hakone, the samurai heritage of Kanazawa, and the mountain villages of the Japanese Alps.

Every route is flexible and can be shaped around what you love, how fast you like to travel, and the kind of comfort you prefer. Start with one of our suggested itineraries or build something from scratch, and our local specialists will tailor the details into a journey that feels unmistakably yours.

Japan Essentials

Japan Essentials trip brings together the country’s must-see highlights with thoughtful pacing, local insight, and flexibility, creating a well-rounded introduction to Japan that feels personal rather than rushed.

Family adventures in Japan

Built for shared discovery, the Family adventures in Japan trip blends kid-friendly culture, hands-on activities, and relaxed pacing so every day feels fun, meaningful, and easy for the whole family.

Hiking in the Japanese Alps

For travelers who want nature and culture in balance, Japan hiking trip: the Japanese Alps pairs scenic trails, alpine panoramas, and restorative onsen stays into a tailored mountain journey.

Hokkaido Horizons

With wide open landscapes and seasonal highlights, Tailor-made Japan trip: Hokkaido Horizons is crafted around your pace, combining wildlife, hot springs, and local food with expertly planned routes across Japan’s northern island.

Splendors of Japan

The Splendors of Japan trip weaves together iconic cities, refined gardens, historic towns, and regional cuisine into a richly layered journey that captures the country’s depth and elegance.

Tokyo and beyond

Designed for first timers and return visitors alike, Japan trip: Tokyo and beyond starts in the capital and expands outward to nearby gems, mixing food, culture, and easy day trips at a pace that suits you.

Ogasawara Islands

For a rarer side of the country, Japan’s Ogasawara Islands trip takes you far from the mainland into remote subtropical nature, ocean adventures, and slow island days shaped around your interests.

Okinawa and Amami exploration

Blending island culture and coastal beauty, Japan trip: Okinawa and Amami exploration follows a relaxed rhythm of turquoise waters, local traditions, and nature experiences tailored to how you like to travel.

Secrets of Japan

The Secrets of Japan trip goes beyond the obvious, connecting you with local storytellers, hidden neighborhoods, and intimate cultural moments that most travelers never reach.

Trails of Shirakami-Sanchi

Rooted in wild nature and quiet heritage, Trails of Shirakami-Sanchi Japan trip explores ancient beech forests, remote paths, and small towns, with each day paced to your comfort and curiosity.

Japan in winter

Centered on the season’s magic, Japan winter tour combines snowy scenery, warming onsens, and curated cultural experiences, all tailored to your pace and comfort.

Yakushima forests and waterfalls

Immersive and nature-rich, the Yakushima forests and waterfalls Japan trip leads you through mossy cedar trails, misty ravines, and dramatic cascades, with flexible days shaped around your energy and interests.

Japan highlights

Highlights of Japan trip brings together the country’s most iconic cities, cultural landmarks, and local experiences, offering a well-balanced introduction to Japan’s traditions, landscapes, and everyday life.

Tokyo to Osaka tour

Travel from Tokyo’s modern energy to Osaka’s vibrant food scene on the Japan trip: Tokyo to Osaka, a journey shaped by flexible pacing, cultural depth, and meaningful local encounters.

Self-guided adventure in Japan

Designed for independent travelers, a self-guided adventure tour in Japan allows you to explore at your own rhythm while benefiting from expert planning, local insight, and carefully selected experiences.

Culinary tour across Japan

Discover regional flavors, hands-on traditions, and intimate food experiences that define the tailor-made culinary tour across Japan, crafted around your tastes and guided by local culinary specialists.