Round Trip China & Japan — Self-Launched Version
15 days · China & Japan
Bavaria Fernreisen charges £2,450
No-markup version: ~£1,980 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on Bavaria Fernreisen's 15-day China & Japan group tour, running Beijing → Great Wall → Tokyo → Nikko → Matsumoto → Takayama → Shirakawago → Kanazawa → Kyoto → Nara → Osaka → Shanghai. Instead of a German-guided coach group, you'll stitch the same route together yourself using China's high-speed rail network, overnight/domestic flights, and Japan's JR Pass-eligible trains and buses — booking hostels and budget guesthouses as you go. Two of the busiest, best-connected countries in Asia make this very doable solo: everything on this route is bookable direct or via GetYourGuide/Klook. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget rates per person in GBP and assume dorm or simple private rooms, local food, and second-class/public transport. Flights to/from Europe are quoted separately as a rough return-airfare allowance.
Day-by-day
Arrive Beijing
Beijing, China
Land at Beijing Capital (PEK) or Daxing (PKX). China now offers visa-free entry for many nationalities (check your passport's current rules) — otherwise sort a tourist visa in advance. Take the Airport Express train or a DiDi (China's Uber) to a hostel in the Dongcheng district near the hutongs. Get a Chinese eSIM or a local SIM (China Mobile/Unicom) at the airport, and download WeChat, Alipay and a VPN before you land — Alipay/WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card is now the standard way to pay for everything.
🚌Airport Express train ~£3, or DiDi ~£10
🛏Hostel dorm/private in Dongcheng hutong area, ~£12-18/night
- →Airport Express train to city
- →Check into Dongcheng hostel
- →Hutong evening walk
- →Set up Alipay/WeChat Pay + SIM
Beijing — Tiananmen & the Forbidden City
Beijing, China
Walk the full length of Tiananmen Square, then explore the Forbidden City (pre-book tickets online at the official Palace Museum site — they sell out days ahead and are passport-linked). Afternoon: Jingshan Park for the classic rooftop view over the Forbidden City, then the Temple of Heaven. Evening: wander Nanluoguxiang hutong and eat jianbing, dumplings and Peking duck at a cheap local branch.
🚌Beijing subway day pass ~£2
🛏Hostel dorm/private in Dongcheng, ~£12-18/night
- →Tiananmen Square
- →Forbidden City (pre-booked ticket ~£7)
- →Jingshan Park viewpoint
- →Temple of Heaven
- →Hutong street food crawl
Great Wall of China — Mutianyu
Mutianyu, China
Do the Great Wall independently and far cheaper than a tour. Take a public bus or DiDi to Dongzhimen, then the 916 Express bus to Huairou, then a local minibus/taxi to Mutianyu — or book a straightforward shared shuttle via Klook (~£25 return including entry). Hike the restored western section, ride the toboggan down if you fancy it. Get back to Beijing for dinner.
🚌916 Express bus + local minibus ~£4 each way, or Klook shuttle ~£25 return
🛏Hostel dorm/private in Dongcheng, ~£12-18/night
- →Hike the Great Wall at Mutianyu (~£7 entry + shuttle)
- →Optional toboggan descent
- →Cable car (optional)
Beijing → Tokyo
Beijing → Tokyo, Japan
Fly Beijing to Tokyo (Haneda or Narita) — several budget and full-service carriers run this route; book early for ~£120-190 one way. On arrival pick up a Suica/Pasmo IC card (or add it to Apple/Google Wallet), get a Japanese eSIM, and take the Keisei Skyliner or Airport Limousine bus into the city. Check into a hostel in Asakusa or Shinjuku.
🚌Flight ~£120-190; Keisei Skyliner ~£13
🛏Tokyo hostel dorm ~£20-28/night (Asakusa/Shinjuku)
- →Flight Beijing → Tokyo
- →Suica card + eSIM setup
- →Evening walk in Asakusa / Senso-ji lit up
Tokyo — Meiji Shrine & city icons
Tokyo, Japan
Start at the serene Meiji Shrine and adjacent Yoyogi Park, then walk into Harajuku (Takeshita Street) and on to Shibuya Crossing and the Shibuya Sky observation deck (pre-book a sunset slot). Afternoon in Shinjuku — the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatory is free. Evening: izakaya dinner in Omoide Yokocho.
🚌Tokyo Metro day pass ~£5
🛏Tokyo hostel dorm, ~£20-28/night
- →Meiji Shrine (free)
- →Harajuku & Omotesando walk
- →Shibuya Crossing + Shibuya Sky (~£12)
- →Free Tokyo Metro Gov't Building observatory
- →Izakaya dinner
Tokyo — markets, Ueno & Asakusa
Tokyo, Japan
Tsukiji Outer Market early for tamagoyaki and sushi breakfast, then Ueno Park and its museums. Afternoon at Senso-ji temple and Nakamise shopping street in Asakusa — a tea ceremony experience here is an easy self-bookable add-on via GetYourGuide (~£25-35). Evening: teamLab or a cheap sumo-stable view/street-food night depending on season.
🚌Tokyo Metro ~£5
🛏Tokyo hostel dorm, ~£20-28/night
- →Tsukiji Outer Market breakfast
- →Ueno Park & Ameyoko market
- →Senso-ji temple
- →Optional tea ceremony (~£25-35)
Tokyo → Nikko → Matsumoto
Nikko → Matsumoto, Japan
Take an early Tobu or JR train to Nikko and visit the UNESCO-listed Toshogu Shrine complex and Rinno-ji — buy the Nikko World Heritage pass for combined bus + shrine entry. Late afternoon travel onward toward Matsumoto (long transfer day — JR via Tokyo/Nagano, or overnight as needed); note this is a big day and the original tour does the same long haul.
🚌JR trains Tokyo–Nikko–Matsumoto ~£40-55 (covered by a JR Pass if you hold one)
🛏Matsumoto budget guesthouse/hostel, ~£22-30/night
- →Toshogu Shrine & UNESCO Nikko sites (~£12 pass)
- →Kegon Falls (optional detour)
- →Scenic train ride through the mountains
Matsumoto → Takayama
Takayama, Japan
Morning at Matsumoto Castle — the original black 'Crow Castle', a national treasure (entry ~£5). Then travel by JR to Takayama via the scenic mountain line. Takayama's preserved Edo-era Sanmachi Suji old town is a lovely late-afternoon wander; try Hida beef skewers and sake from a local brewery.
🚌JR Matsumoto–Takayama ~£15-20
🛏Takayama hostel/guesthouse, ~£20-28/night
- →Matsumoto Castle (~£5)
- →JR mountain line to Takayama
- →Sanmachi Suji old town walk
- →Sake brewery tasting + Hida beef
Takayama → Shirakawago → Kanazawa → Kyoto
Shirakawago → Kanazawa → Kyoto, Japan
Take the Nohi Bus (reserve ahead) to the UNESCO village of Shirakawago with its gassho-zukuri thatched farmhouses — a couple of hours is enough. Continue by bus to Kanazawa, see Kenroku-en garden and the Higashi Chaya teahouse district, then catch a JR Thunderbird train onward to Kyoto. This is the original itinerary's single biggest travel day, so pack light.
🚌Nohi Bus ~£30 + JR Thunderbird Kanazawa–Kyoto ~£25
🛏Kyoto hostel/guesthouse, ~£20-30/night
- →Shirakawago UNESCO village (~£5 bus + entry)
- →Kenroku-en garden, Kanazawa (~£2)
- →Higashi Chaya district walk
- →Onward train to Kyoto
Kyoto — temples & geisha district
Kyoto, Japan
Start early at Fushimi Inari (free, and best before the crowds) — hike the full torii-gate loop. Then Kiyomizu-dera and the Higashiyama lanes down through Sannenzaka to Gion, where you might spot a geisha at dusk (be respectful, no blocking). Evening along the Kamogawa river.
🚌Kyoto bus/subway day pass ~£5
🛏Kyoto hostel/guesthouse, ~£20-30/night
- →Fushimi Inari torii hike
- →Kiyomizu-dera (~£2.5)
- →Higashiyama & Gion walk
- →Kamogawa river evening
Kyoto — Arashiyama & Uji tea ceremony
Kyoto / Uji, Japan
Morning in Arashiyama: bamboo grove, Tenryu-ji temple and a walk over Togetsukyo bridge — or rent a bike. Afternoon, take the JR Nara Line to Uji for a proper matcha tea ceremony at a local tea house (self-bookable direct or via GetYourGuide ~£20-30), plus Byodo-in temple and Uji's riverside.
🚌JR Nara Line Kyoto–Uji ~£3
🛏Kyoto hostel/guesthouse, ~£20-30/night
- →Arashiyama bamboo grove & Tenryu-ji (~£3.5)
- →Bike rental (optional ~£6)
- →Uji tea ceremony (~£20-30)
- →Byodo-in temple (~£4)
Kyoto → Nara → Osaka → Shanghai
Nara → Osaka → Shanghai, China
Morning day-trip to Nara to see the free-roaming deer in Nara Park and Todai-ji's Great Buddha (both cheap/easy by JR). Continue to Osaka for a quick Dotonbori street-food fix (takoyaki, okonomiyaki), then fly Osaka (KIX) to Shanghai Pudong in the evening. Land late, take the Maglev + Metro or a taxi into the city — no visa needed for many nationalities visiting China now, but verify yours.
🚌JR Kyoto–Nara–Osaka ~£12; flight Osaka–Shanghai ~£90-140; Maglev + Metro ~£5
🛏Shanghai hostel, ~£12-20/night
- →Nara Park deer + Todai-ji (~£4)
- →Osaka Dotonbori street food
- →Flight Osaka → Shanghai (~£90-140)
Shanghai
Shanghai, China
Full day in Shanghai: the Bund waterfront and its colonial architecture, Yu Garden and the old bazaar, then the French Concession for cafés and plane-tree streets. Cross to Pudong for the skyscraper observation decks (Shanghai Tower, pre-book ~£20) or take the cheap Bund Sightseeing Tunnel. Evening skyline walk as the lights come on.
🚌Shanghai metro ~£3
🛏Shanghai hostel, ~£12-20/night
- →The Bund walk (free)
- →Yu Garden & bazaar (~£5)
- →French Concession wander
- →Shanghai Tower or Bund Tunnel (~£20)
Shanghai → departure
Shanghai, China
Final morning for any last shopping, the Propaganda Poster Art Centre or a riverside stroll. Transfer to Pudong airport by Maglev + Metro for the flight back to Europe. If you'd rather break the journey, Chinese carriers and major airlines fly Shanghai–Europe directly; add a stopover in a hub city to soften the fare.
🚌Maglev + Metro ~£5; return flight Shanghai–Europe ~£300-450 (quoted separately)
🛏Overnight in transit / flight
- →Last-minute shopping/sightseeing
- →Maglev to Pudong airport
- →Flight Shanghai → Europe
Arrive back in Europe
Europe (Munich / home city)
Arrive in Munich or your home city, mirroring the original tour's ending. Sort onward transport home and start planning the next one.
🚌Onward transport as booked
🛏Home
- →Arrival in Europe
- →Onward transport home
Self-launched vs. Bavaria Fernreisen
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Bavaria Fernreisen | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,980 | £2,450 |
| Duration | 15 days | 15 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £470 per person (19%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Bavaria Fernreisen-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,980
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Round Trip China & Japan — Self-Launched Version cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,980 per person for 15 days in China & Japan. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Bavaria Fernreisen?+
Yes — Bavaria Fernreisen charges around £2,450 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,980 — a saving of roughly £470 (19%) per person.
How long is the China & Japan trip?+
This itinerary runs 15 days, covering 15 day-by-day stops through China & Japan.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, budget trip through China & Japan, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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