Visions of Japan: Tokyo to Kyoto, Self-Launched
11 days · Japan (Honshu: Tokyo, Hakone, Matsumoto, Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara)
Globus charges £5,400
No-markup version: ~£1,465 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Globus's 11-day "Visions of Japan", covering the same classic Honshu circuit — Tokyo's shrines and craft traditions, Mt Fuji and Lake Ashi, Matsumoto Castle and a wasabi farm, Takayama's old town, the thatched village of Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa's Kenroku-en garden, and Kyoto with a Nara day trip. Instead of a 40-person coach and tour director, you'll use the Japan Rail Pass, express and local buses, and city metros, book craft workshops and cooking classes directly or via Klook/GetYourGuide, and stay in hostels, guesthouses and budget business hotels. All costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP; Japan is not a cheap destination, but the savings versus a guided coach tour are still substantial.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Tokyo
Tokyo
Land at Narita or Haneda and take the airport train or limousine bus into the city (Narita Express ~£18 to Shinjuku/Tokyo; Haneda monorail + metro ~£5). Check into a hostel or budget business hotel in Asakusa, Ueno or Shinjuku. Spend the evening wandering your neighbourhood, picking up a Suica/Pasmo IC card (~£10 loaded) and sorting your Japan Rail Pass if you bought one in advance. Early night to beat jet lag.
🚌Narita Express ~£18 or Haneda monorail + metro ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm or budget business hotel, Asakusa/Ueno (~£22-35/night)
- →Airport transfer by train or bus
- →Collect IC card (Suica/Pasmo)
- →Evening neighbourhood wander
Tokyo: Meiji Shrine, Asakusa and a tea ceremony
Tokyo
Start at Meiji Shrine early (free entry) before the crowds, then head to Asakusa to see Senso-ji (Asakusa Kannon Temple) and browse the Nakamise shopping arcade for souvenirs and snacks. In the afternoon book a calligraphy lesson with a master calligrapher (small studios in Asakusa/Yanaka take direct bookings, ~£25-40) and a short tea ceremony (~£20-30, bookable via Klook or GetYourGuide). Dinner at a local izakaya or standing soba bar (~£12).
🚌Metro day of hops ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm or budget business hotel, Asakusa/Ueno (~£22-35/night)
- →Meiji Shrine (free)
- →Asakusa Kannon Temple & Nakamise arcade
- →Calligraphy lesson (~£30, book direct)
- →Tea ceremony (~£25, Klook/GetYourGuide)
- →Izakaya dinner
Tokyo: free day in Ginza and Shibuya
Tokyo
A flexible day to explore at your own pace. In the morning wander Ginza's department stores and the Tsukiji Outer Market for street food breakfast (~£10). Afternoon in Shibuya — see the scramble crossing, people-watch from a café, and check out the small shops of Harajuku. If there's a baseball game at Tokyo Dome or the Jingu Stadium, grab a cheap standing/upper-deck ticket (~£15-25) for the full Japanese fan experience.
🚌Metro ~£6
🛏Hostel dorm or budget business hotel, Asakusa/Ueno (~£22-35/night)
- →Tsukiji Outer Market street food
- →Ginza & Shibuya exploring
- →Optional baseball game (~£20)
Tokyo to Hakone: Mt Fuji, cable car and Lake Ashi
Hakone / Mt Fuji area
Ride the shinkansen from Tokyo to Odawara (~40 min, covered by JR Pass or ~£25 one way), then the Hakone Tozan bus/train up into the hills. Buy a Hakone Free Pass (~£40, covers the round trip, cable car, ropeway and pirate ship) — take the cable car and ropeway for Mt Fuji views (weather permitting) and cruise Lake Ashi. Overnight in a Hakone guesthouse or hostel near Gora or Sengokuhara; onsen bath in the evening is a must.
🚌Shinkansen + Hakone Tozan ~£10 extra with JR Pass; Free Pass ~£40
🛏Hakone guesthouse or hostel, shared room (~£35-45/night)
- →Shinkansen Tokyo-Odawara
- →Hakone Free Pass: cable car, ropeway, Lake Ashi cruise (~£40)
- →Onsen soak at accommodation
Hakone to Matsumoto to Takayama
Matsumoto / Takayama
Travel via Odawara and Nagoya by shinkansen/limited express to Matsumoto (roughly 3.5-4 hours total, JR Pass covers it). Visit the black-and-white 'Crow Castle' Matsumoto Castle (entry ~£4). En route, detour to a local wasabi farm in the Azumino valley (Daio Wasabi Farm, free entry, ~£2 bus from Hotaka) — try wasabi ice cream (~£3). Continue by limited express to Takayama (2 hrs) and check into a guesthouse in the old town; dinner at a local set-menu restaurant (~£12).
🚌JR Pass covers most legs; local buses ~£4
🛏Takayama guesthouse or budget ryokan (~£30-40/night)
- →Matsumoto Castle (~£4)
- →Daio Wasabi Farm & wasabi ice cream (~£5)
- →Scenic rail journey through the Japanese Alps
Takayama old town and sake tasting
Takayama
Morning at the Miyagawa morning market with the locals, then visit Takayama Jinya, the preserved Edo-era government house (~£5). Spend the afternoon in the San-machi Suji historic district, popping into sake breweries for tastings (many offer small tasting sets for ~£3-5; several are free with a purchase). Optional upgrade: swap tonight's guesthouse for a traditional ryokan with dinner and breakfast (~£90-120 for the night) — book well ahead in spring and autumn.
🚌On foot
🛏Takayama guesthouse (~£30-40/night) or optional ryokan (~£100)
- →Miyagawa morning market
- →Takayama Jinya (~£5)
- →Sake tasting in San-machi Suji (~£5)
- →Optional ryokan night (~£100)
Shirakawa-go and on to Kanazawa
Shirakawa-go / Kanazawa
Take the Nohi bus from Takayama to Shirakawa-go (~50 min, ~£15, book online; the scenic route runs through the Shokawa valley). Wander the UNESCO-listed Gassho-Zukuri thatched farmhouses and visit the open-air museum (~£4). Catch the afternoon bus on to Kanazawa (~1h15, ~£12). If time allows, book a gold leaf craft class in Kanazawa's Higashi Chaya district (~£15-20, direct or via Klook) — Kanazawa produces almost all of Japan's gold leaf.
🚌Nohi buses ~£27 total
🛏Kanazawa hostel or budget hotel near the station (~£25-35/night)
- →Nohi bus through Shokawa valley
- →Shirakawa-go thatched village & open-air museum (~£4)
- →Gold leaf craft class (~£18)
Kenroku-en and Kanazawa to Kyoto
Kanazawa / Kyoto
Morning at Kenroku-en, one of Japan's three great gardens (~£3), including the Kasumigaike pond and its famous Kotoji lantern. Walk through the Nagamachi samurai district and the Omi-cho market for lunch (~£8). In the afternoon take the Thunderbird limited express from Kanazawa to Kyoto (~2h15, covered by JR Pass or ~£25). Check into a Kyoto hostel or guesthouse near Kyoto Station or Gion and take an evening stroll through Gion's lantern-lit streets.
🚌Thunderbird limited express (JR Pass) or ~£25
🛏Kyoto hostel or guesthouse (~£28-40/night)
- →Kenroku-en garden (~£3)
- →Nagamachi samurai district
- →Omi-cho market
- →Evening walk in Gion
Kyoto: Kinkakuji, Yuzen dyeing and Sanjusangendo
Kyoto
Catch the bus to Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion (~£3), early. Book a Yuzen dyeing workshop in central Kyoto (~£25-35, direct booking; you keep your dyed handkerchief as a souvenir). Afternoon at Sanjusangendo, home to 1,001 gilded Kannon statues (~£4). Optional evening: a small-group Gion walking tour via GetYourGuide (~£20-25) or independent temple-hopping through Higashiyama.
🚌City buses ~£5
🛏Kyoto hostel or guesthouse (~£28-40/night)
- →Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion (~£3)
- →Yuzen dyeing workshop (~£30)
- →Sanjusangendo (~£4)
- →Optional Gion walking tour (~£22)
Kyoto: Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu and a cooking class
Kyoto
Get to Fushimi Inari Shrine at sunrise to walk the torii gates without crowds (free). Then head to Kiyomizu Temple (~£3) and the Higashiyama lanes. In the afternoon take a Japanese cooking class with a local chef — miso soup, teriyaki chicken and makizushi (~£45-60, book via Klook or GetYourGuide; many include a kimono rental add-on for ~£15). Evening free in Pontocho alley for yakitori (~£12).
🚌Train + bus ~£5
🛏Kyoto hostel or guesthouse (~£28-40/night)
- →Fushimi Inari Shrine at sunrise (free)
- →Kiyomizu Temple (~£3)
- →Japanese cooking class (~£50)
- →Optional kimono rental (~£15)
- →Pontocho alley dinner
Nara day trip and farewell dinner
Kyoto / Nara
Take the Kintetsu or JR train to Nara (~45 min, ~£5 each way). Walk from Nara Park to Todaiji Temple to see the giant Daibutsu Buddha (~£5), feed the deer, and continue to Kasuga Taisha shrine with its stone lanterns. Return to Kyoto in the late afternoon for a farewell dinner at an izakaya or ramen bar (~£15). Departure the next morning — the JR Pass covers the shinkansen back to Tokyo (~2h15) or continue onward to Osaka/Kansai Airport.
🚌Kintetsu/JR to Nara ~£10 return
🛏Kyoto hostel or guesthouse (~£28-40/night)
- →Nara Park deer
- →Todaiji Temple & Daibutsu (~£5)
- →Kasuga Taisha shrine
- →Farewell izakaya dinner
Self-launched vs. Globus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Globus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,465 | £5,400 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £3,935 per person (73%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Globus-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,465
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 Visions of Japan: Tokyo to Kyoto, Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,465 per person for 11 days in Japan (Honshu: Tokyo, Hakone, Matsumoto, Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara). 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 Globus?+
Yes — Globus charges around £5,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,465 — a saving of roughly £3,935 (73%) per person.
How long is the Japan (Honshu: Tokyo, Hakone, Matsumoto, Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara) trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through Japan (Honshu: Tokyo, Hakone, Matsumoto, Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara).
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, foodie, city-breaks trip through Japan (Honshu: Tokyo, Hakone, Matsumoto, Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara), 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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