Japan: Tokyo Nights & Kyoto Temples — Self-Launched
6 days · Japan
G Adventures charges £830
No-markup version: ~£700 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' 6-day 18-to-Thirtysomethings Japan trip: neon Tokyo, an onsen night in traditional Takayama in the Japanese Alps, and temple-hopping in Kyoto — all by public transport (Shinkansen, local trains, buses) staying in hostels and one family-run minshuku. Costs are rough estimates for a budget traveller in GBP; Japan is not cheap, but skipping the group tour and booking direct typically saves several hundred pounds.
Day-by-day
Arrive Tokyo — Shinjuku neon
Tokyo
Land at Narita or Haneda and take the Keisei Skyliner (~2,570 JPY / ~£13, 40 min from Narita) or the Tokyo Monorail (~500 JPY / ~£2.60 from Haneda) into the city. Check into a hostel dorm in Shinjuku or Asakusa (£18-25/night). Spend the late afternoon wandering Shinjuku's Omoide Yokocho alley for yakitori dinner (£8-12) and Golden Gai's tiny bars for a first-night drink (£5-8 cover + drink in many bars). No group welcome meeting needed — just get your bearings.
🚌Keisei Skyliner or Tokyo Monorail + subway (~£13)
🛏Hostel dorm, Shinjuku or Asakusa (~£20)
- →Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho food alley
- →Golden Gai bar hopping
- →Night walk through Kabukicho
Tokyo highlights on foot
Tokyo
Self-guided loop: start at Meiji Shrine (free, donations welcome) in Yoyogi Park, walk Harajuku's Takeshita Street for crepes and vintage shops, then continue to Shibuya Crossing for the scramble photo op. Afternoon: subway to Asakusa for Senso-ji Temple (free) and Nakamise shopping street, then Akihabara for anime/electronics if that's your thing. If you'd rather have context, a GetYourGuide/Klook Tokyo walking tour runs ~£25-40. Buy a 24-hour Tokyo Metro pass (~600 JPY / ~£3) or just tap IC card.
🚌Tokyo Metro day pass (~£3)
🛏Hostel dorm, Shinjuku or Asakusa (~£20)
- →Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park
- →Harajuku Takeshita Street
- →Shibuya Crossing
- →Senso-ji Temple and Nakamise Street in Asakusa
- →Akihabara electronics and anime district
Bullet train to Takayama and an onsen night
Takayama
Ride the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Toyama (~2h10, ~12,500 JPY / ~£63 reserved) then the Hida limited express to Takayama (~1h30, ~6,000 JPY / ~£30, or a cheaper highway bus from Toyama). A Japan Rail Pass is only worth it on longer itineraries, so buy point-to-point tickets. Afternoon: wander Takayama's Sanmachi Suji old town — sake breweries (tastings 300-500 JPY), craft shops and morning-market stalls. Book a family-run minshuku or small ryokan with an onsen (¥6,000-10,000 / £30-50 per person shared, futon on tatami, shared bath). Note: many onsens restrict visible tattoos — check ahead or book a private bath.
🚌Shinkansen Tokyo-Toyama + Hida limited express (~£93)
🛏Minshuku/ryokan with onsen, futon, shared bath (~£40)
- →Sanmachi Suji old town walk
- →Sake brewery tasting on Sake Street
- →Onsen soak at the inn
- →Hida morning market (next morning)
Hida Folk Village, then train to Kyoto
Kyoto
Morning: Hida no Sato open-air folk village (700 JPY / ~£3.50), a 10-minute bus from town, or rent a bike (1,000-2,000 JPY / £5-10). Late morning take the Hida limited express to Nagoya (~2h20, ~6,800 JPY / ~£34) and connect to the Shinkansen to Kyoto (~35 min, ~5,500 JPY / ~£28). Check into a hostel in downtown Kyoto (£18-25/night). Evening: walk Gion's Hanamikoji street at dusk (free) hoping to spot geiko heading to appointments, then dinner at an izakaya in Pontocho alley (£10-15) and optional karaoke (1,000-2,000 JPY / £5-10 per hour).
🚌Hida limited express + Shinkansen (~£62) + local bus (~£2)
🛏Hostel dorm, central Kyoto (~£22)
- →Hida no Sato folk village
- →Gion and Hanamikoji evening walk
- →Pontocho izakaya dinner
- →Karaoke in Kawaramachi
Kyoto temples and tea ceremony
Kyoto
Self-guided temple day: get up early for Fushimi Inari's torii gates before the crowds (free, JR Nara line to Inari, ~150 JPY). Then Kiyomizu-dera (400 JPY / ~£2) and the Higashiyama lanes, or north to Kinkaku-ji (500 JPY / ~£2.50). Optional: a tea ceremony in a machiya house (2,500-4,000 JPY / £13-20, book via GetYourGuide or walk-ins in Gion) and a calligraphy class (~3,000 JPY / £15). Consider an afternoon trip to Nara for deer and Todai-ji (JR line ~45 min, ~720 JPY each way). Buy a Kyoto city bus day pass (700 JPY / ~£3.50) if you're covering several sites.
🚌JR local trains + city bus day pass (~£8)
🛏Hostel dorm, central Kyoto (~£22)
- →Fushimi Inari torii gates
- →Kiyomizu-dera and Higashiyama lanes
- →Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion
- →Tea ceremony experience
- →Optional Nara day trip to Todai-ji
Last morning and departure
Kyoto
Slow breakfast at a kissaten coffee shop (£5-7), a last wander through Nishiki Market for snacks and souvenirs, then head out. If flying from Kansai (KIX), the Haruka express takes ~75 min (~3,000 JPY / ~£15); from Tokyo, a Shinkansen back to Tokyo is ~14,000 JPY / ~£70. No group farewell — just swap contacts and go.
🚌Haruka express to Kansai Airport (~£15)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Nishiki Market food stalls
- →Kissaten breakfast
- →Last-minute souvenir shopping
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£700 | £830 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £130 per person (16%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£700
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 Japan: Tokyo Nights & Kyoto Temples — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £700 per person for 6 days in 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £830 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £700 — a saving of roughly £130 (16%) per person.
How long is the Japan trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through 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, foodie trip through 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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