Self-Launched Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka: 9 Days Independent City Stays
9 days · Japan
Globus charges £5,000
No-markup version: ~£1,245 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Globus's 9-day Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka city-stay itinerary. You'll hit the same headline sights — Meiji Shrine, Tokyo Skytree, Asakusa, Kinkakuji, Fushimi Inari, Gion, Osaka Castle and Dotonbori — but on your own schedule, staying in hostels and budget business hotels, eating at konbini and local diners, and using the metro passes, a single shinkansen hop and cheap city buses instead of private guides and transfers. Japan is exceptionally easy to travel independently: signage is in English, trains run to the second, and everything in this itinerary is bookable yourself via Klook, GetYourGuide or at the ticket office. Costs below are rough backpacker/budget-traveller estimates per person (shared dorm or budget twin), excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Tokyo — land, SIM card, and settle in
Tokyo
Fly into Narita or Haneda and get yourself into the city. From Haneda the Keikyu Line or Tokyo Monorail to central Tokyo costs around ¥500-700 (£3-4); from Narita the Keisei Skyliner is ~¥2,570 (£14) or the cheap Keisei limited express ~¥1,030 (£6). Pick up a Japan eSIM online before you fly or a data SIM at the airport, top up a Suica/Pasmo IC card at the machine, and check into a hostel in Asakusa or a budget business hotel near Ueno/Shinjuku. Evening: wander your new neighbourhood, grab a ¥600-900 bowl of ramen or a konbini dinner, and sleep off the jet lag.
🚌Keikyu Line or Keisei Skyliner from airport (~£4-14); IC card for all city travel
🛏Hostel dorm in Asakusa or budget business hotel (Toyoko Inn / APA-type), ~£18-25/night
- →Airport transfer by local train
- →Pick up data SIM/eSIM and Suica card
- →Evening neighbourhood wander and cheap ramen dinner
Tokyo highlights: Meiji Shrine, Skytree, Asakusa & Samurai/Ninja Museum
Tokyo
Self-launch the guided Tokyo day using the metro and a 24-hour Tokyo Metro pass (~¥600/£3.20). Start early at Meiji Shrine in Shibuya (free) and walk to Harajuku's Takeshita Street. Head east to Asakusa: visit Senso-ji (Asakusa Kannon Temple) and browse the Nakamise shopping arcade for snacks. Pre-book the Samurai & Ninja Museum Tokyo ticket on Klook (~¥3,300/£18) for a short guided-in-house tour. Finish late afternoon at Tokyo Skytree: book the Tembo Deck (350m) or Tembo Galleria (450m) timed ticket online (~¥3,100-3,400/£17-18) for sunset views. Dinner in Asakusa or Ueno at a standing noodle bar or izakaya (~£12).
🚌24-hour Tokyo Metro pass ~£3.20
🛏Hostel dorm in Asakusa or budget business hotel, ~£18-25
- →Meiji Shrine & Harajuku walk (free)
- →Senso-ji Temple & Nakamise arcade (free)
- →Samurai & Ninja Museum ticket via Klook ~£18
- →Tokyo Skytree 450m ticket ~£18
Free day: Mount Fuji day trip or Tokyo neighbourhoods
Tokyo
Choose your own adventure. Cheapest Fuji option: take the JR Chuo Line to Otsuki then the Fujikyu Railway to Kawaguchiko (~¥2,500 one way, £14) and use the retro sightseeing bus around the lakes; or take a highway bus from Shinjuku (~¥2,000 each way). Alternatively, book a guided Mt Fuji + Hakone day tour on Klook/GetYourGuide (~£60-75) if you want it all handled. Staying local? Use your metro pass to hit Shimokitazawa, Nakameguro, Yanaka and the Tsukiji Outer Market for street food, plus a free Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck. Budget around £10-15 for food on top of transport.
🚌Fujikyu Railway round trip ~£28 or Tokyo Metro day pass ~£3.20
🛏Hostel dorm in Asakusa or budget business hotel, ~£18-25
- →Mount Fuji / Lake Kawaguchiko day trip (self-guided)
- →Tsukiji Outer Market street food
- →Shimokitazawa & Yanaka neighbourhood wandering
Shinkansen to Kyoto
Kyoto
Buy a reserved or non-reserved Hikari/Kodama shinkansen ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto (~¥14,000/£75; a JR Pass only pays off if you're doing more long-distance rail). The ride takes about 2h15m — grab an ekiben from the station. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in central Kyoto (Kawaramachi, Shijo or near Kyoto Station). Afternoon free: walk the Higashiyama lanes from Kiyomizu-dera down through Sannenzaka to Yasaka Shrine and Hanamikoji in Gion, or explore Nishiki Market for dinner bites.
🚌Shinkansen Tokyo→Kyoto ~£75; Kyoto city bus/metro ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in central Kyoto, ~£18-25
- →Shinkansen ride
- →Higashiyama & Sannenzaka walk
- →Nishiki Market food browsing
Kyoto: Kinkakuji, Sanjusangendo, Fushimi Inari & Gion
Kyoto
Recreate the guided Kyoto day on public transport. Start at Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion (¥500/£2.70), reached by city bus 205. Then take bus 205 back to Sanjusangendo (¥600/£3.20) to see its 1,001 Kannon statues. Afternoon: train on the Keihan or JR Nara Line to Fushimi Inari Taisha (free) and hike partway up the torii-gate trails. Evening: join a self-booked Gion walking tour on GetYourGuide (~£25) or explore Hanamikoji and Shirakawa canal on your own for free. Pick up a Kyoto bus day pass (~¥1,100/£6) if you're doing many hops.
🚌Kyoto city bus day pass and JR/Keihan fare ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in central Kyoto, ~£18-25
- →Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion ~£2.70
- →Sanjusangendo ~£3.20
- →Fushimi Inari hike (free)
- →Optional Gion guided walk ~£25
Free day: Nara day trip or deeper Kyoto temples
Kyoto
Take the Kintetsu or JR Nara Line from Kyoto to Nara (~¥720/£4, about 45-60 min) and spend the day with the deer in Nara Park, Todai-ji's Great Buddha (¥800/£4.30) and Kasuga Taisha. Alternatively stay in Kyoto and use a bus pass for Ryoanji, the Arashiyama bamboo grove and monkey park (¥600/£3.20 entry), or the Philosopher's Path. Cheap eats from Nara's Higashimuki arcade or Kyoto's Nishiki Market (~£15 for the day).
🚌Kintetsu/JR round trip to Nara ~£8, or Kyoto bus pass ~£6
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in central Kyoto, ~£18-25
- →Nara Park deer and Todai-ji ~£4.30
- →Kasuga Taisha lanterns
- →Alternative: Arashiyama bamboo grove & monkey park ~£3.20
Kyoto to Osaka — castle, Dotonbori & okonomiyaki
Osaka
Hop the JR Special Rapid or Hankyu Line from Kyoto to Osaka (~¥570/£3, 30-45 min). Drop bags at a hostel in Namba or Shinsekai and head to Osaka Castle (¥600/£3.20) and its surrounding park. Afternoon: explore Minami's Shinsaibashi shopping arcade and Namba's backstreets, then join a self-booked Osaka street-food walking tour on Klook/GetYourGuide (~£45) OR do it yourself: okonomiyaki at a local counter (~¥1,200/£6.50), takoyaki, kushikatsu in Shinsekai, and finish in Dotonbori under the Glico sign.
🚌JR/Hankyu Kyoto→Osaka ~£3; Osaka metro ~£3
🛏Hostel dorm in Namba/Shinsekai, Osaka, ~£15-22
- →Osaka Castle entry ~£3.20
- →Shinsaibashi & Namba wandering
- →Optional street-food tour ~£45 or DIY okonomiyaki dinner ~£7
Free day: Osaka neighbourhoods or Open-Air Museum of Farmhouses
Osaka
Two easy options. Culture option: ride the Osaka Monorail north to the Open-Air Museum of Japanese Farmhouses (¥500/£2.70) at Ryokuchi Park, or visit the excellent Osaka Museum of Housing and Living (¥600/£3.20). City option: day trip by Hankyu/Hanshin train to Kobe (~¥310/£1.70, 30 min) or to Nara, or stay put and explore Kuromon Market, Shinsekai's Tsutenkaku tower, and the Umeda Sky Building rooftop (¥1,500/£8). Spend the evening at a ¥1,000-1,500 izakaya in Ura-Namba.
🚌Local trains and metro ~£6
🛏Hostel dorm in Namba/Shinsekai, Osaka, ~£15-22
- →Open-Air Museum of Japanese Farmhouses ~£2.70
- →Umeda Sky Building roof garden ~£8
- →Kuromon Market food crawl
Depart from Osaka (Kansai Airport)
Osaka
Final konbini breakfast, then take the Nankai Rapi:t (~¥1,490/£8) or the cheaper Nankai Airport Express (~¥970/£5.20) from Namba to Kansai International Airport — about 45 minutes. If your flight is later, squeeze in one last coffee in Nakazakicho or a final Don Quijote souvenir run.
🚌Nankai Express from Namba to KIX ~£5-8
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Nankai train to Kansai Airport
- →Last-minute souvenirs
Self-launched vs. Globus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Globus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,245 | £5,000 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £3,755 per person (75%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Globus-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,245
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 Self-Launched Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka: 9 Days Independent City Stays cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,245 per person for 9 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 Globus?+
Yes — Globus charges around £5,000 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,245 — a saving of roughly £3,755 (75%) per person.
How long is the Japan trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 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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