12 Days Japan Grand Luxury Tour Package by Delightful Travel – Tokyo to Osaka: Itinerary & Reviews

Japan’s big moments come thick and fast on this 12-day trip: a gilded shrine in Nikko, Fuji across Lake Kawaguchiko, Kyoto streets lined with old wooden facades, and Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial. It ends in Osaka, after a route that covers much of central Honshu without asking you to plan every transfer yourself.

I like the overnight at Lake Kawaguchiko, where a five-star onsen hotel includes a private bathing space, and the private-room kaiseki dinner with a maiko or geiko in Kyoto. Both give you more than a quick photo stop: they make room for a slower, more personal encounter with Japanese customs.

The trade-off is pace. You change hotels often, travel in a group that can reach 54 people, and spend many days moving between sights by coach. At a starting price of $7,374, check the currency, room basis and exact inclusions before you book.

What makes this Japan route worthwhile

• Nikko is a full-day excursion from Tokyo, with Toshogu Shrine, Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls, plus a traditional Japanese lunch.
• Lake Kawaguchiko brings the Fuji views and the private onsen, with Oishi Park and Oshino Hakkai on the route.
• Kyoto’s Gion dinner is a special evening, with a full kaiseki course and a maiko or geiko performance in a private room.
• Hiroshima and Miyajima share a day, combining the Peace Memorial Museum and Atomic Bomb Dome with a boat ride to Itsukushima Shrine.
• The trip mixes guided visits with free time, including independent evenings in Nagoya and Osaka.
• Hotel and transport costs are largely bundled, with 10 nights in four- or five-star hotels, one onsen hotel, coach transfers and a bullet train ticket included.

Tokyo begins with temples and palace gardens

Your tour starts at Narita or Haneda Airport. Hourly shuttle buses run to the hotel, and a private airport transfer is available as an extra. The trip information also describes a local guide meeting you at the terminal, so confirm which arrival service applies to your booking. Hotel check-in is after 3 p.m., leaving a little time to recover from the flight.

The first sightseeing day takes in the Imperial Palace Outer Gardens and the view of Nijubashi Bridge, then Senso-ji in Asakusa. Nakamise-Dori, the shopping street leading to the temple, is a practical place to browse for snacks and souvenirs. Tokyo Skytree is viewed from afar rather than visited, so don’t expect time at its observation decks.

This is a compact introduction to Tokyo’s contrasts: formal palace grounds, a busy temple approach and modern city views. You return to the hotel after dinner, though the schedule does not specify where that meal takes place.

Nikko’s shrine, lake and waterfall

Day three is a full-day trip from Tokyo to Nikko National Park. Toshogu Shrine is the main cultural stop, a UNESCO World Heritage site with a long history and elaborate shrine architecture. Your guide provides context, and a traditional Japanese lunch is included.

The day continues to Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls, adding a change of scenery after the shrine visit. Round-trip transport from Tokyo is included, which saves you the work of arranging a separate excursion. The downside is the amount of time spent on the road: this is a full day, not a quick side trip.

Fuji views and a private onsen at Kawaguchiko

On day four, you head from Tokyo toward Mount Fuji. The plan is to visit the 5th Station, but weather can change that to the Mount Fuji World Heritage Center. That flexibility is useful, though it cannot guarantee a clear view of the mountain.

Oishi Park is one of the best stops for a view across Lake Kawaguchi toward Fuji. Seasonal flowers add color at certain times of year, but the main attraction is the setting. You spend the night at Konansou or a similar hotel, with a private onsen included. The tour describes this as a private bathing space in your accommodation; it does not promise a traditional ryokan stay or a particular room style.

Lunch and dinner are included this day, as well as breakfast. For many people, this is the trip’s best chance to pause, soak and enjoy the Fuji area rather than simply pass through it.

Oshino Hakkai, Nagoya and the castle road to Kyoto

The next morning brings a stop at Oshino Hakkai, a cluster of eight ponds associated with an ancient lake. You also visit Bussharito Heiwa Park before continuing to Nagoya. At Osu Shopping District, you have time to wander independently, with dinner on your own. That free meal is a useful chance to choose what appeals to you, but it is also one of the evenings you should budget for separately.

Day six begins at Nagoya Castle, once the center of an important castle town. Lunch is included before the drive to Kyoto. The program notes a visit to UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto, but does not name specific sites for this day, so ask what is planned for your departure.

The route is efficient, but hotel changes come quickly. You stay in Nagoya for one night, then move to Kyoto, so keep your day bag and overnight essentials easy to reach.

Kyoto’s old lanes and a private kaiseki dinner

Kiyomizu-dera, founded in 778, is the focus of the morning. From there, you walk the historic Ninenzaka and Sannezaka streets, where traditional-style buildings and shops make this one of Kyoto’s most atmospheric areas. Expect walking through streets and temple grounds, even though the tour’s overall activity rating is low intensity.

Later, the itinerary heads to Gion, Yasaka Shrine and Hanamichi Street. The high point is dinner in a private room: a full kaiseki meal accompanied by a maiko, an apprentice geisha, or a geiko, a fully trained geisha. This is a structured cultural experience rather than a chance encounter in the street, and the private setting gives you time to focus on the meal and performance.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included. For a departure in May 2024, guide Kit and the driver were praised for their knowledge of Japanese culture and for accommodating a request to add experiences outside the planned schedule. That is encouraging, but the trip is still a group tour, so don’t assume every day can be changed to suit individual preferences.

Fushimi Inari, Nara deer and Osaka after dark

On day eight, you visit Fushimi-Inari Taisha, then travel to Nara Deer Park and Kasuga Taisha Shrine before reaching Osaka. Nara’s deer roam freely around the park, making the visit a lively change from temple sightseeing. The schedule includes lunch, but the time available at each stop is not specified.

The day ends around Shinsaibashi, a shopping area in Osaka. Dotonbori is nearby, with restaurants, bars, cafés and theaters, and the evening is yours to explore. This is a good chance to try Osaka’s food scene at your own pace, though dinner is not included.

The day covers several stops and a transfer, so it may feel full. If you want more time in Nara or a leisurely evening in Osaka, ask how long the group typically spends at each place.

Okayama gardens and Kurashiki’s canal district

The route continues west to Okayama and Kurashiki. At Okayama Korakuen, you visit one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens, a broad garden known for carefully designed views and paths. Ohashi House offers a look at traditional Japanese architecture in a nationally important cultural property.

In Kurashiki, the Bikan Historical Area is known for white-walled buildings and willow trees along the river. You have time to explore, with dinner on your own. This overnight provides a quieter counterpoint to Tokyo and Osaka, though it adds another hotel move.

Hiroshima and Miyajima: remembrance and sea views

Day ten begins with Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Museum and the Atomic Bomb Dome. The museum and memorials address the bombing and its human consequences, with a focus on peace. Give this visit the attention it deserves; it is more than a quick sightseeing stop.

After lunch, you take a boat to Miyajima and visit Itsukushima Shrine, famous for its setting by the sea and forest. The shrine has more than 1,400 years of history. The water and weather affect how the site looks, so the view may vary from the familiar images you have seen.

Dinner is included, and you stay overnight in Hiroshima. The combination of a serious historical visit and a scenic island can be emotionally and physically full, but it gives the day a meaningful range.

Bullet train back to Osaka, then departure

After breakfast on day eleven, you take the bullet train from Hiroshima to Osaka. The afternoon and evening are free, giving you one last chance to revisit a favorite neighborhood or explore a part of the city you missed. You stay again at The Royal Park Hotel Iconic Osaka-Midosuji or a similar hotel.

On day twelve, breakfast is followed by a transfer to the airport. The tour ends at Kansai International Airport, although the transfer information also refers to Osaka Airport or a nearby airport. Confirm your departure airport and transfer details before booking flights.

What the price includes, and what it does not

The advertised starting price is $7,374, based on the cheapest room. The supplied information does not state the currency, and separate booking answers quote Australian-dollar prices for different arrangements. Treat the headline price as a starting point, not a final quote, and ask for the total in your currency with the room type and any single supplement made clear.

The package includes 10 nights in four- or five-star hotels, one night at an onsen hotel, an English-speaking guide or guide-driver, listed meals, entrance fees, coach transfers and a bullet train ticket. The kaiseki dinner with a maiko or geiko and the Hiroshima visit are included. Flights, travel insurance, personal spending, and meals or drinks not listed are extra.

At this price, value depends on how much you want someone else to organize. The route covers many destinations and includes costly hotel nights, transport, admissions and signature experiences. If you prefer slow travel, few hotel changes or independent rail travel, you may find the group schedule less appealing, even if you like the places.

The group size is listed as 4 to 54, with a minimum of four purchases. If there are too few people, the operator says the payment is fully refunded. Vegetarian meals can be arranged, and the tour welcomes all ages. Payment requires a 50% deposit, with the balance due 95 days before departure; interest-free installments every two weeks are also offered.

Should you book this Japan tour?

I’d consider this trip if you want a broad first visit, comfortable hotels and the convenience of arranged transport, with a few memorable experiences beyond standard sightseeing. The private onsen, Kyoto dinner and Hiroshima-Miyajima day give the schedule some character.

I’d look elsewhere if your priority is spending several nights in each city, choosing every meal, or traveling mainly by train without a large group. Before paying, confirm the currency and final room price, the airport transfer arrangement, what happens on the Kyoto UNESCO-sites day, and the exact group size for your departure.

FAQ

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts in Tokyo, with arrivals at Narita or Haneda Airport, and ends in Osaka. The listed international departure point is Kansai International Airport.

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts 12 days, with 11 hotel nights: 10 nights in four- or five-star hotels and one night at an onsen hotel near Lake Kawaguchiko.

What is the starting price?

The advertised price starts at $7,374 and is based on the cheapest room. The currency is not specified in the tour information, so confirm the currency and total price before booking.

What is the group size?

The group size is listed as 4 to 54 people, and a minimum of four purchases is required.

Is the tour guided in English?

Yes. An English-speaking guide or guide-driver is included. The tour is described as partially guided, with some free time for independent exploring.

Is the Mount Fuji 5th Station visit guaranteed?

No. The plan is to visit the 5th Station, but the Mount Fuji World Heritage Center is the alternative if the weather is unpleasant.

Is the private onsen included?

Yes. One night at an onsen hotel near Lake Kawaguchiko is included, with a private onsen at the accommodation. The information describes it as a private bathing space, not necessarily a traditional ryokan stay.

Is the kaiseki dinner with a geisha included?

Yes. The Kyoto dinner includes a full kaiseki course and a maiko or geiko performance in a private room.

Are meals included every day?

No. Meals listed in the daily schedule are included. Some meals, including dinner in Nagoya and Kurashiki, are left to your own arrangement, and unlisted meals and drinks are extra.

Are flights and travel insurance included?

No. Flights and travel insurance are not included. Travel insurance is recommended as a separate purchase.