A Taste of Japan – Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka by Explore! – 12-Day Tour Review

Japan makes a fine meal of contrasts: one day you’re tasting sushi near Tokyo’s old fish market, the next you’re walking past thatched farmhouses in the mountains. This 12-day route joins Tokyo, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto and Osaka by train and bus, with local food built into the sightseeing.

I like the mix of hands-on food experiences, from cooking okonomiyaki to making wagashi, and the change of pace at the family-run minshuku in Takayama. You get a taste of daily life as well as headline sights, without needing to plan every train ride and meal yourself.

The trade-off is a full schedule, with frequent walking and several travel days. And the exact tour is no longer offered, so check current departures before planning around it.

What makes this Japan tour distinctive

• Tokyo’s food stops are more than lunch breaks: Visit Tsukiji Outer Market, try sushi, browse kitchenware on Kappabashi Street and sample sweets in Asakusa.
• Takayama adds a rural pause: Stay one night in a family-run minshuku, with futon beds, tatami mats, shared bathrooms and a home-cooked dinner.
• Shirakawago brings mountain architecture into focus: See the steep-roofed gassho-zukuri farmhouses at this UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Kyoto mixes craft, ritual and big-name sights: Make matcha, visit temples and shrines, and taste sake at a museum.
• Osaka closes on local specialties: Try kushikatsu and takoyaki on a street food tour, then share a shabu-shabu dinner.
• Small-group travel keeps the logistics manageable: Groups are limited to 10 to 16, and an English-speaking Explore leader accompanies the tour.

Tokyo opens with seafood, gardens and street snacks

Your first day is mainly for arrival. The hotel is the Asakusa View Hotel, and check-in is at 3pm, with luggage storage available if you arrive earlier. A welcome meeting is planned for 6:30pm for those in town, followed by an optional meal at an izakaya, a casual Japanese restaurant where dishes are often ordered to share.

On Day 2, you start at Tsukiji Outer Market. The former inner market, known for its tuna auctions, moved in 2018 and is not open to tourists, so set your expectations on the outer market’s shops, food stalls and seafood displays. An included sushi lunch gives you a proper meal rather than just a look around.

Hamarikyu Gardens offer a welcome change of pace, with traditional garden design set against the city’s modern buildings. Then Kappabashi Street gives you a look at Japan’s kitchen trade: pottery, knives, chopsticks and the realistic plastic food models seen outside many restaurants. The day ends with sweets along Asakusa’s Nakamise Shopping Street, where you might try rice crackers or red-bean-filled cakes.

Day 3 shifts from shrine quiet to Harajuku’s youth fashion streets. Meiji Jingu’s wooded grounds feel removed from the city, while nearby Takeshita Street is known for its shops, cafes and street food. You cook your own okonomiyaki at lunch, with guidance, then choose a dessert from the street carts. The afternoon and evening are free, giving you a useful chance to slow down or make your own Tokyo plans.

Two evenings in Tokyo are otherwise open. That’s good for flexibility, though diners hoping for a sought-after restaurant should book ahead. The tour does not include every meal, so there’s room to follow your own appetite and budget.

Takayama and Shirakawago bring a slower Japan

Day 4 is a long rail transfer from Tokyo to Takayama, via Nagoya. The journey takes about four to five hours, followed by a walk through Takayama’s Sanmachi Suji old town. Its wooden merchants’ houses date back as far as 300 to 400 years, a reminder of the region’s skilled carpenters and prosperous trading past.

You also visit Hida No Sato, an open-air museum of original Edo-period houses. It’s a useful introduction to rural architecture before the night in a minshuku, a family-run country guesthouse. Expect a more traditional and simpler setup than in the city hotels: twin rooms with futon bedding on tatami and shared bathroom facilities. Dinner is cooked and served by the host family, an element that several past guests especially valued.

The next morning brings a market visit and a chance to try Hida beef as a grilled skewer or nigiri sushi. Then a public bus follows the Shogawa River Valley to Shirakawago. The village’s gassho-zukuri houses have steep thatched roofs designed for heavy snowfall; some are more than 250 years old. The large attics once supported silkworm raising, making the houses both striking and practical.

You continue by bus to Kanazawa later in the day. Main luggage is forwarded ahead on the Takayama-to-Kanazawa leg, so you’ll need to pack a day bag for the overnight stay. This kind of luggage transfer makes the rural stop easier, but you should plan what you need for the night.

Kanazawa pairs a celebrated garden with food crafts

Kanazawa’s Day 6 program begins at Kenrokuen, a garden developed over nearly two centuries and spread across more than 11 hectares. It is counted among Japan’s three most celebrated gardens, and its careful design makes it a strong counterpoint to the compact streets and market stalls.

Lunch is temaki sushi, a hand-rolled cone of toasted seaweed, rice and your choice of fillings. Afterward, you try making wagashi, traditional sweets shaped from red-bean paste and mochi dough. These activities make the food focus tangible: you’re not only tasting regional dishes, you’re learning how they are put together.

The afternoon is free. You could walk through Higashichaya, a well-preserved geisha district, or explore the old samurai quarter. Myoryuji, often called Ninja Temple for its defensive features, is another option, but a visit is listed as optional. Check opening arrangements and timing locally rather than assuming you can simply drop in.

Kyoto gives you temples, matcha and sake

On the way out of Kanazawa, the group visits Omicho Market, where seafood arrives from the Sea of Japan. You then take the train to Kyoto with day bags while the main luggage is sent ahead. After settling in, the tour visits Nijo Castle, built as a shogun’s palace in 1603. The notable details are its extensive gardens and nightingale floors, which chirp underfoot.

A walk through Gion follows, with the hope of seeing geisha or maiko on their way to work. Keep this respectful and realistic: the visit is a chance to experience the district, not a promise of a sighting. Dinner is an included izakaya meal of shared small plates, a relaxed way to sample several flavors.

Day 8 takes you by train to Uji, a center of high-quality green tea. Byodoin Temple, known for its Pure Land Buddhist architecture, appears on Japan’s ten-yen coin. Matcha sweets and ice cream make the tea connection deliciously clear before you return to Kyoto for a tea ceremony in Higashiyama. You learn to prepare matcha yourself, then finish at Kiyomizudera Temple, known for views over the city.

The following morning is free, with Nishiki Market a natural choice for pickles, snacks and Kyoto dishes. Later, Fushimi Inari Shrine brings its famous vermilion torii gates, followed by the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, where you learn about sake production and taste different varieties. Teppanyaki dinner ends the day with cooking in full view of the table.

Kyoto is a highlight, but it’s also a city where you could easily spend more time. This tour gives you a strong introduction, not an exhaustive visit. If you want long, unstructured temple days, the guided schedule may feel brisk.

Osaka finishes with street food and city views

A short train ride takes you to Osaka, where you visit Osaka Castle. The current tower is a 1930s reconstruction of a 16th-century structure, set in a large park with views across the city. That evening, a street food walk in Shinsekai introduces kushikatsu, deep-fried skewers, and takoyaki, batter-filled octopus bites.

The final full day explores Namba and Dotonbori. Namba Yasaka Shrine is unusual for its enormous lion-head-shaped performance stage, while Dotonbori is known for its bright signs, restaurants and the Glico Man figure. From the Umeda Sky Building, you get a 360-degree city view. The afternoon is free, then the group meets for shabu-shabu, a hot pot meal of thinly sliced meat and vegetables cooked in broth.

The sequence makes sense: you finish with Osaka’s food culture rather than trying to cover every museum or neighborhood. The last morning is open after breakfast. Airport transfers are unescorted, by train or shared shuttle bus, with the tour leader advising on the route and timing.

What the pace, lodging and price mean for you

This is a medium-intensity group trip, but that label shouldn’t be mistaken for little walking. You’ll explore on foot, use public transport, and walk between stations, sights and hotels. Comfortable shoes are essential. The group size of 10 to 16 is small enough for a guide to help coordinate the day, while still large enough that group timing matters.

The accommodation mix is practical rather than luxurious: 10 nights in three-star hotels and one night in a simple minshuku. A single-room supplement is listed from NZ$490, but the minshuku night is shared-room accommodation with shared bathrooms, so a single room is not available there. Confirm current room arrangements before booking.

The overall tour price is not provided here, so I can’t judge a specific quote. To assess value, weigh the included train and bus travel, leader, 11 breakfasts, three lunches, five dinners and listed activities against what you would spend arranging this route yourself. Several meals are left open, which gives you choice but means you should budget for extra food and personal activities. International flights and travel insurance are not included.

The food is a real strength, not a token theme. You get market tastings, sushi, okonomiyaki, Hida beef, wagashi-making, matcha, sake, teppanyaki and Osaka street food. Feedback on past departures particularly praised the meals, the Takayama homestay and the guide’s care. One past group had a leader named Irene, but guide assignments vary, so don’t assume she’ll lead your departure.

There is an important booking caveat: this exact tour is no longer offered, and no departure months are currently listed. Check with Explore or a tour seller for an updated version before building travel plans around these dates.

Should you book this Japan route?

Choose this trip if you want a guided first visit that joins Japan’s major cities with a mountain-town overnight, and you’d rather learn through food than spend every day in museums. The mix of market walks, cooking, temple visits and rail travel gives you variety without requiring you to manage each transfer yourself.

Look elsewhere if you want a slow holiday, private bathrooms every night, or lots of open time for independent sightseeing. The schedule is full, and the exact tour described here is no longer available. If a current version is offered, compare its dates, lodging and inclusions carefully. For the right schedule, it’s a strong way to taste Japan’s regional character as well as its best-known sights.

FAQ

How long is the tour, and where does it start and end?

The tour lasts 12 days. It starts in Tokyo and ends in Osaka.

What is the group size and minimum age?

The group size is 10 to 16 people, and the minimum age is 16.

What accommodation is included?

The package includes 10 nights in comfortable hotels and one night in a simple, family-run minshuku in Takayama. The minshuku has twin rooms with futon beds and shared bathrooms.

Can I book a single room?

Single rooms are listed from NZ$490, but they are not available on the minshuku night. Confirm availability and the current supplement with the operator.

How much walking should I expect?

Expect plenty of time on your feet while exploring cities, visiting sights and getting between stations and hotels. Comfortable shoes are recommended.

Which meals are included?

The tour includes 11 breakfasts, three lunches and five dinners. Other meals are not included, leaving you free to choose local restaurants.

Is this exact tour currently available?

No. The exact tour is no longer offered, and no departure months are currently listed. Check for a current version before making plans.