Japan Express 8-Day Tour by MW Tours Review

Japan Express gets you from Tokyo’s big-city neighborhoods to Kyoto’s temple lanes in eight days, with a memorable overnight in Hakone between them. The mix is appealing: a guided day to Mount Fuji, Lake Ashi and the Hakone Ropeway, then a night at a ryokan with hot spring facilities.

I like the room left for your own plans: you get a free day in both Tokyo and Kyoto, and guides handle key sightseeing days in English. The main caution is that it’s a partially guided group tour, not a personal escort from hotel to hotel. Confirm the exact hotels, meals and airport transfer details before booking, since these can shape the trip more than the headline price suggests.

Japan Express at a glance

• Fuji and Hakone share one packed day: Visit Fuji’s 5th Station, cruise Lake Ashi, ride the Hakone Ropeway and stay overnight in a ryokan.
• Two cities get guided sightseeing: A Tokyo morning covers Meiji Shrine, the Imperial Palace East Garden and Ginza; a full day in Kyoto visits Nijo Castle, Fushimi Inari and Kinkakuji.
• Nara is squeezed into the transfer day: After the bullet train from Hakone to Kyoto, you head out to Todaiji Temple, Nara Park and Kofukuji.
• There are two genuine free days: Use them to choose your own Tokyo and Kyoto priorities, or book a day at Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea.
• You need to pack light for Hakone: The tour suggests forwarding your main luggage from Tokyo to Kyoto, at your own cost, and carrying an overnight bag.
• Group size is small to fairly large: Departures can have 2 to 32 people. The tour is rated low intensity, but sightseeing includes walking and several full days.

Eight days from Tokyo streets to Kyoto temples

This is a compact introduction to Japan’s most familiar first-trip stops. You start with three nights in Tokyo, travel through Fuji and Hakone, then base yourself in Kyoto for three nights. The route includes a half-day Tokyo tour, a full Kyoto tour and a guided visit to Nara.

That structure is useful if you want someone else to arrange the main intercity moves and guide you through several major sites, but still want time to set your own pace. It’s not a slow, deeply local stay in any one place. You’ll get a sampler of the country, with some long days and only a few hours at many sights.

The tour is partially guided. Local English-speaking guides lead the scheduled excursions, but you make your own way back to your hotel after the Tokyo and Kyoto city tours, and both free days are yours to plan. No guide names are provided in the tour details, so expect assigned local guides rather than a named leader accompanying the group throughout.

Three Tokyo nights, with room to choose your own city

A representative meets you in the Tokyo arrival hall and transfers you to your hotel by shuttle. You stay there for three nights. That first evening is intentionally light: settle in, learn the route around your accommodation and resist the urge to plan an ambitious outing before you’ve recovered from the flight.

On Day 2, you meet the guide in Shinjuku, with the meeting point listed as to be confirmed. The morning includes Meiji Shrine, a peaceful wooded shrine complex, and the Imperial Palace East Garden. You then have time in Ginza, a useful contrast to the quiet shrine grounds, before the tour ends at Tokyo Station around 1:15pm. From there, you shop or head back to the hotel independently by local transport.

The half-day format leaves the afternoon open, but it also means you should be comfortable navigating the city without the guide. Tokyo Station is a practical place to end: it’s a major transport hub, though the station area itself can take a little patience to find your way around.

Day 3 is completely free. Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea are listed as options, or you can choose another neighborhood or suburb. The freedom is a real plus, especially if you have a specific interest the group tour doesn’t cover. It also means admission, transport and any activities you choose are your responsibility.

Before turning in, pack an overnight bag for Hakone. Arrange luggage forwarding from Tokyo to Kyoto directly with your hotel at least 24 hours ahead. That service is not included, so ask about the cost and delivery arrangements before you hand over your bags.

Fuji, Lake Ashi and a Hakone ryokan

Day 4 starts early. Meet the guide in the Keio Plaza Hotel lobby at 8:25am, though the meeting location may change. You travel to Mount Fuji’s 5th Station, where the tour describes views from above the clouds. Fuji is the day’s big draw, but the schedule cannot promise clear views, so treat the stop as a chance to see the mountain rather than a guaranteed postcard moment.

Lunch is included. Afterward, you cruise on Lake Ashi and take the Hakone Ropeway up the mountain, with views over the lake. The day brings together several different ways of seeing the area, but it’s also a full touring day with multiple transfers. Keep essentials in your overnight bag and follow the guide’s timing closely.

After the tour, you’re taken to Hakone Station and continue to your ryokan for the night. Hot spring facilities are available, making this the trip’s most distinctly Japanese overnight. Check what clothing and bathing arrangements apply at the particular property, since the accommodation name and details are not specified here.

Bullet train to Kyoto, then an afternoon in Nara

On Day 5, you leave Hakone and take the second-class bullet train from Odawara to Kyoto, a journey of about two and a half hours. Once in Kyoto, you walk to your hotel, then meet the guide at Kyoto Station by 1:15pm for the Nara excursion.

That timetable makes for a busy transfer day. You’ll visit Todaiji Temple, known for its monumental scale, Nara Deer Park, where friendly deer approach visitors for food, and Kofukuji Temple. The deer are a charming part of the visit, but keep your belongings close and follow local instructions when feeding them.

Nara is a rewarding addition because it gives you a change of pace from Tokyo and Kyoto’s city streets, along with important temple sites. The tradeoff is limited time to settle into Kyoto before you head out again. Your hotel is described as a two-minute walk from Kyoto Station on your return, which is convenient after a long day.

Kyoto’s headline sights, then a day on your own

Day 6 is a full guided tour, starting at Kyoto Station after breakfast. You visit Nijo Castle, Fushimi Inari Shrine and Kinkakuji, the Golden Temple. A traditional local lunch is included, and the tour ends at Kyoto Station. You make your own way back to the hotel.

This is efficient sightseeing, particularly if Kyoto is new to you and you want a guide to connect the stops. It also concentrates some of the city’s best-known places into one day. Expect the schedule to be guided by group timing rather than your own preferred pace, and use Day 7 to return to a favorite spot or explore somewhere the tour doesn’t cover.

The free day is a good chance to visit Gion’s traditional tea houses or look into a geisha performance. The tour notes that you may see a geisha at work, but that is not guaranteed. Kyoto’s local food scene is another reason to keep the day flexible: no other meals are included, so you can choose where and what to eat.

On Day 8, the morning is free before a shuttle takes you from Kyoto to Osaka Airport. The airport is named only as Osaka Airport in the details. Confirm which airport the transfer serves, along with the pickup time and how it fits your flight, before booking flights.

What the price covers, and what to verify

The advertised starting price is from $2,164, but that should be treated as a starting point, not a guaranteed final fare. The price basis is the cheapest room, and costs can change with date, room occupancy and season. A separate 2026 price note gives $3,099 per person on a twin-share basis, with a $300 high-season surcharge for specified dates. A single supplement is also listed. Ask for a current, date-specific quote before comparing this tour with alternatives.

The package includes seven nights of accommodation, daily breakfast as specified, English-speaking local guides on scheduled excursions, the listed lunches, airport shuttle transfers and a second-class bullet train ticket from Odawara to Kyoto. A low-season accommodation upgrade is listed at $400 per person on a twin-share basis.

International flights, travel insurance, tips, other meals, personal spending, visas if required and Tokyo-to-Kyoto luggage forwarding are not included. The difference between the advertised price and your real trip cost can add up, particularly if you travel solo, choose peak dates or rely on optional activities during your free days.

Accommodation deserves a close check. The itinerary promises daily breakfast, but one September 2022 stay found the Kyoto hotel did not provide it, despite the hotel being new and well located. That same stay described the Tokyo hotel as older, uphill from the subway and inconvenient, while the Kyoto property was a positive point. Properties can change, so ask for the hotel names, exact location and written breakfast confirmation for your departure.

There is a similar reason to verify the airport transfer. The itinerary includes a shuttle from Kyoto to Osaka Airport, while a September 2022 account described a return transfer that did not include a car and involved walking to the subway in heavy rain. That does not establish what current departures provide, but it makes a practical question worth asking: what is the exact door-to-door arrangement, and what happens if the shuttle is unavailable?

The operator’s profile rating is 4.5 out of 5 across 80 reviews, while the tour itself has one listed rating of 2 out of 5. In that 2022 account, the tour operator was rated more favorably than the guide, accommodation and food categories. The sample is small and old, so it is not a reliable forecast of every departure. Still, the specific concerns about hotel convenience and transfers are easy to address in writing before you pay.

Who will get the most from this tour?

Japan Express suits first-time visitors who want the main route arranged but don’t need a guide beside them every hour. It’s a practical fit if Tokyo, Fuji, Hakone, Nara and Kyoto are your priorities, and you’re happy to take responsibility for free days, meals beyond those listed and local journeys after tours.

The group size runs from 2 to 32, and the minimum age is 12. The activity level is rated low, but you should be comfortable walking around temples and city sights, managing your own luggage and keeping to early meeting times. The Hakone luggage-forwarding advice is especially useful if you prefer not to carry a large suitcase between trains and overnight stops.

This route is less suitable if you want a private guide, long stays in each city or a deeply customized schedule. Hiroshima can’t be added as a middle-of-tour extension to the scheduled group departure, though additional nights may be arranged at the start or end, and the operator says it can create a tailored itinerary. Departure details also need checking: the tour information lists October, November and December, while a separate response says Sunday departures operate throughout 2027. Confirm your exact date and operating schedule directly.

Should you book Japan Express?

Book it if you want a short, organized introduction to Japan’s classic sights, value the bullet train and guided visits, and are comfortable filling in the gaps yourself. Fuji, the Hakone ryokan night, Nara and two Kyoto days give the trip a pleasing range for eight days.

Pause before paying if the exact hotel standard, included breakfast or airport transfer is central to your decision. Ask for the named properties, the current price for your dates, the luggage-forwarding charge and the departure-day shuttle details. If those answers suit you, this can be a useful route through Japan. If you want more time, less group scheduling or a Hiroshima stop, ask for a tailored plan instead.

FAQ

Are international flights included?

No. International airfares and taxes are not included.

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts in Tokyo and ends in Kyoto, with a shuttle from Kyoto to Osaka Airport on the departure day.

How many nights of accommodation are included?

Seven nights of accommodation are included. The tour describes accommodation options, so confirm the specific properties for your departure.

Are meals included?

Breakfast is listed daily. Lunch is included on the Fuji and Hakone day and the full-day Kyoto tour. Other meals are not included.

Is the tour guided every day?

No. It is partially guided. English-speaking local guides lead the scheduled Tokyo, Fuji and Hakone, Nara, and Kyoto excursions. You have free days in Tokyo and Kyoto.

How large is the group?

The group size is listed as 2 to 32 people.

What is the minimum age?

The minimum age is 12.

Is luggage transfer from Tokyo to Kyoto included?

No. Luggage forwarding is not included. The tour recommends arranging it through your Tokyo hotel at least 24 hours in advance and carrying an overnight bag to Hakone.

What train ticket is included?

A second-class bullet train ticket from Odawara to Kyoto is included. The journey is described as about two and a half hours.

Can I add extra nights or a Hiroshima visit?

Additional nights may be arranged at the beginning or end of the tour. The operator says it cannot add nights in the middle of a scheduled group tour, but it can offer a tailored itinerary.