Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima end Tokyo by Europamundo – 7-Day Tour: Itinerary & Reviews

In seven days, this Europamundo tour carries you from Tokyo’s crowded crossings to Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park, with bullet-train rides linking Japan’s major sights. It is a fast way to get a first look at several very different parts of the country without planning every transfer yourself.

I like the mix of big-city landmarks and quieter places, especially Meiji Shrine, Nara Park, Kurashiki’s historic center, and Korakuen Garden. I also like that the long Tokyo-to-Kyoto and Hiroshima-to-Tokyo journeys are by bullet train, while local transport and many major admissions are arranged for you.

The trade-off is the pace: several days pack multiple cities and major attractions into one schedule, and guide assignments can change. The group can range from 2 to 72 people, so the feel of the tour may vary; some departures may also use a bilingual English and Spanish guide.

Key points to know before booking

• Tokyo Skytree reaches the Tembo Deck: Admission is included to the 350-meter viewing level, weather and operating conditions permitting.
• The route covers 11 destinations: Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Himeji, Okayama, Kurashiki, Miyajima Island, and Hiroshima are among the stops.
• Guide teams may change: Past tour teams have included guides named Ken, David, Midori, Patricia, and Jose, but no particular guide is guaranteed.
• Not every meal is included: Hotel breakfasts are provided, along with two dinners and two lunches as listed for the tour.
• The final day ends in Tokyo, not at the airport: The bullet train arrives at around 2:00 p.m.; onward airport transport is not included.
• The pace favors coverage over lingering: Expect guided sightseeing, city transfers, and walking, with limited free time at some stops.

A quick start in Tokyo

On arrival, a shared shuttle takes you from the airport to your hotel. The first afternoon is free, apart from a tour briefing, which gives you a useful window to recover from the flight or take a short walk nearby. Your first two nights are scheduled at Shinagawa Prince Hotel.

The hotel choices are four-star properties, but the tour describes them as selected for quality, price, and access to public transport, not luxury. Room sizes, bed sizes, and standards can differ between cities. Breakfast is included, though queues at the Tokyo and Kyoto hotels have been reported, so allow time if you have an early start.

Tokyo: temples, crossings, and the view from above

Day two is a long guided city tour, about seven hours, and it gives you a broad first orientation. At Zojoji Temple, look for the rows of small Jizo statues, guardians associated with children, dressed in knitted hats and bibs. Tokyo Tower provides a striking backdrop from the temple grounds.

Shibuya Crossing is viewed from the bus rather than explored on foot as part of the guided visit. That keeps the schedule moving, but if crossing the intersection yourself is on your list, use free time to return independently. The tour then visits Meiji Shrine, where the forested setting offers a calm contrast to the city streets.

Tokyo Skytree is a major payoff: admission to the Tembo Deck at 350 meters is included. The view can help you understand the sheer scale of Tokyo, though weather or other exceptional conditions may limit access. If that happens, an alternative city viewpoint is offered.

At Asakusa, you’ll walk along Nakamise Street, a well-known approach to Sensoji Temple. The return route passes Akihabara, known for manga and anime shops, and Ginza. These are pass-by visits, not extended neighborhood explorations, so save time later if you want to browse.

That evening, the group takes the subway to Shinjuku, with tickets included, for a guided walk and dinner at a local restaurant. This is one of the more practical touches: you get an introduction to a busy district and a meal without having to work out the first night’s transit alone. The guide accompanies the group back to the hotel by subway.

Kyoto: shrine gates and the Golden Pavilion

An early start takes you by bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto, a journey of nearly 500 kilometers in just over two hours. The train saves a long day on the road, but the sightseeing day is still full once you arrive.

Fushimi Inari Shrine is known for its rows of red torii gates. The tour includes a visit, but the schedule does not promise a long hike through the entire hillside complex. If walking farther through the gates matters to you, ask the guide how much time is available on your departure.

The day also includes Kyoto’s Imperial Palace and Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion, set beside gardens and water. These are two very different expressions of the old capital: one tied to imperial life, the other to the carefully composed temple setting that many people picture when they think of Kyoto.

Gion follows, with time to walk through the traditional district associated with geisha culture. Treat it as a living neighborhood, not a stage set, and follow local guidance about photography and respectful behavior. Free time afterward lets you choose whether to explore more or take a breather before the next morning’s departure.

Your scheduled hotel is the New Miyako Hotel. As with the other overnight stops, the location and hotel may vary in practice, and the operator notes that some dates may involve different overnight cities.

Nara and Osaka: a Buddha, deer, and city lights

The next day begins in Nara at Todaiji Temple, home to the Great Buddha. The scale of the temple and statue gives this stop a different feel from Kyoto’s gardens and shrines. Nara Park is next, where deer roam freely among people. Keep food and belongings secure, and remember that the animals are not props; give them space.

Osaka brings a change of tempo. The group takes a panoramic tour of Dotonbori, then you have free time for lunch before visiting Osaka Castle. The castle is a major historic landmark, though how much time you get to explore its grounds and interior depends on the day’s schedule.

The tour continues to Umeda, where the Umeda Sky Building is located. The listed visit is to the neighborhood, so do not assume that admission to the building’s viewing area is included. Your overnight stay is scheduled at Candeo Osaka Namba.

This is a day with several distinct stops, but not much room for long, unplanned visits. If Osaka’s food scene is a priority, use your lunch break purposefully and check how much free time the guide expects to allow.

Himeji and Okayama: castle walls and garden paths

Himeji Castle is one of the most substantial historical stops on the route. Admission to the castle complex is included, giving you a chance to see Japanese castle architecture up close rather than from a bus window. The day includes lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to Okayama.

In Okayama, Korakuen Garden offers a gentler change of pace, with lakes, waterfalls, and teahouses. It is one of Japan’s best-known gardens, and the paths invite a slower look than the city sightseeing earlier in the week.

Across a pedestrian bridge is Okayama Castle, a 16th-century structure rebuilt after wartime destruction. The visit covers the castle area, but entry to the interior is not included. You’ll have some free time in Okayama, an active provincial capital, before the next day’s journey.

The planned hotel is ANA Crowne Plaza Okayama. On some dates, the tour may stay in Fukuyama or Kurashiki instead, and the timing of the Kurashiki visit may shift. That flexibility is worth knowing if you are arranging independent plans around a particular overnight stop.

Hiroshima and Itsukushima: a day with two very different moods

Day six begins with Kurashiki’s historic center, where preserved buildings give you a quieter walk before the more sobering visits ahead. The tour then continues to Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome, and the Peace Memorial Museum. Museum admission is included.

Allow yourself room to take in the museum at your own pace. The subject is difficult, and the visit is more than a photo stop. The order of the Hiroshima visits may change, but the listed sites remain part of the day.

Later, a ferry takes the group to Itsukushima Island, also known as Miyajima. You’ll see the Great Torii Gate rising from the water and have time to visit Itsukushima Shrine and explore the island. Lunch is not listed as included here, so plan to buy it during your free time.

The combination of Hiroshima and Miyajima is a highlight, but it makes for a demanding day. You move from a memorial site and museum to a ferry and island visit, then return to Hiroshima for dinner at the hotel. The overnight stay is scheduled at Hilton Hiroshima.

The bullet train back to Tokyo

After breakfast, a transfer takes you to Hiroshima Station for the roughly four-hour bullet-train ride to Tokyo. Arrival is scheduled for around 2:00 p.m., and the tour ends there. Your onward trip to the airport is your responsibility, so check your flight time carefully and consider adding a night in Tokyo if the connection feels tight.

The return train is a useful part of the route rather than a small afterthought: it gets you back across Japan quickly, but it also means the tour ends in the middle of the afternoon rather than at an airport terminal.

What the price includes, and what it does not

The starting price is $2,785, based on the cheapest room option. For a seven-day trip, the value rests on how much planning and transport the tour handles: hotel stays, breakfast, an arrival transfer, intercity rail, guided sightseeing, many admissions, and several meals are included. The itinerary moves through a wide stretch of Honshu, and arranging each train, hotel, and major visit independently would take time.

Still, the price does not cover international flights, and not every meal or attraction is included. You’ll pay separately for lunches and dinners that are not specified as included, some optional visits, and your onward airport transport from Tokyo. Check the exact departure price and room arrangement before booking, since the advertised figure is a starting rate.

Accommodation is practical rather than lavish. The hotels have private bathrooms and televisions, and are generally near public transport, but they may not be in the heart of each city. If hotel location, room size, or a quiet breakfast matters greatly to you, review the assigned hotels for your dates and build in time for possible breakfast queues.

Guides, group size, and the tour’s pace

The tour is fully guided, with English-speaking service in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Guide assignments may change during the week, and the operator notes that some departures may be conducted in English and Spanish, either with two tour leaders or one bilingual leader. Past tour teams have included Ken, David, Midori, Patricia, Jose, and others; guide names and styles vary by departure.

That matters if you are booking specifically to join an English-speaking social group. The tour is advertised in English, but the broader group may include Spanish speakers, and one English-speaking participant has described feeling isolated in a mostly Spanish-speaking group. If the language mix is important to you, ask the operator what is planned for your exact departure rather than assuming everyone will share one language.

Group size ranges from 2 to 72. Guides have been praised for care, humor, and strong explanations, while service can vary as guide teams change. The schedule also draws criticism for feeling rushed on some days. You’ll get more out of it if you are comfortable following set meeting times and treating free time as a bonus, not the main event.

Who should book this Japan tour?

I’d consider this tour if you are visiting Japan for the first time, want to see several headline destinations in one week, and prefer having transport and major visits organized. It is also a sensible fit if you enjoy history and city sightseeing, can manage light walking, and are happy to share the week with a group.

I would think twice if you want long, unstructured stays in each city, a guaranteed English-only group, or a single guide from start to finish. Japan rewards time to wander, and this schedule offers more coverage than lingering. Book it for the route, the rail connections, and the convenience; add extra nights if you want room to explore Tokyo or Kyoto on your own.

FAQ

Are flights included in the tour price?

No. International flights are not included.

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts in Tokyo. After customs, a shared shuttle bus transfers you to the hotel.

Where does the tour end?

It ends in Tokyo after the return bullet train from Hiroshima, with arrival scheduled around 2:00 p.m. An airport transfer is not included.

Are meals included?

Hotel breakfast buffets are included. The tour also lists two lunches and two dinners, including dinner in Tokyo and Hiroshima and lunch in Himeji. Other meals are at your own expense.

Is admission to Tokyo Skytree included?

Yes. Admission is included to the Tembo Deck at 350 meters. Access may be limited by bad weather or other exceptional circumstances, in which case an alternative city viewpoint is offered.

How large can the tour group be?

The group size is listed as 2 to 72 people.