This tour not only visits the famous sights of Japan including Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Mt Fuji and Tokyo, but is brimful of experiences allowing you to immerse yourself in the local culture, from traditional tea ceremonies to origami.
Our Experience Japan tour will see you exploring the most iconic sites, delving into deep-rooted culture and dining on delicious cuisine and thoroughly researched to bring you a range of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, many of which are entirely exclusive to us.
See the famous Japanese Macaques bathe and play.
Visit Kotokuin Temple which houses Japan’s second tallest bronze buddha statue
Visit a historic Kyoto-fan house to try your hand at the art of Japanese fan painting
Enjoy a peaceful cruise on Lake Ashi and soak up the views of famous Mount Fuji
Visit an historic Kyoto-fan house to try your hand at the art of Japanese fan painting, practised for over a thousand years and still alive today.
Stroll through the scores of vast torii gates to the 800-year-old Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, a beautiful structure dedicated to the god of samurai in the heart of Kamakura.
Explore the fascinating cultural heritage of Tokyo, learn what shaped this most impressive city and get a glimpse of what life was like through the ages at theTokyo-Edo Museum
Fly to the lively, fast-paced city of Osaka! Depending on your time of arrival, the rest of the day is at leisure to start soaking up the local culture.
Visit the impressive Osaka Castle before cruising along the Yodogawa River. After lunch, continue to Nara and enjoy a leisurely walk through Nara Park to Todaiji Temple and admire the traditional Isuien Garden before returning to Osaka.
Journey by road to Kyoto. Capital for 1,000 years, this enchanting city is the epitome of traditional Japan. Start with a visit to Togetsukyo Bridge located in the heart of the vibrant district of Arashiyama and stroll through the bamboo forest with its towering and impressive thickets. Also visit Ryoanji Temple, home to Japan's most famous zen garden and the famous 'Golden Pavilion' Kinkakuji Temple. Enjoy some free time this afternoon to further explore the city.
Begin the day with a visit to one of Kyoto's most famous sites – Fushimi Inari Shrine, renowned for its 10,000 vermilion torrii gates and follow a forested hillside pathway passing numerous shrines along the way. Later, enjoy the age-old rituals of a tea ceremony with a tea master, and try your hand at origami. After lunch, your immersive experience continues with a fan painting class where you will learn the technique of this highly refined and sought-after visual art.
Spend the morning travelling by bullet train to Nagoya and then journey on the limited express train to Nagano. Upon arrival, head to Jigokudani Yaen-Koen and walk through a picturesque, forested valley to the hot pools where you can search for the famous Japanese macaques (snow monkeys) - sighting not guaranteed. Also visit the 7th-century Zenkoji Temple, one of Japan's most popular Buddhist temples, before continuing by road to Matsumoto.
Begin the day with a visit to the magnificent 16th-century Matsumoto Castle, also known as 'Crow Castle', due to its intense black exterior. Next, head to a miso house and learn about the process of making this famous Japanese seasoning. After lunch, visit a sake brewery and enjoy a tipple or two! There will be some free time this afternoon to further explore Matsumoto.
Travel by road to the Fuji Five Lakes area. Ascend by road to the 5th Station to view Mt Fuji (weather permitting). Also, enjoy a peaceful cruise on Lake Ashi before taking to the skies on the Komagatake Ropeway to enjoy the breathtaking scenery below. Continue to Mishima and stay overnight.
Journey to Kamakura, a popular coastal city located south of Tokyo. Visit Kotokuin Temple, which houses Japan's second tallest bronze buddha statue, followed by a stroll through Komachi Street which is lined with pretty little shops before visiting Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Kamakura's most important shrine. After lunch, continue to Tokyo and enjoy a leisurely walk though Hamarikyu Gardens.
Begin the day by ascending to the observation deck at the Tokyo Skytree, the world's tallest tower for panoramic views over the city below. Next, head to the old district of Asakusa and soak up the atmosphere at Sensoji, Tokyo's oldest and most famous temple, before browsing the stalls on Nakamise shopping street. After lunch, explore the Tokyo National Museum to learn about Tokyo's historical heritage. End the day with a cruise on the waters of Tokyo Bay and enjoy dinner from the perfect vantage point to admire the supercharged lights of the city.
Fly to New Zealand, arriving home the same or following day.
All of our tour departures include international flights and taxes in the price unless a land only option is selected
We have a selection of dedicated departures for solo travellers. These departures feature a maximum group size of 18 and exclusive benefits including a single room throughout your tour, complimentary return airport transfers (within 50km radius of major Australian airports) and a cocktail on arrival at your destination. Travellers from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne also receive a complimentary Australian airport lounge pass for use prior to departure.
Extend your holiday or break up your journey with one of our extensions and stopovers. Choose from city breaks or some beach time, or spend more time in your chosen destination.
I always treat my tour groups like a family, making sure that everyone is happy throughout the tour. I am very passionate about Japanese history. If anyone is interested in learning about Samurai or the Meiji Restoration, you'll have to come to Japan and ask me!
A special thank you to Yoko our National Escort, whose friendly, professional and organised approach to the holiday made sure everything ran smoothly and made the trip to Japan so memorable.Mr Degville
It is great being able to explore my own country with different people who can offer a different perspective. I ensure my groups experience our culture as much as possible, because travel isn't just about the things that you see, it's also about the things you do.
Our National Escort Takako Kaneko made the holiday. She was excellent, informative, hardworking and had obviously researched information for us.Mr Mcintosh
I love sharing the culture of my country with visitors, that's why I become a tour guide! From noodles and sake to classical gardens and temples, learning about our culture is surely the best way to understand more about Japan as a whole.
Our National Escort Michiyo 'made' this holiday with her charm, knowledge, lots of interesting details and her send of humour.Mrs Brownridge
It's such a pleasure to introduce Japan to people from all over the world and explore its culture, history and traditions, as well as its unique cuisine. Along with this, I enjoy taking care of each and every member of the tour group, which is why I love being a tour guide.
Michiyo was fantastic and went out of her way to make it a memorable experience. We would absolutely use Wendy Wu Tours again.
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All of our tours offer a single room supplement, which means you’ll have a room to yourself throughout your chosen tour. Continue the check-out process for the applicable supplement.
On most tours, you can choose our 'Happy to Share' option, which may enable you to share a twin room with other solo customers of the same gender who also request Happy to Share. If a share partner is found, the Single Supplement will be removed from your booking. If a share partner is not found, the Single Supplement will remain and is payable with your final balance.
If you are booking on a Dedicated Solo departure, a single room is already included in the price and there are no additional single supplements to pay.
With our flight inclusive option, we'll do the planning for you and meet you on arrival.
We include airport pickup upon arrival at your destination and drop off at the end of your tour (on the scheduled tour arrival and departure days) and when booking pre or post tour accommodation with us.
We partner with established and reputable airlines for your international flights.
We can assist with upgrading your seat to premium or business class for an additional cost.
Our team will work with you to choose your ideal routing and if we make changes to your tour itinerary that impact flights, we’ll rebook them for you.
Our On-Tour Support Team is available to provide advice about how to handle flight changes.
