Japanese Alps & Hokuriku 7-Day Tour: Matsumoto, Takayama, Shirakawa-go & Kanazawa
✨ Highlights
A loop through the mountains that most first-timers miss: the black castle of Matsumoto, the preserved merchant streets and morning markets of Takayama, the thatched farmhouses of Shirakawa-go, and Kanazawa with its samurai lanes, geisha teahouses and the Kenroku-en garden. Two ryokan nights with mountain kaiseki, one private car for the valley roads, and the Hokuriku Shinkansen back to Tokyo.
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🎫 Options
🚘 Private Alphard with driver · whole trip
🚘 The price is for the WHOLE private Toyota Alphard (7-seater, up to 6 guests) with driver for all 7 days, 8 hours a day — not per person; 2 or 6 travellers pay the same. Hotels, admission tickets, meals and tolls/parking are charged at cost (we book them on request). A licensed guide can be added on request.
- Refund & cancellation policy →
- Pay online when you book
From¥509,740/car · up to 6 guests
- Capacity
- 1+
- Itinerary
- 7 days · 15 stops
- 15:00
Airport pick-up · 120 min
Driver at arrivals, to your Tokyo hotel.
- 18:30
Shinjuku evening · 120 min
An easy first dinner in Omoide Yokocho. Overnight: Tokyo.
- 08:30
Tokyo → Matsumoto · 240 min
Three hours west by car through Yamanashi (or the Azusa express while the car follows). Matsumoto Castle's black keep and Nakamachi's storehouse street, soba for lunch.
- 14:30
Kamikochi (mid-April to mid-November) · 180 min
Ninety minutes into the Alps: the Kappa Bridge and the Azusa river walk under Hotaka. Closed in winter — the car goes to Narai-juku's post town instead. Overnight: Matsumoto or Kamikochi.
- 09:00
Over the Alps via Hirayu · 180 min
The mountain road to Hida, a stop at Hirayu Onsen's outdoor baths or the Shinhotaka Ropeway for the 2,000 m view.
- 13:30
Takayama old town · 300 min
Lunch of Hida beef, the Sanmachi merchant streets, sake tasting at the breweries, a ryokan dinner. Overnight: Takayama (2 nights).
- 08:00
Miyagawa morning market · 150 min
Pickles, apples and mitarashi dango along the river, then Takayama Jinya's magistrate's house.
- 11:30
Hida Folk Village · 180 min
Thatched farmhouses moved from the valleys, lunch, an afternoon of craft workshops.
- 15:30
Free afternoon · 150 min
Higashiyama temple walk or shopping for Hida woodwork; a second onsen night. Overnight: Takayama.
- 09:00
Shirakawa-go · 240 min
An hour north. The gassho farmhouses from the Shiroyama viewpoint, Wada House, lunch in the village; the car parks outside so the visit is unhurried.
- 14:00
On to Kanazawa · 240 min
Ninety minutes to the coast; Higashi Chaya's teahouse district at golden hour, dinner in Katamachi. Overnight: Kanazawa (2 nights).
- 08:30
Kenroku-en & Kanazawa Castle · 180 min
The garden at opening, then the castle's restored gates and the 21st Century Museum next door.
- 12:00
Omicho Market · 150 min
Seafood bowls at the market, gold-leaf ice cream, Kanazawa lacquer shops.
- 15:00
Nagamachi samurai lanes · 150 min
Earthen walls and the Nomura house, then Nishi Chaya for a last quiet street. Overnight: Kanazawa.
- 09:00
Hokuriku Shinkansen → Tokyo · 300 min
About 2.5 hours to Tokyo by shinkansen; the car follows with luggage and delivers it to your hotel or the airport.
※ Actual timings vary with road conditions on the day.
🗺️ Route map
Tap a number to see that day
Day 1 — Haneda
Driver at arrivals, to your Tokyo hotel.
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📍 Meeting / pick-up point
⏰ Please arrive at the meeting point 10 minutes before departure — the bus will not wait past the scheduled time.
💰 Price for your group
Per-person split
Same vehicle price whatever the group size — the more of you, the less per person. Groups above 6 add a second vehicle.
✓ Included
- Private Toyota Alphard (up to 6 guests) with professional driver, 7 days × 8 hours
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off every day
- Fuel and the driver's time within the daily 8 hours
- Route planning and WhatsApp/LINE support from OlaChill
✗ Not included (charged at cost)
- Hotels and ryokan (we book them for you on request, charged at cost)
- Admission tickets, meals, Shinkansen/train tickets (at cost)
- Expressway tolls and parking (at cost)
- Driver's lodging on nights away from the base city (quoted before booking)
- Licensed guide — available as an add-on on request
- Extra hours beyond 8/day (charged at the Alphard hourly rate)
How long does this tour last?+
The tour runs 7 days with 15 scheduled stops laid out hour by hour.
Where is the pickup?+
Pickup at Airport pick-up. Once your booking is confirmed we'll email the GPS map plus detailed directions.
What's the minimum group size?+
Min 1 guest. If the minimum isn't reached we'll contact you before departure to suggest an alternate date or issue a full refund.
Which languages is the guide available in?+
Guided packages are currently available in: English. If you need a guide in another language, leave a note when booking and we will check availability (surcharge applies).
Can I cancel or reschedule?+
Cancellation and date-change terms are in the tour's notice section
🗾 Related tours
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¥19,000
Kamikochi–Hakuba Autumn Tour, 2 Days 2 Nights by Night Bus — from Tokyo, Nagoya or Osaka
¥29,000
Kamikochi–Hakuba–Matsumoto Autumn Camping Tour, 2 Days — a tent night in the red-leaf valley
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Tateyama 2-Day 1-Night Autumn Camping Tour — Alpine Route, Murodo, Mt. Tateyama trek
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⚠️ Must-read4 items · tap to read▾
- •Tours are guided mainly in English.
- •In severe weather (typhoon, heavy snow…), a cancellation decision is made by 15:00 the day before departure and sent to your registered email/contact; weather cancellations are fully refunded.
- •Please be on time at the meeting point and every gathering point — the bus does not wait for latecomers; missed portions due to personal reasons are non-refundable.
- •The itinerary and time at each stop may be adjusted for traffic, weather or facility maintenance; in force-majeure cases a stop may be replaced with a comparable alternative.
📌 Other notes5 items · tap to read▾
- •One carry-on bag per guest on the bus; please store large luggage at your hotel or a locker near the meeting point.
- •Infants aged 0–2 without a seat join free; max one infant per adult; children must be accompanied by an adult.
- •Pregnant guests and those with medical conditions should consider carefully: long bus rides, and immediate medical care may not be available on some legs.
- •Lunch is not included unless the tour states otherwise — bring your own or eat at the stops.
- •Change/cancellation terms vary by tour — see the cancellation policy on each tour page before booking. If the tour itself is cancelled for weather/force majeure, you receive a full refund.