Twelve days that use three different lines to draw a loop most visitors never attempt. Tokyo first, east and west. Then the Hokuriku Shinkansen north-west to Kanazawa — Kenroku-en, the samurai lanes, the tea-house districts — and the Hida limited express up into the mountains to Takayama's wooden old town and morning market. Back down through Nagoya to Kyoto for two full days, Nara's deer, and the run west to Himeji, Hiroshima and Miyajima. Four regions, one pass, a reserved seat on every leg and your luggage sent ahead.
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🎫 Options
- Capacity
- 1+
- Itinerary
- 12 days · 12 stops
- 15:00
Arrival in Tokyo and rail pass activation · 240 min
Airport transfer, hotel beside Tokyo Station, pass activated and every seat on the trip reserved in one sitting at the JR office.
- 08:30
Old Tokyo: Sensō-ji, Ueno and Akihabara · 480 min
Sensō-ji before the crowds, the back lanes of Asakusa, Ueno Park and Ameyoko, then Akihabara in the afternoon.
- 09:00
Modern Tokyo: Meiji Jingū, Shibuya and Shinjuku · 480 min
Meiji Jingū through the forest, Harajuku straight afterwards, the Shibuya crossing, and Shinjuku's yakitori alleys once it is dark.
- 09:00
Tokyo → Kanazawa, Kenroku-en and Higashi Chaya · 480 min
Hokuriku Shinkansen north-west in 2h30. Kenroku-en, one of Japan's three great gardens, then the wooden tea-house facades of the Higashi Chaya district at golden hour.
- 08:30
Kanazawa: Ōmichō market, samurai quarter, modern art · 480 min
Breakfast of raw seafood at Ōmichō market, the earthen walls of the Nagamachi samurai quarter, gold-leaf workshops, and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art.
- 09:10
Kanazawa → Takayama, Sanmachi old town · 480 min
Through Toyama and onto the Hida limited express, which follows the river gorge into the mountains. Afternoon in the Sanmachi merchant streets, dark-timbered and largely unchanged, with sake breweries open for tasting.
- 07:00
Takayama morning market → Nagoya → Kyoto · 480 min
The riverside morning market at first light, then the Hida express down to Nagoya and the Shinkansen on to Kyoto — arriving in time for the lanterns of Gion.
- 08:00
Kyoto: Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera, Nishiki · 480 min
Fushimi Inari's torii tunnels early enough to have them nearly to yourself, then the stone lanes of Ninen-zaka up to Kiyomizu-dera, and Nishiki market for lunch.
- 08:30
Kyoto: Kinkaku-ji, Ryōan-ji and Arashiyama · 480 min
The Golden Pavilion at opening, the rock garden of Ryōan-ji, then Arashiyama for the bamboo grove, Togetsukyō Bridge and the Ōkōchi villa garden.
- 08:00
Nara's Great Buddha, on to Osaka · 480 min
Tōdai-ji, the deer of Nara Park and the stone lanterns of Kasuga Taisha, then the local line to Osaka and an evening in Dotonbori.
- 08:30
Osaka → Himeji castle → Hiroshima Peace Park · 480 min
Himeji Castle stands ten minutes from the platform — the finest surviving original keep in Japan. Back on the Sanyō Shinkansen to Hiroshima for the Peace Memorial Park in the late afternoon.
- 08:30
Miyajima, then departure · 480 min
JR ferry to Itsukushima Shrine timed to high tide, the ropeway up Mt. Misen, then back to Hiroshima for the Shinkansen east — or an onward flight from Hiroshima.
※ Actual timings vary with road conditions on the day.
🗺️ Route map
Tap a number to see that day
Day 1 — Tokyo
Airport transfer, hotel beside Tokyo Station, pass activated and every seat on the trip reserved in one sitting at the JR office.
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📍 Meeting / pick-up point
Airport transfer, hotel beside Tokyo Station, pass activated and every seat on the trip reserved in one sitting at the JR office.
🗺 View map →⏰ Please arrive at the meeting point 10 minutes before departure — the bus will not wait past the scheduled time.
- Tour guide
- Admission tickets to scheduled stops
- Transport during the tour
- Travel insurance per programme
- Meals not stated in the itinerary
- Personal expenses & souvenirs
- Optional tipping for the guide
How long does this tour last?+
The tour runs 12 days with 12 scheduled stops laid out hour by hour.
Where is the pickup?+
Pickup at Arrival in Tokyo and rail pass activation. 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?+
This is an OlaChill-operated tour with a tour leader throughout. Guiding is mainly in English.
Can I cancel or reschedule?+
Cancellation and date-change terms are in the notice section above — please read them before booking. Seasonal and camping tours hold reservations in advance, so their terms are tighter than day tours.
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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.