Ancient & Modern Japan
- Tour Operator:
- Exodus Travels
- Max group size:
- 16
- Age range:
- 16 to 99
- Operated in:
- English
- Tour id:
- 33210
Places You’ll See
Highlights
- Enjoy the atmospheric Kyoto
- Feed deers in Nara Koen Park
- visit Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima
- Explore Takayama's morning market
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Itinerary
- Introduction
- Day 1: Start Kyoto
- Day 2: Visit Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), Ryoanji temple and Nijo castle; followed by Nishiki Market and historic Gion
- Day 3: Day trip to Nara, ancient capital of Japan. Visit impressive Unesco temples including Toda-ji, housing the largest bronze statue of the Buddha in the world
- Day 4: Free day in Kyoto; relax in one of the many Zen gardens, walk the popular Philosopher’s Path or experience a traditional tea ceremony
- Day 5: Day trip to Hiroshima; visit Peace Memorial Park and the pretty island of Miyajima
- Day 6: Travel from Kyoto to Takayama, a traditional old town set amid the Japanese Alps; visit the Hida Folk Village (dinner)
- Day 7: Orientation tour in Takayama and free day to explore the peaceful shrines and temples (breakfast,dinner)
- Day 8: On to the medieval village of Tsumago; short leisurely walk on the Nakasendo trail; train to Matsumoto (breakfast)
- Day 9: Visit Matsumoto Castle and travel by train to the spa town of Yudanaka; soak in a hot spring (dinner)
- Day 10: See the much-loved snow monkeys before travelling by train to Tokyo; evening orientation tour (breakfast)
- Day 11: Optional trip to Hakone or to the lovely seaside town of Kamakura
- Day 12: A full-day city tour of Tokyo, including the Senso-ji Temple
- Day 13: Free day for further exploration; optional karaoke farewell night
- Day 14: End Tokyo
What's Included
- Accommodation
- Guide
- Meals
- Additional Services
- Transport
- Flights
- Insurance
- Optional
- Additional Services
Where You'll Stay
Operated by Exodus Travels
For almost 50 years Exodus has been a pioneer of active small group adventure tourism that gives back to the communities they visit through sustainable guided and self-guided tours, ranging from Responsible Wildlife to Walking and Trekking, Cycling, Cultural, Family and Polar adventures to 90+ countries worldwide. Winner of the 2021 National Geographic Reader Awards for The Operator, 2021 Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards, 2021 USA Today Awards, 2020 British Travel Awards and 2019 National Geographic Traveller Reader Awards they have a vast range of trips across seven continents. Their award-winning local guides have hosted over 250,000+ travellers on adventures across the globe. Whether it is solo travellers, couples, groups or families, Exodus offers an incredible choice of trips for all ages and activity levels. Operating in 90+ countries with 500+ tours, Exodus insists on low impact tourism and contributing to local communities through their registered non-profit The Exodus Travels Foundation. Exodus understands the importance of regenerative travel, now more than ever. Their recent Rewilding initiative guarantees that for every person who travels with them, they rewild 100 sq metres. Exodus is dedicated to creating incredible adventures that are run responsibly, so as the world reopens, travellers can continue to book and travel with confidence. Do we also care about the communities and environments we go to visit? Exodus has always been and will always be a responsible tour operator. It is in our DNA to work hard to look after what we so prize. We work closely with all our overseas partners to run our tours in the best possible ways, we train our leaders, we actively seek out specific projects so that we can make a real practical difference on the ground. But please do not just take our word for it. We have won several awards and we ask you, our clients, to check what we do on the ground so that we can make improvements where needed. Why do we do all this? Quite simply we love the places we go and we love sharing those great experiences with like minded people.
Read moreSustainability Initiatives
Reduce Carbon Emissions
Animal Welfare
Supporting Destinations
Sustainability Programs
Customer Reviews
- Overall RatingExcellent
- ItineraryGood
- GuideExcellent
- TransportGood
- AccommodationGood
- FoodExcellent
- OMOrlando· May 6th, 2019The positive: The tour covered a large number of very beautiful and interesting places and provided a rich overview of both classic and modern Japan. As such the tour fulfills the promise of its title and description. Most of the members of our 14... Show moreTrip date: March 2019
- SHSusan· March 30th, 2019The tour covered most of the things I wished to see in Japan and more. Ayaka was brilliant taking us to various destinations on trains, buses, a ferry and the metro in Tokyo without losing any of us. Our trip to Mount Fuji was superb. The rain stopped... Show moreTrip date: March 2019
- NDNena· December 9th, 2018The itinerary was packed full but this allowed us to see so much around Japan in a short period of time. Lots of walking and use of public transport but that was apart of the fun. Our tour leader Yōko was sweet, organised and helpful in any situation.... Show moreTrip date: November 2018
- LJLinda· June 5th, 2017My tour of Modern and Ancient Japan was amazing. Great communications, coordination, accommodations, and tour guide that was exceptional!Trip date: May 2017
- LJLinda· June 5th, 2017My tour of Japan for 16 days was all and more than I expected. Communications was excellent, coordination and actual program was wonderful. Our tour guide was not only personable, but professional, competent, and very supportive.Trip date: May 2017
- AAnn Fortune (nee Sainter)· January 3rd, 2013This trip was a great mix of guided time and time (with planning assistance) to do our own thing. We got to see an enormous range of places and the use of public transport meant we got comfortable and confident with getting ourselves around very... Show moreReview collected by Exodus Travels
- AGillian Hobbs· January 2nd, 2013The Ancient and Modern Japan trip exceeded our expectations. The balance between urban and more rural life was excellent as was the travel on local transit and the free time to explore on our own. Both guides (Catherine and Alexi) were outstanding.What... Show moreReview collected by Exodus Travels
- AFiona Lovatt· September 2nd, 2012A really fantastic trip covering many varied aspects of Japan, with so many opportunities to learn about the country and culture as every day was fascinating. I left with so many amazing memories.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?There... Show moreReview collected by Exodus Travels
- AAngelika Hayward· May 15th, 2012I really enjoyed visiting this fascinating country. There were many new impressions and images. Japan is quite different to the other countries in Asia that I have visited so far. What I missed on the trip was a view from the inside. Although our tour... Show moreReview collected by Exodus Travels
- ARobert Salmon· April 22nd, 2012We enjoyed every minute of it. It combined a wealth of opportunites to get closer to an understanding of the Japanese view of life with many of the 'must see' sites. Add to that the exposure to a fantastic cuisine and a great bunch of fellow travelers,... Show moreReview collected by Exodus Travels
Dates & Availability
Pay-by-instalments
Take advantage of our 0% interest instalment plan on selected departures. Learn More
- Monday3 Apr, 2023Sunday16 Apr, 2023EnglishMultiple Room Types$7,849
- Monday10 Apr, 2023Sunday23 Apr, 2023EnglishMultiple Room Types$7,849
- Sunday16 Apr, 2023Saturday29 Apr, 2023EnglishMultiple Room Types$7,379
- Sunday7 May, 2023Saturday20 May, 2023EnglishMultiple Room Types$7,379
- Sunday14 May, 2023Saturday27 May, 2023EnglishBased on Twin ShareSee Similar Tours For These Dates$7,379
- Get Instant ConfirmationSunday17 Sep, 2023Saturday30 Sep, 2023English$7,3790% Interest Instalments
- Get Instant ConfirmationSunday24 Sep, 2023Saturday7 Oct, 2023EnglishMultiple Room Types$7,3790% Interest Instalments
- Get Instant ConfirmationSunday1 Oct, 2023Saturday14 Oct, 2023EnglishMultiple Room Types$7,3790% Interest Instalments
- Get Instant ConfirmationSunday8 Oct, 2023Saturday21 Oct, 2023EnglishMultiple Room Types$7,6790% Interest Instalments
- Sunday15 Oct, 2023Saturday28 Oct, 2023English$7,6790% Interest Instalments
Frequently Asked Questions
- When and where does the tour end?
The tour will end in the morning on the last day of the tour at Hotel Metropolitan Ikebukuro in Tokyo. Those on the group flights to London (additional cost) will be transferred to Tokyo Narita Airport in the evening, however, if you are not travelling on the group flight, you can take advantage of a free airport transfer by limousine bus to Narita or Haneda airport (only if staying at Hotel Metropolitan Ikebukuro). Please be aware the hotel is subject to change until your final documents are released.
- When and where does the tour start?
The first day of the tour generally starts from Noku Roxy Hotel (subject to change) in Kyoto and as the first day is just an arrivals day, you can arrive at any time. At approximately 5pm there is a Welcome Meeting which you can attend if you wish and you will meet your guide and fellow travellers.
- What are the optional excursions?
The optional excursions for this tour are:
Obuse museum. Price: approx. GBP 5
Gion Corner ‐ theatre show (Kyoto). Price: approx. GBP 23
Zen gardens ‐ (Kyoto). Price: approx. GBP 2‐5 each
Tea ceremony ‐ (Kyoto). Price: approx. GBP 35‐40
Kabuki show. Price: GBP 7‐15
Please note that this list is a guideline only and all prices are subject to change. - Can you assist with booking additional accommodation?
Of course, we can! Once you have a confirmed booking on this tour, we can request additional accommodation for you with the tour operator.
- What is the age range?
This tour has an age range from 16 to 80+ years old. Unfortunately, this means that children under the age of 16 are not eligible to participate in this tour.
- Is there a hotel list available?
All accommodations are subject to change until 4-6 weeks before the departure date. After the booking is made you will be issued your final trip documents with your specific accommodation details. That being said, this is a list of accommodations that they typically stay at, but please be advised that they are subject to change:
Kyoto: Noku Roxy
Takayama: Murayama Ryokan or Muhyokan Ryokan
Matsumoto: Kagetsu Hotel
Nagano/Yudanaka: Yorozuya Yurakuan Annex
Tokyo: Metropolitan Hotel Ikebukuro - Are the flights included?
Flights before and after the tour finishes are not included in the tour price. However, if you are flying from the UK, Exodus can offer you a package that includes flights, if you are interested in this option please contact our customer support team for more information.
- Do I need a visa?
As a tour booking website, TourRadar cannot organise visas for you on your behalf as the visa requirements are regularly being updated and vary for the nationality of one traveller to the next. It is for this reason that we recommend checking with your local embassy or consulate website for the latest up to date information.
- Do you arrange airport transfers?
Airport transfers are included depending on your flight arrival/departure transfer and if you can meet the group transfer, please contact our customer support team for more information once your booking is confirmed.
- I'm a solo traveller, is there a single supplement?
If you are a solo traveller and you don't mind sharing you will be roomed with a fellow traveller of the same gender for no additional cost. If you would prefer your own private room this can be arranged for an additional cost, which you select on the booking page after you have clicked 'Book Now' on the departure you are interested in.
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