Things to do in Japan
Day Trips from Tokyo8 optionsDay Trips from Osaka15 optionsMount Fuji Tours17 optionsDay Trips from Kyoto31 optionsGo Kart Tour Tokyo19 optionsShibuya Tour20 optionsTokyo City Tour10 optionsTokyo Imperial Palace Tour56 optionsAkihabara Tour34 optionsBike Tour Kyoto15 optionsHimeji Castle Tours28 optionsTokyo Walking Tour183 options
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Tokyo: Edo Castle & Imperial Palace Samurai Walking TourYou walk through the remains of Edo Castle and the Imperial Palace grounds with an expert guide and fewer than 10 other people, stopping at guardhouses, gates, and a watchtower to learn how samurai protected the shogun and how the 2,600-year imperial system survived. The Museum of the Imperial Collections shows you a scale model of the original fortress, and the tour ends at Tokyo Station after passing through a traditional Japanese garden. You'll need to walk up steep slopes and stairs, and there's a security check at the palace entrance.Is it for me?This tour works well if you want to understand samurai and imperial history through the actual places where it happened, without arranging your own route or guide—the small group size and expert commentary are what make the castle's defensive logic and the 2,600-year legacy come into focus.
Kintsugi Workshop Kyoto: Repair Ceramics with GoldA kintsugi workshop in Kyoto where you repair a ceramic piece using lacquer and gold powder, learning the Japanese philosophy behind the craft from an experienced instructor. The workshop lasts 90 minutes, includes your finished bowl or plate to take home, and runs in English. Plate options vary, and upgrades are available for an additional fee.Is it for me?Book this if you want a hands-on class where you make something tangible to take home, rather than a tour where you watch and listen. The small-group setting and quiet workshop space suit anyone seeking a meditative experience over a social one.
Mt. Fuji & Lake Kawaguchi: Cruise, Noodle Class & ShrineYou board a lake cruise with Mt. Fuji across the water, spend time in a flower-filled park, then make and eat traditional Hōtō noodles yourself. After a peaceful walk through spring-fed ponds at Oshino Hakkai, you climb to the famous pagoda at Arakurayama Sengen Shrine for the classic Mt. Fuji view. Hotel pickup at 7:20am from Shinjuku, return around 5:30pm.Is it for me?Pick this if you want to see Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi without arranging your own transport or timing—the fixed pickup and return times mean you leave Tokyo early and come back in time for dinner, and the noodle class turns a sightseeing day into something you actually do with your hands.
Kyoto Arashiyama Tour: Bamboo Forest, Monkeys & Hidden GardensThis small-group tour through Kyoto's Arashiyama district visits the Bamboo Grove, Tenryuji Garden (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Togetsukyo Bridge, and Arashiyama Monkey Park on a 20–25 minute uphill hike. A bilingual guide leads groups small enough to move at a thoughtful pace, and the itinerary includes entry to the temple garden and monkey park. Solo travelers can book, though the tour requires a 2-guest minimum to proceed.Is it for me?Book the Arashiyama tour if you want the Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park without the crowds that come with larger groups—the small-group size and relaxed pace are what make both stops feel less like checkboxes. Choose the combo option if you also want Fushimi Inari's torii gates in the same day and don't mind a longer itinerary.
Tokyo Half-Day Tour with Licensed Guide: 4 Hours, Your ChoiceYou choose two to three Tokyo neighborhoods from a list that includes temples, gardens, markets, shrines, and modern districts. A government-licensed English-speaking guide walks you through them in four hours, moving at your pace and answering questions as you go. No fixed stops, no crowds waiting for a group photo—just the neighborhoods you wanted to see, explained by someone who knows the history and can tell you which streets to come back to alone.Is it for me?A good fit if you have four hours in Tokyo and want to see specific neighborhoods without the fixed-stop rhythm of a group tour. The customization means you're not paying for sites that don't interest you, and the licensed guide's knowledge of history and culture adds depth that a map alone won't give you. Plan for a walking pace—this is not a car tour, and comfortable shoes matter.
Kyoto Walking Tour: Temples, Alleys & Local StoriesThis private walking tour of Kyoto pairs you with a licensed local guide who customizes the route based on your interests before you meet. You fill out a personalization form after booking, choose your duration (from 2 to 7 hours), and the guide meets you on foot at your central accommodation. The route may include temples like Ryoan-ji or Kiyomizu-dera, the geisha district of Gion, Fushimi Inari's vermilion gates, markets, or quieter neighborhoods—whatever you want to linger on. Public transportation or local taxis may connect distant sites at additional cost.Is it for me?Choose the duration that matches how much ground you want to cover: a 2 or 3-hour walk works if you want to explore one neighborhood deeply, while 5 or 7 hours lets you move across multiple districts—Gion, Arashiyama, the Imperial Palace, or Fushimi Inari—without feeling rushed. The guide builds the route around what you actually care about, so you're not standing in front of sites you didn't want to see.
Kyoto Walking Tour with Licensed Guide: Customize Your DayA customized walking tour of Kyoto with a licensed local guide in English, where you pick 2 to 6 temples, shrines and cultural sites to visit across 4, 6 or 8 hours. The guide meets you on foot in a designated area and builds the day around your interests—whether that's the vermillion torii gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine, the 1001 statues of Sanjusangen-do Temple, or the narrow alleyways of Gion where geisha still work. You choose the length and the sites; the guide handles the route, the history and the timing.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to move at your own pace and spend real time at the places that matter to you instead of rushing through a fixed list. The guide handles the route and the knowledge; you pick what you see and how long you stay.
Kintsugi workshop in Kyoto: Repair ceramics with goldA 90-minute Kintsugi workshop in central Kyoto where you repair a ceramic bowl or plate using traditional urushi lacquer and real gold powder, guided in English by an expert instructor. You clean the cracks, join the pieces, apply gold to the repaired lines, and leave with your finished work. The workshop is wheelchair accessible; children under 7 cannot participate.Is it for me?You do the repair work yourself under guided instruction, which means you're learning the technique hands-on rather than watching a demonstration. Choose this if you want to actually make something and understand the craft, not just observe it—and if you have at least 90 minutes and are 7 or older.
Kyoto Gion: Make Your Own Chopsticks WorkshopYou design and hand-carve a pair of wooden chopsticks under guidance from a local artisan in Kyoto's Gion district, learning the history and philosophy behind the craft as you work. The one-hour session includes all tools, materials, and polishing, with an optional engraving add-on. You leave with your finished chopsticks beautifully wrapped and ready to use or gift.Is it for me?Book this if you want a hands-on craft experience in Kyoto that doesn't require advance skill or take up your whole afternoon—the one-hour format fits easily into a day of exploring Gion, and you leave with something you made yourself instead of something mass-produced.
Mount Fuji Day Trip from Tokyo: Lake Kawaguchi & 8 Scenic SpotsYou spend a full day visiting eight scenic spots around Mount Fuji, starting with Lake Kawaguchi and moving through Oishi Park, Oshino Hakkai village, the Chureito Pagoda, and the Instagram-famous Lawson store. The guide handles all the stops and timing; you bring a camera and comfortable shoes for the 400-step climb to the pagoda. Hotel or station pickup from Tokyo is included, along with the air-conditioned vehicle for the entire route.Is it for me?This tour suits travelers who want to see Mount Fuji's most famous angles without arranging their own transport or timing between stops — the fixed schedule and included vehicle handle the logistics, leaving you to focus on the views and the climb to the pagoda.
Sushi Making Class Osaka: Roll and Nigiri with English InstructorA hands-on sushi making class in Osaka near Dotonbori where you learn to roll and shape nigiri from a live English-speaking instructor, then enjoy the sushi you made. No cooking experience is required. The class runs about 100 minutes and includes all ingredients, instruction, and the meal itself; dietary accommodations (vegan, halal, gluten-free, allergy-specific) are available with advance notice.Is it for me?Book this class if you want a hands-on skill you can actually use, not a demo you watch from a stool. The small group size and beginner-friendly pace mean you spend the time making, not waiting for a turn or feeling rushed through the steps.
Tokyo: Sumo Show with Chicken Hot Pot & Photo in AsakusaYou’ll sit ringside in Asakusa as retired sumo wrestlers perform up close, try your luck stepping into the ring yourself, and share laughter over steaming chanko-nabe chicken hot pot. With live bilingual commentary and a geisha dance to start things off, you’ll leave with a printed photo and a small gift—plus maybe a new respect for sumo’s mix of power and humor.
Hiroshima & Miyajima Private Tour: Customizable 8-Hour ItineraryA private guided walking tour of Hiroshima and Miyajima with a licensed English-speaking guide who meets you at your hotel. You choose three to four sites from a list that includes the Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima Castle, Shukkeien Japanese garden, and Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island, and the guide shapes the day around your interests. Eight hours covers both destinations with ferry and streetcar transport included in the price.Is it for me?Book this if you want a private guide to customize stops between Hiroshima and Miyajima based on what matters to you, rather than following a fixed itinerary.
Mount Fuji, Big Buddha & Lake Ashi Day Trip from TokyoYou’ll walk beneath Kamakura’s Great Buddha, cruise across Lake Ashi with glimpses of Mount Fuji if weather allows, and taste fresh mountain flavors in Oshino Hakkai village. Expect calm moments mixed with laughter from your group—and maybe a surprise or two along the way.Is it for me?See all four Fuji-area landmarks—Big Buddha, Lake Ashi, Oshino Hakkai's spring-fed ponds, and mountain views—in one day with transport and bilingual guidance included.
Kyoto: Nishiki Market Food Tour & Gion Walk with BrunchYou’ll wander Kyoto’s Gion district before ducking into Pontocho Alley and heading straight into the lively heart of Nishiki Market for seven tastings—think tofu skin, pickles, sweet omelet—plus brunch at a tucked-away spot with your local guide. Expect laughter over new flavors and stories that linger long after you leave.
Kyoto Ghost Tour: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Night & Dark LegendsYou meet at Saga-Arashiyama Station after sunset, walk into the pitch-black Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, and hear documented urban legends and real historical crimes tied to specific locations. You'll take a solo walk alone through the forest, receive a 24-hour curse QR code, and get one drink included. The tour is small-group only, bans recording, and ends back at the station. Minimum age is 16; you need to be comfortable walking alone in darkness.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Kyoto's darker, documented history and are genuinely comfortable with darkness and unsettling real-world content—the solo walk and pitch-black setting are what make the experience work, not optional extras.
Tokyo Sushi Making Class: Learn from a Pro ChefA hands-on sushi making class in Tokyo's Tsukiji Market where you learn nigiri and rolled sushi from a professional sushi master with an English-speaking guide. The class runs 90 minutes, includes a live fish-cutting demonstration, and ends with you eating five pieces of nigiri and one roll you made yourself. Vegetarian and gluten-free menus are available; the classroom is on the third floor of a traditional Japanese building and requires climbing stairs.Is it for me?Book this class if you want hands-on instruction from someone who does this for a living, not a casual overview. The 90-minute format gives you time to watch a real fish-cutting show and actually make and eat sushi, rather than just watch someone else do it. The classroom sits inside the working Tsukiji Market, so you're learning in the place where the ingredients come from.
Tokyo Private Custom Tour: Tsukiji, Asakusa & Meiji ShrineYou get a full day moving through Tokyo's main neighborhoods—markets, temples, gardens, shopping districts—at a pace you set, with a local guide who knows which attractions are actually open and where the crowds thin out. Hotel pickup and lunch are included on the eight-hour option, and you can customize the stops based on what you want to see. The guide speaks English and handles all the navigation, so you're not spending the day figuring out train lines or reading maps.Is it for me?This works well if you're visiting Tokyo for the first time and want to see the main landmarks without spending hours planning routes or standing in entry lines—the guide handles the timing and navigation, which is what makes eight hours of sightseeing actually fit into one day.
Kyoto: Samurai Sword Training & Zen Meditation in Historic HouseYou’ll slip into traditional attire inside a centuries-old Kyoto samurai house, learn sword basics from expert instructors, and test your focus with real iaitō cutting. Quiet moments of Zen meditation connect you deeper to samurai philosophy before you hold an antique blade yourself — it’s not just skill, but something you feel long after you leave.
Tokyo Shibuya Go-Kart Tour: Street Drive & Costume RentalYou’ll drive your own go-kart through Tokyo’s wildest neighborhoods — Shibuya Crossing, Harajuku’s pop chaos, Omotesando’s leafy streets — with a local guide leading the way. Dress up in costume (it’s included), feel the city’s energy right at street level, and get photos to keep afterward. It’s fast-paced fun that sticks with you long after you park.
Destinations
- Akita Prefecture›
- Aomori Prefecture›
- Chiba Prefecture›
- Chubu›
- Ehime Prefecture›
- Fukuoka Prefecture›
- Fukushima Prefecture›
- Gunma Prefecture›
- Hiroshima Prefecture›
- Hokkaido›
- Ibaraki Prefecture›
- Iwate Prefecture›
- Kagawa Prefecture›
- Kagoshima Prefecture›
- Kanagawa Prefecture›
- Kansai›
- Kanto›
- Kochi Prefecture›
- Kumamoto Prefecture›
- Kyushu›
- Mie Prefecture›
- Miyagi Prefecture›
- Nagasaki Prefecture›
- Oita Prefecture›
- Okayama Prefecture›
- Okinawa›
- Saga Prefecture›
- Saitama Prefecture›
- Shimane Prefecture›
- Tochigi Prefecture›
- Tokushima Prefecture›
- Tokyo Prefecture›
- Tottori Prefecture›
- Yamagata Prefecture›
- Yamaguchi Prefecture›
