The Itinerary
9 days, or 11 with the Nakasendo extension. Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, Kyoto, Osaka, Kiso Valley.
TOUCHDOWN IN TOKYO!
• You land at Narita (NRT), the team's there to meet you, and we take the train into the city together.
• Immigration's quick, so there's nothing to stress about.
• That evening we head out on a Tokyo pub crawl through the izakaya alleys, the bit where you stop being strangers. We start around 7:30pm, so later arrivals still make it.
• It's food first, yakitori and small plates off the counter, and nobody clocks who's drinking and who isn't.
• Expect plenty of autumn colour, the photos here were all shot in the season.
TEAMLAB PLANETS, STREET FOOD HEAVEN, AND KARAOKE NIGHT!
• We start at TeamLab Planets, the interactive digital art museum where the art moves as you move.
• Then it's street food down Omoide Yokocho, ramen, takoyaki (octopus) and yakitori (chicken skewers).
• We close the night in a private karaoke room at a bar in Shinjuku.
HIKE AROUND MOUNT FUJI!
• The day's all about Mount Fuji (3,776 m, and an active volcano). We don't climb it, the views are better from the lakes and the summit only opens July to September anyway.
• It's about a 4-hour bus each way to Lake Kawaguchiko for a stroll along the shore.
• How much of Fuji you see comes down to the weather that day (it's been napping since 1707).
TOKYO UNLEASHED!
• We take a guided walking tour into Tokyo's hidden corners, and the exact spots stay a surprise till you're there.
• In Shibuya you'll take in the Hachiko story and cross the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world.
• At a shrine, you can draw an omikuji, a little paper fortune.
• The afternoon's for Akihabara and its anime, manga and gaming.
BULLET TRAIN TO OSAKA!
• We hop on the Shinkansen, Japan's bullet train, and cover the ground with the countryside rushing past the window.
• We reach Osaka by evening and check into your hotel in Umeda, right on the line that runs up to Kyoto.
• As the sun goes down, we pub-hop through the nightlife of Dotonbori.
KYOTO: TORII GATES AND KIMONO
• After breakfast we head into Kyoto, and back to the same bed that night.
• At Fushimi Inari you'll walk beneath thousands of vermilion torii gates. We do the gates, not the two-hour climb to the summit.
• Then you rent a kimono and stroll through the Gion district.
• We also visit Kiyomizu-dera temple.
BAMBOO, SCOOTERS AND SAMURAI!
• Second run into Kyoto after breakfast.
• The day starts in the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, towering stalks all around you, so keep your camera ready.
• Then there's a Nishiki food tour, fresh seafood, sushi and Japanese sweets.
• You can also ride scooters today. Bring a working international card and we'll help you check it works here.
• We finish with a traditional samurai lesson and show, and yes, you get to dress up as a samurai.
OSAKA, UNSCRIPTED
• After breakfast the group splits for the day.
• For the Osaka crew, the city is yours to explore. Amerikamura and the Shinsaibashi arcades for the thrift and the fashion, the used-jacket scene is serious here, even military jackets that have actually seen war.
• Kuromon Ichiba market for lunch off the griddle, and Osaka Castle or the Umeda Sky Building if you want one big view before dark.
• The evening's for Dotonbori again, or kushikatsu under the neon of Shinsekai.
• The Nakasendo trekkers set off after breakfast for the Kiso valley, reaching the old post town of Magome by evening for the first night in a minshuku. Dinner is a home-cooked spread of authentic Japanese seafood, and the evening runs to origami and a calligraphy brush.
FAREWELL, OR ONWARD TO THE TRAIL
• Getting to see Japan in one of its cheapest years is an achievement in itself.
• The non-trekking group checks out and heads to Osaka Kansai (KIX) for the flight home, a wrap on the 9-day trip.
• The trekking group carries on, and this is the big day. You wake in Magome and walk the Nakasendo, the old road that once linked Tokyo to Kyoto. Our stretch runs about 15 km, Magome to Tsumago-juku, the prettiest of the post towns and one frozen in time. Legend has it the swordsman Musashi trained at the Odaki and Medaki Waterfalls along this road.
• Small villages, open countryside and proper jungle. And when we say jungle, we mean jungle with bears, Vyshakh spotted one last time climbing down to look at a bridge.
• No other company runs a Japan trip on this trail. You finish the walk in Tsumago and sleep there, in a traditional minshuku, after the day-trippers have gone, your second night on the road.
EXTENSION: SLOW MORNING, THEN BACK TO OSAKA
• No alarm. A slow morning in Tsumago, which is a different place before the buses arrive.
• Then the train back down to Osaka, where your bags are waiting.
• This is your Osaka day. Amerikamura for the thrift, Kuromon market for the food, Dotonbori after dark, whatever you have the legs for. The afternoon and evening are yours.
EXTENSION: FAREWELL, JAPAN!
• One last Osaka morning, and time for whatever you didn't get to the first time round.
• After checking out, we make our way to Osaka Kansai (KIX) for your flight home.
Tokyo → Kyoto → Osaka
A journey through the heart of Japan, places, people, and stories.
Lock In Your Price
We have cut the price for the first 5 slots on the November batch. Two ways to do this trip, both with real twin beds, two separate beds each, not the shared doubles or three-to-a-room most operators quietly book.
The whole thing, Tokyo through to the old samurai road. A slot-blocking fee secures your spot.
Block a slotEverything up to Osaka, then fly home on Day 9. The trek is the only thing you miss.
Block a slotRupee amounts are indicative, converted live. We lock the USD rate for 7 days when we send your balance payment request, so the INR you pay is fixed, not moving with the market.
Coming with other people? save ₹3,000 each
On any international group trip, get 2 friends to join you on the same batch and all three of you save ₹3,000 each.
Block your slots →Booking as a three? Tell us right after you block, and we will take ₹3,000 off each on your balance payment.
Real Twin Beds, Real Space
We've been running Japan trips since 2021, and the cheap packages almost always cut the same corner: the room. Shared doubles instead of twins, two people to one bed, three squeezed into a space built for two.
Not on this trip. Every room is a real twin, two separate beds, with genuine space. Most people say it's the first thing they're grateful for by day 3.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Japan in Frames
What Trippers Say
"Traveled with OJ to Japan in March this year. It was an incredible experience. The trip was well thought out and well planned. Ikroop was the trip lead and she did a fabulous job keeping the group together…"
"Before I booked the Japan group trip with Team OJ, I was a bit skeptical. But from the moment I landed in Tokyo, I knew I was in good hands. What truly set this trip apart was our trip leader, Ikroop, she had this incredible talent for understanding our interests…"
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the inclusions?
What are the exclusions?
- 1
- Lunch and dinner 2
- All flights 3
- Visa 4
- Any expenses due to deviation from the itinerary 5.Any taxi expenses
The flights shared by you seems decent but can we explore options?
Taxis cost 15k and more. Our trip lead will be there for pickup on the mentioned timings (evening only).
If it's early, you will have to wait though.
Airport transfer will be provided?
Do you have a cancellation policy?
• 45+ days before the trip: 10% cancellation charge
• 30–44 days before the trip: 25% cancellation charge
• 15–29 days before the trip: 50% cancellation charge
• Within 14 days of the trip: 100% cancellation charge
These are calculated on the total trip amount, not just the token amount.
Now, if you can find someone to take your spot, we'll happily refund your full amount. No questions asked. Because at the end of the day, we'd rather have someone travel than hold back your money.
To keep your spot confirmed, please clear the remaining balance by the due date, it helps us lock in stays, permits, and experiences for the group. If payments are delayed beyond that, we'll have to treat it as a cancellation (same policy applies).
Why is this priced higher than other Japan group trips I've seen?
Not on this trip. Every room is a real twin, two separate beds, with genuine space. Most people say it's the first thing they're grateful for by day 3.
What should you bring?
- Passport (6 month validity)
- Light sweaters or cardigans (2-3) – for cooler mornings and evenings
- Long-sleeve shirts (3-4)
- T-shirts (4-5) – for warmer afternoons
- Jeans or comfortable trousers (3-4)
- Comfortable walking shoes (1-2 pairs) – long walking days
- Socks (5 pairs)
- Light jacket (1)
- Day backpack (1) + reusable water bottle
- Power bank (1)
- Plug type A and B
How much cash should we carry?
Is veg. food available?
Will we have time to explore something of our choice?
I am coming solo. Is that a problem?
Your itinerary looks difficult for me. Can I do it?
What are trips like?
For example: If we find a very pretty waterfall/ a beautiful sunset / Rainbow on the way. We would stop the vehicle right away to catch the beauty of it.
We usually sleep very late on these trips as we play a lot of group games and most people feel they will miss the precious time with the group members and decides to stay awake.