An all-encompassing journey through Japan, travelling mainly by bullet train and taking in the highlights of all three main islands: Kyushu, Honshu and Hokkaido. Experience ancient traditions and modern Japan's unique charm.
Our Japan by Rail tour will see you exploring the most iconic sites, delving into deep-rooted culture and dining on delicious cuisine and thoroughly researched to bring you a range of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, many of which are entirely exclusive to us.
Stroll through Glover Garden, home to the city's foreign residents during the end of the era of seclusion in the late 19th Century.
Under the guidance of a skilled instructor, try your hand at making Momiji manju (maple leaf bean buns)
Explore Shirakawago, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its unusual architectural style.
Cruise one of Japan's Three Great Sights, Matsushima Bay.
Under the guidance of a skilled instructor, try your hand at making Momiji manju (maple leaf bean buns), Miyajima's most famous confectionary for over a hundred years.
Learn about the role of the masu sake cup in Japan's culture before stepping into the studio to make your very own cup with an original design, which you can then take home as a souvenir!
Discover the history and etiquette of making and appreciating sushi with a hands-on lesson before sitting down with your instructing chef to enjoy Japan's most famous cuisine. It's the taking part that counts!
Fly to the charming city of Fukuoka, the gateway to the island of Kyushu. Depending on your time of arrival, the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture.
Begin the day by travelling on the limited express train to Nagasaki. Upon arrival, enjoy a stroll through the Glover Garden, an open-air museum that exhibits mansions attributed to the Scottish merchant who contributed to the modernisation of Japan. Also, visit the Oura Catholic Church and Atomic Bomb Museum before returning to Fukuoka.
Board the bullet train to Hiroshima located on Japan's largest island, Honshu. Upon arrival in Hiroshima, take the ferry across the Seto Inland Sea to the holy island of Miyajima. Here, visit the Itsukushima Shrine and enjoy a momiji manju making cooking experience. Later, return to Hiroshima.
Spend the day in Hiroshima starting with a visit to the Peace Memorial Park and Museum where you will have the opportunity to pay homage to the victims of the 1945 atomic bomb. Enjoy okonomiyaki for lunch before ascending Orizuru Tower to view the city from above, followed by a stroll through the historical Shukkeien Garden.
Depart Hiroshima by bullet train, stopping at Himeji to visit the magnificent Himeji Castle, followed by a walk through Kokoen. Continue by limited express to Osaka.
Begin the day with a visit to the Umeda Sky Building followed by a lunch at the famous Dontonburi district. Later, head to Nara and explore Todaiji Temple which houses the impressive Daibutsu, a 15-metre tall bronze statue of Buddha. Enjoy an ink making and calligraphy class before returning to Osaka.
Journey by road to Kyoto. Capital for 1,000 years, this enchanting city is the epitome of traditional Japan. Upon arrival, stroll through the Arashiyama bamboo forest and admire the towering thickets. Also visit Ryoanji Temple, home to Japan's most well-known zen garden and the famous 'Golden Pavilion' Kinkakuji Temple.
The day begins with a visit to Kiyomizu Temple temple in Kyoto. Next, immerse yourself in the culture and enjoy the age-old rituals of a tea ceremony, zen meditation and try your hand at fan painting. Also, explore Gion – Kyoto's famous geisha district and centre of the city's traditional arts.
Take the limited express train to Kanazawa and upon arrival, meander your way through Kenrokuen, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan. Also visit the Nomura Samurai House and Kunani Pottery Factory.
Travel by road to Takayama stopping en route at Inami for a sake wooden cup making experience and sake tasting. Next, continue to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Shirakawago Village to get a glimpse of rural Japan. Continue to Takayama.
Spend the morning browsing the local handicrafts and fresh produce at Miyagawa market, the Takayama Floats Museum and Takayama Jinya. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure.
Travel to Matsumoto and spend time at the Daio Wasabi Farm to see the plantations and learn about its cultivation. Continue to Yudanaka and head to Jigokudani Yaen-Koen. Walk through a picturesque forested valley to the hot pools where you can search for the famous Japanese macaques (snow monkeys) - sighting not guaranteed, before returning to Matsumoto.
Begin the day with a visit to the magnificent 16th-century Matsumoto Castle, also known as 'Crow Castle', due to its intense black exterior. Next, head to a miso house and learn about the process of making this famous Japanese seasoning. Also visit the former post town of Naraijuku before continuing to Suwa.
Travel to Hakone and ascend 2,400 metres to the 5th Station (weather permitting) for magnificent views of Mt Fuji. Also, enjoy a peaceful cruise on Lake Ashi before taking to the skies on the Komagatake Ropeway. Later, continue to Tokyo by road.
Being the day with a stroll through Hamarikyu Gardens. Next, take part in a sushi making class and enjoy your own creations for lunch! Later, soak up the atmosphere at Sensoji Temple, browse the stalls on Nakamise shopping street and take a drive-by of the Imperial Palace Plaza before returning to your hotel.
Begin the day at the Tokyo Metropolitan Building and ascend to the observation deck for breathtaking views over the sprawling city. Next, soak up the atmosphere at the peaceful Meiji Jingu Shrine and drive-by the world-famous Shibuya crossing. End the day with a relaxing dinner cruise on Tokyo Bay.
As the tour journeys to northern Honshu, board the bullet train to Sendai, the largest city in Tohoku. Upon arrival, transfer by road to Matsushima and enjoy a cruise on Matsushima Bay. Later visit the famous Nikka Whisky factory in Sendai.
Say goodbye to Honshu Island as you board the bullet train to Hakodate located on Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island. Visit the Goryokaku Tower, a star shaped fortress followed by some time at leisure. This evening, journey on the Mt Hakodate Ropeway and enjoy the fabulous views of the city below.
Board the bullet train for the very last time to Sapporo. Head to the Clock Tower and Odori Park and in the evening, stop by the Sapporo Beer Museum and enjoy a tasting or two, followed by a farewell dinner.
Fly to New Zealand, arriving home the same or following day.
It may come as a surprise, but trains can run on time! One of Japan’s modern wonders is its extensive rail network – safe, comfortable, efficient, punctual, and fast, it is world-renowned for all the right reasons, and a travel experience that should be on every bucketlist.
Bullet trains, known locally as shinkansen, travel up to 320 kilometres an hour and connect almost every major city on Japan’s main islands. The rest of the network is covered by Limited Express, Express, Rapid and Local trains, each characterised by their speed and number of stops they make.
One of the many joys of Japan’s railway is that they are used by everyone, from students to suited professionals, so there’s always an interesting cross-section of society sitting around you – what better people watching and window into daily life in Japan?
Japan’s high-speed bullet trains, operated by JR Group, shinkansen travel at speeds of 320 kilometres an hour between Japan’s major cities and makes very few stops en route. This type of train runs on separate tracks and has separate platforms to the other types of trains as they use a standard track gauge.
Once onboard, you would be forgiven for thinking you just get onto a plane from the layout. Seats are generally in rows of 3+2 across carriage and are all forward facing (they can be flipped), spacious and comfortable, and on most services there is free wi-fi available for passengers.
Settling in, you’ll notice the carriages have an almost Zen-like feel, the atmosphere peaceful and calm and your surroundings spotlessly clean. This may come from the train etiquette that is followed by the majority of passengers, like speaking quietly, not taking up excess space, not putting feet on seats or leaving rubbish and orderly boarding. You’ll even notice that the ticket inspector bows to passengers as he enters the carriage to check your tickets!
As shinkansen are long distance trains, you are able to eat in your seat as you travel - most people grab something at the station before they board (we’ll discuss ekiben later!) or some services may have a food and drink service onboard.
We use shinkansen trains on several of our Japan tours, including Japan by Rail tour.
As the name suggests, these trains travel fast (second to the Shinkansen, of course) and still only make a limited number of stops, though they serve more stations than the Shinkansen would. There are two different types of Limited Express, intercity and commuter.
The intercity run with longer distance with better equipped, more comfortable carriages and have reserved seating and in some cases, a dining car selling food and drink. Big panoramic windows allow you to enjoy the scenery that you are passing through – with the lovely squishy seats and plenty of legroom, you can sit back, relax and savour the journey. We use Limited Express services on our Japan by Rail tour.
Commuter trains tend to be better for shorter journeys, with first-come, first-served seating and carriages that are designed to fit more people in them.
All of our tour departures include international flights and taxes in the price unless a land only option is selected
We have a selection of dedicated departures for solo travellers. These departures feature a maximum group size of 18 and exclusive benefits including a single room throughout your tour, complimentary return airport transfers (within 50km radius of major Australian airports) and a cocktail on arrival at your destination. Travellers from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne also receive a complimentary Australian airport lounge pass for use prior to departure.
I always treat my tour groups like a family, making sure that everyone is happy throughout the tour. I am very passionate about Japanese history. If anyone is interested in learning about Samurai or the Meiji Restoration, you'll have to come to Japan and ask me!
A special thank you to Yoko our National Escort, whose friendly, professional and organised approach to the holiday made sure everything ran smoothly and made the trip to Japan so memorable.Mr Degville
It is great being able to explore my own country with different people who can offer a different perspective. I ensure my groups experience our culture as much as possible, because travel isn't just about the things that you see, it's also about the things you do.
Our National Escort Takako Kaneko made the holiday. She was excellent, informative, hardworking and had obviously researched information for us.Mr Mcintosh
I love sharing the culture of my country with visitors, that's why I become a tour guide! From noodles and sake to classical gardens and temples, learning about our culture is surely the best way to understand more about Japan as a whole.
Our National Escort Michiyo 'made' this holiday with her charm, knowledge, lots of interesting details and her send of humour.Mrs Brownridge
It's such a pleasure to introduce Japan to people from all over the world and explore its culture, history and traditions, as well as its unique cuisine. Along with this, I enjoy taking care of each and every member of the tour group, which is why I love being a tour guide.
Michiyo was fantastic and went out of her way to make it a memorable experience. We would absolutely use Wendy Wu Tours again.
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All of our tours offer a single room supplement, which means you’ll have a room to yourself throughout your chosen tour. Continue the check-out process for the applicable supplement.
On most tours, you can choose our 'Happy to Share' option, which may enable you to share a twin room with other solo customers of the same gender who also request Happy to Share. If a share partner is found, the Single Supplement will be removed from your booking. If a share partner is not found, the Single Supplement will remain and is payable with your final balance.
If you are booking on a Dedicated Solo departure, a single room is already included in the price and there are no additional single supplements to pay.
With our flight inclusive option, we'll do the planning for you and meet you on arrival.
We include airport pickup upon arrival at your destination and drop off at the end of your tour (on the scheduled tour arrival and departure days) and when booking pre or post tour accommodation with us.
We partner with established and reputable airlines for your international flights.
We can assist with upgrading your seat to premium or business class for an additional cost.
Our team will work with you to choose your ideal routing and if we make changes to your tour itinerary that impact flights, we’ll rebook them for you.
Our On-Tour Support Team is available to provide advice about how to handle flight changes.
