Japan Winter Wonder - 10 Days
Who is this trip for
Age range
18 - 35Start / End
- Osaka
- Tokyo
Physical rating
Group size
1 - 50Meals included
9Highlights
- 9 Breakfast (B)
- Kyoto: Tea houses. Kiyomizu Temple. The Golden Pavilion. Geishas. It’s all so surreal. You’ll feel like you’ve wandered into a film set.
- Hiroshima: Visit the Peace Park and Peace Memorial Museum to commemorate the lives lost after the atomic bomb was dropped on the city.
- Hiroshima: This way to amazing! These are the sites you always see in those impossibly tranquil pictures of Japan. IRL.
- Hakone: Prepare to be impressed. An awesome cable car ride is set against dream-like views of Mount Fuji.
- Tokyo: Check out the Sensoji Temple, one of the most significant temples in Japan, decked with a 5-storey pagoda. Don't forget to snap a pic under the giant red lantern!
- Tokyo: Get a piece of Japan to take back home from one of the many little stalls here on Nakamise Street, just a short walk from the Sensoji Temple.
- Tokyo: Visit this Shinto shrine in Shibuya, dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shōken. You'll have the chance to wander through a tranquil forest, passing under the world-famous Tori Gate. And ofc, stop for a picture in front of the many colourful Sake barrels, and make a wish at the sacred Camphor tree.
- Tokyo: Get ready for a riot of colour and vibrant fashion. This was (and still is) a home for Japanese fashion. Grab a vintage bag, a pair of sneakers or a kawaii outfit. And don't get us started on the food! You'll find rainbow cotton candy, candy covered strawberries or a rainbow cheese sandwich.
- Tokyo: It's only the biggest pedestrian intersection in the world! Come watch the world go by (and grab an iconic picture) on the crossing.
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Summary
Say kon'nichiwa to the land of sushi, samurai & sake! In a country where the ancient and the modern collide in truly mesmerising style, you’ll make your way from Osaka to Tokyo, taking in temples, teppanyaki, geishas and gardens, plus miniature deer along the way.
Itinerary
Day 1
Start Osaka
Kon'nichiwa friends, and welcome to the land of the rising sun. Famed for its beauty, culture, cuisine and just a touch of crazy, this is one trip you won't be forgetting any time soon. Get settled into your hotel before joining forces with your Trip Manager & travel crew & head out to explore the local area.
Day 2
Osaka
Osaka is all yours today! Head to Osaka Castle or Sumiyoshi-taisa for a dose of history, or to Nara to meet the cutest deers ever! This evening, you have the option to gobble down a delicious meal at an Izakaya - traditional little restaurants with rice beer, sake & locals finishing up their days. Still not done for the day? We sense some traditional Japanese PATI (that's Japanese for partying) and karaoke may be on the cards....
Day 3
Osaka to Kyoto
Tuck in to your tasty breakfast this morning, you're going to need the food fuel for a full day in Kyoto. Arriving into Kyoto, we'll kick things off with a guided tour of this beautiful, traditional city. Take in the sights of the city including temples, gardens, colourful shrines & world famous geisha girls. This evening is free for you to get to know Kyoto your way, most likely trying out local cuisine in the Shirakawa area & getting to grips with the buzzy Kyoto nightlife.
Day 4
Kyoto
Didn't feel like you had enough time yesterday to really get under the skin of this utterly unique city? We've got good news for you - today is completely free for Kyoto adventuring. Ask your Trip Manager for the essentials on what to eat and where to go, then our best advice? Go get yourself a little lost, it's undeniably the best way to get to know a new city.
Day 5
Kyoto to Hiroshima
Ready for a totally new experience? This morning it's all aboard the bullet train, travelling at a cool 320km/hr as we make our way to Hiroshima. Hello Hiroshima. We're kicking things off today with an optional but highly recommended Okonomiyaki lunch. Then, we'll learn about both the past and present on a sightseeing tour of this city that's remembered as the world's first atomic bomb target. The rest of the day will then be free to get to know Hiroshima however suits you best - food, shopping, history, it's all here at your fingertips.
Day 6
Hiroshima (Including Miyajima)
We'll start the day with a ferry ride over to Miyajima Island where beautiful scenery and miniature deer await us. If you're impressed by the traditional Japanese gates at the entrance, just wait until you've seen the main event - the stunning Itsukushima Shrine. Culture goals ticked, we'll make our way back to Hiroshima to dig a little deeper into the city's noble history.
Day 7
Hiroshima to Tokyo (Including Hakone)
Tokyo you're firmly in our sights but on route, we'll make a stop in the peaceful mountain town of Hakone. Breathtaking views of some of Japan's most famous sights are courtesy of the Hakone Ropeway. If the weather plays nice...you might spot the magnificent Mount Fuji. Welcome to the bright lights & big city vibes of Tokyo, our home for the next 3 nights. You'll have the night to use as you wish. How about heading to Shinjuku, the epicentre of Tokyo's gritty but super fun night scene.
Day 8
Tokyo
We'll dive right into this 24 hour city with a sightseeing tour of the best bits. We'll take a walk down Nakamise Street (one of the oldest shopping streets in Japan that dates back to the 1500's) to pick up treasures for family and friends back home, brave the busiest street crossing in the world (Shibuya), then round things off at the epicentre of youth culture & fashion, Harajuku. This part of town buzzes with cool vibes & crazy fashion, and we reckon you'll instantly fall in lust.
Day 9
Tokyo
Today's our last day in Tokyo so let's make it one to remember. With a free day to explore Japan your way, we have a sneaking suspicion Harajuku may be calling you back - it kind of has that affect on people. How about a cosplay restaurant? Or even better, a chance to visit a unique remote-operated robot restaurant. You gotta see it to believe it!
Day 10
End Tokyo
And just like that, it's all over. Japan crew, it's been a hell of a 10 days, and we have a sneaking suspicion this isn't a forever goodbye…
What's Included
Accommodation
Ibis Budget Osaka Umeda (or similar), Ibis Styles Kyoto Station (or similar), Hotel Vista Hiroshima (or similar), Daiichi Ryogoku Hotel (or similar)
Meals
Breakfasts: 9, Lunches: 0, Dinners: 0
Vegetarian options are available on all meals throughout the adventure.
Vegetarian options availableLocal Guide
GuidedThis adventure is led by a local guide throughout. The main language of this adventure is English. Please contact us for other languages available.
Wifi
Wifi is available during the adventure. In some areas and / or accommodation / transport Wifi may be free.
Dates & Prices
Dec 2025
from £2,150Jan 2026
from £1,968Feb 2026
from £2,075Mar 2026
from £1,968Oct 2026
from £2,235Nov 2026
from £2,235Dec 2026
from £2,235Jan 2027
from £2,205Feb 2027
from £2,205Mar 2027
from £2,205
- Save 15%Wed 4 Mar 2026 > Fri 13 Mar 2026Guaranteed Departure6+ spaces of 50 left£2,435£2,070
- Save 15%Sat 7 Mar 2026 > Mon 16 Mar 2026Guaranteed Departure6+ spaces of 50 left£2,315Best offer£1,968
- Save 15%Wed 18 Mar 2026 > Fri 27 Mar 2026Guaranteed Departure6+ spaces of 50 left£2,315Best offer£1,968Book for£150 today, pay the rest later
Customer reviews & ratings
Since I’ve already went to Japan last year, I have already done some of the things on the trip last year and wanted more free time to do my own thing. By not signing up for the extra activities, I had more free time, even if it was to explore or shop. For example, I was able to go to the Hello Kitty exhibit in Kyoto. I’m a big fan of Hello Kitty and that was something I found to do in the moment when we were there. I Saw advertisements about the exhibit in Kyoto station and noticed it was close by. Just a few stops away by subway. So I had to go. Overall, I had a fun time. Even if a big majority of the people in the group created a clique and were negative for a big portion of the trip. Always complaining about something. Making it kind of awkward. Splitting up the group between the Australians and the rest of the group. Maybe it was the age difference or maybe their interests didn’t line up with anything to do in Japan besides drinking and staying up late, I’m not sure. There were other people in the group that we did get along with and made it a little more enjoyable. Trip manager Tom was awesome and suggested many things that we did and were already planning to do. He deserves a big raise for helping us out. We arrived two days early to go to Universal and Osaka castle. I do recommend if you have an interest in Japanese culture/history and samurai. Universal I do recommend but get the express pass to rush through lines so you can get all the rides done. Tom even suggested many food options which was nice as well with a few vegan options. Top tier food places. I do suggest, even if you’re not vegan. Tom also found some onsens for us in Tokyo, which was really nice for my back which is really bad. Wish I asked sooner, maybe there were some onsens in the other cities we were in. I do wish we went to more smaller cities or towns like we did last year. Like Takayama but maybe next time. The cities are fun and all, but I like seeing the smaller towns. Less crowded and other beautiful places. More peaceful without the chatter of so many people. Japan as a whole is much quieter than back home. So noise pollution is better anywhere really in Japan. I do suggest staying a few days extra at the beginning or ending of the trip or both so you can do some extra things. Contiki definitely keeps you busy, especially for your first time in Japan, so make sure to bring good walking shoes and do some extra working out to make it easier to lift the many shopping bags you will obtain from so much shopping.
Scott Forbes Dec, 2025 VerifiedI believe there were some good qualities of this contiki trip however every time we went anywhere our tour guide would take us there and say free time and leave us to find our own way back it felt really rushed and the fact that if you didn’t pay for the overpriced extra activities you would not see the rest of the people on your tour for most of the trip. I loved experiencing traveling with other people and got to make some new friends which l appreciated but the fact that we spent so much on the tour itself to then have to pay an additional fee for most activities and then be expected to tip after everything l found ridiculous. I did love the kimono day and the temples we went to and there were a lot of amazing things we did l just thought it felt rushed and the fact everyday continuously up at 7 it sometimes felt like l wasn’t on holidays.
Anonymous Dec, 2025 Verified
Essential trip information
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