Tours & experiences

Tours in Japan

Small-group tours, day trips, cooking classes and multi-day adventures. Every tour vetted for traveller reviews first.

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Any ⏱ Under 1 hour 🕓 1–4 hours 🌞 4 h – 1 day 🗓 Multi-day

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511 tours in Japan · ★ 4.0 and upClear filters

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Tour Fukuoka or Nagasaki in Privacy and Comfort.

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Tour Fukuoka or Nagasaki in Privacy and Comfort.

Private guided tour of Fukuoka or Nagasaki (7–9 hours) that pairs regional landmarks with insider perspectives on Japanese daily life, history and culture. Your driver-guide shares lived experience as an expat, threading together visits across both prefectures with curated food and drink stops, local insights and candid commentary. Small group intimacy means genuine connection to place rather than surface coverage. Pickup from airport, hotel or cruise terminal; fully customised itinerary.

7 hours – 9 hoursfrom AUD $896

Shinjuku Nightlife Tour

Shinjuku Nightlife Tour

A 4-hour guided evening through Shinjuku's Kabukicho district, taking in the neon-soaked streets, tucked-away drinking spots, and the narrow lanes of Golden Gai. Your guide navigates you through the area's layered history—from the red-light quarter to intimate neighbourhood bars—with dinner and three drinks included. Small groups mean you'll move at a relaxed pace and actually hear what's happening around you.

4 hoursfrom AUD $269

[Okinawa Miyako] [Early Morning] Sunrise SUP or Canoe

🐠 Water Activities

[Okinawa Miyako] [Early Morning] Sunrise SUP or Canoe

Paddle out on Miyako Island's waters before dawn breaks, choosing between SUP or canoe for an 80-minute session that ends with sunrise views from your craft. You'll catch the island waking up—birdsong, salt air, first light spreading across the sea. It's built for people squeezing in one last adventure before heading to the airport, or filling a gap in their itinerary with something grounding rather than rushed.

1h 20mfrom AUD $71

Mt.Fuji Private SightSeeing Day Tour With Guide (From Tokyo)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Mt.Fuji Private SightSeeing Day Tour With Guide (From Tokyo)

A 10-hour private guided tour from Tokyo exploring Mount Fuji's full landscape rather than rushing between postcards. You'll visit the 5th Station for alpine views, trek through volcanic caves shaped by ancient eruptions, pay respects at the historic Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine, wander Oshino Hakkai's traditional village streets, and take in Lake Kawaguchiko's shoreline from Oishi Park. The route weaves cultural sites, geological formations, and mountain villages into a single arc that reveals why this peak matters beyond its silhouette.

10 hoursfrom AUD $1075

Tea ceremony experience with simple kimono in Okinawa

🛕 Culture & History

Tea ceremony experience with simple kimono in Okinawa

Step into a traditional tea room in Okinawa and learn the art of chanoyu from an experienced instructor. You'll dress in a simple kimono, study the ritual gestures and tools, sample local sweets, then prepare and drink your own bowl of matcha. This 75-minute session accommodates groups of two to eight and welcomes participants of all mobility levels. Book at least three days ahead.

1h 15mfrom AUD $117

Guided Tour to Naoshima Art Island with Private Car

🛕 Culture & History

Guided Tour to Naoshima Art Island with Private Car

Spend eight hours exploring Naoshima, Japan's premier contemporary art destination, guided by someone with deep museum expertise. Travel by private car and ferry to three architectural landmarks: the underground Chichu Art Museum, the serene Lee Ufan Museum, and the clifftop Benesse House Museum. You'll encounter Kusama's Red Pumpkin, Monet paintings, and site-specific installations that respond to seasonal light, all set within Tadao Ando's minimalist designs. Your guide contextualises the art and architecture throughout, making connections between works and the island's ethos.

8 hoursfrom AUD $571

Lake Kawaguchi Explorer: E-Bike Guided Tour

🏔 Adventure & Sports

Lake Kawaguchi Explorer: E-Bike Guided Tour

Explore Lake Kawaguchi's shoreline and surrounding villages on a pedal-assist e-bike, guided by someone who grew up in Mt. Fuji's shadow. Over 2–3 hours, you'll cover terrain that would exhaust you on a regular bike, stopping at landmarks and lesser-known spots where your guide unpacks local history and the cultural layers of this region. Small groups mean real conversation, not rushed photo stops.

2 hours – 3 hoursfrom AUD $117

Osaka Private Food Tours by Local Foodies: 100% Personalized

🍜 Food & Cooking

Osaka Private Food Tours by Local Foodies: 100% Personalized

Osaka's eating culture demands a local guide, and this three-hour private food tour pairs you with a like-minded host who knows where the city's best Kansai dishes hide. You'll taste your way through two or three neighbourhood eateries, sampling everything from Kobe beef to regional specialities, finishing with something sweet. Your itinerary is built around your interests via a pre-tour questionnaire, meaning you're not following a script—you're following genuine recommendations from someone who actually lives here.

3 hoursfrom AUD $257

Gion & Higashiyama with a private Tourguide in German or English

🛕 Culture & History

Gion & Higashiyama with a private Tourguide in German or English

A three-hour guided walk through Kyoto's most atmospheric neighbourhoods with a private German or English-speaking guide. You'll navigate the lantern-lit streets of Gion and Higashiyama, passing wooden machiya townhouses, active temples, and working teahouses tucked into alleyways. The guide unpacks the neighbourhood's layered history—where geisha still live and work, where merchants' families have traded for centuries, and where pilgrims still visit shrines. All fees included.

3 hoursfrom AUD $365

(Private car)Fake It Then Taste It:Japan’s Quirky Cuisine Journey

🍜 Food & Cooking

(Private car)Fake It Then Taste It:Japan’s Quirky Cuisine Journey

A five-hour private tour exploring Japan's food culture through nostalgia and craft. Begin at Sagamihara's quirky vending machine market, where vintage Showa-era machines still dispense hot udon and curiosities. Then learn to sculpt hyper-realistic food samples at Atelier Stella—the plastic replicas you see in restaurant windows—before finishing with dinner at a local Machida eatery chosen by your guide. Perfect for those curious about how Japanese food marketing works and keen to make something tangible to take home.

5 hoursfrom AUD $113

Tokyo Coffee and Culture Tour

🍜 Food & Cooking

Tokyo Coffee and Culture Tour

Spend 3.5 to 4 hours threading through Tokyo's coffee quarters with a guide who knows the neighbourhood's overlooked corners. Visit seven roasteries and cafés across Jimbocho and Kanda, sampling everything from Nordic light roasts to post-war dark brews. You'll learn brewing fundamentals, pick up the history embedded in these streets, and duck into seasonal wagashi and art-supply shops that locals have relied on for decades.

3 hours – 4 hoursfrom AUD $129

Osaka Food Tour Eat Like a Local in Namba and Dotonbori

🍜 Food & Cooking

Osaka Food Tour Eat Like a Local in Namba and Dotonbori

Taste your way through Osaka's culinary heart across 3.5 hours, guided by locals who know these streets intimately. You'll hit five neighbourhood joints in Namba and Dotonbori, sampling what residents actually eat: takoyaki, kushikatsu, udon, karaage and rotating specials. Small groups mean you're never crushed against crowds, and your guide speaks from lived experience, not a script. Two drinks are your shout, the rest flows naturally.

3h 30mfrom AUD $128

Sake Blending Experience : Craft Your Own Signature Sake

🍜 Food & Cooking

Sake Blending Experience : Craft Your Own Signature Sake

Work alongside a sake master in a private brewery lab to blend five distinct sake styles into your own 500ml bottle. Over two hours in Japan, you'll learn the post-fermentation techniques that shape flavour, taste through each component, and finish by hand-painting a kanji character onto your custom label—a tangible record of your creation to take home.

2 hoursfrom AUD $161

Tokyo Shibuya Hidden Izakaya and Karaoke Night Tour

Tokyo Shibuya Hidden Izakaya and Karaoke Night Tour

A three-hour evening through Shibuya's backstreet drinking culture, starting with two hours in a tucked-away izakaya serving Japanese nibbles alongside sake, shochu and whiskey sodas, then moving to a private karaoke booth for an hour of singing. You'll navigate Tokyo's neighbourhood bars with an English-speaking guide, meeting other travellers in genuine local settings rather than tourist traps. Bring cash for food and drinks; karaoke fees run ¥1000–2000 per person.

3 hoursfrom AUD $40

Cook Favorite Japanese Dishes with a Tokyo Mom

🍜 Food & Cooking

Cook Favorite Japanese Dishes with a Tokyo Mom

Learn to cook everyday Japanese meals in a Tokyo home kitchen with a local who's prepared these dishes for her own family for decades. Over two and a half hours, you'll make authentic washoku from scratch—proper dashi stock, seasonal vegetables, mains and sides—using real ingredients without shortcuts. This is home cooking as Japanese people actually eat it, taught by someone who understands the 'why' behind each technique. You'll leave with recipes and the confidence to recreate these meals at home.

2h 30mfrom AUD $192

Calligraphy Experience at Tokyo Ginza and Tsukiji Area

🛕 Culture & History

Calligraphy Experience at Tokyo Ginza and Tsukiji Area

Learn traditional Japanese brush writing in central Tokyo's Ginza district with a certified instructor from the Japan Educational Calligraphy Federation. Over ninety minutes, you'll create two finished pieces—one large, one small—suitable for framing at home. The session fits neatly before or after exploring nearby Tsukiji's food stalls or Ginza's shopping streets, making it an easy add-on to your day.

1h 30mfrom AUD $70

Kyoto Private Tea Ceremony at a Japanese Inns

🛕 Culture & History

Kyoto Private Tea Ceremony at a Japanese Inns

Experience authentic tea ceremony in a private ryokan room in Kyoto after dark, when the city's temples have closed their doors. Dressed in kimono, you'll participate in a full evening of Japanese cultural practice—tea preparation, Zen meditation, and traditional etiquette—guided by a licensed instructor in a space normally off-limits to visitors. A translation device ensures you follow every step. This 90-minute session is yours alone, arranged in a 20-tatami room lit by candlelight.

1h 30mfrom AUD $179

Craft Your Own Elegant Handmade Chopsticks from Scratch

🛕 Culture & History

Craft Your Own Elegant Handmade Chopsticks from Scratch

Spend two hours in a Tokyo workshop carving your own chopsticks from cypress wood under the guidance of a skilled artisan. Located in Sasazuka, a short train ride from Shinjuku, you'll shape, sand, and oil-finish a pair customised to your grip and dining habits. Those keen can add an optional tour of the lacquer workshop to see how Japan's traditional coating techniques work.

2 hoursfrom AUD $134

Okinawa West Coast 3-Hour Paddle-boarding adventures

🐠 Water Activities

Okinawa West Coast 3-Hour Paddle-boarding adventures

Launch from Sobe Beach on Okinawa's west coast for a three-hour paddle-boarding session exploring crystalline waters and hidden coves. Your English-speaking guide teaches the basics before you paddle out, with a mid-session break on a secluded beach to swim, snorkel, or simply take in the coastline. Boards, safety gear, and instruction included. Suitable for ages four to seventy with moderate fitness; children must be accompanied by an adult.

3 hoursfrom AUD $121

Best of Mt. Fuji Private Tour: Highlights & Hidden Gems (English)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Best of Mt. Fuji Private Tour: Highlights & Hidden Gems (English)

This 6-hour private tour explores Mt. Fuji's surrounding region from Kawaguchiko with local guides Yuka and Lewis, who adjust the itinerary on the day based on weather and visibility. You'll visit 6–7 viewpoints, mixing well-known spots with quieter locations off the standard tourist route. The setup keeps you exploring rather than stuck in Tokyo traffic, and guides can weave in your own bucket-list locations if you have them.

6h 5mfrom AUD $583

Deluxe Private Tour: Mt. Aso, One Piece Statues and Shrine Visit

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Deluxe Private Tour: Mt. Aso, One Piece Statues and Shrine Visit

This private eight-to-sixteen hour tour from Fukuoka takes you into Kumamoto's volcanic landscapes and cultural landmarks. Travel at your own pace with a dedicated guide, stopping freely to explore Mount Aso—one of Japan's most active volcanoes—and track down all ten One Piece character statues dotted throughout the region. Visit a traditional shrine for quiet reflection, then finish with regional specialities. The itinerary blends natural wonders, anime pilgrimage sites, and local food culture in a flexible format that suits your interests.

8 hours – 16 hoursfrom AUD $269

Mt. Fuji Drive Tour (Includes Visit to Fuji Speedway)

🏔 Adventure & Sports

Mt. Fuji Drive Tour (Includes Visit to Fuji Speedway)

Combine two Japanese icons in a single 6–7 hour outing from Tokyo: drive past Mount Fuji's most photographed vantage point at Arakurayama Sengen Park, then head to Fuji Speedway for a behind-the-scenes tour of its four circuits. Petrol heads can upgrade to pilot a GT 86 around the legendary track itself. Wrap up with lunch at trackside Crane Cafe and browse the speedway's automotive museum. Includes private transport and English-speaking guide throughout.

6 hours – 7 hoursfrom AUD $402

Shibuya All You Can Eat & Drink Private Tour

🍜 Food & Cooking

Shibuya All You Can Eat & Drink Private Tour

A 3.5-hour guided crawl through Shibuya with a Tokyo native, stopping at multiple restaurants for set dishes—sushi, yakitori, karaage, yakiniku, takoyaki—paired with unlimited beer, sake, whisky, wine, and soft drinks. You'll navigate the district's back streets, learn conversational Japanese, and taste what locals actually eat rather than what guidebooks suggest. The guide adapts to your interests and dietary requests throughout.

3h 30mfrom AUD $277

Kyoto: Arashiyama Unveiled – Bamboo, Temple, Matcha, Monkeys

🛕 Culture & History

Kyoto: Arashiyama Unveiled – Bamboo, Temple, Matcha, Monkeys

This four-hour Arashiyama circuit threads together Kyoto's most photogenic landmarks without the usual rush. You'll walk through Tenryu-ji Temple's composed gardens, lose yourself in the Bamboo Grove's towering stalks, pause at Nonomiya Shrine, taste ceremonial matcha, cross the Togetsu-kyo Bridge, then climb to Iwatayama where Japanese macaques roam freely and the city sprawls below. A local guide steers you through the rhythm of each stop, mixing contemplative moments with gentle movement.

4 hoursfrom AUD $54

Private Vibrant Night Photoshoot Experience in Osaka (Dotonbori)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Private Vibrant Night Photoshoot Experience in Osaka (Dotonbori)

A 90-minute private photography session through Dotonbori's neon-soaked streets, starting at Ebisubashi Bridge and finishing at a takoyaki stall. You'll walk away with 30 professionally edited photos delivered within 24 hours, plus access to all ~200 raw frames. Suits solo travellers, couples, families and groups who want polished shots of themselves against Osaka's most electric backdrop without the crowds of a group shoot.

1h 30mfrom AUD $179

Kyoto Sagano Insider: Rickshaw and Walking Tour

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Kyoto Sagano Insider: Rickshaw and Walking Tour

Experience Arashiyama's most photographed sights from a traditional rickshaw, then explore on foot through mountain pathways and preserved neighbourhoods. This 3-hour 10-minute tour threads together Kyoto's bamboo groves, riverside views, and hidden temples with a knowledgeable local guide who navigates you safely past iconic landmarks like Togetsukyo Bridge before leading you uphill to quieter corners where wooden machiya houses and a quirky stone temple reward curious walkers.

3h 10mfrom AUD $314

Fish Cutting workshop in Kyoto Japan

🍜 Food & Cooking

Fish Cutting workshop in Kyoto Japan

Learn to fillet and prepare raw fish for sashimi in a hands-on two-and-a-half-hour workshop in Kyoto. Your instructor brings two decades of fish-shop experience to teach you the techniques that transform whole fish into restaurant-quality cuts. You'll process your own catch and eat what you've prepared, gaining genuine insight into Japanese culinary traditions and why the fish you handle yourself always tastes superior.

2h 30mfrom AUD $134

Let’s Dance Bon Odori Japanese folk Dance near Tsutenkaku

🛕 Culture & History

Let’s Dance Bon Odori Japanese folk Dance near Tsutenkaku

Join a 90-minute Bon Odori session at Ebisuza studio, just steps from Tsutenkaku Tower in Osaka. This traditional Japanese folk dance comes alive with rhythmic, samba-influenced beats that invite improvisation and movement. You'll dance alongside locals, sip a complimentary drink, and experience one of Japan's most cherished seasonal celebrations in an authentic setting rather than watching from the sidelines.

1h 30mfrom AUD $27

Fushimi Inari - Arashiyama: Torii Gates, Bamboo, Monkeys & Secret

🛕 Culture & History

Fushimi Inari - Arashiyama: Torii Gates, Bamboo, Monkeys & Secret

A 5–6 hour guided walk through Kyoto's most atmospheric sites: start at Fushimi Inari Taisha, threading through thousands of vermillion torii gates on a moderately strenuous hike, then pivot to Arashiyama's gentler pleasures—Tenryuji's manicured gardens, a towering bamboo stand, and the viewpoint at Togetsukyo Bridge. Your bilingual guide reveals tucked-away corners and local anecdotes. Train fees and lunch are separate; the itinerary suits solo travellers, couples, and small groups with moderate fitness.

5 hours – 6 hoursfrom AUD $121

Nerikiri and Matcha Making Class in Kyoto

🍜 Food & Cooking

Nerikiri and Matcha Making Class in Kyoto

Learn to craft nerikiri—delicate hand-moulded sweets—alongside whisked matcha in central Kyoto over two and a half hours. A Japanese pastry chef walks you through each technique, from kneading coloured bean paste to shaping blossoms and leaves with bare fingers. You'll leave with five finished pieces and a container to transport them home, whether you're after a genuine cultural encounter or aiming to refine skills you'll use later.

2h 30mfrom AUD $117

Experience Japanese calligraphy & tea ceremony at a traditional house in Nagoya

🛕 Culture & History

Experience Japanese calligraphy & tea ceremony at a traditional house in Nagoya

Learn calligraphy and tea ceremony in a restored Kominka (traditional wooden house) in Nagoya, the historic seat of samurai power. Over 2.5 hours, you'll practice brush strokes and whisk matcha in an authentic lived-in space—tatami floors, paper screens, garden views intact—rather than a museum or tourist venue. Your host will guide you through both practices in English, connecting each to the samurai era that shaped the region.

2h 30mfrom AUD $246

Osaka Uncovered Full Day Journey Through City's Highlights

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Osaka Uncovered Full Day Journey Through City's Highlights

An eight-hour guided tour hitting Osaka's essential landmarks—the castle's grounds, the Umeda Sky Building's observation deck, and the neon-soaked streets of Dotonbori and Namba. Your guide steers you through the city's mix of feudal history and contemporary energy, with a lunch break built in. You'll navigate via public transport and pay entry fees separately, so the pace stays flexible and you're not herded through a rigid schedule.

8 hoursfrom AUD $668

Tokyo : Vintage, Music & Food Tour in Shimokitazawa with a Local

🛍 Shopping & Markets

Tokyo : Vintage, Music & Food Tour in Shimokitazawa with a Local

A 2.5-hour guided wander through Shimokitazawa with a neighbourhood regular who knows where the best vintage stock hides. You'll hunt through independent record shops, secondhand clothing boutiques, and antique dealers tucked into side streets, building a picture of Tokyo's creative quarter along the way. Expect to find obscure vinyl, preloved fashion, and oddities that carry actual history rather than manufactured nostalgia.

2h 30mfrom AUD $31

Tokyo Private Bike Tour by Harajuku Bike Shop – 3 Hours

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Tokyo Private Bike Tour by Harajuku Bike Shop – 3 Hours

Explore Tokyo on two wheels with a private guided ride tailored to your interests, led by Kotaro (former European road racer) and Kentaro (local cultural guide). Based at a Harajuku bike shop, you'll navigate everything from the hectic Shibuya Scramble to quiet residential streets over 2–3 hours. Routes adapt to your pace and curiosity—no fixed itinerary, no tour groups, just you discovering both famous and overlooked corners of the city on a shop-tuned road bike.

2 hours – 3 hoursfrom AUD $183

Start from Kyoto Station: Early Morning E-Bike Tour with Kyotoite

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Start from Kyoto Station: Early Morning E-Bike Tour with Kyotoite

A 3.5-hour early morning cycle through Kyoto guided by a local who knows the city's quieter corners. You'll ride electric-assist bikes on curated routes designed by Kyoto's largest rental outfit, discovering neighbourhoods and details that blur past on buses. The ride starts from Kyoto Station and moves at a pace that lets you actually absorb the place rather than just tick boxes.

3h 30mfrom AUD $108

Kyoto Cultural IKEBANA Experience@節華

🛕 Culture & History

Kyoto Cultural IKEBANA Experience@節華

Learn ikebana arrangement in a 40-minute session at a traditional Kyoto studio. Under guidance from a tutor, you'll compose a floral piece using classical techniques that celebrate the raw beauty of stems and blooms. Your creation gets positioned in an alcove for photographs, and the studio can courier it to your accommodation so you can live with your work throughout your stay—then collect it when you leave.

40 minfrom AUD $90

Ise Jingu(Ise Grand Shrine) Full-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide

🛕 Culture & History

Ise Jingu(Ise Grand Shrine) Full-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide

Spend six hours with a licensed English-speaking guide exploring Ise's spiritual heart. You'll visit Japan's most venerated Shinto shrine, home to the sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami and steeped in two millennia of religious practice. The tour is flexible—choose three to four sites from the available options, including the atmospheric Okage Yokocho street where traditional food and local history intersect. Walking forms the backbone of this experience, with the guide meeting you on foot in the designated Ise area.

6 hoursfrom AUD $211

Nagasaki City and Shimabara Highlights Tour

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Nagasaki City and Shimabara Highlights Tour

This 7–10 hour tour covers Nagasaki city and the Shimabara Peninsula with a small-group approach that ditches rigid schedules. You move at your own pace through the region's standout natural, historical and cultural sites, stopping as long as you like at each spot. Your guide steers you toward the peninsula's best attractions without the cattle-herding feel of mass-market operators. Lunch is sorted en route, leaving more daylight for exploration.

7 hours – 10 hoursfrom AUD $896

Hands On Wagyu Sushi Making Experience

🍜 Food & Cooking

Hands On Wagyu Sushi Making Experience

Roll, shape, and plate premium wagyu sushi under a Tokyo chef's eye in this 90-minute hands-on class. Working in Patia's Kitchen Studio near central Tokyo's train hub, you'll master nigiri, gunkan maki, and temaki techniques using top-grade ingredients. Leave with photos of your creations and a proper lunch you've made yourself.

1h 30mfrom AUD $143

Fujisan Sushi Making Lesson

🍜 Food & Cooking

Fujisan Sushi Making Lesson

Learn sushi-rolling techniques from a trained chef in a three-hour hands-on session in Japan. You'll master fundamental methods you can recreate in your own kitchen, whilst exploring the cultural roots of this Japanese culinary tradition. The class accommodates vegetarian preferences, and you'll eat everything you prepare.

3 hoursfrom AUD $314

Some tours listed with Viator, a Tripadvisor company. Prices and availability confirmed at checkout.