Hiroshima Small Group Tours &amp; Trips

none

4.3/5 Great

Small Group Tour

Lodging level

Premium - 4 star

Physical level

Easy

Trip pace

Balanced schedule

Visits

Hiroshima, Kamakura, Kyoto, Takayama, Tokyo

Highlights

Tokyo - Explore Sensoji Temple district and temple, Harajuku, Takeshita Street, Meiji Shrine and Shibuya Crossing
Kamakura - Visit Big Buddha Statue, Hokokuji Zen Temple and the Bamboo Forest with its delightful village atmosphere. Opt to take part in a traditional tea ceremony
Lake Kawaguchi in Fuji Hakone Izu National Park - Marvel at the spectacular mountain scenery and views of famed Mt Fuji
Stay in a ryokan - Sample Japanese hospitality, bathe in natural hot springs, wearing a Yukata (casual Kimono) and sleep on a futon sleeping on a futon
Kyoto - Uncover UNESCO Listed Nijo Castle, join a walking tour of Gion (the Geisha District), optional Japanese tea ceremony and cooking class

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, Local Immersion & Homestays

What travelers are saying

"First time we (mom and daughter) have done a tour and first time with on the go tours. What a special trip we had doing the 13 day Casablanca to Essaouira Morocco tour (26 Nov - 6 Dec 2023). We started the first 8 days doing the totally Morocco tour and the last few days at our own pace with down time in Essaouira. Jamal our guide led the tour from start to finish and took us safely on a culture filled journey. His knowledge of the country, it’s history and people was informative and inspiring. Every request was “no problem” and delivered with a smile and happy demeanour. Everything in Morrocco was “no problem” and we felt safe and looked after. We were driven in a comfortable coach with enough stops along the way to not feel long by our competent driver Suleman. The hotels, Riad and Dar were extremely comfortable with exceptional service. We would not have had the same experience travelling on our own, we felt as though we truly experienced Morocco. Everything was a highlight for us and we will definitely book another on the go tour in the future. If you wanting to see true Morocco we would strongly recommend doing this tour."

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-52%$6,660

13 days From$3,215

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Cherry Blossom Festival - 13 days

none

4.8/5 Excellent

Small Group Tour

Lodging level

Premium - 4 star

Physical level

Easy

Trip pace

Balanced schedule

Visits

Hakone, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Matsumoto, Takayama, Tokyo

Highlights

Tokyo - Cruise along the Sumida River, see the cherry blossoms in bloom in Hama-rikyu Gardens, Sensoji Temple, Meiji Shrine and Shibuya Crossing
Matsumoto - Visit Matsumoto Castle, one of the few original and complete castles in Japan, giving a real sense of ancient Japan and how the Samurai used to live and fight
Daio Wasabi Farm - Find out how wasabi is grown, enjoy the spectacular scenery and perhaps even try some wasabi flavoured ice cream!
Takayama - Discover this enchanting ancient town famed for its narrow streets lined with inns, tea houses, shops and merchant houses. Enjoy a tea ceremony and a visit to a traditional Hida village on the outskirts of town
Kanazawa - See the cherry blossoms at Kenrokuen - one of the best and most beautiful feudal lords' gardens in Japan

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, Local Immersion & Homestays, Festivals & Special Events

What travelers are saying

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-45%$7,423

13 days From$4,055

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Japan Uncovered - 11 days

none

4.7/5 Excellent

Small Group Tour

Lodging level

Standard - 3 star

Physical level

Moderate

Trip pace

Balanced schedule

Visits

Hiroshima, Kyoto, Tokyo

Highlights

Tokyo - Explore Tokyo, join a sushi making class, watch a sumo training session and see the busy Shibuya crossing
Mount Fuji - Ride the cable car to enjoy magnificent views of Fuji
Kyoto - See iconic landmarks including the Golden Pavilion and Imperial Palace, visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine and watch a Geisha performance
Miyajima - Ferry to the iconic red torii gate which appears to float on water and ride the cable car to the top of Mount Misen for panoramic views
Hiroshima - Pay your respects at the Peace Memorial Museum and opt to try the local delicacy of okonomiyaki pancakes

Themes

Cultural, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

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11 days From$3,575

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Japan Family Adventure - 12 days

none

4.7/5 Excellent

Small Group Tour

Lodging level

Standard - 3 star

Physical level

Moderate

Trip pace

Balanced schedule

Visits

Hakone, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Tokyo

Highlights

Tokyo - Explore the historic district of Asakusa, stroll through the Sumo District, walk across the famous Shibuya Crossing, discover the fashion hub of Harajuku and take in the bright lights of the Business District of Shinjuku
Hiroshima – Uncover the city’s tragic past at the Peace Memorial Museum
Cooking Class - Learn how to prepare authentic Japanese sushi with our hands-on cooking class
Kyoto – Learn the art of meditation with a lesson by a Buddhist monk in Daisen-in Temple
Hakone - Admire views of iconic Mount Fuji wand take the Hakone Ropeway to Owakudani, an active volcanic zone

Themes

Cultural, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

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12 days From$2,835

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Japan: An Exploration of History, Culture and Society

By Road Scholar

preferred

4.4/5 Great

Small Group Tour

Lodging level

Standard - 3 star

Physical level

Moderate

Visits

Hiroshima, Kyoto, Nagasaki, Tokyo

Highlights

Walking is the best way to get to know a new place
I’m energetic and enjoy a good physical challenge, so I’m always ready to spend the day on the move
Whether it’s public transit, city streets or village cobblestones, I’m game

Themes

Culinary & Wine, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Relaxing Retreats, Yoga, Meditation & Wellness, Photography, Holy Land

What travelers are saying

"Our family of four, including two adult children, took the Bicycling: Day Trips to Paradise in Canada. This trip is entirely outsourced to the owners of the inn, there are no Road Scholar employees involved in the trip. Two of us have taken bicycle trips all over the world and the bicycling component of this trip was disorganized, haphazard and almost unsafe. We all filled out forms giving details regarding our bicycle fitting months before the trip. On the first day, the leader Stephen, went around the room and asked the same questions and said everyone would get fitted in the morning before we began the first ride. The morning brought a rack of bikes, all different types in various levels of readiness. There were road bikes, hybrid bikes, mountain bikes and e-bikes. The rides were all on paved surfaces and the mountain bikes were heavy and the additional suspension added weight. The bike I received had rust on the chain and rear sprocket. When I asked about it, was told they were waiting for another van to show up with tools and equipment. Once it arrived, they gave me the lubricant to spray on the rust. My wife’s bike would not shift into the high gear on the front sprocket. Instead of adjusting the derailleur, they suggested spraying it with lubricant. Our one son is over six feet and needed a larger frame bike, even though he detailed it in the bike form months ago, there was no bike to fit him. One of the guides, then went home and brought a larger bike that was a full suspension mountain bike for him. The bike was very heavy, hard to control on the road and he felt unsafe. After two days, one of the guides convinced Stephen that they could adjust a hybrid bike to fit him. Clearly there was no work done to prepare the bikes for the trip. Many of the bikes needed adjusting and all needed lubricant to function easily. For every day, there was a tray of snacks placed out for us to take along the ride. None of the bikes had any baskets or attached bags, so if you didn’t bring a small day pack, there was no way to carry the snacks. For lunch on the rides, they brought exactly one sandwich for each rider. Since most of us get hungry while doing a day of exercise, it would have been helpful to have a few extras. On one day, they ran out of sandwiches and one of the leaders that were riding with us did not get lunch. Do NOT take this trip if you are expecting it to be a bicycling trip. We have used VBT and Discovery Bicycle Tours many times over the past 25 years and they are excellent bike tour companies. Lastly, after sharing these details with Road Scholar after the trip, their response was weak at best. After doing the full reviews and having to call them, their response was to give us $200 credit after spending $8000 on this trip. Not only was that insulting, they assumed that I would take another trip with their organization."

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17 days From$8,799

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Classic Japan: Land of the Rising Sun

By Cosmos

none

4/5 Great

Small Group Tour

Lodging level

Standard - 3 star

Physical level

Very Easy

Visits

Hiroshima, Kyoto, Mount Fuji, Osaka, Tokyo

Themes

50 plus, Cultural

What travelers are saying

"We've taken over 10 group tours using Cosmos and Gate1. This trip last month, 9000 was not very good. -During booking, incorrect information was given about airport-hotel transfers -The whispers (listening devices) didn't work from the get-go, so no whispers were used during the 13 day trip. - Porters are no longer hired to bring your luggage to and from your room. (Very elderly had to handle their own luggage. Our friends had to help many of them.) -A few days into the trip one couple left. At the end of the trip we found out they had covid. Cosmos did not let us know; a few people weren't feeling well and two of our friends then tested positive. -One hotel was awful and not even up to "budget" standards -Many of the stops had castles, churches... but were not included, so be sure to count that in when pricing.  don't plan to use Cosmos ever again. Gate1 is the best in my opinion. When my husband's passport was stolen, they assigned someone to go with him to the embassy, translate, etc...It was above and beyond what we expected  "

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12 days From$4,059

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Essence of Japan 2025

By Tauck

none

4.2/5 Great

Small Group Tour

Lodging level

Premium - 4 star

Physical level

Moderate

Visits

Hakone, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Tokyo

Highlights

Inspirational
innovative and intriguing
Japan is a favorite destination with Tauck travelers... where gilded temples and glittering skyscrapers reign over streets steeped in history and tradition.Discover the revered customs and unique sense of beauty that infuse life here... On the main island of Honshu
from Tokyo to the hot springs resort town of Hakone to Kanazawa and the cultural treasure trove of Kyoto
visit a private home for a tea ceremony and Origami... explore castles

Themes

Cultural

What travelers are saying

"Sad to see a once good tour company stumble and fall into mediocrity. That’s Tauck post-Covid. My May 2023 tour of Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley was done on the cheap by Tauck, yet cost me thousands of dollars extra as a solo traveler on a special small-group tour.   5-star hotels switched to 3 and 4 (without any compensation or explanation)… many more meals “on your own”… lots of “self-guided” tours of museums and chateaux and castles we knew nothing about… airline quality “rubber chicken” dinners, not in hotel restaurants, but in sad and isolated business convention spaces… poorly-trained newer Tour Directors (like the one on this tour) with limited experience traveling outside her tiny Canadian village or dealing with people from diverse backgrounds. She even confessed that this was a second gig job that took her away from her own business back home! You get what Tauck pays for, but unfortunately, not what YOU pay for.   Speaking to a “Guest Relations” agent was comically pointless. She tried to make everything my fault, which I now understand is par for the course with the “new” post-Covid Tauck. Please reconsider spending huge amounts of your hard-earned money on a tour company that has lost its way and no longer delivers."

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13 days From$11,990

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Essence of Japan 2024

By Tauck

none

4.2/5 Great

Small Group Tour

Lodging level

Premium - 4 star

Physical level

Moderate

Visits

Hakone, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Tokyo

Highlights

Inspirational
innovative and intriguing
Japan is a favorite destination with Tauck travelers... where gilded temples and glittering skyscrapers reign over streets steeped in history and tradition.Discover the revered customs and unique sense of beauty that infuse life here... On the main island of Honshu
from Tokyo to the hot springs resort town of Hakone to Kanazawa and the cultural treasure trove of Kyoto
visit a private home for a tea ceremony and Origami... explore castles

Themes

Cultural

What travelers are saying

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13 days From$11,990

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Simply Japan

By Explore!

premier

4.4/5 Great

Small Group Tour

Why we love them

They explore a place beyond the typical tourist traps and offer exciting activities that bring the “wow factor” intrepid travelers want.

Lodging level

Premium - 4 star

Physical level

Moderate

Visits

Hakone, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Matsumoto, Mount Fuji, Nijo Castle, Osaka, Takayama, Tokyo

Highlights

Experience the buzz of modern Tokyo and ancient Kyoto's temples, shrines and Zen gardens
Meet the snow monkeys and spend a night in temple lodgings, joining the monks for morning prayers
Explore the samurai district of Kanazawa and try Japan's best sake at Takayama

Themes

Cultural, Hiking & Walking

What travelers are saying

"Wow, what a trip. An awesome tour from Saigon to Hanoi under the excellent guidance of our tour leader Doan. Doan and his amazing local support team made the journey engaging, interesting, educational and worry free. Breaks were all arranged at wonderful local places where we got to see real local life. The local support team were on hand to make sure our bikes were mechanically sound at all times and we were fully fuelled on water, fresh fruit and local snacks. I would highly recommend this tour for anyone looking to get an understanding of Vietnam and see some of its incredible history and scenery. It's a country of natural beauty offering so many different experiences with wonderfully friendly local people only too happy to help and show you how they contribute their valuable part to the local economy. See you again soon Vietnam."

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-19%$5,953

14 days From$4,840

Health Safety +

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Historical Japan from Osaka to Tokyo

By Odynovo

premier

5/5 Excellent

Private Guided

Why we love them

They are able to handcraft custom trip plans in over 70 different destinations worldwide.

Lodging level

Premium - 4 star

Physical level

Easy

Trip pace

Full schedule

Visits

Hakone, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo, Tokyo Tower

Highlights

Overnight in Miyajima Island with a chance to see Itsukushima Shrine in the evening
Explore Kyoto's highlights including the Nijo Castle and Fushimi Inari Shrine
Discover the charm of Hakone at your own pace with Hakone Free Pass
Experience artistic tea ceremony in Tokyo's teahouse

Themes

Cultural, Education / Learning, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Photography

What travelers are saying

"I didn’t take this tour exactly, but made some changes based on my schedule and interests and travel dates. It was my first time in Southeast Asia and I was a traveling solo female. Liz my trip consultant and contact person was so helpful and responsive to any and all my concerns and questions. It was a trip of a lifetime. I can not gush enough about the itinerary and experiences. I am completely impressed with is company and this person. Ya ya in Chang Mai and Sam in Bangkok are top notch guides. The diving in Phuket was arranged with Siam diving, a small private boat not an over stuffed crowded one. It felt like we were the only people in the ocean. Goo, GO, GO!!!!"

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-19%$3,571

9 days From$2,903

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11-Day Traditional Japan Tour

By China Highlights

Local Expert

Verified by Travelstride as locally operated and in the top of their field for customer reviews, local knowledge, and safety.

5/5 Excellent

Private Guided

Lodging level

Premium - 4 star

Physical level

Easy

Trip pace

Full schedule

Visits

Hiroshima, Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo

Highlights

Have your own guide and private vehicle during the guided day.
Visit the magnificent Osaka Castle and the tasty district of Dotonbori.
Take a short ferry ride to see the famous floating torii.
Discover 2 of Kyoto's UNESCO World Heritage sites, Kinkakuji Temple and Nijo Castle.
Measure the Philosopher's Path with your own feet.

Themes

Cultural, Education / Learning, Relaxing Retreats, Photography

What travelers are saying

"I've just returned from my trip to China, a week ago. I've seen many-many interesting places of Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. But most of all i liked my 2-days trip to Longshen villages with my guide Frank from chinahighlights. The day before our trip has started, in Guilin, Frank met me in hotel and told about our journey. Next 2 days we visited traditional ancient chinese villages (the biggest from them are Ping'an and Dazhai), walking around them, saw the rice-terraces landscape (it was really unbelievable). Also we had a hiking between villages, and stayed at night at ZhongLiu village. I haven't seen any tourists in this village, even chinese tourists. It was fantastic cause we've seen real chinese life of local people, including, for example, planting vegetables, collecting tea). Very quiet, fresh air, natural food. Yes, in this village almost no shops, no souvenirs, but you dont need them. All around you a hundred times better. I advice all, who wants to see real chinese life, visit this place, especially this village, stay at night there. Thanks very much to my guide Frank and chinahighlights for this trip!"

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-19%$6,927

11 days From$5,632

Generous cancellation

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Ancient & Modern Japan

By Exodus Travels

premier

4.8/5 Excellent

Small Group Tour

Why we love them

With a huge range of trip styles and themes, they cater to basically every type of traveler out there- even those with super specific interests.

Lodging level

Standard - 3 star

Physical level

Moderate

Trip pace

Balanced schedule

Visits

Hakone, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Matsumoto, Nara, Takayama, Tokyo

Highlights

Spot geishas in the Gion district of Kyoto
Experience cherry blossom season or beautiful autumn colours
Take the incredible high-speed bullet train
Explore temples in Kyoto and discover futuristic Tokyo

Themes

Cultural, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Festivals & Special Events

What travelers are saying

"Discover Costa Rica is a great itinerary, covering varied habitats around the country and staying 2 nights each at 6 centres. Their birdwatching specials are led by local experts who really know their stuff."

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-26%$8,559

14 days From$6,340

Health Safety +

Generous cancellation

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Iconic Japan

By G Adventures

preferred

4.3/5 Great

Small Group Tour

Why we love them

They’ve partnered with well-known names like National Geographic and the Jane Goodall Institute to offer unique experiences unavailable elsewhere.

Lodging level

Premium - 4 star

Physical level

Moderate

Trip pace

Balanced schedule

Visits

Himeji Castle, Hiroshima, Imperial Palace, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Meiji Shrine, Nara, Tokyo, Tsumago

Highlights

Explore the modern and traditional sides of japan
Relax at a traditional inn
Ride a ferry to miyajima to see the famous floating torii
Learn the art of meditation from a local monk

Themes

Cultural, Local Immersion & Homestays

What travelers are saying

"We spent two wonderful weeks touring several of the best destinations in Portugal & Spain with a group of 16 people. Our guide (Fredy) was from Spain and intimately familiar with the region, including its rich history, attractions, and food/beverages. The tour was well-paced using a combinations of private vehicles (small buses and cabs), trains, and an airplane ride as well as a fair amount of walking to get around these two beautiful countries. We extended our stay in Lisbon to see more attractions and took a side trip to Fatima, Obidos, and Nazare that was also excellent. Would have liked to have a bit more time in a couple of the cities, but we'll just have to plan another trip!"