7 Days Highlights of Japan — Self-Launched
7 days · Japan
Tomato Travel charges £1,170
No-markup version: ~£675 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of the Tokyo-to-Osaka highlights loop: Odaiba, Tsukiji, Sensoji, a Mt Fuji day, the ninja museum, Osaka Castle, Dotonbori, Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama and Kinkakuji. Instead of a 20-40 person coach and a guide you can't always hear, you'll use Japan's world-class trains and buses, stay in hostels and budget business hotels, and book only the experiences you actually want. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget rates and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Tokyo (Narita) — settle in
Narita / Tokyo
Land at Narita (NRT) and take the Keisei Skyliner or Narita Express into the city rather than paying for a hotel near the airport — a hostel bunk in Asakusa or Taito ward is cheaper and puts you right in the action. Jet-lag day: drop bags, pick up a Suica/Pasmo IC card from the station machines, grab konbini dinner (¥500-800) and walk the Sumida riverbank after dark.
🚌Keisei Skyliner Narita→Ueno ~¥2,570 (~£13); IC card ¥500 deposit + top-up
🛏Hostel dorm in Asakusa/Taito (~£20/night)
- →Pick up Suica/Pasmo IC card
- →Evening stroll along Sumida River
- →Konbini dinner and neighbourhood orientation
Classic Tokyo in one loop
Tokyo
Do the tour's Day 2 independently, but faster and on your own schedule. Early start at Tsukiji Outer Market for tamagoyaki and grilled scallops (arrive by 8am). Walk or metro to Odaiba for Rainbow Bridge views and the little Statue of Liberty replica, then head to Shinjuku for the free Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck (200m, no ticket needed). Finish at Sensoji in Asakusa — Kaminarimon gate, Nakamise-dori and the temple — best in late afternoon light. A Tokyo Metro 24-hour pass (~¥600) covers the day.
🚌Tokyo Metro 24-hour pass ~¥600 (~£3); all stops on the loop are metro/walking distance
🛏Hostel dorm in Asakusa/Taito (~£20/night)
- →Tsukiji Outer Market food crawl (~£10)
- →Odaiba & Rainbow Bridge
- →Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck (free)
- →Sensoji Temple, Kaminarimon & Nakamise-dori
Mt Fuji day trip — Gotemba & Fuji World Heritage Centre
Tokyo → Fuji / Hakone area
Skip the coach and the Toyohashi hotel swap: base yourself in Tokyo and day-trip to Fuji. Cheapest route is the Odakyu Romancecar or a highway bus from Shinjuku to Gotemba (~¥2,000, 2hrs). Walk to Gotemba Peace Park for the Fuji viewpoint, then take the local bus to the Mt Fuji World Heritage Centre in Fujinomiya (free entry, small fee for the observation deck). Book a GetYourGuide or Klook Fuji day tour (~£45-55) instead if you want door-to-door convenience. Return to Tokyo in the evening.
🚌Highway bus Shinjuku↔Gotemba ~¥4,000 return (~£21); local buses ~¥800
🛏Hostel dorm in Tokyo (~£20/night)
- →Gotemba Peace Park Fuji viewpoint
- →Mt Fuji World Heritage Centre, Fujinomiya
- →Optional guided Fuji day tour via GetYourGuide/Klook (~£50)
Tokyo → Osaka via Iga Ninja Museum
Tokyo → Osaka
Activate a Japan Rail Pass or buy point-to-point Shinkansen tickets and ride Tokyo→Nagoya (~1h40), then a local train to Uenoshi for the Iga-ryu Ninja Museum (~£9 entry, ninja show included). Continue by train to Osaka (~1hr) and check into a hostel in Namba or Shinmachi. After dark, walk Dotonbori: takoyaki, okonomiyaki and the Glico sign.
🚌Shinkansen Tokyo→Nagoya ~¥11,300 (~£60), local trains Nagoya→Iga→Osaka ~¥3,000; or 7-day JR Pass if also doing more rail
🛏Hostel or budget business hotel, Namba/Shinmachi (~£22/night)
- →Iga-ryu Ninja Museum & ninja show (~£9)
- →Dotonbori evening food walk
- →Namba nightlife
Osaka Castle, Kyoto's Fushimi Inari & Arashiyama
Osaka & Kyoto
Morning at Osaka Castle (grounds free, main tower ~¥600). Then take the JR Kyoto Line (~30min, ¥580) or the Shinkansen (¥1,450, 15min) to Kyoto and link the tour's three Kyoto stops by train: Fushimi Inari Taisha (free, walk the torii tunnels, early afternoon is quieter), then JR Nara Line to Kyoto Station and the San-in line to Arashiyama for the bamboo grove, and finally bus 205 or the Randen tram to Kinkakuji (¥500). Stay the night in Kyoto rather than backtracking to Osaka — much less time on trains.
🚌JR Osaka→Kyoto ~¥580; Kyoto day of JR/local trains & buses ~¥1,500
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Kyoto (~£22/night)
- →Osaka Castle tower (~£3)
- →Fushimi Inari Taisha torii walk (free)
- →Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (free)
- →Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion (~£3)
Kyoto free day — Gion, Ninenzaka & Nishiki Market
Kyoto
The tour leaves this day empty; travellers consistently said they wanted more free time in Kyoto — so take it. Wander Higashiyama (Kiyomizudera, Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka), stroll Gion at dusk for the best geisha-district photo spots, and eat your way down Nishiki Market. Optional: a GetYourGuide/Klook tea ceremony (~£20-25), a Kyoto food tour (~£40) or a day trip to Nara's deer park (~¥720 return on the Kintetsu line).
🚌Kyoto city bus day pass ¥700 (~£4)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Kyoto (~£22/night)
- →Higashiyama & Kiyomizudera area
- →Gion evening walk
- →Nishiki Market food crawl (~£10)
- →Optional tea ceremony (~£22) or Nara day trip
Kyoto → Osaka and depart from KIX
Kyoto → Osaka / Kansai Airport
Lazy morning, then a direct JR Special Rapid or Haruka limited express from Kyoto to Kansai Airport (Haruka ~¥3,600, Special Rapid + Nankai connection ~¥1,900) — or use your JR Pass. If you're flying late, leave bags at coin lockers and do a last Kuromon Market or Shinsekai lunch. Flight out of KIX as the Tomato Travel tour recommends.
🚌Kyoto→Kansai Airport ~¥1,900-3,600 (~£10-19)
🛏—
- →Optional Kuromon Market or Shinsekai lunch
- →Last-minute souvenir shopping
Self-launched vs. Tomato Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Tomato Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£675 | £1,170 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £495 per person (42%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Tomato Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£675
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does 7 Days Highlights of Japan — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £675 per person for 7 days in Japan. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Tomato Travel?+
Yes — Tomato Travel charges around £1,170 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £675 — a saving of roughly £495 (42%) per person.
How long is the Japan trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Japan.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, foodie trip through Japan, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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