Backroads of Japan — Self-Launched
12 days · Japan
G Adventures charges £2,900
No-markup version: ~£1,310 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, independent version of G Adventures' 12-day "Backroads of Japan" trip, travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto through the Japanese Alps. Using hostels, guesthouses and traditional ryokan booked direct, JR trains and night buses, you cover exactly the same route — Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Nagano, Jigokudani snow monkeys, Matsumoto Castle, Takayama, Kurashiki, the Kibi Plains bike ride and Fushimi Inari — at roughly a third of the group tour price. All costs are approximate per-person backpacker/budget rates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Tokyo
Tokyo
Fly into Narita or Haneda and make your own way to a hostel in Shinjuku or Asakusa. Pick up a Suica/Pasmo IC card at the airport (¥500 deposit + top-up) for trains, buses and convenience stores. Settle in, grab a konbini dinner or a bowl of ramen, and shake off the jet lag.
🚌Narita Express or Keisei Skyliner to central Tokyo (~£18)
🛏Hostel dorm in Shinjuku/Asakusa (£18-25)
- →Airport train into city
- →Suica card setup
- →Shinjuku evening wander
Modern Tokyo walking day
Tokyo
Do your own free walking route from Shinjuku to Shibuya via Yoyogi Park and Harajuku — the same ground the group tour covers, minus the guide. Free guided walking tours also run most mornings (tip-based, ~£5-10). In the afternoon explore Harajuku's Takeshita Street boutiques, then cross the Shibuya Scramble at dusk. Optional: Meiji Shrine (free entry) and the Nezu Museum.
🚌Tokyo Metro day pass (~£5)
🛏Hostel dorm in Shinjuku/Asakusa (£18-25)
- →Self-led Shinjuku-Shibuya walk
- →Yoyogi Park
- →Harajuku Takeshita Street
- →Meiji Shrine (free)
- →Shibuya Scramble crossing
Free day — Tokyo or Mt Fuji
Tokyo / Mt Fuji
Use this flexible day for a day trip to Mt Fuji (take the JR Chuo Line to Otsuki then the Fujikyu Railway to Kawaguchiko, ~£25 return with a Fuji Excursion ticket) or stay in town for teamLab, the Tsukiji Outer Market and Akihabara. Book any Fuji excursion through Klook or GetYourGuide if you prefer a coach tour (~£45-60).
🚌JR Chuo Line + Fujikyu Railway to Kawaguchiko (~£25 return)
🛏Hostel dorm in Shinjuku/Asakusa (£18-25)
- →Mt Fuji day trip or teamLab
- →Tsukiji Outer Market
- →Akihabara electronics district
Tokyo to Nagano
Nagano
Ride the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano (about 1h20, ~£28 with a reserved seat). Drop bags at a guesthouse near Nagano Station and walk to Zenkoji Temple, one of Japan's most important pilgrimage sites — the approach street is lined with shops and the temple is free to enter. Optional evening soak at a local sento (~£4).
🚌Hokuriku Shinkansen Tokyo-Nagano (~£28)
🛏Guesthouse/hostel near Nagano Station (£20-30)
- →Hokuriku Shinkansen ride
- →Zenkoji Temple
- →Nakamise shopping street
- →Local sento onsen
Snow monkeys and on to Matsumoto
Jigokudani / Matsumoto
Take a local train and bus to Jigokudani Monkey Park to watch Japanese macaques bathing in the hot springs (entry ~£4, plus ~£9 transport each way — the group tour does the same trip). Afterwards continue by train to Matsumoto (about 1h, ~£9). Optional extra: a night in a traditional onsen ryokan in the area.
🚌Local train + Nagaden bus to Jigokudani, then train to Matsumoto (~£20 total)
🛏Hostel or budget ryokan in Matsumoto (£22-35)
- →Jigokudani Monkey Park
- →Snow monkey onsen photography
- →Train to Matsumoto
Matsumoto Castle to Takayama
Matsumoto / Takayama
Visit Matsumoto's 'Black Crow' Castle — one of Japan's few original keeps — early to beat crowds (entry ~£4). Then take the scenic JR Takayama Line north through the Alps to Takayama 'Little Kyoto' (about 2h20, ~£18). Check into a guesthouse in the old town and stroll the preserved Sanmachi Suji streets in the evening.
🚌JR Takayama Line Matsumoto-Takayama (~£18)
🛏Guesthouse in Takayama old town (£20-30)
- →Matsumoto Castle
- →JR Takayama Line
- →Sanmachi Suji old town stroll
Takayama folk village and sake
Takayama
Walk or cycle to Hida No Sato, the open-air folk village of traditional thatched houses (entry ~£4). Return to town for the sake breweries along Kami-Sannomachi — many offer a tasting flight for ~£3-5. With free time, hike the forested Higashiyama walkway or relax at a local onsen; bicycle rental is ~£8/day.
🚌Walking or bicycle rental (~£8)
🛏Guesthouse in Takayama old town (£20-30)
- →Hida No Sato folk village
- →Sake brewery tastings
- →Bicycle rental or forest walk
- →Onsen soak
Takayama to Kurashiki
Kurashiki
A long but scenic travel day: take the JR Hida Limited Express south, then connect via Nagoya or Okayama to Kurashiki (roughly 5-6h, ~£55). The historic Bikan quarter of black-and-white canal-side merchant houses is magical at dusk — stay in the old town or near the station.
🚌JR Limited Express Takayama-Kurashiki (~£55)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Kurashiki (£20-30)
- →JR Hida Limited Express
- →Kurashiki Bikan historical quarter
- →Ohara Museum area evening walk
Kibi Plains bike ride
Kurashiki
Rent a bicycle (~£8-10/day) and ride the Kibi Plains cycle route — flat paths threading rice fields, shrines and kofun burial mounds, exactly the ride the group tour does, just without the minibus. Stop at Kibitsu Shrine and the ancient burial mounds. Evening back in the Bikan quarter with local Okayama cuisine.
🚌Bicycle rental (~£9)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Kurashiki (£20-30)
- →Kibi Plains cycling
- →Kibitsu Shrine
- →Kofun burial mounds
- →Bikan quarter evening
Kurashiki to Kyoto — Fushimi Inari
Kyoto
Take the Sanyo/Hikari Shinkansen or local JR trains to Kyoto (about 1h, ~£25), then head straight to Fushimi Inari Taisha (free entry, JR Nara Line from Kyoto Station, ~£2). Walking the thousands of torii gates is included on the original tour — do it yourself, ideally late afternoon or early morning to avoid crowds. Check into a budget guesthouse in Kyoto and explore Gion after dark.
🚌JR train Kurashiki-Kyoto (~£25) + local train to Fushimi Inari (~£2)
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Kyoto (£20-35)
- →Train to Kyoto
- →Fushimi Inari Taisha torii gates
- →Gion evening walk
Kyoto — Nijo Castle and Gion
Kyoto
Explore Kyoto independently: Nijo Castle and its gardens (entry ~£8, UNESCO site), the Gion geisha district with its teahouses, and Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) or Arashiyama bamboo grove. A self-guided walking tour app or a tip-based local guide (~£10-15) replaces the group's guided walks. Optional: a Kyoto cooking class via GetYourGuide (~£35).
🚌Kyoto city bus/subway day pass (~£5)
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Kyoto (£20-35)
- →Nijo Castle and gardens
- →Gion geisha district walk
- →Kinkaku-ji or Arashiyama bamboo grove
- →Optional tea ceremony (~£20)
Kyoto departure
Kyoto
Last morning for a quiet temple or Nishiki Market breakfast before heading to Kansai Airport (KIX) or catching the shinkansen back to Tokyo. If flying home, the Haruka Express from Kyoto Station runs direct to KIX (~£20).
🚌JR Haruka Express to Kansai Airport (~£20)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Nishiki Market breakfast
- →Temple visit
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,310 | £2,900 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,590 per person (55%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,310
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 Backroads of Japan — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,310 per person for 12 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,900 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,310 — a saving of roughly £1,590 (55%) per person.
How long is the Japan trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 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, budget, backpacker 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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