Best of Japan — Self-Launched (Tokyo to Osaka)
13 days · Japan (Honshu)
Contiki charges £3,080
No-markup version: ~£1,500 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 13-day self-launched run of Contiki's "Best of Japan" route — Tokyo, Hakone/Isawa, Matsumoto, Takayama, Hiroshima & Miyajima, Kyoto, Mount Koya and Osaka — rebuilt for independent travellers. You ride the same shinkansen and local trains, book the same temples, ryokans and monastery stays direct, and eat the same kaiseki and Hida beef, without the group coach, fixed departures or 18–35 age limit. Costs below are approximate per-person estimates in GBP based on current budget-to-midrange backpacker rates in Japan; book hostels/guesthouses 2–3 months out and consider a 7-day JR Pass for the long-haul legs.
Day-by-day
Arrive Tokyo — land and settle in Ryogoku
Tokyo
Fly into Narita or Haneda and make your own way in. From Narita, the Keisei Skyliner to Ueno is ~£15 (40 mins) or the Narita Express ~£20; from Haneda the Keikyu line to Asakusa is ~£4. Base yourself in Ryogoku/Asakusa for cheap hostels within walking distance of Senso-ji. Evening: grab konbini dinner or a bowl of soba in Asakusa and shake off jetlag.
🚌Airport train (Keisei Skyliner / Narita Express / Keikyu) + metro
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Ryogoku/Asakusa (e.g. Nui Hostel, Bunka Hostel Tokyo or a Ryogoku business hotel)
- →Arrive and check in
- →Evening stroll around Asakusa
- →Konbini or soba dinner
Tokyo highlights — Asakusa, Meiji Jingu, Harajuku, Shibuya
Tokyo
Self-launch a full sightseeing day using the metro. Start at Senso-ji temple and browse Nakamise Street, then ride the Ginza line to Meiji Jingu shrine and walk into Harajuku's Takeshita Street. Finish at Shibuya Crossing and the free Shibuya Sky-adjacent viewpoints (book Shibuya Sky online ~£12 if you want the rooftop). Public transport is cheap — top up a Suica card (~£10 loaded) and tap as you go.
🚌Tokyo Metro / Toei subway day pass ~£5
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Ryogoku/Asakusa
- →Senso-ji temple and Nakamise Street
- →Meiji Jingu shrine
- →Harajuku fashion district
- →Shibuya Crossing
Tokyo free day — Akihabara and neighbourhood exploring
Tokyo
Do your own thing. Akihabara for electronics, retro games and (if you're curious) a maid cafe; Shinjuku for the Omoide Yokocho alleys and Golden Gai; or TeamLab Planets if you book ahead (~£20). Optional: a sake tasting in Ueno or a day trip to Kamakura by JR (~£10 return).
🚌Metro / JR local trains, ~£5–8
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Ryogoku/Asakusa
- →Akihabara exploration
- →Optional TeamLab Planets
- →Optional Kamakura day trip
- →Golden Gai or Omoide Yokocho evening
Tokyo to Hakone and Isawa — Tsukiji, ropeway, Fuji views, ryokan onsen
Hakone / Isawa
Hit Tsukiji Outer Market early for tamagoyaki and sashimi breakfast (free to wander). Then take the JR Tokaido line to Odawara (~£8, 70 mins) and use the Hakone Free Pass (~£40, covers ropeway, cable car, pirate ship and buses). Ride the Hakone Ropeway over Owakudani for Mt. Fuji views, then continue to Isawa Onsen by local train or bus. Book a ryokan direct with kaiseki dinner and onsen soak included — the classic splurge of this route.
🚌JR Tokaido line to Odawara + Hakone Free Pass + local train/bus to Isawa
🛏Ryokan in Isawa Onsen with onsen and kaiseki dinner (book direct; e.g. mid-range ryokan)
- →Tsukiji Outer Market breakfast
- →Hakone Ropeway and Owakudani
- →Mt. Fuji viewpoint
- →Ryokan onsen soak
- →Kaiseki dinner
Isawa to Takayama via Matsumoto — fruit farm and Matsumoto Castle
Takayama
Train to Matsumoto (~2.5 hrs, ~£20 with JR connections), see the black-and-white Matsumoto Castle (entry ~£4) and the nearby Nawate-dori and Daio Wasabi Farm. Add a seasonal fruit-picking stop at a local farm if travelling in summer/autumn (book on arrival via the station tourist office, ~£8). Then the JR Takayama line north to Takayama (~2.5 hrs, scenic, ~£20). Evening: optional Hida beef dinner (~£25).
🚌JR Shinonoi/Takayama lines (Matsumoto–Takayama), ~£40 total
🛏Guesthouse, hostel or budget hotel in Takayama (e.g. Guesthouse Tomaru, J-Hoppers Takayama)
- →Matsumoto Castle
- →Daio Wasabi Farm
- →Seasonal fruit picking
- →Optional Hida beef dinner
Takayama — cycle the old town and onsen
Takayama
Rent a bicycle from your guesthouse (~£8/day) and ride the Miyagawa morning market, Sanmachi Suji preserved streets, Takayama Jinya and the Hida Folk Village. In the afternoon take a local bus to a nearby onsen town (Hirayu or Gero) for a bath (~£5 entry) — or find a sento in town. Chill pace, no guide needed.
🚌Bicycle hire + local bus to onsen
🛏Guesthouse, hostel or budget hotel in Takayama
- →Miyagawa morning market
- →Sanmachi Suji old town
- →Takayama Jinya
- →Hida Folk Village
- →Onsen soak
Takayama to Hiroshima — Peace Memorial Museum
Hiroshima
Take the JR Takayama line to Nagoya (~2.5 hrs) then shinkansen to Hiroshima (~2.5 hrs) — roughly £90 combined with a JR Pass or ~£110 point-to-point. Head out to the Peace Memorial Museum (~£1) and walk the Peace Memorial Park, A-Bomb Dome and Cenotaph. Join a free volunteer-led Peace Park walking tour (English, runs daily, tip ~£5) instead of a private guide.
🚌JR Takayama line + Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen
🛏Hostel or budget hotel near Hiroshima Station or Peace Park (e.g. J-Hoppers Hiroshima)
- →Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
- →Peace Memorial Park and A-Bomb Dome
- →Free volunteer-led peace walk
Hiroshima — day trip to Miyajima and the Great Torii
Hiroshima / Miyajima
Take the Hiroshima tram or JR to Miyajimaguchi (covered by JR Pass), the 10-minute ferry to Miyajima (~£2 or included in JR Pass), and walk to the Great Torii Gate at high tide. Climb or cable car up Mt. Misen (~£10 one way) and wander the Itsukushima Shrine and forest paths with the deer. Back to Hiroshima for okonomiyaki dinner at Okonomimura (~£8).
🚌JR Sanyo line + ferry to Miyajima
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Hiroshima
- →Miyajima ferry
- →Great Torii Gate and Itsukushima Shrine
- →Mt. Misen walk or cable car
- →Okonomimura okonomiyaki dinner
Hiroshima to Kyoto — Fushimi Inari and Kinkaku-ji
Kyoto
Shinkansen to Kyoto (~1.5 hrs, ~£65 with JR Pass). Stay near Kyoto Station for cheap hostels and easy transport. Walk or take the JR Nara line to Fushimi Inari Taisha (free) and hike the vermilion torii tunnel at your own pace — go early or late for fewer crowds. Then bus to Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion (~£3). Kyoto bus day pass ~£5.
🚌Sanyo/Tokaido Shinkansen + Kyoto buses/JR Nara line
🛏Hostel or budget hotel near Kyoto Station (e.g. Piece Hostel Kyoto)
- →Fushimi Inari Shrine
- →Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
Kyoto — Arashiyama, kimono, Gion
Kyoto
Free day in Kyoto. Head to Arashiyama for the bamboo grove and Togetsukyo Bridge (JR to Saga-Arashiyama ~£2), then Yasaka Pagoda and the Higashiyama lanes. Rent a kimono (~£20 for a day, shops all over Gion) or just wander Gion at dusk for geisha-spotting. Optional: Nishiki Market food crawl (~£10).
🚌JR local line + Kyoto buses
🛏Hostel or budget hotel near Kyoto Station
- →Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
- →Yasaka Pagoda and Higashiyama
- →Kimono rental
- →Gion district wander
- →Nishiki Market food crawl
Kyoto to Mount Koya — temple stay and meditation
Mount Koya (Koyasan)
Take the JR to Hashimoto then the Nankai Koya line and cable car up to Koyasan (combined ~£15, ~2.5 hrs). Book a shukubo (temple lodging) direct — Henjoko-in or any of the ~50 temples offer a traditional vegetarian shojin-ryori dinner and morning service (~£60–90/night with meals). Join the evening meditation session and walk Okunoin cemetery at dusk by lantern light.
🚌JR + Nankai Koya line + cable car
🛏Temple lodging (shukubo) on Koyasan with shojin-ryori dinner and breakfast, booked direct
- →Koyasan temple stay
- →Shojin-ryori vegetarian dinner
- →Meditation session
- →Okunoin cemetery walk
Mount Koya to Osaka — morning service and street food
Osaka
Attend the early morning Buddhist service and fire ceremony (typically 6am), then descend to Osaka via the Nankai Koya line and Nankai Namba line (~£12, 2 hrs). Check into a budget hotel or hostel in Namba/Umeda. Afternoon: Dotonbori for takoyaki, kushikatsu and okonomiyaki (~£12), plus Americamura thrift and gaming shops and the Pokemon Center.
🚌Nankai Koya line + Nankai Namba line
🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Osaka Namba/Umeda (e.g. Hostel Q, Book and Bed)
- →Morning Buddhist service
- →Dotonbori street food crawl
- →Americamura
- →Pokemon Center
Osaka — final day and departure
Osaka
Last morning for Osaka Castle park (free to wander, ~£3 for the keep), Kuromon Ichiba Market breakfast (~£6) or a Shinsekai kushikatsu lunch. Then head to Kansai Airport (KIX) via the Nankai Rapi:t (~£12, 45 mins) or limousine bus (~£10).
🚌Nankai Rapi:t or limousine bus to KIX
🛏—
- →Osaka Castle park
- →Kuromon Ichiba Market
- →Shinsekai kushikatsu
Self-launched vs. Contiki
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Contiki | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,500 | £3,080 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,580 per person (51%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Contiki-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,500
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 Best of Japan — Self-Launched (Tokyo to Osaka) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,500 per person for 13 days in Japan (Honshu). 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 Contiki?+
Yes — Contiki charges around £3,080 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,500 — a saving of roughly £1,580 (51%) per person.
How long is the Japan (Honshu) trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 day-by-day stops through Japan (Honshu).
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 (Honshu), 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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