9-Day Japan Classic Self-Launched: Tokyo, Hakone & Mt. Fuji, Kyoto, Nara
9 days · Japan (Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara)
Intertrips charges £1,550
No-markup version: ~£940 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Intertrips' 9-day Tokyo–Mt. Fuji–Kyoto group tour, done independently using Japan's brilliant public transport. You'll cover the same highlights — Tsukiji and Sensoji in Tokyo, the Komagatake Ropeway and Lake Ashi views of Fuji in Hakone, Fushimi Inari and Kinkakuji in Kyoto, plus a Nara day trip for the deer park and Todai-ji — but instead of a 4* group hotel chain and coach transfers you'll stay in well-located hostels and budget business hotels, ride the Hakone Free Pass and shinkansen, and book only the excursions you actually want. Costs are realistic budget-traveller estimates in GBP, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Tokyo — land, SIM card, and ease into Shinjuku
Tokyo
Fly into Narita or Haneda and get into the city yourself. From Narita the Keisei Skyliner to Ueno/Nippori costs about ¥2,570 (~£13); from Haneda the Keikyu Line or monorail is under ¥600 (~£3). Buy a Suica or Pasmo IC card at the airport (¥500 deposit, top up as you go) and pick up a data SIM or eSIM — the airport counters or an eSIM bought before you fly both work. Check into a hostel or budget business hotel near Shinjuku or Asakusa, then take a low-key evening wander: Shinjuku's Omoide Yokocho and Kabukicho are free to stroll and perfect for your first yakitori and a beer.
🚌Airport train ~£3–13; IC card for local metro/junkan lines
🛏Hostel or budget business hotel, Shinjuku or Asakusa (dorm £15–22 / private twin £45–60)
- →Self-guided evening walk: Omoide Yokocho and Kabukicho, Shinjuku
Tokyo deep-dive: Tsukiji, Odaiba and Sensoji
Tokyo
Do the classic Tokyo circuit on your own timetable. Hit Tsukiji Outer Market early (7–9am) for tamagoyaki, uni and breakfast sushi — free to wander, budget £10–14 for food. Ride the Yurikamome line across to Odaiba for Seaside Park, the Tokyo Tower and Rainbow Bridge views, the little Statue of Liberty replica and the full-size Unicorn Gundam statue (all free). In the afternoon head to Asakusa for Sensoji Temple and the Nakamise shopping street. If you want a guide, a small-group Tokyo walking tour via GetYourGuide/Klook runs about £25–35, but everything listed here is self-navigable. Optional: a Tokyo Metro 24-hour pass (~£4) pays for itself on a day like this.
🚌Tokyo Metro 24h pass or IC card, ~£4–7
🛏Hostel or budget business hotel, Tokyo
- →Tsukiji Outer Market breakfast crawl
- →Yurikamome to Odaiba Seaside Park, Rainbow Bridge, Gundam statue and Statue of Liberty replica
- →Sensoji Temple and Nakamise shopping street, Asakusa
Tokyo to Hakone — Komagatake Ropeway and Lake Ashi
Hakone
Ride the Odakyu Romancecar or JR to Odawara and pick up a Hakone Free Pass (2-day version, ~£35–40, covers the whole loop: trains, cable car, ropeway, pirate ship and buses). Take the bus up to Hakone-en, the Komagatake Ropeway to the summit for Hakone and Lake Ashi views, then the Hakone Ropeway over the sulphur vents to Togendai and a pirate-ship cruise across Lake Ashi — on a clear day the Fuji view from the deck is the trip's photo moment. Overnight in a Hakone-area hostel or guesthouse (or Gora / Yumoto). Book the ropeway on the pass, no advance guide needed.
🚌Odakyu/JR to Odawara ~£7–8, Hakone Free Pass 2-day ~£37
🛏Hakone guesthouse or hostel, Gora or Yumoto (£25–35 dorm / £55–75 twin)
- →Komagatake Ropeway summit viewpoint
- →Hakone Ropeway over Owakudani
- →Lake Ashi pirate-ship cruise with Mt Fuji views
Hakone to Kyoto — Fushimi Inari at golden hour
Kyoto
Finish your Hakone loop in the morning (if the weather is clearer than yesterday, re-ride the ropeway for Fuji), then catch the shinkansen from Odawara to Kyoto (~2 hours, ~£75–85 non-reserved on the Kodama/Hikari — slightly cheaper than the full Tokyo–Kyoto fare). Check into a hostel or budget inn near Kyoto Station or Kawaramachi. Late afternoon head to Fushimi Inari Taisha: free, open 24 hours, and far less crowded after 5pm when the lanterns come on — walk at least 30 minutes uphill to escape the day-trippers. Dinner in Pontocho alley or Nishiki Market area.
🚌Shinkansen Odawara–Kyoto ~£80; local JR Nara line to Inari ~£1.50
🛏Kyoto hostel or budget hotel, Station or Kawaramachi area (£18–25 dorm / £50–65 twin)
- →Fushimi Inari Taisha torii-gate hike (free)
- →Evening walk Pontocho and Nishiki Market
Kyoto: Kinkakuji, Arashiyama and temples
Kyoto
Self-guided Kyoto temple day. Take bus 205 or the Karasuma line to Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion, ¥500 ~£2.70) early before the tour buses arrive, then a city bus down to Ryoanji's rock garden, and on to Arashiyama for the bamboo grove and Togetsukyo Bridge (free). Skip the crowds at Tenryu-ji if time is short, or pay ¥500 for the garden. If you'd like context, a small-group walking tour or a GetYourGuide/ Klook Kyoto highlights tour is £25–40 — optional. Consider a one-day Kyoto bus pass (~£4.50) for hop-on convenience.
🚌Kyoto city bus day pass ~£4.50; metro/IC card top-ups
🛏Kyoto hostel or budget hotel
- →Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion (~£2.70 entry)
- →Ryoanji rock garden
- →Arashiyama bamboo grove and Togetsukyo Bridge
- →Optional guided highlight tour £25–40
Nara day trip — deer park and Todai-ji
Nara
Take the JR Nara line from Kyoto Station (~45 min, ¥720 ~£4) or the Kintetsu line from Kintetsu-Kyoto (~35 min, similar). Wander Nara Park handing out shika senbei to the deer (¥200 a pack), and pop into Kasuga Taisha shrine with its thousands of lanterns. Todai-ji's Great Buddha hall is a must (¥800 ~£4.30). Continue to Osaka in the late afternoon on the Kintetsu or JR Yamatoji line (~£5) for Osaka Castle Park, Dotonbori's neon and street food (takoyaki, kushikatsu) and Shinsaibashi. Last train back to Kyoto is around 11pm.
🚌JR/Kintetsu Kyoto–Nara ~£4 each way; Nara–Osaka ~£5; return to Kyoto ~£5
🛏Kyoto hostel or budget hotel
- →Nara Park deer feeding
- →Kasuga Taisha shrine
- →Todai-ji Great Buddha (~£4.30)
- →Osaka Castle Park, Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi evening
Kyoto to Tokyo by shinkansen — Asakusa or Odaiba wind-down
Tokyo
Morning shinkansen Kyoto to Tokyo (2h15, ~£90 non-reserved on the Hikari/Kodama) — reserve a window seat for a Fuji sighting around Mishima/Odawara. Check back into a Tokyo hostel or business hotel; staying near the T-CAT or in Asakusa keeps the airport run cheap later. Afternoon free: revisit anything you missed in Tokyo, take a boat down the Sumida River, or hop to a rooftop for sunset. This is also the day to grab any souvenir shopping in Akihabara or Nakamise — no guide needed.
🚌Shinkansen Kyoto–Tokyo ~£90
🛏Hostel or budget business hotel, Asakusa or Ueno (£15–22 dorm / £45–60 twin)
- →Sumida River boat ride
- →Self-guided Akihabara or Nakamise shopping
Tokyo flex day — DisneySea, teamLab or a low-key neighbourhood day
Tokyo
The original tour leaves Day 8 empty or offers Disney. In the self-launched version, choose your own: book Tokyo DisneySea direct (1-day ticket ~¥7,900–10,900, ~£42–58; buy online in advance and take the JR Keiyo line to Maihama), or go for teamLab Planets (~£21 via Klook) in Toyosu, or a much cheaper day of free neighbourhood wandering — Yanaka, Shimokitazawa vintage shops, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck (free), and a ramen crawl. Either way, pack tonight and top up your IC card for the airport.
🚌JR Keiyo/Yamanote or metro, ~£3–6
🛏Hostel or budget business hotel, Tokyo
- →Optional Tokyo DisneySea (~£42–58 direct booking)
- →Optional teamLab Planets (~£21 via Klook)
- →Free Yanaka, Shimokitazawa and TMG observation deck day
Depart Tokyo
Tokyo
Last breakfast, then your own transfer out: Keisei Skyliner or JR Narita Express to NRT (~£13–18) or Keikyu/monorail to Haneda (~£3–4). If you're on a late flight, squeeze in a final konbini run and a temple visit in Asakusa before heading out. Allow 2.5–3 hours at Narita for check-in.
🚌Airport train to Narita ~£13–18 or Haneda ~£3–4
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Final Asakusa walk if time allows
Self-launched vs. Intertrips
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Intertrips | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£940 | £1,550 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £610 per person (39%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Intertrips-style trips? Check them out here.~£940
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 9-Day Japan Classic Self-Launched: Tokyo, Hakone & Mt. Fuji, Kyoto, Nara cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £940 per person for 9 days in Japan (Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara). 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 Intertrips?+
Yes — Intertrips charges around £1,550 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £940 — a saving of roughly £610 (39%) per person.
How long is the Japan (Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara) trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Japan (Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara).
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 (Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara), 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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