Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima — Self-Launched
7 days · Japan
Europamundo charges £1,598
No-markup version: ~£480 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of Europamundo's 7-day Tokyo-to-Hiroshima loop, done on Japan's excellent public transport instead of a coach. You'll hit the same big-hitters — Sensoji and Meiji Shrine, the Skytree, Fushimi Inari, Kinkakuji, Nara's deer park, Himeji Castle, Korakuen Garden, Kurashiki's canal district, Miyajima's Itsukushima Shrine and Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park — but with hostel/business-hotel beds, self-booked trains and your own pace. Costs are approximate backpacker/mid-budget estimates in GBP and assume you're travelling solo but staying in dorm or small private rooms.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Tokyo
Tokyo
Land at Narita or Haneda and get into the city on the cheap: Keisei Skyliner from Narita to Ueno (~£14, 40 min) or the Limousine Bus (~£8) — from Haneda, the Keikyu Line to Shinagawa is about £3. Check into a hostel or budget business hotel around Asakusa, Ueno or Shinjuku. Spend the late afternoon wandering your neighbourhood, grab a konbini dinner or a bowl of ramen at a ticket-machine shop (~£6-8), and buy a Suica/Pasmo IC card (~£1.50 deposit + top-up) for all local trains and buses.
🚌Airport train ~£3-14; city metro/JR ~£1.50-2.50 per ride
🛏Hostel dorm in Asakusa/Ueno (~£18-25/night) or budget business hotel single (~£45)
- →Arrival and IC card setup
- →Neighbourhood wander
- →Konbini or ramen dinner
Tokyo highlights on your own steam
Tokyo
Do a self-guided version of the coach tour using the metro. Start at Zojoji Temple with Tokyo Tower behind it, ride to Harajuku for Meiji Shrine and walk through to Shibuya Crossing. Afternoon: Asakusa for Sensoji Temple and Nakamise Street, then Tokyo Skytree Tembo Deck (book a timed ticket online via Klook/GetYourGuide, ~£15-17; cheaper than walk-up). In the evening, ride the Yamanote Line to Shinjuku for the neon and Omoide Yokocho's yakitori alleys. Skip paid guided tours — signage in English is excellent.
🚌Tokyo Metro day pass ~£4.50 or IC card ~£5-6 for the day
🛏Same hostel/business hotel as Day 1
- →Zojoji Temple & Tokyo Tower viewpoint
- →Meiji Shrine & Shibuya Crossing
- →Sensoji Temple & Nakamise Street
- →Tokyo Skytree Tembo Deck (~£16, pre-book)
- →Shinjuku evening walk
Bullet train to Kyoto
Kyoto
Take the Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Kyoto (~2h15m). A reserved seat is around £80-90; if you're flexible, the slower but much cheaper overnight highway bus (~£35-45, 7-8h) is an option, or a JR Pass if you're doing more of Japan. Drop bags at your hostel near Kyoto Station, then hit Fushimi Inari Shrine (free, best late afternoon when it empties out), Kyoto Imperial Palace (free, no booking needed) and Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion (~£3 entry). Finish with a walk through Gion's lantern-lit lanes.
🚌Shinkansen Tokyo–Kyoto ~£80-90; local bus/subway ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm near Kyoto Station (~£20-28/night)
- →Tokaido Shinkansen
- →Fushimi Inari Shrine (free)
- →Kyoto Imperial Palace (free)
- →Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion (~£3)
- →Gion district walk
Nara day trip, then on to Osaka
Nara / Osaka
Train to Nara (~45 min, ~£7 on the Kintetsu or JR line). Walk to Nara Park to meet the deer (free) and see Todaiji Temple's Great Buddha (~£5). Add Horyuji Temple if you want the world's oldest wooden buildings — bus ~£3.50 each way plus ~£10 entry. In the late afternoon, ride to Osaka (~40 min, ~£5), check into a hostel in Namba, and spend the evening eating your way through Dotonbori — takoyaki, okonomiyaki and kushikatsu (~£12-15 total).
🚌Kyoto–Nara ~£7; Nara–Osaka ~£5; local transport ~£3
🛏Hostel dorm or capsule hotel in Namba, Osaka (~£20-30/night)
- →Nara Park deer
- →Todaiji Temple (~£5)
- →Optional Horyuji Temple (~£13)
- →Dotonbori street food crawl
Himeji Castle and Okayama
Himeji / Okayama
JR Special Rapid from Osaka to Himeji (~1h20m, ~£14). Explore the magnificent white Himeji Castle complex (~£6.50) — go early to beat the crowds. Continue by JR to Okayama (~1h, ~£12) and visit Korakuen Garden, one of Japan's top three gardens (~£2.50). If time allows, the black Okayama Castle opposite is ~£2 entry. Overnight in Okayama near the station.
🚌Osaka–Himeji ~£14; Himeji–Okayama ~£12; trams ~£2
🛏Budget business hotel or hostel near Okayama Station (~£25-35/night)
- →Himeji Castle (~£6.50)
- →Korakuen Garden (~£2.50)
- →Optional Okayama Castle (~£2)
Kurashiki, Miyajima and Hiroshima
Kurashiki / Miyajima / Hiroshima
Early train to Kurashiki (~1h, ~£10) for a stroll through the willow-lined canal district and its museums and craft shops. Then JR to Hiroshima (~1h15m, ~£17) and store your bag at the station. Ride the JR Sanyo Line to Miyajimaguchi (~30 min, covered by IC card) and take the 10-minute ferry to Miyajima (~£2 each way) — the floating vermilion torii of Itsukushima Shrine is one of Japan's classic sights (~£2 entry to the shrine). Back in Hiroshima, walk the Peace Memorial Park and Atomic Bomb Dome (free) and visit the Peace Memorial Museum (~£1.10).
🚌Kurashiki–Hiroshima ~£27 total; JR to Miyajimaguchi ~£3; ferry ~£4 return
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Hiroshima city centre (~£25-35/night)
- →Kurashiki historic canal district
- →Miyajima ferry & Itsukushima Shrine (~£2)
- →Peace Memorial Park & Atomic Bomb Dome (free)
- →Peace Memorial Museum (~£1.10)
Hiroshima and departure
Hiroshima
A slower morning: revisit the Peace Park area or head to Hiroshima Castle and Shukkeien Garden (~£5 combined), then try Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki for lunch (~£8). Fly out from Hiroshima Airport (limousine bus ~£8, 50 min) or take the shinkansen back toward Tokyo/Osaka. If you're continuing, the Sanyo Line to Fukuoka or a ferry to Miyajima for a final morning are easy add-ons.
🚌Airport limousine bus ~£8 or shinkansen onward ~£80-100
🛏N/A (departure day) or final hostel night (~£30)
- →Hiroshima Castle & Shukkeien Garden (~£5)
- →Hiroshima okonomiyaki lunch
Self-launched vs. Europamundo
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Europamundo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£480 | £1,598 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,118 per person (70%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Europamundo-style trips? Check them out here.~£480
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 Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £480 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 Europamundo?+
Yes — Europamundo charges around £1,598 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £480 — a saving of roughly £1,118 (70%) 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, budget 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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