What Makes it Special?
- Explore the streets of Yanaka, Japan's quieter old town, sampling delicious local food as you go.
- Get an alternative view of Mount Fuji, away from the crowds.
- Take in the views over scenic Matsushima Bay, one of Japan's most famous viewpoints.
- Enjoy a full day tour of Kakunodate, with an iconic Akita dog for company.
- Climb the thousand stairs up to the mountain temple of Yamadera.
- Take a day trip to Kaga Onsen, an off-the-beaten-track hot spring town.
Your tailor-made holiday will be as unique as you are. These itineraries are just a starting point – a bit of inspiration to show what’s possible. Your own trip all starts with a conversation with one of our Japan experts, who’ll take the time to understand what matters most to you and design the perfect Japan holiday to match.
A trip to Japan should always include certain elements – Kyoto and Tokyo are sacrosanct, naturally, and it would be a shame to come here for the first time and skip these out. However, we believe the other ‘must-see’ places that appear in most Japan holiday itineraries aren’t for everyone, and nor should they be. So, if you want to see natural beauty and historical towns, travel by bullet train, and learn about the culture, food and people away from the crowds, this 'Road Less Travelled' Japan holiday idea takes in the lesser-visited stops that we happen to think are pretty special.
This particular Japan holiday has been designed to showcase the highlights and the secret spots, side-by-side for an unbeatable journey across Japan’s main island. You'll visit the quieter neighbourhoods of Tokyo, avoid the crowds in the bamboo groves of Kyoto’s Arashiyama district, visit Mt. Fuji away from the bus tours, and take in some of Tohoku’s greatest sights, enjoying the parts of Japan that 99% of tourists skip over. Why follow the same old trail, when you can take the road less travelled? As always, this is just an example of the type of Japan holiday we could design for you, your adventure will be yours and yours alone.
14 hours from London
When to go
- High season: October to April, July to August
- Low season: May to June & September
Average temperature
- January: 0°C
- August: 30°C
Average rainfall
- December: 50mm/month
- June: 240mm/month
Itinerary at a Glance
Day by Day
Here's a summary of what you might get up to day-to-day on this Japan holiday. As always, this is just an idea. Every single day of your holiday will be tailored to suit you.
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Our team will meet you on arrival and help with all the information you need to get to your hotel in central Tokyo. It might be known for its lights and buzz, but there's a quiet side to this gigantic city, you just need to know how to find it. We'll point you in the direction of the best places to get away from the crowds and find those lesser-visited gems. Depending on what time your flight lands, head out and explore this afternoon. You'll have use of our Self-Guide mobile phone app throughout your travels.
We have hundreds of partner hotels across the world, with our tailor made trips you can pick from our range of beautiful hotels
What You're Saying
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A highly knowledgeable and professional company that looks after you and your particular needs from beginning to end. Japan was my third trip through them and their team in the office, Fenton in particular, their local guides and their on the ground back up staff were brilliant. Faultless is the one word that springs to mind and I cannot recommend them highly enough.
Judith Young
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Emma planned our trip to Japan with us expertly. We explored Tohoku and had some wonderful guides. The travel, the hotels, and the advice and support we were given was just what we had hoped for. The adventure was truly memorable and totally enjoyable. A truly superb experience. Thank you!
David Price
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Just back from an amazing time in Japan. Fenton looked after us brilliantly during the initial discussions, all the way to checking-in once we were back to see if there were things that could have been improved. The key thing for us was that Fenton listened to us, and asked about the things that interested us and would make the holiday special. He was able to use his experience and knowledge to guide us - including tweaking some of our initial ideas that would not have worked. Then he crafted an itinerary that really delivered on the promises. Proper small business service levels - highly recommend.
RD
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Japan was our second trip arranged by Holiday Architects and like the first was a huge success, Emma helped us organise a wonderful three week itinerary, eight stops all connected by trains, Japans trains are a revelation and run perfectly. Everything from hotels, which were well located and comfortable, our well planned tours and excellent tour guides and Japan and the Japanese people made for a wonderful memorable trip.
Steve Ausden
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We recently returned from an incredible trip to Japan, arranged by Holiday Architects, and we couldn’t be happier with the experience. From the start, Fenton was attentive and professional, sharing his personal experience and expertise about Japan. He took the time to understand what we wanted from our trip – combining cultural experiences, visits to historic buildings and serene gardens, and the excitement of bustling city life – and created a tailored itinerary that suited us perfectly.
Maggie and Mark
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I booked a holiday of a lifetime for myself and my daughter to Japan. Fenton at Holiday Architects organised everything to the finest detail. When we arrived in Tokyo, we were met by someone who had all our tickets prepared with full instructions on how to use them, where and when. Each hotel was chosen with us in mind, each within the vicinity of the main sights. Guided tours showed us the culture of Japan and its history. Fenton has great knowledge of the country, if you don’t. He can advise. Thank you Fenton!
Ian
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Emma planned and organised an amazing trip to Japan for myself and a friend, which was just what we wanted. The quality of her advice and the tours organised for us were first class. We would definitely use Holiday Architects again. Thank you.
Jill Carnie
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I could not have planned such a memorable adventure to Japan with my 19 year old son without Emma’s extensive and invaluable knowledge. She really listened to my brief, with the end result that we had a trip of a lifetime. We felt we were experiencing Race Across the World but in a good way and armed with all the information we needed. The App was brilliant which detailed our itinerary day by day including train times and local information. Excellent.
Cathy Stafford
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Holiday Gallery
Meet our Japan experts
We offer tailor-made holidays to suit a wide range of tastes. Our experts Emma and Fenton are dedicated to all things Japan and are here to help you plan your perfect trip.
Emma Higgins
Destination Manager
A self-confessed ramen lover and hiking enthusiast, Emma fell hard for Japan’s food and lush countryside. She’s full of ideas for getting off the well-trodden trail and soaking up the quieter, greener side of this one-of-a-kind country.
Fenton
Destination Manager
Fenton’s passion for Japan runs deep, he’s studied the language, explored all corners of the country from Hokkaido to Kyushu, and even named his cat Kyoto. If you want an expert who lives and breathes the place, he’s your guy.
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