Japan Tour: Tokyo, Mt Fuji, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima

Overview

The trip is built for two travelers. It runs about 11 days door to door and uses nine hotel nights: three in Tokyo, three in Osaka, and three in Hiroshima. Ask Theresa to price it for the dates you want. Nothing on this page is a published dollar fare.

• Overnight United Polaris on a Dreamliner 787, Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo Narita (NRT)
• VIP meet-and-greet arrival in Tokyo, then Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo Premier Grand
• Mt Fuji and Hakone with JTB Sunrise Tours, returning by Shinkansen to Tokyo Station
• Jetstar Japan from Narita to Osaka Kansai (KIX), then Centara Grand Hotel Osaka
• Kyoto and Nara with Explorer Tours, from Shinsaibashi
• First-class Nozomi from Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima, then Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel
• Private Hiroshima day with BE Hiroshima, then a private ride to the airport

Airport pickups in this sample allow 60 minutes of waiting. If immigration or baggage runs longer, the wait can be extended, and extra parking or waiting charges can apply. On other pickups the driver waits about 10 minutes.

At Keio Plaza and at Centara Grand, a city tax of 100 to 200 yen per person per night is collected at the property. The amount follows the room rate.

Frequently asked questions

How long is this sample Japan tour?

About 11 days door to door, with nine hotel nights: three at Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo, three at Centara Grand Hotel Osaka, and three at Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel.

Which hotels does this Japan tour use?

Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo Premier Grand, in a Premier Grand Superior King with club-lounge access; Centara Grand Hotel Osaka, in a Deluxe king on the Yu Standard Floor; and Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel, in a Deluxe king with a city view. Breakfast is part of each hotel stay.

Which guided days are on this Japan tour?

A Mt Fuji and Hakone day from Tokyo with JTB Sunrise Tours, a Kyoto and Nara van day from Osaka with Explorer Tours for up to 12 guests, and a private full-day Hiroshima guide with BE Hiroshima.

Where do the guided days start?

The Mt Fuji day meets at the JTB Sunrise Tours sales office on the 3rd floor of Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo's Main Tower. The Kyoto and Nara day meets in front of the RIMOWA store in Shinsaibashi. The Hiroshima guide meets in front of the Shinkansen gate at Hiroshima Station.

How do the air and rail tickets differ on cancellation?

The United Polaris fare is described as nonrefundable, and trip insurance can cover that kind of air. The Jetstar Japan fare is also described as nonrefundable and, on this sample, was not covered by the same trip insurance. The Nozomi Shinkansen is about 85 percent refundable when cancelled within 48 hours, and this sample's rail was not covered by the trip insurance. Each guided day can be cancelled at least 24 hours before the start for a full refund.

Itinerary

The stops below follow the sample plan. Clock times are the meeting and pickup times from that plan. Seat numbers, flight numbers, and calendar dates are not listed.

Los Angeles to Tokyo Narita

Overnight United Polaris business class for two, on a Dreamliner 787, from Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo Narita (NRT). The flight arrives the next day. The sample departure is late morning, with a mid-afternoon arrival in Tokyo. Lie-flat seats, Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, and chef-designed dining are part of the Polaris cabin. A United Polaris lounge, or a United Club where a Polaris lounge is not available, is part of this ticket.

The contracted Polaris fare in the sample is described as nonrefundable. Trip insurance can cover that kind of air.

Narita arrival transfer

A VIP meet-and-greet takes both travelers from Narita to the Tokyo hotel. The airport pickup allows 60 minutes of waiting after the scheduled arrival. Stay in touch with the driver if immigration or baggage takes longer.

Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo

Three nights at Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo Premier Grand, 2-2-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-8330. Hotel phone +81 3-3344-0111. The room in the sample is a Premier Grand Superior King with club-lounge access, breakfast, Wi-Fi, and one king bed.

The club lounge is about 160 meters up. It has a complimentary welcome drink and a concierge who can help with meal reservations and meeting rooms.

Mt Fuji and Hakone

A full day with JTB Sunrise Tours (JTB Global Marketing & Travel). Meet at the JTB Sunrise Tours sales office, Keio Plaza Main Tower, 3rd floor. Check-in at reception is 7:40 to 8:10 am. The meeting is at 8:10 am, and the coach leaves at 8:25 am.

The day visits UNESCO Mt Fuji, a Lake Ashi boat cruise, Hakone National Park, and the Mt Komagatake ropeway, with a red shrine and views from the top. Lunch is part of the day. So are a national-government-licensed English guide interpreter, a one-way air-conditioned bus, the other admissions on the tour, and a one-way Shinkansen back to Tokyo Station (1 Chome-9 Marunouchi, Chiyoda). Cancel at least 24 hours before the start for a full refund.

Narita to Kansai

A departure transfer picks up outside the Keio Plaza lobby. In the sample that pickup is about 11:10 am. The driver waits about 10 minutes.

Jetstar Japan economy then flies both travelers from Narita (NRT) to Kansai (KIX). The flight is about 1 hour 45 minutes. The starter fare in the sample covers a bag, a seat, and a meal. That fare is described as nonrefundable. On this sample it was not covered by the same trip insurance as the United ticket.

Kansai arrival transfer

A meet-and-greet takes you from Kansai to the Osaka hotel. The driver contacts you. Use the free airport Wi-Fi and stay reachable. The sample used a messaging app for that contact. After customs and bags, follow the Pick-up & Drop-off signs to the public pickup zone. The airport wait is again 60 minutes.

Centara Grand Hotel Osaka

Three nights at Centara Grand Hotel Osaka, 2 Chome-11-50 Nanbanaka, Naniwa Ward, Osaka 556-0011. Hotel phone +81 6-6616-9945. The room in the sample is a Deluxe king on the Yu Standard Floor, with free breakfast and free Wi-Fi. The same city tax as Tokyo applies here.

Kyoto and Nara

A full-day van tour from Osaka with Explorer Tours. The group is up to 12 travelers. It is not a private tour. Meet in front of the RIMOWA store in Shinsaibashi (Minamisenba, Chuo Ward) at 9:45 am, and be on time. Tickets are handed out at that meeting point. The day ends back at the same place. Marketing copy for the operator mentions two central Osaka meeting points. The written meeting point on this sample is the RIMOWA store.

The day covers Nara Park and the deer, and Fushimi Inari Shrine. The vehicle is air-conditioned, with Wi-Fi, an English-speaking guide, bottled water, and fees and taxes. Lunch is not part of the day. You get free time in a set area to choose a place to eat. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund.

Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima

A transfer to Shin-Osaka Station picks up outside the hotel lobby at about 11:00 am. Elife runs that ride. The driver waits about 10 minutes.

The Nozomi Shinkansen then takes both travelers in first class from Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima. The ride is about 85 minutes, midday into the early afternoon in the sample. About 85 percent of the rail fare is refundable if you cancel within 48 hours. This sample's rail was not covered by the trip insurance.

Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel

Three nights at Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel, 12-1 Wakakusacho, Higashi Ward, Hiroshima. Hotel phone +81 82-262-7111. The room in the sample is a Deluxe king, non-smoking, with a city view and breakfast each day.

Hiroshima Station is next to the hotel. The sample does not add a transfer from the station to the hotel. Each hotel on this plan has its own cancellation window. Theresa confirms that window when she quotes your dates.

Hiroshima with a private guide

A private full day with BE Hiroshima. Meet in front of the Shinkansen gate at Hiroshima Station, next to the Shinkansen ticket machines. The check-in window is 9:30 to 10:30 am. The day ends back at that gate.

A certified guide and private transport are part of the day. The guide takes photos, and the photo files are part of the day. Entrance is part of the day at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Itsukushima Shrine, the Itsukushima torii, and the Atomic Bomb Dome. Lunch and drinks are not part of the day. Cancel at least 24 hours before the start, in local time, for a full refund.

Hiroshima airport transfer

A private one-way transfer for 1 to 2 people, with two bags, from the Hiroshima hotel to Hiroshima International Airport. Cherry Tomato runs it. Gratuities are part of this transfer. Pickup is at the hotel car entrance or main entrance. Pickup hours on the sample are 5:00 am to 9:00 pm. The sample is for departure flights with an estimated departure from 8:00 am through 12:59 am.

You get a departure notice on your mobile the day before. If it has not arrived by 5:00 pm, call the operator. One checked bag per person is the plan. Extra bags have to be booked ahead, or they can be refused. The driver should have the traveler's name and the destination. Do not board a taxi that does not. Saying only the airport name is not enough. If the operator moves you to a shared or charter taxi, you do not pay that driver. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund.