How much does it cost?

From £4,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $6,077 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is this tour escorted or independent?

It is fully escorted. A UK Tour Manager leads the group from the start in London through the return home. All guided tours and excursions are included.

What trains are used on this tour?

The tour includes the Shinkansen bullet train from Nagoya to Hiroshima and Hiroshima to Kyoto (Standard Class), the Shonan Express from Shinjuku to Odawara, a local train from Hiroshima to Miyajima, and the Hakone Ropeway cable car. Ferry and boat journeys are also included.

What meals are provided?

Breakfast is included each day. Dinner is included on days 2, 4, 9, and 12. Other meals are at your own expense or free time.

When does this tour run?

Great Rail Journeys offers seven departures across 2026 and 2027: September 2026, October 2026, March 2027, April 2027, May 2027, September 2027, and October 2027.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Jewels of Japan by Rail

Escorted 14-day Japan rail tour Tokyo to Osaka, Shinkansen bullet trains included

Great Rail Journeys' Jewels of Japan by Rail is a 14-day escorted tour departing from London Heathrow and returning from Osaka. A UK Tour Manager accompanies your group of up to 40 travelers throughout. The itinerary begins in Tokyo with guided tours of temples and busy districts, then moves to Hakone where you take the Hakone Ropeway cable car and cruise Lake Ashi with views of Mount Fuji. You travel through the scenic Kiso Valley, visit Japan's historic castles in Matsumoto and Himeji, and experience the renowned Shinkansen bullet trains en route to Hiroshima and Kyoto. Along the way you participate in a zen tea ceremony, taste miso at a factory, visit a traditional sake brewery, and explore the sacred temples and deer park of Nara. The tour concludes in Osaka. All guided excursions, rail travel, flights, breakfast daily, and four dinners are included. Hotels are 4 and 5-star properties in each city.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has fallen £200 since 4 Jul, to £4,499.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

The single supplement (GBP 6,799) is substantially higher than half the double price; confirm current single-room availability before booking
Group size reaches up to 40 people; if you prefer smaller groups, ask Great Rail Journeys about their typical group composition on this tour
Flights and rail are included in the from-price; cancellation and travel insurance are not

Day by day

Day 1
Overnight flight to Tokyo
Depart London Heathrow with the Tour Manager on an overnight flight to Tokyo.
Day 2overnight: Tokyo
Arrival in the world's biggest metropolis
Transfer to a four-star hotel in Shinjuku with a welcome drink and dinner overlooking the illuminated city.
Meals: Dinner
Day 3overnight: Tokyo
Exploring Tokyo with an expert guide
Coach tour taking in Meiji-Jingu shrine, Shibuya crossing and the Senso-Ji temple in Asakusa, then free time.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4railovernight: Hakone
A spectacular journey to lakeside Hakone
Board the Shonan Express to Odawara, ride the Hakone Ropeway cable car with Mount Fuji views, then cruise Lake Ashi to the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5overnight: Matsumoto
Iconic views of Mount Fuji, Japan's national emblem
Coach to Mount Fuji Fifth Station, visit the World Heritage Centre and Oishi Park, then travel to alpine Matsumoto.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6overnight: Nagoya
Miso tasting and Matsumoto's historic 'black castle'
Tour a miso factory and taste miso, visit Matsumoto Castle, then travel through the Kiso Valley via Tsumago and Magome to Nagoya.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7railovernight: Hiroshima
Himeji Castle and the bullet train to Hiroshima
Visit Himeji Castle and Koko-en garden, then take the Shinkansen bullet train to Hiroshima.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8railovernight: Hiroshima
Serene Miyajima and its sacred temples
Travel by train and boat to Miyajima for a walking tour including Itsukushima Shrine and the Great Torii Gate.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9railovernight: Kyoto
Discovering Hiroshima's poignant sites
Tour the Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Museum, then bullet train to Kyoto for a Gion district walking tour and dinner in Ponto-cho Alley.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10overnight: Kyoto
The charming traditions of Kyoto
Half-day tour of Sagano Bamboo Forest and the Kinkakuji 'Golden Pavilion' temple, plus a zen tea ceremony and visit to Nishiki market.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11overnight: Kyoto
Exploring Nara, Japan's first capital
Walking tour of Nara including Todaji Temple and the Great Buddha, the deer park, and a traditional sake brewery on the return to Kyoto.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 12overnight: Osaka
A Japanese tea ceremony and Osaka's floating garden
Tea ceremony in Kyoto, then coach to Osaka for a guided tour including the Umeda Sky Building's Floating Garden Observatory and Dotonbori district.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 13
Homeward bound
A day at leisure in Osaka, possibly visiting Osaka Castle or Shinsaibashi shopping street, before transferring to the airport for the flight home via Hong Kong.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 14
Arrival in London
Arrive back in London and bid farewell to the Tour Manager and group.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 4Ride the Hakone Ropeway cable car with views of Mount Fuji and cruise across Lake Ashi to the hotel
Day 7First Shinkansen bullet train experience from Himeji to Hiroshima, traveling at up to 186 mph
Day 8Walking tour of Miyajima island includes the Great Torii Gate and Itsukushima Shrine
Day 9Afternoon bullet train to Kyoto followed by a performance at Gion Corner Theatre and Japanese dinner in Ponto-cho Alley
Day 10Visit the Sagano Bamboo Forest and participate in a zen tea ceremony in Kyoto

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
11 nights' 4 & 5-Star hotel accommodation
Standard Class rail travel
All rail, cruise, ferry and coach travel throughout your tour
Flights from London Heathrow to Tokyo Haneda via Hong Kong, Osaka to London Heathrow via Hong Kong
Breakfast each day, 4 dinners
Group luggage transfers between hotels from Tokyo to Hakone, Nagoya to Kyoto
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £4,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $6,077 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is this tour escorted or independent?: It is fully escorted. A UK Tour Manager leads the group from the start in London through the return home. All guided tours and excursions are included.
What trains are used on this tour?: The tour includes the Shinkansen bullet train from Nagoya to Hiroshima and Hiroshima to Kyoto (Standard Class), the Shonan Express from Shinjuku to Odawara, a local train from Hiroshima to Miyajima, and the Hakone Ropeway cable car. Ferry and boat journeys are also included.
What meals are provided?: Breakfast is included each day. Dinner is included on days 2, 4, 9, and 12. Other meals are at your own expense or free time.
When does this tour run?: Great Rail Journeys offers seven departures across 2026 and 2027: September 2026, October 2026, March 2027, April 2027, May 2027, September 2027, and October 2027.