We will be in Japan at the end of August and it's our first time traveling in Japan, actually Asia for that matter. I find it a bit intimidating, however, from what other Fodorites who have traveled to Japan are saying, it's an experience of a lifetime. Can anyone recommend guided day tours that we can sign up for via internet that are reasonable but also allow flexibility? Our home base will be in Tokyo and we'd like to take day trips to other areas of Japan. Any suggestions? I definitely want to go to Kyoto and Hiroshima but are there any other areas that we should make time for? It may be some time before we plan a return trip to Japan and I want to make the most of our one week stay. Thank you all so much!

To be honest, the group tours offered by HIS and Sunrise Tours are a very poor value...every itinerary that I have looked at consisted of little sightseeing, lots of time in transit (mostly on bus), perhaps a meal or two at a bus tour restaurant, and all for a very high price. Compared with what I priced out using public transport and guidebook 4 or 5 times the cost per person.

Private guides are an option...but know that they are very expensive as well, average price of about ¥50,000 per day plus all transportation and entry fees on top of that.

There are volunteer guide groups in both Tokyo and Kyoto that might be good for you, and they are without a doubt good value.

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/es...deservice.html will get you started on private guides and volunteer guides.

I don't recommend the join in group tours at all, but if it is what you think you want, here are links to the two companies. http://hisexperience.jp/
http://www.japanican.com/index.aspx

If you are going to be doing a lot of train travel, a JR Pass might be cost effective. http://www.japanrailpass.net/ To price out your trips to see if a pass is worth it, use www.hyperdia.com. Prices are the total price, fare plus charge. Charge is for the speed of train, fare is the basic charge for transport between point A and B. There is a small charge for seat reservation if you buy tickets, they are free for JR Pass holders.

I would recommend a few days in Kyoto over a day trip there. If you can't spend a couple of nights there then you might leave it until next time. There are plenty of places to see in and around Tokyo...Tokyo a couple of full days at lease, Nikko, Hakone, Kamakura could each be a day or an overnight trip. But with only a week I would try to limit changes of hotel and transit time.

Finally, August is very, very hot. And very, very humid. Be prepared for that, get out early and head indoors in the afternoon. Keep your schedule light. Drink a lot of water or sports drinks or tea (available everywhere). Use taxis. It is typically over 30 degrees every day (over 90), some days, like yesterday in Kanazawa, our thermometer said 37.5 degrees...very, very hot. With the humidity such that it is, it feels even hotter.



Tokyo and Kyoto are not difficult. They are both heavily touristed by foreigners and both have many foreigners living there.

I agree with all the great advise that Kim has given.

We like to travel independently and not on tours. Japan, believe it or not, is very easy to do by yourselves. Stick to Tokyo with day trips and maybe Kyoto for 2 to 3 nights. Here are some written suggestions on what you can do to fill your days without a paying for a tour

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/pdf/pg-305.pdf

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3051.html

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2164.html

and if you make it to Kyoto

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/pdf/pg-503.pdf

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2158.html

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3950.html

That should keep you busy for a few days

Aloha!

Thank you KimJapan and hawaiiantraveler--I usually plan my own itineraries but for some reason, am having trouble or lack the confidence, rather, in selecting destinations to include in our itinerary because I know so little about Japan. I had no problem laying out an itinerary last year when I went to Europe--somehow, Japan seems a bit intimidating to me. I've been reading other posts and I'm noting places that were the highlights for other Fodorites--now if I can get a handle on the trains, I think I'll be alright. You confirmed what I suspected all along--expensive! I received tour info from www.LiveInAsia.com, the company that we're renting our 2-bdr apartment from for the week and the tours recommended are 2-3 day tours which range in the $200-$300 per person range. I've got two weeks to put together an itinerary that the whole family can enjoy so I thank you again for your helpful advice!

calabia,

The Japanese train system is the most reliable and efficient train service I have ever ridden.

Here are some great sites to learn how to ride a train in Japan. Just take a little time to read and when you get there everything will make perfect sense

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2016.html

http://www.japanrail.com/JR_travelingonJR.html

http://www.japanrail.com/

http://www.seat61.com/Japan.htm

Aloha!

Thank you again, hawaiiantraveler. All helpful and valuable information.

calabia is the fodorite we gave japan rail info to some time ago. At that time we didn't recommend hypderdia.

calabia, you have booked 6 nights in Tokyo, right? Going to Hiroshima on a day trip (that is, wake up in Tokyo, go to Hiroshima and back to Tokyo, go to sleep for the night in Tokyo - all in one day) is not reasonable. It is possible to go to Kyoto but I would strongly recommend not doing that (it would cost about $250 per person and too much time).

If you go to hyperdia.com and click on the English button then you can use the tool to search for the train schedule between locations. This will give you an idea of the travel time involved (and this is only the train travel time, not getting to/from the stations at either end).

I also suggest you go here:
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/index.html
and check out the info in the Kanto region.

We spent 2 weeks in Japan in June. We are usually independent travelers, but in this case decided to do a morning city tour in both Tokyo and Kyoto with Sunrise Tours. We had done lots of research and had all our maps and brochures. It was a perfect introduction and orientation plan. Suddenly our maps and brochures made perfect sense. We knew exactly what we wanted to revisit and what to skip. We even saw things we didn't even know about. It made getting around the next few days a breeze. We saw exactly which areas were where, how far one thing was from another and how local transportation worked. We marked sites, stations, and bus stops on our maps. We were picked up and dropped off right and the hotel. Well worth the money.

Sorry, forgot you were basing in Tokyo....you can do the day trips to Kamakura or Nikko. I don't think you'll find time for much else as lots to do in Tokyo. Check some of the threads I left earlier on this thread and particularly this one with recommended day trips from Tokyo

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3051.html

Have fun!