Tours in Japan

Luxury Tokyo Sake, Cocktail, Whisky and Pairing Tour

Spend three hours navigating Tokyo's drinking culture with a local guide, starting in Shimbashi's after-work district. You'll visit four carefully chosen venues sampling sake, craft beer, Japanese whisky, and inventive cocktails, paired with small plates and bar snacks along the way. Each stop reveals a different facet of Tokyo's beverage scene—from standing bars with modest crowds to high-end cocktail lounges serving world-class drinks. No two nights hit the same spots; your guide adapts the route based on venue availability and mood.

Tokyo : Ghost and Dark Tales, Urban Legends & Cemetery Night

This 2-hour night walk trades Shibuya's neon for Tokyo's shadowed quarters, threading through urban legends and into Aoyama Cemetery under moonlight. A storyteller guides you through folklore, spectral histories, and the quieter layers of the city where spirits linger. Small groups keep the experience intimate, perfect for those drawn to Japan's ghost narratives and the peculiar stories woven into its urban fabric.

Sake Pairing Workshop with Japanese Food in Shinjuku

When Noah from our team booked this sake pairing workshop in Shinjuku, he found a solid two-hour deep-dive into Japan's rice-wine culture. Set in Tokyo's bustling entertainment district, the class pairs hands-on tasting technique with a thoughtfully matched multi-course meal—chicken nanban, miso butter dishes, uni croquettes—each course served alongside four different sakes. A bilingual guide walks you through aroma, temperature shifts, and flavour shifts without the pretension. The all-you-can-drink element (20 sakes plus beer) keeps things relaxed; you pace yourself. It's the kind of experience that makes sense for anyone genuinely curious about how sake works, not just those after a boozy afternoon.

Narita Airport (NRT) To/From Tokyo City Private Transfer

When Em from our Global Hobo crew used this Narita-to-Tokyo private transfer, it was dead straightforward: a driver meets you at arrivals with a name sign, monitors your flight, and takes you directly to your hotel or vice versa for departures. No mucking about with trains, taxi queues, or dragging luggage through crowded stations—the car's yours alone for roughly 90 minutes. The service handles families, groups, and anyone with a heap of bags, and you can pick vehicle size based on how many of you there are. It's the no-fuss option if you'd rather skip public transport after a long haul.

1h 30mfrom AUD $262

All-about Mt.Fuji Short Tour from Shimizu Port

★ 5.0 (18)

3 hours – 4 hoursfrom AUD $129

All-about Mt.Fuji Short Tour from Shimizu Port

When Lily from our Global Hobo crew ran this Mt. Fuji tour from Shimizu Port, it felt like the sweet spot for cruise passengers after a tight turnaround. You hit a few viewpoints to clock the mountain from different angles, then settle in to craft your own wagashi—traditional Japanese sweets—with a guide walking you through the hand-crafting process. The whole thing wraps four hours, timed so you're back at the port well before your ship shoves off. It's compact, focused, and doesn't pretend to be more than a quick cultural tick and decent view.

Cook Favorite Japanese Dishes with a Tokyo Mom

Learn to cook everyday Japanese meals in a Tokyo home kitchen with a local who's prepared these dishes for her own family for decades. Over two and a half hours, you'll make authentic washoku from scratch—proper dashi stock, seasonal vegetables, mains and sides—using real ingredients without shortcuts. This is home cooking as Japanese people actually eat it, taught by someone who understands the 'why' behind each technique. You'll leave with recipes and the confidence to recreate these meals at home.

Tokyo Coffee and Culture Tour

Spend 3.5 to 4 hours threading through Tokyo's coffee quarters with a guide who knows the neighbourhood's overlooked corners. Visit seven roasteries and cafés across Jimbocho and Kanda, sampling everything from Nordic light roasts to post-war dark brews. You'll learn brewing fundamentals, pick up the history embedded in these streets, and duck into seasonal wagashi and art-supply shops that locals have relied on for decades.

Osaka Private Food Tours by Local Foodies: 100% Personalized

🍜 Food & Cooking

2 hours – 3 hoursfrom AUD $117

Osaka Private Food Tours by Local Foodies: 100% Personalized

Osaka's eating culture demands a local guide, and this three-hour private food tour pairs you with a like-minded host who knows where the city's best Kansai dishes hide. You'll taste your way through two or three neighbourhood eateries, sampling everything from Kobe beef to regional specialities, finishing with something sweet. Your itinerary is built around your interests via a pre-tour questionnaire, meaning you're not following a script—you're following genuine recommendations from someone who actually lives here.

Gion & Higashiyama with a private Tourguide in German or English

A three-hour guided walk through Kyoto's most atmospheric neighbourhoods with a private German or English-speaking guide. You'll navigate the lantern-lit streets of Gion and Higashiyama, passing wooden machiya townhouses, active temples, and working teahouses tucked into alleyways. The guide unpacks the neighbourhood's layered history—where geisha still live and work, where merchants' families have traded for centuries, and where pilgrims still visit shrines. All fees included.

(Private car)Fake It Then Taste It:Japan’s Quirky Cuisine Journey

A five-hour private tour exploring Japan's food culture through nostalgia and craft. Begin at Sagamihara's quirky vending machine market, where vintage Showa-era machines still dispense hot udon and curiosities. Then learn to sculpt hyper-realistic food samples at Atelier Stella—the plastic replicas you see in restaurant windows—before finishing with dinner at a local Machida eatery chosen by your guide. Perfect for those curious about how Japanese food marketing works and keen to make something tangible to take home.

Osaka Food Tour Eat Like a Local in Namba and Dotonbori

Taste your way through Osaka's culinary heart across 3.5 hours, guided by locals who know these streets intimately. You'll hit five neighbourhood joints in Namba and Dotonbori, sampling what residents actually eat: takoyaki, kushikatsu, udon, karaage and rotating specials. Small groups mean you're never crushed against crowds, and your guide speaks from lived experience, not a script. Two drinks are your shout, the rest flows naturally.

[Okinawa Miyako] [Early Morning] Sunrise SUP or Canoe

Paddle out on Miyako Island's waters before dawn breaks, choosing between SUP or canoe for an 80-minute session that ends with sunrise views from your craft. You'll catch the island waking up—birdsong, salt air, first light spreading across the sea. It's built for people squeezing in one last adventure before heading to the airport, or filling a gap in their itinerary with something grounding rather than rushed.

Tea ceremony experience with simple kimono in Okinawa

Step into a traditional tea room in Okinawa and learn the art of chanoyu from an experienced instructor. You'll dress in a simple kimono, study the ritual gestures and tools, sample local sweets, then prepare and drink your own bowl of matcha. This 75-minute session accommodates groups of two to eight and welcomes participants of all mobility levels. Book at least three days ahead.

Shinjuku Nightlife Tour

A 4-hour guided evening through Shinjuku's Kabukicho district, taking in the neon-soaked streets, tucked-away drinking spots, and the narrow lanes of Golden Gai. Your guide navigates you through the area's layered history—from the red-light quarter to intimate neighbourhood bars—with dinner and three drinks included. Small groups mean you'll move at a relaxed pace and actually hear what's happening around you.

Guided Tour to Naoshima Art Island with Private Car

Spend eight hours exploring Naoshima, Japan's premier contemporary art destination, guided by someone with deep museum expertise. Travel by private car and ferry to three architectural landmarks: the underground Chichu Art Museum, the serene Lee Ufan Museum, and the clifftop Benesse House Museum. You'll encounter Kusama's Red Pumpkin, Monet paintings, and site-specific installations that respond to seasonal light, all set within Tadao Ando's minimalist designs. Your guide contextualises the art and architecture throughout, making connections between works and the island's ethos.

Lake Kawaguchi Explorer: E-Bike Guided Tour

Explore Lake Kawaguchi's shoreline and surrounding villages on a pedal-assist e-bike, guided by someone who grew up in Mt. Fuji's shadow. Over 2–3 hours, you'll cover terrain that would exhaust you on a regular bike, stopping at landmarks and lesser-known spots where your guide unpacks local history and the cultural layers of this region. Small groups mean real conversation, not rushed photo stops.

Sake Blending Experience : Craft Your Own Signature Sake

🍜 Food & Cooking

6 hours – 7 hoursfrom AUD $391

Sake Blending Experience : Craft Your Own Signature Sake

Work alongside a sake master in a private brewery lab to blend five distinct sake styles into your own 500ml bottle. Over two hours in Japan, you'll learn the post-fermentation techniques that shape flavour, taste through each component, and finish by hand-painting a kanji character onto your custom label—a tangible record of your creation to take home.

Tokyo Shibuya Hidden Izakaya and Karaoke Night Tour

A three-hour evening through Shibuya's backstreet drinking culture, starting with two hours in a tucked-away izakaya serving Japanese nibbles alongside sake, shochu and whiskey sodas, then moving to a private karaoke booth for an hour of singing. You'll navigate Tokyo's neighbourhood bars with an English-speaking guide, meeting other travellers in genuine local settings rather than tourist traps. Bring cash for food and drinks; karaoke fees run ¥1000–2000 per person.

Tokyo Your Way A Tailored Full Day Friendly Food Tour With Guide

Craft your own Tokyo itinerary with a local guide over 6–7 hours, choosing three to four neighbourhoods that genuinely interest you. Rather than following a fixed route, you'll navigate the city by train and foot as residents do, stopping for wagyu lunch and dinner along the way. Your guide reveals the layered histories and contemporary energy that no map captures—from Shinjuku Gyoen's gardens to Shibuya's controlled chaos.

Asakusa Night Evening Walking Tour with English-Speaking Guide

🛕 Culture & History

4 hours – 6 hoursfrom AUD $203

Asakusa Night Evening Walking Tour with English-Speaking Guide

Explore Asakusa after dark on a guided evening stroll through Tokyo's oldest neighbourhood. Your English-speaking guide leads you past the illuminated Kaminarimon Gate and the quieter grounds of [Sensō-ji](/places/senso-ji-temple) Temple once day-trippers have left, then ducks into narrow backstreets lined with traditional izakayas and shops. Along the way, hear stories about the district's past and local tales that give context to what you're seeing. A solid hour that works well before dinner.

Private Kimono Elegant Experience in the Castle Town of Matsue

Slip into a kimono and explore Matsue's castle town on foot, where the garment transforms how locals and fellow visitors perceive you. This three-hour experience pairs traditional dress rental with professional hair styling, letting you move through lantern-lit streets and historic alleyways as part of the landscape rather than a tourist passing through. Plenty of photo stops reveal the town's architectural character—temple gates, wooden merchant houses, riverside walks—all more vivid when framed through the wearer's perspective.

[1 Group Only] Tokyo Shibuya Food Tour for Family

Spend three-and-a-half hours in Shibuya with your family cooking Japanese street food, playing vintage arcade games, and snapping photos at a purikura booth. This private tour keeps just your group together, moving through three neighbourhood food spots where you'll make okonomiyaki and monjayaki from scratch, then sit down to yakitori with a drink of your choice. A guide documents the evening with professional shots so you can focus on the experience rather than managing a camera.

Private Japanese Cooking Class in Tokyo Japan

Roll up your sleeves for a three-hour hands-on cooking class in a Tokyo home kitchen. Pick your focus—sushi, tofu, or katsu curry—and learn to prepare it properly from someone who cooks it daily. You'll walk away with genuine techniques, not tourist theatre, plus a meal you've made yourself. Green tea, water, and herbal brews flow freely; sake is available if you ask when booking.

Traditional Japanese Costumes "Kimono", "Yukata", "Ryuso", "Photograph Course "Hair Set & Lipstick & Kimono & Photography"

Step into traditional Japanese dress at this Tokyo studio where you'll be styled head-to-toe in authentic kimono, yukata, or formal ryuso before a professional photoshoot. A stylist handles your hair, makeup, and garment draping—all you do is show up and pose. The studio stocks over 500 pieces across all sizes, from infants to adults, making it genuinely accessible. You leave with photographs and the memory of seeing yourself as Japanese nobility might have centuries ago. One hour total.

Half-Day Zenkoji Tour with Tea Experience

This four-hour guided tour takes you through Zenkoji Temple in Nagano, one of Japan's most revered pilgrimage sites. You'll witness the mesmerising goma fire ritual, then transition to tastier pursuits: sample sake at a working brewery, try hand-rolled oyaki dumplings, and participate in a structured matcha tea ceremony with seasonal sweets. An English-speaking guide leads throughout, making the temple's history and rituals accessible without requiring prior knowledge.

Colors of Japan, Fukuoka Nokonoshima Island Park & Wagyu BBQ

Ferry across to Nokonoshima Island for a half-day escape just 40 minutes from Fukuoka's bustle. Wander flower-dotted slopes and the recreated Meiji village with its toy shop and craft stalls, then cook wagyu over coals at your own pace while overlooking Hakata Bay. The island suits families keen to roam open grounds, rope swings, and animal enclosures, finishing with soft-serve ice cream. Round-trip ferry, park entry, lunch, and soft drinks included.

🛕 Culture & History

6 hours – 7 hoursfrom AUD $147

Matsushima Private Guided Tour

Explore Matsushima bay with Mai, a local guide who knows this region intimately. This 6–7 hour private tour departs from Sendai and travels by local train to one of Japan's three most celebrated scenic spots, where 260 pine-clad islands dot the water. Walk through centuries-old temples steeped in spiritual significance, then taste the bay's renowned seafood and street food at your own pace. Mai adjusts the itinerary to suit your interests, making this a flexible introduction to coastal history and culture.

Shore Excursion from Hiroshima Port : Private Tour in Hiroshima

4 hours – 9 hoursfrom AUD $2842

Shore Excursion from Hiroshima Port : Private Tour in Hiroshima

A private vehicle tour designed for cruise passengers docking at Hiroshima, covering the city's defining monuments within a single day. The itinerary centres on the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, followed by a ferry crossing to Miyajima Island. A driver collects you from port at 08:00, manages the day's logistics, and returns you by 17:00. Total duration spans up to 9 hours with built-in lunch, allowing genuine time at each stop rather than rushed circuit tourism.

Deluxe Private Tour: Mt. Aso, One Piece Statues and Shrine Visit

8 hours – 16 hoursfrom AUD $269

Deluxe Private Tour: Mt. Aso, One Piece Statues and Shrine Visit

This private eight-to-sixteen hour tour from Fukuoka takes you into Kumamoto's volcanic landscapes and cultural landmarks. Travel at your own pace with a dedicated guide, stopping freely to explore Mount Aso—one of Japan's most active volcanoes—and track down all ten One Piece character statues dotted throughout the region. Visit a traditional shrine for quiet reflection, then finish with regional specialities. The itinerary blends natural wonders, anime pilgrimage sites, and local food culture in a flexible format that suits your interests.

Nagasaki Highlights Private Half Day Tour by Tram

Nagasaki Highlights Private Half Day Tour by Tram

A four-hour guided circuit of Nagasaki's defining landmarks using public tram transport. You'll visit Peace Park and its Hypocenter memorial, the Atomic Bomb Museum, the elegant Meganebashi Bridge, Ōura Cathedral, and Glover Garden—a colonial-era estate perched above the harbour. All entry fees and transport are covered, making this an efficient option for cruise passengers or anyone short on time. The pace is unhurried, with flexibility built in for mobility concerns.

4 hoursfrom AUD $206

Best of Mt. Fuji Private Tour: Highlights & Hidden Gems (English)

Best of Mt. Fuji Private Tour: Highlights & Hidden Gems (English)

This 6-hour private tour explores Mt. Fuji's surrounding region from Kawaguchiko with local guides Yuka and Lewis, who adjust the itinerary on the day based on weather and visibility. You'll visit 6–7 viewpoints, mixing well-known spots with quieter locations off the standard tourist route. The setup keeps you exploring rather than stuck in Tokyo traffic, and guides can weave in your own bucket-list locations if you have them.

Traditional Japanese Knife Sharpening Class in Kyoto [EN OK!]

Learn to sharpen Japanese knives the traditional way in this two-hour Kyoto workshop. Your instructor covers blade metallurgy, whetstone grits, and proper technique, then guides you through honing your own knife under close watch. Walk out with a razor-sharp blade you've restored yourself—both a practical tool and proof of your new skill. All equipment provided; arrive with empty hands.

Okinawa West Coast 3-Hour Paddle-boarding adventures

Launch from Sobe Beach on Okinawa's west coast for a three-hour paddle-boarding session exploring crystalline waters and hidden coves. Your English-speaking guide teaches the basics before you paddle out, with a mid-session break on a secluded beach to swim, snorkel, or simply take in the coastline. Boards, safety gear, and instruction included. Suitable for ages four to seventy with moderate fitness; children must be accompanied by an adult.

3 hoursfrom AUD $121

Private Layover Experience in Luxury SUV (5-6 Hours)

5 hours – 6 hoursfrom AUD $717

Private Layover Experience in Luxury SUV (5-6 Hours)

Transform a Tokyo layover from airport waiting into an actual experience. This five- to six-hour private tour whisks you away in a luxury SUV with a multilingual guide, hitting landmarks, neighbourhoods and shops you've chosen beforehand. You skip the train navigation entirely—airport collection, sightseeing, and return transfer are all handled. A gift bag of Japanese treats and bottled water are included. It's structured around your interests and how much time you have between flights.

Hiroshima’s Heart: A 4-Hour Private Storytelling Walk

🛕 Culture & History

Hiroshima’s Heart: A 4-Hour Private Storytelling Walk

A four-hour private walk through Hiroshima led by a long-time resident guide who unpacks the city's layered story—from feudal castle grounds through wartime devastation to present-day life. You'll start at either Shukkeien Garden or Peace Memorial Park, move through Hiroshima Castle and Gokoku Shrine to grasp the pre-1945 landscape, then follow the Peace Line into the memorial precinct. The pace stays unhurried, leaving room for questions and genuine reflection rather than ticking off checkboxes.

4 hoursfrom AUD $287

Tour Fukuoka or Nagasaki in Privacy and Comfort.

7 hours – 9 hoursfrom AUD $896

Tour Fukuoka or Nagasaki in Privacy and Comfort.

Private guided tour of Fukuoka or Nagasaki (7–9 hours) that pairs regional landmarks with insider perspectives on Japanese daily life, history and culture. Your driver-guide shares lived experience as an expat, threading together visits across both prefectures with curated food and drink stops, local insights and candid commentary. Small group intimacy means genuine connection to place rather than surface coverage. Pickup from airport, hotel or cruise terminal; fully customised itinerary.

Tokyo Highlights Private Tour with Local Guide