Small-group tours, day trips, cooking classes and multi-day adventures. Every tour vetted for traveller reviews first.
Spend seven hours exploring Kyoto with Kosuke, a local driver who tailors the itinerary to your interests. Travel in a comfortable air-conditioned private vehicle through Japan's cultural heart, stopping at temples, gardens, geisha districts, or neighbourhoods you want to discover. Best experienced over two days to avoid rushing between sites. Groups up to nine welcome.
Navigate Harajuku's fashion-forward streets and quirky cafés on this 4-hour guided wander through Tokyo's most colourful neighbourhood. You'll hit Takeshita Street's vintage and designer clusters, stop for a coffee with elaborate latte art, visit an owl café to interact with these striking birds, and finish at an animal sanctuary stocked with hamsters, hedgehogs, and other small creatures. A local guide handles the navigation while you soak in the energy.
Roll up your sleeves at a third-generation ramen factory in Yokohama, then shift to a local family's kitchen for a complete cooking session. Over five hours, you'll mix and cut noodles to your specifications, learning how dough choice and blade width alter flavour and bite. Back in the home, prepare a multi-course meal from scratch, share it with your host, and toast with sparkling plum wine or alcohol-free alternatives. Perfect for those wanting to understand ramen beyond the bowl and take genuine cooking skills home.
Roll up your sleeves in central Kyoto's Gion district to learn noodle-making from a specialist instructor. You'll operate a traditional ramen machine to shape dough into noodles, then taste your handiwork in a bowl of broth prepared by the restaurant's chef. The one-hour class includes all equipment, a souvenir bandana, and a soft drink. Vegetarian, vegan, and pescetarian options available.
A private eight-to-nine hour photography tour of Takayama and Shirakawago guided by a professional photographer who documents your day while you explore Japan's mountain villages. Your guide—experienced in portrait and travel photography with published work in Lonely Planet—handles composition and lighting so you can focus on the scenery. You'll receive 30 edited digital images afterwards. Hotel pickup and drop-off included; groups up to seven people.
Paddle through the Yanbaru region's mangrove channels and coral waters on a private kayak tour led by an English-speaking guide. This 2–3 hour outing adapts to your group's abilities and conditions—you might explore Kouri Island's hidden coves, drift over Nakijin Reef, or navigate the Haneji Inland Sea depending on weather and preference. You'll learn how mangroves thrive in salty environments whilst paddling through their root systems, then venture into open waters where coral and reef life appear below.
Learn to make three classic Japanese wagashi in a traditional wooden house near Fushimi Inari. This 2.5-hour class welcomes groups of up to six, with an English-speaking instructor guiding you through techniques for confections you might recognise from anime and manga. You'll leave with recipes and the skills to recreate these treats at home. The intimate setting mirrors the Japanese custom of sharing tea and sweets with guests.
Shino, a Tokyo native and certified guide, leads you through neighbourhoods beyond the typical tourist trail over 2–4 hours. She'll navigate you towards local spots—cafés, shops, temples—where everyday Tokyo unfolds, and teach you conversational Japanese along the way. Hotel pickup included. This isn't a checklist tour; it's a chance to understand how people actually live here, trade small talk with shopkeepers, and discover places that don't make guidebooks.
A six-hour private tour of Mt. Fuji's landmarks and lesser-known viewpoints around Kawaguchiko, led by local guides who adjust the route daily based on weather and visibility. Rather than following a fixed itinerary, you'll visit 6–7 spots chosen to showcase the mountain at its best while sidestepping the tour-bus crowds. You can request specific bucket-list locations, or let your guide navigate to a mix of famous sites and local-favourite vantage points.
Learn ikebana from a master craftsperson in Yanaka, Tokyo's most atmospheric old quarter. You'll spend 90 minutes selecting blooms at a neighbourhood flower shop, then compose your own arrangement under expert guidance with an English-speaking interpreter. The workshop doubles as a genuine connection to local life—you're supporting family-run businesses and meeting residents who drift in during the session.
Taste Ueno's four-century culinary heritage across three hours of neighbourhood eating in this small-group tour led by a guide who grew up here. You'll sit down at genuine local restaurants and izakayas—the sort locals queue for—sampling sushi, ramen, yakitori and gyoza at the places that have been doing it right for generations. This is where Tokyo's food story began, and it's written in the dishes you'll eat, not the postcards you'll buy.
Spend six hours exploring Tokyo with a government-licensed local guide who tailors the itinerary to your interests. You'll visit three to four neighbourhoods or landmarks on foot, moving between them via Tokyo's metro system or taxis. This is flexible sightseeing built around what you actually want to see, not a fixed route. Your guide handles navigation and context while you decide the pace and focus.
Learn to cook three-hour Osaka home dishes from scratch alongside a Japanese instructor, then dress in silk kimono and obi using heritage techniques. You'll prepare one of four seasonal menus—ginger pork with rice balls and miso soup, takoyaki, kushikatsu, or a bento box—using supermarket ingredients you'll learn to source. Afterwards, slip into formal wear: brides can try the elaborate bridal kimono rarely worn outside ceremonies, while men experience hakama and formal dress. Photography happens in the room's Japanese corner.
A four-hour guided walk through Kyoto's most storied neighbourhoods, taking in Kiyomizu Temple's dramatic wooden stage and the lantern-lit alleyways of Gion. Your local guide unpacks the layers of Zen Buddhism and merchant-house heritage as you move between sites, letting you absorb far more than a solo wander would yield. Temple admission included.
Learn traditional Japanese brush writing over two hours in central Osaka's bustling Namba district. A qualified instructor guides you through the fundamentals of calligraphy, from brush control to ink preparation, before you write your own name in kanji or katakana on coloured paper. You'll leave with a personalised handwritten keepsake and a genuine understanding of what makes this centuries-old art form tick. The workshop sits within walking distance of Dotonbori's neon-soaked streets and Kuromon Market's food stalls.
Step into a traditional Kyoto home for an intimate tea ceremony led by a practised tea master. Over one hour, you'll learn the deliberate gestures and philosophy underpinning this refined art form, prepare two bowls of premium Uji matcha, and taste seasonal wagashi from a heritage Kyoto confectioner. This is genuine practice in an authentic setting—no tourism theatre, no crowds, just you and the ritual.
Walk through Osaka's neighbourhoods in a single day with someone who lives here. This eight-hour private tour moves at your rhythm, hitting landmarks like Shitennoji Temple and Dotonbori whilst exploring the retro lanes of Shinsekai and quieter corners most visitors miss. Your guide speaks English and Japanese, knows where locals eat, and can adjust the itinerary to suit dietary requirements—halal, vegetarian, anything. Public transport gets you between spots; you set the pace.
Learn manga creation from a working professional in this three-hour workshop. You'll move through the complete process—concept, sketch, ink—with hands-on guidance tailored to your level. Whether you want to draw recognisable characters or develop your own, the artist coaches you through each stage. The workshop also covers manga's cultural origins and evolution, giving context to what you're creating rather than treating it as a standalone art class.
Learn to handle Japanese knives and craft either tuna donburi or sushi in a two-hour hands-on workshop in Tokyo. You'll watch a chef demonstrate proper technique, practise knife skills on flour dumplings and real fish, then prepare your own bowl or rolls to eat straightaway. The experience includes sake tasting, a participation certificate, and 10% discount at the on-site shop.
Spend eight hours exploring Tokyo's contrasts with a private guide and driver, moving between neon-lit neighbourhoods and tranquil temples. Visit Shinjuku's electric streets, the organised chaos of [Shibuya Crossing](/places/shibuya-crossing), and Ginza's polished bars, then pivot to serene spaces like Meiji Shrine's forest paths and Asakusa's incense-filled temple grounds. Your guide navigates the city's layered personality—from salarymen culture to 17th-century gardens—leaving breathing room for the sights that resonate with you.
Walk Tokyo with a local who shapes the route around what interests you—whether that's quiet backstreets, ramen shops, or neighbourhood temples. Tours run 2 to 8 hours, with guides collecting your preferences before you meet. Hotel pickup is included, making it straightforward if you're catching a connecting flight or just arriving. You navigate on foot; public transport fares and meals are separate.
Learn to craft ramen broths, gyoza parcels, and onigiri alongside English-speaking instructors in central Kyoto. This 90-minute hands-on class teaches traditional techniques for building layered miso and soy sauce broths from scratch, folding dumplings, and shaping rice balls. You'll cook alongside others, then sit down to eat everything you've prepared—proper comfort food made by your own hands.
A five-hour guided loop through Saga-Arashiyama that stitches together Kyoto's most photogenic temples and gardens. Starting from Kyoto Station, you'll spend less than 20 minutes on local trains before exploring the Bamboo Forest's towering groves, Tenryuji Temple's pond gardens, and the hillside grounds of Okochi Sanso. The route climaxes at Iwatayama Monkey Park with views across Kyoto's mountains. A lunch break lets you sample regional Japanese fare.
This four-hour guided bus tour covers Nara's two major UNESCO sites: Todaiji Temple, home to the massive Great Buddha, and Kasuga Taisha Shrine with its atmospheric lantern-lined grounds. You'll also ascend Mt. Wakakusa for sweeping views across the city. An English-speaking guide handles commentary whilst you travel in an air-conditioned coach, and you'll leave with a two-day local bus pass plus deer crackers to feed the park's semi-wild deer.
Spend 4.5 hours on Miyajima Island combining cultural heritage with coastal food tourism. Start at Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO site where a guide explains Shinto practice and ritual significance. Stroll the pedestrian shopping lanes at your own pace, then board a boat for close-up views of the Great Torii and working oyster farms. The tour finishes with lunch at a family-run oyster merchant, where you grill and eat your own catch while learning directly from producers about harvest methods and seasonal varieties.
Learn to craft ramen and gyoza from the ground up in Aki's Tokyo kitchen. This 2.5-hour class walks you through kneading noodle dough, simmering a clean broth without additives, and folding dumplings by hand. Aki, a Japanese mum and former traveller, teaches in English and adjusts recipes for dietary requirements including vegan preferences. You'll leave with techniques, confidence, and a printed recipe to recreate the meal at home.
A private eight- to ten-hour circuit from Nagano City or nearby ski resorts, visiting the macaques at Jigokudani Monkey Park, the thousand-year-old Zenko-ji Temple, and the preserved Edo-period streets of Obuse. Includes a traditional lunch showcasing local Nagano cuisine and a guided sake tasting. Your own vehicle and driver handle the logistics; you focus on the sights.
Shape your own onigawara—the fierce protective tile guardians that crown Japanese temples and heritage homes—in a relaxed Kyoto workshop. Over two hours, you'll hand-model clay into a one-of-a-kind talisman from raw soil, guided by simplified techniques anyone can master. Take home your finished piece as a functional wall hanging or shelf ornament; firing and delivery follow, turning your creative session into a lasting keeper and conversation piece.
Walk through Hiroshima's pivotal August 1945 moment and its aftermath on this guided 2-hour tour. Your guide, trained in peace studies, navigates you through the Peace Memorial Park and the skeletal Atomic Bomb Dome, unpacking survivor accounts and the architecture of remembrance. You'll grasp how a devastated city rebuilt itself as a global peace advocate, moving beyond tragedy into purposeful reconstruction.
Walk the Hakone Hachiri, a Japan Heritage trail that traces the mountain route of Edo-period travellers along the Old Tokaido Highway. This 7-hour guided hike covers roughly 8km between Hakone Yumoto and Mishima Station, mixing footpath and local bus transport to visit Lake Ashi, the Yamanaka Castle Ruins, and the Genbe River valley. A certified mountain guide leads you through steep terrain where Mt Fuji appears across changing vistas, explaining the history embedded in the landscape and the checkpoint system that once controlled travel through these mountains.
A bespoke walking tour of Tokyo shaped around your interests, whether that's fashion, temples, neighbourhoods, or family outings. You fill out a preferences form beforehand, and a local guide builds an itinerary just for you, then walks you through it over 4–8 hours. No fixed route means you see the city on your own terms, picking up insider knowledge and street-level navigation tips along the way. Meals and entry fees aren't covered.
Spend two and a half hours at AKEMI's SUSHiKiTCHEN learning to roll, shape and plate sushi from scratch in Tokyo. You'll discover the craft's backstory, master the language sushi chefs use, and pick up the unwritten rules of how to eat it properly. The kitchen attracts even Japanese diners keen to deepen their knowledge of a dish they thought they already knew. Finish by sitting down to eat what you've made, served alongside a drink and dessert.
A private guided walk through Nara departing from Kyoto or Nara, hitting the major sights before crowds arrive. You'll encounter the roaming deer, stand before Todai-ji Temple's colossal Buddha, and wrap up with a sake tasting to sample local brews. The guide is a local English speaker who photographs you throughout. Plan on 4 hours from Nara or 6 hours from Kyoto, plus 30 minutes if you do the tasting.
Learn to photograph Tokyo's urban landscape by capturing the tension between monumental architecture and human presence. This 2.5-hour workshop guides you through Shiodome, Ginza, and Yurakucho with a professional photographer, exploring how to use composition—leading lines, negative space, contrast—to tell stories within the city's concrete and steel environment. You'll develop techniques to make compelling images of the metropolis and the people inhabiting it.
A two-hour private photography session in Kanazawa with a professional English-speaking photographer who captures 300–400 frames, delivering 100 polished images. Choose between the serene Kenrokuen garden or the atmospheric geisha district of Higashichaya as your backdrop. Wear kimono or casual clothes—the photographer adapts to your style. Hotel pickup and drop-off included, plus all editing and digital delivery within a week.
A 90-minute guided photography session through Kyoto's classic geisha district and neighbouring temples. Your photographer knows the back lanes where light falls best and crowds thin out—Hanami-koji, Yasui Konpira Shrine, Ishibekoji, and Maruyama Park are your canvas. You'll get individual and group portraits, directional guidance on poses and framing, plus roughly 50 edited shots delivered by email within a day. Between takes, expect local tips on eating well and moving through the city like someone who belongs here.
Step into Nachi-Katsuura's working tuna auction, where Japan's finest catch arrives daily. This guided tour walks you through the port's grading process, revealing how buyers assess quality and the mechanics of the sale floor. You'll learn why long-line fishing keeps these waters sustainable and meet the tight-knit community—fishermen don't even live here—who've built their livelihoods around this single-species economy. Ninety minutes of genuine harbour work, not theatre.
Walk a preserved stretch of the Tokaido Highway, the ancient trade route connecting Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka. This nine-hour hike winds through forest thick with 400-year-old Japanese cedars, passes Amazake Chaya—a working teahouse from centuries past—and reaches Yamanaka Castle Ruins for views across to Mt Fuji. Hakone Hachiri holds Japan Heritage designation. Your guide unpacks the layers of history, culture and ecology woven into these woodland paths.
Cook traditional Japanese dishes alongside a multigenerational Takayama family in their 200-year-old wooden townhouse on Old Town's main street. Over three hours, you'll prepare a seasonal meal in an intimate kitchen setting whilst learning how locals navigate food, nature and daily rhythms. Hisa and Bob welcome you with tea and stories, treating the class as genuine cultural exchange rather than performance. A chance to step beyond tourist circuits and understand how a family rooted in this mountain town actually eats.
Build your own Kyoto day with a private car and local driver who adapts the route to what interests you. Choose to stay in Kyoto exploring temples and bamboo groves, or branch out to Nara's deer parks or Osaka's urban energy. Over 7–8 hours, you'll move at your pace without the constraints of group schedules, stopping where you linger and skipping what doesn't appeal. Your guide shares local knowledge and context as you travel between sites in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle.