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Japan Guided Tours

Sign up as individual travelers and leave as lifelong friends on an Oku Japan small-group guided tour. With a maximum of 13 people in any group, our tours ensure you get the full attention of your local guide who themselves share a passion for Japan. Whether it’s traditions, food, society or history, learn the ins and outs together with your fellow travellers and the assistance of our fully-licensed, bilingual guides.

Steering clear of the on-the-bus, off-the-bus style of travel of yesteryear, our carefully crafted itineraries encourage you to get up close and personal with Japan; travelling as the locals do with the help of public transportation and developing connections with the people you meet along the way. Transporting luggage is a breeze with Japan’s hands-free delivery service, making more time for you to enjoy the sights.

Our small-group guided tours depart on fixed dates throughout the year carefully selected to offer the best experience for the season. But if our dates don’t match your schedule then let us know and we can work on a private departure that better fits your plans. Whether joining a fixed departure, or creating your own with your friends, travelling with one of our guides is a great way to discover the deeper side of Japan.

Our Guides

Full selection of guided tours

Sign up as individual travellers and leave as lifelong friends on an Oku Japan small-group guided tour. With a maximum of 13 people in any group, our tours ensure you get the full attention of your local guide who themselves share a passion for Japan. Whether it’s traditions, food, society or history, learn the ins and outs together with your fellow travellers and the assistance of our fully-licensed, bilingual guides.

Guided
Michinoku: Life With the Sea

Walk alongside the beautiful Sanriku coast and learn about the unique way of life in one of Japan’s most remote regions.

Trip level:
Level
Duration:
10 Days
From USD 4,055
Guided
Mountain Spirits Tohoku

Dramatic peaks and soothing hot springs of the north. A small-group guided walking tour with 6 days of walking and hiking of 2-6 hours per day

Trip level:
Level
Duration:
13 Days
From USD 5,175
Guided
Japan Hiking Highlights: The Kumano Kodo and the Nakasendo Trail

From ancient pilgrimage to samurai trails: walk both the Kumano Kodō and Nakasendō Trail

Trip level:
Level
Duration:
11 Days
From USD 5,650
Guided
Nakasendo and the Kiso Valley

A short small-group guided walking tour with three hikes of 3-6 hours of village-to-village walking on the Nakasendō Trail

Trip level:
Level
Duration:
8 Days
From USD 2,940
Guided
Land of Fire Kyushu

A small-group guided walking tour to Kyūshū with short hikes of 1-3 hours

Trip level:
Level
Duration:
15 Days
From USD 6,035
Guided
Winter Nakasendo Trail

A small-group guided winter tour to the Nakasendō trail. Walk or snowshoe for 1-3 hours over five days

Trip level:
Level
Duration:
8 Days
From USD 2,935
Guided
Temples and Trails of Shikoku

A small-group guided walking tour to sacred Mount Kōya and The Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage Trail.

Trip level:
Level
Duration:
13 Days
From USD 5,175
Guided
In the Shadow of Mountains

A small-group guided tour that visits western Japan, travelling to cities on both the Sea of Japan and the Seto Inland Sea. Experience the culture, history and lifestyle of this unique region.

Trip level:
Level
Duration:
12 Days
From USD 4,660
Guided
Japan's Culinary Heritage

A small-group guided food tour through Japan's best-kept culinary traditions

Trip level:
Level
Duration:
11 Days
From USD 5,435
Guided
Shoguns and Samurai

Discover the charm of central Japan. Explore history, culture and nature on a small-group guided cultural tour

Trip level:
Level
Duration:
14 Days
From USD 5,690
Guided
Wild Lands of Eastern Hokkaido

A small-group guided tour through eastern Hokkaidō that features hot spring bathing, incredible regional cuisine, rewarding hiking, and chances to spot wildlife unique to the island.

Trip level:
Level
Duration:
9 Days
From USD 4,745
Guided
Kumano Ancient Trail

A small-group guided walking tour with five hikes of 2-7 hours of village-to-village walking on the Kumano Kodō Trail

Trip level:
Level
Duration:
9 Days
From USD 3,710
Guided
Nakasendo Trail

From Tōkyō, visit the 'road through the mountains' once travelled by feudal lords. Stay in traditional country inns, enjoying exquisite regional cuisine and soaking in natural hot springs before ending in Kyōto.

Trip level:
Level
Duration:
12 Days
From USD 4,785