Duration
10
Days
Product Type
Multi-day
Featured Venues
- Tokyo
- Kamakura
- Kyoto
- Nara
Multi-day Tour Details
Photos & Highlights
- Explore Tokyo, Kyoto, Kamakura and Nara as one four-capitals story, from neon crossroads to quiet temple lanes.
- Enjoy expert-led days and flexible free time, with guides helping you master metros and Shinkansen like a local.
Select from available start dates
Trip Description
From neon-lit Shibuya to lantern-glowing Gion, this 10-day Japan tour traces four historic capitals: Nara, Kyoto, Kamakura and Tokyo. You will see how power, faith and aesthetics moved across Japan, and how they still shape the country you encounter today.
Led by expert Context guides, you will travel east to west and back again by metro and Shinkansen, weaving together headline sights with quieter backstreets, markets and neighbourhood shrines. Structured, story-driven days are balanced with free time to follow your own interests, with optional experiences available if you would like to go deeper.
Whether this is your first visit or a long-awaited return, this itinerary is built around a coherent narrative, not a checklist. You will leave with a clear sense of how the Japan of emperors and samurai became the Japan of bullet trains and city lights.
Experts
- Tokyo: the reinventing capital - a city of systems, trains, glass and steel.
- Kamakura: the warrior capital - coastal temples, Zen, and the rise of the samurai.
- Kyoto: the curating capital - palaces, temples, gardens and rituals.
- Nara: the ancient capital - monumental temples, deer parks and early court cityscapes.
- You want to experience Tokyo, Kyoto, Kamakura and Nara as a single, connected story rather than isolated stops.
- You’re keen to deepen your understanding of Japanese history, religion, aesthetics and daily life through expert narration.
- You like a balance of guided structure and free time, with support to navigate Japan’s metros and Shinkansen like a local.
Theme: First contact with the modern capital
Get your bearings, then dive straight into Tokyo’s energy if you’re ready.
Get your bearings, then dive straight into Tokyo’s energy if you’re ready.
- AM / PM: Arrive in Tokyo, private transfer to your hotel, check in and decompress at your own pace.
- NT: Shibuya Night Food Tour (Optional) - neon, the world’s busiest crossing and back-alley eateries introduce Tokyo as a living, eating, buzzing capital.
Theme: How Japan designs its present
Meet Tokyo as the political and economic engine of contemporary Japan.
Meet Tokyo as the political and economic engine of contemporary Japan.
- AM: Intro to Tokyo Tour - Imperial Palace area, Nihonbashi, Marunouchi; how government, finance and business cluster in the modern capital.
- PM: Tokyo Aesthetics & Architecture Tour - Meiji Jingu, Harajuku, Omotesandō; post-war planning, flagship architecture and contemporary design.
- NT: Shibuya Night Food Tour - if you arrived too late on Day 1 and want to experience Tokyo’s iconic nightlife.
Theme: Continuity and memory inside the megacity
Step back into Edo-era neighbourhoods still shaping daily life today.
Step back into Edo-era neighbourhoods still shaping daily life today.
- AM / PM: Tokyo in a Day Tour - refocused on 'old Tokyo' - Yanaka (a neighbourhood that survived the war), Asakusa and Senso-ji (Tokyo's oldest temple), and Ueno Park with its shrines, markets and street life.
- NT: Free evening.
Theme: Independent exploration in the modern capital
Follow your own curiosity with Tokyo as your playground.
Follow your own curiosity with Tokyo as your playground.
- AM: Self-guided options – museums, gardens or neighbourhood walks (you’ll receive a curated menu of places and recommendations).
- PM: Continue exploring: anime/otaku districts, Odaiba, teamLabs, shopping or café-hopping.
- NT: Free evening.
Theme: Samurai rule on the coast
Discover the first warrior government that shifted power away from Kyoto’s court.
Discover the first warrior government that shifted power away from Kyoto’s court.
- AM / PM: Kamakura Day Trip Tour - an extended version of our trip to the coastal town of Kamakura. Visit the Great Buddha and surrounding temple precincts, and hear the story of the Kamakura shogunate, Zen, and the rise of samurai culture.
- Alternative: Nikko Day Trip Tour - instead of Kamakura, visit Toshogu and the magnificent mountain shrines that tie Edo/Tokyo’s Tokugawa rulers to a spectacular sacred landscape.
- NT: Free evening.
Theme: Food flows and the rail spine
See how Tokyo feeds itself, then follow those networks west to Kyoto.
See how Tokyo feeds itself, then follow those networks west to Kyoto.
- AM: Tsukiji Outer Market Food Tour - wholesalers, seasonality and distribution; learn how ingredients move into the capital’s kitchens while sampling them.
- PM: Tokyo Station → Take the Shinkansen to Kyoto like a local with an ekiben (station bento lunchbox).
- NT: Arrive in Kyoto, hotel check-in and rest. Free evening.
Theme: Who ruled from here, and what they believed
Meet Kyoto as court and sacred capital - emperors, shoguns and citywide belief systems.
Meet Kyoto as court and sacred capital - emperors, shoguns and citywide belief systems.
- AM: Intro to Kyoto Tour - Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle and central streets; Kyoto as long-lived court and shogunal capital, symbolic heart of Japan.
- PM: Spirituality in Kyoto Tour - Shinto & Buddhism, including key temples/shrines in the Gion/Higashiyama area; syncretism, rituals, festivals and how shrines and temples act as city infrastructure.
- NT: Gion District Night Tour - lantern-lit lanes and, if you wish, a Private Tea Ceremony with Geisha experience afterwards for an additional fee.
Theme: How Kyoto turned belief into space and beauty
Explore the gardens and sacred mountain that shaped 'Japanese' ideas of beauty and nature.
Explore the gardens and sacred mountain that shaped 'Japanese' ideas of beauty and nature.
- AM: Kyoto Garden Tour - Kinkaku-ji and Ryoan-ji; courtly villa to temple, Zen rock garden, and design principles like borrowed scenery, asymmetry and ma (space).
- PM: Fushimi Inari Taisha Tour - imperial-linked temple, hidden mountain altars and forest paths, descent through the iconic torii corridors.
- NT: Free evening.
Theme: Living in the old capital at your own pace
Slow down and make Kyoto your own.
Slow down and make Kyoto your own.
- AM: Self-guided Kyoto - Arashiyama, extra temples/shrines, crafts, tea houses, galleries or river walks.
- PM: Continue exploring or relax at your ryokan/hotel; we can advise on restaurant and activity bookings.
- NT: Free evening.
Theme: Origins of the capital
Travel back to Japan’s first planned capital.
Travel back to Japan’s first planned capital.
- AM / PM: Nara Day Trip - visit Tōdai-ji and the Great Buddha and learn how court, religion and town life came together in the 8th century.
- NT: Transfer Kyoto → Osaka for those taking the Osaka extension, or return to Kyoto for a final quiet evening.
- Alternative: Hiroshima in a Day Tour - instead of Nara, head to the Hiroshima Peace Park, Museum and optionally Miyajima, for a powerful modern-history lens on war, trauma and pacifism.
Theme: The Kitchen of Japan - merchants and street food
End in the city that feeds the capitals and wears its appetite on its sleeve.
End in the city that feeds the capitals and wears its appetite on its sleeve.
- AM: Intro to Osaka Tour - castle exteriors, central districts and riverside.
- PM: Osaka Food Tour - Dotonbori, Kuromon and back-street counters that reveal Osaka’s merchant and food culture.
- NT: Transfer Kyoto/Osaka → Tokyo for those departing from HND/NRT, or overnight in Osaka for departures from KIX.
Theme: Closing the loop
Take your leave from Japan’s capitals with context for everything you’ve seen.
Take your leave from Japan’s capitals with context for everything you’ve seen.
- AM / PM: Depart from Tokyo or Osaka, depending on your chosen flight routing. Private transfer from your hotel to the airport.
- NT: Free evening to reflect aboard your flight and share with us your feedback!
General Information
- We recognize the need for moments of rest during your trip, and we've curated the content for each day to ensure you have time to catch your breath, take a sip of water, or simply soak in the surroundings. There will be ample opportunities to rest and regroup along the way.
- Our standard itinerary includes two full 'Free Days' that you are left to explore independently without a guide to give you the freedom to customize your journey. We are happy to make suggestions for how you may use this time, and you may request us to book extra tours, services and reservations at an additional cost if you wish.
- Our guides are skilled at meeting your needs, so please communicate with them if minor adjustments are required to the day's itinerary.
Helpful Resources
- For more information on planning your trip, take a read through our Context Stories.
- If you are looking to learn more about Tokyo prior to a visit, check out our online lectures and audio guides.
- Most days are walking tours, typically involving the use of public transit and walking through narrow lanes and crowded spaces.
- The itinerary includes a significant amount of walking across various terrains. We often cover more than five miles walking distance.
- Most subway stations on the tour route are equipped with elevators; however, subway cars may be crowded.
- Most sites are wheelchair-friendly, but not always. Our guides will do their best to traverse suitable routes.
- Please communicate any mobility needs or concerns with our team at the time of booking.
Is this trip suitable for people with mobility issues?
We cover a lot of ground on this trip - Japan is a big place and while we do use public transport to get around, there is also a lot of walking to do as well. Some days may cover around 5-10 miles per day and therefore we wouldn't necessarily recommend the trip for those who have trouble walking far. However, we can help make arrangements to cater to your needs and adjust the itinerary within reason.
What happens if it's raining?
We cover a lot of ground on this trip - Japan is a big place and while we do use public transport to get around, there is also a lot of walking to do as well. Some days may cover around 5-10 miles per day and therefore we wouldn't necessarily recommend the trip for those who have trouble walking far. However, we can help make arrangements to cater to your needs and adjust the itinerary within reason.
What happens if it's raining?
Our expert guides are skilled at adjusting the journey to ensure comfort and enjoyment, no matter the forecast. Please dress in comfortable attire.
Where does the trip start? Where does it end?
The tour usually begins in Tokyo, where you and your luggage will be picked up from Haneda Airport (HND) by a driver. The tour usually ends in Osaka, leaving from Kansai International Airport (KIX), but this may vary depending on the flights you book, and it's possible to end the tour in Tokyo if you would prefer. If you'd like to use Tokyo's Narita (NRT) airport for transit, that's fine too, but you'll be responsible for taking the speedy Narita Express train into central Tokyo and getting to your hotel, or have us arrange a car service at an additional cost.
Where does the trip start? Where does it end?
The tour usually begins in Tokyo, where you and your luggage will be picked up from Haneda Airport (HND) by a driver. The tour usually ends in Osaka, leaving from Kansai International Airport (KIX), but this may vary depending on the flights you book, and it's possible to end the tour in Tokyo if you would prefer. If you'd like to use Tokyo's Narita (NRT) airport for transit, that's fine too, but you'll be responsible for taking the speedy Narita Express train into central Tokyo and getting to your hotel, or have us arrange a car service at an additional cost.
What costs will I need to cover?
All costs are included, except for your flights, hotels, breakfast and dinner (except where explicitly stated). Any bespoke transport arrangements such as taxis or changes to the default itinerary that incur additional costs are billed separately.
To ease your travel within Japan, we'll provide you with subway pass for the trip's adventures; a keepsake for your travels beyond our tour. Lunch is included every day except the arrival and departure days, and the optional free exploration days.
To ease your travel within Japan, we'll provide you with subway pass for the trip's adventures; a keepsake for your travels beyond our tour. Lunch is included every day except the arrival and departure days, and the optional free exploration days.
Will the restaurants be able to accommodate those with allergies or dietary restrictions?
Japan's culinary landscape is as diverse as it is accommodating. Whether you have dietary restrictions, allergies, or simply personal preferences, rest assured that we can find a delightful spot for lunch that caters to your needs. Just let us know in advance, and we'll work closely with your guides to select restaurants that not only meet your requirements, but also give you a taste of Japan's renowned gastronomy.
Is it okay to tip my guide in Japan?
Yes, it's highly encouraged. Although tipping in Japan is not expected in most industries such as restaurants or taxis, for personalised services like guided tours, it's the norm. Context clients generally tip anywhere from 10-25% of the purchase price, depending on the quality of the experience and their tipping habits.
Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.
