Tours & experiences

Tours in Japan

Small-group tours, day trips, cooking classes and multi-day adventures. Every tour vetted for traveller reviews first.

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Osaka 2 Hour Local Street Food Tour in Dotonbori and Namba

★ 5.0 (10)

🍜 Food & Cooking

Japan

Osaka 2 Hour Local Street Food Tour in Dotonbori and Namba

When Jake from our team ran this 2-hour Osaka street food tour through Dotonbori and Namba, we hit the neon-soaked heart of the city's eating culture. You'll start at the famous Glico Man sign for photos, then weave through packed alleyways sampling takoyaki, okonomiyaki, kushikatsu, and whatever else your guide flags as good that day. It's a proper working-class neighbourhood vibe — chaotic, loud, and packed with locals and tourists elbowing in for the same bites. The pace is steady rather than rushed, which matters when you're eating every five minutes.

Ghibli Museum and Walking Tour

When Sarah from our team visited the Ghibli Museum, we found ourselves face-to-face with beloved characters and the mechanics behind Studio Ghibli's animation magic. Set in a purpose-built Tokyo museum, it's a hands-on look at how the studio's films come together — from concept sketches to finished frames. The one-hour walking tour pairs you with an English-speaking guide who talks you through the exhibits, screens short animated films you won't catch elsewhere, and there's a playable Cat Bus installation that'll delight younger visitors. It's not a massive crowd-puller when we went, though spaces fill up quickly.

Hiroshima Highlights Guided Tour in 5.5 hours

When Charlie from our team ran this Hiroshima tour, we moved through three essential stops in 5.5 hours: the Atomic Bomb Dome, the Peace Memorial Museum, and Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island. It's a respectful, information-dense route through one of Japan's most historically significant cities. The tour pulls visitors from urban devastation to serene island shrine in a single afternoon, threading together Hiroshima's tragedy and its contemporary resilience. Groups are modest, guides speak English, and transport (trains, ferry) is bundled in. The pace is steady but manageable, suited to travellers wanting substance over rushing.

Tokyo Traditional Mochi Pounding Experience with Tasting

When Noah from our team tried this Tokyo mochi-making class, we got a genuine taste of how the Japanese approach a beloved staple. You'll learn to pound rice into dough, shape it, fill it with flavours ranging from red bean to savoury, and walk out with stuff you've actually made. The session runs about an hour and finishes with matcha tea and a chance to eat what you've crafted. It's intimate — a local chef guides the whole thing in English — and feels less like a tourist checkbox and more like someone genuinely showing you their craft.

Night Soul Food Tour in Tenma with a local guide

When Charlie from our team hit the Night Soul Food Tour in Osaka's Tenma neighbourhood, we were after the real deal — and that's what we got. This is a proper cultural dive, not just a lap around the neighbourhood pointing at dishes. You're walking through lantern-lit alleys with a local guide who knows which tiny joints serve the food Osaka folks actually eat, and the tour wraps everything into one price: food, drinks, the lot. Three hours, small groups capped at six, and enough local storytelling to actually understand why people love what they're eating here.

Yokosuka Adventure: Explore Uninhabited Island

When Tom from our team ran this Yokosuka jaunt, we explored Tokyo Bay's only natural island—Sarushima—hunting war relics and threading through coastal forest before heading back to solid ground for lunch and a tour of the Mikasa memorial ship. The morning's a bit of detective work: brick tunnels, old barracks, power magazines tucked into the scrub, all remnants of early-1900s Japanese military presence. The afternoon pivots to naval history, with the Russo-Japanese War centre stage. It's a half-day that stacks history and landscape without much filler, though you're paying separately for ferries, lunch, and ship entry.

Private Day Trip of Lake Shikotsu and Moss Canyon

When Lily from our team did this private day trip, we drove 90 minutes south of Sapporo into Shikotsu-Toya National Park to explore a volcanic caldera lake ringed by mountains and a stunning moss-draped canyon. Lake Shikotsu itself is striking — the water's genuinely clear, and the backdrop of forested ridges feels properly remote despite being close to the city. Most of the day centres on Moss Canyon, a 200-metre gorge carved by ancient lava flows and now carpeted in moss so thick it looks like someone's laid down green velvet. It's seven hours total with hotel pickup included, and while it's billed as beginner-friendly, the canyon walk has roots, uneven ground, and a few steep sections that demand proper footing.

Geiko Performance and Behind the Scenes Tour

When Lily from our BugBitten team booked this Kanazawa experience, she got rare access to an active Geiko house in the Nishi Chaya District — normally off-limits to casual visitors. Over 100 minutes, two practising Geiko walk you through the Mi-Ne house, perform for you, and answer questions about their craft and daily life. It's less about spectacle and more about understanding how this cultural practice actually works behind closed doors. The English interpreter keeps things clear, and you're dealing with small groups, so the vibe stays intimate rather than touristy.

Tokyo Samurai Armor Experience in a Photo Studio

When Noah from our team tried this Tokyo samurai armour experience, he stepped into an actual photo studio decked out with replica gear that's landed the place on Japanese TV. You get kitted up in full samurai kit with staff who actually know their stuff about the history — they'll walk you through the dressing process, chat about what you're wearing, and help you nail the poses for photos. The whole thing runs about an hour, and it's a mix of costuming and storytelling rather than a full history lesson. It's popular with couples, solo travellers, and groups after a fun Japan tick-box moment.

Hike and explore the Kurama and Kibune ancient Paths

When Mia from our BugBitten team hiked the Kurama-to-Kibune trail in Kyoto's northern mountains, she found herself genuinely unplugged from the city buzz. This 5.5-hour guided walk threads through a pair of historically significant sites — Kurama-dera Temple and Kibune-jinja Shrine — connected by a proper mountain track that's been treading ground for centuries. The forest canopy is thick, the quiet is real, and the spiritual reputation of these places (locals reckon they hum with energy) actually lands when you're standing there. It's a proper hike, not a stroll, but it's the kind of day that sticks with you after you've showered off the dust.

Shinjuku Golden Gai Food Tour in Spanish

When Jake from our team ran this Shinjuku Golden Gai food tour, we got a proper sense of how Tokyo's most famous laneway operates after dark. You're walking three hours through narrow alleys lined with tiny bars, stopping at four food spots to eat yakitori, ramen, and local specialities alongside the locals. The guide speaks English and steers you through the district's post-war history — it was a black market once — while neon signs buzz overhead and sake flows. It's a side of Tokyo that feels lived-in and unpretentious, not sanitised for tourists.

Imperial Palace to Tokyo Station Historical Walking Tour

When Ben from our BugBitten team walked this route, we traced a compelling arc through Tokyo's layers — from the quiet moats and manicured gardens of the Imperial Palace grounds to the bustle of Marunouchi's gleaming office towers, finishing at the grand red-brick Tokyo Station. The 2.5-hour loop sits at the heart of the city and pulls together shogunate-era calm, Meiji-era ambition, and contemporary Tokyo all in one thread. It's the kind of walk that makes sense of how the city got here.

Japanese Mochi Pounding Experience in Asakusa, Tokyo

When Sarah from our BugBitten team rolled up to this mochi-making spot in Asakusa, Tokyo, she found herself in a proper hands-on class where you knead, pound, cut, and taste your own batch of fresh mochi. It's tucked into the heart of the neighbourhood's temple precinct — busy with day-trippers but peaceful once you're upstairs in the reserved seating area. The whole experience runs about an hour and feels genuinely participatory rather than a quick photo-op. You get dressed in a happi coat, work with a real wooden mallet and mortar, shout your wishes (very much encouraged), and walk away having made something you actually eat.

1 hourfrom AUD $70

Full Day Walking Tour in Osaka Castle Temples and Ukiyoe

★ 5.0 (10)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Japan

Full Day Walking Tour in Osaka Castle Temples and Ukiyoe

When Alex from our team ran this full-day Osaka walk, we clocked the city's real rhythm — starting at the imposing Osaka Castle, then threading through Shitennoji temple (genuinely old, and it shows), the organised chaos of Kuromon Market, and a hands-on woodblock print session. The route weaves through Dotonbori's neon sprawl and Shinsaibashi's retail buzz, with an English-speaking local guide steering us past the obvious. Eight hours on foot through a major Japanese city means decent stamina, but the pace felt designed for tourists and seasoned walkers alike.

Hiroshima Path to Peace Private Walking Tour

When Alex from our BugBitten team walked this Hiroshima route, it became clear why this isn't just another heritage tick-box. The three-hour Path to Peace loops through the city's core sites — the Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Museum, Children's Peace Monument, and the Cenotaph — with Alex picking up survivor accounts and the stories baked into each landmark's design. Hiroshima itself feels focused and respectful; you're moving through spaces built for remembrance, not tourism spectacle. The guide weaves in local detail (paper crane traditions, the Flame of Peace's symbolism) and rounds out with food recommendations to ground the experience back into everyday Hiroshima life.

Japanese Home Cooking Class with Local Supermarket Visit

When Sarah from our team did this cooking class in Japan, she picked up the fundamentals of Japanese home cooking from someone who genuinely knows the food culture. The 2.5-hour session covers how locals actually plan meals, balance nutrition, and shop seasonally — then you head to a neighbourhood supermarket to put it into practice. It's set up for home cooks keen to move past recipe-following into understanding the 'why' behind Japanese meals, and the group's small enough that you're not just watching a demo.

Tokyo Shinjuku Japanese Local Bar Hopping and Food Tour

When Ben from our team ran this Tokyo bar crawl, we weaved through Shinjuku's neon-lit back alleys hitting three proper local izakayas tucked away from the tourist drag. The guide steered us through the Kabukicho precinct—Japan's biggest entertainment district, famous and infamous in equal measure—ordering for us when the Japanese got too thick and pointing out which spots the salarymen actually favour. Three hours feels snappy but covers decent ground and gives you a real feel for how locals eat and drink in this part of the city, not the polished versions you'd find on main streets.

Kyoto Sumo Live Show with Photo

When Jake from our team caught this Kyoto sumo show, we got a proper crash course in Japan's ancient sport without the jargon overload. The hour kicks off with someone walking you through why wrestlers do all those rituals, what the moves mean, and how the whole hierarchy works. Then you watch former pros go at it — real power, proper technique, a few banned moves thrown in for drama. The kicker is you actually step into the ring after and have a go yourself against a wrestler. It's hands-on, chaotic, and genuinely fun rather than a stiff museum vibe.

Osaka: Samurai Sword Experience & Wagyu Sukiyaki Dinner

When Lily from our team tried this Osaka experience, we got a rare glimpse into samurai martial arts that felt genuinely earned rather than tourist theatre. A practicing Iaido master kicks off the evening with a live katana demonstration — you see the real deal, the precision and control that's kept this art alive for centuries. Then you get hands-on: don a traditional training gi, pick up a practice sword, and learn the core movements under expert watch. There's also time to hold an actual samurai blade and check out authentic armour. The whole thing runs about three hours, and if you're keen, a wagyu sukiyaki dinner wraps it up. It's Osaka's answer to 'I want to understand samurai culture, not just photograph it.'

3 hoursfrom AUD $181

Discover Kyoto by Bike: Authentic Half Day Tour

★ 5.0 (10)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Japan

Discover Kyoto by Bike: Authentic Half Day Tour

When Charlie from our team cycled this half-day Kyoto tour, we pedalled through some of the city's most recognisable spots — Gion's wooden machiya streets, the austere grounds of Nanzenji Temple, the silver-leafed Ginkakuji, and the Imperial Palace. You're on a sturdy Mamachari bike (three-speed, upright sitting position), moving at a pace that lets you actually notice the temples, shrines, and the famous Philosopher's Path lined with cherry trees. It's four hours of riding through a city that feels less touristy when you're on two wheels rather than herded onto a bus. The tour suits most fitness levels, though the route does include some gentle climbs and involves real cycling, not just cruising.

4 hoursfrom AUD $229

3 Days Private Osaka Kyoto and Nara Tour With English Driver

★ 5.0 (10)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Japan

3 Days Private Osaka Kyoto and Nara Tour With English Driver

When Sarah from our BugBitten team booked this three-day private tour, she got a driver and car for a self-directed sprint through Osaka, Nara, and Kyoto — Japan's cultural heavyweight circuit. You're seeing the neon-soaked street food chaos of Osaka's Dotonbori, the serene deer parks and ancient temples of Nara, and Kyoto's famous shrine gates and geisha quarters. The itinerary bends to what you want, and the driver handles navigation while you decide the pace. It's a solid option if you want wheels and local knowledge without the tour-bus crowd, though the real attractions cost extra and accommodation isn't sorted for you.

Make original accessories with Mizuhiki, experience Kanazawa's traditional craft

When Alex from our BugBitten team tried this Kanazawa workshop, we made decorative mizuhiki knots—a craft with over 1,100 years of Japanese history behind it. You learn to tie these delicate cord accessories in styles unique to the region, working with instructors who've spent 15 years teaching the craft. It's a compact two-hour session that leaves you with a wearable souvenir and genuine insight into how Japanese artisans approach decorative knots. The workshop suits groups of two or more, and feels intimate rather than touristy.

Zen Buddhist Vegetarian(Shojin Ryori): Cooking Experience

When Noah from our team booked into this shojin ryori cooking class in Japan, we got a proper insight into Buddhist vegetarian cooking that's been refined over seven centuries. You'll spend two and a half hours learning to make dishes like sesame tofu, tempura, and grain rice from an accredited English-speaking instructor who walks you through the philosophy and technique behind each plate. It's a smaller, intimate setup — the kind of experience that works whether you're vego, curious about Japanese food culture, or just after something different from the standard cooking-class circuit.

Chiba Walking Tour: Shrine, Art Museum & Japanese Homestyle Lunch

When Noah from our team ran this Chiba walking tour, we found a solid local's-eye view of the city wrapped into three hours. Grace, a long-time Chiba resident, steers you through the 1,000-year-old Chiba Shrine, a Neo-Renaissance art museum, and the 12th-century Chiba Castle before landing you at a neighbourhood tonkatsu or chicken lunch spot called Kadoya. It's the kind of tour that works best if you're genuinely curious about a Japanese regional city rather than chasing major sights — expect a mix of walking, stairs, and a real feed at the end.

Tokyo JDM Daikoku PA Car Meet Private LEXUS RC Tour from Yokohama

When Sarah from our BugBitten team booked this Tokyo JDM experience, we expected a glossy ride—what we got was a genuine window into Yokohama's car obsession. You meet your guide (a 20-year local and proper petrolhead) at Yokohama Station, climb into a blue LEXUS RC350, and spend 2–3 hours rolling past supercars, stopping for skyline shots, then hitting Daikoku Parking Area—Japan's legendary late-night gathering spot for tuned Japanese cars and modified imports. The energy there is electric: neon, rev limiter pops, hundreds of enthusiasts. It's not a museum tour; it's where Tokyo's underground car scene actually lives.

2 hours – 3 hoursfrom AUD $100

Kanazawa Art : Long Tradition of Potter's Wheel Experience

★ 5.0 (10)

🍜 Food & Cooking

Japan

Kanazawa Art : Long Tradition of Potter's Wheel Experience

When Lily from our BugBitten team tried this pottery wheel session at Kanazawa's sole Kutani ceramic kiln, she got a genuine feel for how the city's most celebrated ceramics are made. This 1870s workshop lets you shape actual Kutani ware clay—finer and trickier than standard pottery clay—on the wheel under a potter's guidance. Your piece fires in the kiln and ships to you in about five months. It's a hands-on hour that sits you inside 150+ years of Japanese ceramic tradition, in a working studio alongside pieces made by the kiln's own artisans.

Kyoto Guided Walking Tour Highlight of Kiyomizu & Fushimi Inari

When Mia from our BugBitten team ran this four-hour walking tour, she hit three of Kyoto's heavyweight temples in a single morning—Kiyomizu, Sanjusangendo, and Fushimi Inari. It's the kind of itinerary that packs a genuine punch without feeling rushed. You're moving through centuries of architecture and spiritual design with a local guide steering the narrative, picking up layers of history and timing your camera shots for the golden light. Kyoto's central east side has that particular buzz of pilgrims, school groups, and travellers all orbiting the same sacred spots, so expect company—but the small-group format keeps things intimate.

Full Day Green Season Hiking in Sapporo and Hokkaido with onsen.

When Ben from our BugBitten team tried this full-day hike in the Sapporo region, we found a well-structured option for walkers keen to tick off some Hokkaido peaks without the fuss of logistics. The outfit offers five named routes ranging from gentle forest loops to proper mountain slogs—you pick the difficulty before you start—then caps the day with an onsen soak. The area feels like proper backcountry once you're above the treeline, despite Sapporo's proximity. The whole thing runs about nine hours door-to-door, including lunch and the soak.

9 hoursfrom AUD $262

Kamakura Day Trip from Tokyo with a Local: Private & Personalized

★ 5.0 (10)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Japan

Kamakura Day Trip from Tokyo with a Local: Private & Personalized

When Jake from our BugBitten team booked this Kamakura day trip, he filled out a quick questionnaire and got paired with a local host who actually built the day around what he wanted to do. It's a refreshing change from the standard bus-tour vibe. Kamakura sits an hour south of Tokyo's chaos — a coastal town packed with temples, hiking trails, the famous Great Buddha, and beach spots that feel worlds away. Eight hours gives you real time to breathe, not race through a checklist. The host handles logistics; you handle the mood.

Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Full-Day Private Trip with Government Licensed Guide

When Alex from our BugBitten team walked the Kumano Kodo with a government-licensed guide, we got a real sense of why this 1000-year-old pilgrimage network still draws people. The ancient trails thread through the Kii Peninsula mountains, linking shrines and temples across quiet hamlets—it's the kind of place where emperors once walked and hikers of all levels still do. This eight-hour private tour lets you pick 3–4 key sites from the Nakahechi route and build your own itinerary, which beats the cookie-cutter group shuffle. Your guide speaks English, knows the terrain, and tailors the pace to your legs.

Tokyo: Asakusa Japanese Sake Tasting with Optional Food

When Noah from our BugBitten team hit Hanbee Asakusa Sake Bar in Tokyo's historic Asakusa district, we found a genuine hole-in-the-wall on a quiet backstreet where you can spend 90 minutes working through sake from different Japanese breweries with knowledgeable staff steering you toward what actually tastes good to your palate. It's the kind of spot that feels like a local secret — low-key, intimate, and refreshingly free of the tourist circus. The optional food pairings (grilled mochi, wagyu skewers) are worth adding on if you're peckish.

1h 30mfrom AUD $65

PERFECT Osaka Day – Custom Private Tour by Award-Winning Operator

★ 5.0 (10)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Japan

PERFECT Osaka Day – Custom Private Tour by Award-Winning Operator

When Noah from our team booked the PERFECT Osaka Day tour, we got a genuinely tailored experience — not a cookie-cutter rundown. This award-winning operator (twice crowned Tripadvisor's best in Japan) pairs you with an English-speaking guide who knows Osaka's back lanes, food stalls, and neighbourhood rhythms. The 8-hour option lets you move at your pace between landmarks like Osaka Castle, street-food hotspots, and local markets. You choose how you move: private car, public transport, or taxi. Pick your interests, answer their quick questionnaire after booking, and they build your day around it — whether that's history, nightlife, or eating your way through every lane.

8 hoursfrom AUD $425

Private Tokyo Walking Tour with A Guide: Higlights & Customizable

★ 5.0 (9)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Japan

Private Tokyo Walking Tour with A Guide: Higlights & Customizable

When Alex from our BugBitten team ran this private Tokyo walk, we got a genuine feel for how much a local guide reshapes a city visit. You're paired one-on-one with someone who actually knows the place — no group herding, no generic spiel. The tour's flexible, so you can steer toward what grabs you: the controlled chaos of Tsukiji Outer Market for sashimi tastings, the quiet reverence of Senso-ji Temple, neon-soaked Akihabara, or panoramic Tokyo Skytree views. It's a two-hour window to crack Tokyo's rhythm on your terms, with hotel pickup included if you're staying central.

Tokyo: Meiji Jingu and Harajuku, sacred and profane

When Mia from our BugBitten team did this three-hour walk, she got a proper sense of Tokyo's split personality. You start in the quiet forest sanctuary of Meiji Jingu—a major Shinto shrine where you can clock the rituals and architecture that anchor the city spiritually—then pivot hard into Harajuku, where Takeshita Street buzzes with fashion shops, cafes, and the kind of youthful energy that feels like the opposite end of the spectrum. It's a neat contrast, and the guide ties the two halves together so you see how both belong to the same city.

Narita-san Private Layover Tour from Narita International Airport

When Sarah from our team took this Narita layover tour, she found a smartly timed option for folks stuck between flights. You get picked up from the airport and head to Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, a 1,000-year-old Buddhist site just outside Tokyo, with an English-speaking guide steering you through the history and letting you loose on the temple approach — a laneway packed with local shops, restaurants, and the kind of casual eating spots that give you a real feel for how Japanese tourists spend an hour. It's 4.5 hours door-to-door, which means you can actually see something worthwhile without missing your connection.

4h 30mfrom AUD $290

Tokyo: teamLab Planets & Toyosu Fish Market Guided Tour

★ 5.0 (9)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

Japan

Tokyo: teamLab Planets & Toyosu Fish Market Guided Tour

When Ben from our team ran this tour, it clicked as a proper split between Tokyo's cutting-edge and its culinary roots. You spend your first chunk inside teamLab Planets—a sprawling digital art space where light, water, and flowers respond to you moving through it—then shift gears to Toyosu Fish Market, where your guide walks you through the organised chaos of one of the world's biggest wholesale operations. The final stop lands you in Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai, a new precinct designed to feel like old Edo, where you can grab fresh seafood street food and poke around local shops. It's a neat three-hour package that juggles art, food culture, and a feel for how Tokyo actually works.

Samurai Photo Experience

When Tom from our team tried the Samurai Photo Experience in Japan, we found a fun studio setup where you get kitted out in a proper kimono, strike a pose with a katana or wagasa, and walk away with digital shots. It's a straightforward 90-minute hit—perfect if you want a keepsake photo without the heavy tourist theatre. The studio's compact, the props are genuine, and afterwards there's a shuriken-throwing element that breaks up the photo bit nicely. Families and solo travellers both turn up.

Kyoto Kimono Rental mimosa Couple Plan Kimono Yukata Rental

When Charlie from our team hired a kimono at Mimosa in Kyoto, we found ourselves in a proper Kyoto moment within minutes of getting dressed. This couple-focused rental sits smack on Kodaiji Ichinenzaka, a heritage-listed street lined with shops and temples, so you're not mucking about travelling to scenic spots—you step out the door and you're there. The shop itself is a converted machiya (traditional wooden townhouse) done up thoughtfully, stocked with a decent range of kimonos and yukata, and the staff walk you through styling and hair without rushing. You can keep the gear on for anywhere from an hour to nine hours, giving flexibility to potter around or actually sightsee properly dressed.

1 hour – 9 hoursfrom AUD $90

★ 5.0 (9)

🍜 Food & Cooking

Japan

Private Sushi Class in Central Kyoto

When Tom from our BugBitten team booked this private sushi class in central Kyoto, he stepped into a beautifully restored traditional townhouse tucked between Kiyomizu-dera Temple and the Gion district—quiet enough to focus, close enough to the tourist buzz that you know exactly where you are. Over 90 minutes, you'll work through nigiri and hand-rolled temaki with a patient English-speaking instructor, all to yourself or your group. It's the kind of hands-on cooking experience that actually teaches technique rather than just ticking a box, and you eat what you make straightaway with local sake on the side. Best for couples, small families, or mates after something a bit more deliberate than a walking tour.

Asakusa and Senso ji Temple Walking Tour in Tokyo

When Mia from our BugBitten team did this two-hour walking tour, she got the classic Asakusa experience done right — the massive red lantern, the five-storey pagoda, and Nakamise Street packed with stalls selling ningyo-yaki and souvenirs. The guide walked us through the temple's actual rituals and the centuries-old stories woven into the place, rather than just pointing at things. It's the Tokyo temple tour most visitors come for, and this one felt genuine and paced well for a morning or afternoon slot in the city.

2 hoursfrom AUD $104

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