Our 11-day early spring tour offers you a serene, culturally-rich escape, blending Japan's main cities' iconic sights with the Izu Peninsula's hidden coastal beauty. Whether you're a culture enthusiast, a nature lover, or a foodie, this tour captures the essence of Japan's early spring in one unforgettable trip.
Balancing must-see landmarks with off-the-beaten-path gems, this journey offers a bountiful mix of history, nature, and hands-on experiences. View exclusive early-March cherry blossom to avoid peak-season crowds, unwind in traditional ryokans with private open-air hot-spring baths, craft sushi with a master, stroll around volcanic craters, and explore dramatic coastal formations.
With private guides and transfers throughout, plus the flexibility to customize activities, Japan Highlights Travel ensures a stress-free, personalized adventure tailored to your pace and interests.
Travelers ❤ Japan Highlights Japan Highlights is a proud member of the Highlights Travel Family (trusted since 1998). Reviews are updated monthly from Tripadvisor, Google & Trustpilot. ×
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Stephanie
We loved Japan!
We had the best time touring Japan with Johnny our tour guide and the company Asia highlights did an amazing job planning a perfect vacation from start to finish. We could never had planned nor implemented such a seamless vacation ourselves and 100% will be recommending to everyone we know! More
Date of Experience:: Jun 2025
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Guide380574
Fabulous family trip to Japan
Best way to travel thru a foreign country with teenagers who don’t always agree on what to do. Our itinerary was set before we left so there wasn’t any stress from planning our days during the trip. Having a driver with a big van and wonderful guides made getting around stress free. Everything was arranged perfectly. More
Date of Experience:: Jun 2025
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Guide557549
Best of Kyoto with the most amazing guides/driver
Best trip ever to Kyoto, Japan! The planning, quality of service and accommodations made this trip beyond enjoyable and relaxing. Our guide Andy was so knowledgeable and kind. He went out of his way to make sure we had the best experiences, that all our needs were met and offered great suggestions to add to our visit! More
Date of Experience:: Jun 2025
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Japan Early Spring Tour Suggested Route
Tour Highlights
Here are the awesome attractions, the most must-do activities selected by Japan Highlights included in this tour:
Discover Japan's early cherry blossoms in the tranquil Izu Peninsula, catching the very first vibrant whisper of spring.
Take in a symphony of Mount Fuji views, from classic Lake Ashi reflections to panoramic Izu highlands vistas .
Enjoy breathtaking Pacific Ocean views and sea breezes along the Jogasaki Coast.
Walk Mount Omuro's volcanic craters and see capybaras soak in steamy onsen pools at Izu Shaboten Zoo.
Unwind in a traditional ryokan inn with luxurious private open-air onsens.
Don a kimono and experience a traditional tea ceremony in Kyoto.
Uncover Japan's rich heritage at iconic UNESCO World Heritage sites like the Golden Pavilion and Fushimi Inari Shrine.
Embark on a culinary journey: from Tokyo's hand-rolled sushi to Kyoto tofu and lively Osaka okonomiyaki pancakes.
The Itinerary in Detail
Your private driver will meet you at Narita/Haneda Airport for a stress-free transfer to your hotel.
Take some time to unwind and refresh. The evening is yours to enjoy at leisure, whether you opt for a quiet dinner in your neighborhood or a stroll to soak in the initial sights and sounds of this dynamic metropolis.
- Morning tranquility awaits at Meiji Jingu shrine. Walk beneath towering torii gates into a primordial forest where you can only hear rustling leaves and distant shrine bells. Write wishes on ema plaques beside brides in white kimonos taking their wedding photos.
- Then, dive into Asakusa's vibrant chaos: touch Senso-ji temple's sacred pagoda pillars, then bargain for Edo-era (1603–1868) crafts on Nakamise-dori street.
- At lunchtime, join a sushi master in a sunlit studio. Feel the coolness of fresh toro tuna as you shape vinegared rice into nigiri sushi. Taste sea-sweetness with a touch of wasabi heat.
- Later, ascend Tokyo Skytree. Watch dusk ignite the city as Mount Fuji's silhouette fades into lilac horizons.
- Lake Ashi glimmers under Hakone's mist. Board a pirate-style ship to snap Fuji framed by vermilion torii gates.
- Then, soar on the Owakudani Ropeway: sulfuric steam rises from egg-blue hot springs as you glide over volcanic moonscapes. Taste black eggs cooked in volcanic waters said to add seven years to your life!
- At Mishima Skywalk, Japan's longest suspension bridge, feel ocean winds rush past. Gaze down at Suruga Bay's turquoise waters with Fuji as your backdrop.
- Evening brings Izu's embrace… Slip into Atami Sekitei's open-air onsen, where hot mineral waters soothe muscles as fireflies dance in cedar forests.
- Shuzen-ji temple's mossy courtyards echo with monk chants, as bamboo groves sway like green cathedral aisles. There, sip matcha beside 1,200-year-old camphor trees.
- Next, a chairlift floats you up Mount Omuro. Stand atop its grassy crater rim: Pacific waves crash below while Fuji pierces cotton-cloud skies in the distant north.
- At Izu Shaboten Zoo , capybaras soak in steamy onsen pools surrounded by desert cacti. Feed them sweet potatoes as they blink lazily.
- End the day at Jogasaki Coast: hike cliffside trails where volcanic rock meets sapphire sea. Cross the Kadowaki Suspension Bridge, 23 meters above roaring tides carving stone arches.
- Dawn light spills into Ryugu Cave's heart-shaped skylight. Descend wooden steps into the emerald grotto, and hear waves echo like dragon whispers.
- Sakura magic unfolds at Minami-Izu. Walk riverside paths where 1,000 Kawazu cherry trees drape pink canopies over golden canola seas.
- Then, stroll Perry Road's cobblestones: sample wasabi ice cream beside black-ship replicas.
- Conclude your day with Kawazu Sakura Avenue's festival energy: trains rumble through the blossom tunnels as vendors grill korokke (potato patties).
- Soak travel-weary feet in Mine Onsen's free foot baths, where steam rises from volcanic vents.
A scenic 1½-hour taxi ride winds past terraced tea farms to Mishima Station. Glide west on the Shinkansen, and watch Fuji vanish as rice paddies blur into urban sprawl.
Arrive at Kyoto Century Hotel — your haven near Gion's geisha lanes. In the evening, you could sip yuzu (Japanese citrus) sake at a lantern-lit izakaya (pub).
- Nijo Castle's ‘nightingale floors' sing underfoot — a 17th-century security system against ninjas. Admire screen paintings of stalking tigers.
- At Kinkaku-ji temple, gasp as the gold-leaf pavilion shimmers on Kyoko-chi pond — Zen perfection against pine-clad hills.
- In Arashiyama, lose yourself in its Bamboo Grove: sunlight filters through 20-meter stalks, painting the path jade-green.
- Cross Togetsu-kyo Bridge, where cherry branches brush the river like pink lace.
- Finally, don a kimono for a tea ceremony: kneel on tatami, whisk frothy matcha, and taste wagashi (sweets) shaped like spring blossoms.
- Navigate Fushimi Inari's hypnotic torii tunnels – 10,000 crimson gates winding up the sacred mountain. Leave a fox-shaped ema (prayer token) wish at the summit shrine.
- At Gekkeikan Sake Brewery, sip sakura (cherry-blossom) nigori (unfiltered sake) beside koi ponds.
- Discover Kyoto's Yodo Riverside Park. Stroll along canals lined with 300 Kawazu cherry trees — their early blooms (late Feb-Mar) reflected in still waters.
- End the walk at Kiyomizu-dera temple. There, drink from Otowa Falls' ‘pure water' streams for health, love, or wisdom
- Wander Ninen-zaka and Sannen-zaka's ancient lanes, where temple bells chime, immersing you in Kyoto's timeless past.
- A swift 30-minute Shinkansen ride drops you in Osaka.
- In the afternoon, you could hunt for vintage kimonos in Amerika-mura or marvel at Umeda Sky Building's floating garden.
- As dusk falls, plunge into Dotonbori: neon crabs wave above crowds devouring takoyaki (octopus balls). Follow smoky trails to tiny yakitori bars for skewers glazed with miso (soy paste) and honey.
- Osaka Castle's stone walls tell samurai tales. Ascend them to see panoramic views of the modern skyline.
- Feast at Kuromon Market: slurp sea urchin, bite into melon taiyaki (fish-shaped cakes)…
- Then, a culinary adventure: grill okonomiyaki pancakes on hot plates in Dotonbori — add cabbage, pork, and dancing bonito (‘baby tuna') flakes.
- At Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum, carve and ink woodblocks to create your own "floating world" print.
- Shop on Shinsaibashi's covered arcade for souvenirs like yuzu perfume and samurai-themed sneakers.
Your private driver will navigate Osaka's morning bustle on the way to Kansai Airport.
Sip matcha lattes in the lounge as you reminisce — volcanic steam rising through sakura (cherry blossom), the click-clack of geta sandals on temple steps, ocean winds carrying blossoms into ryokan baths. Japan's spring poetry lingers long after takeoff.
Hand-Picked Hotels
We select hotels with style and local features, and we may adujust the hotel arrangement based on their availability due to high demand.
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Ryokan Atami Sekitei（4-star)
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Shimoda Tokyu Hotel(4-star)
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Kyoto Century Hotel(4-star)
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Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu (4-star)
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Tour Price:
US$ 4,299 p/p (based on 4 persons, with 4-star hotel options)
- The price is based on a private tour in Early March (arriv in Japan before March 11th).
- The price varies based on program, travel date, number of people.
- We could also price a tour including both 4-star and 5-star hotels for you.
- We accept payments in multiple currencies (GBP, AUD, CAD, EUR...).
Price Includes:
- Privately-driven air-conditioned vehicle with ample space (except where stated)
- English-speaking local guide for the sightseeing
- Attraction tickets and itinerary activities
- Accommodation for all nights
- Train services between cities listed in the itinerary
- Hotel breakfasts and itinerary lunches/dinners
- 24/7 helpline while touring
- Governmental taxes
Price Excludes:
- International flights not mentioned in the itinerary
- Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
- Visa fee, if applicable
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Personal expenses
Tour code: ah-jp-34
Inquire now! Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.
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At Japan Highlights, we create your kind of journey — your dates, your destinations, at your pace. You can have any trip tailor made for your travel.