Person per room selection only applies if upgrading to a private room with a private bathroom. By default hostels have bunk beds in shared common rooms with shared bathrooms
Our Self-Guided Tours are vacations packages that are purchased for you as an individual or group of friends/family. No human guide is provided, you will travel across Japan with the aid of our resources to help you navigate and stay on track with the itinerary.
The Budget Tokyo Tour takes you in and around the great city of Tokyo. On this journey you will find yourself at the crossroads of the old and the new: great towers reaching into the sky next to ancient shrines.
Take a ride on the Tokaido Line and visit the great Buddha in Kamakura. See the great downtown areas of Shibuya and Shinjuku! Eat Ramen Sushi, and Curry all week long!
This bustling yet peaceful city has so much to be discovered. Great food, tradition, and people await you! Let’s go!
Recommended times to travel: Spring** and Fall
** Cherry blossoms only bloom for a limited time and there is no guarantee that you will see them even if you plan carefully.
All packed up and ready to go? This is your travel day! Please make sure to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before your schedule flight in order to avoid any potential issues.
A direct flight to Tokyo is 11 to 13 hours depending on where you are flying from (in the USA). You will arrive on the next day due to the international date line. Example: If you fly on a Tue at 2pm, you will arrive at 5pm on Wed in Tokyo.
Have a great flight!!!
Finally! You have arrived in Japan! Check into your hotel and get settled, then follow the provided Self-guided Introduction to Japan. This will allow you to get your first taste of adventure by walking the streets of Tokyo. You can use this time to help familiarize you with the customs, the transportation system, and maybe teach you a few useful phrases!
Walking: Light // Included Meals: None
Take this time to get settled into Tokyo and do some exploring! Visit Senso-ji temple and Nakamise in Asakusa, get some shopping in! This part of Asakusa was extremely popular in the Taisho period, it’s where the Tokyo nightlife was founded! The pubs spill into the street with locals each night for a great atmosphere (and even better food!)
Now you’ll head to SkyTree! This is one of the tallest towers in the world! Reach to great heights and see Japan spread out before you! This amazing tower is also attached a mall with great food and shopping!
It’s time to walk off that lunch! Stroll through a long sliver of a park that starts at SkyTree and cuts through the neighborhoods of the area. This park is used by locals and it provides a wonderful slice of life experience. See kids playing at the parks, dogs being walked, and people going about their daily lives!
You will end your walk at Kinshicho station and catch a train to Tokyo Station! There, you can visit Ramen Street for dinner. This “street” inside of the station is has some of the best ramen around!
Train stations in Japan are also miniature cities. Explore and shop before heading back to Asakusa to explore the nightlife!
Walking: Moderate// Included Meals: None
Take the morning to explore the famous Yoyogi Park and the Meiji Shrine! This park is an integral part of local life in Tokyo.
Enjoy the latest cutting-edge fashion by exploring Harajuku, out-there outfits, crazy socks, and good food can be found there. Sometimes you’ll even see local fashionistas dressed to kill in these fantastic outfits.
Finish the day with Shibuya, the Time Square of Tokyo. Always awake and brightly lit, Shibuya boasts of many shops and eateries worth your time! The scramble crosswalk, Hachiko the dog, and the many shops such as Tokyu Hands, Mega Donki, Disney Store, Marui, Nintendo Store and more leave you with more than you could possibly do in one night!
Walking: Heavy // Included Meals: None
Start your day by heading down to see the Great Buddha! This giant bronze statues is one of the largest Buddhas in Japan! Kamakura is known as a “little Kyoto”, take some time to visit the local shrines and temples.
If you want, you can hike a trail that leads from one shrine to the Great Buddha!
From there, head to Enoshima! Walk the sandy beaches and then head to the island by walking across a long bridge! Grab an Enopass which gives you access to the escalators, lighthouse, garden, and caves on the island that you can explore!
On your way back, stop at the Ramen Museum for dinner!! This “museum” has ramen shops from all around the country! Even half bowl sizes so that you can try more!
Walking: Moderate // Included Meals: None
Start your day at the imperial palace! Check out the garden and out grounds (you aren’t allowed in). Maybe you can spot the royal family coming and going!
Now it’s time for some fun! Tokyo Roulette!! Go to Tokyo Station and the Yamanote Line. Pick a random number between 5 and 10. Pick one side of the platform… and GO! Get on a train and go that many stops and get off!
This is an opportunity for you to discover new places, parks, new foods, and a new perspective of this great city. After a an hour or 2, just use Google Maps to find make your way to your next stop!
After a morning of exploration, calm yourself with the tranquil Shinjuku Gyoen park. Nestled into the city, this park is a great relief from the bustling city life!
Next we will explore Shinjuku station, servicing 3.5 million people a day, this station is the largest in the world! It’s an entire city in and of itself! Find lunch, do some shopping or just people watch!
Now you’ll go to the top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. The observation deck allows you to see a lot of Tokyo. But this time, unlike with SkyTree, you’ll be able to see more detail!
Finally, it’s time to eat around Shinjuku. So many restaurants, walk through the fabled corridors of Omoide Yokocho, or get a drink at Golden Gai!
Walking: Heavy // Included Meals: None
This is an open day for you! Many who want to visit Tokyo also want to visit Disneyland! This is your opportunity to do so!
If Disney is not your thing, head over to Ueno Park! This large park is complete with a shrine and a lake. Street food vendors can be found in various nooks and crannies and it’s worth stroll. If you are a museum person, the park is surrounded by several!
From there, walk through a large, picturesque cemetery with traditional headstones and beautiful cherry blossom lining the roads in spring or great orange and reds in the fall. This large cemetery houses famous artists, actors, and politicians from many eras!
Ready to take a step back into history? Venture into Yanaka Ginza, a traditional 1950s shopping street with original architecture and stores! There we can shop, snack and explore until dinner!
This is your final day and it is yours! This is an open day so you can visit any remaining sites, shrines, stores, or just walk aimlessly through the streets of Tokyo.
If you are leaving Japan on this day, ensure that you arrive early at the airport so that you don’t miss your flight!
