Premium Highlights of Japan
Trip Code: CJPH
Why we love it
Experience a traditional Japanese Onsen (an area of natural hot springs surrounded by traditional inns and bathing facilities) at your Feature Stay and soak away a day of hiking to the Jigokudani Monkey Park., See and touch some traditional samurai weaponry, try on some authentic attire and learn about the rich history of these warriors with an authentic samurai experience at a 400-year-old dojo run by contemporary ninjas in Tokyo., Take a day trip to Kamakura, a coastal treasure known for its history, and see the sights on a traditional, person-led rickshaw, followed by a train ride on one of the oldest electric railways in the country., Feast your way through Japan with an all-inclusive dinner cruise on a yakatabune in Tokyo, a market visit in Kanazawa where you can pick your ingredients for a lunchtime cooking class at a local’s home and a sweet-making class in Kyoto., Explore Arashiyama – a nationally designated Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty in Kyoto. Walk through the bamboo grove and participate in ritual at the many temples and shrines in the area.
Is this trip right for me?
Japan is best explored on foot and by public transport. You’ll need to be fit enough to spend most of each day on your feet and able to handle your luggage as you navigate busy train stations. We recommend comfortable shoes and packing light.
Double rooms in Japanese hotels can be smaller than you may be used to (e.g. 20 sqm). Every effort will be made to accommodate double room requests. However, during busy periods, there may be occasions when we are unable to offer a double room, so a twin room will be provided.
Important information
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. When travelling by train, we include the transfer of one piece of luggage from destination to destination. Please review the Packing section of the Essential Trip Information for more details on luggage transfers and luggage size.
3. We are currently unable to offer airport transfers in Japan. Please refer to the Joining Point Instructions of the Essential Trip Information for our recommendations on arrival. Your leader will be able to advise the best way to reach the airport at the end of your trip.
What to bring/pack
LUGGAGE IN JAPAN
On this trip you will need to carry your own luggage for up to 30 minutes at a time. Train stations are quite complex and usually require climbing a lot of stairs, especially when doing a quick transfer from train to train. Elevators aren't always available and cannot accommodate many people at a time, so if you bring a suitcase, please ensure you are able to lift and carry it up and down stairs yourself without difficulty. Our ryokans allow suitcases, but you'll need to carry it onto the tatami floor in the room, instead of wheeling it. A backpack is often preferred by travellers for these reasons.
We recommend that you keep your main luggage weight around 15kg and certainly no more than 20kg.
LUGGAGE SIZE RESTRICTIONS ON JAPANESE TRAINS
Luggage allowances for train travel are calculated by adding the length, width and height together. We recommend your main piece of luggage does not exceed 159cm.
Luggage between 160cm and 250cm requires pre-booking additional luggage space for an additional fee. This can be difficult to secure given how busy Japan's rail system is. Luggage over 251 cm will NOT be permitted on Shinkansen trains.
If you have oversize luggage you will need to use luggage forwarding services. Additional charges will apply. Please speak to your leader if you need to utilise this service.
Japanese trains don’t have large luggage racks for big suitcases so it's best to pack as light and small as possible so that you are not blocking aisles or taking up extra seats.
DAY PACK
A day pack for carrying essentials when exploring destinations, as well as for any shorter overnight stays, will be useful.
SEASONAL CLOTHING
Weather in Japan varies greatly between summer and winter so be sure to check whether you’ll need a beanie and thermals or light cotton layers during your visit.
PACKING LIST
Below is a link to our ultimate packing list, a guide to get you started:, https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list, WATER BOTTLE
Please bring your own water bottle to refill along the way. Although it can be difficult to avoid bottled water when travelling, please use the water dispensers which are provided on some of our vehicles and at some of our accommodation. Your group leader or local representative will advise whether tap water is safe to drink in your destination, and if it is, you can simply refill it with tap water. When unable to avoid bottled water, it is better to buy the largest available and distribute it into your smaller bottle for the day. If you are walking or trekking as part of your trip you will need to carry at least 2L of water with you.
Physical rating
You will be expected to carry your own luggage, including while moving about busy public transport hubs to make tight connections, up stairs and escalators and on and off buses and trains. Although you won't be required to walk long distances with your luggage, you are expected to be able to walk and handle your own luggage for up to 30 minutes, sometimes at a fast pace and in crowds. Good general fitness and mobility will play a big part in making your trip more enjoyable. Japanese cities are best explored by foot and public transport, so be prepared for a lot of walking each day you are in a destination! Many travellers are surprised how much distance they end up covering each day just seeing the sights. Bring comfortable walking shoes and be prepared to spend most of the day on your feet.
Joining your group
Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro, 1-6-1 Nishi Ikebukuro, Toshima-Ku, 東京都豊島区西池袋1-6-1, Tokyo, Tokyo, 171 8505, JAPAN, Phone: +81 339801111
Located an approx. 3-minute walk from the Ikebukuro station (West Exit), Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro has Tokyo’s giant electronics retailers, a wide range of bars, restaurants and some of Tokyo’s best ramen shops in its neighbourhood. There are various shopping facilities such as Sunshine City and eating and drinking establishments within a 20-minute walking distance (easily accessible by the special local bus IKEBUS), and it is a great location for direct access to various parts of Tokyo such as Shinjuku and Shibuya with 8 train lines passing through Ikebukuro station.
(Reference: https://willer-travel.com/en/ikebus/)
Alternate Joining Point
Joining instructions
We are currently unable to provide an arrival transfer in Tokyo. We apologize that we aren’t able to provide this service. We understand that our travellers enjoy the ease of using an arrival transfer, and hope that your journey from the airport to the hotel is a smooth one. There are many ways to get from the two airports in the Tokyo region (Narita Airport or Haneda Airport) to your hotel and we are certain that you will find Japan’s public transport system efficient and reliable.
Taxi
Narita is located approx. 65 km from Tokyo and taxi fares are expensive given the distance (around JPY25,000). Haneda Airport is closer to central Tokyo and a taxi fare will cost around JPY6,000-10,000.
Public Transport
There are various connections either by limousine bus or by express train and then local train, subway or taxi to Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro, which is located in Ikebukuro near Shinjuku. The airport information desks can provide helpful advice too.
From Narita Airport, the most direct way is by Limousine Bus (approx. JPY3,600 and 120 mins) which, takes you to the main entrance of the hotel. The Narita Express will take you into Shinjuku Station (approx. JPY1,700 and 90 mins) and you will then need to change to the local Yamanote line (approx. JPY 180 and 5 mins), subway or taxi.
If you're travelling from Haneda Airport, the most direct option is Limousine Bus (approx. JPY1,400 and 60 mins) which takes you to the main entrance of the hotel.
Please also check the transport details on the hotel's website: https://tokyo-ikebukuro.hotel-metropolitan.com/access/index.html. If you're having any problems finding the hotel, in the first instance please ring the hotel directly - you can use one of Japan's green public phones with coins of JPY10 or JPY100. Our local office in Osaka is also available in case of emergencies: 070-1771-5588.
Finishing your trip
Hotel Intergate Kyoto Shijo-shinmachi, 387 Mukadeya-cho, Nakagyo-ku, 京都市中京区百足屋町387, Kyoto, 604-8214, JAPAN, Phone: +81 752552221
Hotel Intergate Kyoto Shijo Shinmachi is located in the center of downtown Kyoto, approx. 400m from the main shopping street of Shijo Street and the Nishiki Market. There are subway stations and bus stops nearby so it's easy to get to Kyoto's main sites. There are plenty of cafes, restaurants, supermarkets and department stores in the immediate neighbourhood. The Gion district (including Ponto-cho), the Kamogawa River and the Higashiyama temple precinct are also accessible by foot, within 1.5km away.
Alternate Finish Point
Japan has a very efficient public transport service and there are many ways to get from your hotel to the two airports in the Kansai region - Kansai Airport (KIX) or Itami Airport (ITM). Both airports are located a long way from Kyoto so we advice you use the public transport options available rather than considering a taxi. Please speak with your leader on Day 1 about options.
Meals & dietary information
Breakfasts included: 8
Lunches included: 1
Dinners included: 4
While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Your group leader or local representative will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. If you have dietary requirements and/or food allergies, please let your booking agent know prior to departure.
FOOD IN JAPAN
The Japanese daily diet contains gluten (ie. in flavourings such as soy sauce) and seafood (dashi, or fish stock, is the basis of most dishes, even vegetable ones), so we highly recommend that vegetarians, vegans and coeliacs do their own online research before travelling about some of the options that might be available to them. While our leaders will assist you whenever they can, there may be some included meals that are fixed in advance and not flexible, such as those included at ryokans, and cannot be modified for different diets. For those suffering from particular food allergies, your group leader will endeavor to disclose to their fullest knowledge the main ingredients in dishes being consumed. It is, however, still your personal responsibility to ensure that you do not ingest any foods to which you are allergic.
Food and drink are such a high part of Japanese culture. Here are some links to get your tastebuds tingling:
https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/japan-convenience-store-food/
https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/traditional-tokyo-alleyways-locals-guide/
https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/eat-and-drink-like-a-local-in-japan/
https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/vegetarian-vegan-travel-japan/
Climate & seasonal information
PEAK TRAVEL TIMES
Please be aware that while travelling during major national holidays (late Apr to early May) and peak seasons in Japan (Apr-May/Sep–Oct) are fascinating and exciting times to travel, there are also some downsides. There will be huge crowds at most tourist attractions and on all public transport. It's common for there to be difficulties in securing train tickets at our usual preferred times, hotels become overbooked, traffic jams and changes to the itinerary without prior notice can be necessary. If you decide to travel during peak periods come with a sense of adventure and flexibility and we are sure that your experience will still be rewarding and memorable.
In case of emergency
While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.
We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.
You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.
For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us
In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:
Available for phone call or WhatsApp call on +81 70 1771 5588
Accommodations
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
Double rooms in Japanese hotel rooms can be smaller than you may be used to (e.g. 20 square meters). Every effort will be made to accommodate double room requests. However, during busy periods, there may be occasions when we are unable to offer a double room, so a twin room will be provided.
AVAILABILITY
The recent huge increase in tourism to Japan has put a lot of pressure on accommodation. On occasion, we may need to change accommodation from what is listed in the itinerary in order to operate your departure with minimal changes.
ONSENS
We like to encourage travellers to visit traditional Japanese 'onsens' while in the country as it is a quintessential local experience. In public onsens this means bathing naked with others of the same gender. While the experience can feel strange at first for some, most of our groups end up enjoying this activity. There is very specific etiquette for visiting onsens - your leader can give you some tips and instructions. Please be aware that travellers with tattoos may not be permitted to enter public onsens. Private onsens may also be available - talk to your leader for more information. See our guide to onsens here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/japan-onsen-guide/
FROSTED WINDOWS
Many hotels in Japan (and especially in Kyoto) may have frosted or opaque windows. This is to maintain privacy. While the windows let in natural light, you may not be able to see out.