Japan · HISTORICAL TOURS
Good historical tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
See Shirakawa-go and Kanazawa in one day, with Kenrokuen Garden, wagashi making, gold leaf, and an English-speaking guide.
“Ciel and yasushi were great hosts. Shirakawago was so beautiful and we were happy to have arrived early to avoid the huge crowd that arrived as we were leaving. The afternoon was a great way to enjoy Kanazawa.”
Walk Tokyo’s Imperial Palace East Gardens, Edo Castle ruins, and Ninomaru Garden with a guide who brings shogun history to life.
“Miguel and maitaki were amazing and super informative. They were very patient with the entire group. They were very open to questions we had. I would recommend. It was a great way to introduce us to Japanese culture.”
Explore Nara’s deer, Todai-ji, Kasuga Shrine, Byodoin, and a hands-on Uji matcha lesson on an efficient Kyoto day trip.
“At-Chan is an amazing guide! Very knowledgeable, fun, and sweet. She kept us on pace, and we saw a lot! Nara is very historic and there’s lots to see including the deer. A highlight for me was the stop in Ugi, where we learned how to make matcha. It was such a lovely day, one of the best tours I’ve taken.”
Explore Kyoto’s Gion with a local guide, from geisha culture and Edo-era townhouses to shrines, temples, and quiet lanes.
“It’s was amazing very kind and super knowledgeable! I learnt a lot on this tour about the history of the city and the geisha. Highly recommend!”
Reach snow-covered Shirakawa-go before the crowds on a guided morning bus tour from Kanazawa, with free time, local food, and Wi-Fi onboard.
“yasushi and Keita were the nicest guides, explaining everthing and makeing a fun and short ride. Thanks for the experience”
Explore Tokyo’s Imperial Palace gardens, Edo Castle ruins, samurai history, royal koi, and Japanese culture with an English-speaking guide.
“We had Mika as our tour guide and she was amazing! She provided some mosquito spray which was much needed inside the Imperial palace as it's full of nature and also full of mosquito. Mika was very informative during the tour and answered all of our questions!”
Walk Hiroshima’s key wartime sites with an English guide, from Gokoku Shrine and Hiroshima Castle to the Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Museum.
“Fantastic experience, the two instructors were super friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend!”
Walk Hiroshima’s Peace Park with a local guide, visit the museum and Atomic Bomb Dome, enjoy lunch, and see modern Hiroshima from Orizuru Tower.
“Hiroshimas history is ALOT to process. I was overwhelmed with emotions often. Having someone gently guiding you through the monuments, memorials, tributes and stories made it an unforgettable experience. I was able to immerse myself in the stories rather than trying to navigate and organise logistics for my family. Thankyou for the lifelong memories!”
Explore old Tokyo on a 3.5-hour Yanaka walk through temples, cemeteries, shrines, galleries, and nostalgic Yanaka Ginza.
“Sue was an awesome guide. She was friendly and very thorough. Although the weather was hot/humid, she carried on for a full 3.5 hrs. My only suggestion would be to remove one of the shrine visits and include a museum visit in its place.”
Explore Shinjuku’s neon streets, tiny bars, Omoide Yokocho, Golden Gai, and Hanazono Shrine on a useful 90-minute night walk.
“Excellent tour very unique and the guides were very polite and friendly. Showed us all the great eating and drinking spots and also some of the must see attractions and finished on a high with a visit somewhere special (no spoilers here)”
A 10-hour Mt. Fuji day tour visits thatched villages, Lake Kawaguchi, Chureito Pagoda, and Oshino Hakkai for $50.
“Great tour - not too packed but you still get to see the most important and beautiful sights. Our Guide Sia was amazing - spoke great English, gave some nice facts inbetween and was super friendly and helpful. One tip: when you’re at the Pagoda and want to get a Goshuin, give them your book before you climbing up the stairs - the wait was 20 mins when we were there so we couldn’t do it.”
Explore Miyajima’s torii gate, Itsukushima Shrine, Daisho-in Temple, local food, and island views on a small-group walking tour from Hiroshima.
“This tour was one of the best on our trip! There were so many shrines and temples and beautiful structures to see on this tour. The island is like a classical vision of Japan and it was full of history and stories. Deer roamed freely all over this island and Haki, our guide, treated us to a great lunch and was great at giving us the history of the different sites. The Diosho-in Temple was my absolute favorite on this whole trip! Unbelievably beautiful! Highly recommend! Definitely bring your walking shoes!”
Visit Shirakawa-go and Kanazawa from Kanazawa Station with guided walks, wagashi, gold leaf craft, Kenrokuen, and Higashi Chaya.
“Fantastic day trip! Beautiful scenery and we went on a perfect day in Autumn, it was sunny and warm. We were very lucky!”
Explore Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park with an expert English-speaking guide, survivor stories, the Atomic Bomb Dome, and the bombing’s lasting legacy.
“I was already very knowledgable about the history, but I still learned a lot more from our guide who did a great job answering my questions as well!”
![[One-day bus tour departing from Kanazawa Station] Shirakawa-go and Gokayama - Two World Heritage Villages Enjoyable Bus Tour - Meeting at Kanazawa Station before 8 a.m.](https://media3.thejapanesetraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/one-day-bus-tour-departing-from-kanazawa-station-shirakawa-go-and-gokayama-two-world-heritage-villages-enjoyable-bus-tour.jpg)
Explore Shirakawa-go and Gokayama from Kanazawa with an English-speaking guide, scenic bus rides, free village walks, and a traditional Hida lunch.
“We all loved it .( 6 in total - young adults through to older ones). Accessible and really enjoyable for all ages including children. All of the scenery including the bus ride was amazing. It was a very hot day when we travailed but the tour being in 2 stages broke up the heat and each location had plenty of lovely tea houses and cafes to cool down in. The traditional lunch was also a highlight. And our tour guide Kuroda was awesome . Funny and he struck the right balance of information and breaks for us to soak up the scenery. We cant recommend this tour highly enough.”
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![Departing from Takayama [Regular sightseeing bus] World Heritage Sites Shirakawago and Gokayama Ainokura - Ainokura: a quiet first look at gassho life](https://media3.thejapanesetraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/departing-from-takayama-regular-sightseeing-bus-world-heritage-sites-shirakawago-and-gokayama-ainokura.jpg)
