Collection: Japan

Japan is not one trip. The country runs 3,000 kilometres from the Siberian-influenced north of Hokkaido to the subtropical Ryukyus, and what counts as Japan changes completely along the way. A first journey usually means Tokyo and Kyoto; a second usually means the parts those two cities cannot show you — the Alps, the Japan Sea coast, Shikoku’s pilgrimage roads, Kyushu’s volcanoes.

We plan Japan privately, which matters more here than almost anywhere: the country rewards travellers who can be somewhere early, stay late, and eat where the food is rather than where the coach parks.

How we think about a Japan itinerary

Two weeks is the useful unit. Ten days gives you two regions properly; three weeks lets you cross from Hokkaido to Kyushu. Trying to see "all of Japan" in a week is the single most common mistake, and it is what private planning is meant to fix.

Rail is usually the backbone — the shinkansen is fast and punctual — but the best parts of the country are on the far side of the station, which is where a driver and a guide change the day.

The regions

• Hokkaido — the north: Sapporo, Otaru, Furano’s fields, the Daisetsuzan ranges and the seafood.
• Tohoku — Sendai, Matsushima, the Zao mountains and the onsen towns of Aomori and Yamagata.
• Kanto — Tokyo, Kamakura, Nikko and the Izu peninsula.
• Koshinetsu — Matsumoto, the Japanese Alps, Nagano and Yamanashi’s vineyards.
• Hokuriku — Kanazawa, the Kaga onsen villages and the Japan Sea coast.
• Kansai — Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and Kobe.
• Shikoku — the 88-temple pilgrimage, Iya valley and the Seto Inland Sea.
• Kyushu — Fukuoka, Yufuin, Beppu, Aso and Kagoshima.
• San’in — Hiroshima, Miyajima, Izumo and the Japan Sea coast.

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to visit Japan?

Spring for cherry blossom and autumn for foliage are the classic answers, and both are busy. Winter in the north is exceptional and quiet; early summer is green and wet.

Do I need a JR Pass?

Sometimes. For a Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka route the pass rarely pays; for a long north-to-south journey it often does. We calculate it per itinerary.

Every route is built from scratch around your dates and your group — no fixed departure, no group to join. Send us your dates on WhatsApp and we will draft an itinerary, free of charge.

BLISS TRAVEL — Private Tours Worldwide