September 21st to October 5th 2025
»ITINERARY »BOOKING INFO & COST »FAQ’s
ABOUT
Great Road Journeys are pleased to announce the details of our second Classic Japan which will take place in September next year.
Classic Japan is an 1100km self drive trip of the Japanese island of Honshu. Among others, we visit Tokyo, Hakone, Nikko, Matsumoto, Kanazawa, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima and Kyoto. Prior to beginning the drive, the trip starts with a couple of days sightseeing in and around Tokyo before heading north towards the Japanese Alps.
Japan is a country like no other. The people are different and the rules are different and even the way tourism works is a little different. It is spotlessly clean, exceptionally efficient and is a great destination to visit with quality hotels. The driving is easy and despite what you may have heard, so is the navigation, with most road signs in English.
Below is a summary of the itinerary. As well as the 1100kms of driving we travel an additional 700kms on the bullet train. Similar to our other trips we cover a lot of ground and it’s fair to say that you will see more of Japan than most other two week trips.
ITINERARY
Please note the tour dates refer to the departure date from the UK and departure from Japan. Arrival back in the UK would normally be a day later.
Day 1 | Sept 21st – Depart UK
Day 2 | Sept 22nd – Arrive Tokyo. Tokyo has two airports. International flights from Europe either arrive at Narita airport (about one hour from the city centre) or at Haneda airport (about 30 mins from the city centre). Whichever airport you arrive at we will collect you and transfer you to the hotel. Japan is approximately 10 hours ahead of UK time meaning there is a jet lag issue. As a result, for the first two days after arrival, we will not be driving.
Day 3 | Sept 23rd – Tokyo. We start the day with a welcome briefing at the hotel followed by a gentle tour of some Tokyo sites. Please note some visitors spend days in Tokyo and it’s certainly possible to do that. However we are only spending one day touring and will visit Sensoji Temple, Takeshita Street & Shibuya Crossing. We will be breaking the day with an unusual & enjoyable lunch. Dinner in the hotel.
Day 4 | Sept 24th – Day trip to Hakone. This involves a bus ride from Tokyo and will include a cruise on Lake Ashi Cruise, the Komagatake cable car, a snack of the famous black eggs and a delightful walk around the Hakone open air art museum. With luck, depending on cloud cover, we will get some great views of Mt Fuji. Free evening in Tokyo
Day 5 | Sept 25th – Tokyo to Nikko – 190kms We will leave early heading to the east of Tokyo to collect our vehicles and then drive to the scenic World Heritage Site of Nikko via the largest Buddha in the world. Dinner in the hotel.
Day 6 | Sept 26th – Nikko to Tsumagoi – 165kms After breakfast there is an opportunity to explore (on foot) Nikko including the iconic Shinkyo bridge and Toshogu, Japan’s most lavishly decorated shrine. After visiting we leave Nikko mid morning for the drive to Tsumagoi along one of the two Irohazaka winding roads which were among Japan’s first toll roads. On the way we will be calling in to Kegon Falls and then a slightly whacky Japanese tourist attraction. The route takes us into the Japanese Alps along what is known as Japan’s Romantic Road. Dinner in the hotel.
Day 7 | Sept 27th – Tsumagoi to Matsumoto – 170kms Driving further into the Alps from Tsumagoi we head towards Matsumoto via Snow Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen Koen) and Nagano. It’s important to note that the snow monkeys may or may not be visible in September. In Nagano we will stop at Zenko-Ji one of the most important and popular temples in Japan. It was founded in the 7th century and stores the first Buddhist statue ever to be brought into Japan when Buddhism was first introduced in the 6th century. The original statue is hidden while a copy of it is shown to the public every six years for a few weeks. (Next opportunity – 2028) Free evening in Matsumoto.
Day 8 | Sept 28th – Matsumoto to Kanazawa – 190kms If you did not visit Matsumoto Castle the previous evening you can visit first thing before heading towards Kanazawa via the beautifully preserved old town of Takayama and the Unesco World Heritage Site of Ainokura Village.
Dinner in the hotel as well as membership (for both days) to the club lounge offering a range of snacks and alcoholic drinks.
Day 9 | Sept 29th – Kanazawa Free day at leisure in Kanazawa. Located near the western coast of Japan, Kanazawa is sometimes called “Small Kyoto” for its many historical sites, which have been left relatively undamaged by time or conflict. A must see are the famous Kenrokuen gardens then nearby is Kanazawa Castle and the traditional district of Higashi Chaya. For art lovers there is the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. Another attraction is the fresh seafood on sale at the bustling Omicho Market. Finally there is the Nomura Samurai Residence. Free evening.
Day 10 | Sept 30th – Kanazawa to Nara 300kms On the way to Nara we are calling in at the town of Komatsu, home to the company that bears its name. Next is a visit to Japan’s largest automobile museum. Housed in a gorgeous art decco building it contains over 500 cars from the 1900’s to the 1970’s many of which you will not have previously seen. Free evening.
Day 11 | Oct 1st – Nara to Osaka 30kms In the morning you can explore delightful Nara. This is the town where hundreds of tame deer roam freely around the town’s main park. After visiting Nara we will take a short drive to Osaka where we will return the rental cars. Osaka, Japan’s second city is known for its vibrant atmosphere and warmth from the local population. You may want to strike a pose with the famous “Glico Man” (a huge 90 year old neon sign) and hundreds of neon billboards at Dotonbori or experience historical Japan at Osaka Castle. Osaka is considered to be the cauldron of Japan and the food here is excellent with lots of tempting street food. Early evening there will be an opportunity to take a gentle walking tour around some of Osaka’s backstreets. Free evening.
Day 12 | Oct 2nd – Osaka to Hiroshima. Your main luggage will go onwards to Koyoto by truck and we will take an overnight bag and catch the bullet train (business class) to Hiroshima. Once there we will catch a ferry to Miyajima island. After lunch we will catch the speed boat to Hiroshima and accompanied by an excellent guide we will visit the Peace Memorial Park & Museum as well as the Atomic Dome.
Free evening in Hiroshima.
Day 13 | Oct 3rd – Hiroshima to Kyoto. First thing in the morning we will catch the bullet train to Kyoto where you will be reunited with your luggage at our hotel. You will then have all day to explore Kyoto. We will provide good guidance on places to visit as well as directions to find them. Free evening
Day 14 | Oct 4th – Kyoto. Today is another free day in Kyoto with the option of catching the Sagano Romantic Train. This is a 45 minute train journey followed by a return journey of about 2 hours being punted along the river in flat bottom boats. I’ll provide more details about this if you decide to join the trip. In the evening we head out to a local restaurant for our final night dinner.
Day 15 | Oct 5th – Fly back home from Kansai international airport. If you are using an airline that doesn’t fly from Kansai you could take a domestic flight or bullet train to meet a homeward flight from Tokyo.
BOOKING INFO & COST
2025 – The cost of the trip is £6700 per person
Costs above are per person based on two people sharing a vehicle and accommodation. The cost excludes flights.
Includes:
• Use of a Toyota Corolla or similar vehicle
• Fully comprehensive insurance for both drivers and breakdown cover (£250 excess)
• Breakfast each day and five evening meals
• Airport transfers both ways in Japan
• Accommodation – based on two people sharing a room
• All necessary route books and maps
• Club lounge membership for two days in our Kanazawa hotel
• Guided sightseeing tours of Tokyo, Hakone, and Hiroshima
• Multiple public transport tickets including business class on the bullet train
• A pre-paid ETC card to cover all road tolls
• The Great Road Journeys team doing their utmost to ensure you have one of the most unforgettable experiences of your life
Not Included:
• Lunches
• Fuel
• Drinks
• Innoculations
• Travel Insurance
• Flights
What happens next?
Send an email to us at info@greatroadjourneys.com with your contact details. After that we will be in touch. A deposit of £1000 per person will be required upon booking. The balance is payable one month before departure. In the meantime you’ll receive regular updates from us guiding you through everything you need to know.
FAQ’s
Is this a first trip?
No it’s not. We ran a very successful trial trip in September of this year.
What’s the accommodation like?
Accommodation in Japan has a reputation for being cramped and expensive. We are not using cramped accommodation. Instead we have chosen hotels with comfortably sized western style rooms.
What about meals?
Please note that there are seven evening meals not included in the cost of the trip.
What vehicles will we be using?
We will be driving mid size vehicles such as a Toyota Corolla or similar.
What about the deductible (insurance excess)?
The deductible is approx £250. This can obviously be insured against by taking out excess inurance.
Electronic Fast Tag?
All the cars will be equipped with an Electronic Fast Tag for tolls, the cost of which is included.
What is driving in Japan like?
Driving in Japan is very easy but it’s fair to point out it is also very slow. Speed limits in Japan are much lower than Europe or the US. There is absolutely zero tolerance regarding alcohol consumption. Roads are generally very good and relatively traffic free.
How easy is the navigation?
No doubt you’ve heard stories that all the road signs are in Japanese. This is not the case. It goes without saying that I will provide a detailed route book. Most of the cars have built in Sat Nav’s and as a back up you will have google maps.
What is the food like?
Eating in Japan can be great fun because of the huge variety but also it can be a challenge because, once out of Tokyo, many restaurants do not have menus in English. On the plus side most menus do use pictures and of course there is the option to use google translate.
Sim Cards?
I would encourage you to get an E-sim for your phone. The E-sims sold for Japan are data only. They can be purchased prior to arrival and activated as soon as you arrive. In my opinion, an essential purchase.
Tourist Information?
For the places we are visiting without an English speaking guide we will provide comprehensive tourist information.
Bullet Train?
For the journey from Osaka to Hiroshima we will be travelling business class (green class) on the bullet train. We will just be carrying overnight bags but if you intend to do any add on travelling on the bullet train – back to Tokyo at the end of the trip for example – it would be preferable if your luggage dimensions (H+W+L) add up to 160cms or less. If they are larger than 160cms and less than 250cms, when you travel on the train you have to book your luggage into special areas. Contact us if you need clarification.
Will we see Cherry Blossom?
No we will not. Japan has lots of visitors throughout the year. If you visit at cherry blossom time it can be manic and therefore we are avoiding it.
Where do we fly to?
We begin the trip in Tokyo (Either Narita or Haneda airport) and finish at Kansai. Airlines operating from Kansai include Cathay, Qatar, Emirates, Turkish, KLM, Air France, Finnair & Japan Airlines. Some airlines only fly to and from Tokyo. At the end of the trip, if you are not flying home from Kansai, you can either get a flight or train to Tokyo.
Where are we going?
Please see the link here for a map of our route. Blue is selfdrive, green is bus and black is bullet train.
Will we see Mount Fuji?
At Hakone we should, depending on the cloud cover, get a good view of Mount Fuji.
Will we see Snow Monkeys?
Maybe, maybe not. In winter they are a ‘given’ but in summer they are unpredictable.
Anything else I need to consider?
It’s very easy to get ‘over templed’ in Japan and I have therefore not included oodles of visits to temples and shrines. If you are a temple and shrine lover you may want to give yourself an extra day in Tokyo at the beginning of the trip and possibly an extra day in Kyoto at the end. If you do, we can easily (if you wish) arrange the extra nights accommodation.
