Japan Active Small Group Tours 2024-2025-2026

581 Tour Reviews

Japan Active Small Group Tours

Forgo the private coach and explore Japan the way the locals do – visit Japan off the beaten path via Japanese public transportation network, walking, hiking, cycling and more. We will send your luggage ahead so you can travel light. | Read More

View Our Japan Active Small Group Tours Feature

Group Tour | Active

Kumano Kodo Walking & Hiking Tour

Kyoto - Takijiri - Takahara - Chikatsuyu - Yunomine Onsen - Katsuura - Kyoto

Travel on the sacred Kumano Kodo, or Kumano Ancient Trail, a famous pilgrimage route to Kumano.

Departure Month:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

8 Nights

From US$3395.00

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Group Tour | Active

Nakasendo Trail Walking & Hiking Tour

1 Reviews

Tokyo - Kiso-Hirasawa - Narai - Yabuhara - Kiso-Fukushima - Tsumago - Magome - Nara - Yoshino - Mt Koya - Kyoto

A small-group guided walking and hiking tour with four hikes of 1-4.5 hours of village-to-village walking on the Nakasendo Trail.

Departure Month:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

11 Nights

From US$4420.00

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Group Tour | Active

Nakasendo and Kiso Valley Walking & Hiking Tour

1 Reviews

Kyoto - Nara - Magome - Tsumago - Nojiri - Yabuhara - Narai - Matsumoto - Tokyo

A short small-group guided walking tour with three hikes of 3-6 hours of village-to-village walking on the Nakasendo Trail.

Departure Month:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

7 nights

From US$3105.00

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Group Tour | Active

Nakasendo Trail Winter Tour

Kyoto - Nakatsugawa - Magome - Tsumago - Kiso Fukushima - Narai - Kiso Hirasawa - Asama Onsen - Tokyo

A small-group guided winter tour to the Nakasendo trail. Walk or snow-shoe on five days for 1-3 hours.

Departure Month:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

7 Nights

From US$2935.00

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Group Tour | Active

Shikoku Pilgrimage Trail Walking & Hiking Tour

1 Reviews

Mt Koya - Tokushima - Iya Valley - Kochi - Matsuyama - Kagawa

A small-group guided walking & hiking tour to Sacred Mount Koya & The Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage Trail.

Departure Month:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

12 Nights

From US$5175.00

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Group Tour | Active

Hokkaido Walking & Hiking Tour

Kushiro - Lake Akan - Mt Meakan - Mt Iou - Kawayu Onsen - Lake Mashu - Mt Nishibetsu - Abashiri - Shiretoko - Rausu - Memanbetsu

A small-group guided walking and hiking tour through the wild lands of Eastern Hokkaido.

Departure Month:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

8 Nights

From US$4045.00

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Group Tour | Active

Tohoku Walking & Hiking Tour

Tokyo - Nikko - Oze - Dewa Sanzan - Kakunodate - Nyuto Onsen - Tono - Tokyo

A small-group guided walking & hiking tour exploring mountains in Tohoku with 6 days of walking and hiking of 2-6 hours per day.

Departure Month:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

12 Nights

From US$4930.00

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Group Tour | Active

Kyushu Walking & Hiking Tour

1 Reviews

Kyoto - Asuka - Beppu - Kurokawa Onsen - Mount Aso - Takachiho - Kumamoto - Kagoshima - Ibusuki - Yakushima - Nagasaki - Osaka

A small-group guided walking & hiking tour to the land of fire Kyushu with short hikes of 1-3 hours.

Departure Month:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

14 Nights

From US$5160.00

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Our Japan Active Small Group Tours Feature:

Maximum 13 guests

No local payments, no options sold

All transport between destinations included

Airport meet and greet and return airport transfers are NOT included unless otherwise specified

Sightseeing by public transport with your local guide, including local train, subway, taxi, ferry, and bus

Transfer between cities by Shinkansen (bullet train) or express train (Japan rail pass included on select tours)

Select itineraries include luggage forwarding, so you don't need to drag your luggage from hotel to hotel

Accommodations range from local Japanese inns (minshuku) to budget hotels, to superior/deluxe hotels depending on the tour and destination

More leisurely pace to fully appreciate the destinations

Breakfast every morning, plus meals as indicated (Vegetarian or special meals can be arranged)

Includes all entry fees to sites listed on the itinerary

Free time to explore on your own

Call one of our specialists at 1-909-988-8885 Toll Free: 1-855-325-2726 (US/CANADA) Whatsapp: 1-909-818-5901 |

Why Travel on Our
Group Tours

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Best Itinerary

Planned by experts, based on seasonal favorites and must-see sites.

Budget-friendly

Choose your style and split cost with other passengers

Hand-picked Accommodations

Chosen by our experienced staff

Fully Guided

Guide is available to you 24/7 and sleeps in the same hotel

Unique experiences

Learn to create your own Sushi, meet a geisha or maiko, and more

Connect

Meet locals and visit rural areas of Japan you might miss on other tours

What our customers say

4.9 stars based on 581 REVIEWS

My husband and I just got back from our tour of Japan and would like to give you some feedback. We had an incredible time! It was a trip of a lifetime. I liked it even better than Paris and that is saying something!

This was a outstanding tour with a lot of of sights packed into a short timeframe. Be prepared to walk, but the effort you put in pays off. Our guide and driver were fabulous getting us to places before huge crowds descended and our guide was tremendously knowledgable with both historical and current information regarding culture and lifestyles. The people everywhere we went were friendly and helpful and the food was fantastic. Accommodations were great and provided easy access to other local sights and resources. Couldn't be happier with our choice to use AJT.

Tour - Enjoyable life experience, with opportunities to learn Japanese culture and lifestyle. Visited a lot of important cultural and historical places within a short period of time. And foliage season makes this tour magical. The tour was great, and many thanks to tour guides, both Barbara and Miharu had a passion and high aspirations for their country and job!

Our 15 day Autumn Leaves Tour exceeded our expectations beautiful hotels and locations with very knowledgeable guides. We really find it hard to pick our favorite stop we we're extremely happy with everything on Shikoku Pilgrimage and Kii peninsula. This tour is a walking paradise the cuisine and hot onsens our rewards. Thank you soo much a top cultural experience and adventure all the best from the Zukow

Well Organized, Timely and Truly Memorable for me. Tour Director was Excellent! Had a wonderful time. Thank You.

Group Tour Style	Budget	Deluxe	Deluxe-Plus	Signature	Active
Group Tour Style	< View Tours	< View Tours	< View Tours	< View Tours	< View Tours
Feature	Our Budget Tours are designed for our guests who are on a limited budget. Explore the must-see sights and enjoy a hassle-free trip to Japan at an affordable price.	Sample all Japan has to offer, from unique locales to must see tourist attractions. Our Deluxe Tours are fully guided, and use our luxury coaches for your convenience and comfort.	Experience Japanese culture at a slower pace, and with a smaller group size than our deluxe tours. Stay in each city longer so you can soak in the culture and fully appreciate the destinations.	Enjoy upgraded hotels, a slower pace, and a smaller group size for a more intimate experience. Access to a wide range of unique activities that immerse you in authentic Japanese culture.	Explore Japan off the beaten path via Japanese public transportation, walking, hiking, cycling and more. Take more time to enjoy local experiences and picturesque landscape.
Advantage	Our most cost-effective way to see the highlights of Japan while staying in budget-friendly accommodations. If you would like to have a set of quick stops to sample the must-see sights of Japan, or if you plan to explore Japan on your own but would like to take a short trip to learn about Japan before your self-guided journeys, these are the tours for you.	Our most popular tours for everyone. Fully-escorted - the most hassle-free way to visit Japan for the best value. From Hokkaido to Kyushu, the duration of our Deluxe Tours range from 5 to 27 days. Whether you want to see the best of Japan in a shorter time, or take your time in each city, you will find a tour package that suits your preferences.	Smaller group sizes enable our guests to access more of Japanese culture and traditions. Our Deluxe-Plus Tours are carefully balanced for you to discover the unique Japanese culture, history, arts, food and spectacular scenery Japan has. If you love Japan and want to appreciate the best of everything Japan can offer, these are the tours for you.	Dive into the cultural aspects of Japan at a more leisurely pace. Enjoy more than just sightseeing. All of our Signature Small Group Tours feature a wide range of cultural experiences through interaction with the people and places that represent all that is authentic about the destination. Get an alternative, more in-depth understanding of Japanese culture and art.	Our Active Small Group Tours combine the best cultural locations with off-the-beaten-path destinations via Japanese public transportation. Discover the country of Japan the way the locals do and see Japan from a different angle. A focus on getting away from the crowds and into the real Japan, see the diversity of Japan’s countryside unfold before your eyes.
Group Size	20 to 45 people	10 to 35 people	6 to 24 people	4 to 16 people	4 to 13 people
Fully-escorted	Comprehensively escorted by AJT's professional English speaking tour guide				Your guides are local experts and residents of the city you are visiting, they do not always escort the group when traveling between cities
Pace	Fast pace to see as much as possible while in Japan	Perfect pace to see as much as possible while in Japan	More leisurely pace to soak in and fully appreciate the destinations, plus free time to explore on your own
Airport Transfers	Airport transfers are NOT included unless otherwise specified	Airport transfers are included* (If no options are taken: hotels are not requested to be changed and passengers use the correct airports)	Airport transfers are included if arriving on the first day of the tour and returning on the last day of the tour	Private airport transfers are included if arriving on the first day of the tour and returning on the last day of the tour	Airport transfers are NOT included unless otherwise specified
Transfer between cities	Transfer between cities via private coach and Shinkansen (bullet train), depending on the itinerary			Transfer between cities via private coach and first class Shinkansen (bullet train), depending on the itinerary	Transfer between cities via Shinkansen (bullet train) or express train. Private minivans are also used occasionally where public transport is not available or practical
Sightseeing	Sightseeing by private coach with an escorted guide		Sightseeing by private coach and public transportation with an escorted guide		Sightseeing via public transportation (local train, subway & local bus) with local guides
Admission fees and activities	All entry fees to sites and activities listed in the itinerary are included
Luggage Transfers	Luggage transfers by private coach from hotel to hotel, plus separate luggage transfers are included on select tours				Separate luggage transfers are included
Meals	Breakfast every morning, plus meals as indicated (vegetarian or special meals can be arranged)
Accommodation	Carefully-selected budget hotels and ryokans	Carefully-selected superior/deluxe hotels and ryokans	Carefully-selected deluxe/boutique hotels and ryokans	Carefully-selected deluxe/luxury hotels and ryokans	Accommodations range from local Japanese inns (minshuku) to budget hotels, to superior/deluxe hotels depending on the tour and destination
Ages	4 years old and above			6 years old and above
Health & Activity	In order to enjoy our tour, you should be able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. Some of the most memorable sightseeing activities can only be accomplished on foot. Wheelchairs can be arranged upon request. However, we regret that we’re unable to provide individual assistance to guests with walking difficulties or other personal needs. Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it.				These tours are tailored to the energetic traveler; guests should feel comfortable walking from 4 to 10 miles a day depending on the tour and destination.

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