Book direct and one-stop flights from New Zealand to Tokyo (NRT/HND) and Osaka (KIX), or combine your airfares with Shinkansen bullet train journeys and traditional ryokan stays.
Snow-capped Mount Fuji framed by spring cherry blossoms in Japan
Japan pairs effortless modern infrastructure with deeply preserved cultural traditions. High-speed Shinkansen trains connect the neon districts and Michelin-starred dining rooms of Tokyo with the cedar temples, Zen rock gardens, and geisha districts of Kyoto in just over two hours.
Beyond the classic Golden Route, travellers can soak in mineral hot springs beneath Mount Fuji in Hakone, walk historic post towns along the Nakasendo Trail in the Japanese Alps, visit the Peace Memorial Park and island shrine of Miyajima near Hiroshima, or travel north to Hokkaido’s alpine national parks.
Essential cities, cultural heartlands, and coastal regions
A metropolis of distinct neighbourhoods, from the forested grounds of Meiji Shrine and traditional wooden shopfronts of Yanaka to the architecture of Ginza and Shibuya. Tokyo’s food scene ranges from counter-seat sushi and ramen to refined kaiseki cuisine.
Japan’s imperial capital for over a millennium, Kyoto is home to 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, quiet teahouses in Gion, and hillside shrines framed by maple and cherry trees. Nearby Nara preserves eighth-century wooden temples and sacred deer parks.
Located between Tokyo and Kyoto, the volcanic valleys and lakes of Hakone and the Fuji Five Lakes provide classic views of Mount Fuji. Stay in a traditional ryokan inn featuring tatami rooms, private open-air onsen baths, and seasonal multi-course dinners.
Known as Japan’s kitchen, Osaka delights food lovers with Dotonbori street specialties and historic castle grounds. Further west by bullet train, Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park pairs with the forested island of Miyajima and its floating vermilion torii gate.
Tailor-made excursions and private local touring
Learn the philosophy and etiquette of chado (the Way of Tea) from a tea master inside a preserved wooden townhouse in Kyoto.
Sample seasonal seafood, tamagoyaki, wagyu skewers, and artisanal knives while learning how Tokyo’s chefs source their daily ingredients.
Follow stone-paved mountain paths between the preserved Edo-period post towns of Magome and Tsumago in the Japanese Alps.
Walk beside the illuminated Great Torii Gate of Itsukushima Shrine at high and low tide and ride the ropeway up Mount Misen.
Tailor-made routes crafted by NZ travel specialists
Every itinerary is handcrafted to fit your preferred pace, accommodation style, and flight schedule from Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch. Explore our popular route frameworks below, or customise them in our interactive studio.
Covers Tokyo, Kyoto & Nara, Hakone & Mount Fuji, Osaka, Hiroshima & Miyajima with private local guides
Arrive from Auckland (AKL) and transfer privately to your hotel in Tokyo. A metropolis of distinct neighbourhoods, from the forested grounds of Meiji Shrine and traditional wooden shopfronts of Yanaka to the architecture of Ginza and Shibuya. Tokyo’s food scene ranges from counter-seat sushi and ramen to refined kaiseki cuisine. Includes attend a private tea ceremony in a historic kyoto machiya.
Japan’s imperial capital for over a millennium, Kyoto is home to 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, quiet teahouses in Gion, and hillside shrines framed by maple and cherry trees. Nearby Nara preserves eighth-century wooden temples and sacred deer parks. Enjoy tour tsukiji outer market and tokyo food halls with a culinary guide with time tailored for private specialist-guided monument, palace, and temple visits and evening street-food walks, market tastings, and regional dining.
Located between Tokyo and Kyoto, the volcanic valleys and lakes of Hakone and the Fuji Five Lakes provide classic views of Mount Fuji. Stay in a traditional ryokan inn featuring tatami rooms, private open-air onsen baths, and seasonal multi-course dinners. Enjoy walk a section of the historic nakasendo trail in the kiso valley with time tailored for private specialist-guided monument, palace, and temple visits and evening street-food walks, market tastings, and regional dining.
Known as Japan’s kitchen, Osaka delights food lovers with Dotonbori street specialties and historic castle grounds. Further west by bullet train, Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park pairs with the forested island of Miyajima and its floating vermilion torii gate. Enjoy stay overnight on miyajima island after the day ferries depart with time tailored for private specialist-guided monument, palace, and temple visits and evening street-food walks, market tastings, and regional dining.
Slower-paced stays across Tokyo, Kyoto & Nara, Hakone & Mount Fuji, Osaka, Hiroshima & Miyajima
Touch down from Auckland (AKL) with a private transfer to a boutique property in Tokyo. Settle in at an easy pace before tour tsukiji outer market and tokyo food halls with a culinary guide.
Spend 3 nights based in Kyoto & Nara with flexible mornings, follow stone-paved mountain paths between the preserved Edo-period post towns of Magome and Tsumago in the Japanese Alps.
Spend 3 nights based in Hakone & Mount Fuji with flexible mornings, walk beside the illuminated Great Torii Gate of Itsukushima Shrine at high and low tide and ride the ropeway up Mount Misen.
Spend 3 nights based in Osaka, Hiroshima & Miyajima with flexible mornings, learn the philosophy and etiquette of chado (the Way of Tea) from a tea master inside a preserved wooden townhouse in Kyoto.
Spring (late March to May) brings cherry blossoms and mild temperatures, while autumn (October to November) transforms temple gardens with vibrant red and gold maple foliage. Winter (December to February) brings crisp, clear views of Mount Fuji and world-class powder snow in Hokkaido and Nagano.
Sakura blooms sweep from Kyushu through Kyoto and Tokyo into northern Honshu, followed by warm, pleasant May weather.
Clear blue skies, comfortable walking temperatures, and brilliant crimson maple leaves in Kyoto, Nikko, and the Japanese Alps.
The clearest winter visibility for Mount Fuji, quiet temple grounds in Kyoto, steaming outdoor onsen baths, and Hokkaido ski resorts.
Direct flights from Auckland to Tokyo Narita, plus daily one-stop connections from Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch via Sydney, Singapore, Hong Kong, or Taipei.
Arrival hubs: Tokyo Narita (NRT), Tokyo Haneda (HND), Osaka Kansai (KIX)
Covers Tokyo, Kyoto & Nara, Hakone & Mount Fuji, Osaka, Hiroshima & Miyajima with private local guides
Arrive from Auckland (AKL) and transfer privately to your hotel in Tokyo. A metropolis of distinct neighbourhoods, from the forested grounds of Meiji Shrine and traditional wooden shopfronts of Yanaka to the architecture of Ginza and Shibuya. Tokyo’s food scene ranges from counter-seat sushi and ramen to refined kaiseki cuisine. Includes attend a private tea ceremony in a historic kyoto machiya.
Japan’s imperial capital for over a millennium, Kyoto is home to 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, quiet teahouses in Gion, and hillside shrines framed by maple and cherry trees. Nearby Nara preserves eighth-century wooden temples and sacred deer parks. Enjoy tour tsukiji outer market and tokyo food halls with a culinary guide with time tailored for private specialist-guided monument, palace, and temple visits and evening street-food walks, market tastings, and regional dining.
Located between Tokyo and Kyoto, the volcanic valleys and lakes of Hakone and the Fuji Five Lakes provide classic views of Mount Fuji. Stay in a traditional ryokan inn featuring tatami rooms, private open-air onsen baths, and seasonal multi-course dinners. Enjoy walk a section of the historic nakasendo trail in the kiso valley with time tailored for private specialist-guided monument, palace, and temple visits and evening street-food walks, market tastings, and regional dining.
Known as Japan’s kitchen, Osaka delights food lovers with Dotonbori street specialties and historic castle grounds. Further west by bullet train, Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park pairs with the forested island of Miyajima and its floating vermilion torii gate. Enjoy stay overnight on miyajima island after the day ferries depart with time tailored for private specialist-guided monument, palace, and temple visits and evening street-food walks, market tastings, and regional dining.
