15 Train Journeys in Japan Worth Booking

1.Mt Fuji and Hakone 1-Day Bus Tour Return by Bullet Train

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26,383 reviews · from $163Our pick

Leave Tokyo by air-conditioned coach for Mt. Fuji’s 5th Station, enjoy a buffet lunch, ride the Hakone Ropeway, cruise Lake Ashi, then return by Shinkansen. Guides such as Sora, Hiro, Momo, Levin, and Yui are known for warm, engaging explanations. Weather can change the plan.

“Very beautiful day with lots of fun activities. The guide was a bit difficult to understand but ok otherwise”

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2.Mt Fuji & Hakone Cruise, Drum Show Bullet Train 1 Day from Tokyo

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 7,413 reviews · from $149

Spend nearly 12 hours with an English-speaking guide visiting Mt Fuji’s 5th Station, Lake Ashi, and Mt Komagatake. You’ll enjoy a short cruise, ropeway ride, Japanese lunch if selected, and a wadaiko drum show before returning to Tokyo by non-reserved Kodama Shinkansen.

“Great trip. Lots to do and see. Very weather dependent as mist can spoil view .a worthwhile experience combined scenery and culture”

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3.Tokyo Mt Fuji 5th St & Hakone Cruise Bus Tour w/Bullet Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 5,024 reviews · 10 hours · from $154

This 10-hour tour pairs Mt Fuji’s 5th Station with Hakone’s ropeway and Lake Ashi cruise, then sends you back to Tokyo by Shinkansen. An English-speaking guide such as Aya, Kazu, Yuta, or Lovely leads the day, with multilingual audio guides also available.

“The host Kazuwas outstanding and really made the tour fantastic. Lunch a little rushed. Overall a great experience”

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4.Mt. Fuji & Hakone Tour w/ Return by Bullet Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 1,278 reviews · 11 hours · from $117

Travel from Shinjuku to Mt. Fuji’s 5th Station, enjoy Hakone’s ropeway and Lake Ashi cruise, and finish with a non-reserved Shinkansen ride to Tokyo. English and Spanish guides, local lunch option, and weather-based alternatives make this an efficient day outside the city.

“Meeting point was easy to find, guide was excellent! Knowledgeable and helpful, and a nice person. Good value with lunch included for a full day trip!”

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5.From Tokyo 1-Day Kyoto English-guided Tour by Bullet Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 376 reviews · from $452

Ride the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto, enjoy a hotel lunch, and tour Fushimi Inari, Sanjusangen-do, and Kiyomizu-dera with an English-speaking guide. Escorts help you make the train connections, though you get only a few hours in Kyoto and should expect crowds.

“Amazing tour ! The guides escorted us to the train and received us on the way back . The afternoon in Kyoto was very well organized. We saw three amazing shrines . Despite the crowds the guide kept us together. Lunch was nice at the hotel restaurant.”

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6.Mt. Fuji and Hakone Day Trip From Tokyo with Bullet Train Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 368 reviews · from $97

See Mt. Fuji’s 5th Station, steaming Owakudani, Hakone’s ropeway, and Lake Ashi in one 11-hour trip from Shinjuku. Choose a Wi-Fi-equipped coach or bullet train return, and add Japanese-style lunch. Guides such as Happy, Ai, Rino, and Kenji are praised for friendly, useful commentary.

“We had a great time at the Mount Fuji and Hakone. The experience was amplified by Ai our tour guide. Ai-san was excellent, she was well informed, patient and empathetic. He effusive personality made our day great.”

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7.Sagano Train Ride and Kyoto Guided Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 180 reviews · from $66

Join an English-speaking guide such as Masa, Haru, or Hiro for a full Kyoto day from Osaka. Walk through Arashiyama’s bamboo, ride the 25-minute Sagano Romantic Train, visit Kiyomizudera and Fushimi Inari, and choose an optional lunch. Expect plenty of walking and a tight schedule.

“Everyone was treated VIP. .the tour guide was very informative and helpful. the bus was cozy and comfortable. 101 limon bus”

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8.Takachiho Gorge & Scenic Railway One Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 178 reviews · from $44

Travel from Fukuoka to Takachiho Gorge, see 80m Manai Waterfall, take an optional boat ride, ride the 30-minute Amaterasu Railway, and stack stones at Amano Yasugawara. English and Chinese support is available, with guides such as Daisy, Moon, Kevin, and Riku hosting mixed-language groups.

“well organized tour, beautiful, must see places in Kyushu.”

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9.Sagano Romantic Train & Arashiyama, Kiyomizudera, Fushimi Inari Taisha Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 171 reviews · from $82

This 9-hour Kyoto day trip links Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, Kiyomizudera, and the Sagano Romantic Train by air-conditioned bus. An English-speaking guide such as Masa, Hama, Akira, or Maria keeps the day moving, with an optional Japanese lunch and free Wi-Fi onboard.

“Crowded and hard to see from our side. Not as cool as I’d hoped. The wooden seats were uncomfortable”

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10.Full Day Hiroshima and Miyajima Tour by Bullet Train from Osaka

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 117 reviews · from $397

Travel from Osaka to Hiroshima by reserved Shinkansen, visit Miyajima’s Itsukushima Shrine and enjoy free time for lunch, then tour the Peace Memorial Museum and Atomic Bomb Dome with an English-speaking guide. Expect a tightly timed day of about 13 hours.

“This is a group tour so it lacks the flexibility of a private guide. We enjoyed it all, although I would have distributed the time more away from Miyajima and toward Hiroshima. The later being the primary focus of the day it should have receiveRead more”

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11.Mt. Fuji & Hakone Bus Tour Bullet Train Return & 28-Hotel Pick-up

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 107 reviews · from $145

Spend about 10 hours visiting Mt. Fuji’s 5th Station, Owakudani, Hakone Shrine, and Lake Ashi with a licensed English-speaking guide. Hotel pickup is available from designated Tokyo hotels. Add lunch and a 35-minute bullet train return from Odawara to Tokyo Station.

“We were very pleased with the exceptional handling by the tour operators on the ground. We arrived early at the meeting point and were taken by taxi to meet others at a second meeting point at a nearby hotel. Once we got onto the Read more”

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12.Hiroshima & Miyajima 1 Day Bus Tour with Bullet Train Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 105 reviews · from $270

Travel from Osaka, Kyoto, or Fukuoka to Hiroshima by Shinkansen, then visit the Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Museum, and Miyajima. Your day includes a Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki lunch, ferry tickets, shrine admission, and an English-speaking guide. Expect a full 12 hours and plenty of walking.

“Very thorough and detailed explanation of both cities. Guide was well informed and very good at explaining the history!”

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13.Hiroshima and Miyajima Day Trip by Bullet Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 83 reviews · 8 hours - 690 minutes · from $104

Travel from Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima by Shinkansen, then visit Miyajima’s Itsukushima Shrine, roaming deer, and local food stalls before exploring the Peace Memorial Park and Atomic Bomb Dome. English and Spanish guides, including Angeles, Caesar, and Alex on recent departures, lead the day.

“Our guide was knowledgeable but also friendly, and there was enough free time to walk around and explore. Great balance of history and scenery.”

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14.Kamakura & Enoshima Day Tour with Pickup & Train Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 61 reviews · 10 hours · from $13

Join a bilingual driver-led day trip from Tokyo to Enoshima and Kamakura, limited to nine people. You’ll see the *Slam Dunk* crossing, ride the Enoden train, visit Tsurugaoka Hachimangu and the Great Buddha, and have free time for Komachi Street. Expect basic commentary, not a full guided tour.

“Brewster was an amazing tour guide who was very knowledgeable and has a great sense of humour . Bus driver was first class. Food was 2 out of 5. Everything else 5 star !!!”

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15.Private Samurai Experience – Train with Sword Master

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 36 reviews · 3 hours - 270 minutes · from $158

Meet your English, Japanese, or French-speaking guide at Minoh Station and walk to a secluded temple area near Osaka. Sword master Tatsuya Watanabe leads a private lesson in traditional techniques, with translation, temple history, a special performance, and possible access to historic weapons.

“A wonderful and remarkable experience. Our guide and translator Ben, was able to meet us at the station, provide insight and fascinating history tidbits of the area where we were. After arriving at the temple, we met Watanabe-San, the sword master who was overseeing our special tour and training. Immediately gave stunning insight to the way Watanabe-San lived, how he trained, fights, how he practices his swordsmanship and the spiritual factor in his lifestyle. With Ben translating especially during the training, it made a fun and wild experience, especially since we all had been given different tips and advice on how to make our strikes or posture better. This experience…”

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