Eleven Days, Japan with Children

Name: Eleven Days, Japan with Children
Brand: Haven Japan
SKU: eleven-days-japan-with-children
Availability: InStock

Japan at a child's pace: Tokyo and a day at Disney, the sea at Kamakura, a pirate ship on Lake Ashi, the monkeys of Arashiyama and the deer of Nara.

11 DaysSuggested Length

¥880,000Price From

Overview

Japan, seen through their eyes

Children take to Japan quickly: the trains, the food, the temples with their gates and drums. This journey keeps the days full but never long, with a guide who knows when to stop for ice cream.

Five nights in Tokyo, a night in a Hakone ryokan with a private bath, then four in Kyoto. One guide throughout, and the same car, with child seats for the youngest.

The white and blue castle of a theme park

Tokyo Skytree rising above the Sumida river

A sightseeing pirate ship on Lake Ashi, Hakone

The Yasaka pagoda above the lanes of Higashiyama at dusk

The vermilion torii gates of Fushimi Inari in Kyoto

Eleven days across Japan at a child's pace

Five nights in Tokyo, a night in Hakone and four in Kyoto, with the sea at Kamakura, a day at Disney, the monkeys of Arashiyama and the deer of Nara along the way.

The days are full but never long, with the same car throughout and child seats for the youngest. Days can be added or removed under each destination.

Why Travel With Haven Japan?

Private days shaped entirely around your pace, with a guide on the days you choose.

Ryokans, boutique hotels and design-forward properties.

A deeply knowledgeable, English-speaking guide on every day you choose.

Private transfers door to door, to and from the airport included.

Round-the-clock support from our Japan-based team.

Highlights

A day at Tokyo DisneyYour guide comes with you, so the day runs smoothly.

Kamakura and EnoshimaThe Great Buddha and a small island in the sea.

Lake Ashi by pirate shipThen the ropeway over the steaming valley of Owakudani.

A private family bathA hot spring the whole family can share.

The Arashiyama monkeysA short climb to the macaques above the river.

A samurai or kimono classAn afternoon to try something with their own hands.

The deer of NaraCrackers in hand, among the deer of the park.

The Itinerary

11 Days, One Route

The map stays with you as the days unfold — tap a stop to jump ahead.

This is the order we recommend, the one that works best on the ground, but nothing here is fixed. Add or remove days with the + and − under each destination (up to 4 days in one place), or change the destinations and their order in our builder, with this itinerary already selected. The price follows your version: we quote it when you send it to us.

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1 DAY

2 DAYS

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3 DAYS

1 DAY

TOKYO · ARRIVAL

Day 01 | A Gentle First Evening

Your private driver takes you from the airport to your hotel by Alphard, with child seats ready. A short first walk in the evening and an early dinner nearby, then rest. If you land late, the evening is simply for sleep.

Your Experiences

1 of 39

✓ Included Private Tea Ceremony with an Urasenke Master

TOKYOPrivate Tea Ceremony with an Urasenke Master

Your Hotels

1 of 6

Your hotel for 5 nights, including your days in Kamakura.

SETAGAYA, TOKYO

TOKYO · SHIBUYA TO HARAJUKU

Day 02 | Crossing, Forest and Colour

The crowds of Shibuya Crossing from above, then the quiet of Meiji Jingu's forest. After lunch, the colour and sweets of Takeshita Street in Harajuku, and a calmer hour on Omotesando before the day ends early.

Your Experiences

1 of 39

✓ Included Private Tea Ceremony with an Urasenke Master

TOKYOPrivate Tea Ceremony with an Urasenke Master

Your Hotels

1 of 6

Your hotel for 5 nights, including your days in Kamakura.

SETAGAYA, TOKYO

TOKYO → KAMAKURA

Day 03 | The Great Buddha and the Sea

About an hour south by Alphard. The Great Buddha of Kamakura, which you can step inside, and the long approach to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu. In the afternoon, the bridge to Enoshima, its shrines, caves and sea views.

Day trip from Tokyo. Same stay tonight.

Your Experiences

1 of 10

✓ Included Zen Meditation at a Kamakura Temple

KAMAKURAZen Meditation at a Kamakura Temple

Where you sleep

We recommend sleeping in Tokyo and coming back each evening, so Kamakura needs no hotel of its own. If you would rather stay overnight in Kamakura, tell us when you send your itinerary and we will arrange it.

TOKYO · DISNEY

Day 04 | A Day at Disney

A full day at Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea, with your guide alongside to handle the tickets and the timing. You keep your energy for the rides, and the car is waiting at the end of the day to take everyone back to the hotel.

Your Experiences

1 of 39

✓ Included Private Tea Ceremony with an Urasenke Master

TOKYOPrivate Tea Ceremony with an Urasenke Master

Your Hotels

1 of 6

Your hotel for 5 nights, including your days in Kamakura.

SETAGAYA, TOKYO

TOKYO · OLD EDO

Day 05 | Temples, Towers and Trains

Asakusa and the great red gate of Senso-ji, with snacks along Nakamise-dori, then the view from Tokyo Skytree. The afternoon is in Akihabara and Ueno, among trains, games and the green spaces of the park.

Your Experiences

1 of 39

✓ Included Private Tea Ceremony with an Urasenke Master

TOKYOPrivate Tea Ceremony with an Urasenke Master

Your Hotels

1 of 6

Your hotel for 5 nights, including your days in Kamakura.

SETAGAYA, TOKYO

TOKYO → HAKONE

Day 06 | Pirate Ship and Hot Spring

About two hours by Alphard to Hakone. Across Lake Ashi on a pirate ship, then the ropeway over the steaming valley of Owakudani, and the Open-Air Museum, where children can climb inside a sculpture. A private bath at the ryokan.

Overnight in Hakone.

Your Experiences

1 of 3

✓ Included Zazen & Shakuhachi in Hakone

HAKONEZazen & Shakuhachi in Hakone

Your Hotels

1 of 3

GORA, HAKONE

HAKONE → KYOTO

Day 07 | Gion in the Evening

The Shinkansen from Odawara reaches Kyoto in about two hours. In the afternoon, a gentle walk through Higashiyama to Yasaka Shrine, then the lanes of Gion as the lanterns come on, and dinner early.

Your Experiences

1 of 35

✓ Included Matcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji

KYOTOMatcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji

Your Hotels

1 of 6

Your hotel for 5 nights, including your days in Nara and Osaka.

KYOTO

KYOTO · ARASHIYAMA

Day 08 | Monkeys and Bamboo

The short climb to the Arashiyama monkey park, with the macaques and the city below, then the bamboo grove and the garden of Tenryu-ji. In the afternoon, the golden pavilion of Kinkaku-ji reflected in its pond.

Your Experiences

1 of 35

✓ Included Matcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji

KYOTOMatcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji

Your Hotels

1 of 6

Your hotel for 5 nights, including your days in Nara and Osaka.

KYOTO

KYOTO · FUSHIMI TO HIGASHIYAMA

Day 09 | Gates and a Samurai Class

The vermilion gates of Fushimi Inari, climbed as high as young legs want to go, then Kiyomizu-dera and the lanes below it. In the afternoon, a samurai or kimono class, for children and parents alike.

Your Experiences

1 of 35

✓ Included Matcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji

KYOTOMatcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji

Your Hotels

1 of 6

Your hotel for 5 nights, including your days in Nara and Osaka.

KYOTO

KYOTO → NARA

Day 10 | Deer and the Great Buddha

By train to Nara. Crackers in hand among the deer of the park, the Great Buddha of Todai-ji and the pillar with a hole children squeeze through, then the stone lanterns of Kasuga Taisha in the forest.

Day trip from Kyoto. Same stay tonight.

Your Experiences

1 of 4

✓ Included Plant-Dyed Silk Scarf in Nara

NARAPlant-Dyed Silk Scarf in Nara

Where you sleep

We recommend sleeping in Kyoto and coming back each evening, so Nara needs no hotel of its own. If you would rather stay overnight in Nara, tell us when you send your itinerary and we will arrange it.

KYOTO → DEPARTURE

Day 11 | An Aquarium on the Way Home

A slow last morning, then by car towards Kansai airport, stopping at the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, where a whale shark circles the great central tank. Your guide sees you to the airport, about an hour on.

Day trip from Kyoto. Same stay tonight.

Fish swimming in the great tank of an aquarium

Your Experiences

1 of 6

✓ Included Osaka Box Sushi with Champagne

OSAKAOsaka Box Sushi with Champagne

Where you sleep

We recommend sleeping in Kyoto and coming back each evening, so Osaka needs no hotel of its own. If you would rather stay overnight in Osaka, tell us when you send your itinerary and we will arrange it.

Where You'll Stay

Choose Your Stay in Every Destination

KYOTO

A traditional machiya reimagined with contemporary comfort, in a quiet Kyoto neighbourhood. Natural wood, washi textures, and unhurried rest.

KAMOGAWA RIVER, KYOTO

Set directly on the banks of the Kamogawa River, with views over the water to the Higashiyama mountains, and Michelin-starred dining just off the lobby.

HIGASHIYAMA, KYOTO

Woven into Kyoto's best-preserved historic district, beside a 19th-century teahouse, with views of Yasaka Pagoda from just 70 rooms in total.

ARASHIYAMA, KYOTO

Reached only by a short private boat ride up the Katsura River, this riverside ryokan in Arashiyama pairs tatami suites with total seclusion from the city.

TAKAGAMINE, KYOTO

A secluded former textile-museum garden in the northern hills, with just 26 rooms, suites, and pavilions — widely considered Kyoto's most serene stay.

HIGASHIYAMA, KYOTO

Built around a 800-year-old pond garden near Sanjusangendo, blending a traditional Kyoto landscape with spacious, thoroughly modern rooms.

SETAGAYA, TOKYO

A serene retreat in Setagaya blending minimalist Japanese design with an open-air onsen, a short ride from Shibuya's energy.

ROPPONGI, TOKYO

Occupying the top nine floors of Tokyo Midtown, roughly 250 metres above the street, with some of the highest hotel views anywhere in the city.

MARUNOUCHI, TOKYO

Facing the Imperial Palace gardens across the moat, with the brand's signature in-room technology and a rooftop restaurant looking straight down Hibiya-dori.

SHINJUKU, TOKYO

Perched on the top 14 floors of the Shinjuku Park Tower, with the New York Bar's skyline views made famous by Lost in Translation, and a wood-panelled calm throughout.

NIHONBASHI, TOKYO

Set on the top floors of a Nihonbashi tower, with sweeping views over the city and Mount Fuji on a clear day, and three Michelin-starred restaurants downstairs.

OTEMACHI, TOKYO

Occupying the top six floors of Otemachi Tower, with a 30-metre atrium lobby and vast rooms built around a minimalist, washi-paper calm above the city.

GORA, HAKONE

A historic ryokan in the hills of Gora, in Hakone, once a summer villa of the imperial family, now a quiet retreat of tatami rooms, hot-spring baths and seasonal kaiseki.

SENGOKUHARA, HAKONE

A small luxury hotel in the highlands of Sengokuhara, in Hakone, with hot-spring bathing, Italian cuisine and views over the hills.

KOWAKIEN, HAKONE

A ryokan above Kowakien, in Hakone, with a large open-air hot-spring bath facing the mountains and a private open-air bath in every room.

Add-On Experiences

Shape Your Journey by Adding the Experiences That Move You

✓ Included Private Tea Ceremony with an Urasenke Master

TOKYO, JAPANPrivate Tea Ceremony with an Urasenke Master

A private tea ceremony in Tokyo hosted by an Urasenke tea master: taste koicha and usucha with sweets and learn the thinking behind the ceremony.

✓ Included Toyosu Market Tour and Sushi Making

TOKYO, JAPANToyosu Market Tour and Sushi Making

Walk Toyosu Market with a master sushi chef, visit the wholesaler he buys from, then learn to make Edomae nigiri at his restaurant.

✓ Included Omotesando Architecture Walk

TOKYO, JAPANOmotesando Architecture Walk

Walk Omotesando and Harajuku with an architecture expert and see how western Tokyo went from rice fields to skyscrapers.

✓ Included Zen Meditation at a Kamakura Temple

KAMAKURA, JAPANZen Meditation at a Kamakura Temple

A private tour of a historic Zen temple north of Kamakura with two National Treasures, then talk Zen with the head priest and meditate with him.

✓ Included Zazen & Shakuhachi in Hakone

HAKONE, JAPANZazen & Shakuhachi in Hakone

Practise zazen and flute meditation with a shakuhachi master at a historic retreat near Ashinoyu hot spring.

✓ Included A Day at a 300-Year-Old Villa

HAKONE, JAPANA Day at a 300-Year-Old Villa

Relax by a traditional hearth at a villa built three centuries ago for the ruling Seto family.

✓ Included Matcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji

KYOTO, JAPANMatcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji

In Uji, home of matcha, grind tencha on a millstone in a rarely opened tea room and taste thin tea made with your own matcha.

✓ Included Private Toji Temple Tour with a Monk

KYOTO, JAPANPrivate Toji Temple Tour with a Monk

A monk guides you round Toji Temple and a subtemple, including areas usually closed to the public, then you copy sutras and receive a temple stamp.

✓ Included Plant-Dyed Silk Scarf in Nara

NARA, JAPANPlant-Dyed Silk Scarf in Nara

Extract colour from seasonal plants and dye your own silk scarf with the master dyer of a Nara workshop.

✓ Included Osaka Box Sushi with Champagne

OSAKA, JAPANOsaka Box Sushi with Champagne

Learn Osaka's box sushi, hako-zushi, from a chef in a champagne-themed hotel, then sit down to nigiri, soup and dessert with champagne.

✓ Included Sakai Knife Making

OSAKA, JAPANSakai Knife Making

Make your own Sakai knife in Osaka (deba, sashimi or santoku), have it branded and engraved with your name, and learn how to look after it.

✓ Included Maiko Dance and Tea in Kamishichiken

KYOTO, JAPANMaiko Dance and Tea in Kamishichiken

A private teahouse visit in Kamishichiken, Kyoto's oldest geisha district: watch a maiko dance, share matcha and sweets, and play a banquet game.

✓ Included Matured Sushi and Sake Pairing

TOKYO, JAPANMatured Sushi and Sake Pairing

A fully private dining session at a two-Michelin-star sushi restaurant in Futako-tamagawa: matured sushi made in front of you, paired with four sakes.

✓ Included Calligraphy in a Century-Old Kamakura Villa

KAMAKURA, JAPANCalligraphy in a Century-Old Kamakura Villa

A beginner-friendly calligraphy lesson with a master, in the tea room of a century-old villa in the hills of Kamakura.

✓ Included Kintsugi in Minami-Aoyama

TOKYO, JAPANKintsugi in Minami-Aoyama

Practise kintsugi in a Minami-Aoyama gallery space: mend a vessel with lacquer and gold or silver powder and take it home the same day.

✓ Included Noh Masks and a Private Stage Session

TOKYO, JAPANNoh Masks and a Private Stage Session

On a Noh family's private stage in Tokyo, meet the head of the family, see his collection of masks and costumes, and watch two shimai dances.

✓ Included Shamisen Lesson and Lunch in Akasaka

TOKYO, JAPANShamisen Lesson and Lunch in Akasaka

A shamisen master performs and guides you in playing, in a private tatami room at a long-established Akasaka restaurant, followed by a seasonal lunch.

✓ Included Ikebana Lesson in Akasaka

TOKYO, JAPANIkebana Lesson in Akasaka

A private ikebana lesson with a master-rank instructor in an Akasaka school headquarters designed by Kenzo Tange: make two arrangements.

✓ Included Incense Blending in Ginza

TOKYO, JAPANIncense Blending in Ginza

Blend your own incense pouch from over a dozen fragrance ingredients at a 440-year-old incense shop in Ginza, and take seasonal incense home.

✓ Included Sumi-e Ink Painting in Minami-Aoyama

TOKYO, JAPANSumi-e Ink Painting in Minami-Aoyama

Learn classical Edo Rimpa ink-painting in a private Minami-Aoyama atelier, reproduce a masterpiece by hand and take your painting home as decor.

✓ Included Private Zazen at an Asakusa Temple

TOKYO, JAPANPrivate Zazen at an Asakusa Temple

Sit zazen at an Asakusa Zen temple founded in 1611, guided by a monk and the head priest, then take matcha and sweets.

✓ Included Chopstick Making in Kuramae

TOKYO, JAPANChopstick Making in Kuramae

Make your own chopsticks in a Kuramae workshop with a century of Edo woodworking history: choose a fine wood, shave it and finish it with oil.

✓ Included Yukata and Mizuhiki Accessory Making

TOKYO, JAPANYukata and Mizuhiki Accessory Making

In a 100-year-old Japanese residence in Ueno-Sakuragi, learn to wear a yukata, make a matching mizuhiki accessory and keep both.

✓ Included Whetstone Making and Knife Sharpening in Kameoka

KYOTO, JAPANWhetstone Making and Knife Sharpening in Kameoka

In Kameoka, process a natural whetstone, sharpen a Japanese knife, then tour a whetstone museum privately. Take home the stone and an engraved knife.

✓ Included Washi Papermaking and Journal Craft

KYOTO, JAPANWashi Papermaking and Journal Craft

Make washi paper by hand with fourteen-century-old techniques, beginners coached, then use it for the cover of a temple-stamp journal.

✓ Included Ikebana and Tea in a Kyoto Machiya

KYOTO, JAPANIkebana and Tea in a Kyoto Machiya

Learn the basics of ikebana in a 130-year-old Kyoto machiya near Shijo Karasuma, hear about its household customs, then take tea and sweets.

✓ Included Incense Appreciation Overlooking a Temple Garden

KYOTO, JAPANIncense Appreciation Overlooking a Temple Garden

Learn kodo, the art of incense, in the Mishina Oheryu tradition, seated at a counter in a temple-owned space overlooking a Kyoto garden.

✓ Included Private Zazen at a Kodaiji Subtemple

KYOTO, JAPANPrivate Zazen at a Kodaiji Subtemple

Sit zazen in Gesshin-in, a Kodaiji subtemple usually closed to the public, then stroll its garden beside Nene-no-michi.

✓ Included Pottery Wheel Class in Higashiyama

KYOTO, JAPANPottery Wheel Class in Higashiyama

Throw two pieces on the wheel in a family pottery studio with a folk kiln, in the Kyo-yaki and Kiyomizu-yaki traditions; they are fired and delivered to you.

✓ Included Wagashi and Warabi-mochi Making

KYOTO, JAPANWagashi and Warabi-mochi Making

Shape seasonal wagashi and warabi-mochi with a 300-year-old confectioner, then taste them.

✓ Included Private Kendo Training in Kyoto

KYOTO, JAPANPrivate Kendo Training in Kyoto

A private kendo introduction at a Kyoto dojo: hear the history from an instructor of a long martial lineage, learn the basics, then try a bout in armour.

✓ Included Rock Garden Tour and Meditation in Iwakura

KYOTO, JAPANRock Garden Tour and Meditation in Iwakura

A private after-hours tour of Jissoin, an 800-year-old temple in northern Kyoto: meditate in a usually closed room, take matcha and see the rock garden.

✓ Included Ukiyo-e Stencil Dyeing Workshop

TOKYO, JAPANUkiyo-e Stencil Dyeing Workshop

Colour a Hokusai Mount Fuji motif with a brush in a Nihonbashi gallery, guided by a kataezome artist.

✓ Included Pure Silver Bangle Making in Asakusa

TOKYO, JAPANPure Silver Bangle Making in Asakusa

Spend a day as an apprentice in Asakusa: shape your own bangle from 99.9% pure silver with a silversmith whose family has worked silver for twelve generations.

✓ Included A forge fire with glowing coals and a smith's tongs and tools, as used to forge a small katana

TOKYO, JAPANSmall Katana Forging in Ome

Forge a small katana from tamahagane steel with a husband-and-wife team of bladesmiths on the edge of Tokyo.

✓ Included A soba master rolling out noodle dough

TOKYO, JAPANSoba Noodle Making Workshop

Roll and cut soba by hand the way it was made four centuries ago, taught by a leading soba master.

✓ Included Shojin Ryori Cooking with a Monk

TOKYO, JAPANShojin Ryori Cooking with a Monk

Learn Buddhist vegetarian cooking from a temple monk in Akasaka, then eat your meal in the temple's main hall.

✓ Included Kabuki Workshop with a Professional Actor

TOKYO, JAPANKabuki Workshop with a Professional Actor

Learn kabuki acting and training techniques from a professional actor, at a prestigious traditional restaurant with a kaiseki meal.

✓ Included Sake Brewery Tour in Ome

TOKYO, JAPANSake Brewery Tour in Ome

Tour a brewery with over 300 years of history in the hills of western Tokyo and taste five sakes with paired snacks.

✓ Included Mount Mitake Shrine Hike

TOKYO, JAPANMount Mitake Shrine Hike

A guided day hike up Mount Mitake in western Tokyo to the 'Shrine in the Sky', with lunch at a temple lodging.

✓ Included Nihon-ga Painting in Minami-Aoyama

TOKYO, JAPANNihon-ga Painting in Minami-Aoyama

Paint in the classical Rimpa tradition with a nihon-ga artist, using brush and, if you wish, gold and silver leaf.

✓ Included Kumihimo Silk Braiding in Ueno

TOKYO, JAPANKumihimo Silk Braiding in Ueno

A private tour, limited to six guests a day, of a 360-year-old kumihimo silk-braiding workshop in Ueno, then make a braided accessory with master artisans.

✓ Included Kannon Painting & Temple Walk in Kita-Kamakura

KAMAKURA, JAPANKannon Painting & Temple Walk in Kita-Kamakura

Walk to two temples in Kita-Kamakura with a Kannon painter, then paint a small lotus Kannon in the artist's studio.

✓ Included Water Mandala Painting in a Restored Kura

KAMAKURA, JAPANWater Mandala Painting in a Restored Kura

Paint a water-themed Buddhist mandala in a calm restored storehouse in Kamakura and take it home.

✓ Included Old Tokaido Road Hike to Hakone Pass

HAKONE, JAPANOld Tokaido Road Hike to Hakone Pass

Walk a well-preserved stretch of the old road between Kyoto and Edo up to Hakone Pass, with Lake Ashinoko and Mount Fuji ahead.

✓ Included Wagasa Parasol Making

KYOTO, JAPANWagasa Parasol Making

Make a traditional Japanese parasol from bamboo and coloured paper at Kyoto's last remaining wagasa shop.

✓ Included Kana Calligraphy on a Fan

KYOTO, JAPANKana Calligraphy on a Fan

Learn Japan's own kana script from a Kyoto family of calligraphers and write your choice of words on a traditional fan.

✓ Included Red urushi lacquer bowls and trays

KYOTO, JAPANUrushi Lacquer Pen Workshop

Tour a lacquer workshop that has traded since 1909 and decorate a fountain pen with urushi.

✓ Included Dashi Tasting & Cooking Class

KYOTO, JAPANDashi Tasting & Cooking Class

Learn how dashi, the base of Japanese cooking, is made at a Kyoto dashi store founded in 1903.

✓ Included A sake flask and small cups on a lacquer tray

KYOTO, JAPANKoji Making & Sake Pairing in Umekoji

Make koji in a traditional koji room a short walk from Kyoto Station, then taste fermented snacks with seasonal sake.

✓ Included Antique Gallery Tour & Tea in Gion

KYOTO, JAPANAntique Gallery Tour & Tea in Gion

Handle Edo-period art with an expert in tea-ceremony art, then drink tea and sake from antique vessels.

✓ Included Curator-Led Museum Tour in Arashiyama

KYOTO, JAPANCurator-Led Museum Tour in Arashiyama

A private curator-led tour of an Arashiyama art museum on TIME's 2023 list, with works by Ito Jakuchu and Hokusai, before opening or after hours.

✓ Included Cooking with Koji in Sakai

OSAKA, JAPANCooking with Koji in Sakai

Cook a classic one-soup-three-dishes meal with koji seasonings at a shop in Sakai that dates from 1689.

✓ Included Edo Woodblock Printing Workshop

TOKYO, JAPANEdo Woodblock Printing Workshop

Print ukiyo-e patterns on washi paper at a woodblock workshop with 160 years of history, and turn them into a bamboo-handled fan.

✓ Included Edo Glass Cutting Workshop

TOKYO, JAPANEdo Glass Cutting Workshop

Cut a pattern into an 8-ounce cup of two-colour Edo overlay glass with a seasoned glassmaker.

✓ Included Edo Paper Lantern Making

TOKYO, JAPANEdo Paper Lantern Making

Paint your own Edo paper lantern at a shop that has been in business for over a hundred years, and take it home.

✓ Included Edo Komon Tenugui Dyeing

TOKYO, JAPANEdo Komon Tenugui Dyeing

Stencil-dye a tenugui hand towel at a studio that has kept the Edo komon tradition alive for over a century.

✓ Included Maki-e Lacquerware Decoration

TOKYO, JAPANMaki-e Lacquerware Decoration

Decorate a piece of lacquerware with maki-e metallic powder at the main store of a century-old lacquerware shop in Nihonbashi.

✓ Included Mizuhiki Knots & Washi Wrapping

TOKYO, JAPANMizuhiki Knots & Washi Wrapping

In a Yoyogi studio, learn basic mizuhiki knots with an artist and practise wrapping with handmade tesuki-washi paper, including gift envelopes.

✓ Included Japanese Scent Making in Kudan

TOKYO, JAPANJapanese Scent Making in Kudan

Blend your own natural fragrance from Japanese plants with a scenting designer at a historic house in Kudan.

✓ Included Bonsai & Tea at a Bonsai Museum

TOKYO, JAPANBonsai & Tea at a Bonsai Museum

Tour a garden of over a thousand bonsai, shape a tree yourself, and finish with tea ceremony.

✓ Included Katana Polishing Workshop

TOKYO, JAPANKatana Polishing Workshop

Polish a real katana on a whetstone with one of Japan's professional katana polishers in Setagaya.

✓ Included Beer Museum Tour & Tasting in Ebisu

TOKYO, JAPANBeer Museum Tour & Tasting in Ebisu

Go behind the story of one of Japan's best-loved beers at a brewery museum in Ebisu, with a tasting and food pairings.

✓ Included Geisha Entertainment in Asakusa

TOKYO, JAPANGeisha Entertainment in Asakusa

Dine at a ryotei in Asakusa's old entertainment district with geisha and rare male hokan entertainers.

✓ Included Japanese Dance at a Ryotei in Akasaka

TOKYO, JAPANJapanese Dance at a Ryotei in Akasaka

Watch a private nihon-buyo performance and learn its movements from a master instructor, followed by kaiseki.

✓ Included Kanji Calligraphy with a Master

TOKYO, JAPANKanji Calligraphy with a Master

Learn kanji calligraphy at a ceramics shop in Yanaka from a calligrapher who draws on a background in psychology.

✓ Included Bean Paste Flower Wagashi Class

TOKYO, JAPANBean Paste Flower Wagashi Class

Make modern wagashi flowers from sweet bean paste, free of dairy and gluten, and enjoy them with tea.

✓ Included Dyed Flower Making in a Couture Atelier

TOKYO, JAPANDyed Flower Making in a Couture Atelier

Cut, dye and layer silk and lace into a flower in the atelier of a renowned couture flower artist.

✓ Included Mount Takao Hike & Shojin Lunch

TOKYO, JAPANMount Takao Hike & Shojin Lunch

Hike sacred Mount Takao with a certified guide, then eat shojin cuisine made from local vegetables.

✓ Included A carved red lacquer plate with an intricate raised pattern

KAMAKURA, JAPANKamakura-bori Lacquerware Lesson

Meet an award-winning Kamakura-bori master in his quiet Kamakura workshop for a talk and demonstration on the craft of lacquered tableware.

✓ Included Kamakura-bori Wood Carving

KAMAKURA, JAPANKamakura-bori Wood Carving

Carve a small plate in the 800-year-old Kamakura-bori style in the studio of a descendant of Unkei.

✓ Included Zen & Shakuhachi at Hokokuji

KAMAKURA, JAPANZen & Shakuhachi at Hokokuji

Experience suizen, 'blowing Zen', with the shakuhachi bamboo flute with private evening access to Hokokuji's bamboo garden.

✓ Included Nerikiri Wagashi in a Hase Teahouse

KAMAKURA, JAPANNerikiri Wagashi in a Hase Teahouse

Make two nerikiri sweets in the shapes of Mount Fuji and cherry blossom at a teahouse in Hase.

✓ Included Landscape Ikebana in Kita-Kamakura

KAMAKURA, JAPANLandscape Ikebana in Kita-Kamakura

Make a 'windswept landscape' of flowers in a quiet atelier in Kita-Kamakura, guided by a flower artist.

✓ Included Zen & Karate at Engakuji

KAMAKURA, JAPANZen & Karate at Engakuji

Explore the link between Zen and the martial arts with a temple tour, meditation and a karate workshop at Engakuji.

✓ Included Organic Tea Plantation Tour in Ujitawara

KYOTO, JAPANOrganic Tea Plantation Tour in Ujitawara

Tour a pesticide-free tea plantation in the birthplace of Japanese green tea with its 21st-generation head.

✓ Included Kyo-Yuzen Silk Painting

KYOTO, JAPANKyo-Yuzen Silk Painting

Visit the Nakagyo workshop of a Kyo-Yuzen kimono dyer who trained under a Living National Treasure, see demonstrations and try silk painting yourself.

✓ Included Kyoto Roof Tile Kiln Tour

KYOTO, JAPANKyoto Roof Tile Kiln Tour

See how the roof tiles of Kyoto's temples and teahouses are made at a long-running kiln, and take a tile home.

✓ Included Arashiyama Houseboat & Bamboo Flute

KYOTO, JAPANArashiyama Houseboat & Bamboo Flute

Drift along the Oi River on a houseboat to the sound of the shinobue bamboo flute, as aristocrats did a thousand years ago.

✓ Included Folding Fan Painting in a Machiya

KYOTO, JAPANFolding Fan Painting in a Machiya

Paint your own Kyoto-made folding fan in a historic machiya townhouse, with a tour of the house, tea and wagashi.

✓ Included A shamisen player in a bamboo grove

KYOTO, JAPANShamisen Lesson at a Kyoto Temple

Learn a traditional melody on the shamisen in a private room at a Buddhist temple, then hear your teacher play.

✓ Included The red pagoda of a Kyoto temple rising above the city rooftops

KYOTO, JAPANTemple-Stamp Journal with Kyo-Karakami

Make a goshuin temple-stamp journal using Kyo-karakami, Kyoto's decorative paper printed with old woodblocks.

✓ Included Make Your Own Miso in Kyoto

KYOTO, JAPANMake Your Own Miso in Kyoto

Tour a century-old Kyoto miso brewery with its fourth-generation owner, then make 1 kg of miso by hand to take home and taste miso with cooking tips.

✓ Included Noh at Kamigamo Shrine

KYOTO, JAPANNoh at Kamigamo Shrine

Explore Kamigamo Shrine through the Noh play it inspired, followed by a private performance.

✓ Included Kabuki Lecture & Premium Seats at Minamiza

KYOTO, JAPANKabuki Lecture & Premium Seats at Minamiza

Take a private lecture from a kabuki actor, then watch him perform from premium seats at Minamiza Theatre.

✓ Included Kinsai Gold Leaf Gilding Workshop

KYOTO, JAPANKinsai Gold Leaf Gilding Workshop

Gild a fabric panel with a kinsai artisan after touring the Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design.

✓ Included Pilgrimage to Kasagidera

KYOTO, JAPANPilgrimage to Kasagidera

Walk the ascetic Shugendo trail of Kasagidera, a mountain temple in southern Kyoto famous for its huge rocks, led privately by its vice head priest.

✓ Included Kogin-zashi Embroidery in a Machiya

KYOTO, JAPANKogin-zashi Embroidery in a Machiya

Make a kogin-zashi embroidered accessory in a historic Kyoto townhouse with a kogin-zashi artist.

✓ Included A hand-carved wooden statuette of a standing Buddhist figure

KYOTO, JAPANBuddhist Statuette Carving in Yase

Spend a day in verdant Yase carving your own palm-sized Warabe Jizo with a Buddhist sculptor.

✓ Included Suiboku-ga Ink Painting in Higashiyama

KYOTO, JAPANSuiboku-ga Ink Painting in Higashiyama

Learn suiboku-ga ink painting from a ninth-generation Maruyama-Shijo school artist in a restaurant reserved just for you.

✓ Included Shimabara Walk & Kyoto Lunch

KYOTO, JAPANShimabara Walk & Kyoto Lunch

Stroll through Shimabara, one of Kyoto's three historic entertainment districts, with a local restaurateur, and have lunch.

✓ Included Seasonal Wagashi in an Osaka Villa

OSAKA, JAPANSeasonal Wagashi in an Osaka Villa

Learn to make three seasonal nerikiri sweets with an Osaka wagashi master, in a wooden private villa rented for your group.

✓ Included Cedar Bento Box & Chopstick Making

OSAKA, JAPANCedar Bento Box & Chopstick Making

Make a 'breathing' bento box and chopsticks from rare akamasa cedar with the fifth-generation couple behind a 150-year-old workshop.

✓ Included Tatami Heritage Tour in Sakai

OSAKA, JAPANTatami Heritage Tour in Sakai

Tour historic buildings in Sakai with a tatami craftsman and try stitching a tatami mat by hand.

✓ Included Tea Whisk Making in Ikoma

NARA, JAPANTea Whisk Making in Ikoma

Watch a 20th-generation master make a tea whisk and weave the threads yourself, in a 500-year-old workshop.

✓ Included Sake Brewing Experience in Yamato Koriyama

NARA, JAPANSake Brewing Experience in Yamato Koriyama

Take part in the main steps of sake brewing at a 170-year-old microbrewery, four minutes by train from Nara Station.

✓ Included Sutra Copying & Buddhist Painting at Taima-dera

NARA, JAPANSutra Copying & Buddhist Painting at Taima-dera

Visit one of Japan's oldest temples, try sutra copying and painting, and have matcha in a famous tea room.

Reviews

Hear From Travellers Who Have Journeyed
With Haven Japan

4.9·Based on 487 guest reviews

“Our guide Joshua was amazing, loved his job, and it showed as he toured with us. We loved our day, and all we experienced.”

Dori E.19 Oct 2026

Top Rated Certificateverified by Trustindex Read our guest reviews

Inclusions

Private guide on the guided days, in English or French
Private transfers by Toyota Alphard or equivalent, and wherever the road is not the best way, a private car, a taxi or reserved Shinkansen seats, all arranged for you
Entrance fees and activities listed in the itinerary
Accommodation chosen to your taste and booked for you
A local SIM card with unlimited data, if you would like one
Luggage forwarding between hotels, if you would like it
Round-the-clock support from our Japan-based team

Pricing

2027

Prices in JPY, per person, for two travelling together, with accommodation included. Every Haven journey is quoted individually, once we know your dates, party size and preferences.

One team plans and books your whole journey, so you have a single person to speak to from the first call to the last morning. Your quote sets out everything that is included, day by day.

¥0Price From

¥0Deposit From

Questions About This Journey

How many days is Eleven Days, Japan with Children and where does it go?

Eleven Days, Japan with Children runs 11 days and visits Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka. The day-by-day route, with a map, is shown above.

Is this journey private, and can it be changed?

Yes. Every Haven journey is private, just you and your party, and tailor-made. This route is an example of how a journey can unfold: tell us your dates, interests and pace and we will adapt the days, the places and the stays.

How much does it cost?

Prices start from ¥880,000 (see the pricing section above). The final price depends on your dates, the hotels you choose, the experiences you add and the size of your group, so we confirm an exact quote after your enquiry.

What is included?

The inclusions are listed in the pricing section above. Unless stated there, entrance fees and meals are not included, and our guides are happy to recommend restaurants. An all-inclusive package is available for a custom Japan journey.

Where do we stay?

You choose your stay in each destination from the hotels and ryokan shown on the page. If you prefer another property, tell us and we will look at it.

When should I book?

Japan is a country where travellers plan well ahead, so we recommend contacting us about 6 months before your ideal departure date, especially for spring and autumn. Last-minute requests may be possible with some limits.

What languages do your guides speak?

Our tours are conducted in English, French and Japanese. If you need another language, tell us in advance and we will do our best to arrange it.

How do I pay?

We accept payment in Japanese yen and major international credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

What is the cancellation policy?

If we receive your cancellation 91 days or more before the first day of service, only the deposit is kept. It is 50% of the price 61 to 90 days before, and 100% 60 days or less before. Cancellations are made by email to contact@havenjapan.com. The full policy is in clause 5 of our Terms and Conditions.

Can I add experiences such as a tea ceremony or an onsen stay?

Yes. The experiences section above lists what you can add, from tea ceremonies and craft workshops to private onsen. Each day can also include free time to explore on your own.

Begin Your Journey

What you've just explored is a starting point, the beginning of a journey that's entirely yours to shape from here. Every detail can move: your pace, your interests, your Japan.

Make an
Enquiry

Send us the itinerary as you have shaped it, with your dates and who is travelling. A first call and a short exchange by email are free. When we design your full proposal, a fee of ¥30,000 applies, and it is deducted from your deposit when you book.