Japan Rail Journeys
Sit back and enjoy being whisked from neon-lit cityscapes to the tranquil shrine-dotted countryside of Japan by bullet train. Watch breathtaking landscapes zip by your window, from the mist shrouded peak of Mt. Fuji to forests dusted in seasonal hues and framed by traditional torii gates on one of 74 rail journeys through Japan.
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Popular Rail Journeys
9 Days Osaka to Tokyo
Operator: G Adventures
From
4,233pp
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1,188pp
12 Days Tokyo to Kyoto
Operator: Cosmos
From
5,412pp
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327pp
Popular Operators Featured Operators
Explore has been taking small groups on adventure holidays all over the world for almost 40 years. The expert team, at home and overseas, works together more to create itineraries that leave you feeling that you’ve really explored a destination rather than just visited. You’ll see the highlights, the must-sees, of course. But you’ll also get away from the beaten track, and get a different perspective on your destination. You’ll get closer to a place, its people and cultures.
Our small groups are typically 12 people – small enough to get right into the heart of your destination, but big enough to find like-minded people to share your experiences with. And the glue that holds these groups together is our local tour leaders, who are uniquely placed to add individual and spontaneous moments to each trips – moments that stay with you long after you return home. All sorts of people travel with Explore – our groups are usually a mix of solos, couples and friends. What unites them is their adventurous spirit and thirst for real travel experiences.
We provide authentic small-group travel, designed by experts and led by experts, with sustainability at its heart and a common desire for unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re on a cultural tour of Lebanon, cycling in Vietnam, walking in Italy or exploring Costa Rica with your family, when you’re travelling with Explore you know that you’re in good hands.
Our small groups are typically 12 people – small enough to get right into the heart of your destination, but big enough to find like-minded people to share your experiences with. And the glue that holds these groups together is our local tour leaders, who are uniquely placed to add individual and spontaneous moments to each trips – moments that stay with you long after you return home. All sorts of people travel with Explore – our groups are usually a mix of solos, couples and friends. What unites them is their adventurous spirit and thirst for real travel experiences.
We provide authentic small-group travel, designed by experts and led by experts, with sustainability at its heart and a common desire for unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re on a cultural tour of Lebanon, cycling in Vietnam, walking in Italy or exploring Costa Rica with your family, when you’re travelling with Explore you know that you’re in good hands.
APT is an Australian family-owned company whose essence began in Melbourne in the 1920s. More than 90 years on, APT offers life-enriching trips to every more continent, and through the company’s vast industry experience, meticulous planning and unquestionable passion it's earned a place among the world’s most well-regarded travel companies.
From boutique river cruising to small-group 4WD adventures; traditional coach touring with a decadent twist; epic rail journeys to small-ship expeditions; classic ocean cruising to safaris of discovery by both land and air – there’s little APT are unwilling to consider in pursuit of creating the finest holiday experience for its valued guests.
Timeless luxury, exclusive experiences, life enriching moments and true personalisation. APT offers all-inclusive holidays so everything is taken care of. We invite you to join us; you won’t be disappointed.
From boutique river cruising to small-group 4WD adventures; traditional coach touring with a decadent twist; epic rail journeys to small-ship expeditions; classic ocean cruising to safaris of discovery by both land and air – there’s little APT are unwilling to consider in pursuit of creating the finest holiday experience for its valued guests.
Timeless luxury, exclusive experiences, life enriching moments and true personalisation. APT offers all-inclusive holidays so everything is taken care of. We invite you to join us; you won’t be disappointed.
Indulge your passions on a luxurious small group journey, offering the perfect blend of guided and independent exploration. Choose from our worldwide collection more of immersive luxury journeys.
How do we define “Luxury”? It’s exceptional dining experiences, including Michelin star restaurants and cooking classes. It’s staying in luxury hotels in central or scenic locations. Luxury is feeling like a VIP accessing iconic sites after hours and meeting remarkable people. It’s having the service of a Travelling Concierge accompanying you along the way with incredible commitment to service. When you travel with us, we ensure your experience is elevated, elegant and impeccable.
We put our heart into everything we do and are proud to be leaders in luxury travel. I invite you to relax and enjoy the charm of different cultures as we take care of every detail. Speak with Global Journeys today to start your holiday planning. We look forward to taking you on a journey beyond the ordinary.
How do we define “Luxury”? It’s exceptional dining experiences, including Michelin star restaurants and cooking classes. It’s staying in luxury hotels in central or scenic locations. Luxury is feeling like a VIP accessing iconic sites after hours and meeting remarkable people. It’s having the service of a Travelling Concierge accompanying you along the way with incredible commitment to service. When you travel with us, we ensure your experience is elevated, elegant and impeccable.
We put our heart into everything we do and are proud to be leaders in luxury travel. I invite you to relax and enjoy the charm of different cultures as we take care of every detail. Speak with Global Journeys today to start your holiday planning. We look forward to taking you on a journey beyond the ordinary.
Rail Journeys through Japan
Iconic Cities and Experiences
Tokyo 
Kyoto 
Osaka 
Hiroshima 
Takayama Latest Reviews
What our clients are saying about their journeys through Japan
I loved every moment.
Japan Express – Osaka to Tokyo
Emily and Mary, NSW, Australia, Nov 2025
Wonderful tour. Japanese 'CEO' was so kind and well organized. She made sure we had a great variety of experiences in and outside of the cities. I loved every moment of my tour.
This was our 5th trip with G Adventures and it did not disappoint. The CEO, Toshio, was outstanding in his knowledge, organization, kindness and generosity. He even guided us around during free time ! I used Global Journeys to book the trip because they quoted a better price than GAdventures. Melissa made the booking easy and made sure I received read more my GAdventures credit and also that we could use our rail pass on the last day for our transfer to the airport. We used Zipair for our flight and had no problem using a no-frills company to save on our flight costs. Accomodation was as expected with only 2 nights with shared washrooms. Seniors might have difficulty with beds on the floor.
Time of year was perfect for us as we don’t like heat, Temperature ranged from 10-20 C with the cooler days being in the mountains. There was only 1 day of rain and it was light. We had a nice mix of fellow travellers from 4 different countries and an age range of 35- 80 yrs. A couple of people in the group brought way too much luggage and relied on others for help. We walked 17,000- 20,000 steps a day so you must be fit enough do this as well as carry your own luggage. The itinerary was ideal for first time visitors and we didn’t feel rushed.
Time of year was perfect for us as we don’t like heat, Temperature ranged from 10-20 C with the cooler days being in the mountains. There was only 1 day of rain and it was light. We had a nice mix of fellow travellers from 4 different countries and an age range of 35- 80 yrs. A couple of people in the group brought way too much luggage and relied on others for help. We walked 17,000- 20,000 steps a day so you must be fit enough do this as well as carry your own luggage. The itinerary was ideal for first time visitors and we didn’t feel rushed.
Japan at ease
Culture and Art of Japan
Paul & Reme, QLD, Australia, Oct 2025
We have just been on our 8th APT tour and they have delivered again. The itinerary was comprehensive without being over taxing, the accomodation was first class and well located, the meals diverse and generally above expectation and the organisation near perfect. Any such tour is dependant on the Tour Director and we had the best in Asami Komachi. Her read more passion for her country was evident and she never stopped working to make sure we enjoyed every aspect of our tour.
We’d also like to thank Tracey from Global Journeys for the work she did to organise our tour. We have given her some hard times over the Covid period and she always delivers in the most friendly way. We highly recommend her.
We’d also like to thank Tracey from Global Journeys for the work she did to organise our tour. We have given her some hard times over the Covid period and she always delivers in the most friendly way. We highly recommend her.
Starting with Global Journeys, Hannah was great and kept me informed every step of the way. Japan - meeting our tour guide Akiko, she was great, the tour was fantastic, a nice small tour group. Hotels were great too.
Japan 25
Classic Japan: Land of the Rising Sun
David, NSW, Australia, May 2025
When j booked this tour it was advertised as a small group (up to 24) so it was quite surprising on arrival to find out it was 36. Clearly our tour guide was out of her depth coordinating that many people & for the first few days we were left wandering. I feel there was a lot of wasted time as we were returned to our hotels by 4pm even after asking read more if we could be taken to other close locations. The sites were great otherwise.
We had a wonderful time on Bunnik’s Japan Discovery. We saw snow in the Alps and the Cherry Blossoms were amazing.
The accommodation was excellent as was the included meals and activities. We travelled by coach and trains including several times on a bullet train. As always Georgie from Global Journeys did an amazing job of organising another holiday read more for us. This was our second Bunnik tour and have another trip booked so I highly recommend them and Japan Discovery.
The accommodation was excellent as was the included meals and activities. We travelled by coach and trains including several times on a bullet train. As always Georgie from Global Journeys did an amazing job of organising another holiday read more for us. This was our second Bunnik tour and have another trip booked so I highly recommend them and Japan Discovery.
