By rail · JAPAN TRAIN TOURS

Japan by Bullet Train: the 15 Best Day Trips

15 rail days  ·  from $9 a seat

The Shinkansen makes Fuji, Kyoto and Hakone into afternoons rather than overnights. These 15 say what the fare covers, whether the seat is reserved and how much of the day is spent on the platform rather than the train.

Mt Fuji & Hakone Cruise, Drum Show Bullet Train 1 Day from Tokyo - Starting at Tokyo Station and Heading Toward Fuji
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Mt Fuji & Hakone Cruise, Drum Show Bullet Train 1 Day from Tokyo

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

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

Travel from Tokyo to Mt Fuji’s 5th Station, Lake Ashi, and Mt Komagatake on a guided coach tour, then return by non-reserved Shinkansen. Expect a full, weather-sensitive day with a short cruise, ropeway ride, Japanese lunch option, and wadaiko drum performance.

“We had the bad luck to have our one tour day on our week to Tokyo be the one day that week with poor weather. It was drizzling a light mist in Shinjuku when we found the hotel to meet up (inside the hotel), and we had a nice bus ride through the countryside. It was great to see the forests so different from my home in California, and the villages with little farm plots in between the houses. We got up to the mountain, and it was actually a bit clear, the sun came out and we saw a bit of blue sky, but it was still too cloudy…”

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Tokyo Mt Fuji 5th St & Hakone Cruise Bus Tour w/Bullet Train - Reaching Mt. Fuji’s 5th Station at 2,000 meters
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Tokyo Mt Fuji 5th St & Hakone Cruise Bus Tour w/Bullet Train

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

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

Spend 10 hours with an English-speaking guide such as Lisa, Kazu, Yuta, or Aya, visiting Mt. Fuji’s 5th Station and Hakone’s ropeway and Lake Ashi. The coach includes Wi-Fi, lunch is available, and a Shinkansen ride returns you to Tokyo.

“hero and lionson (guide and driver) were awesome!!! great views great lunch! this was worth every penny”

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From Tokyo: Mt. Fuji & Hakone Tour w/ Return by Bullet Train - The coach ride from Shinjuku to Fuji
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From Tokyo: Mt. Fuji & Hakone Tour w/ Return by Bullet Train

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

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

Spend 11 hours visiting Mt. Fuji's 5th Station, Owakudani, and Lake Ashi with an English or Spanish-speaking guide. Expect a long coach ride, a Japanese lunch if selected, scenic cable cars, a pirate ship cruise, and a non-reserved Shinkansen seat back from Odawara.

“The day trip was a great value for the money. Our guide, Hide-san, was a wonderful guide and has the perfect personality for that type of job--he was cheerful, pleasant, and generally fun to interact with and listen to. Tanaka-san, the drive, also did a great job of safely taking us to each destination. We were very happy with the service of them both. The day is packed with activities, between Mt. Fuji and Hakone, and Hide-san kept the bus rides in-between interesting with facts, trivia, and even a brief song. If anything, there was almost too much to do but it is a great value for the money. Fortunately,…”

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Osaka/Kyoto: Hiroshima Miyajima Bus Tour & Shinkansen Ticket - The Shinkansen ride from Kyoto or Shin-Osaka
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Osaka/Kyoto: Hiroshima Miyajima Bus Tour & Shinkansen Ticket

4.Osaka/Kyoto: Hiroshima Miyajima Bus Tour & Shinkansen Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 919 reviews · 12 hours · from $277

Spend 12 hours with an English-speaking guide such as Joe, Kane, Azusa, or Hiro, traveling from Osaka or Kyoto by Shinkansen to Hiroshima and Miyajima. Visit the Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Museum, and Itsukushima Shrine, with okonomiyaki lunch, ferries, buses, and return train tickets included.

“Love our guide so had some personal stories to tell and loved the lunch. I had a wonderful time.”

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From Tokyo 1-Day Kyoto English-guided Tour by Bullet Train - Lunch at Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo
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From Tokyo 1-Day Kyoto English-guided Tour by Bullet Train

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

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

Travel from Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen, with staff guiding you at both stations. Enjoy a hotel lunch, then visit Fushimi Inari, Sanjusangen-do, and Kiyomizu-dera with an English-speaking guide. It is a practical first taste of Kyoto, but the day is long and the temple visits are short.

“Experiencing to ride on the bullet train was awsome however the Temple just overrun with visitors. Could hardly find pace to walk on the sidewalks. I guess this is just too popular an attraction.”

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Mt. Fuji and Hakone Day Trip From Tokyo with Bullet Train Option - Owakudani’s steam vents and sulfur air
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Mt. Fuji and Hakone Day Trip From Tokyo with Bullet Train Option

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

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

Leave Shinjuku at 8:30 a.m. for Mt. Fuji’s 5th Station, steaming Owakudani, the Hakone Ropeway, and a pirate-style cruise on Lake Ashi. Choose a coach or non-reserved Shinkansen return, and add a Japanese lunch. Guides such as Happy, Yuka, and Rino are known for lively commentary.

“Worth every penny. Great trip and highly recommend. Tour guide was excellent throughout the whole trip”

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From Osaka: Sagano Train Ride and Kyoto Guided Day Tour - Arashiyama and the cool shade of bamboo
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From Osaka: Sagano Train Ride and Kyoto Guided Day Tour

7.Sagano Train Ride and Kyoto Guided Day Tour

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

Travel from Osaka to Kyoto with an English-speaking guide such as Masa, Haru, or Hiro. Walk through Arashiyama’s bamboo, ride the Sagano Romantic Train, visit Kiyomizudera and Fushimi Inari, and return to the meeting point in the late afternoon. Lunch is optional.

“Good trip needed more time in the towns as the shops looked really nice”

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Fukuoka: Takachiho Gorge & Scenic Railway One Day Tour - The long ride from Fukuoka
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Fukuoka: Takachiho Gorge & Scenic Railway One Day Tour

8.Fukuoka: Takachiho Gorge & Scenic Railway One Day Tour

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

Travel by heated bus from Fukuoka to Takachiho Gorge, where Manai Waterfall drops between volcanic cliffs. Add the separate boat ride if booked ahead, then ride the Amaterasu Railway when operating and stack stones at Amano Yasugawara. Guides such as Daisy, Moon, Kevin, and Riku may lead the day.

“Really fun day trip! Takachiho Gorge was beautiful and definitely worth the visit – the cliffs and river were amazing. The scenic railway ride was a nice touch and super relaxing. It’s a long day, but everything was well-organized and stress-free. Great way to see Takachiho from Fukuoka without worrying about the travel.”

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Sagano Romantic Train & Arashiyama, Kiyomizudera, Fushimi Inari Taisha Day Tour - Key points to know before booking
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Sagano Romantic Train & Arashiyama, Kiyomizudera, Fushimi Inari Taisha Day Tour

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

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

See Kyoto’s red torii gates, bamboo forest, Kiyomizudera Temple, and the Sagano Romantic Train in one guided day from Osaka. An English-speaking guide such as Hama, Masa, Jewel, Akira, or Maria handles the bus transfers and timing. Choose an optional Japanese lunch, but expect a full day with plenty of walking.

“Fantastic trip, got to see a wide range of Historical sites, the guide was very informative. Good value for money too. Highly recommended!!”

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Full Day Hiroshima and Miyajima Tour by Bullet Train from Kyoto - The 7:30am start and Kyoto Station handoff
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Full Day Hiroshima and Miyajima Tour by Bullet Train from Kyoto

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

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 120 reviews · from $399

Travel from Kyoto to Hiroshima by reserved Shinkansen, cross to Miyajima for Itsukushima Shrine and free time, then visit the Peace Memorial Museum, Atomic Bomb Dome, and memorials with an English-speaking guide. Lunch is on your own, and you return to Kyoto around 9pm.

“Great day with our very informative guide Masako! She was knowledgeable, attentive, energetic and made sure the tour moved along and all of us were accounted for. She speaks excellent English and very easy to talk to. The museum was vRead more”

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Full Day Hiroshima and Miyajima Tour by Bullet Train from Osaka - Miyajima and the Itsukushima Shrine area
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Full Day Hiroshima and Miyajima Tour by Bullet Train from Osaka

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

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

Travel from Osaka to Hiroshima by Shinkansen, then visit Miyajima’s Itsukushima Shrine, the Atomic Bomb Dome, and the Peace Memorial Museum. English-speaking guides lead the Hiroshima portion. Lunch is your choice and expense, and the day ends at Osaka Station around 9 pm.

“Hiro was an excellent tour guide! She gave a lot of information and kept the tour interesting. All the transportation was nicely escorted.”

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Hakone: Train Pass with Unlimited Rides & Activity Discounts - Leaving Shinjuku and reaching Odawara
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Hakone: Train Pass with Unlimited Rides & Activity Discounts

12.Train Pass with Unlimited Rides & Activity Discounts

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 102 reviews · 2 days · from $45

Use one pass for the Odakyu train from Shinjuku to Odawara, Hakone trains, buses, cable car, ropeway, and Lake Ashi sightseeing cruise. The two-day pass also offers discounts at more than 70 facilities, but Romancecar seats and some buses cost extra.

“Hakone is a splendid town about 100km from Tokyo, making it a perfect day trip in the area! The pass includes all transportation from Tokyo and at Hakone including a sightseeing cruise on a Pirate ship, it's really good value for money even for one day”

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From Osaka: Hiroshima and Miyajima Day Trip by Bullet Train - Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima by Shinkansen
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From Osaka: Hiroshima and Miyajima Day Trip by Bullet Train

13.Hiroshima and Miyajima Day Trip by Bullet Train

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

Travel from Osaka to Hiroshima by Shinkansen, then continue by coach and ferry to Miyajima. You’ll visit Itsukushima Shrine, meet roaming deer, and explore Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park with a bilingual English and Spanish guide. Guides have included Ángeles, Cesar, Alex, and Astrid.

“Our guide was Caesar with Amigo tours. He was extremely knowledgeable and helpful with any of our needs. We saw as much as you can in an 8 hour time frame. perfect trip.”

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Kyoto: Arashiyama Day Tour with Train, Boat, and Onsen

14.Arashiyama Day Tour with Train, Boat, and Onsen

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 48 reviews · 270 minutes - 5 hours · from $150Top rated

This small-group Arashiyama outing combines the Sagano Romantic Train, a 1.5 to 2 hour Hozugawa River boat ride, the Bamboo Grove, and an optional onsen. English and Japanese guides, often Itsuki, lead groups of up to nine and help with tickets, photos, directions, and local tips.

“Itsuki was a spectacular and knowledgeable guide. She was attentive and friendly. She is a great credit to the organisation and highly recommended. We have been to Japan many times and this was different for us. An unusual ride in an unusual train through virgin Japanese landscape. The boat trip was entertaining and informative. We felt safe and well catered for throughout the whole experience.”

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Kyoto Railway Museum Admission Ticket - Entering a collection of 53 real trains
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Kyoto Railway Museum Admission Ticket

15.Kyoto Railway Museum Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 23 reviews · 1 day · from $9Best value

Spend a full day at Kyoto Railway Museum exploring 53 real trains, from steam engines to Shinkansen. Step inside historic carriages, try hands-on driving simulators, watch the roundhouse turntable, ride a working steam locomotive, and take in Kyoto from the Sky Terrace. Admission is self-guided and wheelchair accessible.

“nice to see the history of the train in Japan and of course see the bullet train”

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