Photo: ChiemSeherin / Pixabay
Rail & Stay · 10 days / 8 nights
Alps & Heritage
Gold-leaf Kanazawa, thatched Shirakawa-go and imperial Kyoto.
From €860 per person ¥144,000
Ten days from Tokyo across the Japan Alps to gold-leaf Kanazawa and the thatched village of Shirakawa-go, finishing in imperial Kyoto. The famous route's bones, minus the sakura-season premium.
What's included
- Pre-booked hotels in walkable, station-side locations for every night — the star level depends on the level you choose (see the level table above).
- The right rail product for your route, chosen honestly — a JR Pass only when it actually saves you money, otherwise point-to-point tickets.
- Digital city-guides for each base, in your language.
- An eSIM and IC-card starter kit.
- Our Visit Japan support line, in your language, on Japan hours.
- Access to our curated menu of H.I.S. excursions, bookable in euros on a single invoice.
Not included
- International flights to and from Japan.
- Travel insurance.
- Meals, unless a specific experience or your chosen level includes them.
- Airport transfers and seat reservations on the Comfort level — on Comfort you get clear instructions and can add these on; tickets and reservations are included from Select upward.
- Included excursions on the Comfort level — signature excursions come included from Select (one) and Prestige (two); on Comfort you book them à la carte from the menu.
- Optional à-la-carte excursions and any personal spending beyond what your level includes.
Suggested day by day
- Days 1–3 — Tokyo.
- Day 4 — Across the Alps by rail to Kanazawa.
- Days 4–5 — Kanazawa: Kenroku-en garden and the historical districts; a walking tour.
- Day 6 — Shirakawa-go & Kanazawa by bus.
- Days 7–9 — Kyoto.
- Day 10 — Departure.
A flexible framework — this is self-guided, so you set the pace and swap days around.
How the rail works
The Hokuriku Arch Pass covers exactly this arc at roughly half the price of the nationwide pass — a textbook case of buying the right pass, not the biggest one.
Choose your level
Every level includes hotels, the right rail product, digital city-guides, an eSIM & IC-card kit and our support line. The level you pick decides your hotel class and how much we handle for you — transfers, seat reservations and included excursions. Here is exactly what each level adds, so there are no surprises.
Prices through the year
Prices change with the season — Japan is busiest and dearest during cherry blossom, Golden Week, mid-August and New Year. Figures below are per person, twin share, land only, and indicative; we confirm the exact price for your dates when you request a quote.
| Season | Dates | Comfort3★ | Select4★ | Prestige5★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 06/01 – 28/02 | €760¥128,000 | €1,150¥194,000 | €2,190¥369,000 |
| Standard season most other dates | — | €860¥144,000 | €1,300¥218,000 | €2,480¥418,000 |
| Summer | 01/06 – 09/08 | €890¥149,000 | €1,340¥225,000 | €2,570¥434,000 |
| Cherry-blossom season | ~25/03 – 07/04 | €1,120¥189,000 | €1,690¥284,000 | €3,300¥556,000 |
| Autumn colours | ~15/11 – 30/11 | €1,050¥177,000 | €1,590¥267,000 | €3,090¥521,000 |
| Spring holiday (Golden Week) Peak | 29/04 – 06/05 | €1,350¥228,000 | €2,020¥341,000 | €4,020¥678,000 |
| Mid-August holiday (Obon) Peak | 10/08 – 17/08 | €1,080¥181,000 | €1,620¥272,000 | €3,150¥532,000 |
| New Year Peak | 28/12 – 05/01 | €980¥164,000 | €1,470¥248,000 | €2,850¥480,000 |
Land only, per person on twin share. International flights, travel insurance and optional excursions are not included. Single-room and exact peak-date prices are confirmed on request.
Prices are set in Japanese yen (¥). Euro amounts are indicative, converted at the ECB reference rate of €1 = ¥177.34 (09.10.2026); the final euro price is calculated at the exchange rate on the day of payment. General Terms
Signature experiences
These are the highlight experiences on this route. How many come included in your price depends on the level you choose — any others are easy add-ons from our excursion menu, booked in euros on the same invoice.
This route's signature experiences
- Shirakawa-go & Kanazawa bus tour
- Kanazawa historical walking tour