Autumn Tours of Japan 2020 & 2021
Japan in Autumn
2020 Small Group Autumn Tours of Japan - max 8 guests.
A range of itineraries hand crafted around Japan's autumn coloured Leaves. For example, to enjoy deeper cultural encounters and less crowds, the beautiful Autumn in Northern Japan Tour is a great choice; on the other hand the 17day Autumn Spectacular is a grand selection for an all-round experience of Japan.
On all the tours you will be cared for by some of Japan's best qualified English-speaking guides. The small group sizes will give you almost one on one access to these specialists.
In addition to our 2020 Japan Autumn Tours, on this page we have also listed some of our speciality Walking and Foodies Tours that run during Japan's autumn.
The small numbers on all these autumn trips in Japan make it possible to enjoy the 'real Japan' with access to the culture in small restaurants and visiting places off the beaten path where the larger groups can't go.
Click for help in selecting your autumn tour.
The northern region of Japan (Tohoku) is the place to go if you like the smaller and less touristy places on your holiday. Nikko is simply a treat in Autumn as are the colours at lake Towada. The picturesque streets of the tiny Samurai town of Kanunodate are like a fairy tale and the images of the bay at Matsushima will stay with you for ever. Even if you have been to Japan before this trip in Japan is well worth investigating further.
Departure Dates
| Oct 20 2020 | Available |
| Oct 27 2020 | Available |
Why choose this Tour? It is a comprehensive tour of Japan in autumn covering all the must-see destinations including Tokyo, Kyoto, Mt Fuji, Takayama, Hiroshima and the unforgettable Miyajima. Packed with cultural activities, this tour is ideal for people who would like to make the most of their time in Japan.
Departure Dates
| Oct 26 2020 | Available |
| Nov 9 2020 | Available |
2020 Autumn Leaves Tour of Japan
15 days | Comfort Tour
Strolling through some of Japan’s iconic sites under gorgeous coloured autumn leaves is like a dream. This tour is paced to give you the time to savour the dream. Created specifically for people who like to travel at a more leisurely pace with less single night stops, more private transport and western style accommodation.
Departure Dates
| Nov 1 2020 | Available |
| Nov 8 2020 | Available |
Late-November to early-December is when autumn foliage intensifies in the iconic cities of Hiroshima/Miyajima, Kyoto, Nara, Hakone and Tokyo (along the relatively warmer east coast of Japan.) It offers travelers an easy paced itinerary, superior comfort of 4+ star western style accommodation, a mix of private and public transport plus you will love the guides.
Departure Dates
| Nov 22 2020 | Available |
2020 Walking Tours in Autumn in Japan
Short, pack free, walks (8-10KM) are one of the best ways to engage with the locals and have an up close encounder with the pristine nature in Japan. The short walks off the tourist track in the cities take you to seemingly endless little gems. There is no need to carry heavy back-packs and you can pause frequently to enjoy tour surrounds
If you are a little more active, 2020 Walking Tour of Japan Alps in Autumn takes you to the amazing colours of Japan’s pristine national parks surrounded by the Japan Alps high above you. In addition to the 8-10 km short nature walks (without big backpacks) through the plateaus and valleys in vibrant autumn colours, you will also walk the backstreets of the iconic cities of Tokyo and Kyoto.
Departure Dates
| Oct 1 2020 | Available |
This tour covers culturally intriguing and naturally magnificent 8-10 km day walks (minus large backpacks), including the pilgrimage walks of sacred Dewa Sanzan in the northern parts of the main island of Japan in early autumn. Seriously off-the-beaten track, this tour exposes you to the warm traditional hospitality and immersive experiences of northern Japan.
Departure Dates
| Oct 7 2020 | Available |
This tour features Japan’s dramatic natural landscapes from the highest mountains to the deepest gorge. Full of cultural experiences including a night stay at a century-old thatched roofed farmhouse. Along with the remoteness, you will also explore the sophisticated cultural cities of Tokyo, Kyoto and Kanazawa.
Departure Dates
| Oct 4 2020 | Available |
| Oct 25 2020 | Available |
Walk through the well-preserved villages and cedar covered forests on Nakasendo Way where samurai walked hundreds of years ago. The tour also includes back street walks in Japan’s major destinations such as Tokyo, Kyoto and Takayama still at the peak of autumn colours. This tour is well balanced between nature walks and cultural encounters, it is ideal for active people who are looking for variety of experiences.
Departure Dates
| Nov 15 2020 | Available |
2020 Food Tours in Autumn in Japan
Japan is well known for its cullinery skills. The 2020 Food Tours of Japan once agin offer tours that have a strong focus on food experiences combined with an great combination of sights and visits, Again these very populat and unique experiences are available in Autumn 2020
A real 'foodies delight'. Taste-test the freshest and most sophisticated meals while experiencing Japan’s centuries-old food traditions on the journey through central Japan including Tokyo, Kanazawa, Noto Peninsula, Kyoto and Osaka.
Departure Dates
| Oct 12 2020 | Available |
A gastronomic adventure amidst amazing autumn scenery, exploring Japan’s fantastic food traditions and culture on the friendly island of Kyushu. Enjoy exclusive experiences at small artisanal food producers not on the tourist map. Some guests on this tour speak about the surprises and delights for years after they get home.
Departure Dates
| Nov 3 2020 | Available |
| Nov 10 2020 | Available |
Had a fabulous time with a great group of people. I loved the country, the culture, the people and everything about the tour – hope to do another tour with JTTE – maybe Hokkaido or Kyushu next time
Vivien Hewitt, Western Australia
This was my first trip with JTTE and already I am looking at the program for next year thinking about another one. I liked the fact that it was a small group, the organisation was spot on and the food everywhere was outstanding.
Dee Mason – NSW Australia
Selecting from Autumn Tours of Japan
Choosing the right time to see the best autumn colours is mostly about where you go to in Japan. Almost everywhere in Japan, at the right time of autumn, is spectacular. A good time to tour Japan is from mid-October to see northern and higher altitude parts to the west of Japan. The less crowded and most pristine areas see the autumn colours first. In the north, by early November, most of the colour has fallen to the ground.
Conveniently, however, the coloured leaves start to appear in volume in the central areas of Japan in early November. So, November is the time to tour central Japan. Tours of the east coast of Japan towards the end of November are very rewarding. There are strong displays up to early-December.
Further south, in places like Kyushu where it is warmer, very big displays are on show until well into December.
Journey to the East provides a range of Autumn Tours of Japan. The tours straddle the autumn coloured leaves season. Each tour takes advantage of the area in colour to see many of the unique sites there.
Autumn News
Autumn in Japan – When To Go and Things to Do
Autumn in Japan is when history, culture and nature colaborate best to show off the sheer beauty you will never forget. Autumn starts in northern Japan and rolls south as the year progresses. This presents so many more opportunities to experience this natural beauty and to select what pleases you best. Because each region…
2020 Autumn Tour Launch
Journey to the East launch a wide range of tours for the 2020 Autumn (Fall) Colours Season…
Four seasons in Japan
You often hear that Japan is blessed with a beautifully distinct four seasons. But you’ve got to experience one or more of the seasons to actually know what it means. We have just completed our signature spring ‘Cherry Blossom Spectacular Tour’ and comments we received from the members of the tour demonstrate that the experience…
Our Travel Style
At Journey to the East we are committed to providing authentic, small group tours to Japan – whether standard tours or custom-built for private groups. Our travel style is to immerse you in the culture and landscape of the country and expose you to a rich variety of unique experiences.
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