Oku Japan celebrates border reopening with full roster of guided tours

White Hirosaki Castle and its red wooden bridge in mid winter season, Aomori, Tohoku, Japan

Now that Japan has officially re-opened to international travellers, Kyoto-based tour operator Oku Japan is offering its full roster of guided and self-guided tours.

“We are thrilled that all international markets are once again able to travel to Japan,” Hiroshi Kawaguchi, general manager of Oku Japan, said.

“While there are still a few guidelines that remain in place for visitors, as a tour operator we no longer need to offer only amended versions of our guided tours, and all our self-guided tours are once again an option for our guests.”

Oku Japan also offers a variety of experiences around the country, going off the beaten path to explore Japan’s more remote regions, with a focus on fostering interactions between its guests and the local population.

Oku’s self-guided trips also come with the option to add extensions and experiences to further enhance every itinerary. Some examples of these optional add-on experiences include walking with a Yamabushi ascetic monk on the Kumano Kodo, making Sanuki udon noodles in Shikoku, or enjoying a rural farm stay in the Kumano region, among others.

Here are just a few examples of Oku Japan’s self-guided itineraries that are now available to book:

Hiroshima & Shimanami Kaido

  • Duration: 6 days
  • Availability: Recommended from March-November
  • Level: Active
  • Price: US$1,845 per person

Nara Ancient Capitals

  • Duration: 5 days
  • Availability: Recommended from March-November
  • Level: Active
  • Price: US$1,165 per person

Hokkaido Winter: Lake Akan to Shiretoko

  • Duration: 7 days
  • Availability: Recommended from January to March
  • Level: Moderate
  • Price: US$2,325 per person

Shikoku 88 Pilgrimage

  • Duration: 8 days
  • Availability: Recommended from March to November
  • Level: Challenging
  • Price: US$2,115

Oku Japan’s itineraries aim to steer clear of the classic tourism haunts and the on-the-bus/off-the-bus style of travel, with itineraries and interactions that encourage guests to get up close and personal with the places visit and people they meet along the way, putting tourist dollars to good use in remote, local communities.

“We feel very positive about the future of adventure travel in Japan,” Kawaguchi said.

“And we look forward to continuing our initiatives in the local communities where we operate – ensuring that our guests enjoy an immersion in the local culture and a more intimate connection to the places they visit and people they meet along the way.”

Check out the Oku Japan website to find out more about the itineraries.

Latest News

  • Aviation

Highlights of CAPA Airline Leader Summit Australia Pacific

Delays in new aircraft delivery, supply-chain issues, terminal upgrades, premium travel, the failure of China to return to global travel, plus sustainable fuel were the hot topics for the hundreds of delegates who attended Day 1 of the CAPA Airline Leader Summit Australia Pacific at The Star in Brisbane today. On sustainable aviation fuel, while […]

  • Aviation

Air India to target Indian-Australians as part of its rebuild, says its CEO & MD

Air India, now part of the huge TATA group, is on a steady rebuild and will target the growing diaspora of Indian-Australians as part of its rebuild, said its CEO & MD Campbell Wilson. Over the last two years, Air India has increased flights to Australia by 113 per cent per week, increased the number […]

  • Destinations
  • Tourism

The NT tops list of hidden gem attractions out of Aussie states

As Australia steps into spring with temperatures set to rise above average, new research has revealed the states with the most must-see hidden gem attractions with the great outdoors proving a winner! The study, conducted by travel and luggage experts at Bounce, used Tripadvisor and search data to uncover Australia’s most treasured destinations. The Northern […]

  • Health & Wellness
  • Hotels

Fusion Hotel Group celebrates World Wellness Weekend

Vietnam’s wellness-inspired Fusion Hotel Group is celebrating World Wellness Weekend from 20-22 September with yoga and other healthy living activities. Fusion Hotel Group has introduced a series of events and activities for guests at five of its luxury beachfront resorts in Vietnam to World Wellness Weekend. The exclusive offers include yoga, meditation, onsen baths, Zumba, […]

  • Hotels

InterContinental Wellington unveils new Health Club and Classic Rooms makeover

InterContinental Wellington has announced the completion of its newly revamped Health Club and a stylish makeover of its Classic Rooms. Bringing a new level of luxury to its 79 Classic Rooms, including eight accessible rooms, the hotel has meticulously re-styled these spaces in collaboration with Y-6, an acclaimed Interior Architecture and Design studio based in […]

  • Cruise
  • Cruise Lines

Celestyal Journey celebrates its first anniversary

Celestyal Journey has notched up one year with Celestyal, travelling 66,100 nautical miles in its first year, mostly around the Greek Islands. The 55,877-tonne ship joined the Celestyal fleet following a multi-million-dollar refurbishment made her maiden voyage for the Greek cruise line on 2 September 2023, a seven-night Idyllic Aegean cruise to Thessaloniki, Kusadasi, Heraklion […]