Useful Information for Backpacking Japan: Winter (+Ski Extension)

The first night of the tour is spent at Sakura Hotel Nippori in Tokyo. You will be notified in the unlikely event that there are any accommodation changes.

Due to the nature of cuisine in Japan, strict dietary requirements may be difficult to accommodate in some areas. Many of the broths/stocks which flavour much of Japanese food are not vegetarian/vegan friendly, and many meals contain either meat, fish, or egg elements. We recommend downloading the app “Happy Cow” and asking your tour guide for advice throughout the tour. You may also bring some snacks/supplements with you if necessary, but please note that Japanese customs can be very strict with medication so ensure you double check everything you bring.

We are unfortunately not able to offer a single supplement for our Japan tour, simply because it’s extremely difficult to find a single room, almost every room is a twin so it would essentially mean the guest would need to cover the cost of two people to be able to have a room to themselves. However, we will absolutely try and put you with another solo traveler.

Our Backpacking Japan: Essentials tour stays in fun, mixed-gender dorms at hostels across Japan. If you’d prefer same-sex twin-share accommodation, we recommend our Backpacking Japan 14-day tour, which includes twin-share rooms for most of the trip (except temple stays and Kyoto’s capsule accommodation).

You can fly into either Narita International Airport (NRT) or Haneda International Airport (HND). Airport pick-ups are not offered on this tour, but incredibly detailed instructions on how to reach the hostel from both airports are included in your welcome pack.

On the final day, we recommend booking flights no earlier than 2:30 pm from Tokyo. Please allow around 2 hours to travel from Nagano to Tokyo by Shinkansen before checking in at the airport.

You can fly into Narita International Airport (NRT) or Haneda International Airport (HND); it doesn’t matter which one you choose. While we don’t offer airport pickups on this tour, we provide incredibly detailed information on how to get to your accommodation from both airports.

The first night’s accommodation is as follows:

Backpacking Japan: Sakura Hotel Nippori
Backpacking Japan: Essentials: Sakura Hostel Asakusa

Note: You will be notified in the unlikely case that there are changes.

Please wait for a confirmation email; this will provide information about when we recommend arriving and to depart. We recommend using Sky Scanner to arrange your flights.

We will provide you with airport transfer information 1-week before the tour/program begins.

Citizens of several countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and many European countries, can enter Japan for short-term stays (usually up to 90 days) without a visa for purposes such as tourism.

However, visa requirements can change, so it's always a good idea to check the most current information from an official source or the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country.

You must have a valid passport and an onward/return ticket, and your passport must be valid for the entire time you are staying in Japan. Don't be surprised if an immigration officer asks you to show proof of sufficient funds to travel for the length of your stay in Japan.

For additional guidance, you can also visit the Sherpa official website to see if a visa is required for your visit to Japan.

International flights are not included in the price of any tour and will need to be booked separately. You’re free to book your own flights or book here.

Once you’ve booked your flights, log in to the Manage My Booking area of our website and enter your flight arrival details. That is how your group leader knows when you are landing.

Arriving before the tour starts, or staying on at the end? Let us know as early as you can so we can check availability and pricing on extra nights.

Your deposit ensures your reservation for the tour or program. It guarantees your spot until 60 days prior to the scheduled commencement date, at which time the outstanding balance must be settled in full. Failure to complete payment by the specified deadline will result in the cancellation of your reservation, and the vacancy may be offered to another prospective participant. The remaining balance can be found in your account, and multiple reminders will be sent in advance of the due date to ensure timely payment.

For group tours, your place is confirmed once enough travellers have booked, and always at least four weeks (28 days) before your tour starts. Most group tours are confirmed around six months before departure.

For volunteer or private bookings, please allow 2-3 working days.

If a tour does not run, you get a full refund.

Yes, the dress code is seen as a show of respect to the culture, temple and monks that often live in the temples. Men should wear long pants and no cut-off sleeves. Women should wear trousers, a long skirt, or dress that extends fully below the knees and covers their shoulders - the knees should be fully covered. Tank tops and low cut shirts should also be avoided by both genders.

We would highly recommend bringing no more than 15kg on this trip, and bringing a backpack instead of a suitcase if you can. You won’t need to carry your luggage around during daily excursions, but you will need to transport your luggage between each accommodation so we recommend packing as lightly as possible.

The luggage limit on the Shinkansen (bullet train) is very strict. Bags over 160cm (height x width x length) need an advance reservation and bags over 251cm cannot be accommodated even with a reservation.

Whilst on the tour the longest travel time is around 4 hours. There will be a day where we will be on the train for 2-3 hours twice in one day with a 30 minute change.

We would not recommend flying internationally any earlier than 5 pm. It takes 4 hours to reach Tokyo on the return train and a further 1 hour to reach the airport, and you’ll need to be there at least 3 hours earlier than your flight. (The Hiroshima-Tokyo bullet train is a faster Shinkansen than the Osaka-Tokyo). Please note that the bullet train is available as an additional cost.

The trip starts and finishes in Tokyo.