BROOMFIELD, CO (February 22, 2024) -- Inside Travel Group | B Corp™, the distinguished parent company of InsideJapan Tours, has increased its Small Group Torus departure dates by record amounts in 2024 to meet expanding demand for organized Japan group travel, which continues to grow at an unprecedented rate following the re-opening of Japan’s borders post-pandemic.

“After the phenomenal demand for our 72 sold-out group tour departure dates in 2023, InsideJapan Tours has increased our small group offerings this year by 83% with 132 small group tours scheduled for 2024,” commented Richard Farmer, InsideJapan Tours’ Osaka-based Small Group Tours Manager. “Thanks to InsideJapan Tours offering an increased number of departures in 2024, we are still able to book passengers in February to join a group tour during Japan’s coveted peak cherry blossom season in March and April, a season which is usually sold out over a year in advanced.”

Offering 11 dynamic itineraries with set departure dates and fixed itineraries, InsideJapan Tours’ Small Group Tours are bookable for 2024 and 2025, both of which are set to be record years for the number of travelers booking a spot on an InsideJapan Tours group offering.

“All of our 11 Small Group Tour itineraries showcase Japan from a different angle, and we are excited to launch two new itineraries this year with the addition of the 14-night Majestic Japan tour and the 13-night Autumn Elegance tour,” continued Farmer. “As expected, we are already sold out for many of our 2024 early-season Small Group Tour departures. While we have availability on many 2024 summer and fall dates, we have already opened up bookings for 2025 Small Group Tour dates, for which InsideJapan Tours is offering 149 departure dates, representing an increase of 13% more small group tours than 2024.”

With four classes of tour grades (All-inclusive, Superior, Classic and Essential) that differ in level of accommodations, experiences and transport options, InsideJapan Tours’ Small Group Tours are 7-14 nights, fully guided by an InsideJapan Tours Insider, and capped at 14 participants to maintain a sense of intimacy and cultural immersion relatively free from large crowds of tourists.  Carefully curated itineraries enable travelers to explore both the hidden corners and iconic landmarks of Japan with ease as InsideJapan Tours plan all the logistics involved with a Japan holiday.

“Our Small Group Tours are exactly that – small. These are not your typical tours, as they are capped at a maximum of fourteen travelers, which enable us to stay in unique, traditional ryokan guest houses, eat in small but incredible restaurants, meet local artisans in their workshops and of course travel across the country on the Shinkansen bullet train,” said Jason Martin, US Branch Director of Inside Travel Group. “Japan never fails to deliver whether you’re a first timer or not, there’s always something new to see or experience. Each of our tours encapsulates that, offering traditional architecture, modern cities, hot spring towns, a regional dish or cultural experience not found anywhere else in the world. Our tours and Insiders are there to guide travelers smoothly through this unique country, enabling cultural interactions and adventures that could only happen in Japan.”

Dates and itineraries for InsideJapan Tours’ 2024 and 2025 Small Group Tours can be found at insidejapantours.com/japan-small-group-tours/japan-tour-departures/.

2024/2025 SMALL GROUP TOUR ITINERARIES

• NEW OFFERING FOR 2024: Majestic Japan (14-nights; Starts at $9,490; Features Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Kinosaki Onsen, Hiroshima and Hakone) - With a range of high-end accommodations, enticing meals and escorted service from the tour leader, this trip is the perfect introduction to Japan’s fascinating culture often considered impenetrable by the outside world. This itinerary features Kanazawa’s preserved samurai districts and intricate gardens, Kyoto’s renowned shrines and elusive geisha experiences, an authentic onsen hot springs visit, a meaningful visit to the Peace Memorial Park and Museum in Hiroshima and many other engaging Japan excursions.

• NEW OFFERING FOR 2024: Autumn Elegance (13-nights; Starts at $6,526; Features Tokyo, Matsumoto, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto and Hakone) - Autumn’s vivid colors cast Japan in a gorgeous backdrop of transformative terrains. This tour makes the most of the charms of fall as it traverses mega-cities, alpine craft towns, mountain hot spring resorts and more. After taking in Tokyo’s skyscrapers and sprawling urban landscape, Hakone transports travelers to a haven of natural splendor with vibrant foliage permeating the Mount Fuji views across Lake Ashi, where volcanic hot springs have created one of the country’s most iconic onsen hot springs. A relaxing boat ride on the Hozugawa River in Kyoto will showcase autumn’s charm amidst a backdrop of ornate shrines and intricate temples, as will the mountain towns of Matsumoto and Takayama. 

• Japan Unmasked (13-nights; Starts at $4,303; Features Tokyo, Nagano, Matsumoto, Takayama, Kanazawa, Hiroshima, Kurashiki and Kyoto) - Covering most of the cities on the main island of Honshu, this is the perfect tour for a first-time visit to Japan as it will enable travelers to take in the neon energy of Tokyo, mystical ambiance of preserved temples and samurai fortresses, traditional architecture of Kyoto’s preserved historic districts and stays in off-the-beaten path villages to experience Japan’s lesser-seen countryside and its cottage core charms.

• HYPERJAPAN’s J-Pop & Go! (10-nights; Starts at $4,303; Features Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka) - From day-glo cafés, video game arcades and kawaii street fashions to ancient temples, exquisite gardens and spectacular natural scenery; J-Pop & Go! is the perfect mixture of lively pop culture and traditional Japan.  Covering five incredible destinations in ten nights, this fast-paced tour will introduce travelers to some of Japan's most influential pop culture haunts as well as some of its most venerated historical sites - giving an insight into how the modern and the traditional are interwoven in contemporary Japanese society.

• All-In Japan (12-nights; Starts at $7,774; Features Tokyo, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Awara Onsen and Kanazawa) - Covering Japan's classic destinations with a few unusual twists, this trip is full of cultural experiences to give travelers a stress-free introduction to Japan.  This tour is an exhilarating journey through Japan's history and traditions, from the refined geisha houses of Kyoto, Tokyo's exuberant taiko drumming workshops, the spectacular vistas of the Seto Inland Sea atop Mount Misen, unique dining experiences like okonomiyaki and kaiseki meals and more.

• Hidden Japan (12-nights; Starts at $5,993; Features Kyoto, Mount Koya, Tokushima, Takamatsu, Kotohira, Matsuyama and Hiroshima) - Offering a deeper cultural insight with experiences that stray from the tourist trail, this tour gives eliminates the pressure of ticking off destinations or visiting “must-see” locations and focuses on the roads less traveled for an authentic Japan immersion. Skipping Tokyo to focus on Japan’s intriguing south-central regions, travelers will stay in a shukubo temple and witness the morning prayer rituals of monks, participate in one of the biggest dance festivals in Japan in Tokushima after crossing the Seto Inland Sea via ferry, take in the historic shrines and captivating art of Naoshima Island where travelers will stay in a traditional ryokan, and immerse in the lesser-explored sites of Japan for an alternative and authentic travel experience.

• Tokaido Trail (9-nights; Starts at $3,328; Features Tokyo, Hakone, Lake Biwa and Kyoto) - Covering the classic “golden route” sights of Japan between Tokyo and Kyoto, this itinerary visits both iconic cities and the appealing attractions of each cultural hub. With the option to take a day trip from Kyoto to the ancient capital city of Nara or culinary hotspot of Osaka, travelers will enjoy the surreal natural beauty in Hakone National Park, where they will stay in a ryokan inn complete with tatami mats and an on-site onsen hot spring bath. After a visit to the preserved samurai fort of Hikone Castle, a ferry ride across Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake, will take travelers to the uninhabited island of Chikuba, home to the stunning Hogon-ji Temple.

• Spring Elegance (13-nights; Starts at $6,526; Features Tokyo, Matsumoto, Takayama, Kanazawa, Hakone and Kyoto) - Spring is a wonderful time to travel to Japan, as the winter blanket is cast off and parks are packed with revelers gathered to witness the cherry blossoms’ peak colors, with which comes seasonal festivals across the country. With plenty of time to take in the fleeting rich colors of the sakura cherry blossoms, this tour takes travelers through Hakone’s natural beauty and onsen, Kanazawa’s preserved and historic architecture, Kyoto’s geisha culture and the iconic samurai castle of Black Crow in Matsumoto. Commencing and terminating in Tokyo, travelers will have a chance to take in classic sites on a day tour while tasting Japan’s delicious cuisine at locals’ favorite restaurants.

• Winter Highlights (14-nights; Starts at $6,500; Features Tokyo, Kyoto, Yudanaka Onsen and Hokkaido cities: Sapporo, Abashiri, Lake Kusscharo and Tsurui) - From incredible snowy landscapes and rare birds in Hokkaido to snow monkeys and cultural treasures on Honshu; this tour demonstrates the myriad of allures of winter on Japan's two largest islands. After flying into Tokyo, travelers will transfer to the northernmost island of Hokkaido, a remote landscape of vast windswept plains, dense forests and active volcanoes. Tsurui is famous for the rare, Red-crowned Crane, and a local guide will showcase these rare Hokkaido avian residents for a unique up-close wildlife experience. In Hokkaido’s largest city of Sapporo, travelers will enjoy the winter wonderland of parks, villages and eateries. Adventurous travelers are encouraged to shred some JaPOW at the nearby Kiroro Ski Resort, while those looking to relax can enjoy the city’s Meiji period architecture and Ainu Museum, which features Hokkaido’s indigenous’ eclectic culture. Returning to Honshu for an overnight in historic Kyoto, where travelers will be guided through the city’s iconic temples and shrines, as well as partake in a geisha experience, travelers will next journey to the Japanese Alps, where the mountainous outpost of Yudanaka Onsen provides a chance to soak in soothing hot springs. The trip will conclude in the buzzing entertainment hub of Shinjuku, where the warm neon lights will warm up winter travelers for their final night in Tokyo.

• Classic Japan (13-nights; Starts at $6,292; Features Tokyo, Hakone, Osaka, Kyoto, Takayama and the Japan Alps) - This tour collects the best of Japan's classic cultural and natural locations, creating lifetime memories for travelers as they bask in a hot spring bath at the foot of Mount Fuji, drink tea with an apprentice geisha in Kyoto, find bliss in Tokyo’s calming Hamarikyu Gardens or take in the magnificent mountain scenery and macaque monkeys in Chubu Sangaku National Park, also known as the Japan Alps. Travelers will also sample local culinary specialties from melt-in-the-mouth Hida beef in the alpine regions to super-fresh sushi in Tokyo, quick bites from street vendors in Osaka and multi-course kaiseki feasts in Takayama.

• A Northern Soul (14-nights; Starts at $7,332; Features Tokyo, Nikko, Hiraizumi, Naruko Onsen, Ishinomaki, Sendai, Niigata and Sado Island) - Themed around showcasing the lesser-visited northern regions of Honshu, this tour features some of Japan’s most important historical sites that are seldom seen by foreigners. After taking in Tokyo’s intricate culture and ancient history amidst the modern urban sprawl, the journey continues up north to natural oasis of waterfalls, dense forests and hot springs found at the UNESCO sites of Nikko, resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Hiraizumi, home to the 12th century Heian Period woodland temple of Chuson-ji. Also incorporating Japan’s modern history, this tour visits the town of Ishinomaki, which saw severe damage from the 2011 Tohuku earthquake. The next few days highlight the islands of Nihon San-Kei on a boat tour and spend time in the scenic hills of Niigata. Wrapping up this tour with a two-night stay on Sado Island, the historic site for banished emperors, monks and artists, travelers will get to experience Sado’s distinct culture with sake brewery tour/tasting and taiko drumming workshop. Returning from Sado Island, travelers will take the Shinkansen back to Tokyo and enjoy their final night in the bright neon lights of the Shinjuku entertainment district.

For more information about InsideJapan Tours, visit https://www.insidejapantours.com/us.

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More About Inside Travel Group | B Corp™:

Inside Travel Group | B Corp™ is the owner of two award-winning Asian-travel specialist brands, InsideAsia Tours and InsideJapan Tours. Both tour brands provide travelers with unrivaled destination expertise, vacation planning and in-country support under the InsideJapan Tours brand in Japan and the InsideAsia Tours brand in East Asian countries including South Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo, Singapore and more destinations to come. Founded in 2000, Inside Travel Group is headquartered in Bristol, UK, with offices in Broomfield, Colorado; Brisbane, Australia and Nagoya, Japan. Run by a team of destination specialists, all of whom have first-hand experience living, working, and traveling throughout the region, Inside Travel Group offers a range of original, carefully curated, experience-rich itineraries for people to travel as part of a small group tour or as independent travelers who seek a journey tailored to their needs and budgets. Over 99% of Inside Travel Group clients rate their trip “Excellent” or “Good.” InsideJapan Tours and InsideAsia Tours bring the expertise and connections to open doors that are usually closed to outsiders, creating insightful experiences and interactions for travelers in fascinating destinations.