Tour operator

1. Arigato Travel

Food tourTokyo

A Tokyo-registered travel agency founded in 2016, running guided food and culture tours such as a Shinjuku and Golden Gai evening food walk.

View details — Arigato Travel

Tour operator

2. Kyoto Cycling Tour Project

Cycling tours and bike rentalKyoto Station

A Kyoto cycling company running since 2001, offering guided cycling and walking tours, around 400 rental bikes and terminals near Kyoto Station and across the city.

View details — Kyoto Cycling Tour Project

Tour operator

3. Tombori River Cruise

Canal boat tourDotonbori (Chuo-ku)

A 20-minute guided boat ride along the Dotonbori canal, leaving every half hour from Tazaemonbashi Pier beneath the neon signs of Minami.

View details — Tombori River Cruise

Tour operator

4. Camellia Tea Ceremony

Tea ceremony experienceHigashiyama

A tea ceremony company founded in 2014 by Atsuko Mori, hosting shared and private ceremonies in a Ninenzaka machiya and a garden teahouse near Ryoan-ji.

View details — Camellia Tea Ceremony

Tour operator

5. MagicalTrip

Food and bar-hopping toursTokyo

A Tokyo tour company running guided bar-hopping nights in Shinjuku, food tours, Tsukiji visits and cultural experiences such as sumo and samurai sessions.

View details — MagicalTrip

Tour operator

6. Osaka Aqua-Bus Aqua-Liner

River sightseeing cruiseOsaka Castle (Chuo-ku)

A sightseeing boat loop on Osaka's rivers, linking Osaka Castle, Yodoyabashi and Hachikenyahama piers with views of the castle and Nakanoshima.

View details — Osaka Aqua-Bus Aqua-Liner

Tour operator

7. Arigato Travel Osaka Food Tours

Food tourDotonbori (Chuo-ku)

Guided food walks through Dotonbori and its back alleys, with four tasting stops, a drink and dessert, run by a registered travel agency.

View details — Arigato Travel Osaka Food Tours

Tour operator

8. Sagano Scenic Railway

Scenic train rideArashiyama

A sightseeing train running about 25 minutes from Saga through the Hozu River gorge to Kameoka, with an open-air car called The Rich.

View details — Sagano Scenic Railway

Tour operator

9. Tokyo Great Cycling Tour

Cycling tourShinkawa

Guided bicycle tours of Tokyo starting from Shinkawa, with themed half-day and full-day routes covering the bay, old Edo, backstreets and architecture.

View details — Tokyo Great Cycling Tour

Tour operator

10. Hato Bus

Bus toursCentral Tokyo

Tokyo's long-established sightseeing bus company, running half-day, full-day, night and open-top tours plus day trips to Mount Fuji and Hakone.

View details — Hato Bus

Tour operator

11. Osaka Volunteer Guide Council

Volunteer guided walksOsaka Castle Park (Chuo-ku)

A non-profit group of volunteer guides offering English-language tours of Osaka Castle Park and other districts, booked in advance.

View details — Osaka Volunteer Guide Council

Tour operator

12. WAK Japan

Cultural experiencesNakagyo

A Kyoto cultural experience company in Nakagyo offering kimono, tea ceremony, calligraphy, home visits, cooking and craft sessions for visitors.

View details — WAK Japan

Tour operator

13. Haru Cooking Class

Cooking classSakyo

A home cooking class run since 2010 by Taro Saeki north-east of the Imperial Palace, teaching Japanese home dishes in small groups of up to eight.

View details — Haru Cooking Class

Tour operator

14. Osaka Sky Vista

Open-top bus tourUmeda (Kita-ku)

Hour-long guided sightseeing loops on an open-top double-decker bus, departing from Osaka Station's JR Highway Bus Terminal on Umeda and Namba routes.

View details — Osaka Sky Vista

Tour operator

15. Tokyo Mizube Line

River cruiseAsakusa

A water bus service run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association, cruising the Sumida River between Asakusa, Ryogoku and Odaiba under Rainbow Bridge.

View details — Tokyo Mizube Line