10 Top Rated Virtual Japan Tours To Take Online

Virtual Tour To Discover Mount Fuji

Rating:  5/5 Stars

Duration: 45-60 minutes

This Mt. Fuji Virtual Tour is a good way to get to know the most iconic and majestic symbol of Japan.

Mt Fuji is very special to the Japanese,  representing faith and admiration. This online experience shares Mt. Fuji and the areas around it from a local’s perspective. You will get to hear about the history, culture as well as stories from the locals who live in Shizuoka prefecture.

You will discover some of the things to see and do and the best food that you must try when you visit in person.

* NOTE Tour times are Japan Standard Time . You'll need to convert these to your local time before making your booking.

What's Included

Customer Review

What I Like

Several customer reviews are from people who have previously visited Mt. Fuji in person, and even they thought this virtual tour was great, and that it adds new information that can be used when next visiting in real life. 

Tokyo Highlights Virtual Tour

Rating:  5/5 Stars

Duration: 45-60 minutes

This online experience gives you rough idea of Tokyo's popular sightseeing spots and culture. It's about a 45-60 minutes experience via Zoom and can be used to get a better understanding of what you could see in Tokyo when you're able to visit in person.

* NOTE Tour times are Japan Standard Time. You'll need to convert these to your local time before making your booking.

What's Included

Customer Review

What I Like

Several customer reviews specifically mention how useful this tour is for future trip planning.

Tokyo Imperial Palace Historical Virtual Tour

Rating:  5/5 Stars

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

In this tour, you'll visit Tokyo's Imperial Palace and Tokyo Station, two of Tokyo's finest and historic sites. 

Both locations are engrained into Japanese culture and history, which is why you should know more about these two if you are interested in Japan. You'll get insider travelling tips at each location, illustrated with images, videos and 360-degree photos, that will help you plan your next trip.

This virtual tour is very interactive and includes quizzes about Japanese culture.

* NOTE Tour times are Japan Standard Time. You'll need to convert these to your local time before making your booking.

What's Included

Customer Review

What I Like

Customer reviews frequently praise the knowledge of the virtual guide, saying that afterwards it felt like they had actually been there in person. 

Tokyo Online: Virtual Experience in Shibuya and Shinjuku

Rating:  5/5 Stars
Duration: 1 hour

Overview

During this online experience, you will share the excitement of two of Tokyo’s most popular and exciting districts.

You can travel around these two iconic areas from the comfort of home. Bring a snack and some drinks to enjoy while you hang out. 

Meet and connect with your local expert host who will take you on this virtual adventure! This tour team has hosted over 27,000 guests on walking food tours, sharing stories, history, information, local tips as well as Japanese foodie culture. 

Tours take place at 21:00 JST (Japan Standard Time), so be sure to see what this is in your local time before booking.

What's Included

Customer Review

What I Like

This tour is a great way to hear first hand about Japanese life and culture in two of Tokyo's most famous and lively districts. The guide is happy to answer questions about your future trip planning for Tokyo and Japan.

Kyoto Virtual Tour

Rating:  5/5 Stars
Duration: 1 hour

Overview

This is a virtual tour using Zoom, online conference system. This one hour tour brings you to one of the most beautiful and historical cities in Japan, Kyoto. Two friendly hosts will make your experience more interactive.

We use not only photos or videos but also handmade materials or actual goods from guides' living room, that makes you feel livelier. 

You can ask them anything about Japan, Kyoto and other popular tourists spots by chat or by talk session after the tour. This tour will provide helpful hints for your future trip to Japan.

*NOTE the tour time is Japan Standard Time. You need to make adjustment to your local time when booking.

What's Included

Customer Review

What I Like

This tour includes not one but two hosts, both of whom are local experts. Each bringing their knowledge and expertise to your virtual experience. 

Gion Walking Tour by Night with Virtual Option

Rating:  4.5/5 Stars
Duration: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Overview

Discover Kyoto’s magical Gion district, which is known for being the city’s Geisha area.

Don't worry about language barriers, as your guide translates and explains the difference between maiko, geiko, and other relevent Japanese words. The unmarked narrow streets of Gion can make it easy to get lost at night, but this is not a problem with a guide to navigate and lead the way. 

This is usually an in-person tour. However, for those who cannot join the tour, a virtual option is available. This is conducted simultaneously with the 'real' group tour by making use of the Zoom video application.

During the tour, you are allowed to ask questions by texting through the 'Q+A function' of Zoom.

*NOTE: tour times are Japan Standard Time. Make adjustment to your local time when making your booking. 

What's Included

Customer Review

What I Like

While all other tours here have a 5/5 rating, this one is just so popular, with over 180 reviews, I thought it ought to be included. It's also one of the longer tours. It has a rating of 4.5/5.

Osaka Virtual Tour

Rating:  5/5 Stars
Duration: 1 hour

This is a virtual tour using the Zoom online conference system. This one hour long tour brings you to one of the most unique and fun cities in Japan, Osaka.

Two friendly hosts make your experience interactive. They use not only photos or videos but also handmade materials or actual goods from their own living rooms, adding a personal dimension to the experience.

You can ask them anything about Japan, Osaka and other popular tourists spots by chat or during the Q+A session following the tour. This tour will provide helpful hints for your future trip to Japan.

*NOTE: tour times are Japan Standard Time. Make adjustment to your local time when making your booking.

What's Included

Customer Review

What I Like

This virtual tour includes not one but two hosts. Both of whom are local guides. The customer reviews on Viator are full of praise for them both. 

Virtual Guided Tour of Takayama

Rating:  5/5 Stars
Duration: 30 minutes

Host Luca created this online live tour in direct response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is a live tour of the streets of Takayama's old town, which guest can join via Whatsapp, Line, Facetime or Skype. It includes all the town's most distinctive features, including the red bridge, morning market, a local Shinto shrine, and an explanation of sake tasting.

Information provided along the way includes historical aspects of the city, and both how politics and commerce have played key roles in the history of the town.

 *NOTE: tour times are Japan Standard Time. Make adjustment to your local time when making your booking.

What's Included

Customer Review

What I Like

Host Luca has made it really easy to join his live tour of this wonderful town, with guests able to join through Whatsapp, Line, Facetime or Skype.

You Might Also Like: An Expert Online Tour of Takayama's Merchant Quarter

Studio Ghibli Spots Tour

Rating:  5/5 Stars

Duration: 45-60 minutes

This online experience will take you to the places throughout Japan which are the inspiration for some of Studio Ghibli most famous films. Ideal if you're unable to visit the Ghibli Museum in person.

It's about 45-60 minute experience via Zoom. Operated with the aim of expanding your wishlist places of your next visit to Japan. A question and answer session is included covering both Studio Ghibli films and Japan in general.

*The time of the tour is Japan Standard Time. Please exchange to your time before booking.

What's Included

Customer Review

What I Like

What a great idea! Studio Ghibli is well-known for drawing inspiration from real locations throughout Japan, and this is a great way to easily see some of them.

Japan: The Bathing and Sento Experience

Rating:  5/5 Stars
Duration: 45 minutes-1 hour

Overview

This online experience will introduce you to the Japanese bathing culture, starting from fancy Onsen (hot springs) to local Sento (public bath).

Learn the customs and rules of taking bath in Japan, and get prepared for your next trip to Japan (hopefully in the near future!). What you discover here you can then apply when you visit in person. 

＊All times specified are in Japan Standard Time. Please check your time zone before booking.

What's Included

Customer Review

What I Like

A great example of how to use virtual tours to learn about Japanese culture before you come to Japan. Includes a list of tatoo-friendly sento/onsen in and around the Tokyo area.

BONUS! Cocktail Connections: Online Happy Hour in Japan

Rating:  5/5 Stars
Duration: 1 hour

Overview

Join a local expert for a virtual cocktail session, live from Japan. With 20 years experience in the food and beverage and tourism industries, your host will share some fun DIY cocktails and help answer questions you may have about life in Tokyo.

She will also share some hidden gems, tips and tricks in the city, and show you how to make your own delicious Japanese-style cocktails and mocktails at home. Learn some bar basics - AMA “Ask me anything” format to answer questions about cocktails, Japan, and Japanese culture and food travel.

This experience is great for locals living in Japan, as well as Japan and bar fans around the world. 

Sessions take place on Saturdays at 9pm. They also have time slots for 10am Wednesdays and 12pm Fridays. All times given are JST (Japan Standard Time), so be sure to see what this is in your local time before booking. 

What's Included

Customer Review

What I Like

OK, not strictly a tour at all ;-), but if you can't go out, have a few drinks and hang out with friends at the moment, why not try your hand at a cocktail or two with an expert all the way from Japan!?