On this page, explore our private and group package tour offerings. The Hidden Japan offers both single and multi-day package tours, combining some of our most popular a la carte experiences into carefully curated trips. These trips are perfect for adding an authentic short-term northern Japan adventure to your travels.
If none of these tours are quite right for you, please contact us about arranging a fully custom private tour (we do both full trips and single legs!).
Experience the fruit kingdom of Yamagata Prefecture. Meet a Yamagata farmer and visit their orchard to harvest fresh fruit, then head to a cocktail bar where the bartender will craft an original cocktail or mocktail just for you!
Experience the best of Japanese high-class culture on this private tour including performances of traditional Japanese instruments of Shamisen, shakuhachi and koto, tea ceremony, tour the Homma Museum of Art, zazen meditation and more.
Experience true freedom and tranquility in the remote mountains of Miyagi at an onsen ryokan without electricity. With only lamps to light your way, digitally detox and experience nature to the fullest. Includes full English language support.
Rinnoji Temple, which has one of the best gardens in the Tohoku region, offers a private tour and immersion in Japanese culture as you learn about the history of Rinnoji Temple and Zen culture. After a prayer and zazen experience, enjoy a meal of shojinryori.
Wear traditional Japanese clothing, Yukata, around the port town of Sakata while experiencing the traditional side of Japan. Try out traditional crafts, Sakata cuisine, visit historical locations of the area and more.
Tour around Yamagata City by e-bike, enjoy learning about the history and culture and create pottery in the Hirashimizu artisan hamlet. After pottery, visit a local restaurant for a lunch of Yamagata soba.
A private guided tour that lets you experience the scenic, cultural, and historical highlights of Sendai and Matsushima all in just one day.
An easy, one-day guided cycling tour exploring the traditional side of Yamagata City. Ride to a Japanese garden, a minor holy mountain to explore a hidden shrine, and the artisan district Hirashimizu for a weaving experience.
On this private sea-to-table culinary adventure tour, experience the bounty of the Sanriku fishing grounds just off the coast of Ishinomaki for yourself! Fish, fry, flambe, and feast your way through this all-day immersive experience.
Tour around Yamagata City by e-bike, enjoy learning about the history and culture and create pottery in the Hirashimizu artisan hamlet. After pottery, visit a local restaurant for a lunch of Yamagata soba.
Catch your own fish or shop for some at a local market, then watch or work alongside as a professional Japanese chef prepares it.
In this special collaboration with Yamagata soccer team Montedio Yamagata, we have launched a backyard tour where you can get special access to meet this famous team and see one of their soccer matches at their stadium in Tendo City here in Yamagata.
Explore the deep craft of production of Japan, which have continued to the present day. See how Japanese fabrics are made and how old-style sake was brewed through this unique, exclusive one-day tour.
A guided tour of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. This tour offers a unique opportunity to directly experience the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the nuclear disaster, as well as the recovery process.
The Uesugi Festival commemorates the samurai clan who once ruled Yonezawa. The main event is a reenactment of the Battle of Kawanakajima. Join the fight as a member of the Takeda or Uesugi forces in a special one-day tour. Applications for this tour close April 15, 2026.
Sakata City is the main port city of Yamagata Prefecture and retains much of the history from its golden days in the Edo Period.
Experience highlights of Fukushima’s coastal area on this 2-day, 1-night tour, with a special emphasis on learning more about the impact of the 2011 disaster and discovering local reconstruction efforts.
Discover a different side of Japan and experience the vibrant food culture of the island of Rebun, Hokkaido. Immerse yourself in the northern panoramas and get to know the region’s fishing, culinary and cultural history through the experiences of local residents on this 4 day, 3 night tour.
Combining artisan workshops, local culinary delights, and charming local lodgings, the Miyagi Region offers a wonderful dive into traditional Japan for the open minded and curious traveler.
This tour is a customizable plan with a variety of options and length that can fit into existing travel itineraries thanks to the excellent access direct from Tokyo via the Tohoku Bullet Train. We recommend this for guests looking to break away from the main tourist sites of Japan for parts of their trip which mixes well with a visit to Tokyo and Kyoto.
Surrounded by the misty green mountains of northeastern Japan, hit the sightseeing highlights of Yamagata City and nearby areas on this specially crafted 4 day, 3 night tour. Includes hands-on cultural and culinary experiences, a visit to a mysterious mountain temple, and a stay in a hot springs village near Mt. Zao.
Dine on Dewa Sanzan shojin ryori, sleep at a pilgrim’s lodge. Wake the next morning to harvest vegetables and learn to cook this cuisine.
Explore Niigata, Fukushima, and Yamagata on this 4-day, 3-night private adventure tour. Explore Niigata city’s history and sake, hike through the stunning natural onsen landscapes of Fukushima, and embrace your inner samurai in Yamagata: this tour is for adventurous spirits looking for authentic experiences off the beaten path.
A 5-day, 4-night private adventure tour in Tohoku’s incredible northern prefectures. Trek, hike, cycle, and kayaking through three prefectures, actively enjoying Aomori, Akita, and Iwate’s sights, sounds, and some really excellent cuisine.
Cultivate your mind, body and spirit as you experience firsthand how the samurai arts and traditions live on in the present day. In this private eight-day tour, participate in personalized experiences led by masters, whilst being supported by English-speaking guides knowledgeable in martial arts.
From Niigata to Yamagata, experience the charm and beauty of traditions of craftsmanship in the Uetsu region of Japan on this 4 day, 3 night tour. Experience Japan’s “monozukuri” tradition for yourself while learning about the history and charm of creation in each area.
A 5 day, 4 night private tour to experience the best of cuisine and craftsmanship in the Uetsu area of Japan. Observe and experience techniques for making outstanding kitchenware of the master craftsmen of Tsubame-Sanjo and enjoy cooking and dining experiences with chefs of Tsuruoka City, a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.
Embark on a journey to experience the unspoiled wilderness of the Okitama region in rural Yamagata, Japan. Visit the places written about generations past, enjoying the sights, locals, cuisine and culture of the land.
Make all your winter dreams come true in Nishikawa Town on this 2 day tour! Holding the distinction of being one of the areas in Japan with the heaviest snowfall in winter, Nishikawa provides a winter wonderland stage for this fun-filled tour, specially designed for maximum enjoyment of the snowy landscapes while experiencing the local spiritual and culinary cultures of the Mt. Gassan area.
From the soothing onsen waters and picturesque castle of Kaminoyama to the city skyline of Yamagata, experience the best local cuisine and culture this area has to offer on this 5 day, 4 night private package tour.
On this 1 night, 2 day tour, explore Yamagata’s traditional and modern food culture in Kaminoyama and Yamagata City. On day one, experience, interact, and deeply enjoy all facets of this region’s incredible cuisine. On day two, immerse yourself in traditional culture, from mountain temples to maiko performances.
Experience Yamagata to the fullest, from dawn to dusk! This specially crafted three day tour includes bar-hopping, sake tastings, hands-on cultural activities, a visit to a mysterious mountain temple, and a stay in a hot springs village near Mt. Zao. The perfect short romantic getaway!
From oyster fishing and cooking in Ishinomaki to the seafood auction of Shiogama, Japan’s sushi capital, delight in the delectable seafood of the Miyagi coastline on this 3 day, 2 night gastronomy tour.
Experience snow country activities in Nishikawa town, one of Japan’s heaviest snowfall areas. Enjoy the snow, relax in a sauna and also take part in exclusive behind-the-scene tours.
Sendai is a dynamic and historically significant city bursting with culture, history, nature, and tradition. On this 4 day, 3 night tour, hit Sendai’s top sightseeing destinations, experience hands-on cultural, culinary and crafting experiences, and get to know the tradition and culture of this fascinating city.
Experience the best of traditional and pop culture in Fukushima on this 3 day, 2 night journey, including martial arts experiences, historic towns, breathtaking nature, hot springs stays, a visit to tokusatsu mecca and even a stationmaster cat!
Immerse yourself in all things Samurai on this 4 day, 3 night tour. Start in the Samurai town of Shiroishi, enjoy private tours of Date Samurai history hotspots in Sendai and Matsushima, and get in on the action in Tome with a Yagyu Shingan-ryu experience. Wind down your trip with a stay in a luxurious traditional onsen ryokan
Experience the splendor of Niigata Prefecture in this 3 day, 2 night tour plan. Make your own Japanese knife, onsen ryokan lodging, and more.
In these carefully curated 2 or 3 day tour packages, enjoy the cultural and culinary highlights of port town Sakata, easily accessible via JR East’s scenic Uetsu Main Line.
This 2 night tour gives you the chance to not only watch, but take part in the Hanagsas festival, of the top three summer festivals in Tohoku. This trip includes two nights at a central Yamagata hotel, a dedicated interpreter, a private dance lesson with a local instructor, costume rental, kimono dressing, hair and make-up, tabi, and zori sandals for the event on the evening of the 5th. Applications close June 15, 2026.
A 3 day, 3 night private tour of the charm of the countryside of Northern Japan in Miyagi Prefecture.
Surrounded by the misty green mountains of northeastern Japan, hit the sightseeing highlights of Yamagata City and nearby areas on either the 3 or 4 day versions of this specially crafted tour. Includes hands-on cultural experiences, a visit to a mysterious mountain temple, and a stay in a hot springs village near Mt. Zao.
On this three night, four day gastronomy tour, explore Yamagata’s traditional and modern food culture in Yamagata City and Kaminoyama. Meet local farmers, chefs, restaurant owners and employees to experience, interact, and deeply enjoy all facets of this region’s incredible cuisine.
Okitama has an abundance of tradition, culture and history, from 1600 year old shrines to traditional childhood pastimes, festivals and cuisine. On this 3 day, 2 night tour, appreciate the longstanding culture and history that Okitama has to offer.
Kayak through the submerged forests of Yamagata in the dams of Iide high up in mountains during the sunrise in spring time.
Immerse yourself in the spirituality of the Dewa Sanzan Mountains in this active 3 day and 2 night experience.
Marvel at the sight of the snow monsters atop of the frosty Mount Zao with this 2-day, 1-night tour.
