Homestay in Japan
Private Journeys
Custom Group Travel
At All Japan Tours, we believe one of the best ways to learn and adapt to local customs is none other than staying with a welcoming Japanese family. Many international companies spend a fortune on educating staff members on increasing service value and hospitality through customer service, an area where Japan is second to none. Traditional homestays allow you to experience Japanese hospitality at its very best while learning the traditions of the country from a local’s point of view. It is the perfect way to broaden one’s international views and learn respect for different customs.
Minshuku are family-operated, Japanese-style home accommodations. They are typically located in countryside cities, mountainous areas, or outside of tourist spots. For this reason, many homestay visitors have the opportunity to experience farming, net fishing, logging, and hand picking fresh produce. This is a great way to experience a traditional Japanese lifestyle, as well as to learn to appreciate many things we take for granted in the big city. Japanese homestays are seeing increasing popularity because they allow travelers to acquire and develop better conversational skills through various activities, such as learning how to play Japanese board games with the hosts or creating traditional art (ex. origami, ikebana).
Enjoy homemade Japanese meals and learn the importance of Japanese table etiquette, an important experience that you will take with you wherever you are dining in Japan. Host families are usually enthused to show you their city and its attractions, so be prepared for activity-filled days and embrace your first-hand experience of Japanese culture. Many travelers after a Japanese homestay experience report learning emphasized respect for their elders, how to bow, eco-friendly practices, and an increase in Japanese vocabulary of course. Once you have stayed at a minshuku, you are guaranteed to apply these new experiences in the future, as well as gain a different outlook on life. This unique journey off the beaten path of Japan ensures both an educational and unforgettable life experience for the privileged student groups.
When you contact us through e-mail or phone, we will discuss the type of trip and services you're interested in. There are many things to consider when planning your trip to Japan, such as your travel date, length of stay, destination cities, points of interest, and budget. Based on this information, we will create an initial “sketch” itinerary that includes an outline of recommended travel routes, destinations, accommodations, transportation type, and services we can provide.
Many of our clients select one of our existing Group Tour itineraries and adjust it according to their interests, budget, and other modifications. We also have clients that have their own ideas about their intentions and plans, or even a specific itinerary in mind. However you envision your tour to Japan, you can depend on us to provide first-rate service and exceptional pricing. A minimum of 15 travelers is recommended to get the best rates. (Although we can accommodate smaller parties at higher rates).
Our Japan Custom Group Travel Inquiry Form is designed to give us a clear picture of your interests and preferences, so that we can create the ideal vacation for you. If one of our itinerary is the ideal base plan for you, please mention so in your inquiry. We will customize the plan so that the plan will meet your specific needs and desires.
5.0 stars based on 57 REVIEWS
5/22/2026 - 5/30/2026 / 2026-05-22
We really enjoyed the tour, especially the guides - Nikki, Hiro and Jorge. They were all wonderful, friendly and hospitable. Hiro and Nikki were especially knowledgeable on Japanese culture and made each stop meaningful as they made those important cultural and historical references. We thoroughly enjoyed each of the places we visited. The guides were also great with making sure that we had the information we needed for our non-guided times of our trip. They truly went the extra mile. All of the arranged engagements done through AJT were wonderful. We enjoyed the sushi making, dressing in kimonos, the visit to Mt. Fuji and more. We especially enjoyed our dinner with the Maiko. This was a lovely evening with great food, great company and entertainment. It was also a great way to delve more into Japanese culture. This was an excellent part of the tour and it was great to end our trip. The one comment we had is about the tea ceremony. I think we would have enjoyed a more formal and personal option to learn about the traditional tea ceremony. With a room full of people, it was a little hard to truly appreciate the ceremony. Overall, I highly recommend your company. It was nice to have the trip mapped out, transportation provided and to be accompanied by an expert guide. There was also enough flexibility that we could do activities on our own and explore the cities. It made our travels stress free and allowed us to just enjoy!
The Hansen Group
5/21/2026 - 6/2/2026 / 2026-05-21
The tour was great and enjoyed by all. It was difficult often to understand the guide's English but it kind of grew on the group as time went on. Recommend better English speaker for English groups. Very disappointing not to have the restaurant names and menus for the group in advance - in fact it was never received. The tour was good but a bit busy, I would cut out the Museum outside of Hakone as it was alot of travel on the coach for so little time - less than 45 minutes at the museum. I would also consider not including Hakone for just the one night. Would probably consider the train from Tokyo straight to Kyoto and avoid the long bus rides. Overall, the tour was very good and enjoyed by all.
Maria's Group
5/16/2026 - 6/1/2026 / 2026-05-16
We have just returned to London after an incredible 17- day tour of Japan, and we cannot thank Kiyoshi, Justin, and the team (from All Japan Tours) enough. From the initial planning stages, through to the end of our trip, communication was excellent. Every question and itinerary change was answered and handled promptly. Justin’s help with vegetarian restaurant reservations ensured that every meal was enjoyable and stress-free. The itinerary was exceptionally well planned and perfectly suited to our interests. The carefully selected temples, shrines, gardens, observatories, and other attractions gave us a wonderful insight into Japan, with each destination offering its own unique experiences and enjoyment, building on the memories of the previous town. The hotels chosen were generally excellent and provided comfortable accommodation with adequate space. The only exception was the Vista Hotel in Hiroshima, where the rooms were quite small and the facilities were limited compared with the other hotels on our tour. We would suggest considering alternative accommodation for future. We feel very fortunate to have Shu as our guide. He made our trip so special with his knowledge, kindness, and great sense of humour. He always answered our many questions and helped bridge the communication and cultural gaps, especially when it came to our Jain dietary requirements. We really appreciated most was the genuine interest Shu took in learning about our faith while sharing and explaining so much about Japan’s history, religion, traditions and culture. He gave a full insight in Japanese way of life. He quickly understood the kinds of experiences we enjoyed and thoughtfully adapted the trip to suit us. He was so funny at times and made us all laugh , especially his attempts to speak Gujrati language often had us in tears. He would go to length to make sure we all were looked after well. His thoughtful farewell karaoke and video on our last day was a lovely surprise and which we will always remember. We would be asking for Shu when we re-visit Japan and have already told all our relatives and friends that Shu as a guide is a must if you want to have a wonderful time in Japan. I could write a lot more about Shu and everything he did to make our once in a lifetime trip truly memorable. By the end of the trip, Shu was part of the family. We would also like to give special thanks to all of our drivers for their professionalism and care throughout the journey, especially Umino and Tokoyama for their hospitality. Overall, the entire trip exceeded our expectations, and we would have no hesitation in travelling withAll Japan Tours company again or recommending their services to family and friends.
The Shah Group
3/8/2026 - 3/17/2026 / 2026-03-08
Kim-san is the most amazing tour guide! She is kind, knowledgeable, outgoing, and fun. She really made the trip! I cannot give her enough praise! If I am ever able to return, I would request her!
Amanda G.
11/8/2025 - 11/22/2025 / 2025-11-08
This tour was excellent. The tour guides were very knowledgeable, friendly, conscientious, and answered every question and need. It was packed with interesting and varied activities.
Royce & Teresa
