Private day trip · Day trip from Tokyo
From Tokyo: Kakegawa Castle & Tea Customizable Tour
Visit Kakegawa Castle, rebuilt in wood, and its rare original Ninomaru Palace, then see green tea fields on Awagatake hill. About 11 hours.
Private · your group only◆11 hours◆Up to 6 guests◆Pickup included
Road-day snapshot
This is your private tour, so the route is flexible: tell us if you want to skip a stop, stay longer somewhere or add a place nearby.
The experience
A private journey, thoughtfully paced
Kakegawa in Shizuoka is a quiet castle town in tea country. Its castle keep was rebuilt in wood in 1994 using old methods, and next to it stands one of the few original castle palaces left in Japan. This private day trip from Tokyo takes about 11 hours, including the drive.
Kakegawa Castle is a small, elegant white keep on a hill. Because it is made of wood, not concrete, it feels like the castles of the past. From the top you see the town and the hills around it.
The Ninomaru Palace below the keep is an original building from the 1800s. Its long wooden rooms were the offices and meeting halls of the local lord.
Shizuoka grows more green tea than any other part of Japan. On Awagatake hill, tea fields cover the slopes, and on clear days you may see Mount Fuji. We stop for photos and time to walk among the tea rows.
The drive from Tokyo is about 3 hours each way on the Tomei Expressway.
Kakegawa is known for fukamushi, a deep-steamed green tea with a rich colour and soft taste. There is time for lunch in town and to look in the tea shops near the castle.
Your driver-guide meets you in the lobby of your hotel in central Tokyo. We stop at expressway rest areas for toilets, snacks and coffee on the way, and you are back at your hotel in the evening.
This is a private tour. Only your group. Your driver-guide speaks English, and also Hindi and Urdu.
If the castle is closed on your date, you can take a full refund of your booking, guaranteed.
Choose with confidence
Is this the right journey for your group?
Excellent fit if
- Explore Kakegawa Castle, rebuilt in wood with old methods
- Visit the original Ninomaru Palace, one of few left in Japan
- Walk among green tea fields on Awagatake hill
- Admire views from the castle over the town
- Look for Mount Fuji on clear days
Said plainly
The tour takes about 11 hours, including about 6 hours of driving The castle has steep wooden stairs. Shoes are removed inside If Kakegawa Castle or the Ninomaru Palace is closed on your date, you can take a full refund of your booking, guaranteed. If you prefer, we can instead visit another historic castle site in Shizuoka Pickup is from your hotel in central Tokyo. Dietary needs can be added in the booking form
Your day
Suggested itinerary
Times are approximate. Your driver-guide adjusts the order for traffic, weather, opening hours and the best light.
Explore Kakegawa Castle, rebuilt in wood with old methods
Visit the original Ninomaru Palace, one of few left in Japan
Walk among green tea fields on Awagatake hill
Admire views from the castle over the town
Look for Mount Fuji on clear days
What is covered
What you see is what you pay
Ours — included
- Private van and English-speaking driver-guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in central Tokyo
- All parking, fuel and road tolls
- Kakegawa Castle entry
- Ninomaru Palace entry
Yours — paid on the day
- Meals and drinks unless listed as included
- Optional tea tasting and tea purchases
- Gratuities, which are never expected in Japan
Good to know
Before you book
Languages
English, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi
Pickup
Pickup and drop-off at your Tokyo hotel or accommodation (23 wards).
Group and vehicle
Private for up to 6 guests. Enter adults, children, infants and child seats separately at booking.
Dietary and mobility needs
Halal, vegetarian, allergy, walking or other practical requests go in your booking notes and are planned before the day.
Questions
Frequently asked
Can we change the route on the day?
Yes. It is a private tour in our own van, so your driver-guide can skip, extend or add stops where time allows.
Is the price per person?
No. The price is for your whole private group of up to 6 people, including the van, fuel, tolls, parking and your driver-guide.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for an automatic full refund to the original payment method. Within 24 hours, contact us directly so we can help. If a typhoon or official weather warning stops the trip, we offer a new date or a full refund. For a GetYourGuide booking, the terms shown on that booking apply.
Somewhere else in mind?
Any destination in Japan
If this route is not exactly what you need, tell us the destination, dates and group. We confirm the plan and the exact price before any payment is taken.
Plan a custom journeyYour private Japan day
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From¥92,000
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