CUSTOM JAPAN TOURS • SINGAPORE
Japan Private Tours from Singapore
Authentic Japanese Experiences, Designed Around You
Discover Japan on a private tour designed around your interests, your pace and the people you travel with.
Whether you’re travelling with children, ageing parents, returning to Japan for another visit, or simply want a holiday designed around the way you like to travel, every journey starts with you.
We take the stress out of planning your Japan trip by working out the routing, logistics and pacing. All you need to do is pack your bags and show up for your holiday.
Designing private Japan journeys since 2015 | 20+ in-depth Japan trips | Trusted by families for more than a decade
WHY JAPAN TRAVEL PLANNING GETS COMPLICATED
When Your Japan Holiday Becomes a Second Job
The family has decided. Japan for the year-end holiday.
Everyone is excited.
YouTube videos, Instagram reels, beautiful hotels, scenic trains and places to visit start flying into the family chat.
“Can we go here?”
“Can we try this restaurant?”
“Can we take this scenic train?”
And somehow, you become the ideas collector, researcher and trip planner.
For every destination someone saves, you have another question to answer.
How do we get there? How long does it take? Can we fit it into the route? Should we stay one night or two? And how do we stitch all these places together without spending half the holiday travelling?
Then come the hotels.
A ryokan for the Japanese experience? A hotel beside the train station for convenience? Or somewhere quieter with more space?
And the luggage.
Do we carry it with us? Forward it to the next hotel? If we’re changing cities again two days later, does forwarding still make sense?
One decision leads to another.
Suddenly, you're coming home from work only to start your second job: planning the Japan holiday.
Night after night, you’re comparing hotels, checking routes, reading reviews and trying to make sense of everyone’s ideas.
And the hardest part?
You still don’t know whether you’re making the right decisions.
And after putting in all those hours, nobody really sees how much work went into planning the trip.
But if something goes wrong? Everyone knows who planned it.
You don’t have years of experience planning Japan or first-hand knowledge of how everything works on the ground. Something may look perfectly sensible on Google Maps, but will it actually make sense when you’re there with children, parents and luggage?
At some point, the excitement disappears.
Your head is going to explode.
This doesn’t feel like a holiday anymore. It feels like another job.
You don't need another 20 tabs open. You need someone experienced to take over.
At Epic Travel Designer, we take the stress of planning off your hands. We design your private Japan tour around your needs, working through the routing, accommodation, transport, experiences, luggage logistics and day-to-day pacing to bring everything together into one seamless journey.
You get your precious time back, to spend on the things that matter more.
MEET YOUR JAPAN TRAVEL DESIGNER
I'm Best, Chief Travel Designer at Epic Travel Designer
I’ve been designing private Japan tours for my clients since 2015, helping families, couples and multi-generational travellers turn their travel ideas into journeys that actually work.
But my knowledge of Japan doesn’t come from brochures or short familiarisation trips.
20+ in-depth trips across Japan
I’ve travelled to Japan more than 20 times, typically spending three weeks or longer on each trip, exploring most of Japan’s prefectures, from the major cities to remote countryside and lesser-visited regions.
That first-hand experience matters.
I’ve driven the roads, taken the trains, stayed in the ryokans and worked through the same transport connections and regional logistics that go into the journeys I design for my clients.
So when I recommend a route, decide where you should stay, suggest whether to drive or take the train, or tell you that somewhere simply isn’t worth squeezing into your itinerary, that advice comes from years of designing and travelling Japan.
You don't have to become a Japan expert to plan your holiday. That's my job.
PRIVATE JAPAN TOURS, DESIGNED AROUND YOU
Why Choose a Private Japan Tour?
Group tours work well for travellers who are happy to follow a fixed itinerary and schedule.
But what if you don’t want to wake up at 6am just because the coach leaves at 7?
What if your children need a slower morning, your parents can’t walk as quickly as everyone else, or you simply want to enjoy breakfast without watching the clock?
With a private Japan tour, the journey moves around you, not the other way around.
At Epic Travel Designer, a private Japan tour is designed from scratch around your travelling party. We bring together the routing, accommodation, trains and transfers, private driver-guides or self-drive arrangements, experiences, luggage logistics and day-to-day pacing into one customised Japan journey.
You decide what time your day starts. You’re not rushed through somewhere you’re enjoying simply because the itinerary says it’s time to leave.
More importantly, every place on your itinerary earns its place.
We don’t include an attraction simply because every Japan tour goes there. It needs to suit your interests, your travelling party, your route and the way you want to spend your holiday.
It's your holiday, your time and your money. The itinerary should reflect that.
REAL JAPAN JOURNEYS
A Few Japan Private Tours I've Designed
No two Japan private tours need to look the same.
Some families want the comfort of a private driver-guide. Others prefer the freedom of self-driving. Some are visiting Japan for the first time, while others have been many times and want to explore somewhere completely different.
The journey should start with who is travelling, what they enjoy and how they want to experience Japan.
Here are a few Japan private tours I’ve designed over the years.
PRIVATE ESCORTED JAPAN TOURS
A Three-Generation Kyushu Journey
When the enquiry first came in, it sounded like many family holidays.
Eight family members. Three generations.
Three seniors were in their 80s, including one wheelchair user.
They loved Japanese food. They loved trains. And they had always wanted to experience staying in traditional ryokans.
But the grandparents walked very slowly. Sleeping on tatami mats wasn’t practical, and walking to a public onsen could become a safety concern.
I wasn't simply looking for beautiful ryokans. I needed the right ryokans.
Western beds. A private indoor bath. Excellent kaiseki cuisine. And an authentic Japanese setting.
That combination was surprisingly difficult to find.
Instead of rushing through Kyushu, I designed the journey around longer two-night stays. Nearly half their accommodation was in carefully selected ryokans, giving everyone time to slow down and enjoy the experience.
The family loved trains too, but multiple station transfers with luggage would have been exhausting. So rather than using trains throughout the trip, I saved a scenic train journey for the final day. Their luggage travelled separately by private transfer and was waiting for them at the hotel.
From the outside, it looked like a relaxing family holiday. Behind the scenes, dozens of decisions made it possible.
Sometimes good travel design isn't about adding more experiences. It's about making sure everyone travelling can enjoy them.
HOKKAIDO WINTER PRIVATE TOURS
A Family's First Experience of Snow
It was their first family trip to Japan.
Three adults. Four children.
Disneyland was non-negotiable. So was skiing.
The family also had children with special needs. They needed space, flexibility and a slower pace.
Most Hokkaido winter itineraries naturally point towards Sapporo or Niseko.
But I kept asking myself one question:
If this is the children's very first experience of snow, do I really want them to remember crowds?
Instead, I based the family in Furano.
They had space to run, play and simply experience winter.
Beyond skiing, they floated above snow-covered fields in a hot-air balloon and made fresh butter and cheese together.
Their first encounter with snow became more than another sightseeing stop. It became a family experience.
Popularity isn't always the best reason to choose a destination. Sometimes the quieter choice creates the better holiday.
JAPAN FAMILY TOURS
19 Days Through Classic Japan and Beyond
A customised Japan tour doesn’t mean you have to avoid Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.
For families visiting Japan, the classics can absolutely belong in the journey.
For one family, I designed a 19-day Japan tour that combined the familiar Golden Route with Takayama, Shirakawago and Hiroshima.
The important question wasn’t simply, “What should they see?”
It was how to make a long Japan journey enjoyable for the whole family.
That meant balancing sightseeing with the children’s interests, choosing accommodation and transport carefully, and pacing the journey so the family could experience more of Japan without feeling like they were racing through it.
The destinations may be familiar. The journey doesn't have to be standard.
JAPAN SELF-DRIVE TOURS
Chasing the Dragon Eye Through Aomori & Akita
Some parts of Japan are simply better explored with the freedom of a car.
For this journey, one of the highlights was the Hachimantai Dragon Eye, a seasonal natural phenomenon in the mountains of northern Japan.
Getting there was part of the adventure.
Aomori and Akita are far removed from the usual Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka route.
Travelling through the region required more than simply picking up a rental car and plotting attractions on Google Maps.
Driving times had to be realistic. Overnight stops had to make sense. Car rental, luggage and accommodation all had to fit together.
And sometimes, the best self-drive journey isn't entirely by car.
I combined self-driving with the Shinkansen and ferry, using each form of transport where it made the most sense.
The result was a journey that gave them the freedom to explore remote northern Japan by road, without forcing the entire holiday to revolve around the car.
You enjoy the drive. I work out how the journey fits together.
JAPAN FOR REPEAT TRAVELLERS
14 Days Exploring Ibaraki Through the Outdoors
After you’ve visited Japan several times, the question changes.
It isn’t always:
“Where haven’t I been?”
Sometimes it's: “What do I actually want to do this time?”
For this family, the answer was the outdoors.
Rather than starting with Japan’s famous destinations, I designed a 14-day journey around the experiences they enjoyed.
The largely self-drive journey through Ibaraki included melon and blueberry picking, canoeing, cycling the Tsukuba Ring Ring Road, and hiking Mt Oiwa, Mt Yamizo and Mt Tsukuba.
It also took them to waterfalls, gorges, gardens, sake breweries and local food experiences.
Ibaraki wasn't chosen simply because it was “off the beaten track”. It was chosen because it matched the way they wanted to spend their holiday.
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
What Clients Appreciated Most…
The best measure of a journey is how our clients feel when they come home.
Here are a few words from families who travelled on Japan journeys I’ve designed.
“We were very grateful for the thoughtful planning behind our 19-day Japan journey. The entire family enjoyed the trip, and when we encountered some issues overseas, Best’s prompt response helped ease our anxiety tremendously. We’ll definitely be using Epic Travel Designer again soon.”
Family of 4
19-Day Japan Family Tour
“Our first winter adventure in Hokkaido was an unforgettable experience. Every detail was thoughtfully planned, from the wonderful hotels to practical advice like luggage forwarding. When unexpected weather affected one of our activities, Best was quick to explore alternatives and support us throughout. It was a seamless, memorable journey that our family thoroughly enjoyed.“
Family of 4
Hokkaido Winter Private Tour
“Our Osaka and Kyushu self-drive journey was thoughtfully designed around our family’s preferences. Every hotel felt like a wonderful surprise, and the itinerary flowed seamlessly from one destination to the next. Even the overnight ferry was carefully chosen to save valuable travelling time. Throughout the journey, we always felt well supported, allowing us to relax and simply enjoy the holiday knowing every detail had been carefully considered.“
Family of 4
Osaka & Kyushu Self Drive
“Great customised travel experience.“
Family of 5
Northern Kyoto Self Drive
FROM YOUR IDEAS TO YOUR JAPAN JOURNEY
How Your Japan Private Tour Comes Together
You don’t need to arrive with a finished itinerary. That’s what I’m here for.
We start with how you want to travel, then I bring the different pieces together into one thoughtfully designed Japan journey.
01
Tell Me About Your Trip
Start by sharing your travel dates, who you’re travelling with, your interests, preferred pace and anything important I should know.
If your travel needs are a good fit for what I design, we’ll arrange a complimentary 15-minute consultation to discuss your journey.
02
I Design Your Japan Journey
Once you’re ready to proceed, I design the journey around you, not around a pre-set tour package.
This includes the routing, accommodation, transport, private transfers or driver-guides where needed, experiences, luggage arrangements and day-to-day pacing.
The Travel Design Proposal starts from SGD 750 per group and sets out the proposed route, travel flow and experiences for your journey.
03
We Arrange Your Jounrey
Once the journey is agreed, we arrange the travel components required for your private Japan tour and bring them together into one seamless itinerary.
You’ll know where you’re staying, how you’re getting from place to place and what has been arranged, without having to spend your evenings piecing the trip together yourself.
You tell me how you want to experience Japan. I work out how to make the journey happen.
Ready to Stop Planning and Start Enjoying Your Japan Holiday?
You don’t need to spend another evening comparing hotels, checking train routes or figuring out how to fit everyone’s wish list into one holiday.
Tell us about the Japan trip you have in mind.
We’ll review your travel details and, if we’re a good mutual fit, invite you to a complimentary 15-minute call to discuss your trip and how we can help.
No payment is required to submit your travel details.