Modern Japanese History Tour
11,000
Explore recent Japanese military history on this 3-hour guided excursion in Tokyo. Experience the lives of everyday people and soldiers during World War II at Yushukan Shrine, learn about military practices like Kamikaze attacks from an expert guide, and stop by a shrine that commemorates Japan’s 2.5 million victims of war since 1869.
It has been over 70 years since the surrender of Japan, which ended the Second World War. The global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, was the most widespread war in history, as it involved more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. Many lives were lost during the war, including the 129,000 to 226,000 fatalities that occurred due to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Tokyo suffered greatly from the war, especially with the B-29 air raids conducted in March 1945. They were regarded as the single most destructive bombing raid in human history, as most of central Tokyo was annihilated (with 1 million people made homeless and an estimated of 100,000 civilian deaths).
In this three-hour small group Modern History Tour, you’ll be guided by an English-speaking guide as you visit the historic landmarks with relics of WWII. At 9 AM, meet with your tour guide at Kudanshita Station (designated meet-up spot will be provided after booking).
Guests will pay a visit to Yasukuni Shrine, which commemorates 2.5 million of Japan’s war dead since 1869. Learn about the history and controversy that surrounds the shrine before heading to Yushukan, the military and war museum dedicated to the souls of soldiers who died fighting for their country.
In this tour, guests will learn how the Japanese commemorate and pay their respects to those who have perished from war, the issues that civilians faced during WWII such as starvation, how Japanese soldiers felt and behaved during the war, learn why kamikaze (also known as tokotai) was so prevalent and how the soldiers told their family members before their inevitable fates.
Highlights:
- Spend a few hours exploring Japan’s modern history of war on a guided tour
- Learn about Japan’s 2.5 million war dead and Kamikaze attacks from an expert
- Visit landmark sites such as the Showa-kan Museum and Yushukan Shrine
- Get a different perspective on Japan with this specialized experience
Availability: Tuesdays to Sundays from 9 AM to 12 PM
Location: Kudanshita Station (designated meet-up spot will be provided after booking)
Price:
- Standard Tour:
- 2 or more people: 11,000 JPY per person
- 1 person only: 22,000 JPY per person
- Private Tour:
- 2 or more people: 13,500 JPY per person
- 1 person only: 27,000 JPY per person
- 4-Hour Private Tokyo Tour (Add-on):
The 4-Hour Private Tokyo Tour will include an English-speaking guide. This tour will be conducted after the Modern History Tour, from 12 PM to 4 PM. Public transportation costs are included. Admission fee or other optional activity fees for guests and tour guides are not included.
Included:
- English speaking guide
- Photo opportunities
Excluded:
- Food and drinks
- Souvenirs (available for purchase)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information
Attire
As the shrines in Japan are sacred places, we ask that all guests dress appropriately (no short skirts or shorts, or articles of clothing with an excessive amount of skin exposure). We also recommend smart casual attire with comfortable shoes, as there will be a moderate amount of walking.
Age Requirement
There is no age requirement, but a reservation must be made for all guests, and the cost is the same for all ages.
Payment
All bookings are payable via Stripe (Booking Checkout) or Flywire. Confirmations regarding your booking will be sent at least 10 days before your activity date.
Cancellation Policy
Standard Cancellation Policy:
- We will charge a cancellation fee of 100% if booking is cancelled 5 days or less before event
- We will charge a cancellation fee of 50% if booking is cancelled 7 days or less before event
- We will charge a cancellation fee of 25% if booking is cancelled 10 days or less before eventays before your activity date.
There is a non-refundable 3% service fee for all bookings. Refunds (that are not subject to a cancellation fee) will include the ticket price less the 3% service fees. If an event is cancelled or postponed by Japan Awaits, refunds will be for the entire purchase—that includes the ticket price and the service fees.
Q&A
What is the purpose of this tour?
In this tour, guests will learn how the Japanese people commemorate and pay their respects to those who have perished from war, the issues that civilians faced during WWII such as starvation, how Japanese soldiers felt and behaved during the war, learn why kamikaze (also known as tokotai) was so prevalent and how the soldiers told their family members before their inevitable fates.
Will this be a sensitive topic for some people?
While the purpose of this tour is to educate and inform about Modern Japanese history (from over 70 years ago until recent times), it may still be a sensitive topic to some people. We really hope that everyone who comes will keep an open mind and will not put our tour guides in a difficult situation; if the tour guide may feel threatened at any point, please note that the tour may have to end and the tour guide may contact local law enforcement if necessary.
How far in advance should I book?
Preparing a customized tour requires some time, especially if reservations for restaurants or other venues are required. We recommend making a reservation as early as possible. Ideally, it should be 3 months before your travel date, or 1 month before the travel date at the very least. For Custom Tour bookings that are requested with less than 7 days before the travel date, we may not be able to arrange your custom tour in time so your booking request may be cancelled and you will receive a full refund.
Why am I charged a service fee if I make a cancellation after you started planning the trip?
Organizing and planning a trip requires a lot of time and if we have made reservations on your behalf, it may be very challenging to cancel some booking requests. Once we receive your booking and your answers from the Custom Tour form, we will begin putting together your Itinerary Sheet and will start arranging your tour guide, buying tickets, making reservations at venues for your tour, etc. If you cancel the tour any time after we have sent you the custom Itinerary Sheet, the service fee of 15% of your total tour cost will be nonrefundable
