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8 Days in Japan: Top 5 Itineraries for First Visit 2024/2025

  • 8 Days in Japan: Top 5 Itineraries for First Visit 2024/2025

Eight days are enough for you to visit the major cities of Japan — Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka — while also allowing you to have the flexibility to dedicate 1–2 days for enriching day trips to nearby destinations, such as Hakone, Mount Fuji, Nara, or Hiroshima.

In this article, we've selected five wonderful 8-day Japan itineraries to help you plan a once-in-a-lifetime, beautiful, and stress-free journey. You could choose one of them as a starting point or we could customize your own unique itinerary , maybe based on the inspiration they provide.

Itinerary 1: Classic Japan (Most Chosen)

  • Itinerary 2: For Family with Teenagers
  • Itinerary 3: Japan Cherry Blossom Tour

Itinerary 4: Japan Off-the-Beaten-Path

  • Itinerary 5: Get Involved with the Ainu Aboriginal People

How Much Does 8 Days in Japan Cost?

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  • 2 nights in Tokyo
  • 1 night in Hakone
  • 2 nights in Kyoto
  • 2 nights in Osaka

This 8-day itinerary is ideal for your first trip to experience the best of Japan in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Moreover, you could experience abundant authentic hands-on activities to create an unforgettable Japan trip.

Tokyo is the top city for entering Japan as it offers most international flight options. Immerse yourself in the ambiance of the Edo era (1603–1868) at Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple, Senso-ji, walk along the wide stone paths adorned with towering trees at the downtown Meiji Shrine, experience a sushi-making class, and enjoy what you make as your lunch.

Hakone is an attractive small town known for its onsens (hot spring baths). Spend a traditional Japanese-style night at a ryokan (inn) with an onsen, where you could sleep on tatamis and unwind in the hot springs while admiring picturesque countryside views. A ryokan usually has only 5–15 rooms and they easily become fully booked. You're advised to make reservations at least 3 months in advance to ensure that more options are available. Your personal Japan travel advisor would help you to select a family-friendly or couple-friendly ryokan.

Take a comfortable Shinkansen to the traditional city of Kyoto. Stroll through Fushimi Inari Shrine to see its thousands of orange-red torii gates, admire the gold-leaf-covered Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) to gain an insight into Japanese history, and make Kyoto pottery as a unique souvenir.

Take a day trip to Hiroshima from Osaka to visit the site of the atomic bombing and explore the museum. This would allow you to witness the collection of items left behind after the attack and cherish the post-war peace.

Complete your trip in flourishing Osaka. Experience unique ukiyo-e printmaking to immerse yourself in the charm of Japanese culture, and feel the excitement of a classic Japanese sport — a sumo wrestling match.

Just let us know your interests and requirements , and our Japan travel expert can help make it happen.

Itinerary 2: A Japan Tour for a Family with Teenagers

  • 2 nights in Kyoto (side trip to Nara)
  • 3 nights in Tokyo

This 8-day Japan itinerary is perfect for families, especially those with teenagers. It caters to kids' love for animation and games, and provides a wealth of family-friendly activities that every member could participate in and enjoy. Plus, you won't have to switch hotels frequently.

In Osaka, your whole family would wear ninja outfits to learn about ninja weapons and techniques from a skilled ninja master. Or you and your kids could have an amazing day as you embark on an extraordinary adventure in the magic world of Mario at Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan.

Kyoto is a medieval capital city that's rich in culture. Experience wearing kimonos as you explore Gion district and feel like you're traveling back in time, feed friendly deer in Nara, and enjoy a night's stay at a traditional ryokan with a family room (accommodating 3–5 people).

Travel to Tokyo by Shinkansen. Tokyo is an exciting city offering anime elements for families. Explore the most popular anime shops, such as the Pokémon Center, to buy Japan-exclusive products, enjoy coffee and desserts at an anime café themed around your kids' favorite cartoon characters, and dive into a fun-filled world in Tokyo Disneyland at your own relaxed pace.

You can just tell us your preferences and requirements and our Japan travel consultant will customize a tour for you.

Itinerary 3: Japan Cherry Blossom Tour (in March or April)

  • 3 nights in Kyoto (side trip to Nara)
  • 1 night in Osaka

March to April is the cherry blossom season in Japan. You could admire the beautiful cherry blossoms almost everywhere in Japan, making it one of the best times to visit due to the stunning scenery and pleasant weather.

In this well-planned 8-day cherry blossom itinerary, you would enjoy the breathtaking beauty of cherry blossoms, witness attractions adorned with delicate pink petals, and experience authentic activities to enrich your trip.

Staying at a ryokan with an onsen could be a memorable experience for you. Relax in an open-air hot spring while watching the cherry blossoms dance in the spring breeze. However, traditional ryokans are almost entirely booked up for the 2024 cherry blossom season.

By starting to plan for the 2025 cherry blossom season now, you could make a wise decision that grants you a broader selection of hotels and ryokans, along with the possibility of taking advantage of early bird deals. This proactive approach also ensures a higher chance of securing a more experienced and knowledgeable guide with an early booking.

  • 3 nights in Kyoto
  • 1 night in Koyasan
  • 1 night in Wakayama

This 8-day itinerary not only allows you to visit two top cities, Kyoto and Osaka, but also it allows you to explore two off-the-beaten-path places near these cities. It provides you with the chance to experience the lifestyle of monks while enjoying a vegetarian meal in the mountains, to explore an exclusive traditional Japanese village, and to relax on a sandy beach.

Kyoto and Osaka are two major cities in the western region of Japan. Both cities offer plenty of awesome highlights and authentic activities for you to enjoy. Take a day trip to Kobe to sample the best high-quality wagyu — prepare to be amazed by the incredibly tender and juicy meat.

Koyasan is a significant holy site for Buddhists in Japan. You could spend a night at a well-equipped temple to experience Japanese accommodation, indulge in a healthy vegetarian meal, and immerse yourself in a serene Zen atmosphere to relax your mind and body.

End your trip in Wakayama, a city boasting the best western region beach. Leisurely stroll along the sandy beach to relieve your travel fatigue, take a glass-bottom boat trip to discover the wonders of the clear sea, and sample the exquisite culinary delight of fugu ryori, a Japanese pufferfish delicacy.

We'd like to create a wonderful trip based on your needs and interests, whatever the weather.

Itinerary 5: Get Involved with the Ainu Aboriginal People in Hokkaido

  • 3 nights in Sapporo
  • 2 nights in Furano
  • 2 nights in Noboribetsu

If you are interested in the aboriginal culture of Japan, then this 8-day Japan itinerary is suitable for you. You could gain more insights into how the Ainu aboriginal people impacted Hokkaido's history and culture. Furthermore, you would be able to try traditional crafts and observe wildlife up close.

Sapporo is the main city of Hokkaido. From there, you would observe Ainu artifacts, such as tools and weapons, at the Historical Village of Hokkaido to learn about the Ainu aboriginal people and their way of life. What's more, you could make chocolate cookies at the renowned Shiroi Koibito Park, and savor unique and refreshing beer at the Sapporo Beer Museum.

For a more immersive encounter with the aboriginal culture, visit an Ainu village in Noboribetsu. Besides watching traditional Ainu dance performances and tasting authentic Ainu cuisine, you could engage in traditional handicraft activities, such as weaving bamboo baskets and making traditional Ainu dolls.

In Furano, you could experience yet more hands-on experiences, such as making cheese and candles, which could add more fun to your trip. Asahikawa boasts Hokkaido's best Asahiyama Zoo, where you could closely observe animals and learn about unique habitats specific to Hokkaido's diverse wildlife population, such as Sakhalin foxes and sika deer.

US$350-500 per person per day is the typical cost for a private tour with 4-star hotels, based on a family of 3–5 people. This includes a private guide, private car, full-day itinerary, tickets for attractions, all intercity transport within Japan, and hand-picked 4-star hotels. Thus, the total cost for 8 days in Japan is about US$2,800-4,000 (international flights not included).

Why Travel with Asia Highlights (98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+)

  • Unique experiences tailored to your interests: Enjoy a premium trip that goes beyond the typical tourist attractions.
  • Hassle-free travel and peace of mind: Every aspect of your trip will be carefully planned and organized by your 1:1 travel consultant.
  • Experienced and knowledgeable guides: Your guides will be local and love to work for travelers' smiles.

2-Week Japan Private Family Vacation

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japan trip itinerary 8 days

We made a private tour through South China in January 2024. Altogether Chengdu was the highlight. We had an incredible day at Emeishan. In Chengdu our guidewas Helen. She was the diamond of all. Speaking fluently English, full of interesting stories, laughing and talking all the time. We missed her the rest of our tour. We highly recommend to go to Chengdu for 3 days when visiting China, especially with Helen.

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Other highlights are too many to mention but here are a few Ken taking us to the Terracotta Warriors and our food tour in Xian was amazing,

Our day volunteering at the Panda Base was truly unforgettable. Helen, our guide, provided us with invaluable insights about Chengdu and the pandas, enriching our tour with her knowledge and expertise. We're grateful to Helen for accompanying us throughout the day and showcasing the highlights of China.

We had a booking with China Highlights through Silvia Ye who guarenteed a perfect organisation. In Chengdu our guide was Helen. She was the diamond of all. Speaking fluently English, full of interesting stories, laughing and talking all the time. We missed her the rest of our tour. We highly recommend to go to Chengdu for 3 days when visiting China, especially with Helen.

We traveled to China during the Chinese new year and we had Kris as our guide and he is simply knowledgeable,helpful and great.

We visited Guilin for 2 days and stayed in the Guilin Waterfall hotel. Guilin was absolutely beautiful! Our guide, William, was very knowledgeable and kind! He taught us so much about Guilin and the surrounding area! We really enjoyed trying the specialty rice noodles of Guilin. Our highlight was the Li river cruise.

Amazing tour and the guide Mr. 贺霄 was very accommodating with our needs and request as we have bought our 2 years old with us. Well explained for all the place we visited. Any additional cost were informed well ahead and didn't felt any pressure if we opt not to go for additional detour. The trip was relaxing/ laid back/no rushing with zero shopping!

We had an amazing to China. Our tour guide Martin in Shanghai was super knowledgeable, caring and very flexible with our itinerary. When my wife got sick in the Shanghai, he was able to arrange an English-speaking doctor on the spot and took us to the clinic. On top of the that, Martin and the driver stayed with us at the clinic for the whole duration and drove us back to the hotel afterwards. His genuine concern for our welfare and willingness to go the extra mile did not go unnoticed, and we were deeply touched by his kindness and compassion.

Guilin, but mostly Yangshuo was at the tail end of our China adventure so there was a lot to live up to. Having a guide like Gary Wei meant that our trip ended on a high! We arrived in Guilin very late from an 11 hour train journey. Gary met us with gifts of fruit, sweet bread and cakes which was so unexpected and thoughtful.Gary's knowledge of the area was exceptional and his attention to us the same. He really took our children under his wing - even tuning in to annoying sibling rivalry and managing to keep the peace very well! Gary was our personal photographer at times and even our Taiji instructor, making a beautiful video of us all doing Taiji in a scenic setting :)The cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo is definitely worth taking and we enjoyed our few nights in the area, riding bikes along the river, doing a cooking class and enjoying the scenery

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8 Days in Japan Itinerary : See, Do, Stay and Costs in Japan

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Japan is a fascinating country with a rich cultural heritage. From the Zen of the shrines to the jumbo advertising boards and incredible cuisine, Japan is full of surprise.

To be honest, Japan was not at the top of my travel bucket list at first, but my mother’s desire to visit influenced my decision and finally we bought the flight tickets and then we were off to the land of the rising sun!

And after our 8-day trip to Japan, I fell in love with the country, and it is now in my top three countries to visit again.

It was our first time to visit Japan and we wanted to see the two cities in Japan: Tokyo and Osaka so we planned the trip to both of the cities in 8 days. Two big cities in eight days may seem a bit rushed, but we still have time to explore some neighbourhoods outside of the top sights. So I believe this itinerary is suitable for first timers to visit Japan.

In this 8-day Japan itinerary that covers Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo, Nara and Hakone, I will share from my own experiences and added some recommendations too.

Japan Itinerary : Day 1

Most people will start the trip in Tokyo and travel to Osaka afterwards. However, when we checked the flight tickets, the flight to Osaka International Airport was cheaper than that to arrive in Tokyo Airport so we booked an early flight to Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX) and arrived in the afternoon.

Our Airbnb is sitted in the heart of Osaka – Dotonbori!  Dotonbori  is not only one of the districts in Osaka, it is also a popular food destination and entertainment area in Osaka. 

When we arrived, we immediately got captivated by the vibe and energy from the street. There are many Japanese restaurants on the street and you can get some of the Japanese street food here such as Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki.

Glico Man at Dotonbori

Hundreds of neon lights and mechanical signs, including the well-known Glico Running Man sign and Kani Doraku crab sign, illuminate it at night. Getting a photo shoot with the iconic Glico Running Man is also a must-do thing when in Osaka.

Takoyaki

Umeda Sky Building

The panaromic view from Umeda Sky Building

The highly distinctive and gleaming Umeda Sky Building is a glass and steel high-rise building that dominates an open space. The Sky Building caught my eyes because of the Floating Garden Observatory. It is named Floating Garden, however there is no garden or tree on the high level deck. The sky building features 360 degree panoramic views that can be enjoyed from the open deck at 39th floor.

To get up to the deck, you will need to buy a ticket . Our entrances were included in our Osaka Amazing Pass which is really worth it. We can show the pass and access to the deck directly without having to purchase the entrance ticket.

Shopping at Shinsaibashi

At night, we returned to our Airbnb and walked to the nearby shopping street which is also the main shopping street in Osaka!  Shinsaibashi  and Dotonbori are the most vibrant areas in the city. People even say that going to Osaka without visiting Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori is like going to Paris without visiting the Eiffel Tower. And that is true. 

The largest shopping district in the city is Shinsaibashi, which features numerous retailers. If you are a fan of shopping, this is the place to go. Aside from the shopping spree, you can also find some great Ramen and street food stores on this street.

Read more:  Osaka Travel Guide

Japan Itinerary : Day 2

The next morning, we got out early and rode the early train to Kyoto!

We took a 1 hour and 30 minutes train ride and arrived at Fushimi-Inari Station. As shared in the Japan travel guide , we booked the Kyoto-Osaka Sightseeing 1-Day Pass  for our Day 2 trip which include the transport from Osaka to Kyoto on Keihan Line. The Pass sets us worry-free to go to all the sights within Osaka and Kyoto.

Visit Fushimi-Inari Taisha

Fushimi-Inari is the head shrine of Inari. In Japanese, Inari is ​​god primarily known as the protector of rice cultivation which also furthers prosperity and is very well- respected by the Japanese. 

Torii gates at Fushimi-Inari Taisha

When you are in Japan, you will notice that the torii gates are almost everywhere, even as a store deco or a souvenir keychain. The torii gates symbolise the entrance to an Inari shrine and Fushimi-Inari with countless of the gates is considered as the most impressive religious site to visit in the country. All of the red torii gates lead uphill to the highly regarded Mt. Inari, which would take two hours to climb. 

Japan itinerary : Lanterns in Fushimi-Inari Taisha

When we arrived, the shrine was already crowded with tourists and locals. There is no charge to visit the shrine and even climbing up to the mountain is free.

Visit Toji Temple

Toji Temple is another hidden gem in Kyoto. It is lesser known by tourists so it is less busier than Fushimi-Inari Shrine.

The literally meaning of Toji Temple means the “ East Temple”. Toji Temple is one of  Kyoto ‘s many  UNESCO world heritage sites .

When we first arrived, the entrance led us to the Kondo Hall which is a large wooden building and the temple’s main hall . Across the Kondo Hall is where the five stories Pagoda stands. The pagoda is 57 meters tall and makes it the tallest pagoda in Japan! 

Toji Temple

The Toji temple is large, and the surrounding region is kept up nicely with lovely gardens.The garden is built around the two ponds – east and west. Because of the garden and pond,the Pagoda in the Toji Temple is also a well-known photo location in Kyoto.

Take A Walk At Gion

8 days Japan itinerary : Pagoda in Toji Temple

We then travelled to  Gion , the well-known geisha neighbourhood.

Gion is known for having a large number of old wooden machiya merchant houses that are now home to restaurants, stores, and teahouses where geisha perform.

You might be able to see geisha in Gion wandering through the streets wearing traditional Kimonos. But it’s best to treat them with respect. We did encounter a geisha walking by and we did not disturb them for photo purposes.

Head Up To Kyoto Tower

In the evening, we toured to the iconic Kyoto Tower before going back to Osaka.

Kyoto Tower in the evening

Kyoto Tower is sited right in front of the JR Kyoto Station. There are so many things to explore inside the tower from hotel and gourmet to dozen of souvenir shops and observatory deck!

What caught our eyes was the observatory deck,  the only 360° viewing platform in Kyoto . I recommend going to the deck in the evening to see the breathtaking night view of Kyoto.

The admission fee for an adult was 800 JPY for one hour. I believe it is worth the price because it is a strategic vantage point for viewing all of Kyoto, and the platform is also very well-maintained. You can get the ticket  online  or on the site.

Japan Itinerary : Day 3

Day trip to universal studio japan (usj).

Prior to Universal Studio Japan (USJ), we had been to Universal Studio Singapore (USS) a few years ago. It was so much fun and I have become a fan of Universal Studio Theme Park ever since, and it is on my wish list to visit every single Universal Studio in the world. 

This time came the chance for me to explore Universal Studio Japan in Osaka! I was super excited.

The iconic Universal Studio Globe

Universal Studio Japan is more than double the size of Universal Studio Singapore and it is the Top 5 most visited amusement parks in the world!

The park has plenty to offer. If you enjoy the heart-pounding roller coaster rides, you will not be disappointed. If not, there are still a tonne of other, less difficult rides to experience.It takes at least a whole day to tour because it is so large and so many things to see.

We  purchased the ticket online  in advance so we could skip the ticket counter and go directly to the entrance line.We got there 30 minutes before the park opened because we had been warned about the huge crowds at USJ. I was surprised that when we arrived, there was already a long line in front of the entrance to the park! However, as soon as the park opened, the line moved very quickly, and we were able to enter after approximately 15 minutes.

We experienced several major and popular rides in the park like Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jurassic Park rides, Despicable Me Minion Park for kids, Water World, and many more.

Butter beer in Universal Studio Japan

The rides were so much fun and I wished I had more time to go on another round of rides but the queue for the rides were normally long and needed about 30 minutes to 2 hours waiting.

Also, the butter beer is also one of the highlights in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Try one when you’re there!

Our tickets were the standard entrance tickets, which gave us enough time to ride every ride once but not enough time to ride again in order to see everything the park has to offer. Therefore, in order to save time and be able to explore the park and rides as much as you like, I suggest getting an  Express Pass  is totally worth it.

The Wizarding Wold of Harry Potter

Japan Itinerary : Day 4

Kuromon-ichiba market.

If Osaka is the Kitchen of Japan, then Kuromon-Ichiba Market is without a doubt the kitchen of Osaka. 

Kuromon Market is a covered public market that is massive with more than 150 shops selling seafood, meat, food, snacks and even clothes too. This market is usually where the locals buy the ingredients to cook and due to its massiveness it became popular among tourists too. 

The market opens at 8 in the morning and when we arrived at their opening times, there were already dozens of shops open for business and within one hour, the market was already busy. 

Kuromon Ichiba in Osaka

One of the market’s many attractions is that they not only sell raw food but also cook food for consumption right away. Some shops even provide a little area where customers can usually stand and eat. 

Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle

After a satisfying brunch at the market, we took a train ride to Osaka Castle .

One of Osaka’s most well-known sites, Osaka Castle Japan, exhibits the quintessence of Japanese architecture and culture.

Osaka Castle was built in 1583 and has undergone renovation over the years to upkeep the castle. Before heading to the castle, we strolled through the Osaka Castle Park first. The park is large and it includes many areas such as the Osaka Castle Main Keep, Nishinomaru Garden and Osaka Castle Museum.

From the garden, we followed the sign to Osaka Castle Main Keep. In the meantime, we stopped and took photos in the garden and it took us about 30 minutes to the main keep. The open spaces around the area of the castle keep make it a great photoshoot spot especially in cherry blossom time.

We were mesmerized by the facade of the castle main keep. The castle has eight levels inside, while seeming like a five-story building from the outside. You can either admire the castle form the outside or visit the castle by purchasing the ticket in advance or on site. The admission to the inside of the castle is 600 JPY for adults.

Deer-Feeding at Nara Park

One distinctive feature about Nara Park is that you will find the bowing deer wandering freely here! When I was planning for this trip, I read from blogs about visiting Nara Park and the bowing deer caught my attention. 

Deers at Nara Park

The deers in this region are renowned for unique behavior: bowing to visitors. And it is true. When we were strolling in the park , the deers were all over the park too and they would bow to us occasionally. It’s so adorable. We also bought the cracker to feed them and they saw us with the cracker they kept following us. 

A 10 minutes walk from the Nara park brought us to the  Kofukuji temple , a UNESCO World Heritage site. Inside, there is a five storied pagoda which is the oldest in Japan. We spent some time in the temple and took the chance to take some photos together with the deers in the temple.

Deers at Kofokuji Temple in Nara

Japan Itinerary : Day 5

On our fifth day, we checked out of our Osaka Airbnb and boarded a plane for Tokyo. The flight was a pleasant one and ANA airline offered the best economy class I had ever had. The seat was spacious and they offered in-flight snacks for our one hour flight too. 

After checking into our hotel in Tokyo, it was already afternoon. We headed to Meiji Jingu Shrine in Shibuya.

Meiji Jingu Shrine

Only a short distance away from Harajuku station is where this Shinto temple is located . It encompasses a huge area, including a lovely, quiet forest encircling the holy path leading to Meiji main shrine. The tranquility inside the forest makes us forget that we are in the heart of Tokyo, the world’s largest metropolis. We lost ourselves in this peaceful forest for about half a day.

Tokyo itinerary : Sake wine barrel in Meiji Shrine

After a long walk in the day, we treated ourselves to the cafes in the city and people-watch while sipping coffee.

Japan Itinerary : Day 6

The sixth day of our trip is where we spent the day exploring the cities in Tokyo.

We headed over to Shinjuku for a city tour. It is truly a bustling city. The area is known as Tokyo’s largest red light district and offers a luxurious nightlife adorned with colourful neon lights. However, when we visited in the daylight, it was also a busy city with much entertainment, food and shopping to do. 

Tsukiji Market

Next, we visited Tsukiji Fish Market with a train ride away. Tsukiji market previously had the inner market which was mostly wholesale but it moved to a new site in Toyosu. The outer market remains and it consists of a whole block of retail and wholesale, including restaurants along the narrow lanes. The seafood was exceptionally fresh at the sushi restaurant we ate at for lunch in Tsukiji Fish Market. You should definitely have breakfast or lunch here.

Seafood in Tsukiji Market

After lunch, we went off to the nearby city – Shibuya (again)!

The famous Shibuya-crossing was the one that blew our minds. The surrounding area of Shibuya is a lively, popular destination for people of all walks of life. The scramble intersection of the crossing is the busiest intersection I’ve ever seen, and while I was there watching, the crowds never thinned down. This shows how lively Shibuya city is.

Shibuya crossing

Next to the Shibuya Crossing is the symbol of Shibuya – Hachiko. Hachiko’s bronze statue has been there for over 80 years and it is also one of the iconic points in Tokyo. 

Japan Itinerary : Day 7

Day trip to hakone.

We took a day trip to Hakone to see the legendary Mt. Fuji! Hakone is about a 1hour 30 minutes train ride from Tokyo.

We bought the Hakone Day Pass in advance and that pass gave us accessibility to the public transport to Hakone and also within Hakone. We took the Tozan train through to Gora and the train is also built to climb to steep mountain slopes.

Hakone Free Pass

However, when we were in Hakone , the weather was cloudy and windy, so it was pretty hard to get a nice view of Mt. Fuji. It is advised to check the weather before planning a day trip to Hakone to avoid disappointment.  

Some major points in Hakone like Hakone Shrine, Lake Ashi, Hot Springs and cable car are good spots to view Mt. Fuji.

Although the weather was not great for viewing Mt.Fuji, we had a pleasant time in Hakone exploring the town.We were absolutely enveloped in the calm in this wonderful village, which contrasts sharply with the other areas in Tokyo, which are constantly bustling.

Torii gate in Hakone Shrine

Japan Itinerary : Day 8

Sensoji temple, asakusa.

Here comes the last day and the highlight of our  trip in Tokyo! 

A trip to Japan without experiencing the traditional Kimono is incomplete. So we booked a Kimono rental in advance and headed to choose our Kimono and get our hair done by the rental shop too!

Rent Kimono here!

Wearing Kimono in Sensoji Temple

The shop that we rent Kimono from is only a few blocks away from the famous Sensoji Temple. Sensoji Temple is popular for its entrance gate called Kaminarimon which stands out through its large red lantern. I am sure you have seen countless times of this lantern from the internet. It is like the icon of Japan.

The temple is so famous amongst locals and tourists not only because of the temple itself but also there is this oldest shopping street in Japan, called Nakamise Dori which is located beyond Kaminarimon and leads to the temple’s main hall. The shopping street has vendors selling traditional Japanese handcrafts and snacks.

After a few hours in the Kimono, we returned to the rental shop and waved goodbye to Japan.

Sensoji Temple at Asakusa

Overall the trip was awesome ! One thing I regret is not being able to see Mount Fuji during this trip, but I will surely return! So that sums up my first 8-day trip to Japan. Japan is a great place with rich culture, amazing food, fun attractions and great people! If you plan to visit Tokyo and Osaka, 8 days is actually enough to explore the main attractions and still able to wander around the streets in Japan.  I believe this 8 days in Japan itinerary is great for a first timer too.

Food To Try In Japan

Japan is famous for its culture, historical buildings and most importantly, the FOOD! 

Here are some of the food to not missed out when you travel to Japan :

Ramen is like a synonym to Japan. Most people know about Ramen and must have tasted it in its instant noodle type. But while visiting Japan, you will be surprised by its incredible flavour and its amazing taste. Head into any of the Ramen shop in Japan and you will be pleasantly surprised by the rich Ramen broth. 

Ichiran Ramen

Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki can be considered as Japanese pancake and it is extremely famous in Osaka. Osaka is renowned as the origin of the dish.

Okonomiyaki is a famous food in Osaka

Eating sushi from the sushi train is consider a must do when visiting Japan. With only 100 yen, you can get a plate of good sushi. One of the best places to find the good sushi at affordable price is in the Tsukiji market.

Sushi in Japan

Matcha is one of the most popular Japanese food in the world. Matcha grows in Uji, Japan which is a region near Kyoto. Hence, don’t miss out on trying Matcha or food with Matcha flavour in Japan.

There are some ice cream shops that sell good Matcha ice cream too. One of the best I have tried in Japan was the Suzukien that sell Matcha gelato with 7 levels of richness. You can select any level of Matcha richness. The higher up the number goes, the richer is the Matcha flavour of the gelato. It is famous so do expect a line outside the shop but the queue is quick. 

Matcha ice cream

Tempura is the deep-fried of fish, prawn, vegetables or chicken. It is good to be enjoy as it is or with dipping sauce. There are several great restaurants in Japan that are specialise in tempura and you may refer to this website for more info.

Tempura - food in Japan

Similar to Ramen, Udon is another popular dish in Japan. There are many varieties of Udon in Japan, the Udon refer to the noodles while the broth comes with variances of flavours.

Udon is a must-eat in Japan

Another extremely noodle in Japan, is Soba. Soba can be enjoyed in cold dip or in a broth as soup noodle. The noodle is made of buckwheat and it is very special and tasty so don’t forget to try it when you visit Japan.

Soba in Japan - Japan travel guide

Yakitori is Japanese type of “Satay”. The word “Yakitori” literally means grilled chicken but it actually refers to skewered meat and vegetables prepared on a grill. I personally like the dish very much especially to have it with sake or beer. When you visit Japan, make sure to go to Izakaya to have some sake and yakitori as supper!

Yakitori - Japanese food

How many Days Is Enough For Japan?

Japan has a lot to offer. From sightseeing to food tour and temple visits, there are so many things to do and see in Japan. If it’s your first time to Japan, and you want to do sightseeing and food hunt, then spare at least seven full days to tour Tokyo and Osaka. The minimal amount of time required to visit Japan is seven days , while a more in-depth journey should last roughly two weeks.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Japan?

Japan has four seasons – Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. I would say each season of Japan is worth visiting. But March to May (Spring) is the most popular season of Japan. With cherry blossom in the Spring, everywhere in Japan becomes a picturesque scenery. 

Besides Spring season, September to November  (Autumn) is also another vibrant season because this is the red leaves season that adds tone to the beautiful country.

Where To Stay in Japan?

When travel, i always look for hotels that has good accessibility to public transport and at the same time also close to the city centre. Here are some of the good stays in both Tokyo and Osaka.

Budget – Sotetsu Fresa Inn Higashi

Mid range – Mitsui Garden Hotel Ueno

Luxury – JR Kyushu Hotel Blossom Shinjuku

Budget – Grids Premium Osaka Namba

Mid range – Hotel Nikko Osaka

Luxury – Conrad Osaka

Japan Travel Cost

The cost of traveling in Japan is the highest among Asia countries. Based on my 8 days Japan itinerary, I spent around 15000 JPY ( 108 USD ) a day including accommodation, meals, transportation and tickets. The hotels I stayed were of mid range and sharing with my sister.

Accommodation : Accommodation in Japan is not cheap. If you are looking for sharing room to save cost, a budget dorm room normally costs around 2000 – 3500 JPY (14 – 25 USD) per night. However, if you are looking for privacy and a standard budget room in the city, you can still find a small hotel room that costs around 5500 – 7000 JPY (38 – 50 USD ) per night.

Meals : Food in Japan is generally more expensive than in my home country Malaysia. For a bowl of Ramen at ramen bar like Ichiran , it costs at least 1000 JPY (7 USD) .  Most restaurants meals cost around 2000 – 3000 JPY (14 – 20 USD). The iconic sushi train costs at least 150 JPY (1 USD) per piece. 

You could still find cheap pre-packaged food in Family Mart or 7-11. The food at these marts are good too and the locals usually buy them for breakfast.

Overall, spare a minimum of 6000 JPY (40 USD) a day for food in Japan.

Transportation: Other than accommodation, transportation in Japan is also consider as expensive compared to most of the Asia countries. Most of the city metro ticket costs around 150-250JPY (1-2 USD) for a single journey.

If you use the trains a lot, consider buying day passes like the Tokyo Subway Ticket for either 24 hours or 72 hours or JR rail pass for 1 weeks to 3 weeks. I bought the rail pass and it saves a lot of costs for my transportation in Japan. The pass is cheaper when you buy online in advance. 

If you are keen to know more about tips and guide of travelling in Japan, I wrote a detailed version in this guide .

From bustling cities to serene temples, from mouth-watering cuisine to breathtaking nature, Japan truly exceeded my expectations.

I am grateful for the warm hospitality of the Japanese people, who made me feel at home in a foreign land. Japan is a great place for fun, cultural experience , good food adventure as well as amazing people!

After this trip, 8 days in Japan is totally not enough because there are so much in Japan to explore! However, if you only have 8 days, you could follow this itinerary to discover the best of Japan’s big cities.

I can’t wait to return to Japan soon. I hope this 8-day Japan itinerary helps you in planning your trip to Japan. 

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The perfect 8-day japan itinerary for active travelers.

By Lirene Cilliers   Posted 14th Nov 2023

Welcome to Japan, a land of serene temples, dazzling neon-lit skyscrapers, and a mouthwatering array of culinary delights. But hold on; there's more to this captivating country than meets the eye.   Japan has a magnetic charm that enchants every kind of traveler, from the curious explorer to the history buff, the foodie to the nature enthusiast. Here, every experience is meticulously crafted, where tradition and innovation dance together, food is an art, history tells captivating tales, the scenery steals your breath, and the people's warmth stays with you long after your journey ends.  Get ready, because this itinerary is designed to make you fall head over heels for Japan.

Best Time to Visit Japan: 

Well, it's all about the season, really. Spring, from late March to early May, is a hit with cherry blossoms in full bloom, painting the country in delicate shades of pink, and temperatures ranging from a comfortable 50-70°F (10-21°C).     Fall / Autumn (late September to November) is also a fantastic time to visit, with less crowds than you’ll encounter in the Spring. Visiting in the Fall is your ticket to picturesque golden and amber colored landscapes with temperatures in the same pleasant range as Spring.   Summer (June to August) brings heat and humidity—great for beach lovers, with temperatures soaring to 77–86°F (25-30°C).    Winter (December to February) offers snowy wonderlands, with temperatures often hovering around 32–41°F (0–5°C) or even lower in some regions.   Our favorite time? Anytime between March and November, but specifically Spring and Fall. The shoulder seasons, which fall a month either side of these, are good for travelers looking to avoid crowds at popular locations. Read more about what’s the best time of year to cycle tour Japan here . 

1-3 Days in Hiroshima 

Nestled along the picturesque shores of the Seto Sea, Hiroshima beckons travelers with its poignant history and serene beauty. Beyond the heart-wrenching tale of resilience, this charming port city showcases its inviting side, offering visitors a chance to explore both its soul-stirring past and its enchanting present. !

How to Get to Onomichi in Hiroshima 

In Japan, transportation is a well-oiled machine, with a comprehensive network of trains, buses, and subways that make exploring the country a breeze.   Whether you prefer to fly, take the train, or even catch a bus, getting to Hiroshima is a convenient and accessible journey.    If you're coming from Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka, the Shinkansen (bullet train) is your speedy ticket to Hiroshima. Hop on one of these sleek trains, and in a matter of hours, you'll find yourself strolling along the riverside in Hiroshima. 

What to Do in Hiroshima:

  • Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Atomic Bomb Dome : Of course, no visit to Hiroshima is complete without paying your respects at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Atomic Bomb Dome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, you'll find a sense of somber tranquility that's hard to describe. The park, a symbol of peace, stands as a testament to the resilience of humanity.   
  • Explore Miyajima Island : Known as the island where gods reside, Miyajima boasts serene landscapes, historic shrines, and charming, free-roaming deer. Get up close to these gentle creatures as you explore this sacred island on a day trip from Hiroshima.    
  • Visit the Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is a breathtaking example of Shinden-zukuri architecture set against the tranquil backdrop of Miyajima Island.    
  • Explore the iconic Otorii Gate on Miyajima Island: The gate, believed to be the boundary between the spirit and human worlds, provides a mystical and picturesque setting as it emerges from the sparkling waters of the Seto Inland Sea. It's an experience that encapsulates Japan's aesthetic beauty.   
  • Learn how to make Hiroshima's renowned Okonomiyaki: Hiroshima is famous for its delectable version of Okonomiyaki, a savory pancake made with a variety of ingredients. You can try your hand at cooking this local specialty and savor the flavors that make it a beloved Hiroshima dish. 

Discover the beauty of Shikoku on our all-inclusive bike tour . Plus, kickstart your journey with a pre-tour extension to Hiroshima and Onomichi making the most of your visit to Japan. 

1 Day in Onomichi 

Positioned along the picturesque Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima Prefecture, Onomichi exudes the charm of a tranquil harbor town. This coastal gem, scattered across the mainland of Honshu and neighboring islands, offers a nostalgic atmosphere, with small ferries connecting downtown Honshu to the nearby islands. It's also famous as the starting point for the renowned Shimanami Kaido cycling route, making it a must-visit for cycling enthusiasts. 

How to Get to Onomichi from Hiroshima 

Reaching Onomichi is a breeze, even for first-time visitors. Choose to hop on a scenic train ride or take a comfortable bus journey. Either way, you'll enjoy the picturesque landscapes as you make your way to this charming harbor town. 

  • Temple Walk: Onomichi is renowned for its Temple Walk, a serene 1.5 mi (2.5 km) path that meanders through the town, connecting 25 temples, allowing you to soak in the peaceful ambiance and appreciate Japanese culture.   
  • Pedal the Shimanami Kaido Route : Pedal your way through the iconic Shimanami Kaido route over the Seto Inland Sea, connecting six islands. CNN's travel website has recognized the Shimanami Kaido as one of the " world's top seven cycling routes. "

1 Day in Matsuyama

Matsuyama, the largest city in Shikoku, is known for its hot springs, castles, and literature. This city stands out with its unique blend of modern vibrancy and historical charm. Here, colorful orange trams trundle along the main streets, while ancient temples and castles crown the surrounding hills, creating an unforgettable cityscape that's perfect for a one-day adventure. 

How to Get to Matsuyama

You can easily reach Matsuyama by train, but one of the best ways is by taking the scenic Shimanami Kaido route by bike. As you pedal past citrus farms, over bridges that offer breathtaking views of the azure Seto Sea, and take in the beauty of the dotted islands, you'll find yourself immersed in the spirit of Shikoku. The route delivers you to the city, perfectly primed for exploration.  For those seeking to savor the beauty of Japan on a bicycle with a little extra assistance, our E-Bike Tour promises a seamlessly enjoyable ride through this enchanting land. 

What to Do in Matsuyama: 

  • Pedal the Shimanami Kaido Route: This route is so breathtaking that it deserves to be mentioned twice. As mentioned above, opt to ride your way to Matsuyama through Ikuchi Island, passing the vibrant citrus farms the island is renowned for. The route takes you over a series of bridges, each offering stunning views of the Seto Sea, with islands stretching as far as the eye can see. It's a visual feast that sets the tone for a memorable day. 

Shimanami Kaido Route piqued your interest? Read all about it in this Shimanami Kaido Cycling Guide . 

  • Exploring the City by Tram: Matsuyama is best explored by hopping on the city's iconic orange trams. Not only is it a convenient way to get around, but it's also an opportunity to soak up the local atmosphere. 
  • Sake Tasting: Enjoy a traditional Japanese dinner with a tasting of Japan's most famous drink, sake. From dry to sweet and everything in between, you'll have the chance to sample a variety of sakes, all while learning about the rich history and cultural significance of this iconic beverage. 

2 Days in Yusuhara 

Yusuhara, a cozy town in Kochi, Shikoku, is a green paradise cradled by the Shikoku Mountains. It's a place where nature reigns supreme, with a history spanning over a millennium. This town holds its heritage dear, honoring the legacy of the Tsunetaka Fujiwara families who once governed the region. Yusuhara is where nature and history harmonize, creating a unique and welcoming community. 

How to Get to Yusuhara 

You can travel from Matsuyama to Yusuhara by train or private taxi.  

What to Do:

  • Marvel at Japanese Architecture: Yusuhara is a canvas of Kengo Kuma's architectural brilliance. As you wander the village, you'll encounter an array of structures and public buildings that showcase his creative genius. It's an architectural treasure hunt you won't want to miss.   
  • Soak in an Onsen: The day wouldn't be complete without a soothing soak in the Onsen. An Onsen is essentially a Japanese hot spring, but it's so much more than just warm water bubbling from the Earth. These natural geothermal wonders are scattered throughout Japan, as a result of the country's location on the pacific ring of fire. The result? Mineral-rich, warm, and soothing spring water that's not only incredibly relaxing but also believed to have therapeutic benefits.   
  • Make Traditional Washi Paper: At Kamikoya, a homestead run by the dedicated Rogier, you can explore the world of Washi Paper. The family-run workshops will take you through the entire paper-making process, where you'll get your hands dirty and create your very own unique piece of Washi Paper. 

2 Days in Kure Bay 

Kure Bay offers the perfect transition from the tranquil mountain village to the dynamic beauty of the Pacific Coast. With kayaking escapades, spiritual exploration, and a date with a vibrant river, it's a coastal paradise you won't want to miss. 

How to Get to Kure Bay 

There are multiple ways to get to Kure Bay, but we'd argue that the best way is via two wheels . A scenic ride from Matsuyama to Yusuhara takes you on a journey through lush green valleys, nearly deserted roads that are in tip-top condition, and alongside bubbling creeks and rivers; the ideal prelude to your coastal experience. 

What to Do in Kure Bay: 

  • Kayaking: You can meet up with local kayaking enthusiasts who have done their homework and are eager to show you the best spots to take in the local topography from the water. Expect to encounter rocky outcrops and distant mountains that paint a stunning backdrop, and if you're lucky, perhaps some ocean life will make an appearance.  
  • Iwamoto Temple by Bike: I Take a bike ride to Iwamoto Temple, number 37 on the Henro Pilgrimage route. This serene temple, nestled on a wooded hillside, welcomes you with ornate paintings adorning the ceiling of its main prayer hall. It's a spiritual and visually pleasing experience that's a must-visit. 
  • Explore Shimanto River: Your Kure Bay adventure isn't complete without a visit to the Shimanto River, a significant fishery and the largest river in the area. As you explore its banks, you'll uncover a unique connection between the locals and this bountiful river. 

1 Day in Kochi 

Kochi, nestled on Japan's Shikoku Island, is like a well-kept secret and boasts a rich history, with one of Japan's most famous samurai, Ryoma Sakamoto, being born here.  Locals cherish it as a haven known for its pristine natural landscapes, delectable skipjack tuna, and prized yuzu cultivation. It's also a slice of Japan that remains largely untouched by the international tourist crowds. 

How to Get to Kochi:  

While Kochi can be conveniently reached by plane, private taxi, and train, we wholeheartedly recommend opting for a different kind of journey – one on two wheels. Picture this: Riding through quiet roads that hug the cliffs, the symphony of waves crashing against the striking black rocks below, and the mesmerizing deep blue expanse of the ocean. It's a special experience that’s sure to become a cherished memory. As you pedal through the delightful town of Susaki and make your way to a nature reserve along the ridge, the landscape transforms from exhilarating to tranquil, leaving an indelible mark on your heart and soul.

What to Do in Kochi: 

  • Visit the 88 Temple Pilgrimage: As you make your way to Kochi, don't miss the chance to stop by the 88 Temple pilgrimage. It stands out as one of the rare circular-shaped pilgrimages across the globe. This spiritual journey comprises 88 "official" temples, along with a myriad of other hallowed sites. These sites hold the essence of Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi), who is believed to have trained and spent time there during the 9th Century.  
  • Visit Sake Bars: Kochi is known for its unique sake production, and there's no better way to appreciate this Japanese treasure than sampling it in different local watering holes. 
  • Explore Japanese Castles: Kochi is home to one of Japan's twelve surviving castles, a historical treasure that has weathered fires, wars, and the changing tides of time. Originally constructed in the early 17th century, this castle served as the seat of the Yamauchi lords, who ruled the surrounding region. Today, it houses local treasures, historical artifacts and stands as a testament to a bygone era. 

1-3 Days in Kyoto:  

Kyoto, a city that carries the echoes of Japan's rich history as a former capital, is a place where heritage and culture continue to thrive amidst the modernization that surrounds it. This is a destination where tradition meets craftsmanship, and there's no shortage of captivating experiences to uncover.    If you opted for a Grasshopper Adventures tour in Japan , your journey would culminate with a train ride back to Kyoto. At this point, you'll have the exciting option to extend your adventure with our Kyoto Explorer , a fully guided tour designed to help you explore the very best of what Kyoto has to offer. 

How to Get to Kyoto: 

To get to Kyoto from Kochi, you can take a pleasant 4-hour train journey. As you travel, you'll find yourself leaving behind the serene coastal beauty of Shikoku and transitioning into the cultural heart of Japan.

What to Do in Kyoto:

There is a lot to see and do in Kyoto, so this is by no means a comprehensive list, but here are some worthy ways to enjoy your visit: 

  • Stroll through Arashiyama Bamboo Forest: If you've been considering a journey to Kyoto, chances are you've come across images of the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. Yet, no photograph can truly convey the sensation of being amidst this expansive bamboo wonderland. Experience the tranquil beauty of this forest on foot. Walking through this enchanting green landscape is a refreshing and immersive way to connect with Kyoto's natural wonders. 
  • Sip at Kyoto Beer Lab: This is one of the city's top-rated craft beer pubs. It's a delightful introduction to Kyoto's vibrant food and drink scene, where you can savor handcrafted brews and immerse yourself in the local ambiance. 
  • Visit Tenryuji Temple: Pay a visit to Tenryuji Temple, a shining example of ancient architecture that has gracefully withstood the test of time. Its tranquil gardens and stunning temple buildings offer a serene escape from the bustle of the city. 
  • Zen Moments at Ryoanji: Head to Ryoanji in the east, celebrated for its UNESCO-listed zen-style garden, known as "kare-sansui." In this style, you'll find carefully arranged, larger rock formations set amid a bed of smooth pebbles, creating deliberate patterns that are meant to aid in meditation and contemplation. 
  • Kinkaku-ji Temple: The stunning golden pavilion is a symbol of Kyoto's splendor and provides a picture-perfect moment during your visit. 
  • Shimogamo-Jinja Sanctuary: Walk through the sacred grounds of Shimogamo-Jinja, one of Kyoto's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Surrounded by the lush Tadasu no Mori Forest, this shrine is a serene world of greenery and winding streams. It's also home to a small shrine dedicated to the pursuit of beauty. 
  • Fushimi Inari Hike: And of course, a visit to Kyoto won't be complete without hiking through the iconic red torii gates, leading to the Fushimi Inari Shrine. This mesmerizing tunnel of gates symbolizes good fortune and is a powerful testament to Japanese spirituality. 

Wrapping Up Your Japan Adventure 

And there you have it – an unforgettable 8-day adventure exploring the wonders of Japan .   Now, it's your turn to pen your Japanese adventure. Why merely imagine the beauty of cherry blossoms or the tranquility of ancient temples when you can witness it firsthand?   Let us take care of all the logistics, so you can fully enjoy your Japan vacation ! 

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The Ultimate Itinerary for a Trip to Japan: Unforgettable 7, 10 and 14 Day Journeys (Updated 2024)

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Some destinations reward spontaneity – in Europe, cheap flights and rail passes give  you the freedom to wake up in the morning and choose your next destination on a whim. Japan, on the other hand, rewards forward planning.

The country’s abundance of both natural and manmade attractions, combined with its high standard of living and general efficiency, make it a fairly pricey destination. The more you plan, the better you can mitigate the damage to your wallet, and get the most out your trip – no matter how long you plan to stay.

These itineraries are designed to inspire you to build your own trip. Based around a few key highlights that represent both modern and ancient, they’re crafted to give you a rich and satisfying experience of Japan in 7, 10 or 14 days. Let’s jump right in!

Psst: want more tips for planning a trip to Japan? Check our rail pass guide  and cheap eating tips .

  • 1 Getting Around
  • 2 7 Day Itinerary: Tokyo and Mt Fuji (Fuji Five Lakes)
  • 3 7 Day Itinerary: Osaka, Kyoto and Nara
  • 4 10 Day Itinerary: Tokyo, Mt Fuji and Kyoto
  • 5 10 Day Itinerary: Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Hiroshima
  • 6 14 Day Itinerary: Tokyo, Mt Fuji, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and Hiroshima

Getting Around

Before we get to the itineraries, there's one important piece of planning to keep in mind – whether or not to get a JR pass . A Japan Rail (JR) pass is exclusively available to tourists, and grants you unlimited travel on JR trains within Japan, including the world-famous bullet trains. Depending on your itinerary, this will save you time and money vs buying individual train tickets within Japan. But importantly,  you must purchase the pass before you arrive in Japan . We recommend ordering from Klook for their low prices and 10-day global delivery.

We've marked the itineraries that we recommend the JR pass for below, but for a more in-depth guide, be sure to read our full guide The Japan Rail Pass: Is It Worth The Cost?

7 Day Itinerary: Tokyo and Mt Fuji (Fuji Five Lakes)

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Get the essentials of urban and rural Japan with four days in the unforgettable capital, followed by three days of reflection and recovery under the shadow of Mt Fuji.

Akihabara

Tokyo: 4 Days

  • Highlights: Go crazy in Japan’s frenetic, eclectic and incomparable capital. Live out a manga fantasy in Akihabara , drink shoulder to shoulder with locals in Roppongi , and see the world’s largest metropolis in 360 degrees from the top of the Tokyo Tower . And for an immersive digital art experience, check out the popular teamLab Planets TOKYO Museum .
  • Where to stay: Public transport is comprehensive, so search far afield. Roppongi neighborhood if you like nightlife, Shinjuku to be close to the beating heart. Use TripAdvisor to compare hotel and hostel deals across all booking sites along with thousands of reviews.
  • What to eat : Chains like Sushiro ($1 / plate train sushi) and the ubiquitous Gyudon houses like Yoshinoya can get you a delicious local meal for a budget price. Check out a Maid Cafe for an authentic (if risque) local experience!

Mt Fuji: 3 Days

Tip: If you don't have 3 days to spend in Fuji, you can book a  full day tour from Tokyo .

  • Highlights: See why this 3776 meter high mountain has inspired artists, writers and pilgrims for countless centuries. Soak up the volcanic waters in the Five Lakes District , a major tourist destination since the 1920s, it’s still possible to get away from the crowds and immerse yourself in nature.
  • Where to stay:  The Five Lakes Region contains a wealth of hotels and resorts. If you’re striking out, try a bit further away from (but still in plain view of) the mountain in Hakone district. Compare across booking sites with TripAdvisor's hotel search.
  • What to eat: Try the regional speciality: udon noodles, often served cold in a delicate, flavorful sauce.

Japan Mt Fuji

7 Day Itinerary: Osaka, Kyoto and Nara

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Osaka: 3 Days

  • Highlights: Japan’s second biggest city is a microcosm of everything that magnetizes visitors to the country. Gaze in awe at giant plastic sea creatures and effusive street vendors in Dōtonbori , wander among the tuna merchants at the fish market, and connect with history at the 16th century Osaka Castle . Get to know Osaka like a local with a highly-rated walking tour .
  • Where to stay: Try AirBNB and trust the train network if you find a good option a little outside of town. For hotels and hostels, compare across booking sites using TripAdvisor .
  • What to eat : The same budget chains in Tokyo will serve you well here (I practically moved in to my nearest Sushiro!), but you really must try the street food on Dōtonbori .

Kyoto: 2 days

  • Highlights: After the urban grunge of Osaka, it’s time to embrace the Japan’s spiritual side at the ancient seat of empire. It’s still possible to see Geisha in the historic Higashiyama District, which you can even explore by rickshaw , and the subtle beauty of temples like Kinkaku-ji is simply too much to put into words. Make sure you catch everything there is to see with a custom-made walking tour with a local . Go!
  • Where to stay: Downtown Kyoto is the most convenient spot for sightseeing and will allow you to cover much of the historic town on foot. Try Airbnb or compare hotels and hostels across booking sites with TripAdvisor .
  • What to eat : Restaurant prices can be steep so take a trick from the locals and stock up on tasty (and filling) instant meals at chain stores like the ubiquitous 7/11

Nara: 2 days

  • Highlights: Stick with the theme of history but swap the Geisha for sacred deer in Nara , Japan’s capital from AD 710 to 794. In Nara park you can sip green tea in a traditional “Chaya” tea house and watch the deer frolic over 700 year old ground. Hire a local guide to make sure you catch it all!
  • Where to stay. While it’s possible to day trip from Osaka, the town is well worth staying overnight – guest houses are abundant and there are even hotels in the historical park! You can compare all your options and find the best price using TripAdvisor .
  • What to eat . Vegetarian food and pickled delicacies are the local specialities, due to the surrounding mountains and buddhist communities.

Bamboo Forest, Kyoto

10 Day Itinerary: Tokyo, Mt Fuji and Kyoto

Got 10 days? Let’s do it right. Take a deep dive into the capital, cleanse yourself with nature in Mt Fuji and the surrounding 5 Lake District, and transport yourself back in time in Kyoto – a rich overview that will leave you feeling refreshed, satisfied and exhilarated.

For this itinerary, we recommend a JR pass . It will save you precious travel time on the bullet train, and save you money on train fares between, and within, Tokyo and Kyoto. Remember to order your pass BEFORE you enter Japan (we recommend Klook ). If you're still unsure, be sure to check out our in-depth guide on whether the JR pass is worth it .

  • Highlights: Lose yourself among the neon lights of Shibuya and have a drink at the Monster Cafe . Watch locals transform themselves into Manga characters on an anime/gaming tour in Akihabara , drink hot sake with locals in Roppongi, and let digital art completely immerse your senses in  Japan’s unforgettable capital.
  • Where to stay: Public transport is comprehensive so search far afield. Roppongi neighborhood if you like nightlife, Shinjuku to be close to the beating heart.
  • What to eat : Tokyo has unlimited dining options – if you’re on a budget, try Gyudon and brave the budget chains where it’s still possible to order with ancient vending machine located by the kitchen!

Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo

  • Highlights: Make all your instagram followers jealous as you soak up the steamy volcanic waters under the shadow of Japan’s largest and most famous mountain.
  • Where to stay:  The Five Lakes Region near the mountain contains a wealth of hotels and resorts. If you’re striking out, try a bit further away from (but still in plain view of) the mountain in Hakone district.

Kyoto: 3 days

  • Highlights: The twin temples Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji  (gold pavilion and silver pavilion) have been carrying out an architectural and spiritual debate for centuries. It’s still possible to see Geisha in the historic Higashiyama District, which you can even explore by rickshaw . Make sure you catch everything there is to see with a custom-made walking tour with a local .
  • Where to stay: Downtown Kyoto is the most convenient spot for sightseeing and will allow you to cover much of the historic town on foot.
  • What to eat : Live out a warrior fantasy at the Samurai Restaurant . It’s a bit kitsch and definitely designed for the tourists, but so what – you’re on holiday!

10 Day Itinerary: Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Hiroshima

Get the best of Japan today and yesterday in racey Osaka, tranquil Kyoto and serene Nara, before coming face to face with perhaps the darkest period of Japan’s history at Hiroshima.

For this itinerary, we recommend a JR pass . It will save you tons of travel time on the bullet train to Hiroshima, and save money on train fares within the Osaka/Kyoto/Nara area. You need to order your pass BEFORE you enter Japan (we recommend Klook ). If you're still unsure, be sure to check out our in-depth guide on whether the JR pass is worth it .

japan trip itinerary 8 days

  • Highlights: “Forget Tokyo,” I was told when I planned my first trip to Japan, “Go to Osaka!” While the capital is awesome, Japan’s second city more than holds its own. Here you can gaze in awe at giant plastic sea creatures and effusive street vendors in Dōtonbori, wander among the tuna merchants at the fish market, and connect with history at the 16th century Osaka Castle. Get to know Osaka like a local with a highly-rated walking tour .
  • Where to stay: Try AirBNB and trust the train network if you find a good option a little outside of town.
  • What to eat : Try the street food on Dōtonbori! A nightfood tour will help you find the best spots and eat where the locals eat!
  • Highlights: Say goodbye to the furious pace of modern Japanese city life, and embrace the tranquil, spiritual and ancient in Kyoto. Believe it or not, but it's still possible to see Geisha in the historic Higashiyama District, even from a rickshaw . The gentle beauty of temples like Kinkaku-ji is simply too much to put into words. Make sure you catch everything there is to see with a custom-made walking tour with a local . Go!

Higashiyama District, Kyoto

  • Highlights: In Nara park you can sip green tea in a traditional “Chaya” tea house and watch the deer frolic over 700 year old ground. Hire a local guide to make sure you catch it all!
  • Where to stay. While it’s possible to day trip from Osaka, the town is well worth staying overnight – guest houses are abundant and there are even hotels in the historical park!
  • What to eat . Thank the Buddhist communities in the surrounding mountains for the abundance of local vegetarian food.

Hiroshima: 2 days

  • Highlights : Infamous for its more recent history (which you can learn from a local on a cycling tour ), the rebirth of Hiroshima from ashes into a vibrant modern city is reason to visit in itself. In addition to haunting museums and poignant relics to the nuclear attacks, Hiroshima is the gateway to rural Chūgoku , a chance to tip your toes into Japan’s unspoiled wilderness.
  • Where to stay : Hiroshima is drenched in hotels. Stay near the train station for convenient access to the city center and surrounding attractions.
  • What to eat : Try the local okonomiyaki, a delicious, savory grilled pancake smothered in sauces and toppings.

Hiroshima city

14 Day Itinerary: Tokyo, Mt Fuji, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and Hiroshima

This is an itinerary for people who want it all! You’ve got two weeks, you’ve got your rail pass , and you’re going to jolly-well make the most out of your time. Well, if you’ve got the energy, then here’s how it could be done. It’s everything you see above, rolled into one epic itinerary for the bold and brave.

For this itinerary, we definitely recommend a JR pass . With the distance being covered from the east to the west of country, the amount of time and money this will save is a no-brainer. You must order your pass BEFORE you enter Japan (we recommend Klook ). But if you're still unsure, be sure to check out our in-depth guide on whether the JR pass is worth it .

  • Highlights: Start with the blast of energy, neon, weirdness and glamour that is Japan’s capital. Opportunities for entertainment are virtually unlimited – feel the awe of the emperor at the imperial palace, indulge in a retail fantasy in Ginza, and finish the day with a well needed pint of Asahi in Roppongi.
  • Where to stay: Public transport is comprehensive so search far afield. Roppongi neighborhood if you like nightlife, Shinjuku to be close to the beating heart. Use TripAdvisor to compare hotel and hostel deals across all booking sites along with thousands of reviews.
  • What to eat : The real question is what NOT to eat. You could go to a different restaurant in Tokyo everyday for 20 years and still not run out of options. If you’re on a budget, look to the local fast food chains – if you’re on a tight budget, trust to the 7/11!

Mt Fuji: 2 Days

  • Highlights: Hear a rumble? Fuji-san isn’t just a stunning, snow capped mountain, it’s still an active volcano! Soak up the volcanic waters and watch Fuji’s towering form from the Five Lakes District , a popular spot for locals and and travelers.
  • Where to stay:  The Five Lakes Region contains a wealth of hotels and resorts. If you’re striking out, try a bit further away from (but still in plain view of) the mountain in Hakone district. Compare across booking sites with TripAdvisor's hotel search.
  • What to eat: Try the regional speciality: udon noodles, often served cold in a delicate, flavorful sauce. 

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Osaka: 2 Days

  • Highlights: Japan’s second biggest city is a microcosm of everything that magnetizes visitors to the country. Gaze in awe at giant plastic sea creatures and effusive street vendors in Dōtonbori , wander among the tuna merchants at the fish market, and connect with history at the 16th century Osaka Castle .Get to know Osaka like a local with a highly-rated walking tour .
  • Where to stay: Try AirBNB  or TripAdvisor and trust the train network if you find a good option a little outside of town.
  • What to eat : The same budget chains in Tokyo will serve you well here (I practically moved in to my nearest Sushiro!) but you really must try the street food on Dōtonbori .
  • Where to stay: Downtown Kyoto is the most convenient spot for sightseeing and will allow you to cover much of the historic town on foot. Try  Airbnb  or compare hotels and hostels across booking sites with  TripAdvisor .

Monkey Park Iwatayama

  • Where to stay. While it’s possible to day trip from Osaka, the town is well worth staying overnight – guest houses are abundant and there are even hotels in the historical park! You can compare all your options and find the best price using  TripAdvisor .
  • Where to stay : Hiroshima is drenched in hotels. Stay near the train station for convenient access to the city center and surrounding attractions. Check both Airbnb and TripAdvisor for the best prices.

With the abundance of incredible places to visit in Japan, the only trouble you'll have with planning a trip here is which itinerary to follow. Tell us, what are your must-visit's on a trip to Japan?

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  • Japan-itineraries

Japan in 8 days for independent travellers

Suggested itinerary: japan in 8 days for independent travellers.

Arrival in Japan. Transfer to Kyoto

Day 1: Arrival in Japan. Transfer to Kyoto

Arrival at Tokyo international airport and trip to Kyoto by bullet train. Night in Kyoto.  

Kyoto

Day 2: Kyoto

Visit to Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle and the Temple of the Golden Pavilion. A walk through the Gion geisha district. Dinner and night in Kyoto.  

Nara

Day 3: Nara

Journey by train to the city of Nara. Visit to the temples of Kofukuji, Todaiji and Kasuga. On the way back, visit the spectacular Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its multiple red torii doors. Dinner and night in Kyoto.  

Kyoto and trip to Tokyo

Day 4: Kyoto and trip to Tokyo

Visit to the temples of Sanjusangendo and Kiyomizudera. Visit to Kisiki fish market. Visit to the temple of Ginkakuji. Travel by bullet train to Tokyo. Night in Tokyo.  

Tokyo: Ginza

Day 5: Tokyo: Ginza

Visit to the Imperial Palace and its gardens. Visit to the Ginza shopping district (luxury shops). Visit to the Caretta Shiodome centre and its Advertising Museum. Trip to Odaiba Island (for great views of the city). Night in Tokyo.  

Tokyo: Asakusa and Shibuya

Day 6: Tokyo: Asakusa and Shibuya

Visit to Tsukiji fish market. Visit to the old district of Asakusa. Visit to Takeshita Dori Street, where teenagers dress as dolls. Visit to Omotesando Street and to the Shibuya shopping district. Night in Tokyo.  

Tokyo: Shinjuku

Day 7: Tokyo: Shinjuku

Visit to Yoyogi Park. Visit to the Shinjuku district (Lost in Translation). Visit to the Roppongi Hills viewpoint for spectacular views of the city. Dinner at the Gonpachi, best-known for the famous fight scene in Kill Bill. Night in Tokyo.  

Back home

Day 8: Back home

Flight back home.

Japan in 8 days for independent travellers

How long is your trip?

What does your purchase include.

  • Itinerary from 7 to 15 days
  • Daily route with all places to visit
  • Directions about how to get to each place 
  • App with your geolocated itinerary

Inés and Ricky traveled to Japan

Inés and Ricky traveled to Japan

"We were short of time to prepare the trip to Japan. Besides we were afraid to miss something interesting if we planned it ourselves. How would you know where to book the best Ryokans. Or which Japan Rail Pass to take! With Way Away's Smart Route we had it all set up in no time and it was amazing. Next one, China!"

Martín González of Barcelona went to Japan

Martín González of Barcelona went to Japan

Ángels Caba traveled to Japan

Ángels Caba traveled to Japan

Other trips in Japan:

City Break Tokyo in 5 days

Recommended itineraries in Tokyo

Boutique Japan

Japan Essentials: Tokyo, Kyoto & Hakone (8 Days)

A unique 8-day Japan itinerary featuring essential highlights including the Tokyo metropolis, the ancient capital Kyoto, and the beautiful Hakone National Park in the shadow of Mount Fuji.

Let us create your trip completely from scratch.

Our sample itineraries are here to inspire, but this is not a fixed itinerary and is designed to be customized around you.

ryoanji-zen-temple-rock-garden-kyoto-japan

Ithka Laws & David Gabrovec, Abu Dhabi

My amazing husband worked with Boutique Japan (behind my back!) to help put together the most amazing surprise birthday trip ever. Having had the benefit of not doing any of the work but only enjoying the experience, I have to say there could not have been a more perfectly planned trip. Boutique Japan was incredibly… Read More

Catherine and Paul Australia Boutique Japan testimonial

Catherine and Paul, Australia

We had a truly wonderful time in Japan. Lots of people have asked what was the highlight and it really is hard to pick one, or even a few. We really enjoyed the Tsukiji market, the visit to Yanaka, the Kiyosumi Garden, all the gardens in Kyoto, the evening in Osaka, the lunch with the… Read More

Room at Aman Tokyo Japan

Casey & TJ, New York City

Boutique Japan designed the perfect luxury honeymoon. Organizing a trip can be a challenging task, so we were thrilled to find someone as knowledgeable and easy to work with. We were consistently impressed with the attention to detail in each element of the journey. Boutique Japan exceeded our expectations. From booking truly impressive accommodations to… Read More

Graham and Fiona Kane London Boutique Japan Testimonials

Graham & Fiona Kane, London

First of all we wish to thank you, your colleagues and all the team on the ground for a truly wonderful experience. We really enjoyed ourselves and loved Japan, its people, culture and sights. Your pre trip questioning and input helped us to put together an itinerary which fully reflected our interests whilst opening our… Read More

Sample Trip Highlights

  • An immersive private itinerary, crafted with love by Boutique Japan
  • Tokyo , one of the world’s most exciting cities
  • Kyoto , the heart and soul of traditional Japan
  • Hakone National Park  in the shadow of Mount Fuji
  • All your accommodations, in  boutique and luxury hotels and ryokans  to match your taste and priorities
  • Unique private tours and experiences with fun and knowledgeable local experts
  • Seamless logistics and in-country transport via the  shinkansen  (bullet train) and more
  • Extensive pre-departure information to help you prepare for your trip
  • Access to our in-depth Japan expertise, relationships, and firsthand experience
  • A Japan specialist to answer your questions, and thoughtful customer service

Tokyo skyline featured in Boutique Japan 8-day sample itinerary

Itinerary Overview

Fly into either of Tokyo’s airports, Narita (NRT) or Haneda (HND).

This sample itinerary can also be customized to begin in the Kansai region (where Kyoto and Osaka are located), flying into either of Osaka’s two major airports, Kansai (KIX) or Itami (ITM).

Day 1: Arrive in Tokyo, Japan Day 2: Modern Tokyo Highlights & Evening Izakaya Outing Day 3: Tsukiji Market & Old Tokyo Stroll Day 4: Luxurious Ryokan Stay in Hakone with Onsen (Hot Springs) & Kaiseki Dinner Day 5: Shinkansen (Bullet Train) to Kyoto & Private Walking Tour of Gion Geisha District Day 6: Unique Highlights of Kyoto (On & Off The Beaten Path) Day 7: Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine and Fushimi Sake District Day 8: Depart Japan

Depart from either of Osaka’s airports, or customize this trip to end with departure from Tokyo or elsewhere in Japan.

Itinerary Details

Day 1: arrive in tokyo, japan.

Welcome to Japan! On arrival in Tokyo, you’ll be met and transferred by private vehicle to your lovely accommodations.

Depending on your flight’s scheduled arrival time we typically recommend keeping your first evening free, both in case of unexpected flight delays, and also to account for possible fatigue from the long journey.

Settle in, adjust to your exciting new surroundings, and get ready for your adventure ahead!

Your Tokyo hotel :  TRUNK  or  K5

Meiji Jingu Shrine in Harjuku, Tokyo, Japan

Day 2: Modern Tokyo Highlights & Evening Izakaya Outing

Ohayou gozaimasu  (good morning)!

Today is your first full day to begin taking in the Tokyo metropolis. You’ll begin with an immersive half-day tour introducing you to the city, and end with an exciting evening out at a lively  izakaya .

After a delicious breakfast at your hotel, you’ll be met by your insightful private guide. While Tokyo can certainly be enjoyed without a guide, exploring with a fun and knowledgeable expert by your side will dramatically enhance your experience.

At Boutique Japan, we have exceedingly high standards when it comes to private guides, and carefully design each private tour to cater to your unique priorities and interests.

Tokyo is one of the world’s liveliest cities, full of amazing restaurants, beautiful gardens, stunning modern architecture, charming backstreets, and a glittering neon-filled cityscape. Beyond the city lights and crowds, Tokyo is also full of quiet neighborhoods where you’ll find locals going about their daily lives, and countless hidden gems in the form of unsung yet wonderful little shops and restaurants.

Explore charming neighborhoods such as (for example) Aoyama, Daikanyama, Naka-Meguro, and Shimokitazawa; along with one or more peaceful museums, shrines, or gardens such as the Nezu Museum, Meiji Jingu Shrine, and Hamarikyu Garden (explore more of our favorite  Tokyo neighborhoods ).

Following your fascinating tour, you’ll have some time to relax at your hotel and recover from any remaining jet lag you may have, or continue exploring independently. For your free time, you’ll be able to take advantage of the pre-departure materials we provide to each of our travelers.

This evening you’ll drink and dine with a private guide who will take you to a casual and authentic  izakaya (Japanese-style gastropub) , where you can enjoy a truly Japanese-style atmosphere, and sample a delicious and eclectic variety of Japanese foods. This is a quintessential Japanese experience and one of the best ways to immerse yourself in Japanese culture and mingle with locals.

Japanese izakaya chef and diner

Day 3: Tsukiji Market & Old Tokyo Stroll

Begin the day at  Tokyo’s legendary Tsukiji Market . Yes, the wholesale section of the fish market moved to  Toyosu  in 2018, but Tsukiji’s lively outer market remains an incredible place to immerse yourself in Japanese cuisine.

You’ll find historic lanes and alleys packed with a colorful array of shops and small restaurants — not to mention atmosphere and charm to spare. After a stroll to nearby Ginza, proceed to the historic  shitamachi  districts of Tokyo.

Begin in Yanaka, one of Tokyo’s most well-preserved historical districts, and an up-and-coming area for young creatives. It was largely spared during World War II, and today is home to quaint streets, small temples and shrines, and a plethora of traditional shops selling Japanese sweets, rice crackers, paper, and other goods. Yanaka is also home to galleries, such as the renowned SCAI the Bathhouse.

From Yanaka, walk to nearby Ueno, a bustling yet old-fashioned district best known for Ueno Park, which is home to various museums including the excellent Tokyo National Museum. You’ll come upon Ameyoko-cho, a boisterous outdoor marketplace where you can find everything from groceries and clothing shops to open-air yakitori stalls and more.

Following a full day in Tokyo savor some downtime, then head out for an  incredible sushi meal  or a taste of  Tokyo’s legendary nightlife .

Casual and authentic restaurant in Tokyo, Japan

Day 4: Luxurious Ryokan Stay in Hakone with Onsen (Hot Springs) & Kaiseki Dinner

Today you will leave Tokyo behind and travel to nearby Hakone National Park. Hakone is a mountainous area just outside of Tokyo, best known for its luxury ryokans, soothing  onsen  (hot springs), and — on clear days — stunning views of the iconic Fujisan (Mount Fuji).

Hakone is one of our favorite places to experience a  luxury ryokan  in Japan.

This evening you’ll have a sublime ryokan experience, but your adventures begin with the pleasant trip to Hakone on  Japan’s remarkable trains .

For Tokyoites, Hakone is synonymous with escape and relaxation, but in addition to ryokan-style rejuvenation Hakone offers plenty to see and do. Make sure to spend some time admiring art and nature at  The Hakone Open-Air Museum , which features sculptures by Rodin, Miró, and Noguchi (among many others) set against the region’s beautiful landscape.

A fun and lighthearted way to explore Hakone is along its famous sightseeing loop, which traverses the beautiful region via the Hakone Tozan Railway (a scenic mountain train), a funicular railway, the Hakone Ropeway (a gondola offering panoramic views), and a touristy but scenic cruise across Ashinoko (Lake Ashi).

Following an active day out, retreat to your relaxing Japanese-style surroundings.

There is nothing quite like  staying at a ryokan (traditional Japanese-style inn) . Before dinner, enjoy a soak in the healing onsen. Dinner tonight will be a magnificent  kaiseki  feast featuring seasonal and local specialties.

Your Hakone ryokan :  Yama no Chaya  or  Gora Hanaougi

Hakone Jinja Shrine at Ashinoko (Lake Ashi) in Hakone National Park, Japan

Day 5: Shinkansen (Bullet Train) to Kyoto & Private Walking Tour of Gion Geisha District

Early morning at leisure to relax in your calming Japanese-style surroundings. Have a soak in the onsen, followed by a beautiful Japanese breakfast.

Then it’s time to depart. You’ll be speeding west through central Japan via Japan’s iconic  shinkansen  (bullet train), a wonderfully pleasant way to travel. Eating and drinking on long-distance trains is a Japanese tradition: make sure to pick up a seasonal bento box (and some sake) for the journey.

Kyoto is one of the most culturally rich cities in the world, and the place most travelers dream of when envisioning Japan. Home to 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, Kyoto was the capital of Japan for over a thousand years and remains the heart and soul of traditional Japan.

Today it is a large modern city of over a million residents, and at first glance looks almost like any other Japanese town. But the city retains many of its long-established traditions, and despite the neon and concrete prevalent in many parts of town, Kyoto is teeming with beautiful and well-preserved pockets where time seems to move more slowly.

You’ll have part of the afternoon free to settle in and adjust to your new surroundings.

In the early evening, you’ll head out on a fascinating private walking tour through the backstreets of Kyoto’s best-known  geisha  district, Gion. As you slowly meander your way through the narrow lanes and hidden alleys of this enigmatic district, your expert guide will teach you about the history and reality of Kyoto’s  geiko  (as  geisha  are called in Kyoto) and  maiko  (apprentice geisha).

This is a great way to learn about Japan’s most misunderstood traditional profession, and it’s likely you’ll come across geiko or maiko en route to their evening appointments. Following your immersive stroll, your guide will leave you at a great local restaurant.  Kanpai!

Your Kyoto hotel :  Hotel Kanra Kyoto  or  Hyatt Regency Kyoto

Traditional lanterns in the Gion geisha district of Kyoto, Japan

Day 6: Unique Highlights of Kyoto (On & Off The Beaten Path)

Kyoto is full of famous sights, but to experience the city on a deeper level it’s also essential to spend time wandering off the beaten path.

No trip to Kyoto would be complete without visiting some of its remarkable temples, shrines, and gardens. For your time in the ancient capital, you will have the chance to take in an exceptional selection of Kyoto’s gems, carefully curated around your unique priorities and interests.

Explore Kyoto highlights such as (for example) the historic Higashiyama district, the charming Philosopher’s Path, and the picturesque Arashiyama district, along with off-the-beaten-path strolls through lesser-known Kyoto areas with your expert guide.

Kyoto is also rightly renowned for its cuisine and artisans. The colorful Nishiki Market is crowded but a must-visit for food and market lovers. For travelers interested in the arts and traditional crafts, the chance to visit with a  shokunin  (master craftsperson) in their private workshop is an unforgettable experience.

Beyond the extraordinary sights and wealth of traditional culture, Kyoto is also home to a booming creative scene, and throughout the ancient capital you’ll also find stunning modern design in museums and galleries, along with shops and cafes.

Following your private tour you’ll have the remainder of your day to relax at your lovely hotel, or continue exploring independently making use of the pre-departure materials we provide to each of our travelers.

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Kyoto Boutique Japan

Day 7: Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine and Fushimi Sake District

Fushimi Inari Taisha is one of Japan’s most famous places, and it’s worth visiting even for people who generally avoid “touristy” places. The easiest way to avoid crowds at Fushimi Inari is by arriving early. Even by midmorning it’s typically full of admirers.

The shrine’s main buildings sit at the base of Mount Inari, with vermillion torii (gates) framing the walking path up the slope. While the lower areas are usually filled with people taking selfies, you’ll find thinner crowds higher up on Inari-san — so if you’re up for a great hike, it’s well worthwhile! (If you love hiking, you’ll be pleased to know that the Kyoto area is home to several fantastic day hikes.)

After taking in Fushimi Inari, you’ll meet up with a local sake expert to explore the nearby Fushimi sake district, one of Japan’s most important sake-producing areas. As you walk Fushimi’s historic streets, you’ll  learn about sake ( nihonshu ) , with delicious samples along the way.

Enjoy your final evening in Kyoto!

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine Kyoto Japan

Day 8: Depart Japan

You’ll be free until departure. Depending on your flight time, you may have time for some last-minute explorations (and eating!).

In good time for your departure flight, you’ll be picked up at your accommodations for the comfortable private transfer to your departure airport.

Come back to Japan soon!

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The Ultimate Japan Itinerary for First-Timers: From 1 to 3 Weeks

A towering, colorful pagoda in the foreground with beautiful Mount Fuji in the distance in Japan

I’ve yet to meet a traveler who didn’t love their time in Japan . It’s just one of those countries that everyone loves. How can you not? The food is carefully crafted and delicious; the history and culture are both rich and long; the landscape breathtaking; and the people super friendly and polite.

Japan remains one of my favorite countries. No matter how long I visit, it’s never enough. I always leave wanting more.

But the country always seems forbidding to many travelers. It definitely still has that “exotic” stereotype that makes people think it’s hard to travel around.

Where should you go? What should you include in your Japan itinerary? Should you buy a JR Pass to help you get around?

To help you out, here are a few suggested itineraries based on my years of visiting that will ensure you see the best sites on your Japan trip — as well as get off the beaten path and get a real sense of Japanese culture!

Table of Contents

Japan Itinerary: Know Before You Go

Japan itinerary: one week, japan itinerary: two weeks, japan itinerary: three weeks.

A bullet train passing the beautiful Mount Fuji in Japan on a sunny day

Just be sure to get one BEFORE you go as you cannot purchase them on arrival. For more information on the pass, including how much they cost and how you can get one, read this blog post . It has everything you need to know!

You’ll also want to make sure you have mobile data for your trip. English isn’t widely spoken so having the ability to use Google Translate will come in handy for reading menus or asking for directions. It’s also useful for looking up train schedules and other transportation information.

Holafly offers affordable eSIM plans for as little as $21 USD. They have unlimited data too, so you can travel the country with confidence.  

The famous Sensoji temple during a sunny day in the Asakusa area of Tokyo, Japan

Day 1 & 2: Tokyo Chances are you’ll be starting your trip in Tokyo , since it’s home to the country’s biggest international airport. If your trip is seven days long, activate your JR Pass right away, so that you can take advantage of the free JR trains that run through the city.

While you could easily spend your entire week in Tokyo and not get bored, here are some of the highlights:

Visit the fish market – Toyosu is the world’s largest fish market. The daily auction here powers much of the world’s sushi supply, and it is truly an absolute must-see! You can go for free, but food and drink tours of the Tsukiji Outer Market are available for around 14,500 JPY.

See Sensoji Temple – Sensoji is beautifully painted and sits in a scenic spot near a five-story pagoda and the famous Kaminari Gate. There’s a huge statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, inside the main hall. It’s always busy but is worth seeing with your own eyes. The temple is free to visit.

Drink in Golden Gai – This alleyway of back-street bars is a lively place to drink at night and has a bit of a red-light-district feel to it. It is not to be missed. Even if you don’t drink, be sure to wander about. Arigato Tours offers tours of the area where you’ll learn about the neighborhood while stopping to sample Japanese classics like sushi, yakitori, and ramen. Tours are 23,900 JPY and include a drink and dishes at four food stops.

Visit the Imperial Palace – The home of the emperor of Japan was built in the 15th century, and while you can’t go inside, the palace and its grounds are a peaceful place for a stroll.

Watch a sumo match – If you’re in town at the right time, this is a must-do . Tickets sell out quickly, so book early. Expect to pay around 11,000-13,000 JPY.

If you have more time, consider taking a day trip to Kamakura to see the giant Buddha statue (Daibutsu). It is over 13 meters (42 feet) tall and dates back to the 13th century. The journey is around 90 minutes each way — and free with the JR Pass !

For delicious food, some of my favorite bars and restaurants include: Uogashi Nihon-Ichi (Standing Sushi Bar), Nemuro Hanamaru KITTE Marunouchi, Motodane, Tokyo Whisky Library, Ichiran Shibuya, and Uohama.

WHERE TO STAY IN TOKYO : Hostel Chapter Two – A small, family-run hostel not far from Skytree Station in Asakusa. I really like the shared kitchen and common room, as there’s a real social feel to them.

A narrow, old street in quiet Kyoto, Japan with a pagoda in the distance

With its beauty come lots of crowds though, so try to visit outside of the busy summer months. Even with lots of tourists, though, the city is still magnificent and has a lot to offer. Some things to see and do that you shouldn’t miss are the following:

Visit the Golden Pavilion – This famous (and picturesque) temple dates to the 1950s, when a monk burned down the previous temple (from the 14th century) while trying to commit suicide. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most-visited destinations in the country!

Explore Gion – Gion is the historic geisha district. Stroll along the main street and see ochaya s (teahouses where geishas entertain), the small shops, and the many restaurants that line the district’s streets. You can take a walking tour of Gion for 1,800 JPY.

Wander in the Bamboo Forest – For a relaxing break, head to Arashiyama and let the calm swaying of the forest envelop you. Located near the famous Tenryu-ji temple, it’s one of the most beautiful places in the entire country. Arrive early if you want to enjoy it without the crowds. Kyoto Bike Tours offers an early-bird bike tour for a guided way to do just that.

Admire Ryoan-ji temple – This is my favorite temple in Kyoto. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to a mausoleum that houses the remains of seven emperors. The traditional rock and sand garden is considered one of the best in the country.

For a half-day trip, you can also visit Nara. It’s a small city just one hour from Kyoto. Nara was the capital of Japan in the eighth century, so there are lots of buildings and temples here that are upwards of a thousand years old (which is rare in Japan, due to fires, as well as World War II). But the real draw in Nara are the deer.

Since the 17th century, those in and around the city have been considered sacred. You can buy crackers to feed them or just watch them stroll around carefree. A guided half-day walking tour that includes all of Nara’s highlights as well as a traditional lunch is 11,500 JPY.

While you’re here, don’t miss a visit to Todai-ji. It’s the world’s largest wooden building and is home to a 16-meter (52-foot) Buddha statue. It was built in 738 CE and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admission is 600 JPY.

WHERE TO STAY IN KYOTO : Backpacker Hostel K’s House – A fun, social backpacker hostel in a great central location. The rooftop terrace is a cool spot to hangout and meet other travelers after a day of exploring.

The iconic, towering Osaka Castle overlooking busy Osaka, Japan on a sunny day

Don’t miss Osaka Castle though. While it’s not the original (this version dates to 1931), it’s nevertheless an impressive sight. It’s home to a small but insightful museum and an observation deck that offers some picturesque city views.

And be sure to stroll down Dotonbori (ideally at night), the main street, which is lined with restaurants, stores, and tons of neon lights and signs. A guided walking tour that includes Dotonbori as well adjacent neighborhoods is 6,500 JPY.

The bombed-out ruins of the atomic bomb site in Hiroshima, Japan

Today, Hiroshima is thriving . Don’t miss the Atomic Bomb Museum, which depicts the history of the city before and after that fateful day. It has photos, artifacts, videos, and information about the effect of radiation on the population. It’s a sobering experience but one that should not be missed.

If you feel like getting out of town afterward, head to Miyajima , an island that offers a place to hike and enjoy nature. You can also take a cable car to the peak of the mountain to take in the view. A one-way ferry ride to the island takes 10 minutes and is free to JR Pass holders.

WHERE TO STAY IN HIROSHIMA : Roku Hostel – A cozy, small hostel with a rustic atmosphere and design. It feels like you’re staying with a friend here, and the beds are super comfy too.

An empty street with glowing lights in Tokyo, Japan

If you like history, don’t miss the Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village, home to a collection of traditional thatch-roof houses that you can enter to further immerse yourself in the country’s past.

This city (and region, really) is famous for its Hida beef, a high-fat variety that’s even better than any A5 Wagyu you might have. It just melts in your mouth. Be sure to have some while you are here!

The Japanese Alps are not far from here as well, so if you love hiking and want to extend your time in the region, head to Kamikochi for a day hike or overnight trip. It’s just an hour away and has both easy and moderate trails, which are open from April to November. Hiking trails can also be found in Hakusan National Park (also just one hour away by car).

The quiet streets of scenic Kanazawa, Japan with locals wearing traditional clothing

One of the more unique temples in Japan is here too: Ninja (Myoryuji) Temple. While the temple wasn’t home to actual ninjas, Myoryuji was built as a defensive structure (strict laws forbade local lords from building defenses, so they were hidden in the temple to circumvent the rules). These include hidden rooms, secret tunnels, and a maze of staircases and halls to confuse enemies.

If you need a break from exploring cities, Hakusan National Park, home to Mount Haku, one of the three holy mountains, is just an hour south of town.

The traditional Japanese castle overlooking Matsumoto in Japan

If you’re here in April, there are incredible cherry blossom displays that are famous in the region. And, just like Takayama, Matsumoto is close to the Japanese Alps, so you’re just a stone’s throw from some of the best hiking in the country.

A red torii gate in the water with lush greenery and Mount Fuji in the background Japan

There are tons of hotels (both modern and traditional) that have their own hot springs (often both indoors and outdoors). It’s the perfect place to wrap up a trip, relax, and take in the views.

In addition to getting a copious amount of R&R, be sure to ride the cable car up the mountain for even more amazing views. The area is surrounded by craters from an inactive volcano that erupted 80,000 years ago (not to be confused with nearby Mount Fuji, which is an active volcano), and you’ll find lots of vendors at the top selling eggs cooked in the sulfurous waters. It’s said the eggs prolong one’s life by seven years, so feel free to give them a try!

If you prefer to hike up instead, the trail is open between July and September, with the trek taking anywhere from 5 to 12 hours, depending on your level of fitness. Typically, hikers leave at night in order to arrive at the summit by dawn. There are little shops along the way that sell food and even beds you can rent in advance if you want to split your journey up. Just make sure you do your research and prepare in advance as it’s a tough hike!

If you really want to play tourist, you can also ride a mock pirate ship around the lake for more views of the mountains, and Mount Fuji in particular.

Full-day tours around Hakone that include all the main sights cost 14,800 JPY.

WHERE TO STAY IN HAKONE : Hotel Green Plaza – With gorgeous views of Mount Fuji, a huge buffet dinner (with both Western and Japanese options), and a private onsen where you can relax and enjoy the view, this is one of the best places to stay in Hakone if you want value but don’t want to break the bank.  

A busy street in sunny, subtropical Okinawa, Japan

Using the suggestions above, here’s how I would organize your itinerary:

  • Days 1-3 : Tokyo
  • Day 4 : Mount Fuji or Hakone
  • Day 5 : Takayama
  • Days 6 & 7 : Kanazawa
  • Days 8 & 9 : Matsumoto
  • Days 10-12 : Kyoto
  • Days 13 & 14 : Osaka
  • Days 15 & 16 : Hiroshima

The sprawling, green landscape of Hokkaido, Japan inside a national park

If you do want to spend a few hours in Hakodate, don’t miss the Morning Market, where you can find lots of fresh seafood. You can also visit Fort Goryokaku, the first “Western”-style fort in the country.

An old brewery in the winter in Sapporo, Japan

Be sure to stop in at the local Beer Museum too, owned by Sapporo Breweries (the oldest beer company in the country). It showcases the history of beer in Japan and how the business got its start. If you’re a whiskey fan, stop by The Bow Bar, home to some rare (and expensive) whiskeys and considered one of the best such bars in the world.

What I love about the city is its location. This region has some of the best hiking in the country. There are plenty of hills and mountains, offering options for both day hikes as well as overnight trips. Some highlights include Mount Me-akan, Mount Asahim, Mount Mashu, and Nishibetsu-dake. For the best views of the city, head to Mount Moiwayama. It’s just a 30-60-minute hike to the top, though there is a cable car you can take as well.

And if you’re visiting in the winter, hit the slopes! There are over a hundred ski resorts in Hokkaido. You can rent skis (or a snowboard) for around 10,000-18,000 JPY. Lift prices are usually 4,000-6,000 JPY per day. In the winter, don’t miss the annual Sapporo Snow Festival. It’s held every February and draws over two million visitors. There are ice sculptures, igloos, live music, and delicious local foods on offer.

Additionally, be sure to take a day trip to Otaru, where you’ll find some of the freshest uni in the whole country (this is the main area where the famed Hokkaido uni is caught). Go hungry and visit the markets, stalls, and shops around there.

WHERE TO STAY IN SAPPORO : Waya Hostel – This is a laid-back, colorful hostel with a social atmosphere that makes meeting people a breeze. It has a homey, DIY feel and is perfect for budget travelers looking for a no-frills place to crash.

The busy streets of Tokyo, Japan near an old temple

There is a ton to see and do in Japan , and you could easily spend another month here and still just scratch the surface (we didn’t even get to Okinawa and the islands!). And while these itineraries are a bit fast-paced, Japan isn’t cheap, so budget travelers need to move around the country quickly to avoid breaking the bank.

But no matter how long you visit, you won’t be disappointed. Japan is an amazing, beautiful, and unique destination that I never get tired of visiting. While it’s not as affordable as its neighbors, there are still plenty of ways to save money , and it’s definitely worth spending the time (and money) visiting. You won’t be disappointed!

Just make sure to get your Japan Rail Pass before you go!  

Book Your Trip to Japan: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . They are my two favorite search engines, because they search websites and airlines around the globe, so you always know no stone is left unturned!

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the most comprehensive inventory so they are best for booking a hostel. If you want to stay in a hotel or guesthouse in Japan, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancelations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it, as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

  • Safety Wing (best for everyone)
  • Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
  • Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel — and I think they will help you too!

Be sure to check out the Japan Rail Pass if you’ll be traveling around the country. It comes in 7-, 14-, and 21-day passes and can save you a ton of money!

Looking for More Travel Tips for Japan? Check out my in-depth Japan travel guide for more ways to save money; information on costs; tips on what to see and do; suggested itineraries, reading, and packing lists; and much, much more!

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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Sample JAPAN ITINERARIES with Estimated Budget: 4, 6, 7, 8, 15 Days

Sample JAPAN ITINERARIES with Estimated Budget: 4, 6, 7, 8, 15 Days

By continuing to read this article, you agree to double check with the authorities or other concerned entities for the latest updates.

Here are some sample DIY Japan itineraries for Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto for 4 DAYS, 6 DAYS, 7 DAYS (1 WEEK), 8 DAYS, and 15 DAYS. Each DIY itinerary has its own recommended minimum budget to help you manage your finances well.

This post covers only Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. If you’re looking for sample itineraries for Sapporo and Nagoya, we have separate samples in the posts below:

  • Nagoya Sample Itinerary
  • Sapporo Sample Itinerary

If you need help on how to start planning a multi-city tour across Japan, this post might help: Japan Travel Guide

Please take note of the following.

  • All the itineraries below assume that you are a party of two , that you will be staying at a double room of a budget hotel or hostel (less than $80 per night), and that you will be splitting costs. The only exception is Tokyo Option 3 and the 15-day backpacking itinerary.
  • If your hostel or hotel does not serve free breakfast, visit the supermarket on your first day to buy food (biscuits, drinks, bread).
  • Set aside ¥1000 for every unspecified lunch or dinner .
  • Airfare is not included in the costing.
  • Estimated budget indicated is per person. However, note that this has a big allowance. For example, the ¥1000 budget per meal is often too much because you can actually find a good bowl of ramen, even in Tokyo, for only ¥500. But it’s better to overestimate than under.

WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS GUIDE?

Tokyo Budget Itinerary: 6 Days

Duration : 6 Days, 5 Nights Estimated Budget : ¥35,000 (USD315, PHP15,600)

The BUDGET OPTION. This itinerary replaces the pricey Disneyland visit with a day trip in Odaiba and replaces double room with a bed at a capsule hotel.

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Tokyo + Disneyland Itinerary: 6 Days

Duration : 6 Days, 5 Nights Estimated Budget : ¥53,000 (USD475, PHP23,700)

This itinerary removes the visit to Kamakura and Yokohama and adds a visit to Sensoji Temple.

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Tokyo + Disneyland + Kamakura and Yokohama Itinerary: 6 Days

Duration : 6 Days, 5 Nights Estimated Budget : ¥56,000 (USD500, PHP25,000)

This is a pretty jampacked itinerary.

japan trip itinerary 8 days

If you need more information about traveling on a budget in Tokyo, check this out: Tokyo Travel Guide

Osaka and Kyoto Itinerary: 4 Days

Duration : 4 Days, 4 Nights Estimated Budget : ¥38,000 (USD340, PHP17,000)

This itinerary assumes you will be landing at Kansai International Airport at night and will be staying in a double room at a budget hotel or hostel for ¥6000/night (¥3000/head).

If you need more help planning your Osaka-Kyoto trip, this post is for you: Osaka and Kyoto Travel Guide

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Osaka – Nara – Kyoto Itinerary: 4 Days

Duration : 4 Days, 4 Nights Estimated Budget : ¥45,000 (USD400, PHP20,000)

This itinerary assumes you will be landing at Kansai International Airport at night and will be staying in a double room at a budget hotel or hostel for ¥6000/night (¥3000/head). You will be visiting Nara but only on a day tour.

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Osaka – Kyoto – Tokyo Itinerary: 8 Days

Duration : 8 Days, 8 nights Estimated Budget : ¥85,000 (USD760, PHP38,000)

This itinerary assumes you will be entering Japan via Osaka and leaving via Tokyo. You will also be staying in a double room at a budget hotel or hostel for ¥6000/night (¥3000/head) in Osaka/Kyoto and ¥9400/night (¥4700/head) in Tokyo.

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Tokyo – Kyoto – Osaka Itinerary: 7 Days

Duration : 7 Days, 6 nights Estimated Budget : ¥85,000 (USD760, PHP38,000)

This is the reverse of the Osaka-Tokyo itinerary above. This one assumes you’re landing in Tokyo and leaving via Osaka. Your hotel budget here is the same: ¥6000/night (¥3000/head) in Osaka/Kyoto and ¥9400/night (¥4700/head) in Tokyo.

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Tokyo – Nagoya – Kyoto – Osaka Itinerary: 15 Days

15-Day Budget Backpacking Duration : 15 Days, 14 nights Estimated Budget : ¥115,000 (USD1030, PHP51,200)

This one is for budget backpackers. This assumes you’ll be staying at hostel dorm (around ¥2000 per night). Because you will be visiting multiple cities including day tours in Ibaraki and Kawaguchiko, it would be great if you have a JR Pass.

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Do you really need a JR Pass?

It depends on your chosen itinerary. In this post, we weighed in on the JR Pass. You might want to read it first before making a decision: For more info, read: Is the JR Pass Worth It?

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Top Budget Hotels in Tokyo

According to TripAdvisor users as of Feb 2017.

Search for more: Tokyo Hotels

Top budget hotels and hostels in osaka (under $70), search for more: osaka hotels, top guest houses in kyoto (under $70), search for more: kyoto hotels.

Klook TPT2024

2️⃣0️⃣1️⃣9️⃣ • 3️⃣ • 2️⃣4️⃣ (updated) 2️⃣0️⃣1️⃣7️⃣ • 5️⃣ • 2️⃣5️⃣ (first up)

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guest

I probably visit your japan articles for so many times as I am traveling to Japan next month (solo trip). I am pretty anxious about how much it would cost me. Can I ask for advice if it’s better to get JR pass TOkyo-kyoto-osaka-tokyo is my itinerary.i wanted midnight bus but just wondering if it would cost the same if I have JR pass? Thanks! More power!

yoshke

Hi Weywey, overnight bus is a looot cheaper than JR Pass. If you can handle an 8-hour bus ride overnight, go for it.

Here’s our article about JR Pass: http://www.thepoortraveler.net/2017/03/is-jr-pass-worth-it/

DANA

Hi. This post is so helpful. I’m planning for a 8d/7n trip to Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo-Osaka, solo traveler btw. :)

Day 1 – Arrival Day 2 – USJ + Dotonbori Day 3 – Arashiyama / Fushimi Inari / Gion Day 4 – Tokyo = Meiji Shrine / Shibuya + Hachiko / Takeshita / Sanrio Puroland Day 5 – Disneyland Day 6 – Ueno Park / Tokyo Museum / Akihabara / Return to Osaka Day 7 – Osaka Castle / Umeda Sky Bldg / Back to MNL

If ever I get JR pass, do you think it will cost me the same if I use midnight buses back and forth Osaka? Or it’s better if I depart na lang from Tokyo to MNL? (Mas cheaper kasi sa Osaka. Hahaha.)

Thank you so much in advance. :)

Yosh Dimen

If you haven’t booked your return flight yet, I would seriously consider exiting via Tokyo so you don’t need to go back to Osaka. Yes, it might cost more but it will give you more time too. :)

From Kyoto/Osaka to Tokyo, take the overnight bus.

Meg Palapal

Hi! Would just like to ask if the budget you posted per option is on a per head basis? For example on option 7, budget is 38k pesos per person if there were 2 of us planning to take this trip?

Hi Meg, yes, that’s per person. But bear in mind that these are “overestimates.” For example, the ¥1000 budget per meal, which is used in these itineraries, is often too much because you can actually find a good bowl of ramen, even in Tokyo, for only ¥500. But it’s better to overestimate than under.

Almost 1/3 of the budget also goes to hotel accommodations. If you can find rooms cheaper than the price used in this itinerary, that would significantly bring the costs down.

Lexi @ KinesiOdyssey.com

Traveling Japan was one of my FAVORITE countries of all time. Kyoto was especially…well, special for lack of a creative word LOL Mindblowing might be more apt. Also, the Rail Pass was a HUGE cost saver. Great suggestion!

I’m curious if you guys can manage a budget trip like this for a ski trip, though. The snow is FANTASTIC out near Sapporo, but it was the most expensive part of my trip

Hi Lexi, oh the only time we tried skiing was at Fujiten (near Lake Kawaguchi). I think it’s a bit cheaper than other ski resorts, no entrance fee, but getting there was super expensive because if you don’t have a car (and we didn’t), the only way to get there was by taxi. And you know how costly Japan cab rides are.

Pipo S. Onrubia

Hi. We are 3 in the family going to Osaka next month for a week. Can you give us an itinerary for budget travellers? Thanks.

En Jabar

Hi Yoshke. Thanks for posting all these tips on Japan. I’d like to visit Hiroshima, would you mind sharing if you have been there. We would love to include it in our itinerary of osaka, kyoto amd Hiroshima. Thanks

Jenelyn

Hi. I just want to ask for some advice. I have booked a plane ticket for Manila-Tokyo and vice versa this coming September. We plan to stay for a week but we thought that its too long if we will just stay in Tokyo. I just want to know if its practical to get a Whole Jr pass? Can we used that to go to Osaka and return to Tokyo? Hope you could help. Thank you

Hi Jenelyn, in my opinion, a week is still too short for Tokyo, there’s just a lot to do there. The surrounding destinations like Kamakura and Yokohama are also worth a visit. If you decided to stay in Tokyo, you don’t need a JR Pass.

If you really want to visit Osaka and your return flight will also be from Tokyo, the JR Pass isn’t the best option either. You can find cheap flights. Or if you’re up for it, take an overnight bus, which will also save you a hotel night.

More info here: https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2017/03/is-jr-pass-worth-it/

Win

Hi, Your link to Sappora Itinerary Sample and Nagoya Itinerary Sample on the top of your page are swapped. Maybe you didn’t notice it.

Hi Win! Great catch! Thanks for letting us know. Fixed now!

Joy

Hi does the budget includes transportation cost in japan during the trip?

stephanie

hi po, pla po namin mag punta ng japan next month. me, husband and yung son ko. manila-osaka tokyo to manila po ang plano namin. first time namin sa japan, kailangan ba namin bumili ng jr pass? hingi po sana ako ng suggestion mo, kung ilang days namin kailangan mag stay ng osaka para makalibot and sa tokyo.. 10-13 days po kami mag stay ng japan.

If Osaka and Tokyo lang ang balak nyong puntahan and no side trips to other distant cities, you don’t need a JR Pass. This post explains it: https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2017/03/is-jr-pass-worth-it/

If 10 days, I suggest 6 days in Tokyo and 4 days in Osaka+Kyoto.

If 13 days, 7 days in Tokyo and 6 days in Osaka+Kyoto.

Jocelyn dimaculangan

Can you recommend a travel agencies that organise the itinerary tokyo with disneyland

We haven’t tried having a travel agency organize our Japan trip for us, so we can’t recommend anyone. :(

Nicole Villanueva

hi, so we are going to Japan for the first time in August. I’ve only booked 6D/5N going to Tokyo…. Reading your articles, seems that is too short, waaaah :( Anyway, so just to confirm, if we stay in TOkyo we won’t be needing the JR pass right? How will we get around the city? Also, where do you think is the best area to stay as springboard to must-go places in Tokyo? The only sure place we will visit is Tokyo Disney as well as Mt. Fuji tour. What else can you recommend? Thanks in advance!

Yep, you DON’T need a JR Pass if you’re staying in Tokyo.

My favorite base is Ueno. We explained why in our TOKYO TRAVEL GUIDE. You can find that here: https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2016/12/tokyo-travel-guide-expenses/

Nicole

Super thank you again!!! I’m going crazy making the itinerary…. All your articles are very helpful!

MEDIZA POSO

Hi Pwede po humingi ng soft copy of Tokyo – Kyoto – Osaka Iterynary. Thanks po

Elsa

Do you have a itinerary for tokyo – hakone-mt fuji- kyoto- osaka- tokyo? Thanks.

Chi

Hi ask ko lng po if single entry lng ang visa. Can we enter in tokyo and exit in osaka? Or same exit din kame dapat kung saan ang point of entry nmin? Thank you!

Hi Chi, okay lang na magkaiba ang entry and exit points kahit single entry visa. Basta wag ka lang lalabas ng Japan tapos papasok ulit. :)

Isla

Hi! I love how comprehensive yet simple your website and itineraries are! May I know though if can replace Disney Sea/Land with Fuji Q, in your 8-day Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo itinerary? We have exactly 8 whole days for touring, that is excluding our arrival and departure days. We will travel this September na. Just got our visa. hehe

Hi Isla, yes, that’s possible. :) You can visit Fuji Q as a day trip from Tokyo. :)

wayne funk

hi Yoshke I will travel with my wife and two daughters age 18 and 20 to japan in march for 35 days. we will use the 21 day japan rail pass. we would like to visit Okinawa also. we fly out of Edmonton alberta Canada and will fly to okinowa first then return from Tokyo. this is our first trip to japan. could you help us with this itinery or suggest a good site for this period of time. Thank you and any help is appreciated.

Wow! 35 days! :D If I had that much time (and money), I would do it like this:

Days 1-5 Okinawa Days 5-9 Fukuoka & Nagasaki Days 9-12 Hiroshima Days 12-15 Tottori Days 15-20 Osaka & Kyoto Days 20-25 Nagoya/Gifu Days 25-29 Hokkaido Days 29-35 Tokyo

To maximize your JR Pass, use it first when you travel from Fukuoka to Hiroshima (Day 9). This will allow it to be effective until Day 29. when you travel from Hokkaido to Tokyo. This way, you have covered most long-distance trips.

Japan-Guide .com has an online forum too. Maybe you can post this on their forum. :D

Sarangssi

Hi! I want to Travel to Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto but I have roundtrip ticket MNL-NRT. No exact days yet since I can still rebook my flight but still with NRT. Is it okay not to get JR Pass? Or I do I need it to get back to Tokyo?

The number of days of your trip is a key factor in determining whether you need a JR Pass or not. So decide muna how long your trip is.

But yes, it’s possible to travel from Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto and back even without JR Pass. You can take the bus.

stephanie

hi Sir .. good day po . we’re planning to visit japan this november . 2 adult and 1 kid i saw your iteneray .. can you help me look for a budget hotel wre we can stay .gusto ko po sana na eto mga puntahan namin 7 days po tokyo kyota osaka wla po kase kayong hotel na nailagay. buget hotel po sna .. salamat

You may check out our individual travel guides for info and recommendations on WHERE TO STAY:

Osaka: https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2018/03/what-to-do-in-osaka/

Kyoto: https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2018/03/things-to-do-in-kyoto-itinerary/

Tokyo: https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2016/12/tokyo-travel-guide-expenses/

Ingrid

I have a question on the itinerary particularly on Tokyo – Kyoto – Osaka Itinerary: 7 Days. 1. What type of pass or card recommended to use on this itinerary? Is PASMO card enough to use in all the transportation needed? 2. PASMO card is accepted also in OSAKA and Kyoto train/buses?

1. When is your trip? We will be publishing better, more cost-efficient sample itineraries later this month.

2. Yes, PASMO card is accepted by any train gate or bus with an IC reader. Not all buses have IC readers though, I think.

Louise

Hi. Would a single-entry visa suffice if we fly to Osaka then fly out from Tokyo?

Hi Louise, yes, as long as you’re not flying out of Japan in between!

Rhona

Hi, Me and my brother are planning to explore Japan later this month for the first time. And we’ll be spending 10 days. Our flight will be MNL-OSAKA-MNL. What mode of transportation can you recommend if we want to go to Tokyo and come back to Osaka? And what are other itineraries can you recommend? Thank you so much.

Hi Rhona, if budget traveler kayo, okay i-take ang bus. Overnight bus, pwede rin para tipid.

We’ll be creating more sample itineraries soon!

Girlie

Hi, paano mo gumawa ng itinerary templates for 7 days? Any app you can recommend? Love your blog and it’s so helpful! Thank you!

Hi Girlie, we make our itineraries based on experience lang.

Faith F.

Hello. I want to consider your 8 days / 7 days multi city itinerary, might follow it sa planned Japan trip. One question though, would want to include in the itinerary the visit to see Mt. Fuji. What route can you recommend in between those days? Thank you!

Alex sanoria

We would like to follow the 8 days intinerary (osaka – kyoto – tokyo ) 1. Do we need to get JR pass? 2.. in your itinerary , is it DIY? If so we need to buy all the tickets in advance thru klook or at site(japan) 3. Or you have arrange tour packages in agency?

Hope you can ease my mind and help me with this.

More power to you!

1. If your entry point is Osaka and exit is Narita/Haneda, no need for JR Pass. I’m assuming you’re taking the bus to Tokyo.

2. Yep, it’s DIY.

3. It’s DIY.

Pris Yeo

Hi Yoshke Dimen,

Greetings to you from Singapore.

I am planning a family trip of 10 days to Osaka/Nara/Kobe/Nagoya/Kyoto/Osaka in mid Nov this year. My tentative itinerary is as follows. Appreciate for your input. TQVM.

Day 1 Arr at Osaka at night Day 2 Osaka city tour Day 3 Nara day tour with train from Osaka Day 4 Kobe day tour with train from Osaka Day 5 Leave for Nagoya from Osaka- Nagoya castle Day 6 Shirakawa-go day tour Day 7 Ohsukamon & Ohsu shopping street Day 8 Leave for Kyoto from Nagoya Day 9 Visit Kyoto Day 10 Leave from Kyoto to Osaka for afternoon flight to Sg

Is the route feasible & practical? Appreciate for your suggestions. TQVM.

Switch Day 3 and Day 4 so that you’ll visit Nara on Day 4. Then, get a 5-Day Kintetsu Rail Pass, which will cover your journey from Osaka to Nara, Osaka to Nagoya, and Nagoya to Kyoto. :)

Replace Day 7 with the Day 4 in the sample itinerary here: https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2017/05/nagoya-japan-travel-guide/

We will soon be updating this post because we now have better sample itineraries. But we’re still trying to find time to update.

Donna Nuada

Greetings from the Philippines

My friend and her 2 sons will visit(1st time) Japan this June 20 to 26. Our entry is at Narita Airport, We dont have yet a place but we plan to stay in Tokyo, would you recommend any please? Or if not in Tokyo, where? Thanks in advance!

Hi Donna, this post might help: https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2016/12/tokyo-travel-guide-expenses/

Margaret

Hi! I’m planning to follow your Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo itinerary but will tweak it a bit to make it a 10-day trip. Our itinerary is still flexible. I’m planning to add one full day for Universal Studios in Osaka, and another for a day tour in Mie, specifically in Nabana no Sato. Any tips on which pass/es to use and if it’s necessary to go back to Osaka or go directly to Kyoto? Thank you in advance!

Hi Margaret,

If you’re visiting Mie too, consider getting a Kintetsu Rail Pass. :)

Have you considered making a stop in Nagoya? It sits right between Osaka/Kyoto and Tokyo, and it’s the city closest to Nabana no Sato.

Hello! Thanks for replying. I’m thinking of adding Nagoya to our itinerary as well. Is a day tour to Shirakawa-go worth it in the spring season + Takayama (we’re travelling april 2020 btw)? Or should we go there in autumn/winter instead? Any suggestions for this itinerary? Thank you!

Day 1 – Arrival in Osaka (visit places covered by Osaka Amazing Pass) Day 2 – Universal Studios Japan + Dotonbori Day 3 – Nara Day Tour Day 4 – Transit to Kyoto, Fushimi Inari, Gion District Day 5 – Arashiyama, Golden Pavilion, Transit to Nagoya Day 6 – Free morning + Nabana no Sato in the afternoon Day 7 – Nagoya Castle, Toyota Museum, Sakae District Day 8 – Transit to Tokyo, Ueno Park, Akihabara Day 9 – Shinjuku Day 10 – Shibuya, Harajuku Day 11 – Departure from Tokyo

Hi Margaret, yes, Shirakawa-go is worth it. Takayama is lovely too. I love small Japanese cities and villages so I’m a bit biased, haha.

I think your itinerary is good. A bit too fast-paced for me — I would insert a couple of free days — but since you only have 11 days and if you have the energy, go for it! :)

Russel Arevalo

Hello Miss Yoshke Dimen,

I and my friends will be visiting Tokyo in October but we only plan to visit Hitachi Seaside Park, Tokyo Disneysea and Mt. Fuji. Is it practical to get the JR pass? We will be only be there for 5 days.

Thank you in advance!

Hi Russel, parang hindi practical for you.

Consider Tokyo Wide Pass. Covered nya Fuji, but I’m not sure about Hitachi Seaside Park. I think some parts of Ibaraki prefecture (where Hitachi Park is located) are covered though, di ko lang alam yung extent.

Ana

We’ll be travelling Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo by February 29 for 8 days trip with group of 8 adults and 1 child. please check if my itinerary is doable and any suggestion? Thank you so much!

Day 1 PM flight. Day 2 Osaka Castle, Kuromon Market, Dotonbori Day 3 USJ Day 4 Kyoto Day Tour: Arashiyama, Fuji inari shrine, gion district Day 5 Tokyo: Yoyogi Park or Ueno Park??? Day 6: DisneySea Day 7: Shibuya, Akihabara Day 8 Manila

Hi Ana, it looks doable. My only comment is, Yoyogi Park is best if sa Day 7 rin since it’s located in Shibuya. Then ung Ueno Park and Akihabara naman yung magkalapit. :)

Maluwag yang itinerary na yan, which is okay if big group tapos may bata. :)

Kristin Liwanag

Hello! We already Visited Japan(tokyo, osaka, yokohama, atami) as a couple but we wanted to go back with kids this time. May you please suggest an itinerary that includes Disneyland, UStudios, hokkaido and other places that we have not visited yet. Thank you!

How many days do you have for that trip?

elite

Hi, Do you have sample itinerary trip in Japan for 1 week during January. including skiing.

Rina

Hi, Yoshke!

Do you have a priced version of you Tokyo – Kyoto – Osaka Itinerary: 7 Days? Just so I could see the breakdown of the Php38,000.00, too.

By the way, thank you for the detailed itinerary. I’ll be sure to use your affiliate links. :)

Thanks, Rina

Hi Rina, unfortunately, I didn’t keep the breakdown when I made this. We’re planning to write a more detailed Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka itinerary with breakdown of expenses though, but not sure how soon we can do it as we’ll be hitting the road soon.

Lei

I’ll be touring Osaka (3days) -Kyoto (2days) -Tokyo (4days). I’ll be getting the JR pass but Im still confused if I ALSO need to get the ICOCA. Can I use the JR pass around Tokyo, or there’s a different pass for this? Thank you!

Hi Lei, as long as JR ang sasakyan mo, pwede mong gamitin ang valid na JR Pass.

If hindi JR yung train, you can buy a separate single ticket na lang or use ICOCA/SUICA. Depende yan sa specifics ng itinerary mo.

Kaye

Hi do you have recommended itinerary for 12 days? Tokyo day 1-5 transit to Osaka day 6 then day 7-12 kansai region. Hope to hear from you. Thank you!

Patty

is the amount indicated like the osaka kyoto tokyo, around 38k, is that good for two or per person? We got a bit confused with the intro of this article. Just want to clarify. Thanks

Hi Patty, as stated, estimated budget is PER PERSON, but it’s assuming there are 2 people traveling and splitting the cost of accommodations.

If it’s confusing, we’ll probably revise the article and exclude hotel in the computation in the future.

Lorby

Hi Yoshke! Your blog is so informative. Thank you for all the details. :) I would just like to ask help with the best itinerary for us, a family of 4 (kids are 10 and 1 yr 4 months). We will be going to Japan this coming Feb 10-19 and Osaka is our entry and exit. We are planning to tour Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Tokyo including USJ and Disney Sea if possible with the length of stay we have. Since we have a toddler with us and a senior citizen, can you give/suggest to us the best possible itinerary with the pass we need to buy? Hope to hear from you! Thank you very much!

Since Kansai Airport is both your entry and exit, visit Tokyo first. It’s always a good idea to visit the farthest destination first so you don’t stress yourself out trying to catch your flight out.

Day 1 – Arrival/Transit to Tokyo Day 2 – Disney Sea Day 3 – Shibuya (Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, Shibuya Crossing) Day 4 – Transit to Osaka, Namba/Dotonbori Day 5 – Nara Day Tour Day 6 – Kyoto Day Tour Day 7 – Osaka Tour Day 8 – Universal Studios Japan Day 9 – Departure

If you want to take the train for Osaka-Tokyo-Osaka, get a nationwide JR Pass and make sure that long distance trips (Osaka-Tokyo, Tokyo-Osaka, Osaka-Nara) are all within 7 days.

If you want to fly for Osaka-Tokyo-Osaka instead, get separate city/regional passes na lang for the trains/subway.

Rita Perez

Need your help if possible, this it our (adult son/me) first trip to Japan and we would like to visit everywhere but I know we can’t. I have already booked a hotel in Tokyo, purchased the 14 days JR pass and booked a couple of shows/places (below) which apparently sell out. Still pending to book the One Piece Tower/Park and Ghibli Museum. We are traveling during year end and I know many things are closed which is where am having a hard time. We want to spend a couple of days in Hokkaido/Sapporo and then go back to Tokyo, visit Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Kanazawa, etc. We want to visit Mt. Fuji, Bamboo Forest the Temples, the Golden Castle, and the Imperial Palace, Akihabara, Harajuku, Shinjuku, Shibuya, the deer, Disney, etc. I know it’s a lot and have no clue where to go first b/c I don’t know what will be closing down for new years. I also need an idea for my son’s New Year’s birthday. How can I make the most of my trip and plan it to make it super worth it. We are from Miami, FL USA it’s a very long trip and not sure how many times I can go again.

DEC26 Day 1 – Arrival at Narita Airport 3:20 PM 27 Day 2 – 28 Day 3 – 29 Day 4 – 30 Day 5 – 31 Day 6 – JAN 1 Day 7 – My son’s birthday 2 Day 8 – 3 Day 9 – have tix for TEAMLAB BORDERLESS (TOKYO) ENTRANCE 12:00 noon 4 Day 10 – 5 Day 11 – 6 Day 12 – 7 Day 13 – 8 Day 14 – 9 Day 15 – have tix for YAYOI KUSAMA MUSEUM – TOKYO 1:00 PM 10 Day 16 – 11 Day 17 – Departure from Narita Airport at 6:45 pm

My concern is your TeamLab borderless visit is smack in the middle of your itinerary, which throws a wrench into any smooth-flowing itinerary I could suggest.

Is that final or can that visit be moved towards the end of your trip?

Rita

Thank you for response and trying to help us. It ca be moved..

To be honest, 17 days is too short for all the places you want to visit. But if you really want to visit all those, here’s a simplified itinerary.

Note, however, that the journey to and from Sapporo by train is looooong. That’s why I always recommend flying when going to or coming from Tokyo or anywhere south of it.

I also didn’t consider the days when some attractions are possibly closed (especially on the days around New Year’s Day).

DEC26 Day 1 – Arrival at Narita Airport 3:20 PM 27 Day 2 – Tokyo to Sapporo 28 Day 3 – Sapporo 29 Day 4 – Sapporo 30 Day 5 – Sapporo to Osaka 31 Day 6 – Osaka JAN 1 Day 7 – Nara Day Tour (son’s birthday) 2 Day 8 – Kyoto Day Tour 3 Day 9 – Osaka to Hiroshima 4 Day 10 – Hiroshima 5 Day 11 – Miyajima Day Tour 6 Day 12 – Hiroshima to Kanazawa 7 Day 13 – Kanazawa 8 Day 14 – Kanazawa to Tokyo 9 Day 15 – Tokyo, including YAYOI KUSAMA MUSEUM – TOKYO 1:00 PM 10 Day 16 –Tokyo 11 Day 17 – Departure from Narita Airport at 6:45 pm

My reco is to remove Sapporo. It’s beautiful but it’s out of the way.

If Sapporo is non-negotiable, then probably remove Kanazawa then maximize your stay in Tokyo (there’s A LOT TO DO IN TOKYO) or insert a destination in Tohoku Region just to break the long train journey from Sapporo to Osaka.

Thank you so much for the help. I will further research the New Years shut down for the attractions and see what I can remove / change. Again thank you so much for all the info it is greatly appreciated. I will definitely will need to plan more than one trip.

No prob, Rita. It’s really hard to build a Japan itinerary because there’s SO MUCH to see. :S

Sorry just noticed I had a few typos. I can change it for later in the trip, that is not a problem.

I know! I have been trying myself for a while, thank you so much for your help. I am very exited!! Will tell you all about it when I come back.

Cheche

Hi!! Please help.. im planning to visit kyoto and nara for 2 days then ride a bus overnight to tokyo. Should i buy a pass? Hope you reply.. thanks!!

In Kansai, where will you be based?

Adjie

Hi, ask lang po san po best mag palit ng currency dito na sa pilipinas o dun na po sa japan? Thanks

Paul Red

Thanks to these itinerary references to create my own itinerary and have a budget for every place to visit for the first time. Because of the pandemic, I still have more time to save money. :) I’m a big fan of this Blog. Try to listen also to their Podcast on Spotify to have more details about their travel experience.

Chloe

Hi, we are planning for 10D9N trip (Tokyo – Nikko – Kurakama – Hakone – Mt Fuji – Lake Kawaguchiko). Is JR tokyo wide pass + SUICA enough for us? thanks

Katrina

Hi! Can you recommend an 8 day trip for Nagoya-Tokyo area? Or if you have a better suggestion for the itinerary, arrival and departure is in Nagoya. Thank you!!

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Tokyo Itinerary 8 Days – 2020 Complete Guide For First Timers!

This is my Tokyo Itinerary for 8 days ! Japan’s ultramodern capital city is an amazing tourist destination , offering a seemingly unlimited variety of entertainment, shopping, culture and dining options for its visitors. Based on my own experience in this wonderful city, I have created the Tokyo itinerary below.

Tokyo Itinerary 8 Days

Day 1 – Shinjuku Day 2 – Kawaguchiko Day Trip Day 3 – Harajuku Day 4 – DisneySea Day 5 – Shibuya / Odaiba Day 6 – Akihabara / Ueno Park / Asakusa Day 7 – Tokyo Station / Tsukiji Market / Ginza Day 8 – Mitsui Outlet Park Kisarazu

Day 1 – Shinjuku

japan trip itinerary 8 days

This vibrant district is what most people imagine what they think of Tokyo: dazzling neon lights, bustling streets, overcrowded train stations, skyscrapers, and modern shopping complexes.

Shinjuku is divided into two areas: “East Shinjuku” (Higashi-Shinjuku) and “West Shinjuku” (Nishi-Shinjuku). On the “east” side, I experienced a vibrant entertainment hub with neon signboards, shopping malls, and various nightlife spots. On the “west” side, I saw a sprawl of tall commercial buildings.

I came across plenty of awesome eateries in Shinjuku ! My favourite is probably  Ichiran , a famous Japanese ramen chain known for its delicious tonkotsu ramen. I also really enjoyed indulging in sumptuous Japanese hotpot buffet at Nabezo ; the restaurant even offers unlimited wagyu beef!

For the party-goers, Shinjuku offers plenty of nightlife options. Omoide Yokocho is a narrow alleyway lined with izakayas selling grilled food and alcohol, Shinjuku Golden Gai  is famous for its many intimate bars, Kabuchiko  is Japan’s largest red light district, and Shinjuku Nichome  is an LGBTQ+ district home to various gay bars and clubs.

Interestingly, Shinjuku is also home to a beautiful public park: the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (新宿御苑) . The park’s lush greenery, gorgeous landscaping, tranquil lakes and serene walking paths provide the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of Shinjuku.

The wife and I wandered around the garden and took plenty of beautiful pictures. After a while, we sat down on a bench to revel in the gorgeous scenery.

Day 2 – Kawaguchiko Day Trip

japan trip itinerary 8 days

My favourite attraction here was the Chureito Pagoda , a charming five-storey pagoda that is part of the Arakura Sengen Shrine. I went up to the observation deck beside the pagoda, where I got to revel in stunning views of Mount Fuji and the entire Fujiyoshida City.

Another highlight for me was the Fuji Oishi Hana Terrace , a garden-themed complex that is home to quaint cafes, artisanal shops, and artful outdoor spaces.

I visited HanaCafe Kikyou , a gorgeous flower-themed cafe in the complex that specialises in the rice cake snack “Shingen mochi”.

I ended my day in Kawaguchiko by taking the Mount Fuji Panoramic Ropeway up to the peak of Mt. Tenjo in three minutes.

The view from the top was amazing! I was treated to wonderful paranomic views of Mount Fuji and the surrounding town of Fujikawaguchiko.

Day 3 – Harajuku

japan trip itinerary 8 days

The most famous spot in Harajuku is Takeshita Street , a bustling thoroughfare lined with a tidy sprawl of youth fashion boutiques, mini malls, cosmetic shops, and wonderful eateries . It is a very popular hang out spot for Japanese teenagers.

However, Harajuku is not just for youngsters! It is also home to Omotesando Avenue , a tree-lined shopping street lined with international luxury boutiques like Chanel, Dior, Ralph Lauren, Longchamp, and many more.

No visit to Tokyo would be complete without checking out  Meiji Shrine , a famous Japanese shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken. I enjoyed exploring this serene place, and was even lucky enough to witness a Shinto wedding taking place!

Last but definitely not least, Harajuku is home to plenty of delicious food , such as adorable animal-shaped gelatos from Eiswelt Gelato , fluffy souffle pancakes from Flippers , and the famous lobster rolls from Luke’s Lobster .

One of my favourite restaurants here was Harajuku Gyozaro , which served the best gyozas I had ever eaten!

Harajuku is definitely a place that you must include in your  Tokyo itinerary.

Day 4 – DisneySea

japan trip itinerary 8 days

I had an AMAZING day here! I loved the wonderful rides, beautiful attractions, impressive variety of restaurants, and delicious snacks .

My favourite ride was definitely Toy Story Mania – this ride may seem kiddish but it was super fun to shoot at the 3D objects while zipping around in the fast moving vehicles!

The super polite Japanese staff and locals made my DisneySea experience that much more enjoyable.

Pro-tip: remember to get FastPasses for the most popular rides to save hours in line!

Day 5 – Shibuya / Odaiba

japan trip itinerary 8 days

The most famous attraction here is Shibuya Crossing , which is the world’s busiest street intersection! This is definitely a must-visit for any Tokyo itinerary.

I went to the second floor of Starbucks (Shibuya Tsutaya branch) to enjoy great views of the crossing. After that, I even took some photos while standing in the middle of the intersection.

Another popular Shibuya attraction is the Hachiko Statue , which was built to honour Eizaburo Ueno’s famous loyal dog.

Niku Yokocho is a building home to dozens of Japanese restaurants selling grilled food and alcohol. I visited one of the restaurants and only paid around JPY1300 for eight skewers.

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Other attractions in Odaiba include the life-size Gundam statue outside Diver City, the Statue of Liberty replica at Odaiba Seaside Park, and the large Rainbow Bridge (covered with colourful lights at night).

Odaiba is a good place to visit if you are travelling with young children.

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Day 6 – Akihabara / Ueno Park / Asakusa

japan trip itinerary 8 days

It is also called “Electronic Town” because it is home to plenty of electronic stores. The most famous building is Yodobashi, where you can find a countless variety of electronic products spread out over nine floors!

Gamers will be happy to know that there are many arcades here. Check out the famous Sega Akihabara Building No. 1, a multi-storey arcade building where you can spend an entire day playing claw machines and classic video games.

Lastly, if you are a single male (or just a curious person), you might want to check out the quirky “Maid Cafes”, where you will be served by waitresses dressed in maid costumes. They will act as servants and even address you as “master”!

japan trip itinerary 8 days

I visited the park in late November and was impressed by the gorgeous autumn foliage. It was nice to stroll around the tranquil park.

We passed by the famous Shinobazu Pond, which is often featured in prominent Japanese literary pieces and works of art. It is known for being covered with beautiful water lilies, but when we visited in late November the lilies looked like they were starting to wither. The pond is probably more picturesque during Summer.

While walking around the pond, we chanced upon Hanazono Inari Shrine, a small shrine that has a path of beautiful orange torii gates leading towards it.

Walking a little further into the park, we were surprised to see a Starbucks outlet. It seemed like the perfect place to order a coffee and sit down to enjoy the surrounding great views.

It was also really fun to explore Ameyoko Shopping Street , a vibrant street market just five-minutes walk away from Ueno Park. It offers a huge variety of local fresh fruits, cosmetics products, pharmaceutical drugs, restaurants, and delicious street food! Initially I thought this was just a boring tourist trap, but I was pleasantly surprised by its great atmosphere and bargain goods.

japan trip itinerary 8 days

The most famous attraction here is Sensoji Temple , a famous Buddhist temple that is also Tokyo’s oldest temple. I visited at night and the temple was beautiful! All the temple structures were lighted up with neon lights, and it felt surreal to walk around the complex.

Day 7 – Tokyo Station / Tsukiji Market / Ginza

japan trip itinerary 8 days

We bought plenty of other snacks like Tokyo Banana ,  Press Butter Sand ,  Yoku Moku , and  Calbee Plus .

If you are planning to bring the snacks back home, make sure you do not buy them at the start of your trip because they usually have a very short expiry period.

japan trip itinerary 8 days

My favourite was the Tamago (Japanese sweet egg omelette) from Tsukiji Yamachō. The stall had a very long queue, but it was worth the wait! The tamago had a savoury-sweet taste and soft custard-like texture that seemed to melt in my mouth.

The Horumon-don (Stewed Entrails Rice) from Kitsuneya was pretty good too. The savoury miso-flavoured entrails were perfect for eating with the steaming hot Japanese rice.

japan trip itinerary 8 days

If you enjoy shopping, you MUST include Ginza in your Tokyo itinerary.

Most of the  popular malls in Ginza are located along the vibrant Chuo-dori street. These include Wako, Ginza Six, UNIQLO Ginza, and Barneys New York Ginza.

Chuo-dori is even closed to road traffic every weekend between 12pm and 5pm, transforming into a fully pedestrianised shopping zone!

Day 8 – Mitsui Outlet Park Kisarazu

japan trip itinerary 8 days

My favourite shop was the Nike Factory Store, which was huge and also carried many trendy Japan-exclusive apparel.

However, the mall has a very limited number of international luxury brands. It is more suitable for people who are interested in Japanese or unique brands. You can check out the  Mitsui Outlet Park Kisarazu directory  to see what brands are available.

This article is part of our super awesome Ultimate Tokyo Travel Guide For First Timers . Everything you need to know about Tokyo is just a click away!

Other Related Entries:

  • 25 Awesome Things To Do In Tokyo - The Ultimate Beginner's Guide For Exploring This Vibrant City!

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8 Days in Tokyo, Japan: DIY Itinerary and Travel Guide (+ Real Cost of Tokyo!)

Three weeks before our trip, I was excitedly drafting and planning our Tokyo DIY Itinerary for eight days. What I didn’t know is that a week before our flight, almost all tourist attractions in Tokyo (like Disney Sea, museums. etc.) will be closed for two weeks for COVID-19 precautions. We thought of canceling our trip, but we also realized that this could be our last travel for the meantime, for who knows when this pandemic will officially end. We’ll talk more about that in another blog post.

On my first travel to Japan last 2016, we spent eight days on a tri-city tour. It was tiring and fast-paced, so I decided to focus on just Tokyo (and near cities) this time. If fast travel is your thing, then my 2016 Japan Tri-City Itinerary will suit you more, but if you’re into slow and chill travel who wanted to focus on Tokyo, then you’re in the right place.

Tokyo, Japan

A couple in front of Meiji shrine gate as part of their Tokyo DIY Itinerary

Tokyo is Japan’s capital city and the world’s most populous metropolis. Compared to the other famous Japanese cities like Osaka and Kyoto, Tokyo is a bustling city. Everyone seems in a hurry; time seems faster, tall buildings everywhere, and everything is more expensive. It’s your typical city life and honestly, my favorite Asian city so far.

This city has so much to offer that eight days is just enough to have the whole Tokyo experience fully. Tokyo offers an unlimited choice of entertainment, dining, culture, dining, history, and even nature. It’s a city that I would always come back to.

The wing of the airplane with the blue sky background en route to Japan.

There are multiple airline companies like Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Japan Airlines, and ANA that cater direct flights from Manila to Tokyo through Narita or Haneda Airport. Haneda Airport is a smaller airport with lesser flights but it is situated already near central Tokyo. While Narita Airport is the bigger one but is located in Chiba that is 1-hour train ride away from central Tokyo. Also, flights to Haneda are a lot more expensive than flights to Narita.

We got our airfare from Cebu Pacific on sale 6 months before our travel dates. We only copped our roundtrip tickets for P4,500/each but the departure was from Clark. It was actually not a nice move for we didn’t consider the additional costs for our P2P (Trinoma to Clark) of P500 and P600 terminal fee. So there’s an additional P1100 compared to if we took a flight from NAIA. Two weeks after we booked, Manila to Tokyo flights went on sale for as low as P4,000 roundtrip.

EXPENSES: 10,920 PHP

Airfare (no baggage): 4,500 PHP 20 kg baggage: 2,500 PHP Travel insurance: 1,200 PHP Trinoma – Clark P2P (RT): 500 PHP Terminal fee: 600 PHP Travel tax: 1,620 PHP

Tokyo DIY Itinerary (w/ budget)

07:00 am – flight to narita from clark.

Our flight was on time and the process in Clark International Airport is a lot faster than in Manila.

12:30 PM – Arrival at Narita International Airport

A man standing in front of Welcome to Japan poster in Narita Airport

The flight from Manila to Tokyo took 4+ hours plus the 1 hour time difference. We decided to each lunch at the airport first before we travel to Tokyo Central. Airport food is not as good as the ones outside and it’s more expensive too. It’s better to stick by Mcdonald’s when you’re at the airport.

1:30 PM – Pick-up portable Wi-Fi router

The reception of wi-fi rental in Narita Airport

We rented our Wi-Fi router from Ninja Wi-Fi that costs unlimited data for 900 yen per day. It can also connect 5 devices so we decided to purchase this instead of SIM Cards. It will be cheaper and be more convenient to rent mobile Wi-Fi when you’re on a group trip.

2:00 PM – Ride Keisei Bus to Tokyo Station

Recepetion desk in Narita Airport for low cost Keisei bus to Tokyo

There are multiple ways to get to Tokyo Station from Narita Airport and we took the cheapest option which is the 1,000 YEN Keisei bus.

3:00 PM – Arrival at Tokyo Station

From Tokyo Station, we need to ride another train to our accommodation in Kawasaki which is already outside Tokyo.

5:00 PM – Checked-in in our room in Kawasaki

We didn’t rent an Airbnb or hotel on this travel because a close friend of ours works in Japan and let us stayed in his company-sponsored apartment. This saved us a lot of money.

6:30 PM – Night stroll in Kawasaki

A night in Kawasaki City

We decided to just stroll around in Kawasaki for a chill night. We roamed around the shopping malls in the area, play some crane games in the arcade, and ate dinner in a local tsukumen ramen shop.

DAY 1 EXPENSES: 5,550 YEN (~2,775 PHP)

Wi-Fi Rental (already divided by 4) – 1800 YEN Airport lunch – 1200 YEN Keisei bus to Tokyo – 1000 YEN Train & Bus to accommodation –  500 YEN Dinner – 850 YEN Convenience Store Breakfast – 200 YEN

07:00 AM – Breakfast

two onigiri for breakfast in tokyo

We bought some onigiris for breakfast in the 7/11 a night before. There are so many breakfast options in any Japanese convenience stores that are both affordable and delicious. Salmon Onigiri was my favorite for 100 YEN.

8:00 AM – Travel to Tokyo

We were supposed to go to Kawazu to see the earliest bloom of cherry blossom (mid-February) but after some social media research, we decided not to push through. Most of the sakura have already fallen by the first week of March.

Instead, we did a Tokyo tour. We purchase the 24 hrs Tokunai Pass for 760 YEN to save on transportation. This pass is unlimited on all JR lines in central Tokyo. Train rides in Tokyo are expensive and complicated so I recommend using and researching train passes that will help you save money.

If you’re staying around Shinjuku, Shibuya, or Tokyo, I recommend using the Tokyo Metro 24-Hour Ticket instead for only 600 yen. This pass gives you unlimited rides to all 9 lines of Tokyo Metro Subway, exclusive of 4 Toei Lines.

09:30 AM – Hie Shrine

a girl in brown coat going down the stairs with white torii gate as entrance of Hie Shrine

Hie Shrine is famous for its orange torii gates that are also famous in a shrine in Kyoto. Though it is just a short walkway of torii gates, it’s nice in photos.

From Tokyo Station, we went down to Akasaka-Mitsuke Station (Marunouchi Line) which is not a JR Line so we paid a separate 170 yen. This is however included in the Tokyo Metro Ticket. It just a few meters walk from the white torii entrance to the shrine. The orange torii gates are on the backside part of the temple.

11:00 AM – Tokyo Tower

1 girl and 3 boys in front of Tokyo Tower

From Hie Shrine, we walked almost 2km to Tokyo Tower for 30 minutes just because we don’t want to pay another 170 yen for a subway ride. If you have the Tokyo Metro 24-Hour Ticket, the train ride between these two places is included.

The Tokyo Tower Observation Deck (555 PHP from Klook) and One Piece theme park (UPDATE 2021: now permanently closed) are both closed due to COVID-19 when we got there. The boys settled on the One Piece Themed Shop instead.

12:30 PM – Lunch at Yoshinoya Takeshita Street

salmon set meal with rice and soup in yoshinoya harajuku

From Tokyo Tower, we walk all the way to Hamamatsucho Station (JR Line) to make use of our Tokunai Pass. If you’re using the Tokyo Metro 24-Hour Ticket, there’s a closer station you can ride – Kamiyacho Station. We went down to Harajuku Station.

Yoshinoya was the first-ever restaurant we saw outside the station so we decided to try it. It was a lot better than the Yoshinoya here in the Philippines.

1:00 PM – Crepe Dessert in Takeshita Street

A girl holding a crepe in Takeshita Street

Takeshita Street reminds me of Myeongdong in Seoul. It is a shopping street lined with fashion stores, different cafes, and cute crepe stores. We bought ours in Santa Monica Crepes which is screaming pink and kawaii. My ice cream crepe costs 480 YEN.

1:45 PM – Tokyu Plaza Omotesando

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Just a few minutes walk away from Takeshita Street, we decided to drop by Tokyu Plaza Omotesando just to take photos! It was one of the Instagram spots in Tokyo. If you’re into Anello or Pandora, there have stores around.

02:30 PM – Meiji Shrine

four adults in front of the wooden torii gate entrance to Meiji shrine

Meiji Shrine is one of the tourist attractions in Shibuya. It a lush green forest in the middle of the bustling city. There’s no entrance fee and sometimes you can witness a Shinto wedding.

03:30 PM – Yogogi Park

a girl in brown coat camouflaging with the leaveless trees in yogogi park

We were so tired from all our walking so we decided to sit at the picnic tables in Yogogi Park first. It was cold though in winter so I don’t recommend it as well. It was a nice place for a picnic in Spring.

04:15 PM – Shibuya Crossing & Hachiko Statue

the building of shibuya as you crossed the street

We visited the famous spots around Shibuya Crossing like the Hachiko Statue, the famous Starbucks where you can see the crossing above, and supposedly Shibuya Sky (which was close too due to the pandemic).

06:00 PM – Ramen dinner in Kindenmaru

ramen in kindenmaru shibuya

We ended our day with authentic ramen (900 yen) in Kindenmaru Shibuya.

07:00 PM – Shibuya Station

After dinner, we bought the JR Tokyo Wide Pass for 10,180 YEN. This pass will give us unlimited rides to all JR lines, including the bullet trains, for 3 days in the Kanto region.

DAY 2 EXPENSES: 13,540 YEN (~6,770 PHP)

Tokunai Pass – 760 YEN Other bus & train transpo – 690 YEN Yoshinoya lunch – 530 YEN Crepe – 480 YEN Ramen dinner – 900 YEN JR Wide Pass – 10,180 YEN

07:30 AM – Travel to Shinjuku Station

We will be taking the Fuji Excursion Rail using our JR Wide Pass to get to Mt. Fuji and the Kawaguchiko area. We bought some breakfast and snacks in Shinjuku Station for the train ride.

08:30 AM – Travel to Kawaguchiko with Fuji Excursion Rail

the direct train ride fron shinjuku to kawaguchiko

We took the earliest trip on a weekday. They have a 7:35 AM train on weekend tho but to avoid the crowd, we decided to visit Mt. Fuji on a weekday.

10:22 AM – Arrival at Kawaguchiko Station

mt fuji in the background of kawaguchiko station

This station is just lovely on a sunny winter with Mt. Fuji as a backdrop.

11:15 AM – Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway

the price list of mt fuji panoramic ropeway

There are many things you can do around Kawaguchiko and a day tour isn’t enough. We just decided to try the Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway to take photos with Mt. Fuji. Roundtrip costs 900 yen.

12:30 PM – Lunch

vegetavle tempura lunch in mt fuji

This was our least favorite lunch. We just saw it on our way back to the station and the uniquely design exterior made us try it. This vegetable tendon set costs us 900 YEN and it’s not even worth it.

01:26 PM – Train ride to Shimoyoshida Station

From Kawaguchiko Station, we missed our train ride to Shimoyoshida station, nearest station in Chureito Pagoda. Don’t miss it like us for this train ride interval is 1 hour.

02:15 PM – Chureito Pagoda

pagoda in the entrance of chureito pagoda

Chureito Pagoda is another beautiful spot to see Mt. Fuji. It is free but requires a lot of cardio. The best time to go here is during sunrise.

05:30 PM – Last train ride back to Tokyo via Fuji Excursion

08:00 pm – sushiro dinner in kawasaki.

a group of travellers having dinner in a sushi train restaurant

Instant one of my favorite restaurants in Japan – Sushiro. If you’re an ultimate sushi lover, you’ll definitely enjoy it here. Their cheapest plate is 100 YEN (50 PHP) only and the food is quality.

DAY 3 EXPENSES: 2,750 YEN (~1375 PHP)

Breakfast – 350 YEN Fuji Panoramic Ropeway – 900 YEN Lunch – 900 YEN Dinner – 800 YEN

7:00 AM – Start of travel to Tokyo Station

From Kawasaki Station, we will ride the Joetsu shinkansen from Tokyo Station. This train ride is already included in our JR Wide Pass.

8:04 AM – Shinkansen train ride to Gala Yuzawa

a girl in front of a bullet train in tokyo station

Another don’t miss experience in Japan – riding their shinkansen (bullet train). One way cost almost 9,000 YEN but since we have the Tokyo Wide Pass, it was already covered.

9:15 AM – Gala Yuzawa

a girl in white in a cable car with snow mountains in background

Since we went in winter, of course, we won’t miss a ski resort. Gala Yuzawa has special discount offers for JR Wide Pass holders. We didn’t avail of their ski package because it’s expensive and we’ve already tried it in South Korea last time. We just went with the Playing with the Snow Package for 3,300 YEN that includes a gondola one-day pass, rental sled, rubber boots, and gloves.

lunch at gala yuzawa

There’s a canteen-like place in Gala Yuzawa where we ate our lunch. Food is a little expensive. My food cost 1,600 YEN.

2:15 PM – Snowmobile Sleigh Tour

four people in a snow background when yiu take the snowmobile sleigh tour in gala yuzawa

We enjoyed playing in the snow with our sleds with the kids, but we saw this tour that they offer that only cost 500 YEN for 15 minutes. We decided to try it out. We were driven on the other side of the ski resort with more snow and an awesome view. And it was fun riding the snowmobile.

04:00 PM – Going back to Tokyo

We were originally scheduled on the 5 PM shinkansen ride but we were already so tired that we rebooked an earlier trip back to Tokyo.

06:30 PM – Dinner at Ichiro Kawasaki

ichiran ramen in tokyo diy itinerary

I just need to try it. I loved it but the boys said it’s just okay.

DAY 4 EXPENSES: 3,280 YEN (~1,640 PHP)

Breakfast – 250 YEN Lunch – 1600 YEN Snowmobile Sleigh Tour – 500 YEN Ichiran Dinner – 930 YEN

10:00 AM – Breakfast

We decided to slack off this day because it’s been 5 days that we’ve been waking up and starting our day early.

12:30 PM – Jujo Ginza Shopping Street

jujo ginza shopping street

It’s been 5 days and we still haven’t tried takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and other Japanese street foods. So we went to Jujo Ginza Shopping Street for some food trip. The nearest train station is Jujo Station which caters to our JR Wide Pass.

2:30 PM – Akihabara Electric Town

a couple between the building of akihabara electric town

The boys enjoyed it so much in Akihabara Electric Town! We dropped by Pop Life (a 6-floor building of sex toys), a lot of buildings that sell action figures, Gundam Cafe, and the biggest Yodobashi in Tokyo. This is an otaku and gamers heaven. Wait until sundown to see the building lights which is more beautiful.

6:00 PM – Dinner in Gyukatsu Ichi Ni San

the store front of the gyukatsu ichi ni san akihabara where we ate dinner

Another unique dinner experience is cooking your steak in a hot stone. It was pricey for 1,400 YEN but it was worth it. I enjoyed it.

07:00 PM – Play arcade in SEGA building

SEGA building in Akihabara

We were supposed to go to Shinjuku for the night but we were tired already to travel so we just decided to end the day playing arcade games in SEGA building.

DAY 5 EXPENSES: 2,800 YEN (~1,400 PHP)

7/11 Breakfast – 200 YEN Street food Lunch – 700 YEN Steak Dinner – 1400 YEN Arcade games – 500 YEN

11:00 AM – Brunch at Matsuya in Asakusa

matsuya storefront in asakusa

We didn’t buy any breakfast so we just had an early lunch in Matsuya, a fast food, in Asakusa before we tour around.

12:15 PM – Sensoji Temple

a couple in front of sensoji temple entrance

Sensoji Temple is usually jampacked but with the COVID-19 virus around, we were shocked to see how empty it is. It was sad and beautiful at the same time. There’s no entrance fee but most of the stores around are also closed due to the pandemic. We tried their famous Omikuji and just take photos around. This is also the perfect place to rent kimono but we find it expensive so maybe next time?

2:00 PM – Tokyo Sky Tree

cherry blossoms in the foot of tokyo sky tree

We walked for 30 minutes from Sensoji Temple to Tokyo Sky Tree. Again, it was closed due to COVID-19 so we didn’t get the chance to go up it. We rested for a while in the Starbucks inside the mall.

4:30 PM – Odaiba

3 boys in front of real size gundam in odaiba

We spent our afternoon until night on the man-made island of Odaiba. We rode the Yurikamome Line, their driverless automated train for 330 YEN one way. There’s much that we wanted to see here but most/ all attractions here were closed due to the pandemic. We originally want to see TeamLab Borderless , Joypolis , Palette Town, and Venus Fort.

8:00 PM – Dinner in Sukiya Kawasaki

Sukiya is another fast food in Tokyo like Matsuya and Yoshinoya.

DAY 6 EXPENSES: 2540 YEN (~1,270 PHP)

Matsuya lunch – 590 YEN Train rides – 1500 YEN Sukiya dinner – 450 YEN

9:00 AM – Disney Sea

Originally, our seventh day is dedicated to Disney Sea but due to COVID19, it was closed when we went there. So we have Day 7 as a free day.

But I’ll be leaving this here because the pandemic will surely be over the time you’re looking for Tokyo itineraries. So don’t miss this Disney Sea for 8,200 YEN!

DAY 7 EXPENSES (assumed): 10,200 YEN (~5,100 PHP)

1 -day pass – 8,200 YEN Lunch – 1000 YEN Transportation – 1000 YEN

9:00 AM – Tokyo Station

We rode the same 1,000 YEN Keisei bus on our arrival bound to Narita Airport. We got lost first but just look for the JR Expressway Bus in Google Maps.

11:00 AM – Narita Airport

We had our lunch at Mcdonalds. We also spent our remaining coins and money (in YEN) on candies and snacks in the airport.

01:15 PM – Flight back to Clark

Back to reality.

DAY 8 EXPENSES: 1,810 YEN (~905 PHP)

Bus to Tokyo- 310 YEN Keisei Bus – 1,000 YEN Lunch – 500 YEN

TOTAL EXPENSES: 32,155 PHP

Airfare (+ P2P to Clark) – 10920 PHP Day 1 (Arrival) – 2775 PHP Day 2 (Tokyo + JR Pass) – 6770 PHP Day 3 (Mt Fuji) – 1375 PHP Day 4 (Gala Yuzawa)- 1640 PHP Day 5 (Tokyo Part 2) – 1400 PHP Day 6 (Tokyo Part 3) – 1270 PHP Day 7 (Disney Sea) – 5100 PHP Day 8 (Going Home) – 905 PHP

Tokyo is NOT CHEAP. We’ve spent almost 32,000 without accommodation and shopping yet. So it is true that an 8-day trip to Japan will cost you around P40,000. This is if you wanted to have a comfortable travel and not compromise your Japan experience. You can always cut-off the budget in food and attractions but I tell you it’s better to just go all-out and experience it all. It’s not like you’re in Japan every day so better to save up before you booked that ticket to Tokyo.

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japan trip itinerary 8 days

Thanks for posting your experience in Japan.

I would like to know more about the Tokyo wide pass. Dd you buy it via klook and please share some more details on your Mt. Fuji tour.

Thanks in advance.

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10 Days in Japan: A First-Timer’s Complete Japan Itinerary

last Updated: March 7, 2024 hiroshima japan kyoto miyajima nara osaka tokyo

FYI: Affiliate links may be sprinkled throughout the awesome, free content you see below. I’ll receive a small commission when you purchase from my links (at no extra cost to you), which I’ll totally blow on adult things like boba tea and avocado toast. As always, thanks for the support.

Looking for the best way to spend 10 days in Japan?  You’re in the right place! 

Continue reading for tons of first-hand tips, recommendations, and a complete 10 day Japan itinerary, which can easily be turned into two weeks in Japan if you’ve got a few more days.  I absolutely LOVED my time in the country, and with some proper planning, I can guarantee you will too.   

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

Japan is over-stimulating and over-whelming in the best way possible. An absolute thrill to the senses. 

From the shiny bright lights of Tokyo’s Akihabara District to the serene temples and zen gardens in Kyoto , Japan is a country where the past and the future collide more than you initially realize.

I can promise you that every bite of food will be better than the last, and you’ll be saying oishi (“delicious” in Japanese) during every meal.

If you can visit during cherry blossom season, you’re in for a real treat – the streets will be lined with the most beautiful bunches of white and pale pink flowers you’ve ever imagined, which in turn makes the country smell absolutely phenomenal.

Japan is quite literally the most fascinating country I’ve explored to date. (And I just hit my goal of 30 countries by my 30th birthday a few months ago!) #killingit

I’d love to spend more time in Japan, and am highly encouraging everyone I know to discover this little piece of Asia sooner than later. So today, I am sharing with you my 10 day Japan itinerary, all heavily researched (for hours!) before my trip and followed pretty much to a T.

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

Overview of this 10 Day Japan Itinerary

When I initially started planning my trip, I was worried that 10 days in Japan wouldn’t be enough. Thankfully, I proved myself wrong and was able to see and do  oh so   much , as well as stuff myself silly with all those Japanese snacks I had heard so much about. [Spoiler alert: bring stretchy pants.] 

The country is filled with so many fascinating areas, but 10 days in Japan will give you enough time to see the highlights. To be completely honest, this Japan itinerary is rather jam packed, yet highly efficient (I promise!), although I suggest slightly modifying it if you’d like a more relaxed trip or are traveling with kids.

While we’re at it, check out all my travel planning tips right over here!

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

This Japan itinerary starts in Tokyo , makes a day trip to either Kamakura, Nikko, or Hakone, then ventures south to Kyoto , with day trips to Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Miyajima Island. Distances really depend on the mode of transport you use, with bullet trains being the fastest.

  • Days 1-3 : Tokyo
  • Day 4: day trip from Tokyo
  • Days 5-6: Kyoto
  • Day 7 : Nara and Osaka
  • Day 8 : Miyajima and Hiroshima
  • Day 9 : morning in Kyoto  → Tokyo
  • Day 10: Tokyo in morning/afternoon  → airport

Japan is a decently large-sized island country located in Eastern Asia, being slightly smaller than California .  Rest assured, the entire country is connected via trains. In my experience, Japan may have the most efficient and well-connected public transportation system in the world (and that’s coming from someone who spent their childhood riding the extensive New York City subway).

Despite holding the title for the 10th most populated country in the world (aka: it’s crowded), you can still find some peace and solitude in the many gardens and temples located just about everywhere.

Pre-Travel Guide to Japan

Where to get the best flight deals to japan:.

I swear by Skyscanner and Google Flights , and always always always use these two sites when looking for airfare.  The option to watch prices and get email notifications are top notch and one of my favorite features of the two. 

Always check budget airlines that may not be listed, especially if you are coming from other areas in Asia with shorter flight times.  A great list of budget airlines can be found here .

For reference, we flew premium economy on China Airlines with a short layover in Taipei for about $1200 round trip from San Francisco – during Easter and cherry blossom season – but I saw deals for under $800 in coach. [I’m not complaining about the upgrade that my husband insisted on buying, but know that cheaper flights are out there.]

If you’re coming from the East Coast USA, flights will be a bit more expensive but shouldn’t be more than $500 more or so.

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

Where to stay:

In an effort to keep things simple (and avoid changing accommodation every night or two – what a pain!), this itinerary will have you staying in 2 main areas (Tokyo and Kyoto).

I highly advise booking accommodations near centrally located train stations in each as it’ll be easiest for the day trips mentioned in the 10 day Japan Itinerary below.

I opted to stay near Shibuya Station in Tokyo, as it’s centrally located and easy to reach other districts. In Kyoto we stayed near Kyoto Station as we were taking a bunch of day trips and wanted to be able to walk to our accommodation easily after a long, busy day on the road bullet train.

  • Luxury:  Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel
  • Mid-Range:  Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyo
  • Budget:  Shibuya Tokyu Rei Hotel
  • Check out other hotels in Tokyo here.
  • Luxury:  Hotel Granvia Kyoto
  • Mid-Range:  Kyoto Century Hotel
  • Budget:  Rihga Royal Hotel Kyoto
  • Check out other hotels in Kyoto here.
  • Yado Kiramachi
  • Kyoto Takasegawa Bettei
  • Muromachi Yutone Kyokoyado

Airbnb is also a great option and a good way to save some money if you’re spending a few nights in one spot (always check the cleaning and booking fees, as these can greatly increase the price should you only need a 1-night stay).

New rules regarding Airbnb rentals were implemented in June 2018, and now listings must be registered and display a license number on their booking page. Thankfully all current listings on Airbnb are compliant (the company removed any which failed to register in 2018), so you can be sure your booking is absolutely legit.

While I’d love to recommend the Airbnbs we stayed in during our trip to Japan, they are no longer available. However, there’s tons more to choose from – just check out the Airbnb website .

First time using AirBnB?  Sign up with THIS LINK to get $30 off your first stay!

When to visit:

There’s never a horrible time to spend 10 days in Japan, but each season has their pros and cons.

Spring : If you’re hoping to see the ever-so-beautiful cherry blossoms, April is your best bet. That being said, it’s also the month most people visit Japan for that very reason. I visited in early to mid-April, and while yes it was crowded, the beauty of the cherry blossoms found throughout the country was well worth it.

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

Fall : Autumn is another wonderful time to visit Japan, as you’ll get to experience the vibrant fall colors (bright red leaves) from September to November.

Summer (June to August) is hot, humid, and rainy (although the rain tends to dissipate in early July), while winter (Dec-Feb) is generally cool, sunny, dry and great for snow-sports in the mountains.

Note that weather varies dramatically throughout the country, so be sure to plan accordingly especially if you visit higher altitudes.

Read Next: When to Visit Japan (Weather, Seasons, Festivals, and Crowds)

Planning a trip and confused about the best month to visit Japan?! Keep on reading, because I’ll not only be dishing out info on when to visit Japan, but when to avoid the crowds, best times to see those beloved cherry blossoms, and when you can get the best bang for your buck.

How to get Japanese Yen:

I highly advise you to NOT exchange your money at a currency exchange kiosk before or after you land as you won’t get the best rates. Instead, take out local currency (Japanese Yen) at the airport via ATM machine.

If you travel quite frequently, consider applying for a Charles Schwab bank account. The company refunds any and all fees associated with foreign transaction ATM withdrawals. You’ll pay no ATM fees anywhere in the world, including your home country. It’s what I’ve been using for years and it’s saved me 100’s in unwanted pesky fees.

Surprisingly, considering it’s crazy-advanced technology and all, Japan is mostly a cash society; yes, we were exceptionally wowed by that! Expect your credit card to get rejected at most places (especially small eateries and of course street-food stands) and be sure to carry enough Yen with you.

If you’re coming from the US, an easy way to figure out USD to JY is to move the decimal point two spots to the right >> 100Y = approximately $1USD. Just for quick reference, 10,000Y = approximately 100USD.

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

How to Get Around Japan:

If you’re visiting Japan from elsewhere in the world (i.e. you are not a resident of Japan), you are able to purchase a JR train pass for varying amounts of time.  The JR pass gives you access to all of the trains, most Shinkansen lines (bullet trains), the ferry to Miyajima, and a few other transportation lines.  Options include 7-day, 14-day, and 21-day.

I used a 7-day JR pass during my trip, and I highly advise you to do the same if you’ll be following this 10 day Japan itinerary. The Green Car option, while a bit more expensive, is JR’s version of “first-class” and most definitely worth it in my opinion.  Note that it does not cover all bus routes/lines and some local trains, but these only cost about 100-300Y ($1-3USD), so no biggie.

If you plan on using a JR pass, you NEED to purchase it before you enter the country . Once you arrive in Japan, there is no option to buy it. And when I say no option, absolutely NO option at all.  

Once you purchase the pass (which must be done outside of Japan) you will receive a voucher in the mail (within a few days) which you will then exchange upon your arrival in Japan at a designated JR ticket booth in major train stations. 

Buy your Japan Rail Pass here (it’s the company I used and our voucher arrived promptly in the mail). There was free delivery straight to our home which I greatly appreciated, and once in Japan we saved a ton of money on the Shinkansen (high-speed bullet train), and breezed through the JR rail stations like a boss.

I can’t imagine doing Japan any other way than with a JR Pass. Check out the options (standard and green pass) here.

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

UPDATE — Buying a JR Pass in Japan : The Japan Rail Pass be will sold at a higher price point and on a trial basis in Japan through October 1, 2023 at major stations and airports. However, if you know you’ll be using one, miiiight as well save a bit of money and purchase it beforehand from a trusted company . There’s really no reason not to.

The public transportation system in Japan is top-notch, and although extremely overwhelming (at first, trust me), it’s by far the best (and most cost effective) option for getting around throughout the country.

Electricity and Power in Japan:

Japan uses the same 2-pronged electrical outlets as found in the USA. If you’re coming from America, note that some electrical devices use a three-pronged plug.

It’s also important to understand that the amount of voltage is different and you’ll need a converter (different than an electrical adapter) to change the amount of electricity pushed to each device if you plan on bringing anything which uses an excessive amount of power (including hair dryers, curling irons, and/or straightening irons). 

If you don’t want to worry about this, I suggest you invest in dual-voltage devices made especially for travel like this  dual-voltage blow dryer , dual-voltage mini straightener , and this dual-voltage curling iron .

Using a Pocket Wifi Router in Japan :

If you’ve done any research on Japan, you probably came across something called Pocket Wifi . What is it exactly and why should you consider getting it for your trip to Japan?

Pocket Wifi is exactly as it sounds — a small portable device that you can keep in your pocket (or purse/backpack/day bag) that provides wifi to all your devices (cell phone, iPad, computers, etc). And the best part? One Pocket Wifi will power up to 10 devices, so you can share the same Pocket Wifi with your family and friends.

Since wifi is less common in Japan than in other countries (surprising, right?!), this handy little device does wonders! You will be able to find free wifi in your hotel/ryoken, Starbuck locations around the city, and some other restaurants, but I always recommend having your own, especially if you’re visiting any smaller cities. Do note that some ryokans and older hotels might only have LAN cable internet access, instead of wifi, so you’ll definitely want a Pocket Wifi there!

You’ll use wifi on your phone for just about everything in Japan — train schedules, getting around, translating important phrases, making FaceTime calls to family, etc. You don’t wanna be without it when you need it!

And they make it so super easy — the Pocket Wifi will be delivered straight to your hotel in Japan! Once you’re done with your trip, use the convenient prepaid envelop to return your router from any address in Japan. Couldn’t be simpler than that!

Check out the benefits and purchase your Pocket Wifi here. Honestly, a life saver!

Useful Japanese Phrases:

  • Hello/Good Afternoon: konnichiwa
  • Good bye: sayonara
  • Delicious: oishi
  • Thank you: arigatō
  • Please: kudasai
  • Where’s the toilet: benjo wa doko desu ka?
  • Does anyone speak English? Eigo no hanaseru hito wa imasen ka

Headed to Japan and looking for the best things to do in Kyoto? You’re in luck, because I’ve compiled a whole bunch of Kyoto sights and attractions!

Packing tips for Japan:

Clothing : Seaso ns are kind of temperamental in Japan, and you may be wishing you brought different clothing. Therefore, I highly suggest you pack layers for your trip to Japan. An umbrella (cute ones here , here , and here ) and light raincoat (like this or this one ) are recommended as well.

We encountered much more rain during our 10 days in Japan than we had originally planned for, and I’m glad I brought along a raincoat. If you don’t want to stuff a coat in your luggage, consider bringing along a poncho  just in case.

Electricity and Power : As noted above, most of Japan’s electrical outlets are the 2-pronged “Type A” type (100 Volt, 50-60 Hz).

If you have a device with a 3-pronged or European/UK-style plug, you may need a travel adapter (for all devices) and power converter (for high powered devices like a hair straightener or blow dryer).

Pack comfy shoes that are easy to take off. You’ll need to slip off your shoes at various temples, at the airport, at ryokans, and some restaurants. My favorite ones here (on sale), here , and here .

I also suggest bringing along socks if you don’t want to go barefoot… These sushi socks are quite cute and perfect for the occasion…  🙂 

Small throwaway bags for garbage. You won’t find many garbage cans around Japan in general, and it’s expected that you keep your trash on you until you can throw them away. Keep a small bag in your purse/backpack for this purpose. A small foldable tote is perfect for this, and can be used for spontaneous shopping trips.

Pack light. Navigating Japan is much easier when you have a small suitcase, especially since Japanese trains (and train stations) do not cater to travelers with a lot of luggage. In addition, there’s not as many elevators or escalators as you might wish, so remember, you may be carrying your luggage up and down a few flights of stairs.

I recommend traveling with a small rolling suitcase (one that fits in the overhead bin on an airplane like this one or this one ) and a backpack (I have this one and love it).

Stay organized with packing cubes , which also help you fit more into smaller suitcases (I’m able to fit about a months worth of summer clothing using packing cubes and packing strategically).

Language : If you’re up for it, you can also consider taking along a small Japanese Phrase Book . The language is quite difficult, and Google Translate (which won’t work without wifi or a cell plan) saved our butts far too many times.

Japanese written language uses characters, which you’ll see all over the place.  Thankfully, most signs are written in phonetics using the alphabet we use.

We were also surprised by the low number of people who speak any English. Save yourself some frustration and pack a lightweight phrase book in your bag. Interested in learning some Japanese before your trip?

This book looks like loads of fun, and I’m actually thinking of buying it before my next trip back to the country. (The Japanese language is difficult you guys, just trust me.)

Travel Insurance for Japan

Yes, you need this. I always recommend purchasing travel insurance before your trip. You never know what might happen (flight delays, lost baggage, illness), and travel insurance definitely helps with all of those unfortunate unexpectancies.

I highly recommend the companies World Nomads and SafetyWing . I’ve recently been buying coverage with SafetyWing since they cover pandemic-related costs (which most travel insurance companies do not do).

Whenever we travel, we always buy a short term plan (depending on how many days/weeks we’ll be away) before leaving for any trip! Even if you don’t end up using it, peace of mind is 100% worth it in my opinion.

Find plan options and pricing here (and at only a few bucks a day, there’s no excuse not to!) I always say, if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford your trip. It’s that easy.

Buy your travel insurance now — don’t wait until it’s too late!

10 Days in Japan:  A Complete Japan Itinerary

And now, the fun part! The 10 day itinerary in Japan!

Day 1: Arrive in Tokyo!

You’ll most likely be flying into Narita Airport  and will need a little over an hour to get into the city center via the Narita Express.  After such a long flight (with lots of time difference), it’s best not to plan much on this first day – hello, jetlag! 

I suggest exploring the area you’re staying in (my suggestions: Shibuya or Akihabara) and devouring your first Japanese dinner of either ramen or pork Katsu.

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

During my stay, I opted for an AirBnB in Shibuya , which has an epic nightlife with tons of stuff going on, restaurants included (even if “partying” isn’t your thing- it sure ain’t mine!).  Use this first afternoon/night to relax and rest up, as the rest of this itinerary will be go-go-go!

Day 2: FULL DAY IN TOKYO (West Side)

Today’s all about modern Tokyo !  You’ll be exploring the western districts of the city, including Shibuya, Harajuku, and Shinjuku – just saying these names are fun!  You can either walk from district to district as they are fairly close together, or buy single use train tickets to hop between each. 

DO NOT USE YOUR JR PASS YET as it will expire before you finish needing it later on during the trip. Train tickets within Tokyo are not very expensive, and you won’t be needing many today anyways!

Stop 1: Shibuya

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If you opted to stay in Shibuya, you won’t need to take a train here!  Shibuya is Tokyo’s version of Times Square , and with all the bright lights and massive amounts of people, it’s easy to see why.  Be sure to check out the world-famous Shibuya Crossing , where 100’s of people scramble across the street at once. 

For the best view above, head to Starbucks (you’ll need to order something before going upstairs), or find the Keio Inokashira Line at Shibuya Station for another perfect view.

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Also say “Hello” – or Konichiwa — to Hachiko (the most loyal dog in the world statue) at Shibuya Crossing and do some shopping at Tokyu Hands .

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Meiji Shrine shouldn’t be missed as well, which is the Shinto shrine that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken.  You’ll be seeing lots of shrines and temples during your time in Japan, and Meiji is a great one to start with! 

If you’re lucky, you may even witness a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony!  I, however, was not so lucky.

Stop 2: Harajuku

If you want to get a taste for Japanese street style, visit Harajuku.  On Sundays, you can see traditional Harajuku Girls dressed in elaborate costumes and anime – so fun! Try and spot the girl in the photo below all decked out in costume. If you can’t make it on a Sunday, you can get a feel for Japanese street style any day of the week. 

You can reach Harajuku by taking the Yamanote line to Harajuku Station, although it’s not a far walk from Meiji Shrine.

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Walk down the famous shopping street of Takeshita Dori , where you’ll find a whole mess of fun stores and fun cafes.  Note that most shops don’t open until 11am, but if you’re following this itinerary, you’ll probably arrive here around 1pmish or so. 

Be sure to try a crepe – the unofficial street food of Harajuku, which you’ll find all over Takeshita Dori!  We also visited a hedgehog café and played with them for about 45 minutes or so.  A super quirky and super weird area, definitely not meant to be missed!

Read Next: Top Things to do in Harajuku

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Stop 3: Shinjuku

Shinjuku is the largest neighborhood in Tokyo (dubbed the crazy entertainment district), and you’ll find thousands of restaurants, shops, entertainment, and other attractions that you could easily spend all day here. 

With limited time, we spent a decent portion of the afternoon and night here and felt that was sufficient enough to see the highlights.

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Many people opt to see the ever-so-popular Robot Restaurant , which I’ve heard is an other-worldly experience, but after reading reviews, we decided against it.  Do your own research and decide for yourself whether this show is worthy of your time and money. 

Whether you decide to spend part of the evening at the Robot Restaurant, I highly encourage you to make a visit to Omoide Yokocho , commonly known as Piss Alley. 

Piss Alley is a small network of alleyways along the tracks northwest of Shinjuku Station filled with dozens of tiny eateries serving ramen, soba, sushi and yakitori.  Just pick one with open seats and go in – they’re all worthy of some stomach real-estate.

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Consider the free observation deck on the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building , visit Shinjuku Gyoen (a large public park near Shinjuku Station being a perfect cherry blossom spot – check on hours, we missed the entrance by about 20 minutes 🙁 ), and find an epic view of the area from the pedestrian overpass near the northwest corner of the Shinjuku station.

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Day 3: FULL DAY IN TOKYO (East Side)

Now it’s time to experience the more traditional side of Tokyo , including Sensoji Temple and Ueno Gardens.  Another bird’s eye view can be seen today, at nearby Tokyo Skytree.

If you’re staying in Shibuya like I did, you’ll need to take the train from Shibuya Station to Asakusa Station (35-45 min on train) via the JR Yamanote Line to Ginza or Asakusa Line. Make sure to purchase single tickets – do NOT activate your JR pass yet!

Asakusa and Sensoji Temple

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Asakusa is the spiritual heart of Tokyo and a good place to start your day!  Sensoji Temple is the main attraction here, and you’ll start your morning journey at the Kaminarimon Gate . 

As you walk toward the temple buildings, check out the historic  Nakamise Dori shopping street, pick out some souvenirs and grab a Japanese snack (or two!) before exploring Sensoji Temple. 

Consider drawing Omikuji (written fortunes) while here.  If you’re up for it and are interested, check out the surrounding old-fashioned neighborhoods around Asakusa.

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Sumida Park and Tokyo SkyTree

If you’re visiting during cherry blossom season, I highly advise you to visit Sumida Park , which is an absolutely wonderful spot to see the flowers in bloom!  It was one of the least crowded public parks we went to and FULL of cherry blossoms! 

I cannot recommend this spot enough!  Bring a snack or two and sit on a blanket for the ultimate experience. We got sakura donuts from Mister Donut (located all around), and ate our flower-themed treats amongst the cherry blossoms.

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Next up – Tokyo SkyTree , the tallest tower in not only Japan, but the entire world!  At 634m (2,080 feet),  the complex has two observation decks with great views over the city.  There’s even a glass floor for any of you brave souls!  Expect a cue, so plan on spending a bit of time here.  The Tokyo Skytree is about a 20 minute walk or a 5 minute train ride from Asakusa.

If you don’t wanna wait in line, I highly encourage you to book your skip-the-line Tokyo SkyTree ticket in advance. You can even upgrade to include the Tembo Galleria.

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End the afternoon at Ueno Park , another large public space located in central Tokyo and another lively cherry blossom spot.  There are more than 1000 cherry trees of multiple varieties lining its central pathway and lots of temples and shrines here to check out, as well as museums and a zoo if those are of interest to you.

You’ll most likely want to take the JR train from Tokyo SkyTree to Ueno Park.  

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Akihabara District

Wake up because we’re off to Tokyo’s crazy Akihabara District! Spend the evening perusing the many electronic shops, including Yodobashi Akiba – the world’s largest with nine stories stuffed with hi tech equipment – for geeks with money.

You’ll also find Japan’s diehard fan anime culture here, with stores devoted to anime and manga; just be sure to keep kids away from the adult-only sections (I wondered at first why all the anime was butt naked)! 

You could easily fill up a whole afternoon and night in Akihabara, from its maid and Gundam cafes, gaming centers (check out Super Potato Retro Shop if you want to be transported into the 90’s), and just gazing at the bright lights.

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Day 4: DAY TRIP from Tokyo — 3 Options

Today you’ll activate your JR pass and start putting it to use!  Now that you’ve explored Tokyo, get out of the busy city center and explore another nearby area.  There are numerous day trips you can take from Tokyo , and depending on your interests, you may want to visit more than one! 

Unfortunately this ten day Japan itinerary only allows for one, but if you have another day or two to spare, you could easily do all three. 

I opted for Kamakura because of the rainy and cold weather, but I would have loved Nikko or Hakone had the weather been more cooperative that day. With two weeks in Japan, you can most definitely do all three if you’d like.

Here are my three recommended day trips from Tokyo:

1) Kamakura

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Don’t miss the Great Buddha of Kamakura (at Kotokuin Temple), easily the most popular attraction in the area, and literally hard to miss at 44 feet.  Here you’ll find the second largest Buddha in all of Japan. 

Another site not to miss, and only a few minute walk from the Great Buddha – the Hase Dera Temple , which is a beautiful temple located on a hillside overlooking the ocean.

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There’s also a bamboo forest at Hokokuji Temple , similar to that in Kyoto, and it’s possible to see Mt. Fuji on a clear day from Kenchoji Temple. 

Once you’ve had your fair share of temples, or are just hungry for some lunch, head on over to Komachi-dori , the busiest commercial street in Kamakura. Try the local specialty of Shirasu-don , (a Whitebait rice bowl), which you’ll easily find in numerous restaurants on the busy street.

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Not interested in venturing to Kamakura alone and prefer a group tour?  Looking back, I wished I booked a tour.  Although it wasn’t too far away, we got a bit confused on the train and wasted a bunch of time trying to navigate our way to Kamakura, and then even more time once we arrived.

Many of the tours include other highlights like a tea ceremony and a view of the Bay, which we missed by going alone. I recommend these (from Tokyo) which cover all the top attractions:

  • Full Day Trip to Kamakura, Yokohama, and Tokyo Bay (from Tokyo) : Not only does this day tour from Tokyo take you to all the highlights of Kamakura, but you’ll also get to have lunch in Yokohama’s bustling Chinatown, visit the traditional Japanese-style sunken garden of Sankei-en (including tea rooms!), and admire the modern cable-stay Yokohama Bay Bridge.
  • 5 Hour Nature and History Walking Tour:  This walking tour follows a hiking route from Kita-Kamakura to Hase-dera Temple, passing many historic temples and shrines.  You’ll be able to enjoy some wonderful panoramas from a hiking trail that offers views in all directions. Note that transportation is not included.

Literally sick of the city and need to get some nature into your life?  Nikko may just be your answer.  Full of ancient moss, stone lanterns, vermillion gates, and towering cedars, there’s a reason why this area is one of Japan’s most visited areas.

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Located about two hours north of Tokyo, Nikko is the site of the famous Toshogu Shrine , the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu (VIP in Japan), and numerous other temples and shrines. Don’t miss the famous Shinkyo bridge , the beautiful Nikko National Park (on a sunny day), Kanman-ga-Fuchi Abyss, and Kegon Falls . 

I’m quite bummed we didn’t make it here as all the photos look absolutely spectacular, but now I’ve got another reason to return to Japan!

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Trying to fit in a lot during your one day in Nikko?  Consider a group tour which gets you around easily to all of the highlights.

Day Trip Options here: 

  • From Tokyo: Nikko World Heritage Full-Day Tour :  Explore the beautiful mountain landscape of Nikko, Japan, experience the majesty of the Tamozawa Imperial Villa, bow to the three golden Buddah’s at the Rinnoji Temple, explore the surrounding landscape with a trip to Kirifuri Falls, and have a relaxed Japanese lunch at a local restaurant.
  • Nikko: Autumn Leaves and World Heritage Full–Day Tour :  Discover the beautiful autumn leaves and world heritage of Nikko. During your full-day tour by air-conditioned coach, visit Nikko’s natural sights, Senjo-gahara and Kegon waterfalls, and Nikko Toshogu Shrine. Perfect during those autumn months!
If you have more than 10 days in Japan, check out these additional day trips from Tokyo .

If seeing Mt. Fuji is on your bucket list, then I definitely recommend making the day trip to Hakone. 

Once arriving, you have a whole slew of options to fill your day, including the Hakone Tozan Cable Car for stunning views, the Hakone Ropeway for even more epic views, Owakudani with views of Mt. Fuji on a clear day, and a small Buddhist alter. 

You can also take a Hakone Sightseeing Cruise and spend time at the Hakone Open Air Museum (art gallery). Brave? Try a black egg!

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If you’re not up for heading to Hakone alone , there are numerous day trips from Tokyo that leave the transportation and planning up to someone else.  You’re on holiday – treat yourself and save yourself the hassle! I recommend the followings tours:

  • From Tokyo: Mt. Fuji and Hakone Day Trip by Shinkansen : Spend a day trip traveling to Mt. Fuji, Japan’s most famous symbol and highest mountain. Enjoy the view from the 5th Station before visiting the nearby resort town of Hakone, known for its onsen hot springs. Return to Tokyo by bullet train!
  • From Tokyo: Mt. Fuji and Hakone Tour with Bullet Train :  Get spectacular views of Mt. Fuji and its surrounding mountains on a day trip from Tokyo. Cruise across Lake Ashi by boat and take the ropeway up Mt. Komagatake. Relax in the hot springs resort of Hakone, and then catch the bullet train back to Tokyo.

However, note that seeing the mountain is never guaranteed and it’s possible you may make the trip only to be disappointed.  Some months out of the year have higher chances of visibility, including the winter months.  If it looks like a questionable morning with lots of clouds, I highly suggest you alter your plans and opt for either Nikko or Kamakura instead.

Day 5: MORNING BULLET TRAIN TO KYOTO then EXPLORING

First Bullet Train Ride!

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*Note that you’ll be required to make a seat reservation if you have opted for the Green JR Pass.  Make this reservation when you first exchange your JR voucher for a ticket, or the night before leaving for Kyoto.  Don’t wait until the morning of because it’s possible the reservation desk will not be open yet.

Get up nice and early, grab some breakfast in the station/on the way to the station, and take a 7:00/7:30am bullet train from Tokyo Station (you may need to transfer at Shinagawa Station) in route for Kyoto! 

If you take this early morning train ride, you’ll arrive in Kyoto around 10:30am or so, which is necessary if you want to see a bunch of Kyoto sites today.  Once you arrive in Kyoto, put your luggage/bags into a coin locker (roughly 500-900 Yen for two suitcases for the entire day) and get exploring!

A note about Kyoto’s public transportation: Unlike Tokyo, Kyoto relies on large public buses. We were unaware of this and unfortunately caught off guard when we couldn’t take fast trains to get around. Give yourself some extra time as it’ll take longer to get around. Embrace it – look outside the window on the bus and take in some local Kyoto life.

Arashiyama Area

Catch the bus to the  Saga-Arashiyama Station , where you’ll be hanging out for a few hours.  First up, Tenyru-Ji Shrine and its accompanying zen garden.  So many beautiful plants and flowers (nicely labeled in both English and Japanese) here, such as the Japanese wisteria, which you’ll never see outside of Japan.

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Once you exit the garden, you’ll come across the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove/Forest .  Walking through the Bamboo Grove is definitely one of the essential experiences to have in Kyoto so don’t pass it up! 

The grove is much smaller than I thought, taking roughly 15 minutes to walk through, but is absolutely excellent for photography.

Walk through slowly to take it all in, and don’t forget to look up at the towering bamboo!  Bring a wide-angle lens and if possible, a go pro, in order to include as much of the bamboo in your photos!

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Before you head to the Monkey Park (coming up next!), you’ll most likely come across a lovely area with small eateries and a beautiful, green emerald lake. A good spot for some photos in my opinion!  🙂  We enjoyed a few vending machine coffees and teas here (you’ll be doing that everywhere in Japan too, you’ll see!).

Read Next: Top Things to do in Kyoto and Attractions

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Next up, walk to the Iwatayama Monkey Park !  Yes, it’s about a 15-20 minute walk completely uphill to reach the park, but definitely worth it!  Just be aware, the Google Maps directions to this attraction are wrong.

The entrance to the park is simply near the orange shrine gate at the south side of the Togetsu-kyo bridge. Look for a cartoon picture of a monkey and you’re golden!

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The park is a nice change from the temples and shrines you’ll be seeing a lot of in Kyoto, and it’s so much fun to feed the monkeys for only 100Y.  There’s also a wonderful view of Kyoto from up here.  

Before anyone gets mad at those pictures of the monkeys “behind bars”, please know they are free to roam wherever they’d like throughout the park, and us humans are actually put in an enclosed area when feeding them. This is to protect both the animals and us.

We could have easily spent hours watching the monkeys and admiring the view, but off to the Golden Pavilion it was!

Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji)

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If you’ve got more time today, take the bus to the Golden Pavilion , which is super impressive and made entirely of gold!  Reflected in the lake, it’s no wonder this is one of the top things to do in Kyoto. 

Make sure to try some Japanese flavored ice cream here, such as green matcha and/or black sesame, my new favorite!  It’s guaranteed to be crowded, but very, very worth it in my opinion.

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*Don’t forget to head back to Kyoto Station to collect your bags before heading to your hotel or AirBnb for the night!

Day 6: FULL DAY IN KYOTO

Nishiki Market

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Start the day at the Nishiki Market – known for its different food stalls where you can try all kinds of Japanese cuisine and treats. 

Stroll for an hour or so up and down the streets of the market, stopping whenever something tickles your fancy. The market is a great place to dive into some of the more unusual dishes – don’t be a chicken, try them!

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However, absolutely don’t leave the market without trying tako tamago – the infamous candied baby octopus stuffed with a quail egg.  It tastes way better than it sounds – I could have eaten three!

Want a taste of those cutesy animal donuts you’ve possibly seen all over the internet? You can try them here – at Floresta Donuts .  I had a hard time eating mine as it was just too cute to bite into! Quite possibly my favorite thing I ate during our 10 days in Japan! SO cute!

japan trip itinerary 8 days

After your fix of Japanese delicacies and donuts, walk on over to Gion, Kyotos famous geisha district.  If you’re lucky you may spot a real true-life geisha , although they tend to walk fast to their destination and don’t like to show their face. 

However, if you do spot one, but courteous and don’t obviously follow them or point your camera directly to their face.  Show respect for their culture. I wasn’t so lucky and didn’t spot any on my trip.

Higashiyama District

End the day at the Higashiyama District, the world famous hub of Kyoto’s best-known shrines and temples.  And let me tell me, this place is worth checking out. It’s one of my favorite areas in all of Kyoto .

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Make sure to walk down Sannenzaka and Ninensaka – the two most beautiful streets in the district, with numerous souvenir shops and eateries.  It can get rather crowded during the day (for good reason!), so we chose to come a bit before dusk had encountered a less cramped experience. 

Still cramped, but less cramped than I imagine mid-day would be. You’ll find some eats on the walk – make sure to try a sakura cream puff !

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Kyomizu-dera Temple , a listed UNESCO site, should be next on your list.  Again, it’s quite busy, but the view out over a sea of trees is hard to beat – just imagine this during cherry blossom season (absolutely to die for!) And yea, try an onigiri maki – an emoji in the wild!

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Finish off this (long and tiring) day by walking part of the Philosopher’s Path (found on Google Maps as  Tetsugaku-no-michi) , a path that runs along a narrow river and is lined with more cherry blossom trees than you can ever imagine! 

You’ll end at the Silver Pavilion, although not as fancy and intricate as the Golden Pavilion, and not even lined in silver, but still impressive nonetheless.

Day 7: DAY TRIP TO NARA AND OSAKA

It’s time for some day trips today, and we’ll be crossing off two in one day’s time!  Head to Nara from Kyoto Station (via JR Nara Line – roughly 1 hour on the express train), then after seeing some of the top temples, head on over to Osaka and eat everything!

Get ready to interact with some deer in Nara Park , which can be found all throughout the area and are literally impossible to miss!  And oh yea, those crackers you see being sold on the street?  Those are for the deer, not us hungry humans!

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A few temples to see: Todaiji (must visit Unesco World Heritage Site with super tall Buddha), Kasaguga Taisha Shrine (the most important shrine in Nara), Kofukuiji Temple, and Gangou-ji Temple.  If you’ve had enough of temples by this time, head over to Osaka and skip a temple or two.

Tip : Get the Nara Kotsu one day pass (it’s more of a wooden plague you can wear around your neck if you please) for 500 Yen.  This sightseeing bus brings you around to the top attractions in Central Nara, and is good for most of the buses you see throughout the city.

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Off to Osaka for the rest of the day!  Many people skip Osaka as they think it’s just another large city like that of Tokyo, but we absolutely loved our few hours here!  Don’t skip it!

First up, the ever-so-beautiful Osaka Castle , one of Japan’s most famous landmarks!  Get off at Osakajokoen Station. 

Note that the castle may very well be closed by the time you reach it depending on how long you spend in Nara (last admission is 4:30pm in April, a bit later in the summer months), but the outside alone is worth the train and short 20 minute walk!

Next up, Dotonbori Street !  It’s an absolute madhouse full of people, shops, and eateries, and an absolute must-do while in Osaka.  Be sure to look up and admire the moving animal billboards found on the buildings.

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Osaka is the food capitol not just of Japan, but of the entire world.  Hence, you’ll want to eat everything in sight (just leave some room for a Kobe beef dinner).  Try beloved regional dishes like okonomiyaki, takoyaki (fried octopus balls – tastes way better than it sounds), udon, and hiyashi ame ginger drink.

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Rule of thumb: if there’s a long line, the food is out of this world.  Wait and you’ll be rewarded.

If you want to get some shopping on, head on over to nearby Shinsaibashi, the city’s premier shopping district.  We chose to skip the shopping and focused on stuffing our faces 😉

Great dinner suggestion: Tsurugyu.  This place is all about Kobe beef , and is super fresh and decently priced.  Expect to pay around 5,000Y per person, drink included.  Reservations are highly recommended, although we somehow got extremely lucky and were able to sit at the bar – but don’t count on this!

Looking for the best places to go in Japan?! This Japan bucket list has you covered! Definitely saving this for my future trip to Japan!

Day 8: DAY TRIP TO MIYAJIMA AND HIROSHIMA

Get ready for another jam-packed day.  Yes, it’ll take a while to get here, but trust me, on a clear, sunny day, it’s 100% worth it and absolutely beautiful. 

Take an early morning bullet train to Hiroshima, which takes roughly 2 hours from Kyoto Station, then a local JR train to Miyajimaguchi Station, then finally the JR ferry to Miyajima.  All included in your JR Pass .

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

You can choose to visit either Miyajima or Hiroshima first, but I highly recommend visiting Miyajima during high tide to see the gate “floating” in the water.  Check tide schedules online.

If you opt for Miyajima first (again, tide dependent), and take an 8am bullet train out of Kyoto Station, you’ll reach Miyajima by approximately 11am.

Head straight to the tori gate (after some deer interaction of course, yes there’s deer here and they’re SUPER friendly, just watch your food). 

You’ll want to snap a million photos because this place is just so damn beautiful it’s hard not to!  You can also check out the floating shrine as well, which we loved and was unlike any other shrine/temple we saw in Japan!

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

Spectacular views your thing? Take the Miyajima Ropeway (~15 minutes, $17 roundtrip) for better-then-great views of the whole area from the top of Mt. Misen . There’s a bus at the base of Miyajima Island which will take you to the ropeway station fo’ free as well if you’re already feeling super tired from your journey.

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

Before heading back to the ferry, pick up some ice cream (green tea or black sesame, you are in Japan!) – perfect on a hot, sunny day.

Take the ferry back to Miyajimaguchi Station, then the JR train to Hiroshima.  Note that you’ll need to either take a tram or buy a Hiroshima Sightseeing Hop-On, Hop-Off Loop Bus “Meipuru-pu” to get around in Hiroshima super easily – which is free of cost for JR pass users . 

We took the sightseeing bus to Hiroshima Castle , and then to the area with the A-Bomb Dome , Children’s Peace Monument , and Peace Memorial Museum and Park .  The museum was closed by the time we arrived, but we were still able to wander around at the memorials and pay our respects.

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

End this super long day eating okonomiyaki at Okonomimura , a humungous multi-level eatery with tiny stalls of different shops making varieties of the famous pancake.  Just for reference, we made it back on a bullet train around 8:30/9pm, getting back to Kyoto around 11pm.  Told you it was a long day.  😉

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

Day 9: KYOTO THEN BULLET TRAIN BACK TO TOKYO

Today’s your last day in Kyoto, so it’s time to do those last-minute things you missed, including the Fushimi Inari Shrine.   Put your bags in coin lockers at Kyoto Station before heading out for the day (just don’t forget to pick up before the bullet train heading back to Tokyo!)

Morning/Afternoon in Kyoto

1. Fushimi Inari Shrine (Taisha): COME EARLY BEFORE THE MASSES ! No matter how tired you are, do not skip Fushimi Inari Shrine!  To get here, you’ll need to take the JR Line (Nara or Keihan Main) from Kyoto to Inari Station. 

The shrine is comprised of over 10,000 beautiful orange-y red tori gates arching over a scenic, possible 2-hour-long walking trail. You don’t need to do the entire circuit, but definitely make it past the initial arch as this is the most populated one due to its close proximity to the start. 

Make sure to notice the numerous fox statues along the shrine grounds, as they are thought to be Inari’s messengers and hold much importance to this area. And get some inari sushi if you’re a bit hungry – look how cute they are! Definitely one of my favorite things we did during our 10 days in Japan.

Read Next: Alllll the best things to do in Kyoto

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

2. Nijo Castle: One of Kyoto’s most popular and impressive sights, and a wonderful place to walk around on your last official morning in the city. The grounds are large with numerous fortifications, a lovely castle, beautiful moat, and gardens.

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

Inari Shrine to Nijo Castle: Head back to Kyoto Station, then take the JR Sagano train to Nijo stop

3. To-Ji Garden and Temple: Depending on your groups level of tired-ness, you may choose to skip these gardens (which are a 15 minute walk from Kyoto station).  We were too pooped from the week’s festivities to even think about wandering around here, and let’s face it – I saved myself an hour or so of complaints from my husband. 

We both get a little grumpy when the tiredness kicks in.  If you do decide to go, you’ll find the tallest wooden pagoda in Japan, a lovely garden with a koi fish pond, and some beautiful cherry blossoms. Next time for me!

Bullet Train to Tokyo

Once you’re done with your activities in Kyoto, back on the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Tokyo it is!

The bullet train from Kyoto to Tokyo takes around 3 hours or so, and with our stomachs grumbling already, we opted for a dinner of bento boxes to take on the train with us.  You’ll find a handful of stalls in the train station selling a wide variety of food options, with bento boxes being absolutely perfect for the long train ride!

Since you’ll only be in Tokyo for one additional night and will need to take the train from Tokyo station to Narita International Airport the next day, I suggest staying in the Ginza area, 1 or 2 stops on the train depending on which line you take.

It also lets you explore a new area the next morning before heading off to the airport.

Recommended hotels in Ginza:

  • Luxury : Millenium Mitsui Garden Hotel  (where we stayed and we absolutely loved it! – and less than $150 a night!)
  • Mid-Line : Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Ginza  (super chic upscale hotel at affordable rates in a great location)
  • Budget : Tokyo Ginza Bay Capsule Hotel  (if you don’t know what a capsule hotel is… go check that out!)

Day 10: SUSHI BREAKFAST AND OFF TO THE AIRPORT

Before heading out for the day, it’s a good idea to check out of your hotel to avoid rushing back for the mid-morning check-out time, and be sure to ask your hotel to store your bags (which you’ll pick up later before heading off to the airport).

Sushi Breakfast at Tsukiji Market

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

On your last official morning after 10 days in Japan (cue the sad face), there’s nothing better than an authentic sushi breakfast!  And no better place to get fresh sushi than at the Tsukiji Fish Market – the world’s largest, busiest fish market! 

Note that the Tsukiji Fish Market is comprised of two parts – the inner market (the Uogashi wholesaler market) and the outer market.  The inner market is where you’ll find the early-morning wholesale tuna auction (think 4am, yes, really that early), while the outer market is for all of us foodies hoping to satisfy our taste buds with some seafood goodness.

While Daiwa Sushi and Sushi Dai are two of the most common sushi shops in Tsukiji Market, the lines are astronomically long.  We picked a place at random and had a wonderful experience – the fish was fresh, service was adequate, and prices were competitive.

You won’t find mediocre sushi anywhere in this area, so decide for yourself (and your hungry belly) if waiting in those long lines is worth it.

If you have a little extra time and wanna learn about Japanese food culture and the market in general, consider signing up for a Tsukiji Outer Market Food and Drink Walking Tour . You’ll sample bonito, katsuobushi, dashi stock, sushi, sake, fresh tuna, local omelets (my all-time fave) and so much more. I so wish we did this as we didn’t learn much about the market and honestly didn’t even know where to begin on our own — there’s so many stalls and we didn’t know half of the foods!

Next time we’re in Japan I REALLY wanna take this combined tour of the Tsukiji Outer Fish Market and sushi-making class! I love taking cooking classes when I travel (I’ve made macarons in Paris, egg tarts in Lisbon, and tamales in Mexico so far), so I think sushi in Japan is next for me!

Shopping in Ginza

After filling up on some sushi (and ice cream, because, why not?!), head back to Ginza for some upscale window shopping.  This district is home to the most expensive shopping and real estate in Tokyo – kind of like New York’s Fifth Avenue, but with more lights!

Off to the Airport

Heading to Japan soon?! Check out this COMPLETE 10-DAY JAPAN ITINERARY filled with exactly how I spent my 10 days in Japan, which could easily be expanded to 2 weeks in Japan.

Depending on your flight time, you may have a bit more time, but it’s always wise to get to the airport extra early for international flights. 

Head back to your hotel, collect your bags, head to Tokyo Station, then to Narita Airport (takes approximately 1 hour via Narita Express), have one more Japanese meal at the airport, and say goodbye to this eclectic yet charming country.

If you have any questions on this 10 day Japan itinerary, please ask below in the comments! If you follow this itinerary (exactly what we did), I can promise you not only will you see so much in such a short period of time, but you won’t be stressed out planning either!  🙂

TRAVELING TO JAPAN SOON? Don’t forget travel insurance! I’m a big fan of  World Nomads  and SafetyWing when traveling abroad.

Recently, I’ve been mostly using SafetyWing since they cover pandemic-related claims (most travel insurance companies do not). Be sure to protect yourself from possible injury, lost baggage, travel delays, and theft before it happens.  Learn more and Sign up here.

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When you purchase something through our links, we earn a small fee (but you still pay the same) ! Win-win! If you found this article useful, consider using the links within the article or below. Thanks for your support! 

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Feel free to share this 10 day Japan itinerary with a friend (just copy and paste the link!), and get started planning your trip! Have you been to the country before? What were your favorite things to do in Japan?

Photos via Day 1a | Day 2 and Steam Fire at Asakusa  | cherry blossoms | Akihabara | Hakone 1 and 3 | Hakone 2 |

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September 23, 2020 at 10:18 pm

Great post! We are planning to visit Japan around cherry blossoms season next year. Your 10-day itinerary seems perfect. We might add 3 to 4 days to it as we love to follow the slow pace when we travel 🙂

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September 23, 2020 at 10:47 pm

You’re gonna have the best time ever – I wish I could go back and do my entire itinerary again! An extra few sounds would be perfect; we had to rush around a lot!

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April 13, 2021 at 11:26 pm

Very elaborate Japan guide! Hope to visit this wonderful place in the near future!

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March 27, 2022 at 5:54 am

Thanks so much, this was very helpful, and fun to read. I’ve been once by myself and hope to return with my wife. If it’s not too personal, what was the total cost of the trip for two?

April 4, 2022 at 6:16 pm

Hi Bill! So glad the post was helpful! Unfortunately it’s really hard to say the total cost, as it greatly varies depending on what hotels you choose, activities you do, and restaurants you eat at! With that being said, the street food is absolutely phenomenal and a great way to save a bit of money! We loved it all!

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April 7, 2022 at 1:22 am

such an amazing post and trip, wish i can go there very soon. thankyou for sharing 🙂

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July 18, 2022 at 8:44 am

I am so very grateful for your post. I have been researching for months and this is the most helpful post I have found! We will be traveling to Japan April 2023 for my sons graduation present. We will only have 7-8 days there. If you were to take off 1-2 days which would they be. Right now I am thinking one less day in Tokyo but not sure what else to eliminate.

July 20, 2022 at 6:58 pm

So glad you found it helpful! I would cut off the day trip from Tokyo, and eliminate a day in Tokyo like you suggested. You can see the main highlights of Tokyo in 2 long, jam packed days. It’ll be a very hectic and tiring trip, but you’ll see a lot in just a week! I cannot wait to go back to Japan! Enjoy your trip — sounds like it’ll be a special one!

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August 29, 2022 at 1:19 pm

I’m planning a trip to Japan and this has been super helpful! One question though, did you mainly find lodging in just Tokyo and Kyoto? And you did day trips out of those cities but would return back?

August 29, 2022 at 8:42 pm

Hi Francesca — yup, did exactly that! I stayed in Tokyo and Kyoto and did day trips! SO much to see! Have such a great trip! I cannot wait to go back to Japan!!!

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October 1, 2022 at 10:40 pm

Hey! your post is SUPER helpful for my 10 day trip I want to take in April 2023! But I was curious if you visited any hot springs or passed by any while on your trip? I want to go to one with my boyfriend and have a relaxing dip 🙂 I look forward to the trip and your trip sounds like something we would follow to enjoy our time! thnk you 🙂

October 2, 2022 at 4:33 pm

Hey there! We didn’t have time for any on our first trip, but spent a few days at an onsen in Mt. Muji on our second trip! Highly recommend adding that in if you’re looking for some peace and quiet! It was incredible!

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August 9, 2023 at 9:19 am

Hi! Which onsen do you recommend?

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November 1, 2022 at 11:18 am

Can u suggest a place to do one day of kintsugi lesson. I love your itinerary and plan to follow it to the T. And will definitely share my experience once I am back… I have about 13 days…one last thing..anything that a vegetarian can eat

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November 6, 2022 at 2:26 am

Excellent guide! May I know is the 7-day JR pass one-way only (Tokyo -> Kyoto)? Do we need to buy another ticket/pass for the bullet train from Kyoto back to Tokyo?

November 6, 2022 at 4:32 pm

The JR pass works for all directions! As long as it’s still within the 7 days if you buy the 7 day pass! You can use the pass as many times as you want within the time frame you buy it for. It’s great!

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November 27, 2022 at 10:18 pm

love your itinerary! i’m planning to visit japan in december and wondered if the disneyland in tokyo was worth it?

November 28, 2022 at 7:47 pm

Hi Rama! How exciting! I’ve never been to Tokyo Disney so unfortunately cannot comment! Have a great trip! Japan is easily one of my favorite countries!

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January 19, 2023 at 12:04 pm

This post is amazing! We are planning a trip to Japan and this has everything. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experiences!

January 20, 2023 at 5:15 pm

Of course, so glad it’s helpful! Let me know if you have any questions! We loved our trips to Japan and can’t wait to go back!

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February 9, 2023 at 2:03 pm

Thank you so much for sharing, this is super helpful! I was wondering, if you were to have stayed at a ryokan during this trip, when / in which city would you recommend staying? I’m currently planning a 10 day try and would like to follow your itinerary but also want to squeeze in a stay in a ryokan!

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March 22, 2023 at 6:38 am

I just wanted to thank you. My wife and I returned last night from our first trip to Japan, 11 nights in total. We followed your itinerary almost to the letter, including all three day trips from Tokyo – Kamakura, Nikko and Hakone.

It was an extra special trip for us, celebrating my 50th birthday, and your itinerary made the incredibly intimidating task of knowing how to structure a short trip to Japan, manageable and endlessly rewarding.

I commend you for your excellent research and wanted you to know how valuable of a service you are providing!

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March 28, 2023 at 7:06 pm

Just to be clear, you’re recommending just two home bases during the ten days in Japan: Tokyo and Kyoto? We’re going in October and are booking hotels. So – one hotel in Tokyo and one hotel in Kyoto from which we see those cities and take day trips. It’s that simple?

April 5, 2023 at 11:07 am

Yup — makes it so much easier than booking a different hotel for every night! 🙂 The train system is amazing in Japan and you can easily get to so many day trips from both major cities.

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April 26, 2023 at 3:42 pm

We are planning a trip to Japan in April 2024 and I came across you blog post. Amazing post and your detailed itinerary is very helpful. I’m wondering if there is any advantage of choosing Narita vs Haneda airport. We will be flying from SFO and have options to both.

April 27, 2023 at 2:05 pm

If you can find a flight to Haneda for a decent price, I’d actually choose that! It’s much closer to Tokyo itself. However, more airlines fly into Narita. I’ll be looking into Haneda for my next trip! 🙂

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May 9, 2023 at 4:22 pm

Thank you so much for this very helpful itinerary. My husband and I are planning to visit in early December to celebrate my 60th birthday. Your suggestions and recommendations were very helpful and I will definitely be using them. Thank you again.

May 9, 2023 at 5:54 pm

Glad it was helpful! That’s so exciting — what a special spot for a birthday! Have the best time, and let me know if you have any questions!

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May 21, 2023 at 2:06 am

We are booked on a cruise around Japan for 10 days but coming in earlier to do some land tours and hopefully see things we will not be able to do on the cruise. All your information was so informative and will be looking more into it all. We will be leaving Sydney Australia on 23rd March 2024 specifically for Cherry Blossom time.

August 9, 2023 at 9:17 am

Hi! We are flying to HND arriving June 8th at 21:05. We depart from NRT June 20th. I haven’t booked any accommodations yet. I’m trying to follow your itinerary. How many nights would you recommend in Tokyo and Kyoto? Should we stay in another city for a few nights to reduce traveling time? Regarding the JR Pass, we fall in between the 7 day and 14 day pass. I’m thinking the 7 day pass should be enough if we start using it day 4 or 5. Thank you!

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November 5, 2023 at 2:56 pm

Hi Jess. Your itinerary was the inspiration for my first visit to Japan last month with my niece. We followed the majority of the 10 days outlined including all of the daytrips except for Hakone. Your suggestions were excellent because each day trip was unique and memorable. Your tips on where to purchase the local currency, the JR train pass as well as the packing tips were incredibly helpful. We also made it a point to try every single one of your foodie recommendations. Black sesame and Sakura were definitely our favorite Japanese flavors for ice cream. Nishiki Market, Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, the floating shrine in Miyajima, the Great Buddha statues at Kotokuin in Kamakura and at Todaji in Nara, Okonomimura in Hiroshima, Fushimi Inari Shrine were absolute highlights. Thank you so much for sharing this well-researched and well-organized itinerary that helped us make the most of our truly breath-taking adventure in Japan.

November 8, 2023 at 12:16 am

So glad it was helpful and that you had an amazing trip to Japan! Every time I go back I’m already planning my next trip! Such a wonderful, diverse country!

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December 18, 2023 at 4:02 pm

Hello, I want to make sure I understand your itinerary. At the beginning, does it call for 4 or 5 nights in Tokyo?

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January 16, 2024 at 12:46 pm

What would you add to this itinerary if you travel with 12 and 13 year old children?

January 20, 2024 at 10:56 pm

Hi there! I don’t have kids so not sure I’m the best person to ask! There’s tons of things to do in Tokyo for people with all different interests though.

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February 20, 2024 at 5:16 am

Fantastic info for a possible first time visitor. Thanks so much! Just querying the following part of your page though:

“If you’re coming from the US, an easy way to figure out USD to JY is to move the decimal point two spots to the right >> 100Y = approximately $1USD. Just for quick reference, 10,000Y = approximately 100USD.”

If I move the decimal place to the right for 100.00Y that equal 10000 USD based on the above. Should that have said “move the decimal place two spots to the left (which would = 1.00)

February 20, 2024 at 5:19 am

Ignore all that.. I now see it from the US point of view – i.e. move the US decimal point two spots to the right to get JPY. Sorry! Great site, really appreciate ethe information.

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March 7, 2024 at 3:50 pm

what is the latest the bullet trains operate for example taking a day trip from Kyoto to Osaka at what time do you have to head back? Is there a website were we can see this?

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Japan itinerary: How to get the best out of Japan in 10 days

Last updated on January 12, 2024

Japan itinerary - women in traditional dress in Kyoto

Looking for the perfect way to spend 10 days in Japan? We spent sooo long crafting our 10-day Japan itinerary, sifting through all the best things to do and how to make the most of it all. A trip like this is an investment, so you want to get it right!

And seeing as we’ve now done the leg work, this post is here to help save you a ton of time with loads of first-hand tips and ways to get the best out of your Japan trip. Believe me, you’re in for a treat. Japan is incredible.

I think 10 days in Japan is a good amount for a first timer, but if you have a bit more time, you could easily stretch this itinerary to two weeks in Japan, or skip one or two places if you only have a week.

About our 10 day Japan itinerary

Wild, mind-boggling, and futuristic are all words that come to mind when I think of our 10-day trip to Japan. From the Zen of the temples in Kyoto to the crazed sounds of a pachinko parlour in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, Japan is king of extremes. It topped our wish list for years (Steve is frankly obsessed by the place!), but we were always put off by the expense. We kept saving it for “a time when we had money”.  

We finally went when we were invited to a wedding in Seoul and realised that tagging on a trip to Japan was an opportunity too good to resist. We were worried about the money, and that 10 days wouldn’t be enough, but in the end, we found ways to keep costs down. And I think 10 days in Japan is a good amount to get a good taste of the country and all the things that make it unique.

As always, we spent hours researching our trip to Japan and planning the ultimate 10-day Japan itinerary. We wanted to get a good mix of city, nature and culture, while also hitting some of our bucket list items like the snow monkeys in Shibu Onsen, and the temples of Koya-San.

We finally landed on what we think is the ultimate Japan travel itinerary for first timers. Many people have replicated the trip since we did it and are always as happy as we were, so I hope you will be too. Feel free to add your own Japan tips and questions in the comments.

Our Japan highlights

Snow monkeys washing each other in Japan

It’s hard to choose what we loved most in our Japan itinerary. Ten days gives plenty of time to experience its extremes, and we saw a lot during that time. If I had to choose ten highlights, it’d be these:

  • Staying in a traditional ryokan (we did this in both Hakone and Shibu-Onsen)
  • Catching sight of Mount Fuji on a trip to Hakone
  • Seeing the snow monkeys in the mountains of Nagano
  • Visiting local onsens in Shibu-Onsen (only possible if you stay the night there)
  • Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto (it’s popular for a reason)
  • Playing the arcades in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, and going to an izakaya followed by karaoke in Shibuya.
  • Waking up at dawn in a Buddhist temple on Mount Koya-San to hear the monks chanting.
  • Soaking in a private onsen next to a bamboo forest at Mount View Hakone ryokan
  • Eating all the amazing food, from cheap Japanese curries to huge feasts in ryokans, and restaurants where fresh tofu is made at the table.
  • Drinking Japanese whiskey at The Sodoh in Kyoto, one of the best bars I’ve ever been to.

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you buy something (at no extra cost to you). It’s one of the ways I keep this blog going. Thanks a million for your support. You can read more about my affiliate policy  here .

Overview of our 10 days in Japan

Robot cafe, Tokyo

Our itinerary covers Tokyo, Hakone, Shibu Onsen (to see the snow monkeys), Kyoto, Nara, Koya-san and Osaka. This provided a perfect mix of the best that Japan has to offer, from its fast-paced cities to its magnificent nature (including Mount Fuji) and captivating ancient temples. They are definitely some of the best places to visit in Japan.

Days 1-4: Tokyo (Stay at a Tokyo Airbnb )

Days 4-5: Hakone (Stay at Mount View Hakone )

Days 5-6: Shibu Onsen (Stay at Sakaeya )

Days 6-8: Kyoto (Stay at Kyoto Airbnb)

Days 8-9: Koya-San (Stay at S hojoshin-In )

Days 9-10: Osaka (Stay at Hostel 64 Osaka )

How to choose what to see in Japan in 10 days

Mount Fuji from Hakone

We had a limited amount of time and money, so we wanted to try and fit in as much as possible into our Japan trip itinerary. This wasn’t a time for slow travel and it was more fast-paced than what we’re used to. But it was definitely worth it for all the things we saw, and it never felt rushed. We balanced out the busyness with moments of calm along the way.

Of course, it would have been nice to stretch the trip and spend a few days in each place to soak everything in some more, but for the time and money we had, our itinerary for Japan worked really well, and I highly recommend it for first-timers to Japan.

Should you base yourself in Tokyo and Kyoto?

Many 10-day itineraries suggest basing yourself in just Tokyo and Kyoto and doing day trips from there, but for me, some of the highlights of our time in Japan were the nights we spent elsewhere in Hakone, Shibu-Onsen and Koya-San.

I don’t mind changing accommodation (we pack light and I love experiencing different hotels). Plus it gives the chance to splash out on a couple of special one-night stays, perhaps in a ryokan or a temple (like we did), rather than extended stays somewhere cheaper. But if you prefer the idea of day trips and basing yourself in the two cities, that’s a good option too.

Both Shibu-Onsen and Koya-San aren’t convenient day trips, so you’d need to skip those if basing yourself in the cities. You could still visit Nara and Osaka from Kyoto, and Hakone from Tokyo. And other day trips to consider from Tokyo are Kamakura and Nikko. From Kyoto, you could visit Miyajima and Hiroshima.

Other places to consider visiting in Japan

Depending on your priorities, you might like to skip some things in our Japan itinerary and add extra time to some of the others. Places we missed, but you might consider visiting are:

  • Kanazawa for art museums, Edo-era history, and one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens.
  • Takayama for traditional crafts and sake breweries
  • Hiroshima for the Memorial Park
  • Miyajima for gorgeous views, forests and temples, including the floating shrine
  • Nikko for ancient shrines, including the famous Toshogu Shrine
  • Tsumago, a traditional village of wooden houses
  • Kamakura for a bamboo forest, giant buddha and the Hase Dera temple
  • More time in Tokyo to explore attractions like Disney Sea
  • Or you could even tag on a trip to Okinawa (that’s my next dream!)

We’ve also written a storybook version of the Japan itinerary with lots of photos to inspire you. And beside this Japan blog, also have a look at our travel resources page for lots more money and time-saving tips.

A 10-day Japan itinerary – including things to do, accommodation, and vegetarian-friendly restaurants.

Japan trip itinerary: Pre-travel essentials

Victoria walking in Koyasan graveyard

When is the best time to go to Japan?

We went to Japan in December, but that was largely because we were going to a wedding in Korea just before. The weather was cold and dry, but often sunny, and we loved warming up in outdoor onsens amid the cool air (this experience alone makes me happy we went in winter!). Winter is also a good time for snow sports if you visit the mountains.

Far and away the most popular time to visit is April, which is cherry blossom season, and looks as spectacular as the hype suggests.

And Autumn (September – November) is good for the fall foliage.

The summer is hot and humid, and often rainy up until early July. That said, I’m keen to visit Okinawa in the summer and experience Japan beaches.

Is Japan as expensive as people say?

Regarding price, Japan wasn’t as expensive as we had imagined. It’s very pricey in comparison to south-east Asia, but the costs were comparable to London. For example, you could get a coffee for about £2.50 ($3.50), and an average dinner at a mid-range restaurant cost around £30 ($40) for two people without alcohol. At lunchtime, we spent as little as £6 ($10) each for a curry.

Our accommodation cost from £60-£150 ($80-$200) per night for two people, sometimes including breakfast and dinner. This was on a moderate budget where we sometimes splashed out but other times stayed in a hostel or Airbnb . We never went full luxury as the prices were sky-high. Details of all the places we stayed are included in the detailed Japan itinerary below.

How much does a 10-day trip to Japan cost?

To replicate our 10 day Japan trip, excluding flights, would cost around £2400 ($3100) for two people. That’s around £900 ($1200) for the accommodation; £500 ($650) for travel; and a budget of £100 ($150) per day for food and activities. You could save money by doing some self-catering or sticking to cheaper restaurants.

Where to stay in Japan

Room at Shojoshin-in in Koya-San

Our itinerary includes a range of Japan accommodation, including traditional ryokans, city Airbnb apartments, and a temple stay. We were particularly keen to experience a ryokan, which is something I’d classify as a “must” for any Japan trip.

The most we stayed in one place was three nights, and we stayed in four places for one night only. While this meant having to change accommodation quite often, we felt it was worth it for the places we got to see and experience.

It gave us the chance to really soak up the atmosphere in places like Koya-san, Hakone and Shibu Onsen, plus some of the most interesting places we stayed were outside of the city in the traditional ryokans and temple stays. As I mentioned before, if you’d prefer not to move so much, you could base yourself in Tokyo and Kyoto and take day trips from those cities.

Some quintessential Japanese accommodations we didn’t try were capsule hotels and love hotels, but both are included in our guide to the best hotels in Japan . And we’ve also written a handy guide to the best Tokyo Airbnbs .

You can use this link to get £25 off your first Airbnb booking.

Getting around Japan – why you need a Japan Rail Pass

We’ve added transport and accommodation info to each section of the itinerary. The days overlap for each place as we often spent the morning in one place before travelling on to the next.

One top tip if you’re traveling long distances is to get a Japan Rail Pass (a JR Pass). You have to order this before you enter Japan (there is no leeway on this) – they send you a ticket called an ‘exchange order’, which you then exchange for the pass once you’re in Japan. There was a trial in 2023 where you could buy the pass at a higher cost in the country, but they’re currently not continuing with that.

To work out if getting a pass is worth it, you can estimate out how many train journeys you’ll be taking and add up the prices using Hyperdia , which is a really useful Japanese website detailing all the transport timetables (it’s currently only showing historical data, but that’s still quite useful for average costs). We only saved about £40 by getting a rail pass, but some people save a lot more when they cover longer distances than we did. Another benefit of having a rail pass is that you don’t have to buy tickets for each individual train – you simply show your pass at the gate.

It’s important to note that the pass isn’t accepted on every single train in Japan – for example we couldn’t use it for the Hakone loop or for some of the private local train lines within Kyoto. There’s an option on Hyperdia where you can search for trains that are only included with the JR Pass.

The passes are available for 7, 14 or 21 days and you can get an ordinary pass or a green pass, which allows first-class travel. We went for the ordinary one, which cost ¥38,880 (£230) for seven days. The normal class was totally fine, so I don’t think it’s necessary to upgrade unless you have the money to spend, then why not? Also, we now know you can get a pass for less money by booking through this JR Rail Pass website . For example our pass would have cost around £201 with them.

Also remember to accurately time the day you activate your JR Pass so that you can make the most of it. Because we had a 10-day trip and only a 7-day pass, we activated it on day 4. This worked well as our first three days were in Tokyo where we could buy a subway ticket instead.

Buy your JR Pass here.

How is Japan for vegetarians?

japan trip itinerary 8 days

One of the most common questions we get is: Is Japan good for vegetarians? And the answer is kind of. We ate really well in Japan, and with a bit of effort were able to find great Japanese vegetarian options, but there were also times when we struggled.

Those times we struggled were the evenings when we decided to simply walk around a city and choose somewhere without any research. Unfortunately, I don’t like nori, which means our options were limited even further.

On one of those nights, we ended up eating pizza and the other night, we finally found an okonomayaki only to find that the chef had covered it in fish flakes (this was despite us seeing him start to do this and reminding him we didn’t eat fish. He was adamant that fish flakes didn’t count!).

I would recommend doing a little bit of research before you set out each day so you know where to find the good veggie food. All of the restaurants recommended in this itinerary are vegetarian-friendly.

Staying in touch while in Japan – Pocket WiFi and SIMs

When travelling, I tend to use my Three Mobile Go Roam package, but as Japan isn’t a Go Roam destination, we instead relied on mobile wifi devices and a travel SIM card while there. These let you make phone calls and use the internet on your phone at local prices rather than incurring hefty roaming charges. You can choose one or the other, depending on what works best for you.

Pocket wi-fi

Japan has a surprising lack of wi-fi, plus you’re probably used to having access to the internet wherever you are, so a pocket wi-fi device will likely come in handy. These little devices can supply wi-fi to around 10-15 devices, so you’ll only need one per group. And they’re a must-have for looking up directions, making calls, checking schedules etc. That said, there is a part of me that loves the idea of going totally offline like the olden days of travel!

Lots of the Airbnbs/hotels we stayed at supplied pocket wifi devices, but it’s a good idea to buy/hire one yourself as then you’ll have access to the internet wherever you go/stay.

One recommended company is Sakura Mobile . It offers easy-to-use travel SIM cards and pocket wifi devices, which are preconfigured to work with any given country’s phones or computers (lots of local Japanese SIM cards don’t work on foreign devices). Choose the option that suits you best and order the card/device online.

You can pick them up at the airport/the company’s office in  Shinjuku  or have them delivered to your hotel (how convenient is that?!). Handily, the company offers full English language support. Order at least three days before your arrival. Order your SIM Card  here. Order your pocket wifi here .

Our detailed Japan 10-day itinerary

Tokyo Akihabara streets

Days 1-4: Tokyo

Tokyo is one of the most fascinating cities we’ve ever been to and the kind of place you could spend a lifetime getting to know. We had three nights there so tried to pack in as many Tokyo experiences as possible into that time.

We stayed in Shibuya, which was an ideal place to explore the city from. It’s one of Tokyo’s most iconic areas of the city and is filled with bars, malls, restaurants, karaoke bars, and a hell of a lot of neon. It’s also home to the world’s busiest intersection, which tells you a bit about how buzzing Shibuya can be. You can get a good view of this from above at the Keio Inokashira Line, or the Starbucks (although you need to buy something to take advantage of this). While in Shibuya, also check out the Hachiko dog statue , and the Shinto Meiji Shrine

We also explored Akihabara, which is the centre of the city’s otaku culture and home to lots of amusement arcades, anime hvens, and tech shops (go to Yodobashi Akiba for nine floors of tech!). This is also where you go if you want to experience a maid café, which we decided wasn’t our cup of tea.

Woman browsing bookshop in Jimbocho, Tokyo

Other areas we explored were:

  • the shopping district of Ginza (where we bought A LOT of stationery in Itoya )
  • Jimbocho, which is home to streets of incredible bookstores (a Tokyo highlight for us)
  • the beautiful YoYogi Park in Harajuku (this area is also known for its fashion and Harajuku girls who dress in full traditional/Anime costumer on Sundays).
  • Shinjuku, the crazy entertainment district where we went to the Robot Restaurant (definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, but it does show a certain side of Japan and is pretty fun in many ways, while enraging in others!). Update: The Robot Restaurant is currently closed, but is due to re-open at some point in 2024. Samurai Restaurant is currently open in the same location with an equally crazy looking show!
  • Golden Gai, which is an area with rows of tiny little bars, perfect for an evening drink
  • and Ebisu, an upmarket hipster area with lots of lovely boutiques and restaurants.

Victoria and Steve doing a selfie at Robot cafe

We tried to go to the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, which looked beautiful but was closed when we went there on a Monday.  If you’re into fish, there’s the Tsukiji Fish Market, the largest fish market in the world (you could combine it with a sushi class on this tour ).

And if you go during cherry blossom season, try Ueno Park and Sumida Park, which are both gorgeous cherry blossom spots in Tokyo (or you could join a tour of the blossom guided by a local enthusiast ).

The Tokyo Skytree would also be a good place to visit for incredible views of the city (it’s one of the tallest buildings in the world). You can even walk across a glass floor up there. Buy a skip-the-line ticket here to save time. We didn’t do the Skytree and instead opted for cocktails at the Mandarin Oriental one evening instead, which also had epic views.

Accommodation in Tokyo

Best AirBnB Tokyo

We stayed in an Airbnb apartment in Shibuya. The exact one we stayed in is no longer available, but we’ve made a list of the 19 best Tokyo Airbnbs , including options for all budgets and styles.

Ours cost ¥8,600 (£51/$65) per night, and included a mobile wi-fi device, which was very useful (this seems quite standard in Japanese Airbnbs).

Remember to sign up to Airbnb with this link to get £25 off your first booking.

Food and drink in Tokyo

Food at Tofu Ryori Sorano

We ate really well in Tokyo and it was easy as vegetarians. One top tip if you’re looking for a budget eat is to look for one of the many curry shops, which nearly always have a vegetarian option. We tried one in Shinjuku ( モンスナック ) and another in Jimbocho ( Bondi ) – both were delicious.

Other highlights were a tofu restaurant in Shibuya called Tofu Ryori Sorano (where they make fresh tofu at your table) and 板蕎麦 香り家 , a soba restaurant in Ebisu.

We also spent one evening in an izakaya, which is a traditional Japanese bar serving tapas-style dishes – there are tons of these in Shibuya – just wander around nd pick your favourite.

I’ve also heard good things about:

  • Bon , a veggie restaurant specialising in fucha ryori, a version of shojin ryori (veggie buddhist cuisine) 
  • T’s Tan tan , a vegan ramen restaurant in Tokyo station
  • veggie restaurant Milk Land  near Shinjuku Station
  • tempura at  Tsunahachi
  • and okonomiyaki at Zen.

For drinks, one evening we went to the Mandarin Oriental . It’s expensive but worth if for the incredible view across the city. And we also did karaoke in Shibuya, which was surprisingly brilliant (you pay per hour for a booth and the menu is in English as well as Japanese).

A top coffee recommendation is Café de l’Ambre in Ginza, which is a charming traditional coffee shop with the tiniest milk jug you ever did see! Definitely make a stop here if you’re in the area.

A good way to experience Japanese cuisine in Tokyo would be to j oin a food tour like this half-day local food tour , or this 3-hour tour through the fish market .

Getting to and around Tokyo

We bought a prepaid IC card to get around Tokyo – these are available in the subway stations and you simply add credit like you do with an Oyster card in London. There are two types, Pasmo or Sucia, and we used the Suica one. They are valid on both the subway and JR lines.

However, if you’re travelling a lot in one day, it might be cheaper to get a one-day pass, which start at about ¥600. The problem with these is that they’re only valid on certain lines.

There’s a lot of useful info about this in this post . We didn’t use our JR pass because we activated it on day four when we started taking longer train journeys.

Day 4-5: Hakone

Sculpture at Hakone Open Air Museum

Our prime motivation for going to Hakone was to catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji – a definite Japan highlight. It was a gamble as the mountain spends a lot of time hidden behind clouds, but we were willing to risk it, plus we also liked the idea of spending some time in Japan’s countryside.

It was definitely worth it as we did get to see Mount Fuji, which was a truly spectacular sight. And even without that, I think the trip would have been worth it for the magnificence of all the scenery and the peaceful break away from the city.

We did the Hakone Loop (see transport section below) and mostly concentrated on enjoying the gorgeous sights rather than doing lots of activities. We also went to the Hakone Open Air Museum, which is a world-class sculpture park and gallery featuring works by artists such as Picasso and Henry Moore. Sadly, the sculpture I wanted to see the most ­– the Woods of Net– was closed due to safety problems, but the other sculptures made up for that.

Pirate Ship in Hakone

If we’d had more time, I’d have liked to go to the Museum of The Little Prince too. Our hotel stay in Hakone was also a highlight (see below).

You could go to Hakone as a day trip from Tokyo on a tour like this one , which is a nine-hour round trip. Or if you want to include a bullet train too, you could do this one instead.

Accommodation in Hakone

Private onsen at Mount View Hakone

We stayed at a ryokan called Mount View Hakone , which was our first ryokan experience. Our room was exactly as I imagined a ryokan to be – peaceful, sparse and calming.

As with all ryokans, there were public onsens available for guests (one for men and one for women), but one of the highlights of Mount View Hakone was the private onsen that you could hire for 45 minutes for 2,000 yen. This meant that Steve and I could go in there together. The onsen was outside and looked out onto a beautiful bamboo forest, illuminated by green light. For me, being in warm water in a cold climate is one of the most refreshing experiences I can think of – it took me back to the saunas of Finland .

Another highlight at Mount View Hakone was the food. It was our first multi-dish Japanese meal and we loved the adventure of it, especially safe in the knowledge that everything was vegetarian. The food was an eclectic mixture of Japanese and Western food, including ramen, potato wedges, and vegetables that we grilled ourselves at the table. It sounds odd, but it worked! Meals are served in a large dining room along with the other guests.

The hotel is right next to the Little Prince Museum.

Rooms cost from £100 per night, which includes breakfast and dinner. Book your stay now.

Food in Hakone

Meal in Hakone

The main food we ate in Hakone was at the ryokan. But on day one, we had lunch at a little restaurant near the pirate boat stop. The vegetarian choice was slim but we ate some tempura and soba noodles.

There is also a really cute coffee shop inside an airstream caravan at the top of the ropeway. We enjoyed some delicious hot chocolate and a cake up there.

Getting to and around Hakone

Hakone is a popular day/weekend trip from Tokyo and it only takes about an hour to get there on the shinkansen bullet train. The classic thing to do there is the ‘Hakone Loop’, a journey around the area that takes you on five types of transport: bus, train, pirate boat(!), ropeway and cable car. If you leave early enough, you can do the whole loop in a day trip from Tokyo, but we split the journey into two days.

You buy a pass called the Hakone Free Pass, which allows you to go on all the different transports in the loop over 2 or 3 days, depending which one you buy. The 2-day pass costs ¥4000, or ¥5,140 including the train from Shinjuku.

Our hotel was about ¾ of the way around the loop so we went in an anti-clockwise direction and did the first ¾ on day one, and the remaining quarter the next morning. This worked well as it meant we could be finished in Hakone by about 11am and make the most of our next destination. However, our journey around Hakone was definitely the most rushed part of our Japan trip, and I wish we could have added an extra day or at least a few more hours.

One key thing to bear in mind is that the ropeway sometimes closes early. On the day we went, it closed at about 3pm, just as we arrived. They wouldn’t let us on, which meant we missed that part of the trip and had to take a bus up the mountain instead.

This was a big disappointment as it’s from the ropeway that you get the best views of Mount Fuji. Had we known this before, we would simply have left Tokyo earlier in the morning. Don’t make the same mistake!

Day 5-6: Shibu Onsen and the Snow Monkeys

Japan itinerary - Snow Monkeys

Shibu Onsen was not a convenient stop on our Japan itinerary, and it would have made much more sense to go straight to Kyoto on the high-speed shinkansen from Tokyo, but we were fixated on going there so we decided to make it work (and I’m pleased we did!). Our main motivation was to see the snow monkeys, which were made famous in the movie, Baraka .

These monkeys have overtaken an outdoor onsen in the mountains of Nagano and spend their days taking respite from the cold and bathing in the warm water while grooming each other. It’s like a little monkey spa.

Despite our past run-ins with monkeys , we were desperate to see these creatures for ourselves and, for us, it was worth it. The monkeys were much more peaceful than the ones we encountered in Bali (I think because people weren’t feeding them) and it was fascinating seeing how human-like their behaviour was in the onsen.

What snow monkey park really looks like - building site around the pools

One thing to bear in mind is that the setting of the monkey spa isn’t as idyllic as it looks in some photos. The immediate area surrounding the pools is quite dishevelled and resembles a building site, but the 30-minute walk to the snow monkey area is beautiful, through a deep pine forest.

I had heard that the walk can be treacherous, but it felt very safe to me (and I am terrified of heights and cliffs). That said, it was only snowing lightly when we went, and in icy conditions, the path would probably be dangerous as, despite being wide, it does have a big drop on one side.

It is, of course, very touristy, so don’t expect to be the only ones there! All that said, we still enjoyed it and were pleased we made the trip.

Steve in a yukata in Japan

Aside from the snow monkey park, our trip to the region was also made worth it for our time in Shibu Onsen, a little spa-town about 15 minutes away from the snow monkey park. There are nine onsens in the town and it’s said to bring good luck if you visit every one. Only one of the onsens is open to the public, but you are given a key to the other eight if you stay in one of the ryokans in Shibu Onsen, which we did.

Steve and I had an amazing evening, walking around the town in the snow, dressed in our robes and wooden clogs, visiting all of the nine onsens. They are split into male and female rooms and we both encountered plenty of villagers taking their evening bath and giggling at us as we struggled with the high temperatures of the baths.

Each onsen has a stamp that you can print on a towel provided by your ryokan. Traditionally, you’re supposed to offer this towel to the temple in Shibu Onsen, but we couldn’t resist keeping ours as a souvenir!

Snow monkey tours

If you don’t want to stay in Shibu Onsen, you could do a day trip to the snow monkeys from Nagano station. Get Your Guide offer this one that also includes a visit to a temple and a sake tasting, and this one that runs in spring and also includes a visit to the cherry blossom.

Accommodation in Shibu Onsen

View of Shibu onsen from above

We stayed in a traditional ryokan in Shibu Onsen called Sakaeya . We opted for one of the newer rooms, which came with a kotatsu, which is essentially a table with a blanket table cloth and a heater underneath – it’s wonderfully cosy and perfect for the cold weather. We also had a balcony that looked out over the town.

Food at Sakaeya was served in a private dining room, just for Steve and I, which felt extra special. The food here was of a higher quality than at Mount View Hakone and entirely Japanese. We tried a lot of things we’d never seen before and loved the variety of flavours. We told the hotel we were vegetarian beforehand, and they were happy to accommodate us. The only thing we couldn’t stomach was a raw egg that came with our breakfast!

Food in Shibu Onsen

Meal at Sakeya, Shibu Onsen

We only ate at our hotel but there are a few little restaurants in Shibu Onsen too.

Getting to and around to Shibu Onsen

As we said before, Shibu Onsen was an out-of-the-way stop on our trip in Japan. To get there from Hakone, we had to take a train back to Tokyo from Odawara station (80 minutes); a shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano (100 minutes); a train from Nagano to Yudanka (50 minutes); and a bus from Yudanka to Shibu Onsen (10 minutes). It took about four hours in total. I know it sounds like a lot, but looking back on it now, the memories of Shibu Onsen were well worth the effort.

Days 6-8: Kyoto

Steve walking in Kyoto

If Tokyo is Japan’s futuristic centre, Kyoto is its ancient heart. The city is filled with thousands of temples, shrines and gardens and, if you’re lucky, you’ll see some geisha walking to their secret rendezvous through the atmospheric cobbled streets.

We only had two nights there and one full-day so we had to heavily prioritise what we wanted to see. You could easily spend weeks in Kyoto, exploring all the sights, and it’s a must for any Japan itinerary.

The things we chose to see were:

  • Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavillion
  • Kiyomizu-dera, a temple with a balcony that overlooks the city and is the perfect place for sunset
  • the historic Higashiyama neighbourhood, filled with temples and shrines.
  • Gion, the geisha district
  • Nishiki Market where you can try all sorts of Japanese food at all its different food stalls
  • and Fushimi Inari Shrine, a place you’ve likely seen photos of with its iconic paths lined with red tori gates.

Golden temple Kyoto

If you want to join a tour, you can see all of these and more on a private guided tour of Kyoto .

We stayed in Higashiyama, which is filled with charming wooden buildings, picturesque streets and many shrines and temples. Sannenzaka and Ninensaka are two of the most beautiful streets. 

Higashiyama is next to Gion, the famous geisha district and home to the Yasaka Shrine, which we strolled through on our first night. It’s not guaranteed that you’ll see any geisha, but we did see a few throughout our trip.

We didn’t take photos of the geisha as this is frowned upon in the city. We did, however, take photos of the many Japanese tourists who come to Kyoto on a historical pilgrimage and dress up in traditional costumes for the day. There are lot of shops offering this service, and as such a lot of colourfully-dressed people, around the Kiyomizu-dera temple.

If you’re keen to see geisha, it’d be worth doing this guided night walk of Gion as the guide is more likely to know where to spot them.

Kyoto shrine

Another good spot in Kyoto was the Nishiki Market – it’d be fun to combine a trip there with a cooking lesson like this one .

One thing we wished we could have seen in Kyoto bit didn’t have time to visit is the bamboo forest. Next time!

Although we loved Kyoto, we were surprised by how seedy it sometimes felt at night. At around 7pm in Gion, hostesses fill the streets, making their way to hostess bars. This was a recurring element of our time in Japan – although futuristic in many senses, its attitude towards women – from the culture of hostess bars to the maid cafes in Tokyo, and the tendency to infantilise women – sometimes felt uncomfortable.

Accommodation in Kyoto

We stayed in a studio apartment in Kyoto that we found through Booking.com . It was inside a building filled with apartments set up for business travellers with a small kitchen, washing machine and bathroom. It wasn’t anything special, but it was clean, well located and reasonably priced for Kyoto.

As with our apartment in Tokyo, we were simply given a code to enter and didn’t meet the owners at all. We were also given a mobile wi-fi device. This particular apartment is no longer available, but there are plenty more like it available on Booking.com . A studio apartment costs around 11,000 Yen per night (£66/$85).

As always, I also recommend checking out Airbnb .

And here’s a post by Broke Backpacker with more ideas for where to stay in Kyoto .

Food in Kyoto

Hale restaurant in Nishiki Market

Kyoto is famous for its kaiseki-ryori cusine, which is unfortunately not vegetarian-friendly. However, you can also find lots of shojin-ryori food, which is traditional Buddhist temple food and entirely vegetarian.

Because we’d already tried some in Tokyo and would be eating more in Koyasan, we didn’t try any in Kyoto, but we heard good things about Shigetsu , a Michelin-recommended restaurant in the Tenruji temple in the Arashiyama neighbourhood (also home to the bamboo forest).

Places we can recommend in Kyoto include: おかる curry in Gion; deserts at Nana’s Green Tea; and the street food snacks around Fushimi Inari Shrine.

There was a vegetarian modern izakaya called Onikai that we would have loved to try, but it was fully booked during our stay.

We also ate at a tiny little vegetarian restaurant called Hale in the Nishiki Market, which was atmospheric and cosy but the tofu-skin dish was a little slimy for our taste. The menu changes daily so I’d still recommend going there. And don’t miss Floresta Donuts for ridiculously cute and tasty creations.

And we had good pizza one night at Pizza Salvatore , which was a nice little break from all the Japanese food. Sometimes it has to be done!

We found an amazing, cosy cocktail bar in Kyoto called The Sodoh , which is next to a fancy Italian restaurant of the same name. It was a great place to try some Japanese whiskey and they made an excellent Old Fashioned. It was our perfect type of bar – intimate, quiet and serving amazing drinks. I still dream of that place!

Kyoto also has some good food tours and cooking classes, including: an evening food tour in Gion ; a Nishiki market tour and lunch ;  Japanese Izakaya cooking class ; and a Japanese bento cooking class .

Simon and Erin at Never Ending Voyage have a good guide to vegetarian restaurants in Kyoto .

Getting to and around Kyoto

We got to Kyoto from Shibu Onsen by following the same route back to Nagano and then getting a train from there to Kanazawa (90 minutes) and another train from there to Kyoto (130 minutes). A train directly from Tokyo to Kyoto takes 140 minutes.

Once in Kyoto, our JR pass worked on some trains, but for the two subway lines – Tozai and Karasuma – you need a different ticket. If you buy a ticket for one, it can’t be used on the other, unless you buy a day pass. The bus network is also good and useful for getting to places such as the Kinkaku-ji Temple.

Passes for both the bus and subway cost ¥1,200 for one day and ¥2,000 for two days.

Days 8-9: Nara and Kōya-san

Nara temple

Nara and Kyosan were another two stops on our trip to Japan that required a bit of effort and planning to get to, but they were at the top of our list of “must sees” so we managed to fit them into our Japan itinerary – and we’re really pleased we did.

Nara was Japan’s first capital and is home to lots of temples and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We had our eyes set on one temple in particular – Tōdai-ji, which houses Daibutsu, a giant statue of Buddha. Because we were short on time, we only stopped in Nara for a couple of hours en route to Kōya-san and headed straight to Tōdai-ji.

Steve looking at giant buddha in Todai-ji in Nara

The temple is in a beautiful park filled with tame deer, which unfortunately seem to have become reliant on the tourists for food. You could also try this walking tour of Nara , which gives a great overview of the city, including street food, temples and machiya houses.

From Nara, we made our way to Kōya-san, the centre of Shingon Buddhism. It’s a small town situated on the sacred Mount Koya and is filled with more than 100 temples, many of which offer lodging for the night. It’s a magical place to spend some time in the company of monks while exploring the sacred sites.

A highlight is the atmospheric graveyard, situated in a huge forest lit by lanterns. The graveyard also houses Oku-no-in, the mausoleum of Kukai who started Shingon Buddhism.

Graveyard in Koyasa n

We arrived in Kōya-san in the late afternoon and left at midday so didn’t have a huge amount of time to explore, but we loved soaking in the atmosphere, walking through the cemetery, and seeing some of the temples, including Garan, the town’s central temple complex.

Accommodation in Koya-san

Japan itinerary - Koya-san

We stayed at Shojoshin-In temple which was a beautiful experience, giving us an insight into the life of the Buddhist monks. The temples in Kōya-san vary in quality and Shojoshin-In was one of the most beautiful we saw. As such, it was a little more expensive than some of the others, but for us, it was worth it.

The temple is also right next to the cemetery, which is convenient for an evening walk. Our room was clean, warm and comfortable with a balcony looking onto the mountain.

Dinner and breakfast were included and everything was vegetarian as the temples only serve shojin-ryori (Buddhist vegetarian) food.

A highlight was the early-morning service where we woke up around 5:30am to listen to the monks chanting.

Food in Koya-san

Meal at  Shojoshin-In

In Kōya-san Kōya-san we ate at our temple lodging (detailed above), and in Nara we grabbed a quick snack at the Mos Burger in the train station, which luckily, and surprisingly, had a veggie option.

Getting to and around Koya-san

Planning a trip to Japan - riding Koyasan funicular

There are trains to Nara from Kyoto that take round an hour. To get to Tōdai-ji from the station, we took a taxi as we were short on time, but there are also regular buses.

We knew we would be passing back through Nara on our return from Kōya-san so we left most of our luggage in the train station lockers so we wouldn’t have to carry so much to Kōya-san (we bought a lot of stuff in Japan!).

We got a train from Nara to Hashimoto (90 minutes) and a train from there to Gokurakubashi, which is a beautiful scenic journey through the mountain valley. From there, you get a little funicular train up to Kōya-san, which is a lovely ride up the side of the mountain. There are three bus networks in the town and you can pick up a map at the bus station at the top of the funicular. We got a bus straight to the temple we were staying at.

If you just want to see Nara, you could do that as a day-trip tour from Kyoto or Osaka , which is a nine-hour round trip including sightseeing.

Days 9-10: Osaka

Osaka cityscape

We were only in Osaka for an afternoon/evening so we didn’t get to see much of Japan’s third largest city, but it’s a worthwhile stop on a Japan itinerary. We mostly spent our time doing some last-minute shopping in the Umeda area. We also went to the iconic Dotonbori Street, a hubbub of shopping, bars and neon galore.

We were specifically looking for pottery and Japan’s famed flavoured Kit Kats. Unfortunately the shop that used to sell all the flavours in Namba station no longer stocks Kit Kats so it was a bit of a wild goose chase. In the end, we just got some multipacks in a local supermarket.

We also went to the Namba area in the evening, which was bustling and neon-filled like Tokyo. We did one last night of karaoke there.

Accommodation in Osaka

Bed in Hostel 64 Osaka

We stayed in a private room in a great retro-style hostel called Hostel 64 Osaka . The staff are really friendly and the hostel has put together useful guides to Osaka, including where to find the best food and shops. It was a five-minute walk from Shinsaibashi Station.

Food in Osaka

We had curry for lunch at a little place called Camp , which was at the bottom of a department store in Umeda. For dinner, we tried to find an okonomiyaki, but it was served with fish flakes despite our protests (see vegetarian section above)! Let us know if you ever find a purely vegetarian one!

To go deeper into the food culture in Osaka, you could do this nighttime food walk or this street food hopping tour .

Getting to and around Osaka

Japan itinerary - osaka food

From Koya-san, we took the same route back to Nara and got a train from there to Shinimamiya (37 minutes) and from there into Osaka (15 minutes).

Osaka has a good subway system made up of eight lines. We were only there for a short amount of time so just bought single tickets for our journeys, but you can also buy an IC card like in Tokyo. We got to the airport via a train from Namba, which took about 35 minutes.

A 10-day Japan itinerary – including things to do, accommodation, and vegetarian-friendly restaurants.

Top travel tips for Japan

The best way to save money travelling around Japan is to get a Japan Rail Pass. You can buy yours here .

Don’t forget your travel insurance! We recommend True Traveller who offer reliable, comprehensive cover, including medical, evacuation, baggage and a range of adventure sports and activities. You can buy True Traveller insurance even when you’ve left home, which is unusual for travel insurance companies.

I’ve written another post with a guide to the most unique and best hotels in Japan . We booked our accommodation through Airbnb and Booking.com . If you sign up to Airbnb using this link , you’ll get £25 off your first booking.

I travelled with the Samsonite Spark suitcase and a small Case Logic backpack , which had enough room for everything I needed. Steve used the same suitcase and a ThinkTank Shapeshifter Backpack for all his camera equipment.

We’ve also written a storybook version of this itinerary with lots more photos from the trip.

If you decide to hire a car, we recommend Discover Cars . They always seem to have the best deals.

And check out more of our detailed itinerary posts here,  including a one-month California road trip itinerary ; Florence to the Amalfi Coast road trip; and 5 days in Iceland .

Save time and money on your next trip

See our  travel resources  page for all our best travel tips, including how to save money with the best cards, what insurance to choose, and all our favourite tools and tricks.

Book a JR Pass

171 thoughts on “Japan itinerary: How to get the best out of Japan in 10 days”

What an extensive and informative guide to traveling in Japan! I’m definitely bookmarking this for future reference! I don’t have any immediate plans to travel to Japan, but it’s definitely up there on my travel bucket list and when I finally do, I’ll certainly be using this post as a helpful guide for trip planning. Thank you very much for this and I’m glad you managed to fulfill a travel dream of yours 🙂

Thank you! And it’s definitely a great one for the bucket list!

My husband, daughter and I were about to book tickets to Korea and Japan for this April and cancelled as we felt we were planning our trip last minute, and things were becoming more stressful than fun. So we do hope to go to Japan sometime in the future and I will definitely follow this guide. Your 10 day itinerary is exactly what I needed. As Indians traveling anywhere can be quite expensive and more so if Japan is the destination of choice.

I follow you on instagram so knew you had travelled to Japan and was waiting for this – so thank you for putting this together.

I will hopefully be in London and Scotland in May and will scour your website for ideas. 🙂

Thank you! So pleased it’s useful 🙂

Really enjoyed reading this! We’re actually in Japan at the moment, on a 23 day trip – we’ve been to some of the spots you’ve mentioned and makes me glad that we have that little bit of extra time! But you managed so well fitting everything in! Our next stops are Kyoto, Hakone and Tokyo so I enjoyed reading these and picked up some tips – thanks for sharing!

Awesome, hope you had an amazing time!

Great itinerary for 10 days in Japan! I love how you organize your itinerary by day and location, then accommodation, food, and transportation for each of them. Very informative with lots of details and easy to follow. We had a 9-day trip back in November 2015 and it was awesome. I composed a list of things to do in Japan and some travel tips as well.

Great, pleased you enjoyed it 🙂

Wow, you really did fit a lot of things in in 10 days! Your post reminds me of our first trip to Japan in 2012 – when we hopped around the country (Tokyo (with a day trip to Lake Kawaguchiko, Nikko, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Osaka) in 10 days and nearly burnt ourselves out. But it really was a wonderful experience and made us fall head over heels in love with Japan.

We returned for Christmas and New Year at the end of last year / beginning of this year and stayed for the entire 8 days in Tokyo. We decided we really wanted to get a feel for the city, as we had had such a sweeping visit the first time. We loved it even more than the first time and are already planning on going back next year again if we can.

I am also vegetarian and found it can be a little tricky – you made me laugh about the fish flakes. I also had the same experience with fish flakes and dashi! However, I also found many restaurants would go out of their way to create something for me when they understood that I couldn’t eat meat or fish. I had some absolutely wonderful meals – and got a little hooked on Inari sushi!

Amazing post and photo. Make me feel like wanting to go back Japan again! Thanks for sharing!

Your blog is awesome. just reading it made me feel like i was travelling with you. I’m putting together an itinerary for a trip to Japan and this was really helpful! 🙂

Thank you! I’m so pleased it was useful. Have a great time 🙂

Heading to Japan in October and finding this very useful to help plan our trip. Thank you!

Have a great time!

Really enjoyed this! Going to Japan next month and found this to be extremely helpful!

So pleased to hear that. Have a great time!

hy, do you think that is a good choise for november? thanks ana

Definitely! We were there in December so it’s pretty similar timing to when we went. Enjoy!

Hi Victoria, Sorry to pop up here. Coz i have plan to visit this upcoming Dec. Well 29 Nov to 10 Dec. was it very cold when you were there? Or how? Considering I am from Indonesia and it is warm all year long? Also, thank you for sharing, i will def take some notes from your experience 🙂

Hi. How long before your trip did you book accommodation? Being winter when you visited was it busy?

We booked about a month in advance for most of the places, but this was probably unnecessary. Most places seemed to have availability. have a great time!

Amazing blog with so much details. I was little lost when planning the trip and your blog is going to help me do a wonderful trip 🙂 Thanks a lot

Wonderful! So pleased it’s been useful 🙂

We just booked the same ryokan in Hakone! Did you find it hard to get to? Which station did you get off? Gora? or Sounzan? Did you take a bus or a cab from the station?

Hello! It’s right next to the Little Prince Museum, which means it’s easy to find. We went by bus while doing the Hakone loop (we left most of our luggage in some lockers at the train station at Odawara so we didn’t have to carry much.)I believe we went from Gora. Enjoy your trip!

Hi! Just chanced upon your itinerary, it’s a great resource for planning my trip especially your pointers for vegetarian food and the temple stay which I would really love to do! We are planning a 7-8 day trip, Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara were definitely on my list. I just added Hakone. Wondering if I can skip Osaka – would I be missing out on anything really cool? I’m interested in Universal etc as I’ve visited these theme parks several times in the US and would like to see places more unique to Japan. Are there any other places you had on your list of things to do/see but couldn’t make it during this trip?

I think you can miss Osaka and not be missing out. The main reason we went there was because our flight home was from there. Universal would be awesome!

Did you fly home frm Osaka? I’d like to do that but the tickets are $3,000 One way vs. $800 from Tokyo. That means we have to loop back on train…

We flew to South Korea first, so it was an open jaw ticket: London-Seoul and Osaka-London. Somehow that worked out to be a reasonable price. We flew with Finnair. You could also get an internal flight to save time? Have a great trip!

Hi there! This is such a wonderful post and resource for my trip to Japan. Your pictures are beautiful. May I ask which camera did you use to snap these shots?

Thank you! I was using an iPhone 6!

Awesome post with great info dear! Thanks for sharing with everyone. I know you have already mentioned, but I recommend to go to the basement of the Department store. But my favorite places are Golden Pavillion, although beautiful and more.

I loved it there. So much good food!

I’m actually planning to be in Japan for 10 days and came across this – just amazing and so informative as I am a vegetarian myself and this definitely gave me some great places to visit. Thank you!!!

Great! Enjoy it. The food is excellent!

Hi, thanks for sharing your amazing experience, it will be very helpful for my next trip in 20 days!! Can you tell me how did you deal with internet, wifi etc..? Did you hired a device or you only used the free wifi hotspots?

Most AirBnBs in Japan provide a little portable mi-fi device, which is super useful. Other than that, we just used wi-fi – there’s lots of it around.

Enjoy your trip!

This is a wonderful travel plan. Highly recommended. I myself did 15 days backpacking trip across Japan in last April.

Thanks! It’s so great isn’t it?!

Loved reading your post and it’s really helpful as I’m planning a trip to Japan for 10 days next May. I’m also a bit sceptical about the maid cafes so glad to know I’m not the only one!

I have a question for you – is it worth going to Hakone just for one night? The ryokans all seem very expensive in May so not sure I can afford 2 nights, but don’t want to waste my time either if one day isn’t enough.

Yes, we thought one night was worth it. We just wish we’d left a little earlier in the morning as we missed the ropeway, which closes quite early. Make sure to leave Tokyo early in the morning and then you’ll have plenty of time. Enjoy!

Really great write up on your blog. It will be a good guide for my trip with my Wife to Japan next Feb as it will be my 1st time there. Only thing I am confused is the JR lines in Japan.. Haha..

Thank you so much for all the details about your trip. I’m in the process of planning my trip to Japan and came across your post because I put in ‘Seoul’ in the subject line. I want to visit Seoul since I’ll be in the area and was hoping your itinerary mentioned how you got between Seoul and Japan? Can you share details about that? Did you start in Seoul? How did you get to Japan? Cost? Also, I may get the JR 7 day pass. I’m in Los Angeles and concerned with time it will take for it to arrive here? I saw it’s over nighted if you spend more than $600 but with 2 JR 7 day passes it’s not enough. Sorry for all the questions. If you could help answe any would be great!

Hi Lind, So sorry I didn’t reply to this before. I missed it somehow. We flew from Seoul to Tokyo, and I’m afraid I don’t know how long it takes for the JR pass to reach the US! Hope you got it all sorted in the end!

Super-Duper blogs! I love it really!! Would come back to visit soon, again Thanks.

I really loved this read and was very happy to see that all my must-see destinations coincide with your recommendations! I’m going to Japan in March. What do you estimate was your total cost for transportation including the routes not covered by JR?

Hi 🙂 I loved your blog on Japan. I’m headed there for Christmas in a few weeks with my partner. I was wondering if you happen to have the itinerary you took in a bulleted format?

Hi, I’m afraid I don’t have a bulleted version of the itinerary. Sorry about that!

Thank you for your wonderful blog. My daughter and i are planning to go to Japan next April. We plan to go for 10 days only. So this is ideal. We will spend a bit more time in Kyoto and not go to see the snow monkeys.

That sounds great! So pleased you found the blog useful. Have a wonderful time! 🙂

Thanks Victoria for your post.

Thank you so much for sharing this fantastic itinerary! My husband and I are traveling to Japan in two weeks… and we have been severely procrastinating the planning of our trip. This post totally saved our butts — thank you!

ps. You’ve also got a new reader in me. What a lovely blog you have. Your writing is lovely and your photos are gorgeous — and your videos? Holy cow! Thanks again for all the work you do!

Aw, thanks Kylie. That’s so nice to hear. Hope you had a great time!

Hi! Loved your post!! Just wondering, why would we need a IC card if we already have the JR pass? We would be travelling in Osaka and Tokyo and many sites have all mentioned getting a IC card! Quite consfused as we will be travelling on the JR lines so we will only be using the pass anyway, right? 🙂 thanks in advance!

Not all the subway lines are included in the JR pass (only the JR lines). Also, we didn’t activate our JR card until Day 4 of our trip when we left Tokyo. It worked out cheaper to spend 3 days in Tokyo using the IC card, and then 7 days travelling using the JR pass. Hope that makes sense! There’s a link to a site above that lists all the lines that are included in the JR pass. Have a great trip 🙂

Hi Victoria,

Thanks for the wonderful details in your itinerary! The link you have attached to the agent you used for a discount on the rail pass links back to the regular Japan Rail website. Is this correct? I saw that the price wasn’t reflective of the discount you received. Can you confirm the website of the agentvuou used? Thanks!

Hi Linda, I’ve just updated the price as i think it’s gone up slightly (by about £5) since I last checked. There are lots of vendors who sell the JR Rail passes, but the one I link to is the cheapest I’ve found. Have a great trip! Victoria

You’re awesome! Thank you!

This was great! Question… how did you book the Shinjoshin-in temple place you stayed?

Hi Katie. Please it was of use! We booked the Shinjoshin-in through the link in the post (Japanese Guest Houses). Have a great time! Victoria

You traveled to many places! Recently, Kanazawa is also on many people’s list as part of their Japan experience. If anyone has questions about Kanazawa, let me know – I’ll try my best to answer! I work for a walking tour in Kanazawa, so I know the place well!

Thanks Leigh 🙂

In all the travel that I’ve done, this has been one of the most difficult for me to plan. Perhaps its because of the ambitious schedule we have. We’ll be in Japan in February to support our family members running the Marathon in Tokyo. So, we decided to arrive in Tokyo a little early and then we booked a domestic flight to Osaka on the evening that we arrive in Japan.

We’ve been trying to figure out the JR Pass thing, because we wanted to do day trips. We wont do overnights in any other places. Is this doable? Also, we want to use the JR Pass to travel back to Tokyo. The JR rail website said that we have to go to an agent. Thanks for the online link (I tend to get nervous about these agent sites – as I question their validity).

So, we’ll be in Osaka for 5 days, and then in Tokyo for five days.

This post has been a huge help for me. But, now I’m just wondering if we can do all of the things I’ve planned after reading your itinerary. Thanks for everything.

Hi Cecily, I think it would be hard to do some of these things as day trips. If you want to do this exact itinerary, then I’d recommend doing some overnight stays. Have a great time!

Thanks so much.

Great blog post!

I know you did this trip a couple of years ago but do you recall roughly how much money did you spend overall? Would be good to have an understanding of how much to save up! I am planning to go next April with my daughter for 10 days or so.

Eek, I’m afraid I’m really not sure. I’d have to look into that. You could get a good idea by adding up the Rail Pass plus all the accommodation then adding around £50 per day for food and activities.

This is great and so helpful. We are just starting to figure out a trip to Japan this fall and this really gives us an awesome place to start. How did you pick the places you wanted to visit? Starting the research process can be so overwhelming. We are looking at about a 10 day trip as well, so are trying to figure out the “must see” places in just a relatively short period of time. Great write-ups and photos!

It was difficult! But we had a few places we already really wanted to go to such as Koyosan and to see the snow monkeys so we built it partly around that.

Hi there! Thanks so much for your post. I am also vegetarian. How highly would you recommend Mountain View Hakone? We are traveling first week of May where it is a lot more expensive. Also, how much did the private onsen cost? Thanks!

Oh I really loved it there. The private onsen was great, and it costs 2,000 yen for 45 minutes.

When you bought the prepaid card in Tokyo, did you get it at the airport? And when you use this, you don’t have to buy an actual ticket? You just hop on a train? Thank you!

Yep, you just use the card in place of a ticket. We did get ours at the airport.

Nice and informative post. Japan is a nice destination for travel.

Amazing blog with so much details. I was little lost when planning the trip and your blog is going to help me do a wonderful trip

Pleased it was helpful!

Thank you for sharing your itinerary (and amazing photos!) as this helped me plan our trip to Japan where we did so many of the things you mention here. I’ve decided to start a blog as well to share some of these adventures and insights with others. Topics discussed are how I’ve been eating sushi wrong all my life, Japanese obsession with toilets and exploring the Kit Kat store.

Great blog. I love those toilets too!

Great and very helpful post! Have you stayed in the shared bathroom room in Mount View Hakone hotel? If so, how was it? Thanks in advance!

We had out own bathroom, so I’m afraid I can’t help you there.

Very tricksy inserting the airbnb referral link three times!!!

Didn’t mean to be tricksy – just useful!

Anglophone women still take their husband’s last names upon marriage because women were legally considered chattel (property) of the male until as late as the early twentieth century.

Your comment regarding attitudes towards Japanese women is ignorant and racist because it plays into the western cultural stereotype that Asian women is subdued and oppressed by men. Feminism comes in all forms. Empowerment through freedom of choice of what to do with one’s body is one. Think about that on your wedding day when you have to do something so fundamental as changing your name in order to be married. I suggest you re-write or edit that portion of this article after some reflection

Hi Jenna, I’m sorry I offended you. I definitely wasn’t saying the western world is perfect in regards to women. Far from it. I think the whole world could do with more feminism!

I also agree that feminism comes in many forms. I find that my own understanding and relationship to it evolves and changes all the time. For me, I find the objectification of women uncomfortable and that’s something that I see daily in England, and have seen all over the world. It always makes me uncomfortable, and in my short time in Japan, it felt quite pronounced, especially in the cities. I admit I don’t know enough; it was only an impression, and I will reflect on those words. Perhaps they were too flippant.

I also want you to know I wasn’t judging the women who work as hostesses or in maid cafes. I know that many women do that out of choice. As you said, feminism has many different forms.

And finally, I agree, it’s ridiculous that women are expected to take the man’s name in marriage. When Steve and I got married, we both changed our name to take both surnames, which we were much more comfortable with.

So again, I’m sorry I offended you. I will reflect on those words, and edit them if needs be.

My best, Victoria

Oh my goodness….. food for days!! It all looks so so delicious. Thanks for sharing! If anyone would like help learning some Japanese before their trip, I would be more than happy to help! Shota

That’s a lovely offer. Thanks Shota 🙂

Your trip to Japan is really awesome. You must have many experiences in here. I also want to come to Japan, go to Shibuya which is known as the entertainment paradise. Hope that I will have opportunity come here soon

I hope so too! 🙂

Thank you for this amazing blog post and food recommendations as we are vegetarians too! Looking forward to building our trip for 2018 🙂

Have a great time. Japan is surprisingly great for vegetarians!

Hi Victoria, I very much enjoyed your blog. Please give some advice. We are going to arrive and depart from Tokyo, Aug 24th to Sept 3rd this year. We have 9 full days. What would you recommend? We are 60 and 65, so can’t do anything in a very fast pace. We love natures over cities. Thank you.

Hi Amy, Sorry I didn’t get back to you in time to help with this. I missed the comment somehow. Hope you have a wonderful time. I’m sure whatever you decided will be great!

Been looking for a lot of Japan travel blogs for the past few weeks and I would love to recommend your blogs to some of my friends since they will be travelling to Japan next month. Keep up the good work!

Thanks Kathleen!

Wow, you’ve got some really great photos here! Not to mention all the amazing details of your travels! 😛 But really, thanks for sharing this with me and everyone else. I think the idea of traveling to Japan can be really daunting for foreigners because–well, it’s SO foreign haha! I just went to Japan for the first time recently, and I fell in love with it, so I love trying to introduce others to everything it has to offer.

In addition to all the things you mentioned, you should really check out a company called Japango if you’re every back in Japan (or if you’re just curious!). Basically, they focus on partnering tourists with ‘friend-guides’ who can show them around all the best places in Japan that you might otherwise miss if you travel alone. I only had time to go on one tour with them, but it was absolutely incredible. On the tour, we took a short trip outside of Tokyo and went to a place where we were able to harvest our own tea leaves. Everyone knows Japan is famous for tea, but to go out into the plantations and actually see where some of the world’s highest quality tea comes from? Simply amazing. I recommend it to all my friends, so check it out if you’re interested. (their English site is japango-em2.com)

Excellent. Thanks for the recommendation.

Hi there, your write up is very informative and useful. I’m planning to travel to japan in Dec this year but worry the weather and your itinerarymight not work well together. Just wondering which month of the year did you visit japan (this one your blogged about)?

We were there in December too!

Hello! My name is Michael. I love your blog about japan. Was already thinking about traveling there and visiting the country and having a look at there great culture. Would also like to know their medieval culture with all the Samurai.

regards Michael

Thanks Michael. Have a great time!

How much would you say the trip cost (not including flights) if you were to estimate? My girlfriend and I are traveling to Japan in late December, then continuing on to Vietnam and Cambodia.

-Thank you for posting this!

I’m afraid I don’t know how much it all cost (I should work that out at some point!). You’d get a good idea by adding up all the hotel costs, plus the rail pass and adding about £50 per day for activities/food. Sorry not to be more exact!

Hi !! Loved your write up. Am planning a trip and your article is really helpful. I am reading in many places that the (bullet) train to Kyoto has no space for luggage and hence one has to get the luggage couriered to Kyoto. Did you face a similar issue? If no, I’d like to know you did? If yes, how does one go about doing that? Get it done by the hotel?

Hello, we didn’t have to do that. We just took our luggage on the train. I’m afraid I can’t remember how big the luggage racks were, but it was enough for our two wheely bags and backpacks.

Thanks for your reply. Am done with my trip and I loved every bit of it.. 🙂

Great itinerary. Can you please let me know what month did you go. Sorry if I missed on your blog or on people’s comments.

I was there in December 🙂

This is a wonderful itinerary. We have been to japan years go for two weeks and going back with friends who are first timers soon. It will be our first time to see the snow monkeys, interesting!

They’re so beautiful! Enjoy!

My family visited Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto a summer ago.Your right it was a trip I will not forget! We had the chance to see many of the sights you discussed. It is wise when planning an itinerary do so by neighborhoods.This ensures you get a lot of sights in. Be prepared to be exhausted every night. Thankfully we will return next year for my daughter’s semester abroad.I book marked this post to help set our itinerary. Thanks so much for sharing your experience!

Hi Olaf, so pleased to be of help. Have a great time on your trip!

Thank you so much for this detailed review. Your description and the accompanying pics are so helpful in planning our itinerary!

We are arriving in Osaka Saturday late afternoon, departing from Narita Saturday morning, so we’ll have 6 full days in Japan. We are allocating the last 2 days for Tokyo since we’ve been there before. If you had to do your trip over again under these conditions, in hindsight how would have you planned it? What would be the must do things and must visit places? What could you skip? The Shibu Onsen sounds and looks so interesting but given our shorter stay and where we start and end, I don’t think we could spare the travel time to get there. Thanks for any tips!

I think it really depends on your priorities. Koyasan and Shibu Onsen are the places that are most out-of-the-way, so perhaps choose to skip one of those? You could also do Hakone as a day trip rather than stay overnight. It’s really down to what you’d like to prioritise. I loved all of it! Have a wonderful time!

Oh, the magical Japan! Your pictures took my breath away, Victoria. Japan is so versatile, charming and there are plenty of things to see and do there. This is one of the most practical itineraries I’ve read for Japan in a while. 🙂

Thanks! Pl asked you found it useful ?

I’ll be travelling to Japan (landing at Narita Airport) in Oct 2018. It’ll be 9 day trip. Would like to know if there’re any English-speaking drivers or guide who can help us travel around Tokyo and Kyoto during this duration.

Sorry I’m afraid I don’t have any knowledge about that. Have a great time!

Hi Rosie, We can help you with that. We have a tour company based in Kanazawa, but which provides an executive service all over Japan, including English-speaking drivers and guides. Please let us know if we can help.

Gavin Lead Tour Guide http://www.kanazawa-tours.com [email protected]

Thank you for posting this itinerary!

One question! I’m torn between Kyoto and Koyasan. Which one would you choose togo? This is my first time in Japan and I only have 7 full days.

Thank you so much in advance!

Hi Victoria!

We are traveling to japan in november to celebrate my birthday! I felt so lucky to find your blog, omg I loved your guide! We are now including Hakone in our trip =) We are very excited to visit this place and are following your tips, so we plan to leave Tokyo very early and spend a night there. Staying at a Ryokan is something I always wanted/dreamed to do. Checking the availability in yours (and many others), I see the bathroom is shared. I wanted to ask you how easy or inconvenient is to share the bathroom in a Ryokan? If you could please share your experience (in case that you had to share) with us will be awesome! I appreciate it! Thanks in advance for your help! Erika

Victoria, love your post. This is really on of the most extensive articles about travelling through Japan. If time is not so much of an issue, how long would you stay in Japan ?

That’s impossible to answer! I like to slow travel, so maybe six months?

Victoria, thank you so much for this wonderful post! Unfortunately I am already back from my wonderful vacation in Japan, but I will recommend this post to my friends who will go next month!

Thank you! Hope you had a great time!

This is certainly the best itinerary I’ve come across.. was so reader friendly and loved the detailing. Thankyou so much for sharing.

Such a great post! Im visiting Japan in October and reading this make me so excited to go! You have any suggestions on the most photographic places there?:)

All of it! It’s so photogenic!

Japan a beautiful and peaceful country. Thanks for sharing all the great stuff.

What an amazing and a fascinating place to visit. I really didn’t know much about this but after reading this post I will surely visit one day. Thanks for sharing such an amazing post.

Just wondering which month of the year did you visit japan?

We were there in early December.

This is an extensive and informative guide to traveling in Japan! Thanks for this.

Hey traveling with my 3 year old. Who doesn’t like walking much and we usually carry her stroller on trips. So wanted to check with you if it is practical for us to go see the snow monkeys?

I’m afraid I can’t quite remember how accessible it is for pushchairs as we didn’t have Otis at the time. If it was icy, it might be quite difficult. Sorry not to be more useful!

I was under the impression that Japan was also super expensive too. This post puts things into perspective. Also, have a few new places to check out. Thanks for sharing all of this great info!

Japan has always been on the top of my list of countries to visit. i just wanna drown myself in the beautiful and rich culture that they have

Helpful information! It will really helpful for my next trip. Planning is on way soon going to cover all the places. It’s all because of your post. Thanks a lot

Thank you for this write up. May I ask if you have ever come across a list of discount codes for Japanese restaurants?

Sorry, but I haven’t!

Funny how to feel liberated by visiting an owl cafe as opposed to maid cafes where it IS their choice to work there. Owls are definitely not entitled to that right.

This is some insular mindset you have there, especially coming from a vegetarian.

I don’t disagree about the owl cafes. In hindsight, I wouldn’t go to an owl cafe again.

Thank you so much for such a detailed trip report. Am using it as a base for our upcoming trip. I found the names of lodgings specially helpful as they are tried and tested places and saves one a lot of research .

Hey, this is such a well-written travel blog about Japan. It brought back so many memories from my trip to Japan last year.

Cheers, Ananya!

hello, would like to know why purchase of jr pass needed before entering japan. Can I not purchase the pass in Japan? thanks

No, as far as I know, you have to order it before you get there.

I highly recommend travelling to Japan. It must be recognised that Japan is one of the best countries in the world.

This can be reflected in its landscapes, culture, traditions and many other things.

Do not miss it! Give it a go!

Cheers, Erika T.

Very useful article. Thank you for giving us very useful tips for the first time to Japan. Japan is the most visited tourist spot by tourists. I had planned to go to Japan for a long time. I’m really excited. landhoteldiever.nl

This is a really helpful blog, so thank you very much for the detail and time you put into it.

We are travelling there in April 2020 and looking forward to it. We have been before, but probably all of 20 years ago now.

I was wondering which places you would consider staying longer of you had the time (which we do). We house-swap with our home in Bali and look to have an aprtment in Tpkyo and a house in Hiroshima. At tis stage we are thing of staying 7-10 nights in each and doing day trips from there. Any thoughts or recommendations?

I was wondering which places you would consider staying longer of you had the time (which we do). We house-swap with our home in Bali and look to have an apartment in Tpkyo and a house in Hiroshima. At tis stage we are thing of staying 7-10 nights in each and doing day trips from there. Any thoughts or recommendations?

THANK YOU . !! nice information to vegetraians

Hi! Amazing blog post! We are traveling to Japan this November, but a bit of skeptical on booking thru airbnb. Are they accepting bookings done thru Airbnb when you apply for a visa? Thanks in advance.

Hi Ken, I didn’t have to apply for a visa, so I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to this. I would imagine AirBnB is fine though – it’s so well-known these days.

Hello! I enjoyed this article. I love Japan. Japan is a very clean country. Everything is convenient. I had trip 5 there in May 2019. And I want to go back there again.

It is awesome all you got round to during your 10 days in Japan. Even if I have been to Japan a couple of times, there are certainly things in your guide I could use for inspiration for a future trip!

Unfortunately I booked only for 8 days Tokyo and return also from Tokyo Any advise for 8 days trip want to stay atleast one and a half day in Osaka and.want to visit Hiroshima …any thing else which u missed and can advise Ii

From Nagano, you could have also taken the train to Nagoya Station and from there to Kyoto. I think it might even be faster. It’s a shame that you didn’t have time to spend Kanazawa or alternatively Nagoya. Both are great places to check out! I hope you make it back to Japan sometime to explore some more.

I am amazed at how successful you were finding vegetarian food everywhere you went, which usually isn’t that easy because the Japanese like to put a fish broth in everything. I am even thinking about offering vegetarian food tours in Nagoya, but that’s something for the future, currently, I am offering pescatarian food tours in Nagoya introducing the local cuisine.

Hi Victoria- Thanks for the great blog post. I too am planning a ten day visit in April. I’ve never been to Japan and I imagine Tokyo is overwhelming at first. What do you think of perhaps doing the trip in reverse? Visiting Kyoto and the smaller towns at the beginning of the trip and then ending up in Tokyo. Is that a good idea or am I overthinking this?

Hi James, I think that’s entirely up to you. It won’t make any difference to do it in reverse in terms of the amount of time you’ll have everywhere. And although Tokyo is overwhelming, we did find it manageable. Have fun!

I am going to bookmark this and send it to my husband later. We are planning a Japan trip this fall and I have been tasked with the job of collecting articles that we will follow to prepare our itinerary. The amount of info about Hakone is sufficient for me as it is going to be the highglith of our trip, I know it. :D:D

thank you, your article is very good

Is it better to do a round trip from Tokyo or to arrive to Tokyo and then finish in Ossaka?

It depends on what works best for you in terms of flights in and out of the country and how much time you have. For us, it made more sense to leave from Osaka, although we could have added some more destinations if we looped back round to Tokyo.

Ah, your guide made me miss Japan so much! We didn’t do some of the things in your itinerary like the snow monkey spa and Osaka, but we went to Hiroshima and Miyajima. Still, so many places left to visit, so definitely saving your itinerary for the next trip, if we manage to take it someday 😀

We started by Osaka but we had the exact same trip! And we’re vegeterian so it was like reading an article i could have written! It was our second trip in Japan, i fell in love with this country!

Nara was mind-blowing! The Deer, walking up to you, begging for food, the Mochi pull at the mall and all the beautiful Temples. Unfortunately, it rained during our visit, but I still look at the pictures and think about how lucky I am to have seen this.

Thank you so much for all the details about your trip, simply can’t wait to come back traveling, Japan is my favorite destination and will definitely visit Shibu onsen!

Great and useful information about travelling through Japan! Thank you for these contents. Keep traveling and guide amateurs like us 🙂

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Planning a Japan Vacation? Try this 7-day Japan Itinerary

Are you planning a trip to Japan? Most people dream of taking a Japan vacation at some point in their life. It’s an intriguing destination, full of sumptuous food and drinks , mesmerizing landscapes, and incredible sights.

The only thing holding you back from traveling to Japan is probably the daunting task of creating the perfect Japan travel itinerary. We understand. That’s why we’ve taken the fear out of it for you by creating a perfect 7-day Japan itinerary that you can follow or use to plan your own trip.

» Check out these 10 cities to visit in Japan and these 10 Popular Japanese Drinks You Must Try .

osaka

For decades, the island nation of Japan has been a favorite Asia travel destination . From amazing Zen temples to those beautiful cherry blossoms , Japan has something for every traveler who visits. The hardest part is just fitting it all in.

This itinerary includes many of the top things you’ll want to see and do in Japan – including Tokyo , Kyoto , and Osaka . You can see a lot in 7 days in Japan.

It might sound overwhelming to do so much in so little time, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You’ll see below how the trip flows from one location to the next very easily.

Planning Your Japan Trip?

Buy flights. We recommend using Skyscanner or Expedia to find the best flight deals. Check out our guide to finding the best airfare for additional tips.

Get your Japan Rail Pass. You can buy it online here

  • In Tokyo: The Strings by InterContinental Tokyo
  • In Kyoto: ACE Hotel Kyoto
  • In Osaka: Intercontinental Osaka

Best Tours to Book

  • Fully escorted 8-day Intro to Japan tour
  • Private Custom Tour: Tokyo in a Day
  • Tsukiji Fish Market Food and Culture Walking Tour
  • Private Full Day Sightseeing Tour to Mount Fuji and Hakone
  • Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
  • Osaka Food Tour (10 Delicious Dishes at 5 hidden Eateries)

Table of Contents

Japan Itineraries

If you have longer to spend in Japan, you can expand this itinerary to any length you wish.

  • We have a 7-day itinerary and a 2-week Japan itinerary so you can choose which length of trip suits you best.
  • If you will only be visiting Tokyo, here’s a shortened 3-day itinerary for Tokyo .
  • Want to add more days outside of Tokyo? Here’s a 3-day Kyoto itinerary and a 2-day Osaka itinerary .

Tokyo Japan

Tours to Take

How to plan a vacation in japan.

Japan consists of four main islands and several smaller ones. Together the islands take the shape of a sea horse and occupy an area of 377,435 square kms.

Tokyo, the capital city, is very modern and bustling with activity, so when you travel to Tokyo, be ready for crowds.

The landscape of Japan, away from the big cities, is mountainous with spectacular scenery; some of the mountains are volcanic. As you travel between cities, you’ll pass through this beautiful countryside.

Mt. Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan, and is known for its symmetrical slopes and gorgeous views from surrounding areas. You can hike and take tours all around this area.

Best Time To Visit Japan

The first step in planning a Japan vacation is deciding when to go. As with most places, there isn’t a “best” time to go to Japan. You can go whenever the mood strikes you. Japan really is a year-round travel destination.

However, there are certainly “better” times to go. It’s important to know the country’s seasons and when they occur during the year, so you can avoid the intense heat or snow.

The islands of Japan lie in the northeastern end of the monsoon area. The climate is generally mild, although it varies considerably from place to place as you travel through Japan. That means you may need to plan for all types of weather conditions.

Late spring (March to May) and late autumn (September to November) are generally the best times to visit Japan because spring and autumn are the best seasons of the year with balmy days and bright sunshine.

During these months, there is very little rainfall, there are many sunny days, and the temperatures are mild.

  • Spring is cherry blossom season. This is considered high season in Japan. The weather tends to be mild and nice from late March to May.
  • In autumn, the leaves are changing color and the resulting scenery is nothing short of amazing.
  • In summer in Japan it gets very hot and humid. It’s also a very busy high season for Japan, so you’ll be fighting crowds and you’ll pay more for accommodations. Try to avoid traveling in July and August.
  • In winter, December to February, there will be less tourists so the prices are lower and it’s easier to get in to top attractions. Japan can also be very beautiful in the snow.

Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto

Getting to Japan

Many top airlines have direct flights into Japan. Top Japan airlines include ANA and Japan Airlines, but you can fly to Japan with most U.S. airlines that fly internationally, like United and American.

Something to consider, which will help maximize your time in the country, is to fly into one city and out of another, such as flying into Tokyo and out of Osaka.

Doing this will save time and money. Once you arrive at the airport (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and other major airports) there is a convenient train that takes you into the city center.

  • In Tokyo, that train is called the JR Narita Express. A one-way journey takes about an hour and costs approx. 3000 yen. You can use the Japan Rail Pass for this train.
  • In Osaka, rapid trains take you from the airport to Tennoji Station within 50 minutes for appox. 1060 yen, and to Osaka Station within 70 minutes for approx. 1190 yen.
  • In Kyoto, the Limited Express Haruka train will take you to Osaka airport in about 75 minutes.

Tipping in Japan

If you’re from the United States , Canada, or another country where tipping is customary, you should be aware that tipping in Japan  is not  customary.

If you do try to tip, in a restaurant or a hotel for instance, it might even be refused or considered rude. To avoid awkwardness, follow the Japanese custom and do not tip.

golden temple kyoto

Top Japan Destinations

There are many unique and interesting places to visit in Japan. Of course it’s not possible to visit them all in just seven days, so this itinerary covers the top three places to visit.

kamakura japan

If you have a bit more time, you can include more top Japan destinations in your itinerary. Each has its own special things to see and do. A few that we particular love are:

  • Iriomote Island

If you’re not keen to travel on your own, there are many tour agencies that provide tours to these cities. However, it is very easy to travel around Japan via high-speed Shinkansen bullet train, so organizing your own trip isn’t out of the question.

Kyoto cherry blossoms

Top Things to Do in Japan

There are so many incredibly unique things to do in Japan … that can only be done in Japan. These are the things you should focus on while you’re there, to soak up as much of the culture as possible.

  • Seeing the temples in  Kyoto , including the famous orange gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine and Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Temple).
  • Staying the night in a traditional Japanese inn, or ryokan.
  • Soaking in a communal onsen (traditional hot springs). Hakone is known for its many onsens and its fantastic views of Mount Fuji. Also try Nozawa onsens.
  • Exploring the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo.
  • Eating  sushi , ramen, gyoza and many other delicious things in  Tokyo.
  • Touring  Hiroshima’s  Peace Memorial Park & Museum.
  • Trying real Kobe beef in  Kobe.
  • Seeing the cherry blossoms.
  • Trying Japanese sake at a brewery.
  • Walking through the  Arashiyama Bamboo Forest .
  • Catching a glimpse of  Mount Fuji .
  • Visit the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park in  Nagano .
  • Feeding the deer at  Nara  Park.
  • Hiking to the Great Buddha of  Kamakura .
  • Try izakayas (Japanese taverns) – a truly local experience. ( Pro Tip : If you want to enjoy Japanese hidden Izakaya food and drinks, Magical Trip will help you navigate through their favorite izakaya bars on Tokyo Bar Hopping Night Tour with an awesome local guide.

How to Get Around in Japan

The best way to travel around Japan in by train. You’ll want to purchase a 7-day  Japan Rail Pass . The pass allows you to travel on all JR trains throughout Japan, including the high-speed Shinkansen bullet trains, for either 7, 14 or 21 consecutive days.

It’s the most economical and worry-free way to travel, if you’ll be visiting multiple destinations, as this itinerary suggests.

Travel in Japan is not cheap and the cost of buying individual tickets will far exceed the cost of the Japan Rail Pass. Just remember , it’s best/easiest to purchase the pass before entering the country. You’ll need to do this in advance so it has time to be delivered to you.

Read our guide on where to buy a Japan Rail Pass and to see if it’s worth it for your trip.

When planning your Japan itinerary, you’ll need to be sure to leave plenty of time between destinations for travel. The trains in Japan are fast, but travel still eats up a lot of time.

Keep in mind the distance between each destination when making your itinerary; for instance, the train from Tokyo to Kyoto takes 3 hours, 15 minutes. You’ll also need to factor in the time it takes to get to the train station, get on the train, etc.

The good news is that as long as there is a train linking each of your chosen cities, you’ll be able to easily travel around the country.

Mt. Fuji, one of the top sights in Japan

How to Plan a Trip

Option 1: go on a guided japan tour.

Sometimes it’s easier to go on a guided tour of Japan rather than plan your own trip. Guided tours are a great way to experience a country you’re not completely comfortable in. Also the language barrier in Japan can be quite daunting.

Japan & More 8-Day Intro to Japan Tour (Fully-Escorted)

Japan and More offers a fully escorted 8-day Intro to Japan tour that takes you to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto. They also have longer trip itineraries: For more information, check out Japan and More’s website. You’ll get $100 off the cost of your tour by using our coupon code.

Japan and More is run by Japan travel specialists, Becki and Shawn, who have over 20 years of experience living, working, and traveling in Japan. They know where to go, what to see, and how to get there.

The reason we recommend Japan and More is because they are Americans who know Japan really well, understand the culture, and speak the language. They take care of every detail for you, from planning straight on to answering all your questions.

These tours book up fast because spaces are limited. They keep group sizes small to make sure everyone gets individual attention. So it’s best to secure your place as soon as possible.

Not sure? Read this review by someone who’s taken a trip with Japan & More.

Sushi in Japan

Option 2: Plan Your Own Self-Guided Trip

If you’re a frequent traveler, you’ll have no problem planning your own Japan travel itinerary and getting around on your own. Sure, there is often a language barrier to deal with, but it’s nothing a savvy traveler can’t handle.

If you’d like to put together your own self-guided trip, we’ve got a 7-day itinerary that ticks all the boxes you’re probably looking to do with a week in Japan. It includes Tokyo, Hakone/Mt. Fuji, Kyoto and Osaka.

Option 3: Get Planning Help From a Local

Quick. check these necessities off your prep list.

  • There’s no one-size-fits-all travel insurance . Get a personalized quote from Yonder .
  • The right luggage can make or break your trip. These hard-sided suitcases make traveling a breeze.
  • Find your rental car on DiscoverCars.com . They search all major rental companies to find the best deal.

How to Spend One Week in Japan

Day 1-2: tokyo.

Tokyo skyline

What To Do in Tokyo

While you could easily spend 7 or more days just in Tokyo, you’ll have to do the abbreviated version in order to see more of the country.

We recommend following this 3-day Tokyo itinerary . You can mix and match what you do, to suit your interests.

Top things to see in Tokyo include:

  • Tokyo Skytree
  • Tsukiji Outer Market (read more about it here )
  • Shibuya Crossing at Shibuya Station
  • Meiji Jingu Shrine
  • The Imperial Palace East Gardens
  • Senso-ji, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple

We also recommend participating in a tea ceremony , going on an Izakaya food tour , and taking a cooking class .

You’ll definitely want to indulge in some ramen, which can be found in abundance at Tokyo Station Ramen Street.

How to Get to Tokyo

Tokyo has two airports – Narita Airport and Haneda Airport. Narita is for international flights and Haneda is for domestic flights and a few international flights.

The JR Narita Express train is the fastest option for getting to the city center. It goes to JR Shinjuku Station, JR Tokyo Station, JR Ikebukuro Station, JR Shinagawa and JR Yokohama Station. Follow the signs in the terminal to the train.

If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you can use it for this train. If you don’t, you can purchase a ticket for around 3310 yen. The journeys is about 50 minutes to get to Tokyo station.

From there, you can buy another ticket to take one of the inner city lines to your hotel.

The Airport Limousine Bus is another option, and probably the most convenient. The ticket desk is straight ahead as you leave the arrivals area. The bus stops are just outside the terminal building.

You can go to Tokyo Station, Shinjuku Station, Disneyland and major hotels, and they leave every fifteen minutes. A ticket costs 3000 yen, and the journey is 1.5 hours.

Once you arrive, you’ll want to use the HyperDia app to figure out your train travel within Tokyo. It displays detailed timetable and compares routes and prices. It’s available for both iphone and android.

Where to Stay in Tokyo

There are so many great places to stay throughout the city. Check out our complete guide with our recommendations . We’ve given 9 great places throughout the city.

If I had to choose one place, I would recommend the The Strings by Intercontinental Tokyo . It’s a really large hotel with nice rooms, located in Shinagawa, which is really close to shopping, eating and transportation.

⇒  Read reviews on Trip Advisor .

Find a Hotel in Tokyo

Best tours to book in tokyo.

Whenever I’m planning my own trip, I go to Viator and see what type of tours I can book to add to my itinerary. You can do all of these things on your own, but it’s always better with a local guide.

  • Tokyo Bar Hopping Night Tour in Shinjuku
  • Small-Group Tokyo Biking Tour

If you have extra time:

Day 3: Hakone

mt fuji

What to Do in Hakone

The major reason people come to this area is for Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi, two very beautiful natural highlights of the area. Hakone is also famous for its traditional hot springs ( onsen ) and Ryokan.

This is the place to go if you want to experience these hot baths. The onsens are separated by gender and are a “no bathing suit” style traditional bath.  Here are a few things you’ll want to do in Hakone:

  • Take the cable car to see Mt. Fuji
  • Hakone open-air museum
  • Hakone Yumoto hot springs
  • Owakudani – an active volcano

How to Get To Hakone

Hakone and Mt. Fuji are very close together, and they are on the way from Tokyo to Kyoto, so it’s a stop that most travelers make.

If you have a Japan Rail Pass, hop on the Shinkansen – on the Tokaido line – from Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station to Odawara. Be sure to check the stops on the train you’re getting on to make sure they stop in Odawara.

If you’re not using a rail pass, the quickest direct route to Hakone from Tokyo is on the Odakyu Electric Railway Romancecar. You will depart from Shinjuku Station and arrive at Hakone-Yumoto Station in 1.5 hours.

A ticket costs 2,080 yen, including the limited express surcharge. Be sure you only get on the romancecars, as the others require a transfer.

If you’re going to be using transportation in and around Hakone for at least 2 days, the Hakone Freepass is a good idea. You buy it at Shinjuku for the train ride, and it also can be used on the Hakone Tozan Line trains, the Hakone Tozan Cable Car, the Hakone Tozan Ropeway, and buses. It’s valid for two days and costs 5,140 yen for adults and 1,500 yen for children.

traditional Ryokan

Where to Stay in Hakone

Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort and Spa is within walking distance of the cable car that takes you toward Mt. Fuji. The hotel has very nice, classy rooms, with great views. 

⇒ Read reviews on Trip Advisor .

We also recommend Hakone Mount View for a traditional Japanese ryokan experience with nice accommodations and good food. They have a rare volcanic hot spring called Nigori-yu – a fun and unique experience, especially for couples. 

Tours to Book in Hakone

  • Hakone Half-Day Private Tour with Nationally-Licensed Guide
  • Hakone Onsen Experience, Lake Ashi, Open-Air Museum Tour

Day 4: Kyoto

Kyoto

How to Get To Kyoto

You will leave from Odawara Station and continue on the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen line to Kyoto Station. This is covered by the Japan Rail Pass. It takes about 3:15 to get there.

The best way to get around Kyoto is by using public transportation, You can get a Icoca card, which is accepted on most trains and buses around the city.

If you’re going to be traveling around a lot in a day, consider getting a 1-day pass that will save you money. Most tourists won’t travel around enough to make this worth it, however.

Where to Stay in Kyoto

We recommend the  Hyatt Regency , because it has a reliable standard for Western accommodations, however it’s not as close to the main sights as we’d like to be.

We found it more convenient to stay near Kyoto Station, since everywhere we visited we needed to go in and out of there. Our preferred hotel is the Hotel Granvia Kyoto .

What to See in Kyoto

Kyoto is known for its temples, Kaiseki cuisine, and even tofu, so this is an excellent place to spend a few days immersed in a fascinating culture.

You’ll want to see the temples of Kyoto, including the Fushimi Inari Shrine and Golden Temple, visit Nishiki Market, see the geishas walking around the city center, and eat a wonderful meal.

Another way to experience the cuisine is to take a cooking class. AirKitchen matches you with dozens of locals who will show you the ins and outs of Japanese cooking in their own kitchen.

Here’s a 3-day Kyoto itinerary that will get you to all the major sights in the city. If you have more time to spend, expand your trip with these day trips from Kyoto .

Tours to Book in Kyoto

  • Kyoto Private Custom Walking & Sightseeing Tour
  • Private Geisha district tour “Explore Gion, the Geisha world”
  • Traditional Tea Ceremony wearing a Kimono in Kyoto MAIKOYA
  • Kyoto Samurai Experience
  • Nishiki Market Food Tour in Kyoto

Day 5: Kyoto

Gold Temple in Kyoto

If you’re happy to keep hanging out in Kyoto, you can spend the full day there following our 3-day itinerary .

Another option is to take a JR train to Nara Park to feed the roaming deer, see the world’s largest bronze Buddha statue, and one of the tallest pagodas in Japan. You can easily spend a full day in the Nara area, or split the time between the Kyoto and Nara.

In the evening, take the JR train onward to Osaka, so you can get an early start in Osaka the next morning.

Day 6: Osaka

What to do in osaka.

Osaka is a lively port city packed with interesting architecture, an incredible street food scene, buzzing nightlife, and cherry-blossom trees that bring color to the city in the spring.

We have a 2-day Osaka itinerary that you’ll want to follow to be sure you see it all. Here are some top sights to see in Osaka:

  • Osaka Castle and Park
  • Shopping in Shinsaibashi
  • Osaka Aquarium
  • Tempozan Ferris Wheel
  • Omeda Sky Building
  • Universal Studios Osaka
  • Shinsekai shopping area

Be sure to visit Dotonbori Street to try all the Japanese specialties, like okonomiyaki and takoyaki. It’s best after 8pm, when the street gets packed with people and becomes exciting.

If you have time, also visit the food-focused Kuromon Ichiba Market.

How to Get To Osaka

There are many routes you can take on the train to get from Kyoto to Osaka. Take a look at this article for more guidance on your particular situation.

If you have a JR pass, you’ll want to take the super fast Shinkansen train from Kyoto Station to Shin-Osaka. It takes just 12 minutes. If you don’t have a JR Pass, you can take the Special Rapid Service on the JR Kyoto Line to Shin-Osaka for a third of the price in 23 minutes.

Since it doesn’t take long to make this transfer, we recommend doing the transfer in the evening and staying overnight in Osaka, so you can get an early start on your sightseeing in Osaka.

Where to Stay in Osaka

One of my favorite hotels is the  Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel . It is conveniently located for transportation, so you can easily get around to the top sights in Osaka and beyond. It’s got an insane view and really comfortable rooms.

⇒ Read reviews of the Osaka Marriott on Trip Advisor .

Osaka Castle

Tours to Book in Osaka

  • Deep Backstreet Osaka Tours
  • Osaka Walking Tour
  • Eat, Drink, Cycle: Osaka Food and Bike Tour

Day 7: Kobe

The beef was served with salt, pepper and fried garlic slices

How to Get To Kobe

From Osaka-Umeda stations, take the Hanshin or Kobe line to Kobe-Sannomiya station. It takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the train type. 

The city of Kobe is rather large and there are a few things to see. You can visit the Kobe Harborland for shopping, restaurants and bars. We spent our day in Kobe having a really amazing lunch at a Kobe beef restaurant, which was very much worth it.

Then we transferred to Kobe’s Nada district where you find all the sake breweries. Many of the breweries offer tours and tastings and they are all reachable by train and on foot. See this post for information how how to visit the breweries.

Unfortunately, this is the end of your trip. You can fly out or take the train back to Tokyo from Osaka or Kobe. It will take around 5 hours total time to get back to Tokyo, so be sure to plan that into your itinerary.

There are many ways to experience and enjoy your Japan vacation. Building your own itinerary is the only way to ensure you see and do the things you’ve always wanted to do in Japan.

Rest assured that this 7-day Japan itinerary will take you to some of the top places to visit in Japan, and will prepare you for a second visit.

Shinkansen Bullet Train

Where to Buy Japan Rail Pass and Is It Worth It?

Sushi in Japan

Guide to Eating Sushi in Japan: Etiquette & More

Chureito Pagoda

8 of the Best Day Trips from Tokyo

Homemade gyoza

How to Make Japanese Gyoza (Pan-Fried Dumplings)

Be prepared for travel.

Planning is the most important part of any successful trip. Do it the easy way:

🧳 Travel Packing List | ✔️ Why You Need Travel Insurance | ✈️ What to Do Before You Leave Home

  • Find and book the best hotel (our favorite booking site is Expedia)
  • Research flight options (our favorite tool is Skyscanner )
  • Book a tour (we always use Viator to find the best tours)
  • Rent a car through Discover Cars (they search the best deals for you!)

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Like this post? Why not save it to Pinterest? FOLLOW US  on  Pinterest ,  Instagram ,  Facebook  for more great travel inspiration and tips.

japan itinerary

Laura Lynch, creator and writer of Savored Journeys, is an avid world traveler, certified wine expert, and international food specialist. She has written about travel and food for over 20 years and has visited over 75 countries. Her work has been published in numerous guidebooks, websites, and magazines.

51 thoughts on “ Planning a Japan Vacation? Try this 7-day Japan Itinerary ”

Very good tips. I have been to Japan in the past for 8 days. I spent most of my time in Tokyo, Kamakura and Kyoto. I would definitely come back to experience an Onsen and go to Osaka

Hi.. Trying to go in November. I will be there for 7 days or so. My question is how many days did you stay in each city? 🙂 I appreciate your answer

Love this detailed, straightforward guide for planning. I haven’t been to Japan yet, but this is the exact kind of guide I look for to help get my travel planning off the ground regardless of location. I’d love to see Japan in different seasons. The cherry blossoms are so iconic, but the fall colors must be amazing.

Thanks Jackie! I often find it so difficult to get all the basic info in one place, without having to visit 9 blogs to piece it all together. I hope its useful for just that reason.

Great tips. With our impending move to China (we’ll get over there eventually…looking like first week of May now. Visa paperwork is a nightmare!), we can’t wait to have easy access to Japan, a country we have yet to visit! It is a culture I find fascinating and a food scene that I have yet to explore in person. Can’t wait!

You’ll have ample opportunity to explore Japan, once you’re in China. Jealous! I hope your paperworking is over soon and you can get to the fun part!

I just recently spent a couple of hours on a layover in Japan and was blown away by the beauty of the place. I promised myself to go back very soon. This 7-day itinerary sounds like perfect especially the food. Fresh seafood, kobe beef, and more. Great guide and will keep it in mind for an upcoming trip.

It is certainly a fun place to explore. I hope you’re able to get back there soon, Rosemary.

I have no idea why my comment was erased and an address popped in, so I’ll try this again. (Weird.) What I said originally was that I’ve been to Tokyo a couple of times but hadn’t had a chance to explore beyond that. Hot springs, Kyoto and Mt Fuji would be top on my list. Thanks for the travel ideas.

I’ve noticed this happening, Carol. Thanks for typing out your comment a second time. It’s definitely worth it to go back again and explore a little beyond Tokyo.

I’m deeply impressed not only with the beauty of Japan but also with the well-mannered locals it has! Beautiful! Xx

Thanks for this Japan itinerary – this amazing country has been on my list for ages. Now the spring is coming, so I am sure all the blossoms bust be amazing around there. Is it true that Tokyo is much more amazing than Tokyo?

Hey Veronika. This week (end of March, beginning of April) is usually the best time to see the blossoms in Japan. I’m sure you meant another city in that last question, but I’m not sure which one. I personally love Tokyo, but each city has its own unique charm.

Nice and compact itinerary , this one. The tips are really useful for people like who are yet to go to Japan. Especially the one about not tipping. During travels we are so used to tipping everywhere .

I agree, we are so used to tipping, we try to do it everywhere.

Just wondering if you have a ballpark estimate on how much this 7 day itinerary would end up costing if followed exactly? Like hotels and rail passes and such?

Hi Nina, I’d say the full itinerary would cost somewhere in the range of $3500, but it really depends on which hotels you choose and where you’re eating.

kindly send me japan holiday package for 10 days with complete details

The itinerary sounds perfect! My only worry is transportation. Is it common for hotels to offer shuttle rides to airports and vice vera? I also noticed that JR Train offers different passes based on regions, which do you recommend for this itinerary? Is there an extra charge to bring luggage? Do taxi cabs have set rates or is easier to get around by foot near the hotels you suggested?

Nelly, it’s always best to take public transport where you’re going throughout Japan. While it’s possible to take a taxi (if you have trouble walking), it’s best to just take the train or walk. There are local trains everywhere that will take you to the airport. If you stay in a central hotel (the ones I’ve listed) you won’t have to walk far to catch the train to the airport. If you’re traveling throughout Japan, you want the main JR pass, so it can be used everywhere (though there are a few trains it doesn’t cover – none of the ones I mention). There isn’t an extra charge for luggage on the train (unless you have a LOT of luggage).

How could I arrange this to land and depart from Tokyo? I’m also a backpacker so luxury hotels aren’t my thing but getting some sleep and showering is. Is there a link to the 10 day itinerary? Do these trains run overnight as well?

Mario, here is the link for the 10-14 day itinerary: https://www.savoredjourneys.com/destinations/italy-travel-guide/ You will see in that itinerary how you can circle back to Tokyo. And yes, some of the trains run overnight. You just have to check the schedule.

Hi ..we are planning to visit OSaka and Kyto during golden week. Is it advisable? or should we move the dates?

Hi Prakash. I think it depends on your tolerance for crowds. Prices will be higher and it can be difficult to get reservations, but mostly everything will still be open, just possibly super busy and crowded. If it’s possible to move your dates, I would consider doing it. Why contend with the crowds if you can choose not to.

Thanks for this website. You have lots of useful information. We will be traveling to Japan on the 27th of October this year and I cannot wait. We will be bringing my MIL and FIL. They are up in age. Late 70’s. Do you think an all day trip to Kyoto would be too much for them?

Thank you, Sharon Texas

Hi Sharon. I don’t think a day trip to Kyoto would be too much for them – but it does require a bit of walking. Would depend if they’re still able to get around easily. I’m sure you’ll all love Kyoto.

nice information

can you help me for the itinerary travelling with kids ages 7 and 8. we plan to travel on april 2019. our main attraction is universal studio..we only have limited time 7 nights 6 days to be in exact. highly appreciated if you can help me. thanks in advance

Wow! This itinerary blows me away. I’m planning to go in autumn this year (2019), and I’m contemplating which month is best. In any case, I think I will definitely try out this itinerary when I go. However, I have a question. If you had to guess, how much would one need to save or have to complete this itinerary of yours, not including the flight to and from Japan? I’m thinking about the price of the trains, hotel, the cultural landmarks, and more.

Costs depend a lot on what level of comfort you’re seeking. A rail pass starts at around $250 for 7 days and you can get everywhere in the itinerary with it. Hotels or hostels can be as low as $20/day. Many of the cultural landmarks are free to see. Some have small entrance fees, so maybe $100 total for that.

Hi. We are planning a 8 days/9 nights trip to japan mid April this year for a family of 5 (kids 9,12,15). After much thinking I came with this itinerary. Do you think is doable or too much? 2 nights Tokyo, 2 nights Takayama, 3 nights kyoto (with day visit to Osaka), 1 night Hakone, last night at Tokyo to flight back the following afternoon. Not sure if Takayama is too ambitious but it looks lovely. Any advice would be much appreciated!! Thank you

Hi Patti. Takayama does add quite a bit of train travel to your itinerary, it takes about 5 hours. If you already know what you want to do there and it’s of importance to you, I don’t think it’s too much. But if you’re ambivalent at all, I would spend an extra day in Tokyo and an extra day in Kyoto (for a visit to Nara).

Hi Laura, great to read all the comments. We’re planning a trip to Japan in May 2019 starting and finishing in Tokyo for 8 nights. The planned itinerary is: 1 night Tokyo, 2 nights Hiroshima, 2 nights Kyoto and back for 3 nights in Tokyo buying a JR pass. Is this doable in the short period time frame? Any suggestions?

Hi Daniel. That plan is definitely doable. It’ll give you some time to see each location, you’ll just have to be judicious about how you spend your time at each. Be sure to go in with a planned itinerary.

Hi, thank you so much so all the great insights. We are planning to go to Japan end of June/July 2019 for 9 days 8 nights. In/out of Tokyo. Our wish list would be Tokyo, Mt. Fuji (climbing would be amazing), Kyoto and Sapporo lavender visit. Please advise how best we can do all this with our limited time or should be cut something out. Sincerely appreciate your help. Thanks so much.

Amanda, I definitely think you can do all of those places in 9 days. You can follow our itinerary, but you’d want to start in Sapporo, then Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, and Kyoto. You can save time by flying between Sapporo and Tokyo.

I love your itinerary. I’m going to do this trip over US Thanksgiving. How do I do your itinerary and add Hiroshima? I will be in Japan for close to nine days. Thank you!

Hi Hildie, The best way to add Hiroshima to this itinerary is to go there after Osaka. If you don’t have time, you can skip Kobe and just take the train from osaka to Hiroshima. It’s a 2 1/2 hour train from Osaka station to Hiroshima station on the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen Nozomi.

Hi Laura, very impressive itinerary, planning trip to Japan mid January 2020, flying in and out of Narita, looking for 6-7 days itinerary with interest in Tokyo, hakone and koyto mainly for first time travel, can you guide me please Thanks

Sudha, you can mix and match the itinerary however it suits you. You can get the train to each of these places, so just adjust the itinerary to fit your needs. We also have a 14-day itinerary (the link is in this post) that can give you more info on other places you might want to include.

Hi… We are planning a trip this year towards the end of May with our parents for 8 days and following your tips. Thanks for piling it all up at one place. We were thinking of skipping Hiroshima… You think its ok to do that?

Definitely, it will still be a very full and enjoyable trip without the stop at Hiroshima. Enjoy!

Hi Laura, some great ideas here, thanks. one question, we would like to visit either Nagasaki or Hiroshima but haven’t time for both, which would you recommend? thanks Steve

I would personally visit Hiroshima. It’s close to Miyajima, which is a major attraction in the area, and the memorial museum is bigger, plus it’s much closer to Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto, so might be easier to fit into your plans.

Hi, I am considering a trip to Japan and am currently trying to decide how to go about doing so. This is the best information I have found so far, but I am still unsure about accommodations. Do you stay in a hotel in Tokyo, then travel and come back every day? Or stay at each destination you visit?

Kelsey, you can go as far as Mt Fuji in a day trip but any further you would want to leave your hotel in Tokyo and stay at a hotel in the new destination, like Kyoto or Osaka, for instance. They are too far away to come back. We give recommendations for where to stay in each of those places.

Hello! Great details! Was wondering if it would be advisable to purchase the Rail tickets for a party of 5 when we will only be staying for 6 days and focus on Tokyo and Kyoto attractions? I already purchased a prepaid taxi to and from airport to our hotels so wasn’t sure if we could still maximize the use of the rail tickets given those 2 locations only? Thank you for your help!

I wouldn’t buy a rail ticket if you will only be going to Tokyo and Kyoto. It’s not worth it. You can just buy one way tickets between them for cheaper.

Hello Ms. Laura, I want to visit Japan along with my Parents, They are old and cannot walk for long distance. Can you help me to plan an itinerary for 7 days. Can you also suggest a travel agent for me to plan and arrange everything in advance.

Hi Kumar. You will definitely want to work closely with a travel agent to make sure getting around isn’t a problem. You might consider Japan and More https://japanandmore.com/. We’ve worked with them for a long time. They’re very good.

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japan trip itinerary 8 days

Itineraries A JAM-PACKED 8-DAY ITINERARY By JNTO on 27 August 2020

It is easy to get to  Tohoku  from  Tokyo ,  Osaka  or  Sapporo . There are domestic flight deals via ANA for foreigners that you can take advantage of! Domestic flights from New Chitose Airport ( Sapporo ), Itami Airport ( Osaka ), Haneda or Narita Airports ( Tokyo ) will cost you less than SGD100 one way and take you approximately an hour to reach Tohoku. Find out more  here !

ANA flies daily from Singapore to Tokyo.

It is fuss-free driving in Tohoku! Just make sure you have a valid international driving license! Driving rules are similar to Singapore’s – keep within the speed limits, take sufficient rest at the various rest-stops and slow down within residential areas.

For more information on driving in Japan, please visit  here .

japan trip itinerary 8 days

●  Stay at  Takamiya Hotel Lucent  (Yamagata)

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Jellyfish ice cream is one of their specialties!

●  Stay at  Yamagata Kokusai Hotel  (Yamagata)

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Learn about the various kinds of grapes and their other seasonal specialities!

●  Yamadera Risshakuji Temple  (Yamagata) Load up on local Konnyaku snacks before ascending the 1,015 steps to the top!

●  Tanabata Making Workshop  (Miyagi) ●  Dinner at a local  Gyutan Restaurant   (beef tongue) (Miyagi) ●  Stay at  ANA Holiday Inn Hotel  (Miyagi)

japan trip itinerary 8 days

●  Zuiganji Temple  (Miyagi) One of the oldest and most respected Buddhist Zen temples in Japan. ●  Matsushima Bay Sight-seeing Cruise (Miyagi) ●  Stay in  Hotel Matsushima Taikanso

japan trip itinerary 8 days

●  Asabiraki Sake Brewery  (Iwate) Free sake-making tour and tasting! ●  Stay at  Hoshino Resorts Aomoriya  (Aomori) Experience a pony porter  Make your own candy apple Nebuta Festival theme show Shamisen experience

japan trip itinerary 8 days

●  Apple picking  at Hirosaki Apple Park ●  Tsugaruhan Neputa Mura (Aomori) ●  Dinner with  Tsugaru Shamisen  music (Aomori) Specific to Aomori prefecture

●  Stay at  Hirosaki Park Hotel  (Aomori)

japan trip itinerary 8 days

●  Odate-Kosaka Railbike  (Akita)

●  Ride on the  Akita Nairiku Jukan Railway  (Akita) Get to see paddy art on rice fields! ●  Kakunodate Samurai District  (Akita) This was where 80 samurai families once resided at. ●  Visit the  Namahage Museum  (Akita) Mythical creatures and their rituals of bringing luck into the new year.

●  Dinner at a  local Kiritanpo restaurant  (Akita) ●  Stay at  Hotel Metropolitan Akita  (Akita)

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The Family Voyage

Essential Japan Itinerary: 10 Days of Family-Friendly Travel (Plus Optional Extension)

P lanning a Japan itinerary for a family is like putting together a giant puzzle: you have to account for transportation schedules, hotel availability, everyone’s interests and the huge variety of opportunities you won’t find anywhere else in the world. It’s a great problem to have!

In this extremely detailed guide, you’ll find out how to make the most of your family trip to Japan with three options for itineraries for Japan with kids that you can use as a launching point based on your needs.

One quick note on how to use this Japan itinerary guide: rather than repeating the same information in each section, in some cases I’ll refer you to previous itineraries that have all of the details. But the beginning of each itinerary has a helpful summary at the beginning that provides an overview of which days you’ll spend in each location, where to stay and what tickets/activities you need to book in advance.

1. Highlights of Japan Itinerary: 10 Days for Family Travelers

2. extended japan itinerary: 2 weeks with kids, 3. slower pace itinerary for japan with kids: 10 days, tips for visiting japan with kids, planning your trip to japan.

There are so many incredible things to do in Japan with kids that your 10 day itinerary will be filled to the brim. Our entire trip was go-go-go , but truthfully we didn’t mind it all because basically everything in Japan is amazing.

Quick overview

Days 1-4: Tokyo

Day 5: Day trip to Hakone

Day 6: Hiroshima

Day 7: miyajima island, day 8: osaka.

Day 9-10: Kyoto

Accommodations

Nights 1-5 in Tokyo:

– Hyatt Regency Tokyo (Shinjuku)

– Mimaru Tokyo Ueno East (Taito)

– Hotel Gajeon (Meguro)

Nights 6-7 on Miyajima Island:

– Miyajima Kinsuikan

Nights 8-10 in Kyoto:

– Mimaru Kyoto Station or Mimaru Kyoto Nishinotoin Takatsuji

– Hyatt Regency Kyoto

– Ace Hotel Kyoto

Activities to book in advance

– Japan Rail Pass

Tokyo subway pass

– Tokyo cooking class

– TeamLabs Tokyo

– Tokyo food tour

– Hakone Free Pass or Hakone/Fuji private tour (my recommendation)

– Miyajima Island tea ceremony and calligraphy class

– Tokyo or Osaka Pokemon Cafe

– Kansai Thru Pass

– Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

– Kyoto tour

Tokyo is a fascinating, exhilarating and sometimes overwhelming melding of old and new. There’s so much to see and do that it can be very challenging to plan. I’ve put together an in-depth Tokyo with kids itinerary for four days that breaks down what to do each day based on geography and transportation so that you maximize your time.

Day 5: Day trip from Tokyo to Hakone

Head toward Mount Fuji on a wonderful day trip from Tokyo to Hakone, 100km southwest of the city. The journey will take 2 hours by public transit but it’s such a different experience than you’ll find anywhere else!

Pro tip : There’s a lot of different transportation involved in this day trip. One alternative I wish we’d considered is this Hakone/Fuji private tour . While it would have been more expensive, we would have made much better use of our time!

To get to Hakone, you’ll either use your JR Pass (if you’re ready to activate it) or the Hakone Free Pass to get to Odawara station and then continue on the local Tozan train line. To maximize your time, be sure to reserve a private room for your family at Hakone Yuryo onsen for 6pm. More details on that later, but we were not able to get an evening reservation and it definitely messed with our schedule!

I recommend that you proceed all the way to Lake Ashi and start your time in Hakone exploring the town area surrounding the port and you can also consider taking the lovely forest walk to the famous torii gate.

A highlight for the whole family is the pirate boat that takes you across the lake. Supposedly you can see Mount Fuji from the boat, though we weren’t able to because it was a little cloudy surrounding the masive mountain. Even so the views are lovely and you’ll go right by the torii gate.

Once you reach the opposite shore, you’ll have the opportunity to take the Hakone Ropeway up the mountainside – and this is where you should get fantastic views of Mount Fuji if you didn’t see it from the lake! Even on a cloudy day, we could tell how absolutely massive it was – and it kept getting larger as we went higher. This is one of the world’s longest ropeways, taking nearly 30 minutes to complete.

The top of the Ropeway is around 1000 meters elevation. To descend on the other side you’ll take the Hakone Tozan Cable Car, which connects to the Hakone Tozan Train – so many different forms of transportation, and thankfully they’re all included with the Hakone Free Pass (even the pirate boat)!

Your next stop is the Hakone Open Air Museum . I’ve heard incredible things about it, and this is probably the best art museum in Japan for kids! There are unique artistic play structures, enormous sculptures and more. Unfortunately last admission is at 4:30 and we weren’t able to make it by then because our reservation at Hakone Yuryo onsen was in the morning and pushed everything back.

The last item on your list of things to do in Hakone on a day trip is pay a visit to Hakone Yuryo onsen . This traditional hot spring inn provides a wonderfully relaxing experience and is a must-do in Japan! While there are public baths available here, you’ll want to reserve a private room since you’re visiting Japan with children. We opted for the Type 3 room, which is very serene and includes everything you’ll need for an amazing visit to an onsen with kids – snacks, towels, robes and plenty of space. The room is yours for two hours, so relax and enjoy to wind down after your busy day trip to Hakone!

If you bring a travel car seat with you, the fastest way to get to Hakone Yuryo is by taxi; otherwise you can take the local bus (just use Google Maps to find your way). For your return to the train station, they offer a shuttle van.

A logistical recommendation: the stretch in Hiroshima Prefecture is brief but transportation-heavy. You’ll potentially take trains, boats, buses and taxis. If possible, I suggest just bringing a few days worth of clothing in backpacks while the rest of your luggage is sent on to meet you in Kyoto. The excellent Yamato Ta-Q-Bin can be arranged by your hotel or nearest 7-11 and it’s pretty amazing. For just $50, our two suitcases and a box with the kids backpacks was waiting in our Kyoto hotel room!

Today is a long day and an emotionally heavy one, but one that’s worth experiencing if your kids are old enough. You’ll hop the earliest train you can manage all the way to Hiroshima, near the southern end of Japan’s main island. Once you arrive at Hiroshima Station, it’s easy to use the sightseeing bus (included in your JR Pass ) to get to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. If you haven’t eaten lunch yet, there are some good options in the Hiroshima Station.

Read more about visiting the A-bomb sites of Hiroshima with kids . There are many factors to weigh as you decide if and how to include Hiroshima in your family’s Japan itinerary.

All in all, we spent just over two hours visiting the Hiroshima Peace Park and Peace Memorial Museum. When you’ve finished there, your next stop is Miyajima Island and there are two ways to get there: the easy way and the cheap/hard way.

We mistakenly did it the cheap/hard way and I do not recommend it. We used the #2 local tram from the Dome station to Miyajimaguchi station (approximately 1 hour) and then took the very pleasant Miyajima ferry. While this option is very inexpensive, I wouldn’t have done it if I realized that the alternative was available and better.

There’s a ferry that picks up near Motoyasubashi Bridge right next to the A-Bomb Dome . It’s the Aqua Net Ferry , and we saw it but weren’t sure if it was legit or not because it didn’t look nearly as polished as every other Japanese transportation option. We were just being silly. While it’s a little pricey at 2200 JPY per adult and 1100 JPY per child, it’ll shave about an hour (and a lot of hassle) off your travels. Just buy a one-way ticket, as on the way back you’ll take the JR Ferry and then connect on a convenient train to Hiroshima Station.

When you arrive on Miyajima, you’ll want to walk to your hotel to drop off your bag and then immediately go get dinner. Everything closes early! Our hotel had to call around to find a place that was open at 7pm, but the ladies at Okonomiyaki Kishibe served up delicious food in as homey a setting as you can imagine.

The next day and a bit will give you an opportunity to step back in time on Miyajima Island, one of several islands in Hiroshima Bay. Even if you’ve never heard of it, you’ve probably seen photos of its famous “floating” torii gate! It’s an icon of Japan. The logistics of incorporating Miyajima into your itinerary can be tricky but there are a few reasons why you should consider it.

While most other places you’ll visit on this Japan itinerary for families are fairly well developed cities, Miyajima Island remains a quiet, rural area full of cultural and natural highlights. The ancient Itsukushima Shrine is still largely preserved today. While nearby Hiroshima was devastated by the A-bomb, Miyajima was spared other than some debris found nearby.

Much of the island’s developed area is accessible on foot, though you can opt for a ropeway (cable car) to reach the beautiful summit of Mt. Misen. Miyajima is a great place to enjoy cherry blossoms in the spring or fiery red maple trees in the fall.

Keep in mind that Miyajima is an island with a population of just 2000 people, and most visitors are day trippers. That means you won’t find a ton of restaurants or stores open once the sun goes down, but you’ll also be able to experience the island’s true magic away from the crowds!

Thanks to its very traditional nature, Miyajima island is a great place to try out staying at a ryokan – a typical Japanese guest house. We had a wonderful stay at Miyajima Kinsuikan , which included a large family room with very comfortable futons set up each night, a yukata for everyone (several kids’ sizes available), unlimited access to the wonderful onsen (geothermal bath) in the basement and a seafood-heavy bento-style breakfast that is typical of the region.

On the last point, I’ll say that the staff tried hard to accommodate our dietary needs but definitely didn’t understand due to the language barrier. I ended up taking the kids to Starbucks (yes, Starbucks!) a block away so that we wouldn’t start our days hungry. If you have dietary restrictions and plan to stay at any ryokan in Japan that offers breakfast, it may be best to tell them what you will eat rather than what you won’t – in retrospect if I had said “only rice, salmon, eggs and vegetables” that probably would have been easier for everyone.

But enough about breakfast… Today’s itinerary will seem jam-packed as you read through it, but it really isn’t. You’ll be able to enjoy much of what the island has to offer and feel relaxed while doing it!

One important tip: if you want to walk under the torii, be sure to check the tide schedule in advance. You may need to shift the order of some things around. When we visited, one of the low tide periods lasted for much of the afternoon with just a few inches of water directly under the torii. Prepare for the ground to be very mucky though!

Spend your morning at this fantastic tea ceremony and calligraphy class . It’s a wonderful opportunity to get a taste of some traditional aspects of Japanese culture. There are three parts to the experience. First, your family will be dressed in fancy kimonos by the team of experienced ladies. They have a huge range of styles and sizes to choose from, and adult women in particular will get to experience alllll the layers.

Once you’re properly dressed, you’ll participate in a tea ceremony with the head of the cultural center. She clearly explains each step and its significance. You’ll also get some unique chocolates along with the matcha!

Finally, your family will learn some basics of Japanese calligraphy and choose a character to write on your own souvenir! Since you’re already fully dressed, you can also step outside to. the zen garden and have the staff take some photos for you. They took photos of us during the activities as well and shared them via AirDrop – they aren’t professional, but it’s nice to have them included at no additional cost. This was one of my favorite activities to do in Japan with kids. The organizer suggests a minimum age of 6 years old, though I think that for most kids it’s better for 8+.

It’s time for lunch, so head back to Miyajima’s main shopping street – just follow the crowds one block in from the coast. There are plenty of inexpensive options to take away from kiosks, and we opted for delicious cups of fried chicken that we enjoyed in a peaceful courtyard. You’ll also find various options for seafood, momiji manjū cakes and more! If your kids haven’t exhausted their souvenir budget yet, there are plenty of opportunities here as well.

Continue on past the commercial part of town to visit Itsukushima Shrine. It’s a beautiful and serene place with more than a thousand years of history. Like most shrines it’s just a few dollars to enter and you can move as quickly or slowly along the one-way path as you’d like. There isn’t much written information provided on-site, but you can read up in advance here for a fuller understanding of the complex and its history.

When you exit the shrine, look for signs for the Miyajima Ropeway. This is the cablecar that will take you to the summit of Mount Misen, which dominates the island’s landscape. It’s a somewhat steep 15 minute walk to the ropeway station at Momijidani, so if anyone in your family has limited mobility consider taking the free shuttle bus from Momijidani Park – more info here .

The ropeway is a fun activity for kids and parents alike! You’ll transfer mid-way to reach the summit, where you’re treated to spectacular views of Hiroshima Bay and its islands. We enjoyed the view from Shishiiwa Observatory but if you want to hike another 20 minutes you’ll arrive at Mount Misen Observatory and enjoy additional views.

You’ll either take the ropeway back down or hike it – the choice is yours, and may depend on how long the line for the ropeway is! We waited for about 30 minutes shortly before the last descent of the day and honestly it might have been faster just to walk down. We stopped at Niwa Cafe for dinner, which was a great choice!

End your evening with a relaxing soak in the onsen at Miyajima Kinsuikan. You’ve earned it after such a busy day!

Since this is a fast-paced 10 day Japan itinerary, you’re just going to pop into Osaka on your way from Miyajima Island to Kyoto. The good news is that the trains are very efficient so you’ll have a big chunk of the day to explore!

You’ll take the ferry back to the mainland and then a train to Hiroshima station. From there it’s easy to pick up a bullet train to Osaka. In total, travel time is around 3.5 hours. Once you’re in Osaka and Kyoto, the  Kansai Thru Pass is very handy as it covers all of the local rail and bus lines that aren’t already included with your Japan Rail pass .

With just a day in Osaka, you won’t be able to do everything unfortunately. One of the best things to do in Osaka with kids is pay a visit to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan . When it opened in 1990 it was the largest aquarium in the world! While it no longer holds that title it’s still a site to behold. There are incredible creatures here including while sharks, and the spiraling design continuously reveals more and more wonders.

If you’re visiting Japan in spring, be sure to check the schedule for the March sumo tournament – typically held during the second and third weeks. You’ll want to buy tickets well in advance, but I highly recommend attending if you can! Sumo is a unique experience and deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. The environment is family-friendly and many visitors bring food from local convenience stores, as concessions are minimal inside the stadium.

Another great option is to reserve a table at the Osaka Pokemon Cafe – check the calendar 31 days in advance. It can be very hard to get a table (we tried!) but thankfully there are other Pokemon things to do in Japan to entertain kids of all ages.

While you’re in Osaka, walk around the famous Dotonbori area to see the lights and spectacle. You can grab dinner nearby if you’re able to find a table without a huge line – there are some amazing options nearby for beef and seafood! If all else fails, check out the standby of CoCo ICHIBANYA for delicious curry.

Wrap up your day by taking the train from Osaka to your Kyoto hotel . It’s only about an hour, though it’s the end of a long and transit-heavy day.

Days 9-10: Kyoto

You’ve reached the final leg of your family Japan itinerary, which is bittersweet. Kyoto is a wonderful place to conclude your trip because it feels so distinctly Japanese (with a thick overlay of tourists, to be completely honest). It’s truly a great city and such a unique place to spend a few days since it retains the traditional architecture and vibe of pre-war Japan.

A quick note on where to stay in Kyoto: there are lots of excellent hotels, and it’s much more compact than Tokyo (for example). But in Kyoto you have two excellent opportunities to stay in a Pokemon themed room at Mimaru Kyoto Station and Mimaru Nishinotoin Takatsuji . We stayed at the latter because it was available, but the entire chain is extremely family-friendly. To say that my kids lost their minds from the surprise when we walked into our room is an understatement. If you can book one of those rooms, it’s 100% worth it.

Kyoto is a beautiful city full of ancient sites blended with modern culture. Follow our 2 day Kyoto with kids itinerary to learn exactly how to make the most of your visit!

If I had my druthers, we would have followed this longer Japan itinerary for 2 weeks of family travel. I’ve offered it here in case you’re lucky enough to visit for longer.

This itinerary covers roughly the same geographic area as the itinerary we did above but allows you to see more. Be sure to read the 10 day itinerary above – I’ll reference that in this expanded itienrary! Pay close attention to the overview, as there are some additional hotel stops and a slightly different transportation strategy.

Day 6-7: Disney

Day 8: Hiroshima

Day 9: miyajima island.

Day 10-12: Osaka*

Day 13-14: Kyoto *

Nights 6-7 near Disneyland:

– Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay

– Hilton Tokyo Bay

Nights 8-9 on Miyajima Island:

Nights 10-11 in Osaka*:

– Hotel Intergate Osaka Umeda

– Holiday Inn & Suites Shin Osaka

Nights 12-14 in Kyoto *:

*To decrease hotel moves, you can consider staying in Kyoto the whole time. Kyoto and Osaka are only about an hour apart, but you may wind up making the trip a few times because there are plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Osaka!

– Tokyo subway pass

– Disney Sea and Disneyland

– Universal Studios Japan

Days 1-5: Tokyo & day trip to Hakone

Spend days 1-5 as described above in the 10 day Japan itinerary for families.

Days 6-7: Tokyo Disney

On the morning of Day 6, transfer to a hotel near Tokyo Disney like Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay . While you could stay at a hotel elsewhere in Tokyo, it’s hard to beat the convenience of being right on the monorail! The quieter waterfront location can also be a nice respite after the hustle and bustle of Tokyo.

Tokyo Disney includes both Disneyland and DisneySea. Many Disney lovers regard these as some of the best parks in the world, as they’re very efficiently run and include some unique rides you won’t find elsewhere. And the tickets are a fraction of what you’d pay to visit Walt Disney World! Buy your tickets in advance and just flash the QR code to enter.

After you buy your tickets, be sure to download the Tokyo Disney Resort App. That will grant you access to the free Priority Pass system, which allows you to schedule return times for some attractions.

Before you go, read these helpful DisneySea tips and Tokyo Disneyland tips .

Spend day 8 visiting the A-bomb sites of Hiroshima . You’ll be spending this night (and the following) on Miyajima Island at Miyajima Kinsuikan , so if you don’t feel that visiting Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is the right choice for your family you can go directly to the island and spend the afternoon at its excellent aquarium.

Spend day 9 on Miyajima island as described above. You’ll do a tea ceremony and calligraphy class in the morning, visit the Itsukushima Shrine shrine after lunch and then take the ropeway to the top of Mount Misen to enjoy stunning views of Hiroshima Bay.

Days 10-12: Osaka

While we only spent one day in Osaka, I wish we’d had longer to base ourselves there! Not only does the city have some wonderful family-friendly attractions but it also makes a great base for day trips.

On your way back from Hiroshima to Osaka, stop at Himeji Castle for several hours. It’s the most impressive castle in the country and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The original structure was built in 1333 but what you see today dates from the 16th and 17th centuries. For a deeper look, book this excellent private tour of Himeji Castle .

Once you arrive in Osaka itself and settle into your hotel, head out to see the bright lights of Dotonbori and grab dinner. This would also be a great time to visit Pokemon Cafe if you’re able to get a table (reservations open 31 days in advance but there are occasionally walk in tables).

For days 11 and 12 you’ll have some tough choices to make! With young children, make the Aquarium Kaiyukan a priority – it’s really remarkable. If you’re visiting Japan with teens, tweens or older kids then plan to spend a day at Universal Studios Japan – it has favorites like Harry Potter World and Super Nintendo World and is extremely easy to get to if you stay at Hotel Intergate Osaka Umeda or nearby.

If you’re visiting Osaka in March, consider spending a few hours at the huge sumo tournament at Edion Arena!

Be sure to stop by A Happy Pancake for breakfast or lunch. They have both sweet and savory options, and their distinctively Japanese pancakes are the thickest and fluffiest you’ve ever seen! The Doyamacho location is the most convenient in Osaka (there are also outposts in Tokyo and Kyoto).

You’ll probably also want to squeeze in a day trip to Nara to see the famous deer of Nara Park. Don’t miss the “big Buddha” and the beautiful Kasuga Taisha Shrine while you’re there, along with cherry blossoms in the spring and bright red foliage in the fall. It’s exactly one hour each way using public transit, so if you feel tight on time you can go for just a half day.k

At the end of day 12, hop on a quick train to Kyoto to settle into your hotel for the last stop on your Japan adventure.

Days 13-14: Kyoto

Spend days 13 and 14 exploring Kyoto as described in our 2 day Kyoto itinerary .

Are you looking for an itinerary that’s a little slower, whether because you’re visiting Japan with toddlers or just prefer not to cram so much in? I’ve got you covered. In this itinerary you’ll only split your time between two bases and you’ll enjoy plenty of activities that are unique to Japan but still extremely little kid friendly!

To really level up this kid-friendly Japan trip, book your flights into Tokyo and out of Kansai International Airport (KIX) south of Osaka. You’ll save travel time and train fare since you really don’t need a Japan Rail pass for this itinerary!

Day 1-5: Tokyo with day trip to DisneySea

Day 6-10: Kyoto with day trips to Nara and Osaka

Nights 6-10 in Kyoto:

– DisneySea

– Nara day tour

Days 1-5: Tokyo with day trip to Disney

Follow our 4 day Tokyo itinerary for families to explore the city’s many facets, but break up your time with a day trip to DisneySea .

Days 6-10: Kyoto + day trips

Follow our 2 day Kyoto itinerary for families . Add in at least one day trip to Osaka to visits sites like Aquarium Kaiyukan and a day trip to Nara to see the famous deer. You might even have time to go to  Universal Studios Japan ! It’s even possible to take a day trip from Kyoto to Hiroshima to pay your respects at the A-bomb sites , and some families may opt to send one parent to do that while the other pursues more kid-friendly options in Kyoto.

I’ve written up many helpful Japan travel tips , but I want to highlight a few here that are specific to visiting with kids.

  • Plan well in advance. Many hotel rooms are only rated for two people, so your options for a family will be even more limited if you wait too long.
  • Bring a folding car seat with you. While public transportation is excellent in Tokyo and between cities, you may want to take a taxi from the airport with your luggage after a long flight. We also found that Kyoto public transportation wasn’t nearly as robust.
  • Let your kids go wild in convenience stores! They’re a great place to grab unique candies, sandwiches for a picnic or even delicious fried chicken.
  • Get your kids involved in planning. Check out my son’s favorite things to do in Japan with kids .
  • Bring a portable charger (or two) since you’ll be using your phone all day long to take pictures, translate menus and look up directions.

I hope these family-friendly Japan itineraries have give you the confidence to plan your own adventure!

Ready to dive in? Don’t miss these helpful resources for planning your own Japan trip!

  • Buy your Japan Rail Pass
  • Best Things to do in Japan With Kids: A Kid’s Take
  • 9 Tips for Japan Travel You Can’t Afford To Miss
  • What to Pack for Japan in Spring (and What to Leave at Home)
  • Things to do in Tokyo With Kids: Itinerary for 4 Days of Old and New
  • Visiting Kyoto With Kids: 2+ Day Itinerary + Must-Read Travel Tips
  • Best Family Hotels in Kyoto
  • Awesome Pokémon Things to do in Japan
  • Visiting the A-Bomb Sites in Hiroshima with Kids
  • 10 Japan Cultural Activities & Attractions For Your Bucket List

Still planning? Pin this for later!

The post Essential Japan Itinerary: 10 Days of Family-Friendly Travel (Plus Optional Extension) appeared first on The Family Voyage .

Planning a Japan itinerary for a family is a real challenge! Find out how to make the most of your family travel in Japan with this detailed guide.

8 days, 7 nights

The following is a suggested itinerary for first time travelers to Japan who spend 8 days, 7 nights in the Kanto Region around Tokyo .

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Day 1 - Arrive at Narita Airport

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Day 2-3 - Tokyo

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Day 4-5 - Nikko

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Day 6 - Kamakura Daytrip

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Day 7 - Yokohama Daytrip

japan trip itinerary 8 days

Day 8 - Depart from Narita Airport

A nationwide Japan Rail Pass does not pay off for this itinerary. Below are some sample budgets for the itinerary, excluding airfare. Find out more about the sample budgets and about the current yen exchange rates .

Questions? Ask in our forum .

japan trip itinerary 8 days

IMAGES

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  2. 8-Day Japan Itinerary: 9 Cities in Kansai for Under S$900

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  3. SAMPLE JAPAN ITINERARIES (with Estimated Budget)

    japan trip itinerary 8 days

  4. Perfect 8 Day Japan Itinerary for First Timers

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  5. Plan Your First Trip To Japan Travel Guide Itinerary Japan Travel

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  6. Japan Itinerary

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