Top Tourist Destinations in Japan: Recommended Itinerary

Top Tourist Destinations in Japan: Recommended Itinerary

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Top Tourist Destinations in Japan: Recommended Itinerary

I planned my first Japan trip three times before I actually went. The first plan tried to fit Hokkaido, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Okinawa into ten days. The third plan, which I actually used, kept me in five base cities over thirteen days. That third version is what I want to share, because the difference between a tiring Japan trip and a relaxed one is almost entirely about how few times you pack and unpack.

Currency note: I paid for everything in yen, and my card settled around USD 1 to JPY 149, roughly USD 0.0067 per yen. I'll use yen throughout, since menus and train fares are priced that way.

Why a Multi-City Route Beats a Single Base

People sometimes ask if they can just stay in Tokyo and day-trip to Kyoto. Technically yes, but you would spend roughly ¥28,000 round trip and waste two hours each way. Splitting the trip into Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, and Osaka means each region gets proper attention. I learned the same lesson when I worked out my best 2 week travel itinerary in Thailand a year earlier.

My final route: Tokyo (4 nights), Hakone (1 night), Kyoto (4 nights), Osaka (1 night), with a Hiroshima day trip from Osaka, and an optional 2-night extension to Kanazawa or Takayama if you stretch to fourteen days.

Tokyo: Four Nights, Five Distinct Neighborhoods

Tokyo is large enough that I treated each day as one neighborhood plus one evening district. So day one was Shinjuku and the government building observation deck, which is free and gives you a view comparable to the paid Skytree. Day two went to Shibuya for the crossing and Harajuku for Takeshita Street. Day three was Asakusa and Sensoji temple in the morning, Akihabara in the afternoon, and Ueno in the evening. Day four I used for a day trip out of the city.

Capsule hotels in Shinjuku and Asakusa run around ¥5,000 per night and are cleaner than they sound. Mid-range business hotels like APA, Tokyu Stay, and Mitsui Garden are between ¥12,000 and ¥30,000 depending on season and booking lead time. I stayed at a Tokyu Stay near Shinjuku for ¥17,500 a night, which had a washing machine in the room.

For getting around Tokyo, I bought a Suica card, loaded ¥3,000, and topped it up twice. Plus i also picked up a Tokyo Subway 24-hour pass for ¥800 on my busiest day, which paid for itself by the third ride. If you're debating between paying per ride and going prepaid, I broke down the math in cheapest way to use Tokyo trains: Suica card vs cash.

The Tokyo Day Trip Decision: Kamakura, Nikko, or Hakone-Fuji

Three options come up most often.

Kamakura is one hour south by JR train, about ¥940 each way. It has the Great Buddha at Kotoku-in, several walking temples, and a small beach. It's the easiest day trip.

Nikko is two hours north, around ¥2,800 each way on the Tobu line, with the Toshogu shrine complex and waterfalls. More walking, longer train ride, but the shrine carvings are unlike anything else in the country.

Hakone with Mount Fuji views needs a Hakone Free Pass at ¥6,100 from Shinjuku, which covers the round trip on the Odakyu line plus all local trams, cable cars, and pirate-ship ferries. This is what I did, partly because I planned to overnight in Hakone the next day anyway.

If you've time for only one and you're not staying in Hakone separately, pick Kamakura for a relaxed day or Hakone-Fuji for the views. Save Nikko for a return trip.

Hakone: One Onsen Night

The Hakone overnight is the part of my trip most people skip and most regret skipping. A traditional ryokan with onsen costs between ¥18,000 and ¥50,000 per person per night, including dinner and breakfast. I paid ¥24,000 for a mid-tier ryokan in Gora, which included a nine-course kaiseki dinner and breakfast. The room had tatami floors and a private wood tub fed from the local hot spring.

If your budget is tight, a single capsule night in Tokyo plus skipping one restaurant dinner roughly funds the ryokan. This was the single best money I spent on the trip. For more on slower-paced travel, see most calming place to go: top travel picks.

Kyoto: Four Nights, Five Areas

I took the Shinkansen from Odawara to Kyoto, about ¥13,000 and just over two hours. Four nights gives you one day each for the main areas plus a Nara day trip.

Day one was southern Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Taisha, with thousands of orange torii gates climbing the mountain. The full hike takes two hours round trip, but most people turn back at the second viewpoint. Entry is free.

Day two was northwest Kyoto: Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion) for ¥500 entry, Ryoan-ji for the rock garden at ¥600, and Ninna-ji. Three temples within a half-hour bus loop.

Day three was Arashiyama: bamboo grove, Tenryu-ji temple, and a monkey park. The bamboo path is free and best done before nine in the morning. JR Sagano line, ¥240 each way.

Day four was Higashiyama, walking from Kiyomizu-dera (¥500) down through Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, into Gion in the late afternoon, and along the Philosopher's Path the next morning. Gion in early evening is when you might spot geiko on their way to appointments, though don't photograph them without asking.

The Nara day trip is forty-five minutes from Kyoto on the JR Nara line, around ¥720 each way. The deer in Nara Park bow for crackers, ¥200 a pack from vendors. Todai-ji temple is ¥800 entry.

I paid ¥21,000 a night for a small ryokan-style hotel near Gion, worth it for walking home after dinner.

Osaka: One Night and the Hiroshima Question

Osaka was my shortest stop, treated as a launch pad for Hiroshima. Dotonbori at night is the main draw, a canal-side strip of neon signs, takoyaki stalls, and the running Glico man billboard. I ate takoyaki at three different stands for about ¥1,800 total.

Osaka Castle the next morning was ¥600 entry. The grounds are free, the top-tier views are decent, though the interior is a rebuilt museum.

The Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima takes ninety minutes and costs around ¥10,500 each way without a JR Pass, so ¥21,000 round trip. But from Hiroshima, take a tram and a ferry to Miyajima island, where the Itsukushima floating torii gate stands in the water. The Peace Memorial Park and the dome are walking distance from Hiroshima station. The full circuit is around eleven hours from Osaka and back. I would still do it again.

If you skip Hiroshima, the JR Pass math no longer works in your favor.

The JR Pass Math: When It Pays and When It Does Not

The Japan Rail Pass had a price hike in late 2023 and is now ¥50,000 for seven days and ¥80,000 for fourteen days, with the green car versions costing more. Whether you should buy one depends almost entirely on whether your itinerary includes Hiroshima.

Here's the math from my actual trip. Tokyo to Odawara was ¥3,500. Odawara to Kyoto was ¥13,000. Kyoto to Shin-Osaka was ¥1,400. So shin-Osaka to Hiroshima round trip was ¥21,000. Shin-Osaka back to Tokyo was ¥14,500. Total Shinkansen and limited express spend was around ¥53,400. The seven-day pass at ¥50,000 would've just barely paid off, and only because of Hiroshima.

If you cut Hiroshima, the same trip without the bullet train round trip drops to roughly ¥32,400, and the pass becomes a clear loss. So the rule I tell friends is: if you're doing Tokyo plus Kyoto plus Osaka plus Hiroshima, get the pass. If you're doing Tokyo plus Kyoto plus Osaka only, pay per ride.

For more on how I think about transport budgets generally, including the trade-off of single rides versus multi-day passes, see most expensive city or country visited and trip budget. The same logic that applies in Tokyo applies in Singapore and London.

You can buy the pass online before your trip through jrailpass.com or directly on the official site, and you exchange the voucher at JR ticket counters in the airport on arrival.

Optional Extension: Kanazawa or Takayama

If you've fourteen days, the strongest add-on is a two-night detour to either Kanazawa or Takayama.

Kanazawa is on the west coast, about two and a half hours from Kyoto, around ¥9,500 each way. It has Kenroku-en (one of the three great gardens of Japan), a samurai district, a geisha district, and the 21st Century Museum of Art.

Takayama is in the mountains, four hours from Kyoto with a couple of train changes. The old town is lined with sake breweries and morning markets. From Takayama you can do a half-day side trip to Shirakawa-go, the thatched-roof farmhouse village, by bus for ¥4,800 round trip.

I went to Kanazawa on a later trip and would pick it again over Takayama for a first visit. The garden and the museum together justify the detour.

Comparison Table: Where to Stay and What It Costs

City Nights Signature Sights Hotel ¥ Range / Night Day Trips
Tokyo 4 Shinjuku, Shibuya, Sensoji, Akihabara ¥12,000 - 30,000 mid-range, ¥5,000 capsule Kamakura, Nikko, or Hakone-Fuji
Hakone 1 Onsen ryokan, Lake Ashi, Owakudani ¥18,000 - 50,000 ryokan with meals none, this is the day trip
Kyoto 4 Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama, Gion ¥15,000 - 35,000 mid-range, ¥6,000 capsule Nara deer park
Osaka 1 Dotonbori, Osaka Castle ¥10,000 - 25,000 mid-range Hiroshima and Miyajima
Kanazawa or Takayama (optional) 2 Kenroku-en or Shirakawa-go ¥14,000 - 28,000 mid-range Shirakawa-go from Takayama

When to Go: Cherry Blossoms, Autumn, or Shoulder

Late March through early May is cherry blossom season, the most photogenic and the most expensive. Hotels in Kyoto during peak bloom can triple their normal rate and sell out six to twelve months in advance. Book the moment you commit to dates.

October and November are autumn foliage, almost as crowded as cherry blossom. Kyoto's eastern hills peak in mid-November.

June is the rainy season (tsuyu), with daily afternoon showers. August is hot, humid, and the start of typhoon season, which can derail Shinkansen schedules for half a day.

The two windows I would recommend are early April for blossoms and mid-November for foliage. February and early March are quiet, cheap, and clear, though gardens are still bare.

Visas, SIMs, and Practical Setup

For Indian passport holders, Japan introduced an eVisa for tourism with a fee around USD 25 plus a small service charge, processed within five business days. I applied through the official portal and had the visa in three days. US, UK, EU, Canadian, Australian, and Singapore passport holders have visa-free entry for ninety days as tourists.

For mobile data, I picked up a Sakura Mobile prepaid SIM at Narita airport for ¥3,500 covering eight days unlimited. Pocket WiFi rentals run ¥800 to ¥1,200 per day. Skip international roaming, usually three times the local price.

Cash is still common at small restaurants and shrines. I withdrew ¥30,000 at a 7-Eleven ATM on arrival, which took my Indian debit card without trouble. Most hotels and convenience stores accept Visa and Mastercard, but I ran into cash-only ramen shops at least four times.

For sleeping options beyond hotels and capsules, see cheapest Japan travel with your own sleeping space, which covers van rentals, manga cafes, and overnight buses.

Food Costs and What to Order

A bowl of ramen at a counter shop runs ¥800 to ¥1,400. Conveyor sushi at a chain like Sushiro is ¥1,500 to ¥2,500. And a kaiseki dinner at a mid-tier Kyoto restaurant is ¥6,000 to ¥12,000 per person without drinks. Convenience store meals run ¥500 to ¥900 and are genuinely good, especially 7-Eleven egg sandwiches.

Vending machines are everywhere and reliable. A bottle of cold tea or coffee is ¥130 to ¥160, sometimes hot in cooler months.

For vegetarians, Japan is harder than it looks. Dashi (fish-based stock) is in most soups and sauces, including many vegetable dishes. Buddhist temple cuisine called shojin ryori is fully plant-based and worth seeking out in Kyoto. Use Google Translate's camera mode on menus.

Comparing Japan to Other Asia Itineraries

If you're weighing Japan against a Southeast Asia trip on a fixed budget, Japan was roughly twice the daily cost of my Vietnam and Thailand trips, mostly on accommodation and intercity transport. Food was actually comparable. If you've not picked between regions yet, I worked through both in best region to visit with only 7 days in Vietnam.

For country-level reasoning about value and what makes a destination memorable, I keep a running list at most beautiful country in the world: top picks. Japan sits near the top because the variety inside one country is so wide, from Tokyo's neon to Hakone's onsen to Kyoto's gardens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ten days enough for Japan, or do I need fourteen?
Ten days is enough for Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Osaka, and a Hiroshima day trip if you keep base cities to four and avoid daily hotel changes. Fourteen days lets you add Kanazawa or Takayama and gives more breathing room, but the core experience fits in ten if you're disciplined.

Should I buy the JR Pass before I leave or after I arrive?
You can buy it from inside Japan now, but the price is the same and arriving without it adds friction. Buy online, get the voucher mailed to you before departure, and exchange it at the airport JR counter on arrival. Only commit if your itinerary includes Hiroshima, otherwise pay per ride.

How far in advance should I book hotels for cherry blossom season?
Six to twelve months for Kyoto, four to six months for Tokyo, three months for Osaka. Kyoto is the bottleneck because it has fewer hotel rooms and disproportionate demand during the bloom window. If you can only commit at three months out, consider basing in Osaka and day-tripping to Kyoto.

Is the Hiroshima day trip too heavy emotionally?
The Peace Memorial Museum is unflinching, and most visitors leave subdued. Pairing it with Miyajima island in the same day is the standard way to balance the day, since the island visit is calm and scenic. I would still recommend doing it, but plan a lighter dinner that evening and avoid back-to-back museum days.

Can I do Japan without speaking any Japanese?
Yes, easily, in the major cities. Train signs, museum signs, and most restaurant menus in tourist areas have English. Smaller restaurants and rural stops are harder, but Google Translate's camera mode handles menus, and pointing works for the rest. Learning to say excuse me, thank you, and please is appreciated and not difficult.

What is the single best money I spent on the trip?
The Hakone ryokan night, by a wide margin. The kaiseki dinner alone justified the rate, and the private onsen tub the next morning reset the entire pace of the trip. If your budget is tight, cut a hotel night in Tokyo before cutting Hakone.

Is tipping expected anywhere in Japan?
No, and trying to tip can cause confusion or be politely refused. Service charges are sometimes added at higher-end restaurants and ryokans, but they're listed on the bill. Round numbers, hand cash with two hands or in the small tray they provide, and that's the etiquette.

What is the one thing I would change about my itinerary?
I would extend Kyoto from four nights to five and shorten Tokyo from four to three. Kyoto rewards slower walking, and four days felt rushed by the end. Tokyo has more to see, but the pace there's so fast that I left feeling like an extra day would've just meant another packed day rather than a relaxed one.

Closing Notes

If you take only one piece of structure from this article, let it be the four base cities plus one ryokan night. Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Osaka, with Hiroshima as a day trip and Kanazawa as the optional extension. That shape works for ten, twelve, or fourteen days without forcing you to repack every morning.

I went into my trip thinking the planning was the hard part. The actual hard part was letting the itinerary breathe, which meant accepting that I would not see everything. Three years later, the things I remember most clearly are the wood hallway of the Gora ryokan, the orange tunnels of Fushimi Inari at dawn, and the smell of takoyaki on Dotonbori at midnight.

For background reading, the Wikipedia entry on Japan and Wikivoyage's Japan guide are excellent free resources. For trip planning specifics, the official portal at japan.travel has up-to-date regional events and seasonal advisories.

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