14-Day Japan Itinerary

At a glance

Duration

14 days

Cities

4

Flight legs

2

Budget/day

$160

Cities

• Tokyo
• Kyoto
• Osaka
• Hiroshima

The plan

Fly into Tokyo Haneda (closer to central Tokyo than Narita). Spend 5 days: Shibuya, Shinjuku, Asakusa, a day trip to Nikko or Kamakura. Take the Shinkansen to Kyoto (2h20m) for 4 days -- temples, Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama bamboo grove. One day trip to Nara for the deer. Shinkansen 15 minutes to Osaka, 2 days for Dotonbori food scene and Osaka Castle. Shinkansen 1h20m to Hiroshima for a final day at the Peace Memorial and Miyajima. Fly home from Kansai (KIX) to save the backtrack.

Day-by-day

1. Day 1

   Tokyo arrival, Shibuya + Shinjuku

   Fly HND, Keikyu line or monorail to central Tokyo in 30 minutes. Jet-lag compatible day: Shibuya Crossing at dusk, Hachiko statue, izakaya dinner in Omoide Yokocho (Piss Alley — cheap and atmospheric). Stay in Shinjuku or Shibuya for transit access.

2. Day 2

   Old Tokyo: Asakusa + Ueno

   Morning at Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa (arrive by 8am to photograph it empty). Nakamise-dori shopping street for street food. Afternoon Ueno Park, Tokyo National Museum (the Honkan is the essential building). Sumida River walk to the Tokyo Skytree if daylight allows.

3. Day 3

   Modern Tokyo: teamLab, Harajuku

   teamLab Planets in Toyosu (book 2+ weeks out — sells out). Harajuku for Takeshita Street kitsch, Meiji Shrine for contrast. Evening at an Omakase sushi counter if splurging, otherwise Ichiran ramen. If you want nightlife, Golden Gai in Kabukicho.

4. Day 4

   Day trip: Nikko or Kamakura

   Both are 1.5h day trips. Nikko for UNESCO temples and the Toshogu shrine (dramatic, touristy but worth it). Kamakura for the Great Buddha, beach, and hiking. Kamakura's cheaper and easier. Return to Tokyo for your last night.

5. Day 5

   Tokyo morning, shinkansen to Kyoto

   Morning at Tsukiji Outer Market for sushi breakfast and knife shopping. Shinkansen Tokyo Station to Kyoto at 10am (2h15m on the Nozomi — reserved seats recommended). Check into Kyoto, afternoon walk around Gion and Yasaka Shrine. Dinner in Pontocho alley.

6. Day 6

   Kyoto east: Higashiyama temples

   Start at Kiyomizu-dera before 8am to beat tour buses, walk through Ninenzaka/Sannenzaka preserved districts, continue to Kodai-ji and Chion-in. Afternoon at Ginkaku-ji and the Philosopher's Path. Dinner kaiseki if you've booked; ramen at Ippudo if not.

7. Day 7

   Kyoto west: Arashiyama + Fushimi Inari

   Early to Fushimi Inari (5:30am = zero crowds, magical). Breakfast back in town. Noon train to Arashiyama bamboo grove — arrive by noon to miss the worst crowd window. Tenryu-ji Zen garden and the Togetsukyo bridge. Return to Kyoto for dinner.

8. Day 8

   Day trip: Nara

   45-min train to Nara. Todai-ji Temple houses the Great Buddha — one of the largest bronze Buddhas in the world. Nara Park for bowing deer (buy senbei wafers, hold them up). Isuien Garden afternoon. Return Kyoto for final night, last good dinner.

9. Day 9

   Shinkansen to Osaka

   Short 15-minute bullet train. Drop bags. Osaka Castle morning (the keep museum is optional, the grounds are the main draw). Dotonbori lunch — takoyaki, okonomiyaki, kushikatsu at Daruma. Evening at Namba or Shinsekai for chaotic neon energy.

10. Day 10

    Osaka: Kuromon Market + Umeda

    Kuromon Ichiba Market for breakfast (uni, wagyu skewers, fresh fish). Afternoon Umeda Sky Building observation deck. Evening Americamura for indie shops and cocktail bars. Late dinner — Osaka is a food city, anywhere is good.

11. Day 11

    Shinkansen to Hiroshima

    1h20m on the Nozomi Osaka-Hiroshima. Peace Memorial Park and Museum in the morning — emotionally heavy, allow 3-4 hours. Afternoon okonomiyaki (Hiroshima-style, different from Osaka). Hotel near the station for easy rail access.

12. Day 12

    Miyajima day trip

    JR ferry to Miyajima (covered by JR Pass). Itsukushima Shrine's floating torii at high tide (check tide charts). Hike or cable car up Mount Misen for Seto Inland Sea views. Wild deer on the island — friendly, unlike Nara's demanding crowd. Return Hiroshima for the last night.

13. Day 13

    Hiroshima morning, fly KIX from Osaka

    Morning shinkansen Hiroshima-Shin-Osaka (1h20m), JR rapid to Kansai airport. Fly home from KIX — saves a 3-hour rail backtrack to Tokyo. Final airport meal ideas: Yoshinoya, curry udon, or a kaiseki sit-down at one of KIX's better restaurants.

14. Day 14

    Arrive home

    Factor in the date-line crossing; you typically arrive home the same calendar day you left due to the westward time shift. Jet lag recovery plan: expose to morning sunlight and resist the urge to nap the first afternoon back.

When to go

March-early April is cherry blossom season — the whole country goes pink, hotel prices 2x normal, book 4-6 months out. October-November is the other peak: fall colors in Kyoto are arguably more dramatic than the sakura, weather is crisp and dry, hotel prices moderate. Avoid Golden Week (late April-early May) and Obon (mid-August) when domestic travel peaks and shinkansen reservations vanish. June's rainy season keeps crowds low and prices lowest — a good budget move.

Budget tips

The JR Pass used to be the automatic move but 2024 price hikes made it borderline — do the math. Tokyo-Kyoto-Hiroshima-Osaka round trip on the 7-day pass breaks even around $350; you pay more with point-to-point tickets if you ride heavily. Eat at convenience stores (7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart) — salmon onigiri and egg sandwiches are legitimately good and $2-4 each. Ichiran and Ippudo ramen run $10-13. Kaiseki dinner is $80-200; splurge on one, pack lunch at Don Quijote for the rest.

Getting around

The Shinkansen is the backbone — Tokyo-Kyoto 2h15m, Kyoto-Osaka 15min, Osaka-Hiroshima 1h20m. Reserved seats free on JR Pass; otherwise non-reserved cars usually have space. In cities: Tokyo Metro + JR Yamanote loop (Suica/Pasmo IC card works everywhere), Kyoto's bus network is slow but covers temples (Kyoto City Bus 1-day pass $7), Osaka Midosuji line hits every major stop. No need for taxis outside late-night emergencies — Japan's trains are on time to the minute.

What to pack

Walking shoes — you'll log 15-20k steps daily. A compact umbrella (unpredictable rain). Cash: Japan is still heavily cash-based for restaurants under $30 and small shrines, ATMs at 7-Eleven accept foreign cards. Pocket WiFi rental from the airport or an eSIM (Ubigi, Airalo) — Google Maps + Google Translate are essential. A handkerchief or small towel — public restrooms often don't provide paper towels. Modest clothes for temples (no tank tops or very short shorts).