The classic first trip to Japan: Tokyo's neighbourhoods, then the Shinkansen to Kyoto's temples, geisha districts and Nara's deer, and a short hop to Osaka for street food and the castle. Spring blossom (late March to early April) and autumn leaves (November) are the peak seasons.
Multi-city route for your dates
6 days from Sat, Dec 5.
- Days 1–2 Tokyo
- Days 3–4 KyotoTrain from Tokyo to Kyoto (about 2.3 hours)
- Days 5–6 OsakaTrain from Kyoto to Osaka (about 30 minutes)
Good to know
- Send big bags ahead with a luggage-forwarding service (takkyubin) and ride the Shinkansen light.
- A Japan Rail Pass only pays off with more long trips; for this route, single tickets are often cheaper.
- Fly into Tokyo and home from Osaka's Kansai airport.
Eat this
Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
Tokyo's oldest temple, its thunder gate hung with a giant red lantern, fronted by a market lane of senbei and souvenirs.
Forest shrine to Emperor Meiji reached through a towering torii gate, a quiet contrast to Harajuku's crowds next door.
The world's busiest pedestrian crossing — watch from the Starbucks above or join the flow, then browse Shibuya 109.
Barefoot, immersive digital-art museum where you wade through mirrored water rooms — book a timed slot weeks ahead.
Narrow lanes of knife shops, tamagoyaki stalls and sushi counters around the old fish market — go hungry, go early.
Tallest structure in Japan with two observation decks over the Sumida River and, on clear days, Mount Fuji.
Two hundred tiny bars stacked into alleyways barely wide enough to pass — pick one with an open stool and a menu you recognize.
Multi-storey arcades, anime shops and maid cafés — the capital of otaku culture.
Cherry-blossom park anchoring Japan's largest collection of samurai armor, scrolls and ceramics.
Grill your own monjayaki — Tokyo's gooier cousin of okonomiyaki — at a hole-in-the-wall on this dedicated street.
Two hours north to the gilded Tosho-gu shrine in cedar forest and the waterfalls of Kegon — a full day away from the city.
Crepe stands and pastel fashion boutiques packed into one pedestrian lane — the loudest 300 metres in Tokyo.
Thousands of vermilion torii gates climbing Mount Inari — walk as far up as you like, the crowds thin out fast.
A gilded Zen pavilion reflected in its own pond — arrive at opening to beat the tour buses.
A quiet path of towering bamboo stalks, best combined with the Tenryu-ji garden and the Togetsukyo Bridge nearby.
Lantern-lit streets of old teahouses where geiko and maiko sometimes hurry between appointments at dusk.
Wooden temple on stilts over a hillside, its huge veranda giving a sweeping view of the city and the maple trees below.
"Kyoto's Kitchen" — a covered arcade of pickle shops, knife sellers and skewered street food going back 400 years.
Cherry-tree-lined canal walk between Ginkaku-ji and Nanzen-ji, named for a philosophy professor's daily stroll.
Shogun's castle with "nightingale floors" that chirp underfoot to warn of intruders, set in formal gardens.
Forty minutes by train to a park of bowing wild deer, the giant bronze Buddha of Todai-ji, and Kasuga's lantern-lined paths.
Multi-course seasonal haute cuisine served in a narrow riverside alley of centuries-old restaurants.
A more restrained temple than its golden counterpart, famous for its raked-sand "sea of silver sand" garden.
Summer-only platforms built out over the Kamo River where restaurants serve dinner above the water.
Neon canal strip with the Glico sign and endless food stalls and izakayas.
Reconstructed 16th-century castle with a museum and cherry blossoms in spring.
Seafood, wagyu skewers and fruit in the 'Kitchen of Osaka'.
Super Nintendo World, Harry Potter and thrill rides; buy timed passes.
Japan's best-preserved white feudal castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Giant tank with whale sharks and a Pacific Ocean-themed route.
Floating garden observatory with a 360-degree city view.
Retro district known for kushikatsu and Showa-era atmosphere.
Make your own cup ramen at the museum honoring Momofuku Ando.
Savory pancake grilled at the table with bonito flakes and sauce.