Japan Itinerary
Photo by Susann Schuster on Unsplash
How long do you have? Pick a plan below for 3, 5, 7 or 10 days in Japan. Each one is built so you can follow it as it is or mix days from different plans.
Best time to go: Late March to April for cherry blossoms, or October to November for autumn colors.
Getting around: Trains and the metro. The bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto takes about two and a quarter to two and a half hours.
Book ahead: Your Kyoto stay, bullet train seats and popular restaurants.
3-Day Japan Itinerary
Day 1 — Old Tokyo
Visit Senso-ji temple in Asakusa, walk through Ueno Park, and explore the neon streets of Akihabara in the evening.
Day 2 — Shibuya, Harajuku & Shinjuku
Start at Meiji Shrine, browse Harajuku’s side streets, cross Shibuya Crossing, and end the night in Shinjuku.
Day 3 — Mount Fuji Day Trip
Head to the Kawaguchiko lake area for views of Mount Fuji. Check the weather first, because the mountain is often hidden by cloud.
5-Day Japan Itinerary
Day 1 — Old Tokyo
Visit Senso-ji temple in Asakusa, walk through Ueno Park, and explore the neon streets of Akihabara in the evening.
Day 2 — Shibuya, Harajuku & Shinjuku
Start at Meiji Shrine, browse Harajuku’s side streets, cross Shibuya Crossing, and end the night in Shinjuku.
Day 3 — Mount Fuji Day Trip
Head to the Kawaguchiko lake area for views of Mount Fuji. Check the weather first, because the mountain is often hidden by cloud.
Day 4 — Bullet Train to Kyoto
Ride the bullet train (about 2.25 to 2.5 hours). Visit the Fushimi Inari shrine with its thousands of red gates, then stroll the Gion district at dusk.
Day 5 — Arashiyama & Temples
Walk the Arashiyama bamboo grove early, visit Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, and browse Nishiki Market for lunch.
7-Day Japan Itinerary
Day 1 — Old Tokyo
Visit Senso-ji temple in Asakusa, walk through Ueno Park, and explore the neon streets of Akihabara in the evening.
Day 2 — Shibuya, Harajuku & Shinjuku
Start at Meiji Shrine, browse Harajuku’s side streets, cross Shibuya Crossing, and end the night in Shinjuku.
Day 3 — Mount Fuji Day Trip
Head to the Kawaguchiko lake area for views of Mount Fuji. Check the weather first, because the mountain is often hidden by cloud.
Day 4 — Bullet Train to Kyoto
Ride the bullet train (about 2.25 to 2.5 hours). Visit the Fushimi Inari shrine with its thousands of red gates, then stroll the Gion district at dusk.
Day 5 — Arashiyama & Temples
Walk the Arashiyama bamboo grove early, visit Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, and browse Nishiki Market for lunch.
Day 6 — Nara Day Trip
Take a short train to Nara to meet the friendly deer in the park and see Todai-ji and its giant Buddha.
Day 7 — Osaka
Spend the day in Osaka for Osaka Castle and street food in Dotonbori.
10-Day Japan Itinerary
Download the 10-day plan (PDF)
Day 1 — Old Tokyo
Visit Senso-ji temple in Asakusa, walk through Ueno Park, and explore the neon streets of Akihabara in the evening.
Day 2 — Shibuya, Harajuku & Shinjuku
Start at Meiji Shrine, browse Harajuku’s side streets, cross Shibuya Crossing, and end the night in Shinjuku.
Day 3 — Mount Fuji Day Trip
Head to the Kawaguchiko lake area for views of Mount Fuji. Check the weather first, because the mountain is often hidden by cloud.
Day 4 — Kamakura
Take the train to Kamakura (about an hour) to see the Great Buddha and the seaside temples.
Day 5 — Bullet Train to Kyoto
Ride the bullet train (about 2.25 to 2.5 hours). Visit the Fushimi Inari shrine with its thousands of red gates, then stroll the Gion district at dusk.
Day 6 — Kyoto Temples & Geisha District
Visit Kiyomizu-dera and walk the old streets of Higashiyama.
Day 7 — Arashiyama & Temples
Walk the Arashiyama bamboo grove early, visit Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, and browse Nishiki Market for lunch.
Day 8 — Nara Day Trip
See the deer, Todai-ji and its giant Buddha.
Day 9 — Osaka
Spend the day at Osaka Castle and eat in Dotonbori.
Day 10 — Hiroshima & Miyajima
Take the bullet train to Hiroshima (about 1.5 hours) to visit the Peace Memorial, then the island of Miyajima.
Opening times, ticket rules, travel times and prices change, so check each detail before you book.
See the full trip breakdown in our Japan travel guide.
