Japan Travel Itinerary

Buy Welcome Suica at vending machine left of Monorail gates before heading to train

Tokyo base Days 0–3 · Osaki · 00:08 JY Yamanote → Osaki 00:11 · 5 min walk from North Gate East exit

07:45–08:20 · Opens 08:00 — arrive early to beat crowds · ¥300 entry

08:50–09:15 · Walk Dankazura for iconic 2nd torii photo on Wakamiya-oji first

09:15–09:45 · Street food, souvenirs, Kamakura snacks

11:15–12:15 · Free entry · Open Tue–Sun 09:00–16:00

12:45–13:15 · April = peak cherry blossom season here

13:30–16:30 · Tokyo's most upscale shopping district

17:00–17:30 · ¥500 entry · Cherry blossoms in bloom in April

20:30–21:30 · Free observation deck · Great night views · Light show outside from 17:30

22:00–22:15 · Open until 23:00 · Night views stunning

07:00–07:30 · Rainbow Bridge views at sunrise · Cherry blossoms line the walkways

07:50–08:10 · Rainbow Bridge backdrop · Free to visit

09:00–10:00 · Pre-booked tickets required · Remove shoes, go barefoot through water installations

11:00–11:30 · Great cherry blossom picnic spot in April · Free entry

11:45–12:15 · Peaceful forested shrine · Free entry

12:30–14:30 · Wild fashion, crepes, quirky shops

15:30–16:00 · Tokyo's most visited temple · Free entry · Great at golden hour

16:30–18:30 · Traditional souvenirs, snacks, crafts

19:00–20:00 · World's 2nd tallest tower · Book tickets in advance for night views

20:45–21:30 · Open-air rooftop · Book in advance · 360° views

One of the busiest pedestrian crossings in the world · Best experienced at night · Starbucks has great views

30 min · Classic Mt. Fuji reflection views

40 min · Highest driveable point on Fuji · Usually snow-capped in April

30 min · Fuji views with flower fields

30 min · Eight sacred spring ponds fed by Fuji snowmelt

1 hr · Iconic pagoda-with-Fuji shot · 398 steps up from Fujiyoshida Sengen Shrine

30 min · Famous convenience store with Fuji backdrop photo spot

Owakudani volcanic valley · black eggs · Fuji views · Hakone Shrine · Open Air Museum

Lake Ashi pirate ship cruise with Fuji views · Gotemba Premium Outlets 1h

30 min · Torii gate in the lake

20 min · Active volcanic hot springs · Try the famous black eggs

Arr 23:01 · Show JR Pass + reservation slip at staffed gate

5 min walk from Kyoto Station · Your Kyoto base

06:30–07:00 · Arrive early — this is peak hour before crowds arrive · Free · Extraordinary at dawn

07:12–07:25 · "Moon Crossing Bridge" · Cherry blossoms + mountain backdrop in April

07:35–08:00 · UNESCO World Heritage · Beautiful pond garden · ¥500 garden, ¥800 combined

09:00–09:45 · One of Japan's most iconic sights · ¥500 entry · Go early before it gets packed

10:30–11:30 · Kyoto's "Kitchen" · 400+ year old market · Try tsukemono pickles, yakitori, tofu

12:00–13:00 · Free · Hike as far as you like through tunnels of vermillion gates · You arrived early in your itinerary which is smart

13:45–14:30 · Famous "nightingale floors" squeak to prevent ninja assassins · ¥1,000 · UNESCO Heritage

15:15–16:00 · Iconic wooden stage with sweeping Kyoto views · ¥500 · UNESCO Heritage · Opens 06:00

16:15–17:00 · Kyoto's oldest public park · Famous weeping cherry tree · Free · Spring cherry blossoms peak here

17:05 Kodai-ji Temple · 18:00–21:00 Gion: Hanamikoji Dori · Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka · Gion Shirakawa · Pontocho Alley · Yasaka Shrine · Minamiza Theatre · Shinbashi Dori · Best chance to spot geiko/maiko at dusk

Night views over Kyoto · 37 min walk back · Return hotel by 22:00

Kyoto 06:21 → Tennoji 07:05 · Then Q Rapid 304 Tennoji 07:19 → Nara 07:53

Dep 07:51 → arr 08:50 · Simpler (no change) but later arrival

Buy deer crackers (¥200) · Deer bow back when you bow · Don't hold the whole stack — give one at a time!

World's largest wooden building · 15m bronze Great Buddha · ¥800 entry · Opens 08:00

10:45–11:45 · Grounds free · Castle interior ¥600 · Cherry blossoms surround the castle in April

12:30–13:00 · Open-air rooftop · Connected sky bridge between two towers · ¥2,000

13:45–14:45 · Osaka's Kitchen · Fresh seafood, wagyu skewers, street food heaven

15:30–16:30 · One of the world's largest · Great Osaka Bay views · Optional transparent cabin · ¥900

17:15–19:00 · Osaka's premier shopping arcade

19:15–20:30 · Neon signs, Glico Running Man, takoyaki, ramen · The soul of Osaka

Arr 23:41 · Kodama stops at every station — fully JR Pass covered · 10 min walk to hotel

07:00–08:00 · Children's Peace Monument · Atomic Bomb Dome · Flame of Peace · Free · Deeply moving

08:00–10:00 · One of the most important museums in the world · ¥200 · Opens 07:30 · Emotionally intense but essential

10:45–11:15 · Floating torii gate · One of Japan's top 3 views · ¥300 · Visit at low tide to walk to the torii

20 min · Beautiful maple valley · Deer roam freely here too

11:50–12:30 · Sweeping Seto Inland Sea views · Queue early — can get very busy

13:00–14:00 · Momiji manju (maple leaf cakes), oysters, local crafts

Hikari dep 16:33 · arr Shin-Osaka 17:19 · Car 4/5 · 5ABC · dep 18:18 → Shinagawa 21:05