Day 1-2: Tokyo Highlights
Start in Tokyo with two packed days. Day 1: Arrive and activate your 7-day Japan Rail Pass. Visit Senso-ji temple in Asakusa (free), explore Nakamise shopping street, then head to Akihabara for electronics and anime culture. Evening: dinner at an Omoide Yokocho yakitori bar in Shinjuku (¥2,000-¥3,000). Day 2: Meiji Shrine (free) in the morning, walk through Harajuku's Takeshita Street, lunch in Shibuya, then explore Shibuya Crossing and Shibuya Sky observation deck (¥2,000). Evening: Golden Gai bars in Shinjuku. Budget: ¥10,000-¥15,000/day including food and activities.
Tip: Get a 72-hour Tokyo Subway Ticket (¥1,500) for days 1-2 instead of using your JR Pass — it covers more subway lines within the city.
Day 3: Hakone Day Trip
Use your JR Pass to reach Odawara Station (35 minutes on Shinkansen from Tokyo) then buy the Hakone Free Pass (¥5,000 from Odawara) for unlimited local transport. Follow the classic Hakone loop: Hakone-Yumoto onsen town, mountain railway up to Gora, cable car over volcanic Owakudani (try the black eggs, ¥500 for 5), ropeway down to Lake Ashi, then pirate ship cruise across the lake with potential Mt. Fuji views. Soak in a day-use onsen before returning (Hakone Yuryo, ¥1,500). Return to Tokyo by evening. Total day cost: ¥8,000-¥10,000.
Tip: Check Fuji visibility forecasts before going — clear views are most common November through February. Summer humidity often obscures the mountain.
Day 4: Shinkansen to Kyoto
Take the Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto (2 hours 15 minutes, covered by JR Pass). Sit on the right side (seats A-C) for Mt. Fuji views between Shin-Yokohama and Shizuoka. After checking into your hotel, spend the afternoon at Fushimi Inari Shrine — walk through thousands of vermillion torii gates up the mountain (free, allow 2-3 hours for the full loop). Evening: stroll through Gion district hoping to spot geiko (Kyoto geisha) heading to appointments along Hanamikoji Street. Dinner: Pontocho alley restaurants along the Kamogawa river.
Tip: Start climbing Fushimi Inari after 3 PM when day-trippers leave. The upper trail beyond the halfway viewpoint is dramatically quieter.
Day 5: Kyoto Temples and Gardens
Morning: Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion (¥500) then the Zen rock garden at Ryoan-ji (¥500) — both in northwest Kyoto, reachable by bus. Afternoon: Arashiyama district for the bamboo grove (free, arrive early), Tenryu-ji temple garden (¥500), and the Togetsukyo Bridge. Optional: rent a kimono (¥4,000-¥6,000) for the day to explore in traditional dress. Evening: Nishiki Market for street food snacks — try yuba (tofu skin), tsukemono (pickles), and matcha desserts. Total: ¥5,000-¥12,000.
Tip: Rent bicycles (¥1,000/day) from your hotel or station — Kyoto is flat and cycling between temples is faster than waiting for crowded buses.
Day 6: Nara and Transfer to Osaka
Day trip to Nara (45 minutes from Kyoto by JR, covered by pass). Feed the 1,200 friendly deer in Nara Park (crackers ¥200), visit the enormous Todai-ji temple housing Japan's largest bronze Buddha (¥600), and explore the peaceful Kasuga Taisha shrine with its thousands of stone lanterns (¥500). Afternoon: continue to Osaka (30 minutes from Nara by JR). Check into your Osaka hotel and head to Dotonbori for dinner — try takoyaki (octopus balls, ¥600), okonomiyaki (savory pancake, ¥1,000), and kushikatsu (fried skewers, ¥1,500). Total: ¥5,000-¥8,000.
Tip: Bow to the Nara deer and they often bow back — but watch your map and bags, they will eat paper.
Day 7: Osaka and Departure
Morning: Osaka Castle park (tower entry ¥600) and the surrounding gardens. Visit Kuromon Market for fresh sashimi, wagyu beef skewers, and fruit on sticks (budget ¥3,000 for grazing). Afternoon: Shinsekai district for the retro atmosphere and Tsutenkaku Tower (¥900), or Amerikamura for vintage shopping. If flying from Kansai Airport: Nankai Limited Express from Namba (38 minutes, ¥1,290). If flying from Osaka Itami: bus from Osaka Station (30 minutes, ¥660). Total trip budget excluding flights and accommodation: approximately ¥70,000-¥100,000 per person.
