First trip · One week
7-Day Japan Itinerary
Seven days is enough for one strong route, not for the whole country. The classic first-timer loop — Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka — keeps travel legs short and puts you on the shinkansen only twice.
Read the guideJapan itineraries
Start from a proven route, then make it yours. Each guide covers the shape of the trip, the rail legs, realistic daily spend and what most first-timers over-plan.
10 days · First-time Japan route
10-Day Japan Itinerary: Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto & Osaka
This 10 day Japan itinerary gives first-time visitors four nights in Tokyo, one restorative night in Hakone, three nights in Kyoto and two nights in Osaka. You move west without backtracking, see Japan's essential contrasts, and still have enough space to enjoy each place rather than race through it.
Read the guideTwo weeks · The full route
14-Day Japan Itinerary
Two weeks is the sweet spot. You can do the golden route properly and still add one region that feels like a different country — Hokkaido in the north or Kyushu in the south.
Read the guideTokyo · 3 to 5 days
Tokyo Itinerary
Tokyo is not one city, it is a cluster of districts connected by rail. Plan by neighbourhood rather than by sight and the days stop feeling exhausting.
Read the guideKyoto · 2 to 4 days
Kyoto Itinerary
Kyoto rewards early risers more than any other city in Japan. The same photograph taken at 6:30am and 10am tells two completely different stories.
Read the guideOsaka · 2 to 3 days
Osaka Itinerary
Osaka is where Japanese travellers go to eat. Two full days covers the food districts, the castle and one big attraction; a third buys you Nara or Kobe.
Read the guideMake one of these your own
Same routes, adjusted to your dates, budget and interests.
Build My Personalized Japan Trip