Japan Itinerary 2 Weeks

Overview: 14-Day Japan Itinerary

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Before You Go: Japan Essentials

Japan Rail Pass: For this itinerary, buy a 14-day JR Pass before you leave home. It covers the Shinkansen between Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima, saving you significant money.

IC Card (Suica/Pasmo): Buy at the airport on arrival. Load ¥3,000–5,000. Used for all local trains, buses, and convenience store purchases.

Cash: Japan is still largely cash-based. Withdraw ¥50,000–100,000 on arrival at airport ATMs (7-Bank or JP Post ATMs accept international cards).

eSIM: Buy before you go — Airalo, Holafly or similar. Japan has excellent 4G/5G coverage everywhere.

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Days 1–5: Tokyo

Day 1 — Arrival & Shinjuku

Arrive at Narita or Haneda, buy your Suica card, take the train to your hotel. Keep Day 1 light — jet lag is real.

Evening: Walk around Shinjuku — the neon-lit chaos is the perfect introduction to Tokyo. Have dinner at a standing ramen bar or izakaya. Don’t try to do too much.

Day 2 — Shibuya, Harajuku, Meiji Shrine

• Start at Meiji Shrine (Harajuku) — serene forest in the middle of the city, free entry
• Walk through Takeshita Street for Tokyo street fashion and crepes
• Omotesando for luxury shopping and architecture
• Shibuya Crossing — visit at rush hour (5–7pm) for maximum chaos
• Dinner in Shibuya or Ebisu

Day 3 — Asakusa & Akihabara

• Senso-ji Temple (Asakusa) — Tokyo’s oldest temple. Go early morning (before 8am) to beat crowds
• Walk through Nakamise shopping street for souvenirs
• Akihabara — electronics, anime and gaming district. Even if you’re not into it, it’s a fascinating subculture
• Evening: Tokyo Skytree observation deck for city views (book tickets in advance)

Day 4 — Tsukiji, Ginza, teamLab

• Tsukiji Outer Market — breakfast at the fish market. Sushi at 7am is perfectly acceptable
• Ginza — Tokyo’s most upscale shopping district
• teamLab Planets (Toyosu) or teamLab Borderless — book well in advance, these immersive art spaces sell out. Allow 2–3 hours
• Dinner in Roppongi or back to your neighborhood

Day 5 — Hamarikyu, Yanaka, Shimokitazawa

• Hamarikyu Gardens — traditional garden with skyscraper backdrop
• Yanaka — old Tokyo neighborhood that survived WWII bombing. Temples, cats, independent shops
• Shimokitazawa — Tokyo’s bohemian neighborhood. Vinyl record shops, vintage clothing, small live music venues
• Final dinner in Tokyo — try a high-quality sushi omakase if budget allows

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Day 6 — Day Trip: Nikko or Kamakura

Nikko (2.5 hours from Tokyo): Ornate shrines and temples in a mountain forest. Tosho-gu shrine is one of Japan’s most lavishly decorated. Go in autumn for spectacular foliage.

Kamakura (1 hour from Tokyo): Coastal town with the famous Great Buddha (Kotoku-in). Pleasant beaches and forested hiking trails between temples.

**Tip:** If it’s cherry blossom season, skip the day trip and spend an extra day in Tokyo parks.

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Days 7–9: Kyoto

Take the Shinkansen Tokyo → Kyoto (2h15m, covered by JR Pass).

Day 7 — Fushimi Inari, Gion

• Fushimi Inari Taisha — the famous thousands-of-torii-gates shrine. Start at dawn (6–7am) to have the lower section to yourself. The full hike to the summit is 2–3 hours round trip.
• Nishiki Market — Kyoto’s narrow covered food market. Lunch here.
• Gion district — traditional geisha district. Walk along Hanamikoji-dori at dusk — highest chance of spotting geiko (Kyoto geisha)
• Evening: Yasaka Shrine is beautifully lit at night

Day 8 — Arashiyama

• Arashiyama Bamboo Grove — go before 8am, it’s the only way to experience it without crowds
• Tenryu-ji Temple — stunning garden, UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Monkey Park (optional) — climb the hill for views over Kyoto
• Afternoon: rent a bicycle and explore Kyoto’s cycling paths
• Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) — iconic but always crowded. Worth seeing briefly.

Day 9 — Philosopher’s Path, Nijo Castle

• Philosopher’s Path (early morning) — quiet canal walk lined with cherry trees or autumn maples
• Nanzen-ji Temple — one of Kyoto’s most important Zen temples, less crowded than Fushimi Inari
• Nijo Castle — impressive castle with nightingale floors
• Afternoon tea at a traditional Kyoto tea house
• Evening: kaiseki dinner (traditional Kyoto multi-course meal) — splurge if budget allows

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Day 10 — Day Trip: Nara

Nara is 45 minutes from Kyoto by train (or 30 from Osaka).

• Todai-ji Temple — houses Japan’s largest bronze Buddha statue. Impressive scale.
• Nara Park — hundreds of wild deer roam freely. They will absolutely headbutt you for crackers (shika senbei, sold everywhere). This is expected and delightful.
• Kasuga Taisha — ancient shrine with hundreds of stone lanterns
• Return to Kyoto or head directly to Osaka for the night

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Days 11–12: Osaka

Kyoto → Osaka is 15 minutes by Shinkansen or 30 minutes by local train (not JR Pass).

Day 11 — Osaka Castle, Dotonbori

• Osaka Castle and surrounding park — views from the tower are excellent
• Afternoon: wander and eat. Osaka is Japan’s food capital.
• Dotonbori at night — the famous canal district with giant crab signs, takoyaki, and crowds. Touristy but unmissable.
• Kuromon Ichiba Market — Osaka’s kitchen market, closes early evening

Day 12 — Free day / Osaka neighborhoods

• Shinsekai — retro working-class neighborhood, cheap kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers)
• Amerika-mura — street fashion and vintage shops
• Day trip option: Kobe (25 minutes) for Kobe beef and harbor views
• Final night in Osaka — eat everything

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Day 13 — Day Trip: Hiroshima & Miyajima

Take the Shinkansen Osaka → Hiroshima (1h15m, JR Pass).

• Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum — powerful, essential, allow 3 hours. Atomic Bomb Dome.
• Miyajima Island (45-minute ferry from Hiroshima) — the floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine. Most famous image of Japan.
• Walk around the island, see the deer, eat oysters (Hiroshima’s specialty)
• Return to Osaka or Kyoto for the night

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Day 14 — Departure

Most international flights from Osaka depart from Kansai International Airport (KIX), connected by train to Osaka and Kyoto.

From Tokyo: flights depart from Narita (NRT) or Haneda (HND). If departing from Tokyo, take the Shinkansen back on Day 14 morning (allow 3+ hours).

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2-Week Japan Budget Breakdown

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Book Your Japan Hotels

Start with Tokyo (Days 1–5) and Kyoto (Days 7–9) — these fill up first during cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons.

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Related Guides

• Best time to visit Japan
• Japan rail pass guide
• Tokyo travel guide
• Kyoto travel guide
• Japan on a budget