Japan's first trip is sensory overload in the best way. Ten days is the sweet spot for a first-timer — enough to see Tokyo properly, get a real taste of Kyoto, eat your way through Osaka, and squeeze in Nara without exhausting yourself. This is the route we send every friend.
The 10-day overview
- Days 1–4: Tokyo
- Day 5: Travel day + arrive Kyoto (with a Hakone or Himeji stop)
- Days 6–7: Kyoto
- Day 8: Day trip to Nara from Kyoto
- Days 9–10: Osaka, then fly home from KIX
Before you go: the three reservations that matter
- Studio Ghibli Museum (Tokyo) — opens 10th of the prior month at 10:00 JST. Sells out in minutes.
- teamLab Planets (Tokyo) — book at least two weeks ahead for evening slots.
- Shinkansen seat reservations for major travel days. Use the SmartEX app or a JR ticket office.
The JR Pass is no longer the obvious win it once was after the 2023 price hike — for this 10-day route, individual Shinkansen tickets are usually cheaper. Run the numbers on the official JR West price calculator before buying.
Days 1–4: Tokyo
Where to stay: Shinjuku or Shibuya for first-timers. Both have endless food, fast transit, and put you within walking distance of major neighborhoods.
Day 1: Shinjuku and Shibuya
Land at Narita or Haneda, take the Narita Express or Keikyu Line to your hotel, drop bags, push through. Walk Shinjuku at sunset, eat at Omoide Yokocho ("Memory Lane"), watch Shibuya Crossing from the Starbucks. Get to bed early — jet lag will get worse on day 2.
Day 2: Asakusa, Ueno, Akihabara
Start at Senso-ji temple early to beat crowds. Walk through Nakamise market, train to Ueno Park (museums, cherry blossoms in season), end the day in Akihabara for the lights and the arcades.
Day 3: Harajuku, Meiji Shrine, Roppongi
Meiji Shrine in the morning, Harajuku and Omotesando for shopping and people-watching, Roppongi Hills observation deck at sunset for the best skyline view in Tokyo.
Day 4: teamLab Planets and Tsukiji
Morning at Tsukiji Outer Market for a sushi breakfast. Afternoon at teamLab Planets in Toyosu. Evening: izakaya hopping in Ebisu or Shimokitazawa.
Tokyo must-eats
- Conveyor-belt sushi at Uobei or Genki Sushi
- Ramen at Ichiran (touristy but the system is fun)
- Tonkatsu at Maisen in Aoyama
- A 7-Eleven egg salad sandwich. Seriously.
Day 5: Tokyo to Kyoto via Hakone
Drop your big bag at your Tokyo hotel using forward luggage shipping (Yamato Transport sends bags to your Kyoto hotel for ~¥2,000 — life-changing). Take the Romance Car to Hakone for the day, soak in an onsen, then catch a Shinkansen to Kyoto from Odawara. Check into Kyoto by 19:00.
Alternative: skip Hakone, stop in Himeji to see the castle.
Days 6–7: Kyoto
Where to stay: Gion or Higashiyama if budget allows; Kyoto Station area if not.
Day 6: Eastern Kyoto
Fushimi Inari shrine at sunrise (no exaggeration — by 9 a.m. it's mobbed). Breakfast back near the station. Walk Higashiyama: Kiyomizu-dera, the Sannenzaka stone streets, Yasaka Pagoda, Maruyama Park. End in Gion for dinner and a chance of spotting a geiko on her way to work.
Day 7: Western Kyoto and Arashiyama
Bamboo grove early, monkey park for the view, lunch in Arashiyama, Tenryu-ji temple. Afternoon: Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) and the Zen rock garden at Ryoan-ji.
Kyoto must-eats
- Kaiseki at a ryokan if budget allows (¥10,000+)
- Yudofu in Higashiyama
- Matcha everything in Uji (an easy 30-minute add-on)
- Nishiki Market for snacks — tako tamago, fresh tofu donuts
Day 8: Nara day trip
45 minutes by JR or Kintetsu from Kyoto. Spend the day at Todai-ji (the giant Buddha is genuinely awesome), Kasuga Taisha shrine, and Nara Park with the famous bowing deer. Buy the deer crackers; do not bring snacks of your own into the park.
Optional add-on: skip the second half of Nara and detour to Inari sake brewery district or Uji.
Days 9–10: Osaka
Where to stay: Namba or Shinsaibashi.
Day 9: Castle, Dotonbori, food crawl
Shinkansen from Kyoto to Shin-Osaka (15 minutes). Drop bags. Osaka Castle in the morning, Dotonbori in the afternoon, then a proper food crawl: takoyaki, okonomiyaki, kushikatsu, the iconic Glico sign at night.
Day 10: Final morning + KIX
Breakfast at Kuromon Ichiba market, last shopping in Shinsaibashi, then the Nankai Rapid or Haruka Express to Kansai International Airport.
Costs (rough, per person)
- Mid-range (3-star hotels, mostly Shinkansen, regular restaurants): ¥18,000–22,000/day (~$120–145)
- Budget (capsule hotels and guesthouses, slower trains, conbini meals + one nice dinner): ¥10,000–13,000/day (~$70–85)
- Splurge (ryokan stays, kaiseki, taxis): ¥35,000+/day (~$235+)
Add ~¥30,000 ($200) for Shinkansen tickets across the trip if you skip the JR Pass.
Practical tips
- Get a Suica or Pasmo IC card for every train and bus. The mobile version on iPhone/Apple Wallet is the easiest.
- Cash is still king at small restaurants and shrines. Withdraw at 7-Eleven ATMs.
- Coin lockers and luggage forwarding save your back. Use them.
- Reservations for famous restaurants are often only by phone in Japanese. Use Pocketalk, Google Translate, or ask your hotel concierge.
Ten days is not enough for Japan. It never will be. But this route gives a first-timer the four cities that explain everything — the speed of Tokyo, the soul of Kyoto, the cheek of Osaka, and the calm of Nara — without the trip turning into a checklist.