12 days in Japan: Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima

The red torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine standing in the sea at Miyajima

The first-timer route with a hot spring night in Hakone and a trip west to Hiroshima and Miyajima.

Route: Tokyo (4 days), then Hakone (1 day), then Kyoto (3 days), then Osaka (2 days), then Hiroshima and Miyajima (2 days).

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Day by day

  1. Day 1: Tokyo

    • Senso-ji and Asakusa. Tokyo's oldest temple, reached through the Nakamise shopping street.
    • Shibuya Crossing. The famous scramble crossing. Watch it from above at dusk, then wander the side streets.
    • Meiji Jingu and Harajuku. A shrine in a quiet forest, right next to one of the city's busiest fashion streets.

  2. Day 2: Tokyo

    • Shinjuku after dark. Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai pack tiny bars and yakitori counters into old alleys.
    • Tsukiji Outer Market. Street food and seafood stalls beside the site of the old wholesale market.
    • Ueno Park and the Tokyo National Museum. Japan's oldest national museum sits in a big park full of other museums.

  3. Day 3: Tokyo

    • Akihabara. Electronics, anime shops and multi-floor game centres.
    • Yanaka. Temples, small shops and narrow lanes with an old-Tokyo feel.
    • Shimokitazawa. Vintage clothing, record shops, small live music venues and cafes.

  4. Day 4: Tokyo

    • Kappabashi Street. The kitchenware street, where restaurants buy knives, bowls and plastic food samples.
    • Day trip to Kamakura. The Great Buddha, seaside temples and hiking trails, an easy day trip south of Tokyo.
    • Mount Takao. A forested hiking mountain reachable by train from Shinjuku, with a temple near the top.

  5. Day 5: Hakone

    Travel: Tokyo to Hakone. This leg is not in our verified fare tables yet, so check the operator before you book.

    • Lake Ashi. Boats cross the lake, and on clear days Mount Fuji appears behind it.
    • Owakudani. A steaming volcanic valley, reached by ropeway, known for eggs boiled black in the hot springs.

  6. Day 6: Kyoto

    Travel: Hakone to Kyoto. This leg is not in our verified fare tables yet, so check the operator before you book.

    • Fushimi Inari Taisha. Thousands of red torii gates climb Mount Inari. The higher you go, the quieter it gets.
    • Kiyomizu-dera and Higashiyama. A wooden temple stage over the hillside, then the old sloping lanes below it.

  7. Day 7: Kyoto

    • Arashiyama. The bamboo grove, Tenryu-ji temple and the river, on the western edge of the city.
    • Kinkaku-ji. The Golden Pavilion, covered in gold leaf and reflected in its pond.
    • Gion in the evening. The old teahouse district. Some private lanes ban photography, so look for the signs.

  8. Day 8: Kyoto

    • Nishiki Market. A long covered market of pickles, sweets and snacks, often called Kyoto's kitchen.
    • Philosopher's Path. A canal-side walk past small temples, best in cherry blossom and autumn seasons.
    • Pontocho. A narrow lane of restaurants and bars along the Kamo River.

  9. Day 9: Osaka

    Travel: Kyoto to Osaka, ¥2,880 (US$18) per adult, one way. Source: Smart EX service price list (Nozomi, reserved, regular season; PDF dated 1 April 2025).

    • Dotonbori. The neon canal street. Try takoyaki and okonomiyaki from the stalls.
    • Osaka Castle. A reconstructed keep with a museum inside, surrounded by a large park and moats.

  10. Day 10: Osaka

    • Kuromon Market. Seafood, fruit and grilled snacks along a covered market street.
    • Shinsekai. A retro district under Tsutenkaku Tower, known for deep-fried kushikatsu.
    • Umeda Sky Building. An open-air observation deck between two towers.

  11. Day 11: Hiroshima and Miyajima

    Travel: Osaka to Hiroshima and Miyajima, ¥10,750 (US$68) per adult, one way. Source: Smart EX service price list (Nozomi, reserved, regular season; PDF dated 1 April 2025).

    • Peace Memorial Park and Museum. The A-Bomb Dome and the museum. Allow time, it is emotionally heavy.
    • Miyajima. Itsukushima Shrine's torii appears to float at high tide. Check the tide times.

  12. Day 12: Hiroshima and Miyajima

    • Mount Misen. The hike or ropeway to the top of Miyajima gives views over the Inland Sea.
    • Hiroshima okonomiyaki. Layered with noodles, unlike the Osaka version. Okonomimura has floors of counters.
    • Shukkeien. A compact landscape garden with a pond and teahouse near the station.

Train fares on this route

Sourced long-distance legs add up to ¥13,630 (US$86) per adult, one way each. Not included because we have not verified them yet: Tokyo to Hakone, Hakone to Kyoto. Compare that with a JR Pass (7 days ¥50,000, 14 days ¥80,000, 21 days ¥100,000, from the Official Japan Rail Pass price page), and remember the pass needs a special extra ticket on Nozomi trains.

Opening hours and entry prices change, so check each sight's official site before you go. For room prices see accommodation costs in Japan, or build a full estimate in the trip planner and the budget calculator.

Fares last checked 2026-10-22. Smart EX prices come from a PDF dated 1 April 2025 and may have changed.

Other lengths: 7 days, 15 days, 21 days, 30 days.

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