7 days in Japan: Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka

A quiet Kyoto street lined with traditional wooden houses

The classic first trip. Three days in Tokyo, three in Kyoto with a Nara option, and a last night of street food in Osaka.

Route: Tokyo (3 days), then Kyoto (3 days), then Osaka (1 day).

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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: Kyoto

    Travel: Tokyo to Kyoto, ¥14,170 (US$90) per adult, one way. Source: NAVITIME Shinkansen fare table (regular reserved fare, effective 14 March 2026).

    • 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.

  5. Day 5: 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.

  6. Day 6: 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.

  7. Day 7: 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.

Train fares on this route

Sourced long-distance legs add up to ¥17,050 (US$108) per adult, one way each. 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: 12 days, 15 days, 21 days, 30 days.

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