If it's your first trip to Japan and you have about two weeks, this is the itinerary we recommend: Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo, with day trips to Nara, Uji or Mount Fuji. It's the 14-day route from our guide. From Europe you usually land the day after you take off, so with the flight it adds up to the 15 days most first trips to Japan last.

You'll find the full route, with more than 60 cafes, around 50 restaurants and our hotel picks in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, in our Japan travel guide in PDF, which includes a Google Maps list with every spot saved. The guide is available in English and Spanish.

The itinerary at a glance

• Days 1-3: Osaka (Dotonbori, the castle, Umeda) and a day trip to Nara.
• Days 4-7: Kyoto (Gion, Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera) and a day trip to Uji or Lake Biwa.
• Days 8-14: Tokyo (Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Odaiba, Ginza) and a day trip to Kamakura, Nikko or Mount Fuji.

Before you go: flights, getting around and when to visit

Flights: fly into Osaka, out of Tokyo

The route runs west to east: you land at Kansai Airport (KIX) in Osaka and fly home from Tokyo, so you never backtrack. Look for a multi-city flight, into Osaka and out of Tokyo.

Getting around

The train between Osaka and Kyoto takes 30 to 45 minutes, and Nara is about 45 minutes from Osaka. From Kyoto to Tokyo you take the Shinkansen, the bullet train, in about 2 h 15 min. On this route the JR Pass isn't worth it: buy single tickets. Within the cities, use the metro and trains. With an iPhone you can pay with Suica on your phone; with Android, get the physical card.

When to go

Spring (March to May) is sakura season, with temperatures of 15-20 °C, but it's also the busiest time. In fall (September to November) it's 15-25 °C and the maple leaves turn red (momiji); September can bring typhoons, especially in the south. June and July are the rainy season, and August is very hot, though it's festival (matsuri) month. In winter it's cold across most of the country (0-10 °C).

Osaka: days 1, 2 and 3

Day 1: arrival and Dotonbori

Land at Kansai and check in around Namba or Shinsaibashi, which is where we recommend staying in Osaka. In the evening, stroll through Dotonbori: neon lights, gyoza, takoyaki and ramen. If you're tired, grab a quick dinner at Ichiran.

Day 2: the castle, Umeda and Amerikamura

In the morning, Osaka Castle and its park. Then head up to the Umeda Sky Building observatory. In the afternoon, vintage shops in Amerikamura and the Shinsaibashi shopping street. For dinner, okonomiyaki at Mizuno or Kiji.

Day 3: Osaka or Nara

You have two options. If you stay in the city, go to Kuromon Ichiba Market and Sumiyoshi Taisha shrine, and stop for something in the Hōzenji Yokocho alley. If you'd rather get out, take the train to Nara to see the Great Buddha at Todai-ji and the deer in the park, then head back to Osaka for the night. For a first trip, we'd pick Nara.

Kyoto: days 4, 5, 6 and 7

Day 4: arriving in Kyoto, Gion and Pontocho

Take the train to Kyoto and check in around Gion or Kawaramachi. If your budget allows, this is the place to spend a night or two in a ryokan. In the afternoon, walk around Gion and Pontocho Alley, and have dinner at an izakaya or a traditional Japanese restaurant.

An important heads-up: in Gion you're not allowed into the private alleys, and the fine is 10,000 yen. Stick to the main streets and respect the people who live there.

Day 5: Kinkaku-ji, Ryoan-ji and Arashiyama

Start in the north with Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion) and the zen garden at Ryoan-ji. Then cross over to Arashiyama: the bamboo forest, the Katsura River and Tenryu-ji temple. Stay for sunset on the Togetsukyo Bridge.

Day 6: Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu-dera

Get up early to climb through the thousands of red torii gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha: first thing in the morning there are far fewer people. Then visit Kiyomizu-dera temple and the Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka streets, lined with traditional shops. Finish with a coffee at % Arabica or a matcha in a tea room.

Day 7: a day trip from Kyoto

Three options, depending on what you feel like: Uji, famous for matcha; Lake Biwa, for a quiet day with views; or Nagoya, if you'd like a modern city before Tokyo.

Tokyo: days 8 to 14

Day 8: Shinkansen and Shibuya

Shinkansen to Tokyo and check in around Shibuya or Shinjuku. In the evening, the Shibuya Crossing and the Hachiko statue, then dinner at an izakaya or a kaiten sushi (conveyor-belt sushi) place.

Day 9: Meiji Jingu, Harajuku and Shinjuku

In the morning, Meiji Jingu shrine and Takeshita Street, Harajuku's alternative fashion street. In the afternoon, Shinjuku Gyoen garden and the free observation decks at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.

Day 10: Shibuya at your own pace

Walk along Cat Street (fashion, cafes and local shops), then Shibuya Parco, Shibuya 109 and MIYASHITA PARK. Go up to the Shibuya Sky observation deck: tickets are sold by time slot, from about 2,200 yen on the official website, and sunset slots sell out first, so book ahead. To end the day, a cocktail with a view at the Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel or the Trunk Hotel.

Day 11: art and futuristic Tokyo

teamLab Planets or the Mori Art Museum in the morning. teamLab tickets are also for a specific date and time, and the good slots go fast: buy yours a few weeks ahead. In the afternoon, Odaiba, with its man-made beach and bay views, and sunset from Tokyo Tower or the Skytree.

Day 12: markets and shopping

Toyosu fish market or Tsukiji Outer Market, ideally first thing in the morning (a fresh sushi breakfast is one of the plans we recommend most). Then shopping in Ginza or Omotesando, and a specialty coffee, at Blue Bottle for example.

Day 13: a day trip from Tokyo

Pick one: Kamakura, with temples and a beach; Nikko, with nature and UNESCO-listed shrines; or Mount Fuji from Lake Kawaguchiko, the must if you're after scenery. If you go to Fuji, rent a bike and ride the paths around the lakes with the volcano in the background.

Day 14: Tokyo with no rush

A free morning for brunch or a walk around Daikanyama or Nakameguro. Last-minute shopping at LOFT, Don Quijote or Hands, then sunset and a farewell dinner in Ebisu.

Paperwork, money and phone: the practical stuff

• Visa: with an EU passport you don't need one for tourist stays of under 90 days. Your passport must be valid for your whole stay, and at immigration they may ask for your onward ticket and your accommodation booking. Always check the requirements for your nationality on the website of the Embassy of Japan.
• Visit Japan Web: fill it in before you fly (it's free). It gives you the QR code for immigration and customs.
• Money: the currency is the yen. Take out cash at an airport ATM when you land, as some places still don't take cards.
• Tax-free: from November 2026, sales tax on your purchases is refunded at the airport, with a minimum of 5,000 yen per store.
• Internet: the easiest option is an eSIM (Holafly or Airalo), which you install before you leave. Useful apps: Google Maps, Japan Travel by NAVITIME for transport, and GO or Uber for taxis.
• Travel insurance: essential. We always travel with IATI.

Where to stay in each city

• Osaka: Namba or Shinsaibashi, with Dotonbori around the corner and good train connections.
• Kyoto: Gion or Kawaramachi. This is the city to sleep in a ryokan, with a futon and a kaiseki dinner.
• Tokyo: Shibuya or Shinjuku, the two best-connected areas.

In the guide we list hotels by city and by budget, from simple options to ryokans and luxury hotels.

Our tips for a first trip to Japan

• Go early to the most famous spots: Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera or Sensō-ji feel completely different first thing in the morning.
• Book ahead for anything sold by time slot (Shibuya Sky, teamLab) and for ryokans in spring and fall.
• Pack light: on the Shinkansen and in the stations you'll be glad you did. If it helps, we have a post on how to pack so everything fits.
• Do as the locals do: respect lines, schedules and the quiet on public transport, and take your trash with you (there are hardly any bins).
• Leave some gaps: wandering neighborhoods like Yanaka or Shimokitazawa, singing karaoke or ducking into izakaya alleys is Japan too.
• Keep the map on your phone: having every spot saved saves a lot of time. We explain how to use it in our post on Google Maps lists for travel.

If you have more days

• Hiroshima and Miyajima, with the Peace Museum and the great floating torii of Itsukushima shrine.
• Koyasan, to stay overnight in a Buddhist temple, with the monks' ceremony and vegetarian food (shōjin ryōri).
• Hakone, for a soak in an onsen.
• The Japanese Alps: Takayama, Matsumoto and its black castle, or Shirakawa-go.
• Himeji, with its UNESCO-listed castle.

Take the itinerary on your phone

Download our Japan travel guide in PDF, available in English and Spanish, with the 14-day itinerary, the country's regions, cafes, restaurants, hotels and shops in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, practical info and every spot saved in Google Maps.