Explore Japan’s magic with this 8 Day itinerary
Japan is an incredible experience, as it distinguishes itself from other destinations with its pure culture, respect for society and technological progress. People work towards the collective progress. Tokyo is one of the busiest cities in the world, with over 38 million people living in the metropolitan area, and still feels as one of the most organized places in the world. Every person knows where they belong and everything seems to be in the right place. Japan shows you the best in society and how a community, with respect for others, can be achieved.
Our itinerary will take you to Kyoto where you will visit the famous Fushimi Inari Taisha, the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kiyomizu dera, experience authentic walking tours through the back-streets of Kyoto and the Gion district, a hidden AMEX lounge, the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and the Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavillion. On your way to Hiroshima, plan for a stop at the Himeji castle, before exploring the floating torii gate on Miyajima island and the historic district of Hiroshima. Next, our itinerary will take you to Osaka, Nara and finally Tokyo.
Our Itinerary: Kyoto – Himeji – Hiroshima – Osaka – Nara – Tokyo
What You Need To Know
What to see: Japan offers an incredible diversity as you can experience century old traditions, history, futuristic progress, volcanic activities, coral reefs, ski resorts, spiritual temples, and of course the famous Mount Fuji.
Best time to visit: Japan is an-all year round destination, with peak season around cherry blossom in March/April and autumn foliage in mid-November. The summer months, July and August are very hot and humid. We went in mid-April and got lucky to experience the cherry blossom season. Don’t forget to look out for the annual Cherry Blossom forecast. Mount Fuji can only be climbed in July/August and proper planning is required.
How to get there: Flying into Narita (NRT) or Haneda (HND) airports in Tokyo are the best options as they offer great direct flight connections from many US cities. We flew with Delta from Detroit into Haneda and left from Narita through Portland. Tokyo also offers great domestic flight connections or the option to hop on a high-speed train by connecting in Tokyo Station.
Japanese Rail Pass: Getting the Japanese Rail Pass is highly recommended if you travel between cities. Request it here at least 2 weeks prior to your departure and a travel voucher will be mailed to your home – we got ours within 2 days. Exchange the physical travel voucher with the actual rail pass at a JR Office at the airport. The pass for 7 days costs around $270 per person and it includes multiple Shinkansen high speed trains, local JR trains, and even the ferry from Hiroshima to Miyashjima. Depending on your final travel itinerary and the regions you travel to, will determine which pass option is the best fit.
Public transportation: it seems overwhelming when you first arrive in Japan, as there are so many different options and lines; however, it is the quickest and easiest way to get around. Millions of people choose this way of travel every day, and so can you!
Know before you go: 1) Don’t open your own taxi door as it is considered uneducated; conveniently, the driver has an automatic way of opening the door for you. 2) Review the rules before visiting a Japanese Bath – men and women use separate baths and there are many strict guidelines that come with it. Some are here. 3) Japanese toilets: if you haven’t experienced them before, then please try it out! 4) Purification – there is a simple cleaning ritual that everyone has to follow before entering a shrine or temple. Take one of the ladles provided, fill it with fresh water and rinse both hands. Put some water into your cupped hand, rinse your mouth and spit the water besides the fountain. Don’t swallow the water or hold the ladle towards your mouth and dispose all excess water outside the fountain. In case of doubt, observe a local.
What to buy: Japan is great to buy chopsticks, tea, cosmetic brands like Shiseido or SK-II or shop at UNIQLO.
Budget: Japan is not a cheap destination and cities like Tokyo and Osaka are among the most expensive cities in the world. If you can, then save some hotel loyalty points and redeem those well earned rewards at the Conrad Osaka or the Park Hyatt Tokyo on points, which was an incredible deal. Other paid hotel nights were around $250 per night during the cherry-blossom season.
Kyoto | 3 Days
We landed in Haneda airport, took the metro to Tokyo station (change line in Hamamatsuchō) and immediately took the Shinkansen high-speed train to Kyoto. Just to put it in perspective: Tokyo – Kyoto is a 5+ hour car drive or a little over 2 hours by train.
Hotel: We booked the Sakura Terrace Hotel through Agoda as it is walking distance from the train station. If you are looking to stay at a traditional Japanese Inn, then make sure to book a Ryokan in the Geisha district.
Day 1: We started our day early and visited the incredible Fushimi Inari Taisha at Mount Inari. This is a Shinto shrine with over 10,000 Torii gates. We started this easy 2 hour hike around 7:30 am and got to enjoy it before it got too busy. The Fushimi Inari Shrine has ancient origins, as it was built in 794 and is dedicated to the God of rice.
Getting here: The JR Nara line (included in Rail Pass) takes you in less than 10 minutes from Kyoto station to Inari Station (2nd stop) from where you can immediately start the visit. Entrance is free.
Once back in town, make sure to visit some of the local souvenir shops (best place to buy chopsticks!) and to try the Marumochiya (steamed bun with different fillings – famous for it’s sweet bean flavor). After this short energy break, continue to walk towards your next stop, the Tofuku-ji Temple (takes about 15 minutes).
The Tofuku-ji Temple was first built in 1236 and has still the oldest Zen main gate in Japan. Our favorite part of this visit was the southern garden, famous for its rock placements. This peaceful rock garden was our favorite zen garden of the entire trip, as it was less touristy than the more famous Ryōan-ji.
After this busy sightseeing morning, it is time for lunch! Hop on the metro and head to
Karasuma Oike Station, from where you can walk to Honke Owariya, a traditional soba and udon noodle house close to the Imperial Palace (don’t get scared by the line as it is a favorite among locals as well).
After lunch, head to the Kyoto Imperial Palace which offers a free guided tour in English at 2:00pm (palace is closed on Mondays / open until 5:00 pm all other days and audio tours are also available). A short walk will take you next to the Nijo Castle which is your last cultural stop for the day (last admission at 4pm).
Now, you’ve earned your evening cocktail with view from the observation deck at the Kyoto Sky Tower (tickets around $7).
If you are still up for another activity, then head to the Yasaka Hall-Gion corner for a traditional evening performance. There is a daily 50 minute show that starts at 6pm and 7pm – they only sell same day tickets without reservations.
Day 2: Start your day early and head to Kiyomizu-dera before 8am, as it gets very busy. There are multiple temples, halls, small shrines and a beautiful spring fountain. The next highlight is a 5 hour Walking Tour with a local guide that teaches the history and culture of Kyoto and takes you off the beaten path to local stores and factories, temples and shrines. The meeting point for this tour is at 10am in front of Aqua Fantasy at the Kyoto station – there are no tours in December, January and February; no registration, walk-up only with cash payment of 2,000 yen per person (~ $20).
For all fellow AMEX Platinum card holders – this is a Must! Make sure to visit the Amex Lounge in Kyoto to zen with some tea in the most stunning and peaceful setting. This is AMEX’s best kept secret and a lounge like no other!
Learn more about the mysterious Geishas of the Gion Disctrict on this 100 minute Night Walking Tour offered by the same company as the morning tour. Tour leaves at 6pm in front of the “Gion Omoide Museum”.
Day 3: The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, with it’s stunning lush bamboo forest is one of Kyoto’s highlights. A short stop at the Tenryu-ji Temple and Garden is also recommended, before heading to Kinkaku-ji, the famous Golden Pavilion.
With this morning visit, we wrapped up our Kyoto sightseeing and continued our Japan trip to Hiroshima. We planned for a stop in Himeji to visit it’s famous Himeji castle that has been a film location in many movies. You can store your luggage in the train station and walk to the castle (plan for a two hour stop), before continuing the train ride to Hiroshima.
Hiroshima
Hotel: we stayed at the RIHGA Royal Hotel for one night which has a great location and a beautiful view over the city.
Day 4: Another early morning with a busy schedule ahead (my favorite!)! Hiroshima should be on your itinerary for it’s history, it’s famous Okonomiyaki and to see the floating Gate to Japan on Miyajima island. From JR Hiroshima Station, take the Sanyo line (direction: Iwakuni) to JR Miyajimaguchi from where you can take the ferry to the island. See ferry schedule. Miyajima is home to the famous floating torii gate which is the official entrance to the Itsukushima Shrine. Time and weather permitting, take the cable car up to the Shishiiwa Observatory which offers an incredible view over the Seto Inland Sea.
Once back in Hiroshima we tried the famous Okonomiyaki in Naka before visiting the Hiroshima Dome, Peace Memorial Park and its museum. Back on the road, we took the Shinkansen to Osaka, enjoyed amazing city views from the Conrad and ate one of our best sushi from this trip at Sushi Itcho Kitashinsaibashi.
Nara
Nara was Japan’s first capital and a must-visit on your Japan trip. You can easily reach it by train from Kyoto or Osaka, like we did. Once in Nara we rented bikes to explore the city and temples. My favorite stops were the Kasuga Taisha, the temple with the 10,000 lanterns, and Todai-Ji, with a 16 meter tall Buddha statue. While biking through Nara I was most surprised by the large amount of deer that were roaming freely around the city.
Tokyo
And last but not least, we made it to Tokyo! One of the most fascinating, bustling, high-tech, cities I’ve ever visited – where the future and the past co-exist.
Hotel: We stayed at the Park Hyatt Tokyo
Things to do:
- Visit the Meiji Temple, the Asakusa-Kannon Temple and the Palace
- Enjoy amazing views from Tokyo’s SkyTree, one of the tallest buildings in the world with 634 meters
- Wake up early to visit Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market and start your day with some Sushi for breakfast
- Explore Ginza, Tokyo’s most famous shopping street
Restaurants:
- Visit the rooftop bar at the Andaz Tokyo for a delicious Sakura cocktail
- Enjoy lunch (or dinner) at Hinokizaka, a Michelin star restaurant at the Ritz Carlton with fantastic views from the 45th floor
If you have more time
Add a stop in Beppu and start your trip from the south, Japan’s capital city of hot springs.
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