Japan itinerary for 14 days: Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka

Day by day

1. Day 1

   Off to Japan

   The long flight east. Fill in Visit Japan Web before you board: it is the Digital Agency’s service for the immigration and customs declaration on arrival, and having it ready shortens the queue.

   Tip: Save the trip and your bookings on your phone before take-off; you land without a local SIM.

2. Day 2

   Welcome to Tokyo

   Land, reach the hotel and keep the afternoon free. From Narita, the Keisei Skyliner reaches Keisei Ueno in as little as 41 minutes; from Haneda, the Tokyo Monorail reaches Hamamatsucho in 13. An IC card (Suica, PASMO or ICOCA) on your phone or bought at the station pays for trains and the subway from here.

   Night in Tokyo

   Tip: Check in, walk the neighborhood and go to bed at local time: tomorrow starts early.

3. Day 3

   Classic Tokyo: Asakusa and the river

   Start at Senso-ji in Asakusa before the crowds; its main hall opens at 6:00 (6:30 from October to March) and closes at 17:00. Walk Nakamise-dori to the temple, then along the Sumida river, and spend the afternoon in Ueno.

   • Senso-ji and Nakamise-dori
   • Sumida river walk
   • Ueno Park

   Night in Tokyo

4. Day 4

   Art without borders

   A slow morning, then an evening inside teamLab Borderless at Azabudai Hills. Tickets are for a set date, and the Entrance Pass for a set time too; last entry is an hour before closing, so check the day’s hours when you book.

   Night in Tokyo

   Tip: Book the teamLab tickets before you fly: they can sell out.

5. Day 5

   Into the mountains: Hakone

   Take the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Odawara, then the train to Hakone-Yumoto, about 15 minutes. Buy a 2-day Hakone Freepass at Odawara: it covers the Hakone Tozan train and cable car, the Hakone Ropeway, the sightseeing cruise on Lake Ashi and buses in the area. Leave the bags at the ryokan and keep the evening for the bath and dinner.

   Night in Hakone

   Tip: The Freepass bought at Odawara costs ¥6,000 for two days for an adult; the day you buy it counts as day one.

6. Day 6

   A day without a clock: Lake Ashi

   The free day of the first week. With the Freepass, ride the Tozan train and cable car up, take the ropeway over Owakudani down to Lake Ashi and cross the lake by boat; if the sky is clear, Mount Fuji stands behind the lake. The ropeway can stop in bad weather, so keep the lake and the shrine as the plan for a grey day.

   • Hakone Tozan train and cable car
   • Hakone Ropeway over Owakudani
   • Lake Ashi cruise
   • Hakone Shrine

   Night in Hakone

7. Day 7

   Arriving in Kyoto

   Back down to Odawara and on by Shinkansen to Kyoto; JR Central puts the whole Tokyo to Kyoto run at about 130 minutes, and Odawara is on the way. Check in and walk the old streets of Higashiyama in the late afternoon.

   Night in Kyoto

   Tip: With a Japan Rail Pass, the Nozomi needs an extra ticket bought for each ride.

8. Day 8

   Torii gates and tea houses

   Go early to Fushimi Inari Taisha and walk up through the torii gates; the whole mountain takes two to three hours, and you can turn back at any point. In the afternoon, a tea ceremony or a quiet tea house, booked ahead.

   • Fushimi Inari Taisha
   • Tea ceremony

   Night in Kyoto

9. Day 9

   The bamboo grove: Arashiyama

   Take the JR Sagano line from Kyoto Station to Saga-Arashiyama, about 11 minutes by rapid train; the bamboo grove is a ten-minute walk from the station. Spend the rest of the day on the river and in the temples around it.

   • Arashiyama bamboo grove
   • Togetsukyo bridge

   Night in Kyoto

10. Day 10

    Kyoto at your own pace

    The second free day. Browse Nishiki Market for lunch (each shop keeps its own hours and closing day, so go around midday), walk the Kamo river in the evening, or go back to whatever you liked most.

    • Nishiki Market
    • Kamo river

    Night in Kyoto

11. Day 11

    The next chapter: Osaka

    A short move: the JR Special Rapid Service takes about 30 minutes from Kyoto to Osaka. Drop the bags and spend the afternoon at Osaka Castle; the park is free and the main tower opens 9:00 to 18:00 (last entry 17:30).

    • Osaka Castle Park
    • Osaka Castle main tower

    Night in Osaka

12. Day 12

    Tasting Osaka

    A food day: start slow, then walk Dōtonbori and the canal as the lights come on, eating as you go.

    • Dōtonbori
    • Namba

    Night in Osaka

13. Day 13

    One last look

    Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan in the morning (usually 10:00 to 20:00, last admission an hour before closing; hours vary by season), then a free afternoon to shop and pack.

    Night in Osaka

    Tip: Pack the night before: the flight home leaves early.

14. Day 14

    Heading home

    To Kansai Airport: the Nankai rapi:t takes as little as 34 minutes from Namba. Leave plenty of time for check-in and security.