Japan itinerary 2 weeks, plus 1-week and 3-week routes

These routes suit a first or second trip and follow logical train connections. The Japan itinerary 2 weeks version is the most popular, but the one-week and three-week variants use the same backbone, so it is easy to shorten or extend.

One week: the essentials

1. Days 1 to 3, TokyoAsakusa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Meiji Jingu and a museum or digital art exhibition.
2. Day 4, Hakone or Mount Fuji areaLake Ashi, the ropeway and an onsen night with views of Fuji in clear weather.
3. Days 5 and 6, KyotoFushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera, Gion and Arashiyama, starting early to avoid crowds.
4. Day 7, Nara and OsakaTodai-ji and the deer park, then Dotonbori for dinner before flying out of Kansai.

Japan itinerary 2 weeks

1. Days 1 to 4, TokyoClassic districts plus a day trip to Nikko or Kamakura.
2. Day 5, HakoneHot springs, open-air museum and the Fuji views.
3. Days 6 and 7, Takayama and Shirakawa-goOld merchant streets and thatched farmhouses in the Japan Alps.
4. Day 8, KanazawaKenroku-en garden, the geisha districts and the 21st Century Museum.
5. Days 9 to 11, KyotoTemples, gardens and an evening in Gion, with a day trip to Nara.
6. Day 12, Hiroshima and MiyajimaThe Peace Memorial Park and the floating torii of Itsukushima Shrine.
7. Days 13 and 14, OsakaStreet food, Osaka Castle and departure from Kansai.

This Japan itinerary 2 weeks plan suits a seven-day rail pass for the long middle section, combined with individual tickets in Tokyo and Osaka. Use luggage forwarding between Tokyo and Kyoto to travel light through the mountains.

Three weeks: add a region

Start with the two-week route, then add one of these extensions:

• North: Sendai, Matsushima and Hokkaido (Sapporo, Otaru, Furano or Niseko depending on the season).
• South: Fukuoka, Nagasaki and Kagoshima, with a flight or ferry to Yakushima.
• Islands: a few days on Okinawa's beaches, or Naoshima and the Seto Inland Sea.

Adapting the route to the season

In spring and autumn, book Kyoto hotels early. In summer, swap Takayama for Hokkaido for cooler weather. In winter, Shirakawa-go under snow is spectacular, and a ski stop in Hakuba or Nozawa fits easily between Tokyo and Kanazawa.

Transport between the stops

Tokyo to Hakone takes about 90 minutes by train, Hakone to Takayama about four hours via Nagoya, and Takayama to Kanazawa about two hours by bus through Shirakawa-go. Kanazawa to Kyoto is around two hours by limited express and bullet train, Kyoto to Hiroshima under two hours by Shinkansen, and Hiroshima to Osaka about one and a half hours.

Where to sleep

Choose hotels near major stations to save time, a ryokan in Hakone or Takayama for a traditional night, and a central base in Kyoto, such as near Kyoto Station or the Kawaramachi area.

Day trips without changing hotel

From Tokyo, Kamakura, Nikko and Yokohama are easy day trips. From Kyoto, Nara, Osaka and Himeji are within an hour. From Hiroshima, Miyajima and Onomichi make good excursions. Using day trips reduces the number of hotel changes.

Official source: Japan National Tourism Organization

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