Japan itineraries by travel style

Our 7, 10 and 14-day itineraries cover the classic first trip. The routes below are for travellers who want something different. Treat them as starting points, then use the itinerary maker to adjust the days, pace and interests for your own trip.

Family with kids: 10 days

Fewer hotel changes, shorter train rides and a mix of big sights and play time. Send your big suitcases ahead with luggage forwarding so you are only managing the children.

1. Days 1 to 4, Tokyo. Senso-ji and a river cruise, Ueno Zoo and the National Museum of Nature and Science, a day at Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea, teamLab Planets, and the Pokemon Center or Kiddy Land in Harajuku.
2. Day 5, Fuji Five Lakes. Train to Kawaguchiko. Lake cruise, the Kachi Kachi Ropeway and a hotel with a family onsen and Fuji views.
3. Days 6 to 8, Kyoto. Fushimi Inari early in the morning (go only part way up with small children), Arashiyama and the monkey park, the Kyoto Railway Museum and a samurai or ninja experience.
4. Day 9, Nara. Feed the deer in Nara Park and see the giant Buddha at Todai-ji. See our Nara guide.
5. Day 10, Osaka. Universal Studios Japan with Super Nintendo World, or the Kaiyukan aquarium and Dotonbori, then fly home from Kansai.

Tips: children under 6 ride most trains free, and children aged 6 to 11 pay half fare. Book family rooms early, because standard Japanese hotel rooms are small. See our guide to travelling with a stroller.

Budget: 10 days

Japan can be surprisingly affordable. This route skips the JR Pass, uses regular tickets and night buses where they save money, and leans on hostels, business hotels and cheap, excellent food.

1. Days 1 to 3, Tokyo. Free sights: Meiji Shrine, Senso-ji, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck, Shibuya Crossing and Yanaka's old streets.
2. Day 4, travel to Kyoto. A highway bus is the cheapest way (from about ¥4,000 to ¥8,000 for daytime or overnight buses). The shinkansen costs about ¥14,000 but takes just over 2 hours.
3. Days 5 to 7, Kyoto. Fushimi Inari (free), the Philosopher's Path, Nishiki Market for snacks and a day trip to Nara (under ¥1,000 each way).
4. Days 8 to 9, Osaka and Hiroshima. Base in Osaka for street food, with a day trip to Himeji or Hiroshima. See day trips from Kyoto and Osaka.
5. Day 10, fly home from Kansai.

Tips: eat breakfast from convenience stores, have lunch sets (teishoku) instead of dinner menus, and drink tap water, which is safe everywhere. Read how much a trip to Japan costs and is the JR Pass worth it.

Anime and gaming: 7 days

For fans who want shops, cafes, museums and real-world locations from their favourite series.

1. Day 1, Akihabara. Multi-floor anime and figure shops, retro game stores, arcades and maid cafes. See Akihabara.
2. Day 2, Ikebukuro and Nakano. Otome Road and Sunshine City's Pokemon Center in Ikebukuro, then Nakano Broadway for second-hand collectibles.
3. Day 3, Ghibli and Shibuya. The Ghibli Museum in Mitaka (tickets sell out, so book the day they are released), then Shibuya's Nintendo Tokyo and Pokemon Center at Parco.
4. Day 4, a pilgrimage day trip. Visit a real-world anime location, such as Kamakura (Slam Dunk's famous level crossing) or Hida-Furukawa near Takayama (Your Name). See our anime pilgrimage spots.
5. Days 5 to 6, Osaka. Den Den Town in Nipponbashi for games and figures, and Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan.
6. Day 7, Kyoto. The Kyoto International Manga Museum, then Fushimi Inari, whose torii gates appear in countless anime.

Tips: many collectible shops take tax-free purchases with your passport, and arcades are much cheaper with a ¥1,000 note changed into ¥100 coins.

Off the beaten path: 14 days

For second trips, or first-timers who would rather see quiet hot spring towns and mountains than the busiest temples. It uses the JR Pass well.

1. Days 1 to 2, Tokyo. Arrive and settle in.
2. Days 3 to 5, Tohoku. Sendai and Matsushima Bay, the cliffside temple of Yamadera and a night in snowy or riverside Ginzan Onsen. See our Tohoku guide.
3. Days 6 to 7, Kanazawa. Back via Tokyo or Omiya, then the Hokuriku Shinkansen. Kenroku-en, the teahouse districts and Omicho Market. See Kanazawa.
4. Days 8 to 9, Shirakawa-go and Takayama. Bus through the mountains, with a night in Takayama's old town. See Takayama.
5. Days 10 to 11, Shikoku. Via Nagoya and Okayama to the Iya Valley or Matsuyama and Dogo Onsen. See our Shikoku guide.
6. Days 12 to 14, Kyushu. Fukuoka's food stalls, a ryokan night in Yufuin and Kumamoto or Takachiho. Fly home from Fukuoka. See our Kyushu guide.

Tips: trains in the countryside run less often, so check times the night before. Regional passes such as the JR East Pass or JR Kyushu Rail Pass can be cheaper than the national pass if you focus on one area.

Make it your own

Every trip is different. In the itinerary maker you can choose your trip length, who you are travelling with, your interests and travel month, and get a day-by-day plan with hotels, food ideas and a printable summary.

Opening hours, prices and transport details change. Check the official sources before you travel: Japan National Tourism Organization.

We check this guide regularly. Prices, rules and services in Japan can change, so confirm with the official sources before you travel. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.