JAPAN TRAVEL ITINERARIES:
TOKYO | HAKONE | KYOTO | NARA | KOBE | HIMEJI | OSAKA | SENDAI | MATSUSHIMA

Things to do in Japan are so varied, it seems almost improbable. Over 10 days, I peered out on the world’s most populous metro area from the deck of the world’s second largest tower—and walked humbly under the cypress timbers of one of the world’s largest wooden structures, housing the world’s largest bronze Buddha.

I crossed the country in a 200 mph bullet train for the opportunity to toil up a sacred mountain pathway lined with 10,000 crimson tori gates.

I ate artful dinner delicacies of firefly squid and fern sprouts, but not before a breakfast of matcha-flavored convenience store doughnuts.

My husband and I were packed like sardines in a throng of humanity in rush-hour Tokyo, and were completely alone on a Kyoto mountain trail littered with pink Japanese camellia blooms.

And I’m fully convinced that, if you wanted it to, your trip to Japan could be entirely different. It’s the beauty of a country that’s easily navigated, friendly to English speakers and wide open for your travel plans (and imagination).

We had 10 days: Here’s how we did it.

JAPAN TRAVEL TIPS

• Buy a JR Pass.
  If you plan to take more than a couple high-speed shinkansen trains around the country, a pass more than pays for itself. We took a total of six, almost all with seat reservations that are free with the JR Pass (and somewhat expensive without). We also were also able to utilize our pass on specific JR lines within Kyoto, and up to Matsushima from Sendai. For a 10 day trip, I purchased a 7-day pass and started them after we left Tokyo. Options are for 7, 14 and 21 consecutive days. I purchased from Japan Rail Pass by Japan Experience. You must order this in the mail before you leave for Japan and take the order exchange form with you to redeem.
• Get out a lot of cash at a 7-11 ATM when you arrive.
  In Europe, I took out too much cash; we were able to use our MasterCard for most things. But Japan’s plentiful access to cheap street and station food, small souvenir shops, inexpensive museum tickets and cash-only Suica transportation card refills meant we were using almost only cash, with the exception of more expensive meals. Some places aren’t able to take a card at all. Bring a change purse for all the 500 yen and 100 yen coins you’ll be spending frequently.
• Rent a pocket wi-fi.
  This was a game-changer. I constantly have my nose in Google Maps even in my own city, so being able to carry around my own source of wi-fi for directions, updates on train schedules and on-the-fly restaurant recommendations was critical. For just $80, we rented the Premium level from Global Advanced Communications, and it was waiting for us at the post office in the Narita airport.
• Learn a little Japanese.
  Albeit rusty, I had some high school level Japanese language rattling around in my head still, and some experience from traveling a decade ago. This made it smoother (and very enjoyable to practice) to interact with waiters, cashiers and subway/train attendants. English signs and announcements are everywhere, and it’s a tall order if you haven’t already been studying it, but you’ll feel a lot more at ease with some basic pronunciation of pleasantries and a couple questions. Feeling ambitious? Learn katakana, the writing system used commonly for phonetics of foreign words, to unlock even more as you travel.

---

HOW TO SPEND 10 DAYS & TOP THINGS TO DO IN JAPAN: AN OVERVIEW

ARRIVE

The bewildering hours after unsealing ourselves from the airplane seat were for running errands (the fun kind): Pick up the wi-fi rental, retrieve cash from a 7-11 branded airport ATM, exchange a JR Pass at the ticket counter (we opted for this later), and load a Suica card with money from machines near the station. While pricey, the Keisei Skyliner is perfect transportation from Narita to the Ueno Station—quiet, spacious and fast—and eliminates at least one instance of navigating luggage on the subway.

3 DAYS IN TOKYO
Read the full blog

EAST

1. Tokyo SkyTree. Beat the crowds with an early arrival and marvel over the city you’ll be exploring from the 350 meter Tembo Deck.
2. Ueno Park and the Tokyo National Museum. Enjoy cherry blossom (sakura) blooms if it’s the season, and explore Japan’s largest art and archaeological museum, the Tokyo National Gallery.
3. Asakusa. Wander up Nakamise shopping street toward Senso-ji, a popular Buddhist temple.
4. Kappabashi-dori. “Kitchen Town” is a short walk away and boasts an eclectic mix of specialized stores hawking restaurant equipment and fun kitchen souvenirs.
5. Himiko Ferry. Depart from the Tokyo Cruise Terminal in Asakusa aboard a veritable spaceship, and get acquainted with Tokyo’s bridges.
6. Odaiba. Catch a stunning sunset over the water from the beach or balcony of Aqua City shopping mall.
7. Tokyo DisneySea. This was a can’t miss as a Disney fan and a fun deviation from sightseeing.

 

CENTRAL & WEST

1. Shinjuku and Shibuya. If it’s sakura season, try Shinjuku Park or Yoyogi Park and Meijii-Jingu Shrine. Immerse yourself in the famous Shibuya Scramble pedestrian crossing.
2. Ginza. Even if you don’t get out the wallet, take an evening to admire a glamorous shopping district, or find cheap eats along the train tracks in Yurakucho.
3. Imperial Palace East Gardens. Explore castle ruins and a beautiful compound.
4. Tsukiji Fish Market. Swim like schoolfish through crowded alleys of the Outer Market in search of skewered snacks and the perfect sushi.
5. Hamarikyu Gardens. Skyscrapers flank a manicured Japanese garden, the perfect background for traditional tea and a sweet in the serene Nakajima tea house.

1 DAY IN HAKONE
Read the full blog

1. Hakone Ropeway Course. A Hakone FreePass gets you aboard all transit in a loop from the station, from a train that switchbacks uphill, to an incline car, to a series of gondolas.
2. Owakudani. In the middle of the your ropeway journey is a chance to oggle sulfurous steams rising from a volcanic crater and eat black eggs (kurotamago) boiled in the hot water, famed to prolong your life.
3. Lake Ashinoko Cruise. Board a pirate ship from the lake’s northern edge bound for town and cross your fingers for a glimpse of Mt. Fuji.
4. Eat soba. It’s Hakone’s speciality.
5. Hakone Shrine. Pay your respects at a shrine hidden in the forest, and take the steps down to the torii gate at the edge of the lake.
6. Old Tokaido Highway. Hike in the footsteps of Edo-area merchants on original cobbles, and stop at thatched-roof Amazake Chaya for a traditional sweet rice drink.
7. Hakone Checkpoint. Visit a reconstruction of a fuedal traffic control point (don’t miss the view of the lake from the watchtower).
8. Cedar Avenue. Massive trees line this serene walk.
9. Relax at a ryokan. The area is bubbling with hot springs heated from the region’s volcanic steam, making traditional inns (ryokan) a popular pastime.

 

1 DAY IN NARA AND OSAKA
Read the full Nara and Osaka blogs

1. Nara Park. Befriend herds of local deer with offers of crackers as you explore the area’s shrines.
2. Kasuga-taisha. Mossy stone lanterns lead the way to Kasuga shrine, notable for its bronze lanterns and draping spring-time wysteria.
3. Todai-ji. Once the word’s largest wood structure, this staggering landmark houses the world’s largest bronze Buddha.
4. Osaka’s Dotonbori. Let the sun set and sharpen your appetite before exploring an eclectic riverside district of neon signs, cheap stall eats and entertainment.

2 DAYS IN KYOTO
Read the full Kyoto blog

ARASHIYAMA (WEST) & NORTH

1. Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. Early birds get the peaceful photo opportunities at this beautiful stroll through a bamboo forest.
2. Tenryu-ji Temple. Opt for the inside and outside combo ticket for a chance to observe a gorgeous Zen garden while kneeling on the hall’s tatami mats.
3. Arashiyama Park. The Summit Observation Deck offers a stunning scene over the Katsura River. Find the steps down so you can walk along its banks toward Togetsu-kyo Bridge.
4. Kinkakuji. The iconic Golden Pavilion, embellished with gold leaf, is a striking image from its perch on the edge of a garden pond.
5. Kurama to Kibune. Seeking solitude after Kyoto’s crowds? You’ll be mostly alone on an unforgettable wooded hike to shrines between the towns of Kurama and Kibune, just north of the city.

 

HIGASHIYAMA (EAST) & SOUTH

1. Fushimi-inari. Resplendent with bright-red torii gates, this hike is best done in the early a.m. and a rewarding journey to the top of Mount Inari.
2. Philosopher’s Path and Ginkakuji. The Silver Pavilion sits at the beginning of the stone Philosopher’s Path that winds under hundreds of sakura trees. (I did this only on my previous trip when the trees were in full bloom).
3. Nanzen-ji. The highlights of this Zen Buddhist temple are the massive entrance gate and a stoic brick aqueduct from the Meiji Period.
4. Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka. Follow the flow of rented kimono-clad visitors past shops and restaurants that demonstrate some of Japan’s most traditional wooden architecture.
5. Kiyomizu-dera. The renowned hillside temple is still worth a visit even under scaffolding (renovations end in 2020).

 

CENTRAL

1. Nishiki Market. Got change? You’re going to love spending it all on food stalls here.
2. Pontocho Alley. Dinner and drinks await along the edges of a tiny ancient alleyway. Splurge for kaiseki, a traditional multi-course dinner that’s exceptionally good in Kyoto.
3. Gion. Go at night to spot geiko (a term more commonly used than geisha in Kyoto) with clients in an upscale nightlife and dining district. The area around the Shirakawa Canal is especially pretty at night.

 

1 DAY IN HIMEJI AND KOBE
Read the full Kobe and Himeji blogs

1. Himeji Castle. Explore the grounds beneath the towering gaze of one of Japan’s most beautiful castles, and ascend inside the main keep.
2. Kokoen Garden. A combo ticket with the castle also gets you into a serene garden just down the street.
3. Eat Kobe beef. A shinkansen will whisk you to Kobe in just 15 minutes from Himeji, where you’ll find plentiful options for the city’s famed delicacy.
4. Shin-Kobe Ropeway. Look out over Kobe’s stunning skyline and seaport while you hang over a waterfall and delicate lines of colorful gardens on your way up the mountainside.
5. Nunobiki Herb Garden & Path. At the top of the cable car line is an alpine-styled plaza dedicated to the art and aroma of herbs. Stay a while or start the walk down the path to the Glasshouse, Oriental Garden and Flower Garden.
6. Nunobiki Waterfall. Continue walking down to a spectacular sectional waterfall, practically hidden in the hillside just a short walk from Shin-Kobe station.

 

2 DAYS IN SENDAI AND MATSUSHIMA
Read the full Sendai at Matsushima blogs

While not the first choice of many first-timers to Japan, I took the opportunity to visit my sister, who lives in works in Sendai. An alternative is to spend one day in Hiroshima and Miyajima (which I experienced on my first trip), then a second day to add to Kyoto or Tokyo. 

1. Sendai Castle. While little of the original structure remains, it offers a spectacular viewpoint over the city and photo opp of the Date Masamune statue.
2. Zuihoden. Date Masamune’s final resting place, and those of his son and grandson, are jewel-colored mausoleums in beautiful woods.
3. Hanami at Nishi Park and Tsutsujigaoka Park. It’s just you and the locals celebrating the art of eating and drinking in the park under fantastic blooming cherry trees.
4. Matsushima Sightseeing Cruise. Up the coast is the seaside town of Matsushima, and one of the “three views of Japan” epitomized by a 1600s scholar: A bay of picturesque pine-clad islands.
5. Fukuura-jima Island. Traverse the long cherry-red pedestrian bridge and explore an island bursting with plant life, hearty trees and sandy beaches.
6. Oshima Island. This mysterious island was once a meditation place for monks, and you can wander past their alcoves carved into the rock.

 

RETURN

Our last day was actually after returning to Tokyo, so we spent the morning and early afternoon in some of the places I mentioned above (combining Ginza, the Imperial Palace Gardens, Tsukiji, and Hamarikyu) before a 6 p.m. flight. We collected our backpacks from station lockers and got to Ueno to take the Skyliner again back to the airport, a couple hours early to pad any issues with an international flight.

---

If you want to read more about our travel in each city, with more logistics and thoughts justifying why we enjoyed certain things and hindsight on others, I’d encourage you to check out the full guides for each place, coming soon.

JAPAN TRAVEL ITINERARIES:
TOKYO | HAKONE | KYOTO | NARA | KOBE | HIMEJI | OSAKA | SENDAI | MATSUSHIMA