Japan in 15 Days

Apr 4–18, 2026 · Tokyo → Osaka

Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka and Hiroshima in one open-jaw route — fly into Tokyo, out of Osaka, no backtracking. Every day is one neighbourhood or one region, so the trains never eat the day.

Sat–Sat · Moderate pace · 77 stops · 2 shinkansen legs · ~$625 per person, excl. lodging, flights and food

Day 1 · Saturday, April 4 — Arrival in Shinjuku

Nobody is sharp on arrival day. Stay within one station and go up high to see what you are dealing with.

  1. 3:00 PM — Welcome Suica and the bus in (60 min)

    Haneda / Narita · Transit · ~$25/pp

    Pick up a Welcome Suica for everyone at the airport counter, then the Limousine Bus or Narita Express straight to Shinjuku.

    • Buy all the cards in one go at the JR East counter — the queue is the slow part.
    • Haneda is 40 minutes to Shinjuku; Narita is 90. Book flights into Haneda if the fares are close.

    Bus or NEX · 40–90 min — to Shinjuku Station, then a 10-minute walk west.

  2. 5:00 PM — Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (45 min)

    Nishi-Shinjuku · Observatory · Free

    The free 45th-floor observatory. On a clear evening Mount Fuji sits on the horizon, and the city goes on in every direction — the best five minutes of orientation you will get.

    • The North Tower stays open until 10 PM; the South closes earlier.
    • No booking, no ticket. Just queue for the lift.

    Walk 12 min · 0.9 km — east under the tracks to the west exit alleys.

  3. 6:00 PM — Omoide Yokocho (60 min)

    Shinjuku · Alley · Free to wander

    Two lantern-lit lanes of six-seat counters under the Yamanote tracks. Counters seat four at most, so this is a walk, not a sit-down.

    • Split into pairs if anyone wants to stop — counters seat four at most.
    • Cash only almost everywhere here.

    Walk 8 min · 0.6 km — across Yasukuni-dori into Kabukicho.

  4. 7:15 PM — Kabukicho and the Godzilla Head (45 min)

    Kabukicho · Landmark · Free

    The neon district and the Godzilla head roaring over the Toho building every hour. Loud, safe, and a good first night if you want to stay awake until 10 PM.

    • Godzilla roars on the hour from noon to 8 PM.
    • Ignore the touts on Ichibangai; every real venue has a street-level menu.

Day 2 · Sunday, April 5 — Shibuya and Meguro

The west side in one line: shrine, teen street, tree-lined avenue, the crossing, then a canal. Almost no trains.

  1. 8:00 AM — Meiji Jingu (60 min)

    Yoyogi · Shrine · Free

    The forest shrine in the middle of the city, before the tour buses. The gravel approach under the cedars is the calm the rest of the day will not have.

    • Enter from the Harajuku gate; the sake-barrel wall is on the left.
    • If a wedding procession crosses the courtyard, stop and let it pass — it happens most Sunday mornings.

    Walk 5 min · 0.4 km — out the Harajuku gate and across the bridge.

  2. 9:15 AM — Takeshita Street (45 min)

    Harajuku · Street · Free

    Crepes, rainbow cotton candy and Sunday cosplay. Narrow, so agree on a meeting point at the far end.

    • Arrive before 10 AM when the shops open and the crowd is still thin.
    • Meet at the Meiji-dori end — there is space to regroup.

    Walk 10 min · 0.8 km — down Meiji-dori, right onto Omotesando.

  3. 10:15 AM — Omotesando and Cat Street (60 min)

    Aoyama · Avenue · Free

    The zelkova-lined avenue of flagship architecture, then the back lane of Cat Street winding down toward Shibuya.

    • Look up: Prada, Tod’s and Dior are the buildings, not the shops.
    • Cat Street is the pedestrian shortcut to Shibuya — follow it the whole way.

    Walk 20 min · 1.5 km — down Cat Street to the Miyashita Park end.

  4. 11:45 AM — Shibuya Crossing and Hachiko (40 min)

    Shibuya · Landmark · Free

    Cross it twice, then watch it from above. The rooftop of Mag’s Park on the Magnet building has the straight-down view for a few hundred yen.

    • Hachiko is on the station side; expect a queue for the photo.
    • Mag’s Park rooftop is ¥600 and rarely has a wait.

    Walk 5 min · 0.3 km — into Shibuya Scramble Square.

  5. 5:30 PM — Shibuya Sky (75 min)

    Shibuya · Observatory · ~$18/pp · Book ahead

    The open-air roof 229 metres up, with the crossing directly below and Fuji at sunset if the sky is clear. The one Tokyo ticket that sells out.

    • Tickets release online about four weeks ahead — book the sunset slot the day they open.
    • Bags go in lockers; only phones on the roof.

    If it rains: the sky deck closes in rain; the indoor floor still opens, or swap in the Tokyu Plaza rooftop at Harajuku.

    Toyoko line · 4 min — one stop from Shibuya to Nakameguro.

  6. 7:15 PM — Nakameguro canal (60 min)

    Meguro · Neighbourhood · Free

    The cherry-lined Meguro River, lit up in blossom season and quietly stylish the rest of the year. A slow walk to end a long day.

    • In the first week of April the lanterns stay lit until about 9 PM.
    • The bridges on the west bank have the photos.

Day 3 · Monday, April 6 — Asakusa, Ueno and Ginza

Old Tokyo in the morning, museum in the afternoon, and Ginza when the lights come on. This is the day with the most transit.

  1. 8:00 AM — Senso-ji and Nakamise-dori (75 min)

    Asakusa · Temple · Free

    Tokyo’s oldest temple, with the shopping lane of Nakamise leading up to it. Before 9 AM the lane is half-shuttered and the courtyard is yours.

    • Draw an omikuji fortune for ¥100 — tie a bad one to the rack and leave it behind.
    • The Kaminarimon lantern photo is easiest from the street side before the crowd builds.

    Walk 20 min · 1.5 km — over Azumabashi bridge and along the river to the tower.

  2. 10:00 AM — Tokyo Skytree (90 min)

    Sumida · Observatory · ~$20/pp · Book ahead

    The 634-metre tower across the river. The Tembo Deck at 350 m is enough; the Galleria is an upsell.

    • Book a timed slot online; walk-up queues run over an hour on weekdays.
    • The Solamachi mall underneath has a toilet stop and lockers.

    Ginza line · 15 min — from Asakusa to Ueno.

  3. 12:30 PM — Ueno Park and the Tokyo National Museum (2 hr)

    Ueno · Museum · ~$7/pp

    The park is Tokyo’s cherry-blossom picnic ground; the museum holds the best collection of Japanese art in the country. Do the Honkan main building only.

    • Two hours in the Honkan is plenty; the other buildings are for a second visit.
    • The park’s Shinobazu Pond has the lotus and the swan boats for anyone museum-averse.

    Walk 8 min · 0.6 km — south along the tracks to the market.

  4. 3:00 PM — Ameyoko market (45 min)

    Ueno · Market · Free

    The post-war black market that never went away — dried fish, sneakers, cosmetics and shouting. Under the Yamanote tracks from Ueno to Okachimachi.

    • Bargaining is expected at the dried-goods stalls, nowhere else.
    • Keep bags in front; it gets shoulder-to-shoulder after 4 PM.

    Hibiya line · 15 min — from Ueno to Ginza.

  5. 5:00 PM — Ginza (90 min)

    Chūō · District · Free

    The department-store avenue. Ginza Six has a free rooftop garden with the boulevard below; Itoya is eleven floors of stationery.

    • Chuo-dori is closed to cars on weekend afternoons; on a Monday walk the side streets.
    • The Ginza Six roof closes at 9 PM.

    Walk 6 min · 0.4 km — east on Harumi-dori.

  6. 7:00 PM — Kabuki-za, single act (60 min)

    Ginza · Theatre · ~$12/pp · Optional

    One act of kabuki from the fourth-floor single-act seats — an hour of it is the right dose. Rent the English earphone guide.

    • Single-act tickets go on sale the same day at the side entrance; send one person early.
    • No photos; leave the bags at the hotel or use the lockers downstairs.

Day 4 · Tuesday, April 7 — The Ikebukuro day

The north side most visitors skip. One building does half the day, and the afternoon splits by temperament.

  1. 10:00 AM — Sunshine 60 Observatory Tenbou-Park (60 min)

    Ikebukuro · Observatory · ~$8/pp

    The 60th-floor observatory redone as an indoor park — turf, hammocks and a 360° view with none of the Shibuya Sky queue.

    • Opens at 11 AM on weekdays; go straight up before the aquarium.
    • Cheaper than every other Tokyo deck and there is room to sit down.

    Walk 3 min · 0.2 km — across the Sunshine City complex to the roof lifts.

  2. 11:15 AM — Sunshine Aquarium (90 min)

    Ikebukuro · Aquarium · ~$18/pp

    A rooftop aquarium with the sea-lion tank overhead and penguins that appear to fly over the skyline.

    • The penguin flight tank is the photo; time it for a feeding.
    • Combined observatory-plus-aquarium tickets save a little.

    Walk 5 min · 0.3 km — down into the Sunshine City mall levels.

  3. 1:30 PM — Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo and Animate (90 min)

    Ikebukuro · Shopping · Free to browse · Flexible

    The flagship Pokémon store and, two blocks away, the nine-floor Animate — the anime fans disappear here. Everyone else heads for the garden.

    • The Pokémon Center is on the 2nd floor of Sunshine City’s Alpa wing.
    • Animate’s top floors run event queues; the merch floors are open browsing.

    Yamanote + Namboku · 15 min — to Komagome Station for the garden.

  4. 1:30 PM — Rikugien Garden (90 min)

    Bunkyo · Garden · ~$2/pp · Flexible

    An Edo-period stroll garden built around 88 scenes from classical poetry. The calm alternative for the same afternoon slot.

    • The weeping cherry by the gate is lit at night in early April.
    • Take the full loop; the teahouse on the pond is the halfway rest.

    Yamanote · 8 min — back to Ikebukuro, west exit.

  5. 4:30 PM — Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre plaza (45 min)

    Ikebukuro · Meeting point · Free

    The glass-atrium concert hall on the west side and the park in front of it. Everyone meets back here.

    • The west-gate park has benches and a fountain — an easy regroup point.
    • Check the theatre’s free lobby concerts; there is often one at 5 PM.

Day 5 · Wednesday, April 8 — Tokyo Bay, then split

The booked morning everyone does together, then two afternoons in parallel. Suitcases leave for Kyoto tonight.

  1. 9:00 AM — teamLab Planets (2 hr)

    Toyosu · Digital art · ~$25/pp · Book ahead

    Barefoot through knee-deep water and mirrored rooms of light. The one Tokyo booking you have to make weeks ahead.

    • Timed entry; book the first slot of the day.
    • Wear trousers you can roll above the knee — shorts are provided if you forget.

    Yurikamome · 15 min — from Toyosu to Daiba.

  2. 11:30 AM — Odaiba and the Unicorn Gundam (90 min)

    Odaiba · Waterfront · Free

    The reclaimed island: the life-size Gundam outside DiverCity, the Rainbow Bridge view from the beach, and room to walk.

    • The Gundam transforms on the hour with lights and sound.
    • Odaiba Marine Park beach has the bridge-and-skyline photo.

    Yurikamome + Oedo · 30 min — to Akabanebashi for Tokyo Tower, or Hibiya line to Akihabara.

  3. 2:00 PM — Half A: Tokyo Tower, Zojoji and the Mori Art Museum (2 hr)

    Minato · Landmark + museum · ~$28/pp · Flexible

    The orange tower and the temple at its feet, then the Mori Art Museum at Roppongi Hills with its own 52nd-floor city view.

    • Zojoji’s rows of stone Jizo statues sit right under the tower — the photo everyone wants.
    • The Mori ticket includes the Tokyo City View deck; skip the separate Sky Deck.

  4. 2:00 PM — Half B: Akihabara (2 hr)

    Chiyoda · Electric town · Free to browse · Flexible

    Arcades, retro game shops and the multi-floor electronics stores. The alternative afternoon.

    • Super Potato is the retro-game shop; the arcades on Chuo-dori run until midnight.
    • Duty-free counters need passports — carry them.

    Yamanote · 20 min — back to Shinjuku to hand over the suitcases.

  5. 6:30 PM — Send the suitcases to Kyoto (30 min)

    Hotel front desk · Takkyubin · ~$17/bag

    Hand every big bag to the front desk with the Kyoto hotel’s address. It arrives tomorrow evening. Carry two nights of clothes for Fuji and Hakone.

    • Any hotel or 7-Eleven does takkyubin; the desk fills in the Japanese form for you.
    • Label each bag with the guest name on the Kyoto booking.

Day 6 · Thursday, April 9 — Mount Fuji from Kawaguchiko

Two hours by bus and the mountain is in every frame. Sleep lakeside — Fuji is clearest at dawn.

  1. 7:30 AM — Highway bus from Shinjuku (2 hr)

    Busta Shinjuku · Transit · ~$15/pp

    The expressway bus from Busta Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko Station. Reserve seats; on a clear day the mountain appears about 90 minutes in.

    • Book on the Highway Bus site a week ahead; the 7:30 departures sell out in blossom season.
    • Sit on the right for the first Fuji sighting.

    Fujikyu line · 10 min — from Kawaguchiko to Shimoyoshida for the pagoda.

  2. 10:30 AM — Chureito Pagoda (90 min)

    Fujiyoshida · Viewpoint · Free

    The five-storey pagoda with Mount Fuji behind it — the photo on every Japan poster. Four hundred steps up through Arakurayama Sengen Park.

    • Go straight here from the bus; the light is best before noon.
    • The deck fills by 11 AM in April; the terrace below it has the same frame.

    Fujikyu + bus · 40 min — back to Kawaguchiko, then the Red Line bus to Oishi Park.

  3. 1:00 PM — Oishi Park (75 min)

    Lake Kawaguchi · Lakeshore · Free

    The north-shore park with the lake in front and Fuji behind — lavender in summer, kochia in autumn, blossom in April.

    • The Red Line sightseeing bus loops the north shore every 15 minutes; a day pass covers it.
    • The natural-living centre next door has a toilet stop.

    Red Line bus · 20 min — back along the shore to the ropeway base.

  4. 3:00 PM — Kawaguchiko Ropeway (60 min)

    Lake Kawaguchi · Viewpoint · ~$7/pp · Flexible

    Three minutes up Mount Tenjo for the lake-and-mountain view from the other side. The thrill seekers can swap this for Fuji-Q Highland next door.

    • Last car down is around 5 PM; check the board.
    • Fuji-Q’s coasters need a separate afternoon ticket — decide at breakfast.

Day 7 · Friday, April 10 — The Hakone loop

Museum, volcano, lake and shrine on one pass, in one direction. Onsen night at the end.

  1. 8:00 AM — Bus to Hakone (2 hr)

    Kawaguchiko → Gotemba → Togendai · Transit · ~$20/pp

    The Fujikyu bus to Gotemba and the Hakone bus on from there. Buy the Hakone Free Pass at Togendai — it covers every leg of the loop below.

    • The two-day Free Pass is the right one; it also covers tomorrow’s Odawara connection.
    • Send small bags ahead to the ryokan by the station’s hand-carry service and walk the loop light.

    Hakone Tozan bus · 20 min — to Chokoku-no-mori for the museum.

  2. 10:30 AM — Hakone Open-Air Museum (90 min)

    Hakone · Sculpture park · ~$12/pp

    Sculpture on a hillside — Henry Moore on the lawns, a Picasso pavilion, and a foot bath at the bottom for tired walkers.

    • The stained-glass tower is climbable; the view from the top takes in the whole valley.
    • Free Pass holders get a discount at the gate.

    Tozan railway + cable car · 30 min — up to Sounzan for the ropeway.

  3. 12:45 PM — Hakone Ropeway over Owakudani (60 min)

    Hakone · Volcano · Included in pass

    The ropeway crosses the sulphur vents of Owakudani; get off for the black eggs boiled in the springs, said to add seven years to your life.

    • The ropeway closes when the gas readings rise — the station board says so before you board.
    • Eggs are sold in bags of four; one bag feeds two.

    Ropeway · 15 min — down to Togendai on the lake.

  4. 2:30 PM — Lake Ashi pirate ship (40 min)

    Hakone · Cruise · Included in pass

    The unapologetically silly pirate galleon across the lake to Hakone-machi, with Fuji off the stern on a clear day.

    • Stand on the upper rear deck for the mountain.
    • Sailings are every 30–40 minutes; the last is around 5 PM.

    Walk 25 min · 2 km — along the lakeside cedar avenue to the shrine.

  5. 3:45 PM — Hakone Shrine (60 min)

    Moto-Hakone · Shrine · Free

    The shrine in the cedars with its red torii standing in the lake. The queue for the torii photo is the day’s only real wait.

    • The torii queue is 20–40 minutes; one person can hold the spot.
    • Ryokan dinner is served early — most sit at 6 or 6:30, so be back by then.

Day 8 · Saturday, April 11 — Into Kyoto — the Higashiyama slope

First shinkansen, then the temple-and-lane slope everyone pictures when they picture Kyoto. Gion after dark.

  1. 9:30 AM — Shinkansen from Odawara (2 hr 15)

    Odawara → Kyoto · Rail · ~$85/pp

    Hikari service, about two hours ten. Reserve seats on SmartEX a month ahead — this is the longest leg of the trip.

    • Any suitcase over 160 cm in total dimensions needs the oversized-baggage seat at the back of the car.
    • Ekiben from the Odawara concourse is the right lunch — eat on the train.

    Bus 206 · 15 min — from Kyoto Station to Gojozaka.

  2. 1:30 PM — Kiyomizu-dera (75 min)

    Higashiyama · Temple · ~$3/pp

    The wooden stage over the valley, rebuilt without a single nail. The whole city is below it, and the walk down is the day’s second act.

    • Drink from one of the three Otowa streams, not all three — that is considered greedy.
    • Blossom-season evening illuminations run into mid-April; check the dates.

    Walk 10 min · 0.6 km — down Matsubara-dori and left into the stone lanes.

  3. 3:00 PM — Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka (60 min)

    Higashiyama · Preserved lanes · Free

    Two stepped lanes of wooden machiya houses, tea shops and the Yasaka Pagoda rising at the end. Slow, photogenic, and where everyone will scatter — set a meeting point at the pagoda.

    • Rented kimono shops line the top of Sannenzaka; the fittings take an hour.
    • The Starbucks in a 100-year-old machiya on Ninenzaka is a real building worth a look.

    Walk 4 min · 0.3 km — down to the pagoda.

  4. 4:15 PM — Yasaka Pagoda (30 min)

    Higashiyama · Landmark · Free

    Hōkan-ji’s five-storey pagoda in the middle of a residential lane — the most photographed vertical in Kyoto, best from the slope above it.

    • The classic frame is from Yasaka-dori looking down; go early evening for the lanterns.
    • The interior opens irregularly; the view is the point.

    Walk 10 min · 0.7 km — north through Maruyama Park.

  5. 5:00 PM — Yasaka Shrine and Gion (60 min)

    Gion · Shrine + district · Free

    The lantern-hung shrine at the top of Shijo-dori, then Hanamikoji at dusk when the teahouses light up and, with luck, a maiko passes.

    • Do not photograph maiko without asking; the private lanes off Hanamikoji are closed to tourists.
    • Maruyama Park behind the shrine is Kyoto’s blossom-party ground.

    Walk 8 min · 0.6 km — west over the Kamo River bridge.

  6. 6:30 PM — Pontocho alley (45 min)

    Central Kyoto · Alley · Free

    The narrow lantern lane between Shijo and Sanjo along the river. In summer the restaurant decks hang over the water; in April the blossom does.

    • The riverbank below, the Kamogawa, is where locals sit — join them.
    • The lane is one person wide in places; walk single file.

Day 9 · Sunday, April 12 — Fushimi Inari and the south

The gates at dawn, two quieter temples, a market and a canal-side path. Bus, train, feet.

  1. 7:00 AM — Fushimi Inari Taisha (2 hr)

    Fushimi · Shrine · Free

    Ten thousand vermilion gates up the mountain. At 7 AM the lower tunnel is empty; by 9 it is a queue. Go to the Yotsutsuji viewpoint at least, the summit if you are willing.

    • The full loop to the summit is two hours; Yotsutsuji is 45 minutes and has the city view.
    • Fox-shaped ema plaques at the base — draw your own face on one.

    JR Nara line · 3 min — one stop north to Tofukuji.

  2. 9:30 AM — Tofuku-ji (60 min)

    Higashiyama · Temple · ~$4/pp

    The Zen temple with the Tsutenkyo bridge over a valley of maples, and the checkerboard moss garden behind the abbot’s hall.

    • Famous in November; in April it is empty and just as good.
    • The Hojo garden ticket is separate from the bridge ticket.

    JR + Kintetsu · 15 min — to Toji Station.

  3. 11:00 AM — To-ji Temple (60 min)

    South Kyoto · Temple · ~$5/pp

    Japan’s tallest wooden pagoda and a hall of 21 statues arranged as a three-dimensional mandala — the most powerful single room in Kyoto.

    • The Kodo hall’s statues are the reason to pay; the pagoda interior opens only on special days.
    • On the 21st of each month the flea market fills the grounds.

    Subway Karasuma · 10 min — to Shijo, then a short walk east.

  4. 1:00 PM — Nishiki Market (60 min)

    Central Kyoto · Market · Free to browse

    Kyoto’s kitchen — four hundred metres of pickles, knives, tofu and tea. Browsing counts as sightseeing even when nobody eats.

    • Aritsugu, near the west end, has made knives since 1560 and engraves your name.
    • Eating while walking is frowned on; stand at the stall.

    Bus 5 · 25 min — east to Nanzenji-Eikando-michi.

  5. 3:00 PM — Philosopher’s Path and Nanzen-ji (90 min)

    Higashiyama · Canal walk + temple · Free

    The two-kilometre canal path under the cherries, ending at Nanzen-ji’s huge Sanmon gate and the brick aqueduct that looks like it wandered in from Rome.

    • Walk it north to south so you finish at the gate.
    • Climb the Sanmon gate for ¥600 — the view over the trees is the end of the day.

Day 10 · Monday, April 13 — Nara day trip

Deer, the Great Buddha and a lantern shrine, 35 minutes from Kyoto. Back for the evening.

  1. 8:30 AM — Kintetsu limited express to Nara (35 min)

    Kyoto → Kintetsu-Nara · Rail · ~$8/pp

    The Kintetsu express drops you a five-minute walk from the park; JR Nara is twenty minutes further out. Reserve seats; it is a small train.

    • Buy the reserved-seat surcharge at the machine; the base fare is on your Suica.
    • Kintetsu-Nara station has coin lockers if anyone has bags.

    Walk 10 min · 0.8 km — east up Noborioji into the park.

  2. 9:30 AM — Nara Park (60 min)

    Nara · Park · Free

    Twelve hundred deer that bow for crackers and mug for more. The park is the whole east side of the city; everything else today is inside it.

    • Deer crackers are ¥200 a bundle; hold them high or lose them fast.
    • The deer bow if you bow first — a row of people gets a chorus.

    Walk 8 min · 0.6 km — north to the Great South Gate.

  3. 10:45 AM — Tōdai-ji (75 min)

    Nara · Temple · ~$5/pp

    The world’s largest wooden building and the fifteen-metre bronze Buddha inside it. The pillar with the hole the size of the Buddha’s nostril is the dare.

    • The Nandaimon gate’s two guardian statues are eight metres tall — stop there first.
    • Crawl through the pillar hole and you are promised enlightenment; adults fit, sideways.

    Walk 8 min · 0.5 km — up the stone steps to the east.

  4. 12:15 PM — Nigatsu-do (30 min)

    Nara · Temple hall · Free

    The balcony hall on the hillside above Tōdai-ji, with the plain of Nara laid out below. The best free view in the city, and the quietest place on the route.

    • Open around the clock — it is the sunset spot if you come back.
    • The lanterns along the balcony are lit for the Omizutori fire festival in March.

    Walk 15 min · 1.1 km — south along the forest path.

  5. 1:00 PM — Kasugataisha Shrine (60 min)

    Nara · Shrine · ~$4/pp

    Three thousand stone and bronze lanterns lining the paths to the vermilion shrine in the primeval forest.

    • The inner sanctum ticket includes the dark lantern room lit to look like the festival nights.
    • Deer follow you the whole way; they know the route.

    Walk 20 min · 1.5 km — back west past Kōfuku-ji’s pagoda.

  6. 2:45 PM — Naramachi (60 min)

    Nara · Old quarter · Free

    The preserved merchant quarter south of the park — lattice-fronted houses, tiny museums, and the red cloth monkeys hung outside doors to ward off bad luck.

    • Naramachi Koshi-no-ie is a free open-house showing how the long narrow houses work inside.
    • Isuien Garden, back by the park, is the quiet alternative if energy is flagging.

Day 11 · Tuesday, April 14 — Arashiyama and the north

Bamboo at opening, the Golden Pavilion after lunch, and the suitcases go to Osaka tonight.

  1. 8:00 AM — Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (45 min)

    Arashiyama · Grove · Free

    The bamboo tunnel that looks like the pictures only before 9 AM. After that it is a slow shuffle; arrive on the first train.

    • JR Sagano line from Kyoto Station, 15 minutes; walk from Saga-Arashiyama.
    • The path is 400 metres; the light comes through sideways early.

    Walk 3 min · 0.2 km — out of the grove’s south gate.

  2. 9:00 AM — Tenryu-ji (60 min)

    Arashiyama · Temple garden · ~$4/pp

    The Zen garden that borrows the mountain behind it as its back wall. Six hundred years old and still exactly as drawn.

    • The garden-only ticket is enough; the halls are an add-on.
    • Exit through the north gate — it opens straight into the grove if you want it twice.

    Walk 8 min · 0.6 km — down to the river.

  3. 10:15 AM — Togetsukyo Bridge and Iwatayama Monkey Park (90 min)

    Arashiyama · River + hill · ~$4/pp · Flexible

    The bridge across the Katsura River with the wooded hills behind, then a 20-minute climb to a hilltop of 120 wild macaques and the whole of Kyoto below.

    • The climb is steep; the non-climbers can take the river path or a rowing boat.
    • Feed the monkeys only from inside the hut, through the mesh.

    Bus 93 + 204 · 45 min — across the north of the city to Kinkakuji-michi. A taxi is about the same price split a few ways.

  4. 1:30 PM — Kinkaku-ji (60 min)

    North Kyoto · Temple · ~$3/pp

    The Golden Pavilion on its mirror pond. The route is one-way and it takes 40 minutes at the crowd’s pace; the first view from the pond edge is the whole thing.

    • The ticket is a paper charm — keep it.
    • Cloudy days photograph better than sunny ones; the gold does not flare.

    Bus 59 · 8 min — south to Ryoanji-mae.

  5. 3:00 PM — Ryoan-ji (45 min)

    North Kyoto · Rock garden · ~$4/pp

    Fifteen rocks in raked gravel, arranged so that you can never see all fifteen at once. Sit on the veranda and count.

    • The pond garden behind it is bigger than the rock garden and usually empty.
    • Nijo Castle is on the bus route back if you want one more — its nightingale floors squeak on purpose.

    Bus 59 · 30 min — back to the hotel for the suitcases.

  6. 6:00 PM — Send the suitcases to Osaka (20 min)

    Hotel front desk · Takkyubin · ~$17/bag

    Same routine as Tokyo: hand the bags over with the Osaka hotel’s address, carry one night’s clothes tomorrow. They arrive before you check in.

    • Osaka is close enough that same-day delivery is sometimes offered — ask.
    • Keep the passports and the shinkansen tickets on you, not in the bag.

Day 12 · Wednesday, April 15 — Osaka — castle to Dotonbori

Thirty minutes down the line and a different city: louder, flatter, funnier. Castle by day, canal by night.

  1. 9:00 AM — Train to Osaka (30 min)

    Kyoto → Osaka · Rail · ~$4/pp

    The JR special rapid to Osaka Station, no reservation needed. Drop the day bags at the hotel and go.

    • Shin-Osaka is the shinkansen station; Osaka Station is the city one — you want the latter today.
    • The Osaka Amazing Pass covers the castle, Harukas and the aquarium if you does all three.

    Tanimachi line · 10 min — to Tanimachi 4-chome.

  2. 10:30 AM — Osaka Castle (2 hr)

    Chūō · Castle · ~$4/pp

    The white-and-gold keep above its moats, rebuilt in concrete but the walls and the park are the real thing. The 8th-floor deck has the city.

    • Enter from the Otemon gate on the west; the Sakuramon gate has the huge stones.
    • The park’s Nishinomaru garden is the blossom-viewing lawn — ¥350 in season.

    Sakaisuji line · 15 min — to Nippombashi.

  3. 1:30 PM — Kuromon Market (45 min)

    Namba · Market · Free to browse

    Osaka’s kitchen: 150 stalls of fish, fruit and knives under one long roof. A sight to walk even without stopping.

    • Most stalls close by 5 PM; midday is the busiest and the best.
    • The market’s side street has the coin lockers and toilets.

    Walk 12 min · 0.9 km — north up the covered arcade.

  4. 2:30 PM — Shinsaibashi and Amerikamura (90 min)

    Minami · Arcades · Free

    The 600-metre covered shopping arcade of Shinsaibashi-suji, and the vintage-and-streetwear triangle of Amerikamura just west of it.

    • Amerikamura’s Triangle Park is the meeting point.
    • The arcade runs straight into Dotonbori at its south end — no navigation needed.

    Walk 5 min · 0.4 km — south to the canal.

  5. 6:00 PM — Dotonbori (2 hr)

    Namba · Canal district · Free

    The Glico running man, the mechanical crab, the neon on the water. Take the 20-minute canal cruise for the view from below, then walk it again on foot.

    • The Tombori River Cruise leaves from the Don Quijote ferris-wheel dock every half hour.
    • Ebisubashi bridge is the Glico-sign photo; step to the side once you have it.

    Walk 3 min · 0.2 km — into the lane behind the arcade.

  6. 8:15 PM — Hozen-ji (20 min)

    Namba · Temple · Free

    A tiny temple in a stone-paved lane one street back from the neon, with a moss-covered statue you splash with water for luck. The quiet ending Dotonbori needs.

    • Ladle water over Fudo-myoo — the moss is 80 years of it.
    • The lane, Hozenji Yokocho, is where Osaka’s old restaurants hide.

Day 13 · Thursday, April 16 — Osaka — pick one big day

A whole day at Universal, or a city loop of towers, a retro district and the aquarium. Decide at breakfast; both work.

  1. 8:30 AM — Option A: Universal Studios Japan (9 hr)

    Konohana · Theme park · ~$70/pp + Express · Book ahead

    Super Nintendo World, the Wizarding World and the Jaws ride. You need the Express Pass to do the big four in one day.

    • Super Nintendo World needs a timed-entry ticket even with a park ticket — book it in the app at opening.
    • JR Yumesaki line from Osaka Station, 12 minutes, to Universal City.

  2. 9:30 AM — Option B: Shinsekai and Tsutenkaku (75 min)

    Naniwa · Retro district · ~$6/pp · Flexible

    The 1912 “new world” district that stayed put — the Tsutenkaku tower, the Billiken statue and streets of fugu lanterns.

    • Rub Billiken’s feet at the top of the tower for luck.
    • The slide from the tower’s third floor is ¥1,000 and ten seconds — someone will insist.

    Walk 15 min · 1.1 km — south through Tennoji Park.

  3. 11:15 AM — Abeno Harukas 300 (60 min)

    Abeno · Observatory · ~$12/pp · Flexible

    Japan’s second-tallest building, with a three-floor observatory and a glass-floored corner. Osaka Bay to the Kyoto hills on a clear morning.

    • The 60th-floor deck has an open-air court — cold in April, bring a layer.
    • Tickets are timed on weekends; weekdays walk up.

    Chuo line · 25 min — west to Osakako.

  4. 1:30 PM — Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan (2 hr)

    Osaka Bay · Aquarium · ~$18/pp · Flexible

    A spiral down through the Pacific Rim, with two whale sharks in the central tank. One of the best aquariums anywhere and a rest for the feet.

    • Start at the top floor and walk down — the design is one long ramp.
    • The Tempozan ferris wheel next door is the bay view for ¥800.

    Chuo + Midosuji · 30 min — to Umeda.

  5. 5:30 PM — Umeda Sky Building — Kuchu Teien (60 min)

    Umeda · Observatory · ~$10/pp · Flexible

    The Floating Garden observatory, an open ring 173 metres up between two towers. Sunset over the bay is the last view of Osaka.

    • The escalator across the gap between the towers is the ride.
    • Tickets are cheaper after 6 PM on weekdays.

Day 14 · Friday, April 17 — Hiroshima and Miyajima

An early shinkansen, the Peace Park, then the floating torii. Long, but it is the day everyone will talk about.

  1. 7:00 AM — Shinkansen to Hiroshima (85 min)

    Shin-Osaka → Hiroshima · Rail · ~$70/pp

    Nozomi service, an hour and twenty-five. Reserve seats for the 7 AM; the return can be flexible.

    • Nozomi is the fastest and is NOT covered by the JR Pass — one more reason to buy point-to-point.
    • Hiroshima Station to the Peace Park is 15 minutes on the tram.

    Tram line 2 · 15 min — to Genbaku Dome-mae.

  2. 9:00 AM — Peace Memorial Park, the Dome and the Museum (2 hr 30)

    Naka · Memorial · ~$1.50/pp

    The skeleton of the Atomic Bomb Dome, the Children’s Peace Monument in its thousands of paper cranes, and the museum. Allow two hours in the museum and do not rush it out.

    • The museum is ¥200 and often has a queue by 10 AM; go straight in first.
    • The Memorial Hall next door is free, quiet, and where people sit afterwards.

    JR Sanyo line + ferry · 45 min — to Miyajimaguchi, then the 10-minute JR ferry.

  3. 12:45 PM — Itsukushima Shrine (90 min)

    Miyajima · Shrine · ~$2/pp

    The shrine on stilts over the sea with the great vermilion torii standing in the water. At high tide it floats; at low tide you walk out to it.

    • Check the tide table before choosing the ferry — you want both high and low if the timing allows.
    • The deer here are pushier than Nara’s; keep paper out of reach.

    Walk 5 min · 0.3 km — up the hill behind the shrine.

  4. 2:30 PM — Senjokaku and the pagoda (30 min)

    Miyajima · Hall · ~$1/pp

    The unfinished thousand-mat hall Hideyoshi never completed, open on all sides, next to a five-storey pagoda. Cool, breezy and empty.

    • Sit on the floor — that is what it is for.
    • The pagoda is closed inside; the hall is the visit.

    Walk 15 min · 1 km — through Momijidani Park to the ropeway.

  5. 3:15 PM — Miyajima Ropeway and Mount Misen (2 hr)

    Miyajima · Summit · ~$13/pp · Optional

    Two ropeways up, then a 30-minute walk to the 535-metre summit and the Inland Sea spread out in every direction.

    • The last ropeway down is around 5 PM in April — start by 3:15 or skip it.
    • The Reikado hall on the way up has a flame said to have burned for 1,200 years.

    If it rains: skip the summit; the shrine and the Omotesando arcade fill the afternoon.

    Ferry + JR + shinkansen · 2 hr 15 — back to Shin-Osaka by about 9 PM.

Day 15 · Saturday, April 18 — Departure from Kansai

A late flight buys one morning. Then the airport express and home.

  1. 9:00 AM — Sumiyoshi Taisha (60 min)

    Sumiyoshi · Shrine · Free · Optional

    One of Japan’s oldest shrines, in a style that predates Chinese influence, with the arched red Sorihashi bridge over the pond. Fifteen minutes south on the Nankai line, and nearly empty on a Saturday morning.

    • The Nankai line from Namba stops here on the way toward the airport — no backtracking.
    • The bridge is steep; it is meant to be climbed slowly.

    Nankai Rapi:t · 35 min — from Namba to Kansai Airport.

  2. 11:00 AM — Nankai Rapi:t to Kansai Airport (40 min)

    Namba → KIX · Rail · ~$10/pp

    The blue-nosed airport express from Namba. Reserved seats, 35 minutes, and the suitcases came back from the hotel this morning.

    • Reserve seats at the Namba counter; the unreserved airport rapid takes 10 minutes longer.
    • KIX Terminal 1 is the international one; the tax-refund counter is landside.

    Walk 5 min · 0.3 km — across the bridge into Terminal 1.

  3. 12:00 PM — Kansai International Airport (—)

    Departure · Flight home

    Fifteen days, seven cities, two shinkansen legs and one forwarded suitcase per person. The route never doubled back.

    • Suica balances refund only at JR East stations — spend it down at the airport shops instead.
    • The observation hall on the roof of Terminal 1 has the runway view if you has time.

Budget per person

Excludes lodging, flights and food.

Getting around

Welcome Suica on every phone or card for metros, buses and the Miyajima ferry. Shinkansen point-to-point on SmartEX, seats reserved in one block — the nationwide JR Pass no longer pays off on this route. Highway bus Shinjuku → Kawaguchiko, Hakone Free Pass for the loop. Apps: Google Maps, Navitime, SmartEX.

Pack

Broken-in walking shoes (~12 km a day) · a layer for observatories and Hakone · coins for temples and lockers · one carry-on each for the Fuji and Hakone nights.

Local etiquette

If something goes wrong