One Week in Japan For First-Time Visitors: How to Make the Most of Your Time!

I recommend flying into Tokyo and immediately training to Osaka. This will end your trip in Tokyo, which is much easier for flying out!

Why Osaka? Osaka is all the city vibes of Tokyo, but smaller and more manageable via foot. It is also famous for its food scene, so if you have heard all about the food in Japan, Osaka is the place to be to experience it at its finest!

• I recommend three nights in Osaka, because your first night will likely be a later one as its a travel day. This will give you two full days in Osaka to explore.

Why Kyoto? Though Kyoto is certainly bigger than I had anticipated, it does have more of the traditional feel that many people go to Japan looking for. You will find more neighborhoods with the wooden architecture and you will find loads of incredible temples in the Kyoto region!

• I recommend two nights in Kyoto. Though you can definitely fill up more days there, you are on limited time and Kyoto is a little more manageable in a short amount of time compared to Osaka and Tokyo. Plus travel time to Kyoto from Osaka is significantly shorter than your other travel days

Why Tokyo? For your first trip to Japan, I think Tokyo is a must-see. Tokyo is the largest (by population) city IN THE WORLD and it is fascinating to see it at work. Admittedly, though, it can be exhausting navigating the city because it just takes so long to get from point A to point B in the city.

• I recommend three nights in Tokyo. It is GIANT. Plus, you will have a travel day from Kyoto back to Tokyo, which will take a good portion of your first day.

BUT. I think an itinerary that includes JUST these cities is going to be missing out on great experiences. You are going to want to get out of the city a little bit and take some day trips to see some of the temples, castles, MOUNTAINS (Fuji 😉) and more that are accessible within a day of theses cities.

Day 0.5 is your arrival day. Whatever time you arrive, again, I do recommend making your way to Osaka first so you will be prepped for 2 full days of exploring Osaka area.

TIP: From the Tokyo airport, you will have to take a city train to Shinjuku station where you will be able to hop on the bullet train (aka the Shinkansen trains). For the city train, have the IC card downloaded in your wallet and loaded with yen. For the bullet train, you can purchase your ticket at the airport or online on Klook.

• Online would make it easier. We had to hunt down the right place to purchase our ticket when we landed. However, I do recommend giving yourself plenty of wiggle room to account for flight delays and transportation TO Shinjuku Station.

Book A Train to osaka!

Though you can purchase bullet train tickets at the airport, it was kind of chaotic for us to find the right place to purchase them. If I did it again, I would purchase them online!

Book Bullet Train Tickets

Shinkensan Price

-Airport: $92 USD
-Klook: About $100 USD, but convenience and user-friendly apps pay sometimes!

Morning

Start your day by visiting the most popular temple in Osaka, Shitennō-ji, to beat the crowds! Shitennō-ji is pretty centrally located, so you can get there pretty quickly from central Osaka. An hour is plenty of time to walk the grounds and climb to the top of Shitennō-ji temple if you wish.

• Shitennō-ji is one of Japan’s oldest Buddhist temples, founded in 593
• Hours: 8:30am-4:30pm (4pm during off-season)
• Cost: Around 300 yen ($2 USD)

On your walk back to the train station, you will pass by Isshin-ji Temple as well. This was one of the most active temples we visited while in Japan; many local worshippers come to it daily.

• Cost: Free

From Isshin-ji Temple, you are very close to the Shinsekai market and Tsutenkaku Tower. We were able to visit the main street leading to the tower with little to NO other visitors, so I think its worth visiting before the crowds get there! (we returned at night on the second night and the crowds were THICK, but it was worth seeing it lit up as well).

From the Tsutenkaku tower, head to Sumiyoshi Taisha. This is a nice shinto shrine that is far less crowded than many of the others, but it IS located further outside the city. Not only are the shrines beautiful but the gardens and bridge around them are beautiful also!

• Travel Time: 23 minutes to Sumioshi Taisha from Tsutenkaku Tower
• Cost: Free

Afternoon

After Sumiyoshi Taisha, head to the Osaka Castle. It is also located a little further outside of the city center , so I recommend taking the time to travel from the southern temple of Sumiyoshi up to the castle before returning to Osaka’s city center.

The Osaka Castle is stunning from the outside, but you can also visit the inside (we opted out of this since we were going to visit the inside of Himenji Castle).

• Travel Time: Sumiyoshi Taisha to the Osaka Castle is about 49 minutes via train and to walk to the castle
• Cost: Free, but it is 600 yen (around $4 USD) to enter the castle

After you finish at the castle, make your way back to the city center (around 38 minutes). If you would like to visit the Namba Yasaka Jinja shrine (the big green head shrine), this is a great time to visit (we missed it because we left the area before realizing it was so close to the Kuromon Ichiba Market.)

• Travel Time from the Castle to Namba Yasaka Jinja: Around 40 minutes
• The Kuromon Ichiba Market is a MUST-VISIT, and the Namba Yaska Jinja shrine is only a 15 minute walk from the market.
• So, head to the famous shrine then work up your appetite while you take a short walk to the market!

Kuromon Ichiba Market is where you will likely find the best food in Osaka!

• The market has loads of food options- wagyu, tempura, fresh seafood, fruits, etc, but also has some shopping as well.

Evening

In the evening, make your way to Dotonbori. This is the famous street of Osaka, with the lights and the canal and the running man billboard.

Though it will definitely be full of people, Dotonbori doesn’t have the same vibe in the daytime since its known for its lights (kind of like visiting Time Square in the daylight versus nighttime).

Morning: Nara

The train ride from Osaka to Nara is only about an hour then a short walk to Nara Park.

Nara is home to the famous bowing deer. It is quite interesting to see the deer bow, but know that the deer are considered sacred and you shouldn’t feed them anything other than the crackers provided. Though you should treat them respectfully, know some of them won’t return the favor 🙃

Nara also offers more than just deer, though. It is also is home to some beautiful temples and shrines.

• The tallest remaining pagoda in Japan is Hannya-ji, a 13 story pagoda in none other than Nara.
  • It is a 26 minute walk or 11 minute bus ride from the bus terminal in Nara
• Kasugataisha Shrine is a unique shinto shrine. It still has the bright red colors of many of the shrines in Japan, but is is also home to both bronze and stone lanterns as well as statues of the deer from Nara.
  • Located about a 15-20 minute walk inside the park
• There are several Kofukuji temples, but unfortunately the 5 story pagoda is currently under renovation and covered up.
  • These are located close to the metro station, so save these for last before leaving Nara!

Afternoon: Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle is the largest castle in Japan and is truly so stunning. The castle as well as the grounds with the moat and cherry blossoms (that weren’t bloomed for us 🙃) are worth the visit.

Warning: Himeji Castle is about an hour and a half west of Osaka, and you are starting about an hour east of Osaka.

• After some kindergarten math, you can see that you are going to have quite the trek (2.5 hours) from Nara to Himeji Castle. However, as long as you get an early start in the morning, you will have plenty of time to see both!
  • We spent about 2 hours in Nara, but as long as you leave by around noon you will have plenty of time at Himeji Castle as well

We explored the grounds a little and toured the inside of the castle in about an hour and a half. However, know that that castle closes at 4pm, so you’ll have to keep an eye on the time!

• Cost: 1,000 yen (about $6 USD) to ENTER the castle; grounds are free
• Hours: 9am to 4:00pm

Evening: Return to the Shinsekai District

Your ride back to Osaka will only be about an hour and a half, but there is a good chance it could be dark by the time you get back to Osaka. But thats okay! Because I suggest returning to the Shinsekai district and Tsutenkaku Tower area to see the old school neon lights lit up at night!

If you have already visited this area during the day, you will get a completely different experience at night. Its like stepping into a carnival that happens nightly.

Day Two Alternative in Osaka

If you don’t want to travel quite so much, an alternative is to visit Minoh Park and Katsouji Temple.

1. Minoh Falls (aka Waterfall of Mino)
   • Minoh Falls is about a 45 minute hike inside Minoh Park known for its incredible autumn foliage. We opted out due to its distance out of the city center (an hour and 20 minutes north of Osaka) and the fact that we visited in February with no blossoms or foliage. But if you visit in the autumn this could be great for you!
2. Katsouji Temple
   • Katsouji Temple is a unique temple with a koi pond, beautiful pagoda and unique decor (Google it!) ,
   • However, it is also about an hour and 15 minutes from the Namba area of Osaka and an hour from Minoh Park
   • Therefore, if you want to visit both of these, you should plan for nearly a whole day to see both.

Time for the Kyoto portion of your one week in Japan! Lucky for you, the bullet train from Osaka to Kyoto is only about 30 minutes, so you should be able to arrive in Kyoto at a decent hour and have most of the day to explore Kyoto!

Want an Accommodation Recommendation?

Stay in a Ryokan!

A ryokan is a traditional Japanese accommodation that offers traditional onsens or sentos (public bathhouses) and futon mats to sleep on.

We stayed at Gion Shinmonso, which was clean, and though the futons were admittedly hard, it was a good experience!

Book a Room!

Morning

If you stay in the Gion district (located in the Higashiyama ward, which is a great option) you will be within walking distance to some of the most famous places to visit in Kyoto.

If you are like us, staying in the Gion district and picturing the famous street with the pagoda at the end, you can easily walk here first!

I’ve mapped out day three in order, because these details can get confusing without having been there or without seeing it!

Yasaka Street and the Hōkan-ji Temple (aka Yasaka Pagoda) at the end of it are must-sees. But BEWARE, during the day you are going to be FIGHTING a crowd.

Near the Hōkan-ji Temple you will also find the Yasaka Kōshin-dō Temple, a unique temple with strings of colorful balls hung on the temple dedicated to the Shōmen Kongō, a protective warrior,

Afternoon

From Yasaka Kōshin-dō Temple, you can head to the Kiyomizu-dera Niomon Gate.

There are SEVERAL temples and shrines in this area, including the Kiyomizu-dera Zenkojido which you will see first then the 5 story pagoda, Kiyomiz-udera Niomon Gate. This area is free to enter.

However, to visit the main hall, Kiyomizu-dera Hondo, the three streams of Kiyomizu-Dera Otowanotaki Falls (where you you can drink for longevity, love and success) and the Kiyomizu-dera Koyasunoto Pagoda you will have to pay to enter.

• Entrance fee: around 400 yen ($2.66 USD)

At the Kiyomizu-dera Hondo and surrounding decks you do get an excellent view of the mountains and the pagoda in the background and I bet if the cherry blossoms were bloomed it would be even better!

But, the Kiyomizu-dera Koyasunoto pagoda is quite a bit smaller than the one that is free (Kiyomizudera Niomon Gate) if you are trying to decide if you want to walk all the way to the end of the path.

• It took us about an hour and a half to walk around the entirety of the Kiyomizu-dera area and we went all the way to the far pagoda

After exploring the temples and shrines, head to Kodaiji Temple which is home to a couple of temples and a museum, but also a lesser-known bamboo forest. Is it as large as the popular Arashiyama Bamboo Forest? Certainly not, but it definitely comes with less crowds! And, it is within a 10 minute walk from the Kiyomizu-dera area!

• Hours: 9am to 5pm
• Cost: 600 yen (around $4USD)

In all honesty, the bamboo forest here isn’t very big. It is one path out of the whole grounds that has the bamboo. But we opted to not visit the larger bamboo forest, so do I know the difference anyway? No haha. Plus, it meshed better with our quick two days in Kyoto due to its proximity to central Kyoto.

NOTE: Google Maps should take you down Ninenzaka street when you go from Kiyomizu-dera to Kodaiji Temple- this is one of the most popular streets with traditional Japanese architecture and should be seen in the daylight at some point on your trip. This is a great time to fit it in.

Evening

From the bamboo forest, take the scenic route down Hanamikoji-dori street that will take you the way to the Tatsumi Bridge and then along Shirakawa Canal. This is a beautiful walk, and hopefully if you are here later in the afternoon, the crowds will be a little better.

**REMEMBER: If this seems very confusing, I have this mapped out on Google Maps!)

Follow along the canal until you come to the main street that runs along the Kamo River. Then take a left and you can cross the famous Shijō Bridge.

Once you cross this bridge you are about to enter the more modern portion of Kyoto (shopping district, Zara, etc).

• The Nishiki Market is also over here, however it closes between 5:30 and 6pm (we learned too late) and is about an 8-10 minute walk from Shijō Bridge.
• So if this market is high on your list, be sure to manage your time accordingly!

Before you get lost in the modern side of Kyoto, I do recommend enjoying the more traditional streets that run along the river and along the little canal near the Shin-bashi Bridge.

Morning

One thing that really is a must-see in Kyoto is the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine, or often referred to as the shrine of 10,000 gates. It is a shinto shrine and dates back to 711 AD. It is famous for its path of bright red gates, but remember as you visit that it is a shrine for locals.

Again, this is one of the most popular things to do in Kyoto, so if you are a hater of crowds, you will want to arrive EARLY. We got there around 9am and it was already crowded.

• From the Gion district, Fushimi Inari Taisha is about 25 minutes via Keihan Main Line

Can you get photos even when there are crowds? Yes. The crowds seem to come in waves, so ride the waves and you should be able to get your nice photos without 100 people in the back.

After Fushimi Inari Taisha, head to the golden plated Buddhist temple of Kinkaku-ji. This will take you about an hour via metro and bus, but once here, there are several close-by things to see!

**After fighting the crowds of Fushimi Inari Taisha, we opted to visit lesser-known sites rather than visit the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest.Therefore, if you would rather, you can opt to go to the forest instead. Arashiyama Bamboo Forest is 48 minutes from Kinkaku-ji and 52 minutes from Fushimi Inari Taisha (another reason we opted out)**

The grounds that Kinku-ji are on were originally purchased by shogun Ashigaka Yoshimitsu for a vacation home, but after his passing was repurposed into a Buddhist temple.

The temple is located on a little island in a pond, which makes for it incredibly picturesque when the temple reflects off the water!

Afternoon

Nearby the Kinku-ji temple you can take a 19 minute walk or 15 bus ride (you better time your bus right or you’ll spend double the time waiting for it) to the zen garden, Ryoan-ji.

This is a small rock garden where monks change the rock formation daily. It is located in a small area that has a pond, gardens, etc and is easily visited within an hour. Due to its proximity to Kinku-ji, I do think it is worth stopping by!

• Cost: 600 yen (Around $4 USD- yes, you can see there are many entrance fees so HAVE CASH!)

Would you like a 5 story pagoda without the crowd? Within a 15 minute walk from Ryoan-ji is Ninna-ji Temple, which is home to several temples, one of them being a 5 story pagoda that looks VERY similar to the THE Hōkan-ji Temple (aka Yasaka Pagoda).

The grounds here are beautiful and full of trees- of which I am sure are INCREDIBLE during the Spring 😍

• Cost: Free

Evening

I do recommend exploring the Gion district either early morning or at night in order to get a feel for the streets without the maddening crowds.

Therefore, now is a great time to return to the streets of Yasaka-dori and Ninenzaka. We visited at night and enjoyed the experience a lot more!

A fun thing you can also do is get custom rings made at Glänta, which is found on Ninenzaka street. The lady that helped us was SO NICE and the experience was so fun! Now, my travel companions and I have a souviner from Japan that will last forever (and fits well with our Ireland Claddagh rings 😀)

What we missed in Kyoto

We did miss the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, but that was on purpose. But there were a few things we would have like to see that we didn’t have time to.

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji– This is a unique temple of 12,000 moss-covered stone statues and I was sad about missing it. However, it is located near Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, which we established was nearly an hour from Kyoto’s city center.

Nishki Market– We loved the markets in Osaka, so were excited for another. However, by the time we made it to this side of Kyoto it had about 10 minutes until it closed.

Daijo-ji Temple– This is a Buddhist temple located in the south of Kyoto, about a 28 minute train ride and walk or 45 minute walk from Gion District. Though it looks close to the Kiyomizu-dera area, you have to hop on public transportation that takes 45 minutes as well. It wasn’t worth it for us. But looks like it has incredible cherry blossom and autumn foliage trees

The train from Kyoto to Tokyo will take about 2.5 hours, give or take, depending on where you decide to stay in Tokyo.

Where to stay in Tokyo? Though Shinjuku has a bad reputation for being loud, I recommend staying in this area for your first time in Tokyo, especially if you plan to do a day trip to Mount Fuji (buses and trains leave from Shinjuku Station). Our accommodation wasn’t loud and it was conveniently located next to two metro stations.

Want a Recommendation?

Shinjuku Apartment

I’m usually a proponent of a hotel; more helpful, luggage storage, etc. However, in Tokyo we had a hard time finding hotel rooms for three people that weren’t astronomical in prices.

So found an apartment on Booking.com that fit us comfortable; it was spacious (for Tokyo) and the host was very helpful. The location was also great!

Book a Room!

Afternoon

If you are staying in the Shinjuku area, I recommend exploring Shinjuku City first! Shinjuku is one of 23 (!) wards in Tokyo, and fair warning, don’t expect to visit them all with only a couple of days in Tokyo.

Shinjuku known for its bright lights and entertainment and shopping district. Must-see things in this area are:

• the 3D Cat billboard
• Omoide Yokocho Street (popular food street!)
• Godzilla (in Kabukichō area)

Fair warning, Shinjuku is also home to a large red light district, Kabukichō, so if you are traveling with kids you may want to avoid this area. I didn’t see much outright “crudeness,” but there are some questionable signs outside some of the clubs. I also visited at a reasonable hour (around 5-7pm) and wasn’t looking for services lol.

Other than that, it is a good, central location with a lot of places to eat and things to see and do.

Evening

Shibuya is another must-visit district in Tokyo, especially for your first time in japan. It is located just a few metro stops from Shinjuku, so end your night here!

Here you will find the famous Shibuya Crossing; the busiest in the world! You can get a view of it from above at the Starbucks (if you purchase a drink) or at the Share Lounge above it.

You will also find a lot of shopping, restaurants, and people lol.

Your one week in Japan must include Mt Fuji! I’ll have more information on this soon, because getting to Mt Fuji from Tokyo is quite the task. A couple of things to know real quick, though:

• The easiest, most direct way to get to Mt Fuji is the bus; however, buses fill up quickly and you need to book those tickets like yesterday
• You can also get there via train, but you will take multiple trains that require different train tickets and the train time makes it difficult to visit multiple sites in a day.
• HOWEVER, we did visit Japan in February where the days are shorter, so if you visit during the summer it will be easier, AND if you get an early start, your chances of getting to visit multiple sites will increase significantly

Morning

I recommend heading to Arakurayama Sengen Park first because the Chureito Pagoda is one of the most popular Fuji-viewing views! To get here, you will either bus directly from Shinjuku Station or train from Shinjuku to Ōtsuki Station and then continue to Arakurayama Sengen Park.

Prepare yourself; you will have to climb about 300 steps to get up to the observation deck and the famous pagoda.

• Though the views at the top are worth the climb, but there are also great views at the bottom of the concrete stairs and there is a great pull-off on the right side of the stairs to have a photo op with less people.

Another place to see in Fujiyoshida is Fuji Michi, aka Honcho Street, which you have probably seen pictures of. It is about a 9 minute walk from the train station. The lanterns really make the street!

Afternoon

Guided Tour to Mt Fuji

If the sound of making multiple train transfers to one stop and then training to another stop then taking a bus sounds exhausting (which it kind of was 😅) you can opt to take a guided tour of Mt Fuji (honestly kind of wish we had done one).

The guided tours will leave from Tokyo and take you to multiple viewing areas without having to worry about all the tickets, train switches and will probably allow you to fit more viewing areas than you would via train and public transportation.

If I would have booked a guided tour to Mt Fuji, this is the one I would have booked! It goes to both Arakurayama Sengen Park and Lake Kawaguchi as well as Oshino Hakkai and the Healing Village at Lake Saiko.

As you will soon find out, Tokyo is GIANT and to get from point A to point B in Tokyo can take some TIME. You could probably spend the entirety of your one week in Japan in Tokyo. So don’t be discouraged if you don’t fit a lot into a day. Enjoy what you can do.

Start day 7 by visiting the Senso-ji temple located on the east side of Tokyo in the beautiful area of Asakusa. There is a gate that leads to a popular shopping street, Nakamise-dori Stree, a temple AND a pagoda, so be sure not to just stop at the gate.

Asakusa is a super cute area of Tokyo that has architecture similar to the traditional architecture in Gion district of Kyoto. Once you get all the way down Nakamise-dori to the shrine, take a left pass the pagoda and you’ll run into the cute, traditional-looking streets such as Rokuku Street!

If you would like to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city and visit a temple that is out in nature a bit more, visit Meiji Jingu, located near the Shibuya area of Tokyo. It is located in a forested area and feels vastly different from most places in Tokyo!

• Travel Time Asakusa to Meiji Jingu: About 50 minutes including train and walk time

Sometime while in Tokyo, you need to see the cityscape from above. It really is incredible to see! A good place to do this (and to knock out a iconic site!) is to go to the Tokyo Tower.

And, if you are lucky, you may see Mt Fuji hanging out in the back!

Not a Disney fan? Day 8 Alternative

A couple of wards and other things to do in Tokyo (marked dark green on the map!):

• Imperial Palace- It is closed on Mondays (when we were exploring Tokyo)
• Harajuku- A ward full of fashion; vintage shops, boutiques, street art. andmore
• Nakameguro- A great place to go see cherry blossoms and nature + cool creweries and coffe shops
• Ginza- If you are a high-end shopper, this is your district
• Akihabara- If you are a gamer, this district is a gamers and anime fans paradise

If you’ve made it this far, I’m impressed. I know this is lengthy, but there is just SO much to do in Japan and so many things I would have found helpful to know before visiting!

I hope you love your first trip to japan as much as we did!