Build a custom day-by-day Japan itinerary in seconds. Choose your trip length (3–21 days), arrival and departure airports, travel pace, and the regions or cities you want to include. Your plan is saved automatically in your browser and can be printed cleanly. Also browse our ready-made 7, 10 & 14-day itineraries or explore all 800+ places in our Japan City Directory.
Rules of thumb when building a Japan route
- Every hotel change costs half a day: use bases like Tokyo (for Kamakura, Yokohama, Nikko, Kawaguchiko) and Kyoto or Osaka (for Nara, Himeji, Kobe, Uji) rather than switching hotels every night.
- Fly open-jaw if you can: landing in Tokyo (HND/NRT) and flying home from Osaka Kansai (KIX) saves ~¥14,720 and 2.5 hours of backtracking on the Tokaido Shinkansen.
- Ship big suitcases past 1-night stops: if you stop in Hakone, Takayama, or Miyajima for one night, forward your main suitcase from Tokyo straight to Kyoto via Takkyubin and carry a small overnight backpack.
Sample Classic Japan Route Templates by Trip Duration
| Trip Length | Recommended Base Cities (Nights) | Best Day Trips Included | Ideal Airport Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Days (1 Week Express) | Tokyo (4 nights) + Kyoto (3 nights) | Kamakura or Hakone (from Tokyo); Nara Park & Osaka Dotonbori evening (from Kyoto) | Open-jaw: Land in Tokyo (HND/NRT), fly home from Osaka Kansai (KIX) |
| 10 Days (Classic First-Timer) | Tokyo (4N) + Hakone/Kawaguchiko (1N) + Kyoto (3N) + Osaka (2N) | Nikko or Kamakura; Nara Half-Day; Himeji Castle or Hiroshima/Miyajima day trip | Open-jaw (HND → KIX) or round-trip Tokyo with one Shinkansen return leg |
| 14 Days (Two-Week Golden + Hiroshima/Alps) | Tokyo (5N) + Kanazawa/Takayama (2N) + Kyoto (4N) + Hiroshima/Miyajima (1N) + Osaka (2N) | Shirakawa-go thatched village bus stopover; Uji matcha & Nara deer; Himeji Castle | Open-jaw or round-trip Tokyo using the JR West Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass for the western leg |
| 21 Days (Three-Week Grand Tour) | Tokyo (5N) + Nikko/Hakone (2N) + Japanese Alps (3N) + Kyoto (4N) + Naoshima (2N) + Hiroshima (2N) + Fukuoka/Osaka (3N) | Matsumoto & Kamikochi, Kurashiki Bikan Quarter, Dazaifu & Beppu/Yufuin | Arrive Tokyo (HND), depart Fukuoka (FUK) or Osaka (KIX) |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best 7, 10, or 14-day route for a first trip to Japan?
For 7 days, split your time between Tokyo (4 nights) and Kyoto/Osaka (3 nights). For 10 days, do Tokyo (4 nights), Hakone or Kamakura/Nikko (1–2 nights), and Kyoto/Osaka/Nara (4 nights). For 14 days, add either Kanazawa + Takayama (3 nights) or Hiroshima + Miyajima + Himeji (2–3 nights) to the Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka loop.
Is it better to fly Open-Jaw (into Tokyo and home from Osaka KIX) or book a round-trip to Tokyo?
Flying open-jaw—landing at Tokyo Haneda (HND) or Narita (NRT) and departing home from Osaka Kansai (KIX)—saves roughly 3 hours of backtracking and ~¥14,720 per person in return Shinkansen fares on the final day of your trip.
Should I stay in both Kyoto and Osaka, or base in one city and day-trip to the other?
Central Kyoto and Osaka (Umeda/Namba) are only 28–45 minutes apart on JR Special Rapid, Hankyu, or Keihan trains (¥410–¥580). Staying in Kyoto for 4–5 nights and taking a 30-minute evening train into Osaka's Dotonbori/Namba saves you a hotel checkout, or split 3–4 nights in Kyoto and 2 nights in Osaka if you plan a full day at Universal Studios Japan (USJ) or fly out of KIX.
How early in the morning should I schedule popular sights like Fushimi Inari, Senso-ji, and Arashiyama?
Japan's major outdoor shrines and temple grounds (Fushimi Inari Taisha, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Senso-ji exteriors, and Meiji Jingu) open at dawn or 24/7 while most museum and shop doors open at 9:00–10:00 AM. Arriving between 6:30 AM and 8:00 AM lets you experience iconic torii gates and bamboo lanes before tour buses arrive, then transition to indoor museums and lunch at 11:00 AM.