#1 10 Days in Japan: Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara & Osaka
The classic Golden Route with an onsen night in Hakone, plenty of Kyoto, a day in Nara and street food in Osaka.
Japan itineraries
Day-by-day routes you can copy or adapt — from a one-week first trip to a two-week classic loop, plus family-friendly and budget versions.
The 100-Point Japan Starter Itinerary Ranking Methodology
Every route is scored out of 100 by our editors against five weighted criteria:
| Criterion | Points | What we measure |
|---|---|---|
| Route Efficiency & Transit Pacing | 30 | Fewer hotel changes, realistic daily transit time and logical geographic flow. |
| Iconic & Cultural Depth | 25 | Coverage of Japan's signature sights plus authentic local culture. |
| First-Timer Accessibility & Logistics | 20 | Ease of navigation, English signage, rail links and luggage handling. |
| Cost-to-Value Ratio | 15 | What you see per yen spent on hotels, transport and entry fees. |
| Seasonal Flexibility | 10 | How well the route works across spring, summer, autumn and winter. |
| Total | 100 |
How to use these itineraries
Each plan assumes you arrive at Tokyo (Narita or Haneda) or Osaka (Kansai) and uses public transport. Travel days are deliberately light. If you're short on time, cut a base rather than squeezing in more stops — changing hotels costs half a day each time. Use our JR Pass value helper with your final route to decide whether a rail pass makes sense.