JAPAN ITINERARY 14 DAYS
Japan
Itinerary 14 Days -
Tokyo, Mt Fuji, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Himeji and Hiroshima. This Japan
itinerary will let you experience the best of Japan.
Focus on the
highlights of Japan including traditional Japan with its temples, shrines,
gardens, castles and geisha plus modern Tokyo with its shopping and fashion. A 14 day trip to Japan
will allow you time to see many of Japan's highlights without being too
rushed.
It is best if you can fly into Japan
via Narita Airport and then depart via Kansai Airport (Osaka). Using this route
(or the reverse) will save you half a day of travel and potentially significant savings on train
or air fares.
Arrival Day
Most flights arrive in the late afternoon or evening into Narita Airport.
After clearing customs head to the station at Narita Airport
to catch the JR Narita Express to Shinjuku Station.
We recommend staying in Shinjuku as it
is centrally located, close to most of the highlights of Tokyo
and has excellent transport links. From Shinjuku Station either
walk or catch a cab to your hotel. The following are the suggested hotels
for Shinjuku:
-
Hotel Listel Shinjuku
is a very affordable and popular hotel ideal for holiday
makers or business travellers. Includes in room internet
access.
-
Shinjuku Prince Hotel
is in highly sort after Shinjuku with its shopping,
nightlife and excellent transport.
There is a full
range of Tokyo Hotels with guarantee lowest
rates on our Tokyo page.
Day 1: Self Guided Tour of Shibuya
 Shibuya
is the trendy and fashionable shopping district of Tokyo. Ideally
this tour should be on a Sunday as this is when you can see the best
of the Harajuku fashion,
which normally appears in the afternoon. You can continue to explore
the shops, restaurants and cafes into the evening.
In the morning start you exploration of
Shibuya from
Shibuya Station and work
your walk towards Harajuku.
There are many major shopping centre buildings and department stores
around the
Shibuya Station area. Use
our
Shibuya Map to help plan your walk. Some of the key highlights not to
miss are:
Shibuya 109 Building,
Omotesando and
Takeshita-Dori,
Meiji Jingu
shrine and the
Harajuku fashion (mainly
weekends, particularly Sunday afternoon) on the
bridge across to Meiji Jingu
shrine.
 Meiji Jingu
shrine is a popular and picturesque
Japanese Shinto shrine set in a forest of 120,000 evergreen trees
which block out the noise of the city. If you are lucky you may see
a traditional
Japanese wedding, but you should at least see some of the Shrine
maiden walking through the shrine complex.
Day 2: - Mt Fuji and Hakone Day Tour
 Mt Fuji is very difficult to
access via public transport and while there are locations such as Hakone
that can be accessed easily via public transport the views of
Mt Fuji
will still be quite distant. The best option is take an organised
tour such as Mt Fuji and Hakone Day Tour from Tokyo: Return By Bullet Train.
 On this tour you'll enjoy lunch on Mt Fuji, cruise Lake Ashi and
ride the aerial cableway at Mount Komagatake for sweeping views of
the celebrated Hakone National Park. You will need to book this tour
at least four days in advance.
Day 3: Self Guided Day Tour - Ueno Park
 If you are in
Tokyo in Cherry Blossom season (end
of March through early April) then you will be delighted to visit
Ueno Park. In other seasons
it is still worth visiting, but you may choose to spend less time
there.
Ueno Park includes the
following attractions:
 Toshogu
Shrine
Toshogu Shrine was built in 1617 is
considered to be valuable for its historical architecture, Grand Oishi Torii
Gate and bronze garden lanterns. It is open every day of the year.
 Bentendo
Hall Temple
Bentendo Hall Temple is a Benzaiten Temple on an island in the the middle of
Shinobazu Pond.
Tokyo National Museum
National Museum of Western Art
Tokyo National Science Museum
In the evening you can stay on to enjoy the party atmosphere or head
back to the bright lights and night life of Shinjuku
or Roppongi.
Day 4: Nikko World Heritage Day Tour
This is an organised day tour to
Nikko World Heritage, Toshogu Shrine,
Lake Chuzenji, and Kegon Waterfall.
Day 5 Shinjuku, Ginza and Akihabara
This self guided day tour takes in some of the key modern parts
of central
Tokyo.
 First
thing in the morning go to
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building which is the best
observation deck in
Tokyo. Going early in the morning
gives you the best chance of seeing things in the distance including Mt Fuji.
If you are staying in Shinjuku
it may be easiest to walk to the
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, otherwise the closest
station is normally
Shinjuku Station.
 If
you have been staying in Shinjuku
you may have already seen many of the highlights of Shinjuku,
otherwise in Cherry Blossom season or if you like gardens head to
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
via train. Get on at
Shinjuku Station (Chuo Main Line) and get off at Sendagaya
Station. While
Shinjuku Gyoen may look close
to Shinjuku Station,
there are no entrances on that side and it will take a some time to
walk around to the entrance. I would allow a minimum of one hour to
walk around the key parts of the garden, but you could easily spend
many more hours. It just depends on what your really want to get
done in the day.
 If
you depart via the Shinjuku Gyoenmae Station (northern) side, then
it is easy to take the train from there via the Marunouchi Line to
Ginza. The key highlights of
Ginza are all the buildings and
shops along the two main intersecting streets,
Chuo-dori
and Harumi-dori. To walk the main parts of these streets would
require around 60 to 90 minutes on foot. Allow more time then if you
want to go into any of the stores or galleries; see
Ginza Shopping for more
details. Those who are particularly interested in fashion style
shopping may prefer to finish their day in
Ginza and then return to their
hotel.
 When
you have finished in Ginza take the
Ginza Line (subway) to Suehirocho Station which is located in
Akihabara. There
are two key aspects to Akihabara;
high technology shopping and maid cafe
(also called maido cafe). I
suggest you read our
Akihabara shopping to guide
you on what is worth buying in Japan.
If you walk around to Akihabara Station you will find several maid's
standing there promoting their cafe. Pick up some of their flyers
and go to the one(s) you like the best. This is a really fun part of
modern Japanese culture.
Day 6: Tokyo to Hiroshima
You can travel to Hiroshima via
Shinkansen or via train and plane. The
travel times are similar. Most people travel via
Shinkansen. The
Shinkansen Nozomi service takes 242
minutes and the standard Shinkansen
takes around 300 minutes. You cannot use the Nozomi service with a
Japan Rail Pass.
Day 7: Hiroshima
Catch tram from your hotel or walk to the
Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome,
which is just a short distance from
Hiroshima Peace
Memorial Park. Walk along the path next to the river and
cross the bridge into the
Hiroshima Peace
Memorial Park. Alternatively you can go directly to the
Hiroshima Peace
Memorial Park and observe the
Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome
from the park.
You can spend your time exploring the park and viewing the
monuments, then move on to the
Shukkeien Garden by
tram and/or walk to Hiroshima Castle.
Alternatively you can include the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
which is within the
Hiroshima Peace
Memorial Park. Be warned, this museum presents some very
confronting images that some may find disturbing or distressing. If
you tour the museum, allow enough time to go to
Shukkeien Garden by
tram or walk to Hiroshima Castle.
You will more than likely need an alternative environment to spend
some time reflecting.
Day 8: Miyajima and Itsukushima
Shrine (Hiroshima)
Miyajima
and its Itsukushima
Shrine are one of the truly magical places in Japan. The
Itsukushima Shrine
Torii is also one of the most photographed sights in Japan. You can
get to Miyajima Island via
various routes including tram & ferry, train & ferry or ferry
directly from the Peace
Memorial Gardens. See Miyajima
page for details.
In the afternoon return to your hotel to pick up your luggage or
from Hiroshima Station if you
left it in a locker. Then catch the
Shinkansen to Kyoto Station,
this should take around 110 minutes.
Kyoto
Accommodation in Kyoto often books out
so you should book this at least two months in advance. If you want
to stay in the Cherry Blossom season (end of March through early
April) then you should book at least three to four months in
advance. The later you book, the fewer your options you will have
and the higher the cost is likely to be.
If you find that Kyoto is fully booked then
you will still be able to stay in
Osaka which is only 30 minutes away by express
train.
Our recommended Kyoto hotels are:
Day 9:
Kyoto Highlights Day Tour
This organised tour allows you to see some of Kyoto's
most popular attractions in one day.
There is simply no way you could get to all these places in one day on public transport.
The disadvantage is the tour will seem be a bit rushed. Detailed
information on each of the attractions:
 Kinkakuji
- Golden Pavilion,
The most famous temple in Kyoto and probably Japan. The temple is
literally covered in gold!
 Heian Jingu Shine, reflecting
the elegance of daily life in the ancient Japanese court
 Kiyomizu-dera
Temple, with sweeping views of Kyoto from its lofty 13m high
veranda and pure water fall.
 Kyoto
Imperial Palace (Kyoto Gosho), the residence of the Imperial
family until the capital was relocated to Tokyo in 1868
 Sanjusangendo Hall, a long
wooden hall housing 1,001 statues dating back to the 13th century
 Nijo Castle, the Kyoto residence
of the Tokugawa Shogun
Day 10: Self Guided Day Tour
 Catch train to Fushimi Inari Taisha as seen in the "Memoirs of a Geisha" movie.
Then return via train to central Kyoto go up Kyoto Tower (near Kyoto Station)
Then go to Ryoan-ji Temple via public bus. Ryoan-ji Temple
is famous for its Zen garden.
 In the evening go to Gion for dinner
and explore the narrow streets lined with traditional Japanese tea
house. Stay on the lookout for the
Geisha and Maiko.
Day 11: Gion in the morning and Nara in the afternoon
 Explore Kyoto by foot or bus in the morning:
In the Gion region there are several
parks and temples including:
Yasaka Shrine in
Maruyama Park.
Organised Afternoon Tour
Nara Afternoon Tour - Todaiji, Deer Park, Kasuga Shrine
In the evening you might like to go to one of the theatres in the Gion
district to see a performance traditional Japanese dance and music.
Day 12: Self Guide Tour of the Philosopher's Walk
Kyoto's Philosopher's Walk is the name given to a
2km-long path through north-eastern Kyoto. Kyoto's Philosopher's Walk
covers five significant temples and two shrines.
Highlights of Kyoto's Philosopher's Walk in order heading south:
 Ginkakuji Temple
(Silver Pavilion) was
built in the style of the Golden Pavilion.
It features both a dry landscape garden and a lush moss garden.
 Honen-in Temple is a
beautiful secluded temple with a thatched gate.
Anrakuji Temple is very popular in
cherry blossom season, early summer for its azaleas and late autumn for its
leaves of red and orange.
Otoyo-jinja Shrine is listed as a
Place of Scenic Beauty among the ancient temples and shrines gracing the
Kyoto.
Nyakuoji Jinja Shrine
is particularly popular in late autumn (fall) when the leaves of the
surrounding trees have turned various shades of orange and red.
Eikan-do Zenrin-ji Temple is
famous for its fall foliage and for its prominence in the past as a center
of learning.
 Nanzenji Temple is popular temple complex
with a distinctive two-storey entrance gate (sanmon) and aqueduct.
While the path between the sites is only 2Km, you will walk
significantly more than this as you explore the temples and shrines.
There are several small Japanese cafes along the path where you can
purchase lunch. The temples normally close around 5pm.
Day 13:
Himeji Castle
 Himeji Castle is a World Heritage listed
traditional Japanese castle. Himeji Castle is the best
example of a Japanese castle as it is in near original
condition, whereas almost all other castles are modern
concrete reconstructions.
You can visit
Himeji Castle as either:
An organised day tour
from
Kyoto or Osaka which
includes a visit to the historic Hakutsuru Sake Brewery, or
 Catch
the train to
Himeji, walk or catch the
bus to Himeji Castle, have
lunch in
Himeji, then catch the train back to
Osaka. Explore
Osaka including
Umeda and the
Umeda
Sky Building, working your way through
Shinsaibashi to
Namba and particularly
Dotonbori in the evening
for dinner.
Day 14: Departure Day
Alternative Day 2, 3 or 4: Kamakura and Yokohama
You can substitute this day trip for one of the tours from Day 2, 3 or 4.
This is a self guided one day tour. From
Shinjuku Station take the Shonan-Shinjuku line to Ofuna Station, change
to the Yokosuka line to Kamakura Station, change to Enoshima Dentetsu line
to Hase Station. This trip takes about 77 minutes and one way is 1080 Yen.
From the Hase Station it is about a 500m walk to
Kotokuin Temple.
Kotokuin Temple
The
Kotokuin Temple is renowned for the Great Buddha (大仏, daibutsu), a monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amida Buddha which is one
of the most famous icons of Japan. The
statue stands at 13.35 meters high and weighs approximately 93 tons.
Kaikozan Hase-dera
-
Hase Kannon Temple
Head back towards Hase Station, half way along the path to on
the right hand side is the path and
entrance to Kaikozan
Hase-dera
(also known as the Hase
Kannon Temple).
Kaikozan Hase-dera
is one of the great Buddhist temples in the city of
Kamakura, famous for housing a massive
wooden statue of Kannon (Goddess of Mercy). The temple is the fourth of the
33 stations of the Bandō Sanjūsankasho pilgrimage circuit dedicated to the
goddess Benzaiten.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
Then return to Hase Station and catch the train back to
Kamakura Station. From there head to the western side of Kamakura Station, pass
the bus station, to the
Komachi Shopping Street. Here you can either stop for lunch or head along
the street heading north west to the entrance of the
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine is the most significant shrine
in Kamakura
Now head back to Kamakura Station and take the Rapid Airport Narita
train to Yokohama Station, then change to the Minatomirai Line and get off
at the Minatomirai station. From there you will be able to see the
Yokohama Landmark Tower, Yokohama
Museum of Art and the Ferris Wheel at Yokohama Cosmo World. As you walk
closer to the Yokohama Landmark Tower
you will also see the Nippon Maru - Sail training Ship and the Yokohama
Maritime Museum.
Yokohama Landmark Tower
Yokohama Landmark Tower is the tallest building in Japan.
On the 69th floor there is an observatory, Sky Garden, from which one can
enjoy a 360-degree view of the city, and on clear days
Mt Fuji. From here it is about a 400m walk to
Bashamichi (subway) Station along the way you will get to view and
photograph the buildings and ships from a different angle. From Bashamichi
Station take the Minatomirai Line two stops to Motoachichukagai Station.
Yokohama China Town
Yokohama Chinatown is the largest Chinatown in Japan and one of the
largest in the world featuring over 200 Chinese restaurants. You can choose
to eat dinner here or at the next stop. Return to Bashamichi (subway)
Station, take the the Minatomirai Line back to Yokohama Station. Change to
the Yokohama City Blue line and get off at Shin-Yokohama Station. From there
walk NW 300m then turn right into the side street and you will find the
Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum.
Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum
Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum is a ramen theme park devoted to Japanese
ramen noodle soup.
The museum/theme park is devoted to the Japanese ramen noodle soup and features a large
recreation of
Tokyo in 1958, the year instant
noodles were invented. Within the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum are branches
of famous ramen restaurants from Kyushu to
Hokkaido.
Return to Shinjuku
From Shin-Yokohama Station take the Yokohama line to Kikuna Station change
to the Tokyu-Toyoko Line (Commuter Limited Express) to Shibuya Station,
change to the Yamanote Line to Shinjuku Station. |
