14-Day Japan Itinerary: Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Hiroshima & Osaka
Two weeks in Japan with breathing room. Adds Kanazawa for samurai gardens and Himeji for Japan's finest castle. Slower pace, fewer travel days, more time to actually live in each city.
Duration
14 days
Mid-range cost
$2,400
Best months
Mar-Apr, Oct-Nov
Pace
relaxed
Day-by-day plan
- Day 1Tokyo →
Arrival + Shibuya/Shinjuku
- •Land at Narita or Haneda; train into Shinjuku
- •Shibuya Crossing at dusk
- •Omoide Yokocho yakitori
- •Konbini run for tomorrow
Pick a hotel near Shinjuku Station — best for transit on a long trip.
- Day 2Tokyo →
Asakusa, Tsukiji, Akihabara
- •Senso-ji at 7 AM
- •Tsukiji Outer Market: tamagoyaki, uni, A5 wagyu skewers
- •Akihabara electronics + Super Potato
- •Sushi dinner: Sushizanmai or splurge at Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten
- Day 3Tokyo →
Harajuku, Meiji Shrine, TeamLab
- •Meiji Shrine forest walk (8 AM)
- •Takeshita Street crepes
- •Omotesando architecture (Tadao Ando, Kenzo Tange)
- •TeamLab Planets immersive art (book ahead)
- •Roppongi Hills observation deck at sunset
→ Next: train · ~85 min Romancecar · ~$22 — Shinjuku → Hakone-Yumoto.
Day 4Hakone →Hakone: Mt Fuji + ryokan night
- •Hakone Open-Air Museum (Picasso pavilion)
- •Owakudani sulfur eggs
- •Lake Ashi pirate ship — 8-10 AM for clearest Mt Fuji
- •Ryokan stay with private onsen + kaiseki dinner
A ryokan is the splurge of the trip — $300-500/night but unforgettable.
→ Next: bullet train · ~4h via Tokyo · ~$130 — Odawara → Tokyo → Kanazawa on the Hokuriku Shinkansen.
- Day 5Kanazawa →
Kanazawa: samurai districts + Kenroku-en
- •Kenroku-en — one of the three great gardens of Japan
- •Kanazawa Castle grounds
- •Nagamachi samurai district
- •Higashi Chaya geisha district
- •21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art (Leandro Erlich pool)
- •Omicho Market dinner: nodoguro fish, snow crab in season
→ Next: bullet train · ~2h 15m · ~$70 — Kanazawa → Kyoto via Thunderbird Limited Express.
- Day 6Kyoto →
Kyoto: Fushimi Inari + Gion
- •Fushimi Inari before 9 AM — climb to the top, ~2 hours
- •Lunch at Omen near Ginkaku-ji
- •Philosopher's Path stroll
- •Gion district at dusk
- •Pontocho Alley dinner — kaiseki or yakitori
- Day 7Kyoto →
Arashiyama + Kinkaku-ji
- •Arashiyama bamboo grove (7 AM)
- •Tenryu-ji zen garden
- •Yudofu lunch
- •Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion afternoon
- •Nishiki Market food crawl
- Day 8Kyoto →
Kyoto temples deep cut + tea ceremony
- •Kiyomizu-dera at sunrise (free, no crowds before 7)
- •Sanjusangen-do (1,001 carved Kannon statues)
- •Tea ceremony at Camellia or En
- •Yasaka Pagoda + Higashiyama walking tour
- •Optional: Daitoku-ji zen temple complex
→ Next: train · ~45 min · ~$8 — Kyoto → Nara local express.
Day 9Nara →Nara day: deer + Todai-ji
- •Todai-ji Daibutsu (15-meter bronze Buddha)
- •Nara Park deer (bowing deer trained over centuries)
- •Kasuga Taisha lantern shrine
- •Yoshikien Garden
- •Back to Kyoto for last night, or push to Hiroshima
→ Next: bullet train · ~1h 40m · ~$90 — Kyoto → Hiroshima Shinkansen.
- Day 10Hiroshima →
Hiroshima Peace Park + Miyajima
- •Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park + Museum
- •A-Bomb Dome
- •Hiroshima okonomiyaki at Okonomimura
- •Ferry to Miyajima — Itsukushima floating torii
- •Wild deer wandering the island
- •Optional overnight on Miyajima for sunrise torii
→ Next: bullet train · ~1h 25m · ~$80 — Hiroshima → Shin-Osaka via Sanyo Shinkansen.
Day 11Osaka →Osaka food crawl + castle
- •Osaka Castle + park morning
- •Dotonbori afternoon: takoyaki, okonomiyaki, kushikatsu
- •Glico man photo at Ebisu bridge
- •Drinks in America-mura or upscale Kitashinchi
- Day 12Osaka →
Universal Studios Japan (or Himeji Castle day trip)
- •USJ — Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Super Nintendo World
- •Or: Himeji Castle day trip (1h Shinkansen, then 15 min walk)
- •Himeji is Japan's finest surviving feudal castle (UNESCO)
- •Back to Osaka for dinner in Tsuruhashi (Korean BBQ)
- Day 13Osaka →
Final full day: shopping + last cuisines
- •Last morning: Kuromon Ichiba Market for ingredients to take home
- •Den-Den Town (Osaka's Akihabara) or Umeda Sky Building
- •Final kaiseki dinner — Hozenji Yokocho lanes
→ Next: flight · 1h to KIX · ~$30
- Day 14Osaka →
Departure
- •Last meal: kaiten sushi at Genrokuzushi
- •Limited Express Haruka or Nankai Rapid to KIX
- •Allow 3 hours for international departures
Want to swap something?
Want even more relaxed? Drop Day 12's Universal Studios for a Koyasan temple-stay overnight (Buddhist monastery + morning meditation). Travel-light alternative: skip Hakone and ryokan, save ~$400 and one travel day.
Practical tips
- •JR Pass 14-day at ~$510 pays off easily on this route — you use the Shinkansen 5+ times.
- •Book Kanazawa hotels 1 month ahead — supply is small.
- •Book the Hakone ryokan 2-3 months ahead — best ones sell out 6 months in advance for sakura/momiji peak.
- •Pocket WiFi/eSIM essential. Ubigi/Airalo $30 14-day plans.
- •Cash for shrines, smaller restaurants, Kanazawa souvenirs.
- •Late March / early April = sakura. Late November = peak fall colors. Both stunning, both expensive (book 6 months ahead).
Frequently asked
Is 14 days enough for Japan?
14 days is the sweet spot for a first-time Japan trip on the classic route. You'll see the main cultural and culinary peaks without rushing. Pace: relaxed. If you can stretch to 10-14 days, you can add slower side trips, but 14 hits the highlights.
When is the best time to follow this Japan itinerary?
Mar-Apr, Oct-Nov is peak season for this Japan route — the months when weather, scenery, and atmosphere line up best. Shoulder months on either side give you most of the experience for less crowding and lower prices.
How much does a 14-day Japan trip cost?
Mid-range budget on this itinerary runs about $2400 per person, excluding international flights. Budget travelers can do it for ~60% of that; luxury easily 2-3×. Use our cost calculator to stack flights + hotels + food + activities for any of the destinations on this route.
Can I customize this itinerary?
Yes — every destination on this route has a full guide and we have a multi-stop trip planner that lets you swap, reorder, or add days. Use the "Customize this itinerary" button below to seed the planner with all stops pre-loaded.
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