Firstly, if you are reading this blog post I am incredibly jealous that you are planning a trip to Japan so I hope you find this Japan 3 week itinerary helpful. I have also started to update my Japan highlight on Instagram (@AJmakeup) should you want to get an insight in photo and video form, and will update this blog with some images in the coming weeks as and when I get through the mountain of footage I took. This itinerary covers Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, inclusive of day trips, such as Hiroshima, Nara, and Kobe.
Secondly, while there is a lot jam packed in the below, take things at your own pace, and bake in some free days to allow for flexibility, as we were doing 20k steps a day which is intense back to back. Check the opening times and opening dates of places you plan to visit too as you may need to switch around the itinerary to suit, likewise account for any bank holidays they may have when you are there as that will impact opening times. You will also need to book some things 30+ days in advance otherwise you won’t be able to secure it, so once you have defined your plans, do check this out. We used Klook for pretty much everything as some websites won’t take non-Japanese debit or credit cards.
Tip: Purchase a local e-Sim from Airalo so that you can use Google Maps to find your way around transport wise, I would have been lost without it as you need to use the train (and sometimes bus) to get around as all the areas are quite spread out. And the stations are absolutely huge so maps helps you find the platform. I opted for 20GB for 30 days and was more than enough if you only use it for maps (ie, no instagram or streaming). You can get money off using my Airalo referral code: ANNJEA4599
Flights & Transport
We booked flights to Tokyo via France (Charles de Gaulle) and back from Osaka via France (Charles de Gaulle) with Air France. We flew out on a 6am flight on a Saturday which meant we arrived the following day Sunday around 9am. We slept on the plane at midnight ‘Japan time’ so that we felt like the Sunday was a new day, and therefore our Day 1 in the itinerary is the day we landed. If your flights are different then bare this in mind when looking at the itinerary below. Our flights cost €1200 per person including baggage, and our bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto cost €270 for both of us one way for first class. The bullet train from Osaka to Hiroshima cost €310 for both of us return. Bullet trains we booked via Klook! Day to day then we took lots of local trains and spent about €150 between the two, which is quite cheap considering the volume we took across the 3 weeks.
Tip: Buy a Suica card for day to day transport on trains and buses. You can only buy these in certain stations, we got ours in Shunjuku. And then top it up every few days or so. This meant we moved quickly through the station and didn’t have to stop to buy a ticket each time. Note that you can’t get a refund of any outstanding balance so don’t top up too much towards the end of your trip.
3 Week Japan Itinerary
When planning your itinerary, given how far apart each area is, you are better off targeting an area / areas per day, as it won’t suit to move from place to place across 3 or more areas all in one day really, so the below is broken up into a list of places in each area, but feel free to move the sequencing around as that won’t make a difference, just ensure as mentioned above to check opening times and book in advance where possible.
In Tokyo, our accomodation was based in Shinjuku, in Kyoto, our accomodation was based in downtown Kyoto, and in Osaka, our accommodation was based in Umeda. Highly recommend these areas as your base, ensure your hotel is near to a train station for easy transport each day.
Additionally, some of the places mentioned below may be franchises, so while I have referenced it in a particular area, you could likely do it in another area. Example: Pokemon Cafe, we went to it in Osaka but it is also avail in Tokyo. Taito station (arcade) is in many places across Japan too, as is Don Quijote, and likewise a lot of the food places.
Tokyo
Day 1
Koto City
- Tsukiji outer market
- Ginza – Shopping / Entertainment hub
- Teamlab Planets
- Gundam base
- Hello Kitty Store
- Joypolis arcade
Shinjuku (if staying here, you can do the below across the week in the evenings rather than dedicating a day)
- Godzilla Head
- Kabukicho road, Central road & Yodobashi
- Golden Gai – 200 bars across 5 alleys
- Cat Billboard – Cross Shinjuku Space
- Omoide Yokocho ‘Piss Alley’ – alleyway with small bars and restaurants
- Namco / Taito Station
- Tokyo Metropolitan Building – free view of fuji
- Gyoen National Park
- Amusement Wanko Soba Kurukuru Wanko
- Alice in Fantasy Book
Day 2
Tokyo Tower and Roppongi
- Zojoji Temple
- Tokyo Tower Red tower
- Mohri Garden
- Tokyo City View
- Myōzenji Temple
- Tafia – Rum bar
- Nogi Shrine
- Hinokicho Park
- Hie Shrine
- Nim’s Pizza
Day 3
Ikebukuro
- Tokyo Pokemon Mega Store
- Coco Curry Ichibanya Nishiikebukuro
- Sunshine Aquarium
- Sunshine 60 Observatory
- Otome Road
- Namco Namja Town
- Kailaku
- Minami-Ikebukuro Park
- 0-second lemon sour Sendai Horumon Yakiniku Barbecue Tokiwatei Ikebukuro East Exit Store
- Owlpark Ikebukuro
- Ikebukuro Mitake Shrine
Yanaka
- Old town
- Tennoji Temple
- Suwa Shrine
- Jokojiyukimidera Temple
- Yanaka Ginza (Yomisedōri)
- Yanaka Cemetary
- Yanaka beer hall
- Himalayan Cedar Tree (1-chōme-6-15 Yanaka)
- Ueno Park
Day 4
Asakusa
- Sensoji
- Nakamise Street
- Hoppy Street
- Asakusa Underground Shopping Street
Akihabara
- Retro game camp
- Maid cafe
- Electric City
- Roast beef ohno akihabara
- Yodobashi mall
Day 5
Nikko (Day Trip)
- Shinkyo Bridge
- Hongu cafe
- Rinno-ji Temple
- Toshogu Temple
- Futarasan Shrine
- Nikko Coffee
- Kanmangafuchi abyss
- If time allows: Kegon Falls, Ryuzu Falls via Lake Chuzenji
Day 6
Harajuka
- Takeshita street
- Harajuku crepes – Angel’s Heart / Marion Crepes / Santa Monica Crepes
- Strawberry mania
- Purikura – Photobooth in Purikura Nora
- Meiji shrine
- Yoyogi park
Shibuya
- Shibuya Crossing – viewpoint at Mag’s Park rooftop
- Shibuya Sky
- Go Kart
- Hachiko statue
- Shibuya Parco
- Mom’s Touch
- Uobei
- MEGA Don Quijote
- Nikuya Yokocho Udagawacho
- Gotokuji Temple
- Hyozaemon – personalised chopsticks
- Sagatani
- Hat Coffee
- Aoyama Farmers market – Sat / Sunday only
Day 7
Hakone & Mt Fuji (Day Trip)
- Hakone Shrine
- Moto-Hakone-ko to get pirate ship
- Tōgendai Port and go to Ropeway station
- Owakudani
- Eat a black egg
- Hakone Open Air Museum
- Onsen – Yuryo / Yunessun
- Chereito Pagoda – Fuji view spot
- North shore of Lake Kawaguchiko – Fuji view spot
- Mt Fuji 5th station
- Gotemba premium outlets
Day 8
Free day use this day to ‘mop up’ anything you may have missed above that you want to do on your last day, or consider some of the below that aren’t exactly in a particular area as outlined above:
- Disney Sea
- Tokyo Dome City
- Harry Potter Studios
Kyoto
Take the bullet train 2 hours 12 mins from Tokyo to Kyoto
Day 9
Kyoto
- Gion
- Yasaka Shrine
- Chionin Temple Maruyama Park
- Kodaiji Temple
- Hōkan-ji Tower of Yasaka Ninenzaka
- Glanta – Ring making
- Higashiyama Ward (Kiyomizudera Temple)
- Tōfuku-ji Temple
- Fushimi Inari Taisha
Day 10
Arashiyama
- Arashiyama Iwatayama Monkey Park
- Tenryu-Ji temple
- Nonomiya Jinja
- Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
- Sagano Romantic Train ride
- Otagi Nembutsu
- Mount Arashiyama – 45min hike
Day 11
Kyoto
- Nishiki Market
- Kifune Shrine
- Kichikichi Omurice
- Pontocho Alley
- Philosopher’s path between Ginkaku-ji and Nanzen-ji. Path sights include The Silver Pavilion (Ginkakuji), Eikandō Temple, Heian Shrine Kyoto Tower
- Additional if time allows: Nijo castle, Daigo-ji, Kinkaku-ji, Ryoan-Ji
Osaka
Take the local train approx 40mins from Kyoto to Osaka using the Limited Express, Semi-express takes 1 hour
Day 12 – 15
Osaka
- Pokemon Cafe
- Minami
- Dontonburi
- Hozenji Yokocho
- Round1 Stadium Sennichimae Kuromon Market
- Namba area
- Namba Yasaka Shrine
- Den-Den Town in Nipponbashi
- Shitennoji Temple
- Tsutenkaku Tower Slider
- Shinsekai
- Haruka 300 building
- Osaka Castle
- Aquarium Kaiyukan
- Umeda Sky Building
- Hep 5 Ferris Wheel
Day 16
Universal Studios (Day Trip)
Universal Studios in Osaka – book a fast pass and timeslot
Day 17
Nara (Day Trip)
- Kōfuku-ji
- Isuien Garden / Yoshikien Garden
- Todai-ji
- Nara Deer Park
- Mt Wakakusa
- Kasuga-Taisha
- Ukimido Pavillion
- Higashimuki Shopping Street & Mochiidono Shopping Arcade
- Naramachi
- Heijo Palace
- Nara National Museum
- Yakushi-ji
Day 18
Kobe (Day Trip)
- Try Kobe Beef (Mouriya Sannomiyaten)
- Iktua Shrine
- Chinatown Nankinmachi
- Kobe Port Tower
- Harbourland
- Soraku-en Garden
- Explore Kitano
- Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens & Ropeway
- Kobe Shushinkan Sake museum
- Akashi Bridge
- Gigantor Monument
Day 19
Hiroshima & Miyajima (Day Trip)
- Peace Park
- Atomic Bomb Dome
- Orizuru Tower
- Gokoku Shrine
- Hiroshima Castle
- Hondori Shopping Street
- Anderson Takaki Bakery
- Eat Oysters and Okonomiyaki in Fumichan Nagarekawa-ten
- Shukkei-en Garden
- Miyajima via ferry from Peace Park
- Floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine
- Daisho-in Temple
Day 20 & 21
Free Days use this day to ‘mop up’ anything you may have missed above that you want to do on your last day, or consider some of the below day trips:
- Himeji Castle
- Okayama
- Mt Ikomo
- Hasedera Temple
- Omi-mako
- Omi-hachiman
- Wakayama