Japan threads ancient ritual through ultramodern skylines, a place where shrines whisper beneath glass towers and dinner might be a 200-year-old tofu recipe or skewers from a neon-lit stall. From Edo’s legacy in Tokyo to Kyoto’s imperial courts and Osaka’s mercantile swagger, history is never far from the next dazzling arcade or michelin-worthy bowl of noodles.

Across 15 days, you’ll ride the Shinkansen, taste your way through street markets, and step into cedar-scented temples. Day trips add extra punch: Mt. Fuji’s alpine views, Kamakura’s surfer coast, Nara’s free-roaming deer, and Hiroshima–Miyajima’s solemn beauty and sea breezes.

Practical notes: Cash is still handy (IC cards help everywhere), trains run to the minute, and convenience stores are gourmet. Spring and fall bring mild weather and festivals; summer is vibrant but humid; winter skies are crystal-clear for Fuji views. Expect a mid-range budget with splurges on a few bucket-list experiences.

Tokyo

Tokyo is a city of many villages: fashion-forward Harajuku, retro Yanaka, otaku-central Akihabara, and glossy Ginza. It’s ideal for photography—think Shibuya’s legendary scramble, the lantern glow of Omoide Yokocho, and sunrise over the Sumida River.

Top sights blend old and new: Meiji Shrine’s evergreen forest, Asakusa’s Senso-ji temple, teamLab Borderless’s digital dreamscapes, and panoramic perches like Tokyo Skytree or Shibuya Sky. Coffee culture is world-class, and hidden izakaya lanes make dinner feel like a treasure hunt.

Days 1–5: Neon, neighborhoods, and a Fuji-side escape

• Arrival & transport: Find flights on Trip.com or Kiwi.com into Haneda (closest) or Narita. Optional easy arrival: Narita–Tokyo Private Transfer for up to 5 people.
• Classic highlights: Meiji Shrine, Takeshita Street, Omotesando’s architecture stroll, Nezu Museum garden, Senso-ji and Nakamise Street, Ueno Park museums, and twilight at Shibuya Crossing.
• Beach day trip (Kamakura & Enoshima): 60–75 min by JR from Tokyo Station/Shinjuku (~¥1,000–1,200). See the Great Buddha (Kotoku-in), surfy Yuigahama Beach, and Enoshima’s sea caves and lighthouse. Perfect for photography and coastal cafes.
• Mt. Fuji/Hakone day trip: Easiest with a tour from Tokyo; ideal on a clear day.

Suggested Viator experiences (Tokyo):

• 1-Day Tokyo Bus Tour — major landmarks plus a matcha experience.

  

• Mt. Fuji & Lake Kawaguchiko 1-Day Bus Tour — classic Chureito Pagoda view and lakeside stops.

  

• Tokyo Customized Private Tour — tailor your day to interests like coffee, vintage, or architecture.

  

• Shinjuku Food Tour (13 dishes) — tiny counters, yakitori alleys, noodle gems.

  

• For thrill-seekers: Official Street Go-Kart in Shibuya (requires valid international driving permit).

  

Eat & drink (Tokyo):

• Breakfast/coffee: Onibus Coffee (Nakameguro roastery vibe), Koffee Mameya Kakeru (bar-style tasting), The Roastery by Nozy (Harajuku). For pastries: Viron (Ginza) or Path (Yoyogi-Uehara).
• Lunch: Fuunji (tsukemen near Shinjuku), Afuri (yuzu-shio ramen), Uogashi Nihon-Ichi standing sushi (fast, fresh). Vegetarian: T’s Tantan (Tokyo Station).
• Dinner: Omoide Yokocho yakitori alleys (Shinjuku), Nabezo (shabu-shabu), Kaneko Hannosuke (tempura bowls), and Kurand Sake Market (tasting-style sake bars; buy snacks nearby).
• Nightlife & music: Shibuya WWW and Liquidroom (live acts), Blue Note Tokyo (jazz), Koenji live houses for indie. Craft beer: Mikkeller Tokyo, Ushitora Shimokitazawa.

Where to stay (Tokyo): Mid-range and well-located picks include Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku, Hotel Gracery Shinjuku, and Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo. Splurge: The Peninsula Tokyo, The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo, or Aman Tokyo. Families: Hilton Tokyo Bay. Browse more stays: Hotels.com Tokyo or apartments on VRBO Tokyo.

Optional culinary day trip (advanced): If you’re keen on a hands-on class, head to Nagano’s castle town for the Handmade Soba Making & Fresh Wasabi Lunch (Matsumoto). Note this is a long day: ~2 hr 40 min each way by Limited Express Azusa from Shinjuku (book on Trip.com Trains).

Tokyo → Kyoto (morning of Day 6): Take the Tokaido Shinkansen Nozomi: ~2 hr 15 min, ~¥13,500–14,500 reserved seat. Purchase via Trip.com Trains. Depart Tokyo Station around 8–9 a.m. to maximize your first Kyoto afternoon.

Kyoto

Kyoto, Japan’s former imperial capital, rewards unhurried wandering—lantern-lit alleys of Gion, vermilion torii at Fushimi Inari, and moss gardens that seem painted by rain. It’s also a city of artisans: tea roasters, knife smiths, and kaiseki chefs refining centuries-old techniques.

Balance headline temples with quieter corners: the bamboo grove at dawn, philosopher’s path in the late afternoon, and a riverside picnic by the Kamogawa at sunset. Food here is delicate and seasonal—yuba (tofu skin), obanzai (home-style sides), and matcha everything.

Days 6–10: Temples, tea culture, and a Nara deer detour

• Essentials: Kiyomizu-dera’s stage, Fushimi Inari at sunrise (24/7), Arashiyama’s bamboo grove and Tenryu-ji gardens, Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), Ryoan-ji’s rock garden, and the Nishiki Market snack lanes.
• Nara day trip: 45–60 min by JR/Kintetsu (~¥570–¥1,160). See Todai-ji’s Great Buddha, Nara Park’s bowing deer, and lantern-lined Kasuga Taisha. Try kakinoha-zushi (persimmon leaf sushi).
• Tea & culture: Join a tea ceremony, stroll Gion at dusk, and browse vintage kimono shops near Shijo. Excellent for photography and “live like a local” vibes—pick a kissaten for slow coffee and toast in the morning.

Suggested Viator experiences (Kyoto):

• PERFECT KYOTO 1-Day Bus Tour — sweeping coverage of top UNESCO sites in one day.

  

• Gion Geisha District Night Walking Tour — history, etiquette, and hidden lanes.

  

Eat & drink (Kyoto):

• Breakfast/coffee: % Arabica (Higashiyama for river views), Weekenders Coffee (hidden courtyard roastery), Vermillion (near Fushimi Inari—go post-sunrise hike).
• Lunch: Omen for udon near Ginkaku-ji, Inoichi for refined ramen, Honke Owariya (soba since 1465). Try Kyoto-style sushi at Sushi Matsumoto (counter seating) or grab obanzai plates at a machiya bistro.
• Dinner: Pontocho alley for yakitori and small izakaya; kaiseki splurge night; Yakiniku Hiro for grilled wagyu. Sake tasting around Fushimi (Kizakura area) pairs well with an afternoon canal walk.

Where to stay (Kyoto): Great mid-range bases: Hotel M's Plus Shijo Omiya, Kyoto Tokyu Hotel, and Kyoto Brighton Hotel. Budget-friendly: Piece Hostel Sanjo or Hotel M's Est Shijo Karasuma. Splurge: The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto. See more: Hotels.com Kyoto or VRBO Kyoto.

Concerts & culture: Check Billboard Live Osaka (easy Kyoto access) for touring acts, Kyoto Concert Hall for classical, and tiny live houses near Kawaramachi for indie/folk. Many venues post schedules monthly.

Kyoto → Osaka (morning of Day 11): JR Special Rapid: ~30 min, ~¥580. Shinkansen (Shin-Kyoto → Shin-Osaka) ~15 min, ~¥1,420. Buy via Trip.com Trains. Leave around 9 a.m. and drop bags before lunch in Dotonbori.

Osaka

Osaka flies the flag for kuidaore—“eat till you drop.” Neon riverfronts, quick-witted locals, and flavors that punch above their weight define the city. It’s a perfect base for day trips west to Hiroshima and the floating torii of Miyajima.

By day, explore Osaka Castle and the retro-futurist Umeda Sky Building. By night, Dotonbori’s giant signboards lure you to takoyaki stands and okonomiyaki griddles. Cameras out: the canal lights are a photographer’s playground.

Days 11–15: Street food, sky views, and a Hiroshima–Miyajima homage

• Osaka musts: Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi shopping arcades, Kuromon Ichiba market tastings, Osaka Castle Park, and sunset at Umeda Sky Building’s Floating Garden.
• Hiroshima–Miyajima day trip (long but rewarding): Shinkansen to Hiroshima ~1 hr 30 min; local train + ferry ~45 min to Itsukushima Shrine. Time your day for low tide (torii on sand) or high tide (torii floating).
• Optional side hop: Kobe for Wagyu and harbor views (20–30 min by train).

Suggested Viator experiences (Osaka & Hiroshima day trip):

• Osaka Food Tour: 13 Dishes at 5 Local Eateries — backstreet joints only locals know.

  

• Peaceful Hiroshima & Miyajima UNESCO 1 Day Bus Tour — guides the story from Peace Memorial Park to the island shrine.

  

Eat & drink (Osaka):

• Breakfast/coffee: LiLo Coffee Roasters (specialty beans), Mel Coffee Roasters (Minamihorie), Takamura Wine & Coffee Roasters (airy warehouse vibe).
• Lunch: Mizuno or Chibo for okonomiyaki, Kukuru or Yamachan for takoyaki, Endo Sushi (fresh bites at the market). Try doteyaki (slow-simmered beef sinew) at a standing bar.
• Dinner: Hozenji Yokocho stone alley for kushikatsu and izakaya; Harukoma (hearty sushi), Yakiniku M for wagyu. Craft beer: Craft Beer Works Kamikaze; cocktails: Bar Nayuta.
• Music: Billboard Live Osaka (touring acts), Namba Hatch (riverfront venue), and Conpass for indie nights.

Where to stay (Osaka): Well-located picks: Hotel Sunroute Osaka Namba (near Dotonbori), Swissotel Nankai Osaka (above Namba Station), family fun at Hotel Universal Port. Budget: Hotel Taiyo. Browse more: Hotels.com Osaka or VRBO Osaka.

Osaka → Hiroshima logistics (day trip): Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima ~1 hr 30 min, ~¥10,000–11,500 one-way (Nozomi fastest). Ferries to Miyajima are frequent. Book trains on Trip.com Trains.

Multi-day block suggestions at a glance

• Days 1–2 (Tokyo): Shibuya, Harajuku–Omotesando, Meiji Shrine; Shinjuku night views. Food tour or izakaya crawl.
• Day 3 (Tokyo): Asakusa, Sumida riverfront, Ueno Park museums; coffee hopping. Optional go-kart.
• Day 4 (Beach): Kamakura/Enoshima surf and shrines; sunset photos from the island lighthouse.
• Day 5 (Fuji): Mt. Fuji/Kawaguchiko or Hakone tour.
• Days 6–7 (Kyoto): Fushimi Inari sunrise, Kiyomizu-dera, Gion at dusk; Nishiki bites.
• Day 8 (Kyoto): Arashiyama bamboo at dawn, Tenryu-ji, river boats; tea tasting.
• Day 9 (Nara): Todai-ji, deer park picnic, mochi-pounding street snack on the way back.
• Day 10 (Kyoto): Golden Pavilion and Zen gardens; evening Gion Geisha tour.
• Days 11–12 (Osaka): Dotonbori street food, canal cruise, Umeda Sky sunset.
• Day 13 (Hiroshima–Miyajima): Day trip with guided tour; Hiroshima okonomiyaki dinner back in Osaka.
• Days 14–15 (Osaka): Kuromon market, shopping in Shinsaibashi/Amerikamura, optional Kobe hop or extra museums.

Transit & budget tips

• Intercity trains: For Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka–Hiroshima movements, purchase Shinkansen tickets as you go on Trip.com Trains. Reserve window seats on clear days for Fuji glimpses between Tokyo and Kyoto.
• City transit: Get a Suica/PASMO/ICOCA IC card for tapping in/out of subways and buses. Many kiosks accept cards and mobile wallets.
• Budget (mid-range ~50/100): Expect ¥13,000–20,000 per person per day excluding long-distance trains and special tours. Mix casual noodle lunches with one or two kaiseki or wagyu splurges.

Extra unique experiences (aligning with your interests)

• Museums: Tokyo National Museum (samurai armor), Mori Art Museum (contemporary), Railway Museum in Omiya for transit buffs, Kyoto National Museum for decorative arts.
• Cooking & food craft: Department store depachika tastings (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Kyoto Daimaru), knife shopping in Kyoto’s Kiya or Aritsugu, and sake brewery quarters in Fushimi.
• Sumo immersion: Consider Sumo Morning Practice Tour for up-close training intensity, or the lively Sumo Entertainment Show with Chicken Hot Pot.