Japan rewards hungry travelers. From Edo-era lanes to neon canyons, this 9-day plan balances iconic sights with a deep dive into everyday flavors—ramen counters, market skewers, standing sushi, and backstreet izakaya. You’ll ride the Shinkansen, master chopsticks the traditional way, and still keep spending in check.

Tokyo’s history unfurls from Senso-ji’s 7th-century incense to the postwar alleyways of Shinjuku. Osaka, nicknamed “Japan’s Kitchen,” is a joy for bargain bites—okonomiyaki, takoyaki, kitsune udon—best eaten elbow-to-elbow with locals. A quick hop to Kyoto adds vermilion torii, seasonal sweets, and twilight lanes where geiko and maiko still glide.

Practical notes for March 2025: Most places accept cards, but carry some yen for mom-and-pop shops and markets. Pick up a Welcome Suica/ICOCA IC card for transit and snacks, aim for lunch specials to stretch your budget, and travel light to enjoy walkable neighborhoods and efficient trains. Book intercity trains and flights early for the best fares.

Tokyo

Tokyo swings from ancient to ultramodern without losing its appetite. Start with incense curls at Asakusa’s Senso-ji, browse historic kitchenware in Kappabashi, then watch Shibuya Crossing pulse like a living organism. Foodies should plan time for Tsukiji’s outer market, department store depachika food halls, and standing sushi bars where freshness trumps frills.

• Top foodie moments: Tsukiji outer market tastings, monjayaki in Tsukishima, yuzu ramen at AFURI, and bargain tendon (tempura bowls) around Ueno.
• Local tip: Lunch sets (teishoku) are your budget friend—often 30–40% cheaper than dinner.

Stay (budget to midrange): Search deals on Hotels.com Tokyo or browse apartments via VRBO Tokyo. Good-value picks include Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku (reliable, transport-rich), Hotel Gracery Shinjuku (compact rooms, big views), or go upscale if you snag a deal at Aman Tokyo.

Getting in: Compare flights on Trip.com (flights) or Kiwi.com. From Haneda to central Tokyo, budget ~30–45 minutes by monorail/Keikyu (~¥500–¥700). From Narita, the Keisei Skyliner to Ueno takes ~41 minutes (~¥2,600). Trains in Japan: Trip.com (trains).

Day 1 — Arrival, Asakusa, and Skytree Skyline

Morning: In transit. Have yen on hand and a few snack ideas pinned—convenience-store onigiri and bottled tea are cheap lifesavers after a long flight.

Afternoon: Check in, then head to Asakusa. Snack your way down Nakamise-dori—try fresh ningyo-yaki (bean paste cakes) and “Asakusa Menchi” (juicy minced-meat cutlet). Explore Senso-ji’s main hall and five-storied pagoda.

Evening: Optional guided stroll to unlock stories you’d miss solo: Asakusa Senso-ji Temple and Old Tokyo Walking Tour. Budget dinner nearby at Rokumon Ramen (rich tonkotsu) or hit Tendon Tenya for a crisp tempura bowl under ¥1,000.

Day 2 — Tsukiji Market, Ginza Food Halls, and Trackside Izakaya

Morning: Join a budget-friendly tasting tour: Tsukiji Fish Market: Street Food & Culture Walking Tour—sip miso soup, sample tamagoyaki, and learn how vendors have adapted since the wholesale move to Toyosu.

Afternoon: Explore Ginza’s depachika (e.g., Mitsukoshi or Matsuya). Build a picnic box: karaage, pickles, seasonal wagashi, and a budget sushi set. Walk to Hamarikyu Gardens for a serene, low-cost break.

Evening: Duck under the tracks in Yurakucho for yakitori alleys. Chains like Torikizoku keep skewers and highballs affordable. Nightcap at Shimbashi’s standing bars (tachinomi) where salarymen swap stories.

Day 3 — Meiji Shrine, Harajuku Treats, and Shibuya After Dark

Morning: Start at Meiji Jingu’s cedar-scented paths. Grab coffee and a pastry at Harajuku’s Boul’ange or try crepes along Takeshita Street. For lunch, slurp yuzu-shio ramen at AFURI (refreshing, citrusy).

Afternoon: Cross into Shibuya. Opt for the story-packed Tokyo Shibuya Crossing & Hidden Streets Walking Tour to decode murals, backstreets, and Hachiko lore.

Evening: Dinner on a budget: Uogashi Nihon-Ichi standing sushi (fresh, fast), or Genki Sushi for conveyor-belt fun. Finish in Shinjuku’s Omoide Yokocho for grilled skewers; if you want views, consider Skytree or a free-to-enter government building observatory in Shinjuku.

Day 4 — Ueno, Yanaka Old Town, and Make Your Own Chopsticks

Morning: Coffee and thick-cut toast at Kayaba Coffee (1938 icon) in Yanaka. Wander Yanaka Ginza’s retro shotengai—croquettes, taiyaki, and cat-themed souvenirs abound.

Afternoon: Hands-on keepsake: Tokyo Shinjuku Chopsticks Making Class—learn to plane, shape, and polish your own set. Late lunch near Ueno: Tonkatsu Yamabe for crisp pork cutlets on rice.

Evening: Explore Akihabara’s arcades and cheap curry (Go! Go! Curry is filling and friendly on the wallet). If you prefer a guided history fix earlier in the day, swap in the Imperial Palace and Shogun Historical Walking Tour for context on Edo’s rise.

Osaka

Osaka serves comfort on a stick: takoyaki, kushi-katsu, okonomiyaki, and bowls of silky kitsune udon. Dotonbori’s sign-splashed canal never sleeps, Shinsekai hums with Showa-era nostalgia, and Kuromon Market fuels grazers from morning till late afternoon.

• Top foodie moments: Street-food crawl in Dotonbori, kushi-katsu in Shinsekai, breakfast coffee in Namba, and market bites at Kuromon.
• Local tip: “Kuidaore” means “eat till you drop” — Osaka expects it, but your budget won’t if you lean on street snacks and lunch sets.

Stay (budget to midrange): Compare prices on Hotels.com Osaka or browse apartments on VRBO Osaka. Budget-friendly: Hotel Taiyo (super basic, great price, near Shin-Imamiya), Hotel Sunroute Osaka Namba (steps from Dotonbori). If you want a splurge by the station, Swissotel Nankai Osaka sits atop Nankai Namba Station.

Getting from Tokyo to Osaka: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen (Nozomi) from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka in ~2 hr 30 min; expect ~¥14,000–¥16,000 one-way in ordinary class. Morning departures are frequent. Book seats via Trip.com (trains).

Day 5 — Shinkansen to Osaka, Dotonbori Street-Food Night

Morning: Depart Tokyo by Shinkansen; grab an ekiben (station bento) and tea for an affordable, scenic brunch.

Afternoon: Check in, then orient yourself in Namba. Coffee at LiLo Coffee Roasters (friendly baristas, rotating beans). Stroll Hozenji Yokocho’s stone lanes—find the mossy Jizo statue and clap softly.

Evening: Dotonbori food crawl: takoyaki at Wanaka or Aizuya (originator of octopus balls), kitsune udon at Dotonbori Imai (since 1946), and dessert at Rikuro Ojisan (fluffy cheesecake). Snap the Glico Running Man, then wander the canal.

Day 6 — Kuromon Market, Sushi Class, Shinsekai Nostalgia

Morning: Budget breakfast at Kuromon Market—grilled scallops, tamagoyaki sticks, or seasonal fruit. Keep an eye on prices and share plates to sample more.

Afternoon: Learn by doing at Sushi Making Osaka: Roll & Authentic Japanese Sushi Class. It’s hands-on, fun, and you eat the results—perfect for budget-minded foodies.

Evening: Shinsekai for kushi-katsu (deep-fried skewers). Daruma is famous; order a budget set and dip only once in the communal sauce. Night views from Tsutenkaku are cheap and cheerful.

Day 7 — Kyoto Day Trip: Fushimi Inari, Nishiki Market, and Gion

Morning: JR Special Rapid from Osaka Station to Kyoto Station in ~30 minutes (~¥600). Beat crowds at Fushimi Inari Taisha—hike through vermilion torii and snack on kitsune-themed treats (tofu pockets, inari sushi).

Afternoon: Nishiki Market lunch: dashimaki tamago (rolled omelet), karaage bites, pickled vegetables, and yuba delicacies. Walk via Pontocho Alley along the Kamogawa for a breezy city snapshot.

Evening: Gion at dusk. Consider a small-group guide to add context: Kyoto Gion Night Walk - Small Group Guided Tour, or the alternative Stories of Geisha. For dinner, Gyoza Hohei (garlic chive dumplings) is tasty and affordable—expect a short queue.

Day 8 — Osaka Castles, Backstreets, and Hidden Gems

Morning: Coffee and a light breakfast bun in Uemachi, then walk Osaka Castle Park. The keep’s museum is optional; views from the ramparts are free.

Afternoon: Lunch near Umeda: hanjuku egg curry at a simple curry-ya or oversized bowls at Tsurutontan (udon). Browse America-mura’s vintage shops for low-cost souvenirs.

Evening: Join an insider orientation: Osaka Kickstart: Hotspots & Hidden Gems Tour—great for history, street eats, and places you can revisit cheaply on your own.

Day 9 — Last Bites and Departure

Morning: Grab a final pork bun from 551 Horai or a bakery breakfast near Namba. Souvenir stop: depachika for beautifully wrapped snacks (senbei, matcha sweets) that pack well.

Afternoon: Head to Kansai International Airport. Nankai Airport Express from Namba takes ~44 minutes (~¥1,000); JR options via Tennoji are similar. Compare flights on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Evening: In the air. If you’re flying back out of Haneda later in the evening on a different itinerary, a private transfer option is this Haneda transfer to avoid late-night train changes.

Money-saving eating game plan (fits a 16/100 budget):

• Breakfast: bakery sets or convenience-store onigiri/fruit (¥300–¥600).
• Lunch: target ramen/udon/teishoku (¥800–¥1,200). Splurge on sushi at lunch, not dinner.
• Dinner: street-food crawls, tachinomi bars, or chain izakaya with happy-hour highballs (¥1,000–¥2,000).
• Transit: IC card for tap-and-go; walk compact districts to save fares and discover snack shops.

Optional Tokyo add-ons (swap into Days 1–4 as desired): Tokyo Skytree Admission Ticket for sweeping views, or deepen Edo history with the Imperial Palace tour listed above.

With neon nights, shrine mornings, and markets in between, this route captures Japan’s flavor without overspending. You’ll return home with recipes learned, alleys mapped, and a pocketful of delicious memories—plus a personal pair of chopsticks to relive it all.