10 days in Japan: an easy first-timer itinerary for Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka

If you're planning your first trip, ten days in Japan is a lovely amount of time. It's long enough to see Tokyo, sleep in a hot-spring inn, wander Kyoto's temples and eat your way through Osaka, without feeling like you spent the holiday on trains.

This Japan itinerary for 10 days follows one simple idea: keep moving in one direction. You fly into Tokyo and out of Osaka, so you never double back. Below you'll find each day, why it sits where it does, and the practical bits (train times, rough costs, what to book early) that make the trip feel easy.

The route at a glance

• Route: Tokyo (4 nights) → Hakone (1 night) → Kyoto (3 nights, with a Nara day trip) → Osaka (1 night)
• Flights: into Tokyo (Haneda or Narita), out of Osaka (Kansai, KIX). Search for a "multi-city" or open-jaw ticket.
• Pace: about two main things a day, with time left for long dinners
• Good for: first-timers, couples, friend groups of 3–8, and families with teens

Why this order? Tokyo first gives you a gentle landing in a city where everything works and signs are in English. Hakone sits right on the way west, so the onsen night costs you almost no extra travel. Kyoto gets the most nights because its best spots are calmest early in the morning, and you need several mornings to enjoy them. Osaka comes last because it's close to the airport and it's a fun, lively final night.

Day 1: Arrive in Tokyo and keep it simple

After a long flight, the kindest plan is a small one. Head to your hotel (Shinjuku or Shibuya are easy bases) and stay within walking distance for the evening.

• From the airport: from Haneda, the Keikyu line reaches Shinagawa in about 11–14 minutes (about ¥330), so most central hotels are 30–45 minutes away. From Narita, the Narita Express reaches Tokyo Station in about an hour and Shinjuku in about 80 minutes (about ¥3,100–3,300).
• Get a transit card: add Suica or PASMO to your phone wallet, or buy a card. It works on almost every train and bus, and at convenience stores.
• Dinner: the tiny bars of Omoide Yokocho or the side streets of Shibuya.

Day 2: West Tokyo, from forest shrine to city lights

We start at Meiji Jingu because the shrine is quiet and shaded in the morning, which is a soft way to ease into Tokyo. From there it's a short walk through Harajuku to the tree-lined Omotesando.

In the afternoon, carry on to Shibuya. If you'd like the famous view over the crossing, book a sunset slot at Shibuya Sky. Tickets go on sale two weeks before each date, and sunset times tend to go first.

Day 3: Old Tokyo in Asakusa and Ueno

We put Asakusa first thing today for a simple reason: Senso-ji is one of Tokyo's busiest sights, and before about 8am you can actually enjoy it. By mid-morning the lanes fill up quickly.

Afterwards, take the short hop to Ueno for the park, a museum if anyone's keen, and snacks along Ameyoko market street. In the evening, choose between Akihabara's arcades and electronics or a relaxed river cruise from Asakusa.

Day 4: A "choose your own" Tokyo day

By day four, people in a group usually want different things, and that's completely fine. This is a planned free day, so everyone can do their own thing and meet again for dinner.

Some good options:

• teamLab digital art museum (book timed tickets ahead)
• Tsukiji Outer Market and Ginza for food and shopping
• Shimokitazawa for vintage shops and cafés
• A day trip to Kamakura or Nikko, about 1 hour and about 2 hours each way

Day 5: Tokyo to Hakone for an onsen night

Hakone is where you slow down. It's mountains, lake views and hot springs, and one night in a ryokan (a traditional inn) is often the part people remember most.

Getting there, two easy ways:

• Odakyu Romancecar from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto: about 80–85 minutes, no change, all seats reserved.
• Shinkansen from Tokyo to Odawara: roughly 35–40 minutes on a Hikari or Kodama, then a short local train into Hakone.

Once there, do the classic Hakone loop: the mountain railway, cable car, the ropeway over the volcanic valley of Owakudani, and a boat across Lake Ashi.

Day 6: Hakone to Kyoto

Head back down to Odawara and take the shinkansen west to Kyoto. Some Hikari trains run direct from Odawara to Kyoto in about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes (about ¥12,300 with a reserved seat). If the times don't suit you, take a Kodama to Nagoya and change to a faster train there.

Spend a gentle first evening in Gion and along Pontocho, a narrow lane of restaurants by the river. For your base, Kawaramachi is great for evenings out, while Kyoto Station is handiest for day trips.

Day 7: East Kyoto, starting at sunrise

We know an early alarm on holiday is a big ask, but Fushimi Inari is worth it. Before about 8am, the famous tunnels of red torii gates are calm and photogenic. Allow 2–3 hours if you want to walk the full loop up the mountain.

Then make your way to Kiyomizu-dera and stroll down the old stone lanes of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, through Higashiyama, to Yasaka Shrine.

Day 8: An easy day trip to Nara

Nara is close enough that it never feels rushed. The JR Miyakoji Rapid takes about 45 minutes, and the Kintetsu Limited Express about 35 minutes. Kintetsu Nara Station is the closer of the two to the park. You'll see Todai-ji's giant Buddha, the friendly (and bold) deer of Nara Park, and the lantern-lined Kasuga Taisha.

You'll be back in Kyoto by late afternoon. Nishiki Market is lovely for snacks, but each shop keeps its own hours, many close around 5–6pm, and many take Wednesdays off, so go soon after you return. The market asks visitors to eat at the stall rather than while walking.

Day 9: Arashiyama, then on to Osaka

Arashiyama's bamboo grove gets crowded fast, so go early, then visit Tenryu-ji's garden and walk along the river.

In the afternoon, move to Osaka. It's close: about 15 minutes by shinkansen to Shin-Osaka, or about 30 minutes on the JR Special Rapid straight to Osaka Station, with no seat to book. Spend your last night in Dotonbori, all neon signs and some of the best street food of the trip.

Day 10: A relaxed Osaka morning and fly home

Depending on your flight time, visit Osaka Castle park or graze through Kuromon Market. Kansai Airport is roughly 35–75 minutes from central Osaka, depending on where you stay: the Nankai Rapi:t from Namba takes about 35–40 minutes, and the JR Haruka from Shin-Osaka about 50 minutes.

Getting around: train times and fares (approximate)

• Tokyo → Kyoto, Nozomi shinkansen, reserved seat: ~2 h 15 min, ~¥14,170
• Shinjuku → Hakone-Yumoto, Romancecar (fare + limited express fee): ~80–85 min, ~¥2,410–2,470
• Odawara → Kyoto, direct Hikari, reserved seat: ~1 h 45 min–2 h 10 min, ~¥12,300
• Kyoto ↔ Nara, JR Miyakoji Rapid / Kintetsu Limited Express: ~45 min / ~35 min, ~¥720 / ~¥1,280 each way
• Kyoto → Osaka, JR Special Rapid: ~30 min, ~¥580
• Haneda → Shinagawa, Keikyu / Narita → Tokyo, Narita Express: ~11–14 min / ~1 h, ~¥330 / ~¥3,100

Do you need a JR Pass for 10 days in Japan?

For this route, usually not. The 7-day ordinary Japan Rail Pass costs about ¥50,000 bought online (a little more as an exchange order bought overseas), and it covers only 7 of your 10 days. It also doesn't cover the fastest Nozomi trains unless you buy an extra Nozomi ticket for each ride (about ¥4,960 between Tokyo and Kyoto). Because this itinerary has only one long train journey, buying single tickets usually costs less. It's still worth a quick check for your own dates and group.

Rough budget per person (approximate, excluding flights)

• Accommodation: about ¥8,000–20,000 per night when sharing an apartment or business hotel room. A ryokan night costs noticeably more.
• Food: about ¥4,000–10,000 a day
• Transport for the whole route: about ¥25,000–35,000
• Sights and activities: about ¥1,000–5,000 a day

These are our planning estimates, not quotes. Prices change with seasons, exchange rates and how many of you share a room.

What to book early

• Flights and Kyoto stays: 3–6 months ahead for cherry blossom season (late March to early April) and autumn leaves (mid-November to early December). Kyoto fills up first.
• Ryokan for groups: as soon as your dates are fixed, since rooms for 4–6 people are limited.
• Shinkansen seats: once your dates are firm. Over Golden Week, Obon and New Year, Nozomi trains are reserved-seat only.
• Romancecar: reserve once your dates are firm; seats usually open about a month ahead.
• Timed tickets: Shibuya Sky opens sales two weeks before each date, and the Ghibli Museum releases the next month's tickets on the 10th at 10am Japan time. Book teamLab a few days to weeks ahead.

Planning this trip as a group

• Choose group-friendly bases. Apartments in Shinjuku and Namba often sleep 4–8. Kyoto's machiya townhouses are beautiful but book up early.
• Build in a free day per city. Day 4 in Tokyo and, if needed, Day 8 in Kyoto give everyone room to do their own thing.
• Have one person book the train seats so the whole group sits together.
• Keep the plan in one place. With Tripmo's group trip planner, each person's ChatGPT, Claude or Grok can add to one shared plan on a map, so nothing gets lost in the group chat.

More Japan itineraries

• 14 days in Japan: this route plus Kanazawa, Hiroshima and Miyajima
• 7 days in Japan: Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka in one week
• 5 days in Tokyo: one base, neighbourhood days and a day trip
• 3 days in Kyoto: temples, Arashiyama and an early Fushimi Inari