7 Day Japan Itinerary: Tokyo, Kyoto & More (First-Timer's Guide)

Start at Asakusa before 09:00 to beat the tour groups at Senso-ji Temple (free entry, main hall 06:00–17:00). The Nakamise-dori shopping street runs up to the gate and sells everything from ningyo-yaki cakes to folding fans. Grab a freshly made ningyo-yaki for ¥600 and eat it while walking.

Mid-morning, take the metro to Imperial Palace East Garden (free, open 09:00–16:30, closed Mon and Fri). The ruins of Edo Castle's main keep foundation are inside, and the garden itself is a calm contrast to the streets outside. From there, a short walk or metro hop puts you in Ginza for window shopping or a department store basement food hall — depachika floors are a meal in themselves.

Afternoon: head to Harajuku. Takeshita Street is the core of Tokyo's youth fashion culture, lined with crêpe stands and vintage shops. A short walk away, Meiji Jingu Shrine offers a forested quiet — free to enter from dawn until dusk. For something more unusual, the area around Shibuya and Harajuku has several themed cafes including cat cafes and the famous micro-pig cafe.

Take an early Shinkansen from Tokyo Station. The Hikari departs roughly every 30 minutes; a reserved seat costs ¥13,320 one-way (~$88). Sit on the right side of the train (seats D/E) heading south for the best Mount Fuji views around Shizuoka, roughly 40 minutes into the journey. The Hikari arrives at Kyoto Station in about 2 hours 25 minutes.

One practical tip that saves you real stress: ship your large bag from Tokyo to your Kyoto hotel the day before departure using the airport or hotel luggage forwarding service (takuhaibin). A mid-size suitcase costs roughly ¥1,500–2,000 and arrives the next afternoon. This means you board the Shinkansen with only a day bag, navigate Kyoto Station effortlessly, and your bag is waiting in your room when you check in. Most hotels at both ends accept overnight forwarding — ask the front desk on Day 2 evening.

Check in early if possible, then walk to the Gion district. The Higashiyama area around Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka lanes is at its most photogenic in late afternoon light. Pontocho Alley runs parallel to the Kamo River and is lined with restaurants at every price point — a narrow seat at a riverside yuka terrace (outdoor platform dining, seasonal May–September) is worth the slightly higher bill. Keep eyes open between 18:00 and 21:00 near Hanamikoji Street for geiko and maiko heading to evening appointments.

Arrive at Fushimi Inari Taisha before 08:00. The shrine is always open and free. The first hundred gates are stunning but packed with tour groups by 09:30. Push through to the upper trail — about 45 minutes of gentle climbing puts you past the crowds entirely, among mossy stone lanterns and fox shrines. The full loop to the summit takes 2–3 hours; even the halfway point at Yotsutsuji intersection offers a wide city view worth the effort.

Mid-morning, catch a bus or taxi to Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion). Admission is ¥500 (~$3.30), open 09:00–17:00. The gilded top two floors reflecting in the pond are as striking in person as in every photograph. It gets very busy by 10:30, so time your visit accordingly. From Kinkaku-ji, head west to Arashiyama. The bamboo grove itself is a five-minute walk but those five minutes feel genuinely otherworldly — towering culms forty metres high, a rustling above you. Arrive before 09:00 or after 16:00 to get any semblance of solitude.

For dinner, Nishiki Market (the "Kitchen of Kyoto," closes around 18:00) is good for grazing — pickled vegetables, skewered tofu, fresh mochi. The side streets around Gion Shijo station have izakayas open until 23:00. A traditional kaiseki meal at a Pontocho restaurant runs ¥8,000–15,000 per person and is worth booking at least a week ahead for a first-timer experience.

Take the JR Nara Line from Kyoto Station. The local train takes about 45 minutes; an express cuts it to 35 minutes. Fare is ¥710 one-way (Suica/IC card). The main sights are all walkable from Nara Station. On the way from the station, stop at Kofukuji Temple — its five-story wooden pagoda is the second tallest in Japan and free to view from outside.

Nara Park is home to over 1,200 free-roaming shika deer. They are technically wild animals that have been designated national treasures since the eighth century. Deer crackers (shika-senbei) cost ¥150 for a bundle. The deer have learned to bow for food — they genuinely perform a slight head dip before snatching the cracker out of your hand. Keep bags zipped; they will investigate anything that rustles like food packaging.

Todai-ji Temple holds the world's largest bronze Buddha statue (15 metres tall) inside Japan's largest wooden building. Admission is ¥1,000. The temple's Great South Gate features two fearsome Nio guardian statues dating to 1203 — easy to walk past without noticing, but worth ten minutes up close. Kasuga Taisha Shrine (free entry to grounds, inner hall ¥500) sits at the forest's edge and is famous for its 3,000 stone and bronze lanterns, lit twice a year. Return to Kyoto by early evening for dinner.

Check out of your Kyoto hotel in the morning and take an early Shinkansen back toward Tokyo, disembarking at Odawara Station (~45 minutes, ¥6,560 reserved). From Odawara, the Hakone Tozan Line or the Romance Car from Shinjuku (if you prefer to come directly from Tokyo) connects you to Hakone-Yumoto in under 30 minutes. The Hakone Freepass (~¥4,600 for 2 days) covers all transport within Hakone: the ropeway, the Lake Ashi pirate ship cruise, and local buses.

The standard Hakone circuit: board the Lake Ashi cruise from Moto-Hakone pier for views of Mount Fuji across the water (best visibility before noon in summer; clouds often build by afternoon). Then ride the Ropeway up through Owakudani, a volcanic valley with sulphuric steam vents and famous black hard-boiled eggs cooked in the hot spring (¥600 per pack). On clear days the Ropeway gives the best elevated Fuji view of the entire trip.

The Hakone Open-Air Museum (admission ~¥1,600, open 09:00–17:00) is a pleasant hour if you have time — it combines sculpture gardens with a Picasso pavilion and a foot bath. For a more immersive experience, book one night at a ryokan in Hakone rather than returning to Tokyo on Day 6. A mid-range ryokan with onsen and dinner starts at about ¥18,000–25,000 per person — expensive, but it includes a multi-course dinner, breakfast, and unlimited use of the hot springs. Check into your Tokyo hotel on the evening of Day 6 if returning, or Day 7 morning if staying overnight in Hakone.

Build in a genuine buffer before your flight: Narita is 90 minutes from central Tokyo by N'EX; Haneda is 35–40 minutes from Shinjuku by rail. Airport security for international departures at Narita can take 30–45 minutes during peak morning hours. For a midday or afternoon flight, you have time for one last activity.

Tsukiji Outer Market (the surviving retail section after the inner wholesale market moved to Toyosu) is excellent for a final breakfast: tamagoyaki rolls, fresh sea urchin, thick tuna sashimi. It opens around 05:00 and is busiest 08:00–11:00. Alternatively, the basement food halls of Isetan or Takashimaya department stores in Shinjuku make for efficient last-minute souvenir shopping — quality wagashi (Japanese sweets), sake, and individually wrapped snacks pack well.

At the airport, Japan customs prohibits taking fresh fruit, meat, or soil-contaminated produce home. Duty-free alcohol and cigarettes have standard limits. If you collected any receipts for tax-refund shopping, have them ready at the airport tax refund counter before check-in. Allow time: the queues at Narita tax refund desks can run 20–30 minutes.