Two weeks in Japan: a classic itinerary, organised for a first-timer visitor

When I was planning my 2-week Japan itinerary, I quickly realised most visitors follow a classic route. And after travelling through the country myself, I can confidently say that this well-travelled path is, in fact, ideal for your first time in Japan: it allows you to discover the country’s most iconic cities and must-see sights, covering everything from calming nature, culture, history, and the modern chaos that is Tokyo. 

And while I always encourage exploring a little off the typical tourist path, seeing these iconic spots early on made future trips even more meaningful. So here are the best places to visit if you only have two weeks in Japan. The itinerary below guides you at a moderately relaxed pace, and includes the top attractions to see organised by geographical proximity to maximise your time, the ones you’d need to book ahead for, plus what to skip and why. 

Insider tip: You don’t need the JR rail pass for this itinerary. 

Two weeks in Japan: where to go as a first-time visitor?

Your first time in Japan should include the iconic things that are unique to Japan. This means:

• A castle (e.g. Osaka Castle)
• A ryokan (aka a traditional Japanese inn, similar to this accommodation I stayed at near Mt Fuji) 
• A Japanese tea ceremony (like the one in Kyoto)
• A Japanese garden or park (like the ones in Nara)
• A market for local food (e.g. Nishiki Food Market in Kyoto)
• Torii gates (like the famous Fushimi Inari in Kyoto)
• A temple (such as Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines)
• A cultural show or unique sport (e.g. a Geisha show in Kyoto, or Sumo wrestling in Tokyo)
• An art experience (e.g. teamlab Planets in Tokyo)
• An onsen (hot springs). These are not necessarily unique to Japan, as there are hot springs all around the world, like Iceland

Insider tip: a popular activity in Japan that I absolutely do NOT recommend is visiting animal cafes that allow you to interact with wild animals or “purebred, pedigree” pets, because these are unethical, often leading to distress or anxiety in the animals who are forced to interact with crowds of humans all day for profit (details here). 

The only animal cafes I recommend visiting are rescue cafes that promote rescue and adoption of domesticated animals like cats and dogs.

Also, remember to respect the dress code when visiting places of worship, and make sure to follow Japanese cultural etiquette.

Here’s the classic route (you can also do the route in the opposite way, starting from Tokyo):

Osaka & Nara (3 days) – Kyoto (4 days) – Mt Fuji (2 days) – Tokyo (4 days)

Osaka & Nara 

Osaka is a popular prefecture to visit in Japan as it’s known for its lively vibe, nightlife, but most importantly, as Japan’s best city for food. You can get around Osaka by metro, bus, or explore some areas on foot. Here’s the ideal Osaka itinerary spread out over 4 days, and popular attractions that I skipped. 

Day 1 in Osaka

1. Osaka Castle in the morning (go as early as possible to try and avoid crowds).
2. Kema Sakuranomiya Park
3. Shinsekai area and market for lunch 
4. Shitennoji Temple: one of the oldest temples in Japan (it closes at 4 PM so make sure to reach before then). Be mindful that this is still a place of worship, so keep your voices down, dress appropriately, and do NOT take photos of people without consent.

Day 2 in Osaka

1. Kasuoji temple with Daruma dolls
2. Namba Yasaka Jinja: a unique temple with a lion’s head stage. 
3. The Dotonbori area, for dinner and nightlife. If you want to try the famous Rikuro cheesecake, it’s in this area (note that they sell the whole cheesecake, not by slice, and there are long queues)

Day 3: Day-trip to Nara

From Osaka, you can take the commuter rail line to Nara. Most people head to Nara for a few hours to see the bowing deer, aka deer that come to you and bow to ask for food. The park area right by the train station gets crowded with everyone trying to feed the deer, but if you spend a day exploring further, you’ll find a crowd-free, gorgeous Nara awaiting you.

Important sidenote: Is it ethical to feed the deer in Nara? Personally, I wouldn’t do it, due to overfeeding and dependency concerns, but if you intend to do it, please follow these rules:

1. Only feed them the Shika Senbei (rice crackers specifically made for them) sold by vendors in Nara.
2. Don’t feed them human food, non-food items like plastic (yes, some horrible tourists have actually done this), or anything else aside from the crackers.
3. Also, don’t tease or harass the deer. If they come to you and bow, just bow back and feed them the crackers, don’t make a game of it.
4. Don’t overfeed them. Just one cracker per deer is fine.

Here are the top places to visit in Nara (note that some places require a fee to enter)

1. Nakatanidou confectionery shop, where you’ll see them making mochi in the traditional way
2. Kofujuji Temple, a Buddhist Temple
3. Himuro Shrine, a small Shinto shrine
4. Isue-en garden (there’s a fee to enter), and there’s a museum there with Chinese and Korean artefacts
5. Nandaimon Gate, a massive gate with two guardian statues
6. Todai-ji Temple, a Buddhist temple 
7. Kasuga-taisha Shinto Shrine (there’s a fee)

What to skip in Osaka

• Sumiyoshi Taisha. This is a Shinto shrine in a peaceful garden, but a bit out of the way. 
• Daisen Park with a Japanese garden and a tea house. This is too far out to include in the itinerary, plus reviews weren’t great, and there are plenty of other beautiful parks to see on this trip.
• Umeda Sky Building: This is a modern skyscraper that’s not that interesting in my opinion
• Abeno Harukas: Osaka’s tallest building with an observation deck. Nothing impressive to make it worth the trip.
• Osaka Aquarium: It has 27 large tanks depicting 16 different habitat areas, but I’d avoid any place that keeps animals in captivity, plus you can see aquariums in multiple other places
• Universal Studios Japan
• American village: A business area built to showcase an “American” vibe, with the shops and fast food outlets. 

Kyoto

If you’ve purchased the JR rail pass, you can take the Shinkansen bullet train from Osaka to Kyoto and arrive in 15 minutes. However, you can also just take the Hankyu Kyoto line or the Keihan main line and pay a reasonable fee, and reach Kyoto in 45 minutes.

For a more special adventure, you can also take the Kyo-train Garaku, a special sightseeing train at the same cost as public trains, superbly decorated with tatami seats and other cool designs. 

Day 1 in Kyoto

1. Kyoto Imperial Palace (it’s free to visit). This was the Imperial Palace during the Edo period, and you can take a guided tour. 
2. Kyoto Manga Museum: if you’ve ever watched any kind of manga or have any interest in Japanese pop culture, this library museum is a must-visit in Kyoto.  
3. Samurai and Ninja Museum (best to book a guided tour to really appreciate the history) 
4. Nuunu Kyoto: this is a great place to buy fun and original souvenirs and art from local artists. It’s on the 4th floor.
5. Nishiki Food Market on Teramachi Street
6. Walk along Pontocho Street, considered one of the most beautiful streets in Kyoto, though it’s more beautiful at night with the soft lights turned on

Day 2 in Kyoto

1. Kiyomizudera temple 
2. Ninenzaka street, an ancient 150-metre-long stone-paved pedestrian road
3. Explore Gion District: Kyoto’s geisha district is an iconic and highly visited area, with preserved traditional tea houses and shops. Many visitors rent kimonos from the shops all around the district and organise photoshoots in this area
   1. It’s very touristy, and due to unruly and disrespectful tourist behaviour, only main streets like Hanamikoji Street are open to the public as of 2024, and residential areas are closed off
   2. Please do not harass the geisha or maiko, and do not take their pictures without consent
   3. You can book a geisha show at Miyako Odori, which is one of the best ways to see geisha and maiko without lurking around creepily, but make sure to book in advance
   4. Kodaiji temple and bamboo
   5. Yasaka Pagoda

Day 3 in Kyoto

1. Tea ceremony: you’ll find various options for tea ceremonies in Kyoto. The ones I enjoyed the most were where they also taught us how to wear a kimono, and we enjoyed the tea ceremony wearing them
2. Kinkakuji: a Zen temple with two floors covered in gold leaves, Kinkakuji is a UNESCO site also known as the Golden Pavilion
3. Ryoanji Temple: a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a zen temple home to a mausoleum that houses the remains of seven emperors 
4. Ginkakuji – a UNESCO site, Ginkakuji is a 15th-century temple with a beautiful garden and sand mound shaped like Mt Fuji 
5. Philosopher’s Walk: this is a popular, scenic walking path lined with trees, and the best time to stroll here is during cherry blossom season or in autumn.

Day 4 in Kyoto

1. Arashiyama: this is the famous bamboo forest. It’s as crowded as you can expect, even if you go early, and the bamboo area itself isn’t huge. However, if you explore around, you’ll come across many interesting places like
   1. Tenryuji temple (UNESCO, zen temple, gardens)
   2. Daihikaku Senkō-ji Temple
   3. Jōjakkōji Temple
   4. Giōji Temple
   5. Insider tip: enjoy a traditional temple lunch at Shigetsu restaurant with views overlooking gardens. Note that it’s vegan and you’ll need to book in advance.
2. Fushimi Inari: this is one of the most famous Torii gate locations (Senbon Torii, and there are 5000 of them. It’s crowded at the entrance, but keep walking, and you’ll have a more serene time among the Torii gates.

What I skipped in Kyoto

I skipped the following either due to lack of time or because we didn’t want to feel “travel fatigue” from seeing similar places like temples and imperial palaces.

• Shosei-en garden
• Uji town (birthplace of matcha) and Byodo-in temple
• Daitoku-ji temple and zen garden
• Fushimi Sake District and sake breweries
• Kyoto Railway Museum
• Nijo Castle (a former Imperial palace and residence)
• The Garden of Fine Arts Kyoto
• Kifune shrine
• Kenninji temple
• Togetsukyo Bridge Area
• Okochi-Sanso villa
• Kurama and Kibune
• Shimogamo Shrine

Mt Fuji

The fastest way to get from Kyoto to Mt Fuji is by taking the Shinkansen and a bus, and this is the only time during this trip that you’ll need the JR rail pass. However, you can also take the bus, though it’ll be about 9 hours. When in the Mt Fuji area, you can easily get around by bus. 

There are 5 lakes in the Mt Fuji area, and the distances between them are quite far. If you’re not renting a car, you can rely on buses. The itinerary below focuses solely on Kawaguchi Lake, as it’s the most convenient for views and nearby attractions.

Day 1 in Mt Fuji

1. Walk around Kawaguchi Lake for views of Mt Fuji:
   1. Explore Oishi Park and the colourful “Flowers Road” on the west side of the park for a Mt Fuji view
2. Walk 10 min to Nagasaki Park 
3. Oshino Hakkai: explore the scenic village and walk along the paths that connect the 8 pools of water, with Mt Fuji in the background
4. In the late afternoon, cross through Sengen Park and walk up to Arakura Sengen Shrine and uphill to the famous Chureito Pagoda with Mount Fuji in the background. 

Day 2 in Mt Fuji

1. Saiko Iyashi no Sato Nenba (Healing Village): Reconstructed Japanese village where visitors can explore traditional houses & rent traditional clothing
2. Ashino-ko Lake with red Torii gate: you can enjoy slow boat rides on the lake
3. Finish the day off at an onsen, soaking in hot springs in Hakone

Tokyo

Day 1 in Tokyo

1. Asakusa neighbourhood for a more traditional Tokyo vibe, craft shops, and food
2. Ueno-Koen Park with a lake, boat rental, and many museums, such as the Tokyo Museum of Science
3. Akihabara neighbourhood for manga culture and electronics shopping 
4. Explore Jimbocho book town if you’re into books
   1. Anegawa Nyankodo: cat-themed bookstore
   2. Kitazawa: a second-hand English bookstore
   3. Isseido Booksellers: a family-owned bookstore for antique and rare books 
   4. Maruzen Marunouchi Bookstore: flagship store for books, food, stationery
5. Imperial Palace: the public can’t fully access the whole interior, but it’s a great spot to see cherry blossoms or autumn foliage

Day 2 in Tokyo

1. Nakameguro neighbourhood and Meguro river promenade
2. One hundred steps staircase: a heritage building with exhibitions of Japanese art, murals, etc. It’s open from 12.30 to 6 PM
3. Shibuya: witness the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing (get a bird’s eye view from the Scramble Square tower above the train station)
4. Free observatory: Tokyo Metropolitan Building
5. Shinjuku neighbourhood in the evening
   1. Explore the tiny bars and nightlife along Golden Gai Street
   2. See 3D images like the cute cat on Cross Shinjuku Vision
   3. Try the street food along Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane street)

Day 3 in Tokyo

1. Arashio-beya for sumo practice (you can watch for free from 7.30 to 9.30 AM)
2. Shop at Kitte Mall (5th floor) at Tokyo Station for sustainable local souvenirs
3. Itoya, a century-old stationery shop in Ginza
4. Tsukiji market for food stalls

Day 4 in Tokyo

1. Neco Republic Cat Rescue Cafe. There are a few locations, but the Ochanomizu one is in Tokyo city centre. It’s a great alternative to the unethical animal cafes. 
2. Toyosu fish market (the largest in the world). They open at 5 AM for the auctions, and you can watch from an observation deck, but if you don’t care for that, the best time to go is around midday for lunch in the area
3. teamLab: There are two locations in Tokyo: teamLab Planets in Toyosu and teamLab Borderless in Azabudai Hills. teamLab is a digital art museum that provides a sensory experience, though Planets is more nature-focused, while Borderless is more visual. 

What I skipped in Tokyo

• Meiji Jingu Shrine 
• Sensoji Temple (crowded, tourist area with souvenir shops)

FAQs: Itinerary for two weeks in Japan

• How to see Japan in 2 weeks?

It’s not possible to see all of Japan in 2 weeks. However, for their first time in Japan, most people follow a classic route: Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Mt Fuji, and Tokyo. 

• When is the best time to visit Japan?

The best time to visit Japan is in the shoulder season, in March or October. In summer, it’s quite hot and humid in Japan, while winter can be harsh and cold. Spring and autumn bring large crowds for the cherry blossom season and autumn foliage, particularly in April and November.