Japan
Japan, in a few days
From electric Tokyo to the temples of Kyoto, a rail itinerary built around the Japan Rail Pass: the map, the experiences worth booking, everything that costs nothing, and where to sleep at three budgets.
- Day by day
- 1 Tokyo Days 1-3
- 2 Hakone Day 4
- 3 Kyoto Days 5-7
- 4 Nara Day 8
- 5 Osaka Days 9-10
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
Day by day
Tokyo
Fourteen million people, temples and neon in the same street. From ancient Senso-ji to the Shibuya crossing, the old city and the new one never stopped sharing the ground.
- Guided walk: Asakusa to Shibuya3h · from €45Two faces of Tokyo in a day, from the old temple district to the busiest crossing on earth.
- Sushi workshop with a chef2h · from €60Make your own sushi alongside a chef, and learn why the rice matters more than the fish.
- Meiji Shrine
- Shibuya crossing
- Senso-ji Temple
- Yoyogi Park
Hakone
A hot-spring town on the old Tokaido road, known for its onsen and, on a clear morning, its view of Mount Fuji.
- Lake Ashi cruise and ropeway½ journée · from €30A crossing of Lake Ashi, then the cable car over the steaming volcanic valley of Owakudani.
- Traditional onsen2h · from €25The Japanese hot bath, outdoors and facing the trees. A ritual, not a spa treatment.
- Mount Fuji viewpoint
- The Hakone torii standing in the lake
- The old Tokaido trail
Kyoto
The imperial capital for a thousand years, and spared by the bombs. Sixteen hundred temples, among them the gold-leafed Kinkaku-ji and the vermilion gates of Fushimi Inari.
- Tea ceremony1h · from €40An hour inside the slowest art in Japan, where every gesture is fixed and nothing is hurried.
- Guided tour: Fushimi Inari and Gion3h · from €50The ten thousand torii gates of Fushimi Inari, then the wooden lanes of the geisha district.
- Fushimi Inari
- Arashiyama bamboo grove
- Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion (from outside)
- Gion district
Nara
Japan's first permanent capital, in the eighth century. Deer roam free and the Todai-ji still shelters its Great Buddha.
- Guided visit of Todai-ji2h · from €25The temple that holds a fifteen-metre bronze Buddha, inside one of the largest wooden buildings in the world.
- The deer park
- The Great Buddha (from outside)
- Kasuga Shrine
Osaka
The country kitchen, and the country party. A historic castle on one side, the neon canal of Dotonbori on the other.
- Dotonbori food tour3h · from €55Takoyaki and okonomiyaki along the canal, in the district Osaka calls its own kitchen.
- Osaka Castle grounds
- The neon of Dotonbori
- Kuromon Market
Worth sorting before you go
The Japan Rail Pass · Unlimited travel on JR trains between cities. It has to be bought before you land, so decide early.
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Compare the agencies before you land.
Compare · Booking
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Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Sushi and sashimi: raw fish at its freshest, eaten at the counter.
- Ramen: noodles in a deep broth, the comfort food of the country.
- Tempura: vegetables and prawns in a batter light enough to see through.
- Okonomiyaki: a savoury pancake piled with filling, the pride of Osaka and Hiroshima.
- Matcha and wagashi: green tea and the delicate sweets made to go with it.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Never stand your chopsticks upright in rice, and do not blow your nose at the table.
- Tipping does not exist and can embarrass: leave nothing.
- Eating while walking down the street is frowned upon.
- Get an IC card (Suica or Pasmo) rather than buying single tickets.
Words that help
English ↔ Japanese
| English | Japanese |
|---|---|
| Hello | こんにちは (konnichiwa) |
| Thank you | ありがとう (arigatō) |
| Please | お願いします (onegai shimasu) |
| Yes | はい (hai) |
| No | いいえ (iie) |
| Excuse me | すみません (sumimasen) |
| Goodbye | さようなら (sayōnara) |
| Do you speak English? | 英語を話せますか (eigo o hanasemasu ka) |
| I don't understand | わかりません (wakarimasen) |
| How much is it? | いくらですか (ikura desu ka) |
| Where are the toilets? | トイレはどこですか (toire wa doko desu ka) |
| The bill, please | お会計お願いします (okaikei onegai shimasu) |
| Help! | 助けて！ (tasukete!) |
| Cheers! | 乾杯！ (kanpai!) |
The practical page
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/japan
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.