The classic first-timer's Golden Route by Shinkansen: three Tokyo days, a ryokan night and onsen in Hakone, Kyoto's shrines and Arashiyama, Nara's deer, then Osaka's food streets. Best late March to April and November; book Kyoto rooms and the ryokan months ahead.
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- Day 17 am – 8:30 pm · 5 stops
- 7 am 1Senso-ji before the crowdsTokyo
Tokyo's oldest temple, through the Kaminarimon lantern gate and up Nakamise. The grounds are open all night and free; trip reports agree the main hall is calm before 8am and packed by 10. Nakamise stalls open around 9, so come back that way later if you want snacks.
9 min by train or taxi · 5.9 km - 9 am 2Breakfast grazing at Tsukiji Outer MarketTokyo
The wholesale auction moved to Toyosu, but the outer market's 400-odd stalls still do tamagoyaki, grilled scallops and sushi breakfasts. Direct on the Asakusa line from Asakusa. Many stalls close Sundays, Wednesdays and holidays, and most wind down by early afternoon. Around ¥3,000 a person for a good graze.
10 min walk · 750 m - 10:45 am 3Hama-rikyu Gardens and its tea houseTokyo
A former shogun's duck-hunting garden with a tidal pond, ten minutes' walk from Tsukiji, skyscrapers behind the pines. Entry ¥300; matcha and a sweet at the island tea house is extra. Open 9:00 to 17:00.
8 min by train or taxi · 2.6 km - 1 pm 4teamLab Planets, barefoot through the water roomsTokyo
Walk-through digital art, partly knee-deep in water (wear shorts or trousers that roll up). Timed tickets from about ¥3,800, by date; travellers who left it late found them sold out, so book as soon as your dates are fixed.
8 min by train or taxi · 3.3 km - 6:30 pm 5Omakase sushi in GinzaTokyo
The trip's splurge dinner: a counter omakase, where the chef serves piece by piece. Expect roughly ¥15,000 to ¥30,000 for a mid-range counter; the famous names book out a month or more ahead. Reports say lunch sets at the same counters are about half the price.
- Day 28 am – 10 pm · 6 stops
- 8 am 6Meiji Jingu through the forestTokyo
A gravel path through a planted forest to the shrine of Emperor Meiji; free, opens at sunrise. Early is quiet and you may see a wedding procession on weekends.
6 min walk · 450 m - 9:30 am 7Takeshita Street to OmotesandoTokyo
Harajuku's crêpes-and-costume lane, then down the tree-lined Omotesando boulevard of flagship architecture. Shops open around 10 to 11; most reports say ten minutes of Takeshita is plenty and the side streets of Cat Street are better.
21 min walk · 1.5 km - 12 pm 8Lunch in ShibuyaTokyo
Gyukatsu, ramen or a food-hall lunch around Shibuya Station; the Mark City food floors were a trip-report favourite. About ¥1,500 to ¥2,000.
4 min walk · 300 m - 3:30 pm 9Shibuya Crossing, then Shibuya Sky at sunsetTokyo
Cross the scramble at ground level first, then the open-air rooftop 230 m up. Sunset slots sell out weeks ahead. Online tickets are ¥2,700 before 15:00 and ¥3,400 from 15:00 (¥300 more at the door). Bags and hats go in lockers before the roof.
8 min by train or taxi · 3.9 km - 6:30 pm 10Yakitori under the tracks at Omoide YokochoTokyo
Smoky postwar alley of tiny grill counters by Shinjuku Station's west exit. Many stalls seat six to ten and charge a small cover; pick one with an English menu on the door or point at what neighbours eat. About ¥3,000 to ¥5,000 with beer.
6 min walk · 450 m - 8:30 pm 11A nightcap in Golden GaiTokyo
Six lanes of 200-odd bars, most the size of a closet. Look for signs that welcome visitors; cover charges of ¥500 to ¥1,500 are normal. A drink or two runs about ¥2,500.
- Day 39 am – 8:30 pm · 5 stops
- 9 am 12Imperial Palace East GardensTokyo
Free gardens on the old Edo Castle grounds, with the keep's stone base to climb. Closed Mondays and Fridays (and some extra days), so swap this day if needed. Enter by the Otemon gate.
8 min by train or taxi · 3.9 km - 10:45 am 13Tokyo National MuseumTokyo
Japan's oldest museum: samurai armour, swords, scrolls and Buddhist sculpture. Start in the Honkan for the Japanese galleries. ¥1,000; closed Mondays.
18 min walk · 1.4 km - 1 pm 14Snack lunch along Yanaka GinzaTokyo
A walk through Yanaka's temples and cemetery to its old-Tokyo shopping lane: menchi-katsu croquettes, skewers and senbei. Reports call it the Tokyo that survived the war and the bubble. About ¥1,500.
8 min by train or taxi · 3.4 km - 3 pm 15Akihabara arcades and retro gamesTokyo
Electronics, anime and multi-storey arcades. Reports single out the retro-game shops and the claw-machine floors; on Sunday afternoons Chuo-dori is pedestrianised.
8 min by train or taxi · 2.6 km - 6:30 pm 16Izakaya dinner under the Yurakucho tracksTokyo
Izakaya tucked into the brick railway arches between Yurakucho and Shimbashi, packed with office workers after 7pm. Order skewers, karaage and a highball. About ¥4,000 to ¥5,000.
- Day 48:30 am – 9 pm · 7 stops
- 8:30 am 17Romancecar from Shinjuku to Hakone-YumotoTokyo
About 85 minutes on Odakyu's reserved-seat limited express. Buy the 2-day Hakone Freepass from Shinjuku (¥7,100 since October 2025) plus the Romancecar seat (about ¥1,200): it covers the whole loop today and the ride down to Odawara tomorrow. Send big bags ahead by hotel luggage forwarding.
35 min by train or taxi · 77 km - 10:45 am 18Hakone Open-Air MuseumHakone
Ride the switchback Tozan railway up to Chokoku-no-Mori. Moore and Rodin on mountain lawns, a stained-glass tower and a Picasso pavilion, plus a free hot-spring footbath. ¥2,000 at the gate, ¥1,800 online; open 9:00 to 17:00 every day.
11 min walk · 800 m - 12:30 pm 19Lunch near Gora StationHakone
Soba, curry or a katsu set in the cafés around the cable-car station before heading up. About ¥1,500 to ¥2,000.
8 min by train or taxi · 2.7 km - 1:15 pm 20Cable car and ropeway over OwakudaniHakone
Cable car to Sounzan, then the ropeway over the steaming sulphur valley; on a clear day Fuji fills the window. Eat a black egg boiled in the vents (about ¥500 for a bag). Covered by the Freepass. Wind or volcanic alerts close it; the ropeway also shuts in winter maintenance weeks, with replacement buses.
8 min by train or taxi · 2.4 km - 3 pm 21Pirate ship across Lake AshiHakone
The Hakone Sightseeing Cruise from Togendai to Moto-Hakone, about 40 minutes, covered by the Freepass. Stand on the upper deck on the left for Fuji.
8 min by train or taxi · 4.7 km - 3:50 pm 22Hakone Shrine's lakeside toriiHakone
Cedar-lined steps to a shrine and the red Gate of Peace standing in the lake. Free. The photo queue at the torii can run 30 to 60 minutes by afternoon; the view from the shore beside it is just as good.
13 min by train or taxi · 7.8 km - 5:30 pm 23Ryokan night with kaiseki and the inn's onsenHakone
Every trip report calls this the highlight: yukata, a multi-course kaiseki dinner in your room or a private dining room, and a soak before bed. A room with a private open-air bath avoids the shared-bath and tattoo question. Mid-range ryokan with two meals run about ¥35,000 to ¥60,000 a person; book months ahead for autumn.
- Day 59 am – 8:30 pm · 5 stops
- 9 am 24Morning soak at Tenzan Tohji-kyoHakone
A big day-onsen of open-air rock pools in the woods above Yumoto, ten minutes by bus K from the station. ¥1,450 (¥1,350 with the Freepass), cash at the machine; rent a small towel. Open 9:00 to 23:00. One of the few Hakone baths that admits tattoos.
8 min by train or taxi · 1.6 km - 11:15 am 25Soba lunch on Yumoto's main streetHakone
The street outside the station is lined with soba shops, fish-cake stalls and onsen-manju bakeries. About ¥1,500.
9 min by train or taxi · 5.4 km - 12:45 pm 26Shinkansen from Odawara to KyotoOdawara
The Freepass covers the short hop from Yumoto to Odawara. Nozomi rarely stops at Odawara, so take a Hikari: about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes, ¥12,100 reserved. Sit on the right (seat E) for Fuji. Book seats ahead; one report's on-the-day plan ended on a slow Kodama.
2h 20m by train or taxi · 308 km - 4:30 pm 27Yasaka Shrine and Hanamikoji at duskKyoto
The vermilion shrine at the top of Shijo-dori, then the teahouse lanes of Hanamikoji as lanterns come on. Private side lanes now carry photography bans and fines; keep to the main street and never stop or photograph geiko.
9 min walk · 700 m - 6:30 pm 28Dinner on PontochoKyoto
A lantern-lit alley along the Kamo river. From May to September many restaurants open riverside decks (kawayuka). Many places post set menus at the door; expect ¥5,000 to ¥10,000.
- Day 67 am – 8:30 pm · 6 stops
- 7 am 29Fushimi Inari's thousand gates at sevenKyoto
Thousands of vermilion torii climbing Mount Inari; free and open around the clock. Every report says go early and keep climbing: the crowds thin sharply past the Yotsutsuji viewpoint, about 45 minutes up.
8 min by train or taxi · 3.2 km - 10 am 30Kiyomizu-dera's wooden stageKyoto
The hillside temple whose veranda hangs over the maples. ¥500, open 6:00 to 18:00; late November brings night illumination. Taxi from Fushimi Inari takes about 15 minutes.
6 min walk · 450 m - 11:15 am 31Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka lanesKyoto
Stone-stepped lanes of wooden shops below Kiyomizu, with the Yasaka pagoda framed at the bottom. Walk down rather than up.
8 min by train or taxi · 1.6 km - 12:45 pm 32Grazing lunch in Nishiki MarketKyoto
A covered lane of pickles, tamagoyaki, soy-milk doughnuts and grilled seafood. The market asks you not to eat while walking; eat at the stall or its bench. Many stalls close on Wednesdays or Sundays. About ¥2,000.
8 min by train or taxi · 5.0 km - 3 pm 33Kinkaku-ji, the Golden PavilionKyoto
Gold-leaf pavilion over a mirror pond. A one-way 30-minute circuit; late afternoon light on the gold is the best of the day. ¥500, open 9:00 to 17:00. About 40 minutes by bus or 20 by taxi from Nishiki.
9 min by train or taxi · 5.6 km - 6:30 pm 34Kaiseki dinner in GionKyoto
Kyoto's seasonal multi-course cuisine. Mid-range kaiseki counters in Gion run about ¥12,000 to ¥20,000 at dinner, and most want a reservation a few weeks out.
- Day 77:30 am – 8:30 pm · 6 stops
- 7:30 am 35Arashiyama Bamboo Grove at opening lightKyoto
Free and open all day, but by 10am it is shoulder to shoulder. Reports say the short path is best seen before 8.
3 min walk · 150 m - 8:30 am 36Tenryu-ji's pond gardenKyoto
A 14th-century Zen garden borrowing the Arashiyama hills, with a back gate straight onto the bamboo grove. Garden ¥500 (halls ¥300 more); opens 8:30.
4 min walk · 300 m - 10 am 37Okochi Sanso villa and matchaKyoto
A silent-film star's hillside villa at the far end of the bamboo path, with city views. ¥1,000 including matcha and a sweet. Usually the quietest hour of an Arashiyama day.
11 min walk · 850 m - 11:30 am 38Yudofu lunch near Togetsukyo BridgeKyoto
Arashiyama's speciality is simmered tofu (yudofu) sets near the river and the Moon-Crossing Bridge. About ¥3,000 to ¥4,000.
18 min by train or taxi · 11 km - 2 pm 39Ginkaku-ji and the Philosopher's PathKyoto
The Silver Pavilion's raked-sand garden (¥500), then the 2 km canal path south past small temples to Nanzen-ji. Cherry trees line it in April; maples in November.
8 min by train or taxi · 3.4 km - 6:30 pm 40Dinner along the Kiyamachi canalKyoto
The canal street parallel to Pontocho has the city's easiest izakaya, yakitori and ramen, a little cheaper than the river alley. About ¥4,000.
- Day 88 am – 8:30 pm · 7 stops
- 8 am 41Kintetsu limited express from Kyoto to NaraKyoto
About 37 minutes and ¥1,280 by limited express (¥760 and 46 minutes by plain express). Kintetsu-Nara is much closer to the park than JR Nara. Send bags ahead to the Osaka hotel, or use station lockers.
34 min by train or taxi · 34 km - 9 am 42Kofuku-ji and the deer of Nara ParkNara
The five-storey pagoda is under long-term restoration scaffolding, but the National Treasure Hall's Ashura statue is worth ¥700. Deer crackers (shika senbei) are ¥200; hold them high and bow, and the deer bow back. They do nip.
12 min walk · 950 m - 10:30 am 43Todai-ji's Great Buddha HallNara
A 15 m bronze Buddha in one of the largest wooden buildings on earth. Great Buddha Hall ¥800. Squeeze through the pillar hole said to be the size of the Buddha's nostril for luck.
14 min walk · 1.0 km - 12 pm 44Kasuga Taisha's lantern pathsNara
A forest shrine lined with some 3,000 stone and bronze lanterns. The outer grounds are free; the inner precinct is a small extra fee.
20 min walk · 1.5 km - 1:15 pm 45Lunch in NaramachiNara
Merchant townhouses south of the park, with kakinoha-zushi (sushi wrapped in persimmon leaf) and noodle shops. About ¥2,000.
15 min walk · 1.1 km - 3 pm 46Kintetsu from Nara to Osaka-NambaNara
A direct rapid express in about 40 minutes, about ¥700, into the middle of Minami where most Osaka stays are.
30 min by train or taxi · 30 km - 6 pm 47Street-food dinner in DotonboriOsaka
Neon canal of giant crabs and the Glico runner. Graze takoyaki, okonomiyaki and gyoza along the strip; the side lanes of Hozenji Yokocho are quieter. About ¥3,000 to ¥4,000.
- Day 99 am – 9:30 pm · 5 stops
- 9 am 48Osaka Castle main keepOsaka
The rebuilt keep is a museum inside; the moats, stone walls and park are the real draw. Keep admission ¥1,200 (raised in 2025), 9:00 to 18:00. Go at opening; the lift queue builds by 11.
8 min by train or taxi · 4.4 km - 12 pm 49Kushikatsu lunch in ShinsekaiOsaka
Deep-fried skewers in Osaka's retro 1912 entertainment district. Daruma is the famous name; the rule is no double-dipping in the shared sauce. About ¥2,000.
3 min walk · 100 m - 1:15 pm 50Tsutenkaku TowerOsaka
Shinsekai's steel tower with a Billiken good-luck god on top. The general observatory is about ¥1,200; most reports say the street below matters more than the view.
10 min by train or taxi · 6.0 km - 4:30 pm 51Umeda Sky Building's Floating Garden at sunsetOsaka
An open-air ring 173 m up between twin towers, reached by a glass escalator across the void. Around ¥2,000; included in the Osaka Amazing Pass only until 18:00.
8 min by train or taxi · 4.6 km - 7 pm 52Izakaya hopping in Ura-NambaOsaka
The back streets behind Namba Station, full of standing bars and tiny izakaya where locals drink. A few plates and drinks at two places runs about ¥5,000.
- Day 109 am – 1:15 pm · 3 stops
- 9 am 53Breakfast at Kuromon MarketOsaka
Osaka's Kitchen: grilled scallops, wagyu skewers, sea urchin and fruit. Prices are tourist-level, so pick two or three things. About ¥3,000 to ¥4,000.
11 min walk · 800 m - 10:30 am 54Last shopping on Shinsaibashi-sujiOsaka
A 600 m covered arcade from Dotonbori north: drugstores, Uniqlo, Don Quijote and snacks to take home. Tax-free counters need your passport.
10 min walk · 800 m - 12:30 pm 55Nankai Rapi:t to Kansai AirportOsaka
The blue limited express takes about 38 minutes, about ¥1,500 reserved. Flying into Tokyo and out of Osaka saves a backtrack.