Japan in 15 days

This guide is for you if…

You want the essence of Japan in two weeks without living on the shinkansen. Iconic cities, temples, food and one nature day — with enough slack to finish fresh.

When to go (at a glance)

If you can choose, late October or November usually balances it best.

Mar–Apr

Magical blossoms, high prices. Book months ahead.

May–Jun

Nice weather; June brings rain (tsuyu).

Jul–Aug

Heat + festivals. Peak urban energy.

Sep–Nov

Golden autumn — top window for this plan.

Dec–Feb

Dry cold, fewer tourists, winter lights.

Ballpark budget

Per person per day · mid-range · excluding international flights

€60–120

Stay

€35–55

Food

€15–30

Local + tickets

€110–200

Total / day

Run the numbers on a 7-day JR Pass

Day-by-day itinerary

Tap each block for detail. Less checklist, more experience.

Days 1–2

Tokyo · Land softly

Jet lag, a gentle neighbourhood and Asakusa immersion.

Day 1: Yanaka, gardens or daytime Shibuya. Early dinner.
Day 2: Senso-ji at dawn, Sumida, Akihabara or Ueno.

Days 3–4

Tokyo · Contrast

Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku and one deep dive.

Meiji Jingu early + Shinjuku night (one drink is enough).
Pick: teamLab (book), Shimokitazawa or Odaiba.

Day 5

Side trip

Only one: Kamakura, Nikkō or Hakone.

Kamakura = calm · Nikkō = long day · Hakone = onsen.

Days 6–8

Kyoto · With restraint

Fewer temples, done well. Fushimi, Arashiyama and one axis.

Fushimi Inari at dawn · Gion without geisha-hunting.
Arashiyama early · day 8: north OR east axis.

Days 9–10

Nara + Osaka

Deer and Todai-ji · street food and Dotonbori.

Nara half or full day · Osaka wins at night.

Days 11–12

Hiroshima + Miyajima

Memory, quiet and the torii by the tide.

Peace Park with emotional space · Miyajima next day.

Days 13–15

Close on your terms

More Kansai, Hokkaido (if booked) or back to Tokyo.

Buffer day = shopping, urban onsen or unhurried Kobe.

Practical moves that change the trip

Getting around

IC card in cities · shinkansen between bases · takkyubin for hotel→hotel bags.

Where to stay

Tokyo: Shinjuku/Shibuya/Ueno · Kyoto: station or Gion · Osaka: Namba/Umeda.

Eat without stress

One hyped booking · improvise the rest · konbini is a train ally.

Quick etiquette

Quiet trains · no tipping · cash at temples · shoes off on tatami.

Mistakes that spoil the trip

Too many temples in one day

Kyoto overwhelms. Pick one axis and leave time for tea.

Rail Pass without the maths

A 7-day pass often beats a full 14-day pass.

Huge bags at rush hour

Ship the suitcase and ride light. Worth every yen.

Protect Hiroshima

Don’t leave it as leftover time. It deserves its own block.

Pre-flight checklist

Tick what you already have. Gaps hurt more at the airport.

Turn the guide into your trip

When you have dates, create the plan on TripMatches and find companions on a similar pace. Japan is better shared over the first 7 a.m. ramen.

Create my trip