14 Days in Japan: Our Tokyo, Hakone, Takayama, Kyoto & Osaka Itinerary

Japan had been on our travel list for years, and in April 2026, we finally spent two weeks exploring the country! 🇯🇵

Over 14 days, we experienced everything from the nonstop energy of Tokyo to the mountains of Takayama, temples and traditional streets of Kyoto, and the food-filled neighborhoods of Osaka. We even squeezed in a quick stop in Hakone and ended the trip back in Tokyo — including two nights sleeping in a capsule hotel!

This itinerary is meant to be a high-level look at how we divided up our two weeks in Japan, where we stayed along the way, and some of our favorite things we did in each destination. I’ll dive deeper into individual cities and experiences in separate guides, but if you're trying to figure out how to piece together your first Japan trip, this is a great place to start.

Our 14-Day Japan Route

Days 1–3/4: Tokyo

Day 4/5: Hakone

Day 6: Takayama

Days 7–9: Kyoto + Nara

Days 10–11: Osaka

Days 12–14: Tokyo

Days 1–4: Tokyo

We started our trip with several days in Tokyo, and I'm glad we gave ourselves plenty of time here because there is SO much to see. Instead of sticking to one area, we bounced around different neighborhoods and mixed some of the major tourist attractions with food, nightlife and a few experiences that were very uniquely Japan. 😂

We also visited during cherry blossom season, so we worked several places into our itinerary where we could hopefully catch the blooms.

What We Did in Tokyo

Shibuya Crossing — One of those iconic Tokyo experiences we obviously had to see at least once.

Meguro River — We visited during cherry blossom season when the river is lined with blooms and lanterns.

Golden Gai — A maze of tiny bars tucked into narrow alleys in Shinjuku. We stopped at Bar Albatross while exploring the area.

teamLab Planets — One of my favorite immersive experiences in Tokyo and something I'd recommend booking ahead.

Tsukiji Outer Market — We came hungry and wandered through the market trying different street foods.

Ueno Park — Another stop we added specifically for cherry blossom season.

Asakusa + Sensō-ji Temple — One of Tokyo's most famous historic areas and a completely different atmosphere from places like Shibuya and Shinjuku. We also grabbed the viral sweet potato ice cream from Imo Pippi while we were nearby.

Shinjuku at Night — Neon lights, tiny alleyways, restaurants and bars made this an area worth experiencing after dark.

Fluffy Pancakes — We tried the famous Japanese soufflé-style pancakes at Micasadeco & Cafe.

Harajuku + Takeshita Street — Shopping, snacks and plenty of people-watching.

Meiji Shrine — An easy contrast to the busy streets of nearby Harajuku.

Mipig Café — Because apparently we needed to hang out with tiny pigs while in Japan.

Shibuya Sky — We timed this one around sunset for views over Tokyo. I'd recommend booking ahead.

Street Go-Karting — Yes, we drove go-karts through the streets of Tokyo. This was easily one of the more ridiculous and memorable things we did. I'd recommend booking ahead.

Day 5: Hakone

After several packed days in Tokyo, we traded skyscrapers and neon lights for mountains, volcanic landscapes and hot springs in Hakone.

This was only a one-night stop, but we packed quite a bit into it. Hakone is a popular getaway from Tokyo and is known for its onsens, Lake Ashi and views of Mount Fuji when Mother Nature decides to cooperate.

What We Did in Hakone

Hakone Tozan Railway + Cable Car — Part of the fun here was simply getting around. We traveled from Hakone-Yumoto toward Gora before continuing farther into the mountains.

Hakone Ropeway — The ropeway took us above the volcanic landscape toward Owakudani.

Owakudani — A volcanic valley where we stopped to see the landscape and try the area's famous black eggs.

Lake Ashi — We continued toward Lake Ashi for one of Hakone's most recognizable landscapes.

Hakone Shrine — We visited the shrine and its famous torii gate near the water.

Stayed at an Onsen Hotel — After spending most of the day exploring, we ended it with an onsen soak. If you're trying to experience several different sides of Japan in one trip, I loved having this quieter mountain stop between Tokyo and Takayama.

Day 6: Takayama

Takayama was probably one of the most strategically timed stops of our entire trip because we visited during the Takayama Spring Festival.

Located in the Japanese Alps, Takayama felt completely different from Tokyo. Think traditional wooden buildings, historic streets, sake breweries, mountain scenery and a much slower pace.

We only spent one night here, so we essentially dropped our bags and started exploring as soon as we arrived.

What We Did in Takayama

Takayama Spring Festival — This was the main reason we planned Takayama into our route. We got to see the ornate festival floats, traditional performances and streets filled with festival vendors.

Takayama Old Town — We wandered the historic streets, popped into shops and explored the traditional wooden buildings.

Sake Breweries — Takayama is known for its sake, so naturally this made its way onto the itinerary.

Festival Food Stalls — One of the perks of accidentally—or very intentionally—planning a trip around a major festival.

Hida Beef — We ended our day with Hida beef, one of the foods this region is especially known for.

Days 7–9: Kyoto + Nara

After our quick stop in Takayama, we made our way to Kyoto for three nights. Kyoto was the part of the trip that felt the most like the Japan I had pictured before visiting — historic streets, shrines, torii gates, traditional experiences and some absolutely beautiful scenery.

We packed quite a bit into our three days here, but we also made one completely unplanned decision: taking a day trip to Nara to see the deer! It wasn't originally on our itinerary, but I'm so glad we squeezed it in.

What We Did in Kyoto

Gion + Higashiyama — We spent time wandering the historic streets, shopping and taking in one of Kyoto's most recognizable neighborhoods.

Fushimi Inari — We walked through the seemingly endless rows of bright orange torii gates. Going earlier in the day is definitely the move if you're hoping to experience it with fewer crowds.

Nishiki Market — One of our food stops in Kyoto, with tons of snacks and different things to try as you wander through the market.

Traditional Tea Ceremony — One of the cultural experiences we wanted to make sure we included during our trip.

Sumo Show + Dinner — Another fun way we incorporated a traditional Japanese experience into our time in Kyoto.

Maruyama Park + Yasaka Shrine — We visited in the evening and were lucky enough to still catch some cherry blossoms during our April trip.

Hozugawa River Boat Ride — Easily one of the more unique things we did in Kyoto. The boat takes you through the mountains and light rapids before ending near Arashiyama.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove — We explored the famous bamboo forest after our river experience.

Arashiyama Monkey Park — Because apparently between monkeys, pigs and deer, this trip also became an unofficial animal tour of Japan.

Our Spontaneous Nara Day Trip

Nara wasn't actually part of our original itinerary. While we were staying in Kyoto, we decided to hop on the train and spend part of a day exploring Nara Park, where hundreds of deer roam freely throughout the area.

You can buy special crackers to feed them, and some of the deer have even learned to bow for their treats. This ended up being such a fun spontaneous addition to our trip and an easy way to experience another destination without changing hotels.

Days 10–11: Osaka

And then we made it to my favorite stop of the trip: Osaka.

For me, it was the FOOD. Osaka had such a fun energy, and between the markets, street food, neon lights and different neighborhoods, this was the city where I felt like I could just keep wandering and eating.

If you're planning your trip around food experiences like I tend to do, I would absolutely give yourself time here rather than treating Osaka as a quick add-on to Kyoto.

What We Did in Osaka

Osaka Castle Park — We walked the grounds and caught some late cherry blossoms around the park.

Dotonbori — Exactly the kind of Osaka chaos I wanted. Neon signs, crowds and SO much food. We wandered around trying different street foods, including takoyaki, okonomiyaki and kushikatsu.

Osaka Food Markets — Some of my favorite wandering of the entire trip. If you're coming to Osaka for the food scene, leave room in your itinerary—and your stomach—to simply explore.

Namba Yasaka Shrine — Home to the massive lion-head structure that makes this one of the most unique shrines we visited.

Cup Noodles Museum — We got to make and customize our own Cup Noodles, right down to choosing the broth and toppings.

Shinsekai — A colorful retro neighborhood filled with arcades, restaurants, signs and plenty to look at.

Tsutenkaku Tower Slide — Because apparently looking at the tower wasn't enough and we needed to slide down it.

Hozenji Yokocho — A completely different atmosphere from nearby Dotonbori, with a narrow stone alley and moss-covered temple.

Osaka Nightlife — We spent our evenings wandering, eating and checking out bars around the city.

My take: Osaka deserved more time. If I were planning this trip again, this is one destination I'd personally consider adding another day to.

Days 12–14: Back to Tokyo

Instead of trying to fly home from a different city, we finished our trip where we started: Tokyo!

Coming back at the end actually worked really well because there was SO much we didn't get to during our first few days. It also gave us another experience we'd been wanting to try — spending two nights in a capsule hotel.

We used these final days to check off more of our Tokyo list before eventually saying goodbye to Japan.

After making our way across Japan, we took the Shinkansen back to Tokyo for the final portion of our trip.

I'm actually glad we split Tokyo into two sections rather than trying to do everything at the beginning. By the time we came back, we were much more comfortable navigating trains and could spend our last few days checking off things we'd missed the first time around.

We also squeezed in one more very Japanese experience: sleeping in a capsule hotel!

What We Did During Tokyo Round Two

Stayed in a Capsule Hotel — We spent part of our final Tokyo stay at 9h nine hours in Akasaka. It was definitely different from a traditional hotel and something we wanted to experience at least once while in Japan.

Shopping in Shibuya + Ginza — We saved some of our souvenir and fashion shopping for the end so we didn't have to carry everything across Japan with us. Very good decision.

Don Quijote — Because no Japan trip is complete without walking into Don Quijote for one thing and somehow emerging with an entire bag.

Tokyo Rooftop Drinks — We worked in drinks with skyline views as a way to celebrate the end of the trip.

Akihabara — Arcades, claw machines, capsule toys and sensory overload in the best possible way.

Asakusa Rickshaw Ride — We explored the historic streets from a completely different perspective with a guided rickshaw ride.

Asakusa Street Food — Naturally, we followed the rickshaw with more food. We tried different snacks and desserts while wandering around the neighborhood.

Muscle Bar — This was exactly as random as it sounds. An interactive themed bar and definitely one of the more unexpected experiences of the trip.

Arcades + Claw Machines — We had to get a few final rounds in before leaving Japan.

Karaoke — And what better way to finish a two-week trip to Japan than private-room karaoke?

Would I Recommend This Japan Itinerary?

Absolutely — although there are a few things I would probably adjust if we did it again!

Two weeks gave us enough time to experience several very different sides of Japan without feeling like our entire trip was spent in one place. Tokyo, Hakone, Takayama, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka each brought something completely different to the trip.

If you're planning your first visit, my biggest advice is don't feel like you have to see everything. Japan is one of those destinations where you could spend weeks exploring and still leave with a list of things you didn't get to.

And that's okay — because it gives you a pretty good excuse to come back. 🇯🇵

Want to dig deeper? I'll be adding more detailed guides from our trip with where we stayed, what we ate, what we did and what I'd recommend skipping or doing differently next time.