Japan's 7-Day Golden Route: Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka Hour by Hour

Day 2: Old Tokyo and otaku Tokyo, from Asakusa to Akihabara and Skytree

Morning: Asakusa and Senso-ji

• 07:30 Start early with a convenience-store breakfast: onigiri (rice balls) or a sandwich, for around ¥500.
• 08:30 Head to Asakusa, the terminus of the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line. From Shinjuku it takes about 25 minutes and costs around ¥250.
• 09:00 Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest temple. The great Kaminarimon gate and the five-storey pagoda are among the city's most famous sights, and early in the morning, before the tour groups, the precinct is calm.
  • 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku. Main hall open 6:00–17:00 (from 6:30 between October and March). Free. About 5 minutes' walk from Asakusa Station (Toei Asakusa Line, Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Tobu Skytree Line).
• 10:30 Stroll Nakamise-dori, the shopping street of about 90 stalls that runs for around 250 metres from Kaminarimon to the main hall. It sells traditional crafts, souvenirs and snacks; try melon pan (a sweet bun) and ningyo-yaki (little filled cakes).
  • 1-36-3 Asakusa, Taito-ku. Hours vary by shop, roughly 9:00–18:00.

Midday: Akihabara

• 12:00 Take the Tsukuba Express from Asakusa to Akihabara, about 5 minutes and ¥220.
• 12:30 Lunch at Kyushu Jangara, a popular Akihabara ramen shop serving rich tonkotsu (pork-bone) ramen.
  • Kyushu Jangara Akihabara main shop: 3-11-6 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku. Open 10:30–23:30. A bowl costs from about ¥850.
• 13:30–16:30 Explore Akihabara: electronics stores, anime and manga shops and maid cafés. Our Akihabara anime guide tells you where to start.

Late afternoon and evening: Tokyo Skytree

• 17:00 Travel to Tokyo Skytree Town by JR and the Tobu Skytree Line (about 25 minutes, around ¥300).
• 17:30 Go up Tokyo Skytree. The Tembo Deck is 350 metres up and the Tembo Galleria 450 metres, both with 360-degree views over Tokyo. Arrive before sunset to watch the city light up.
  • 1-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida-ku. Open 10:00–21:00 (last entry 20:00). Tembo Deck from ¥2,100; Tembo Deck plus Tembo Galleria from ¥3,100 (weekday prices; they vary by day and by whether you buy online). Directly connected to Tokyo Skytree Station (Tobu Skytree Line) and Oshiage Station (Hanzomon Line).
• 19:00 Dinner at conveyor-belt sushi. At chains such as Uobei, plates start at about ¥110.
• 21:00 Back to the hotel.

Day 3: Young Tokyo, from Harajuku and Shibuya to Odaiba

Morning: Meiji Jingu and Harajuku

• 09:00 JR Yamanote Line to Harajuku.
• 09:30 Meiji Jingu, the shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. It sits in a large forest in the middle of the city, and the air feels noticeably fresher.
  • 1-1 Yoyogi-Kamizonocho, Shibuya-ku. The gates open at sunrise and close at sunset, so hours change month by month (roughly 6:00–16:30). Free. Right next to JR Harajuku Station and Meiji-jingumae Station (Tokyo Metro).
• 11:00 Walk down Takeshita Street, the heart of Harajuku youth fashion, lined with quirky boutiques, crepe stands and sweet shops.
• 12:00 Lunch Harajuku-style: a crepe and a giant rainbow cotton candy.

Afternoon: Omotesando, Shibuya Crossing and Shibuya Sky

• 13:30 Walk to Omotesando, a more grown-up avenue of global flagship stores.
• 15:00 Continue on foot or by train to Shibuya and cross the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, one of the busiest intersections in the world, where hundreds of people cross at once.
• 15:30 Shibuya Sky, the rooftop observatory on top of Shibuya Scramble Square. The views run a full 360 degrees and on clear days reach Mount Fuji.
  • Shibuya Scramble Square, 2-24-12 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku. Open 10:00–22:30 (last entry 21:20). Same-day ticket ¥2,500; ¥2,200 if booked online in advance. Directly connected to JR Shibuya Station.
• 17:00 Say hello to the Hachiko statue outside Shibuya Station.

Evening: Odaiba

• 18:30 Head to Odaiba, changing at Shimbashi for the Yurikamome line (about 30 minutes, around ¥400).
• 19:00 See the life-size Gundam statue at DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, then eat at the food court in Aqua City Odaiba.
• 21:00 Finish with the lights of the Rainbow Bridge and the night view across Tokyo Bay to the city's towers.

Day 4: Shinkansen to Kyoto and the torii of Fushimi Inari

Early morning: breakfast at Toyosu or Tsukiji

• 07:00 Make breakfast a food experience:
  • Toyosu Market: 6-3-1 Toyosu, Koto-ku. Plenty of restaurants serve very fresh seafood, and the sushi is superb. Sushi breakfast from about ¥3,000. Directly connected to Shijo-mae Station on the Yurikamome.
  • Tsukiji Outer Market: 4-16-2 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku. A lively market where you graze on seafood rice bowls and tamagoyaki (sweet rolled omelette). 1 minute from Tsukijishijo Station on the Toei Oedo Line.
• 09:00 Back to the hotel to check out.

Midday: Shinkansen to Kyoto

• 10:30 Go to Tokyo Station.
• 11:00 Board a Hikari on the Tokaido Shinkansen to Kyoto, about 2 hours 40 minutes. The fare is around ¥13,320 one way; it is covered if you have a Japan Rail Pass.
• 13:50 Arrive in Kyoto and check in near Kyoto Station.

Afternoon: Fushimi Inari Taisha

• 15:00 JR Nara Line from Kyoto to Inari Station, about 5 minutes and ¥150.
• 15:30 Fushimi Inari Taisha is the head shrine of the roughly 30,000 Inari shrines across Japan, famous for its Senbon Torii, the tunnels of vermilion gates that wind up the mountain. The higher you climb, the thinner the crowds, and some points look out over Kyoto. Going all the way to the summit and back takes about two hours.
  • 68 Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto. Open 24 hours. Free. Right in front of JR Inari Station; 5 minutes' walk from Fushimi-Inari Station on the Keihan Main Line.
• 17:30 Watch the sunset from partway up the mountain.
• 18:30 Back at the bottom, snack on inari-zushi (sushi rice in sweet fried tofu), from about ¥600.

Evening: Gion

• 20:00 Take the Keihan line to Gion-Shijo and walk Hanamikoji, a stone-paved street of old wooden townhouses. With luck you may glimpse a maiko or geiko on her way to an appointment; give them space and don't block their path for photos.
  • Gion-machi Minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku. 5 minutes from Gion-Shijo Station (Keihan).
• 21:00 Dinner in Gion: a mini kaiseki course from about ¥3,500, or a yakitori bar from about ¥2,000.

Day 5: Classic Kyoto, from Arashiyama to Kiyomizu-dera

Early morning: Arashiyama

• 06:30 Up early for the JR Sagano Line from Kyoto to Saga-Arashiyama (about 17 minutes, ¥240).
• 07:30 Walk the Arashiyama bamboo grove (Chikurin no Komichi) while it is still quiet. By about 8:30 the crowds arrive. It's about 10 minutes on foot from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station; see our Arashiyama bamboo grove guide.
• 08:30 Tenryu-ji, a World Heritage Zen temple best known for its Sogenchi pond garden.
  • 68 Sagatenryuji Susukinobabacho, Ukyo-ku. Open 8:30–17:00 (the north gate closes at 16:30). Garden ¥500, plus ¥300 to enter the temple halls. 13 minutes' walk from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station.
• 10:00 Cross the Togetsukyo Bridge over the Katsura River, the classic Arashiyama view.

Late morning and lunch: Kinkaku-ji

• 11:00 Take a Kyoto city bus from Arashiyama to Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion (about 30 minutes, ¥230), and spend the rest of the morning there.
• 12:30 Lunch near Kinkaku-ji on yudofu, simmered tofu, a Kyoto speciality closely tied to Buddhist vegetarian cooking. Set meals from about ¥1,500.

Afternoon: Ryoan-ji

• 14:00 Ryoan-ji, another World Heritage Zen temple, famous for its karesansui (dry landscape) rock garden and the enigmatic arrangement of its stones.
  • 13 Ryoanji Goryonoshitacho, Ukyo-ku. Open 8:00–17:00 (8:30–16:30 from December to February). Admission ¥600. 7 minutes' walk from Ryoanji Station on the Keifuku (Randen) line.

Late afternoon and evening: kimono walk to Kiyomizu-dera

• 15:30 Rent a kimono. Walking Kyoto's old streets in kimono is a memory most visitors treasure, and rental starts at around ¥4,500. Our guide to where to rent a kimono in Kyoto compares the options.
• 16:30 Stroll up Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka to Kiyomizu-dera, one of Kyoto's best-known temples. Its main hall stands on the famous wooden "stage" with views over the city.
  • 1-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama-ku. Open 6:00–18:00, with special evening openings in some seasons. Admission ¥400. About 20 minutes' walk from Kiyomizu-Gojo Station (Keihan).
• 18:00 Return the kimono and have dinner in Pontocho, the narrow lane of restaurants beside the Kamo River.

Day 6: Nara's deer, then an Osaka night

Morning: Todai-ji and Nara Park

• 08:30 JR Nara Line from Kyoto to Nara, about 45 minutes and ¥720.
• 09:30 Todai-ji, a World Heritage temple. Its Great Buddha Hall is one of the largest wooden buildings in the world, and the giant bronze Buddha inside is breathtaking.
  • 406-1 Zoshicho, Nara. Great Buddha Hall, Hokkedo (Sangatsudo) and Kaidan-in open 7:30–17:30 (8:00–17:00 from November to February). Admission from ¥800. From JR Nara Station, take a bus for about 10 minutes to the Daibutsuden Kasuga Taisha-mae stop.
• 11:00 Wander Nara Park, home to more than a thousand free-roaming deer. You can buy shika senbei (deer crackers) to feed them.
• 12:00 Lunch near the park. Watch mochi being pounded by hand and eat a freshly made yomogi (mugwort) mochi.

Afternoon: on to Osaka

• 14:00 JR Yamatoji Line (through services continue onto the Osaka Loop Line) from Nara to Osaka or JR Namba, about 45 minutes and ¥810.
• 15:30 Check in around Shinsaibashi or Namba.
• 16:30 Shop along Shinsaibashi-suji, Osaka's best-known covered shopping street, full of fashion, homeware and places to eat.

Evening: Dotonbori

• 19:00 Dotonbori is Osaka's night out. Eat your way along the canal: takoyaki, okonomiyaki and kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers). Our Osaka street food guide has the details.
  • Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka. Walking distance from Namba and Shinsaibashi subway stations.
• 21:00 Take the obligatory photo in front of the Glico Running Man sign and enjoy the neon reflected in the canal.

Day 7: Osaka Castle, a market lunch and home

Morning: Osaka Castle and Umeda Sky Building

• 09:00 Osaka Castle was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Today's main keep is a reconstruction with a museum inside that tells the story of Osaka. In early April the castle grounds are full of cherry blossoms.
  • 1-1 Osakajo, Chuo-ku. Open 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30); closed over the New Year holidays. Adults ¥600. About 15 minutes' walk from JR Osakajokoen Station.
• 11:00 Umeda Sky Building, two towers joined at the top by the Floating Garden Observatory, 173 metres up, with 360-degree views across Osaka.
  • 1-1-88 Oyodonaka, Kita-ku. Open until 22:30 (last entry 22:00). Adults ¥1,500. About 10 minutes' walk from JR Osaka Station.

Lunch: Kuromon Market

• 12:30 Kuromon Ichiba, the market known as "Osaka's kitchen". Many stalls prepare what they sell for you to eat on the spot: try sea urchin (uni), wagyu and fugu (pufferfish).

Afternoon: last shopping and the airport

• 15:00 Pick up souvenirs at Don Quijote Umeda. Our list of 20 things worth buying at Don Quijote helps you fill the suitcase.
• 17:00 From Nankai Namba Station, take the Rapi:t express to Kansai International Airport (KIX): about 35 minutes, ¥1,430.
• 19:00 Fly home. Leave enough time for check-in and security on an international flight; if your flight leaves earlier in the evening, drop the shopping stop and head to the airport sooner.

What the week costs

Flights depend entirely on where you start, so they aren't included here. These are the on-the-ground prices used in this itinerary:

To bring the total down further, see 7 days in Japan under $1,400.

When to do the Golden Route

• Late March to early April: cherry blossom season. The most beautiful time, and the busiest and most expensive.
• May and June: fresh greenery, comfortable temperatures and more moderate prices.
• October and November: autumn leaves, with Kyoto at its most spectacular.
• December to February: winter. Tokyo sees little snow, but Kyoto is lovely in the cold and the occasional snowfall.

Practical tips

• Get mobile data before you land. A Japan eSIM keeps Google Maps, train apps and camera translation working all week.
• Pace yourself on Day 4. It combines a city change with the climb at Fushimi Inari, and it is the most tiring day of the week. Eat light and get to bed early.
• Book hotels early. Reserve at least six weeks ahead, and three to four months ahead for cherry blossom or autumn leaf season. Kyoto hotels sell out fastest.
• Go early to the big sights. Senso-ji, the Arashiyama bamboo grove and Fushimi Inari are all far calmer first thing in the morning.

FAQ

Is seven days enough for three cities? Yes, but it is a brisk week. With ten days, add Hakone or Nikko before or after Tokyo for a slower pace. Our Hakone onsen day trip from Tokyo is a good starting point.

Do I need a visa? It depends on your passport. Check the requirements with the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country well before you book.

How much cash should I bring? Plan on ¥50,000–80,000 per person for the week. Many places take cards, but small ramen shops, markets, temples and shrines often accept cash only. 7-Eleven ATMs are the most convenient place to withdraw yen and generally offer good rates.

Do you need to speak Japanese? No. Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka have plenty of English signage at stations and major sights, and a camera translation app will handle most menus.

Can I do the route in reverse, starting in Osaka? Yes, and it makes sense if you fly into Kansai (KIX) and out of Haneda (HND). Most first-timers start in Tokyo simply because it has the widest choice of flights.

Seven days on the Golden Route won't show you all of Japan, but it gives you its three great cities in one smooth line: Tokyo's energy, Kyoto's temples and gardens, and Osaka's food. Start early each day, keep the evenings for the neon, food streets and night views, and leave room for a return trip. For more time in the old capital, continue with our complete Kyoto guide.