7 days in Japan: Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka

Passes, walking and not overpaying

• You make one long rail journey, from Tokyo to Kyoto. With a single long ride, a rail pass may not pay for itself, so compare it with single tickets. Check current fares before you buy.
• Kyoto to Osaka is a short hop on regular lines. Look at ordinary fares instead of reserving anything extra.
• Many of the best stops here are free to enter: shrine grounds, parks and a famous crossing. Keep paid sights for the ones you really want.

Day by day

1. Day1

   Day 1: Tokyo

   Arrive, drop your bags and stay close to Shinjuku while your body clock catches up. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building has free observation decks, and the alleys of Omoide Yokochō are a short walk from the station for a cheap, small meal.

   1. Shinjuku StationTransport
   2. Tokyo Metropolitan Government BuildingLandmarkObservation decks are free
   3. Omoide YokochōFood

   

2. Day2

   Day 2: Tokyo

   A walkable day from forest to crossing. Start in the shrine grounds, which are free to walk through, then drift down through Harajuku on foot and finish at the Shibuya scramble, which costs nothing to watch.

   1. Meiji ShrineCultureShrine grounds are free
   2. HarajukuShopping
   3. Shibuya CrossingLandmarkFree
3. Day3

   Day 3: Tokyo

   The old east side. Sensō-ji's grounds are free, Ueno Park is free to wander and Akihabara is for browsing rather than buying. Check the map in the planner and walk where it looks sensible; otherwise a short subway hop is usually cheaper than a taxi.

   1. Sensō-jiCultureTemple grounds are free
   2. Ueno ParkNaturePark is free
   3. AkihabaraShopping
4. Day4

   Day 4: Tokyo to Kyoto

   A travel day, kept light on purpose. Take the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station, check in, then walk the covered Nishiki Market and the riverside lane of Pontochō in the evening. Check current fares for single tickets and for a rail pass before you buy anything.

   1. Tokyo StationTransport
   2. Kyoto StationTransport
   3. Nishiki MarketFood
   4. PontochōFood
5. Day5

   Day 5: Kyoto

   Start early at Fushimi Inari, whose shrine grounds are free to walk, and climb only as far as you like. Then cross to the eastern hills for Kiyomizu-dera and finish in Gion, where wandering the streets costs nothing.

   1. Fushimi Inari TaishaCultureShrine grounds are free
   2. Kiyomizu-deraCulture
   3. GionCulture
6. Day6

   Day 6: Kyoto to Osaka

   Spend the morning in west Kyoto, then take your bags to Osaka and finish the day in Dōtonbori. Left-luggage lockers at stations are an option if your room is not ready; check current prices.

   1. ArashiyamaNature
   2. Tenryū-jiCulture
   3. Kinkaku-jiCulture
   4. DōtonboriFood
7. Day7

   Day 7: Osaka

   A last Osaka day. Walk the castle park, browse Kuromon Market for a cheap lunch, then head to the airport at the time your flight needs. Leave a generous margin.

   1. Osaka CastleLandmark
   2. Kuromon Ichiba MarketFood
   3. Kansai International AirportTransport

   

Before you go

Travel information (hours, prices, schedules) may be outdated. Verify details with official sources before your trip. This route lists no fares or opening hours for that reason: check current fares and times with the operators.

Other itineraries

• 10 days: add Nara and Hiroshima10 days · 32 stops
• 5 days in Tokyo5 days · 17 stops
• 14 days across Japan14 days · 46 stops

All itinerary guides

Photo credits

These photographs show the places named. They are openly licensed pictures from Wikimedia Commons, not Tabiji’s own.

• Torii gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto: “20181110 Fushimi Inari Torii 12” by Balon Greyjoy, CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo: “Shibuya Scramble crossing” by Syced, CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Dōtonbori, Osaka: “Dotonbori, Osaka - DSC05722” by Daderot, CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons.