Japan 2027
Two weeks in Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka
Two weeks exploring Japan during autumn foliage season: ramen, temples, bullet trains, and a ryokan stay in Kyoto.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Arrival in Tokyo
Narita International Airport
Arrive NRT, clear immigration, pick up IC card and pocket wifi
Narita Express to Shinjuku
~90 min direct train to central Tokyo
Check-in — Shinjuku Hotel
Drop bags, get oriented
Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane)
Tiny yakitori alley — perfect for jetlag recovery and cold beer
Shinjuku & Harajuku
Breakfast at local konbini
Onigiri and coffee — embrace the convenience store culture
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Huge garden spanning 58 acres, expect early autumn color
Harajuku & Takeshita Street
People watching, crepes, wild fashion
Meiji Shrine
Peaceful forest walk and Shinto shrine within the city
Dinner in Shibuya
Watch the famous scramble crossing, find ramen
Akihabara & Asakusa
Akihabara Electric Town
Electronics, anime, retro games — the nerd mecca
Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa
Tokyo's oldest temple, Nakamise shopping street
Sumida River cruise
Boat ride to Odaiba with skyline views
TeamLab Borderless (Odaiba)
Digital art museum — book tickets well in advance
Day Trip — Nikko
Day 4 is free exploration / rest day
Shinjuku Station
Take the Spacia X limited express to Nikko (~2 hrs)
Tosho-gu Shrine
Ornate mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, UNESCO World Heritage Site
Kegon Falls
97-meter waterfall — autumn foliage backdrop should be spectacular
Return to Tokyo
Evening express back to Shinjuku
Tokyo → Kyoto (Shinkansen)
Tokyo Station
Nozomi shinkansen to Kyoto — 2h15m, grab ekiben (train bento) at the station
Nishiki Market
"Kyoto's Kitchen" — narrow market with pickles, tofu, street snacks
Fushimi Inari Taisha
10,000 torii gates — go early or late to avoid crowds; it's a hike
Check-in — Ryokan in Gion
Traditional inn with futon, yukata, and kaiseki dinner included
Kyoto — Arashiyama
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Go early — before tour buses arrive. Otherworldly atmosphere.
Tenryu-ji Temple & Garden
UNESCO heritage Zen garden with pond and mountain backdrop
Sagano Scenic Railway
Short tourist train through Hozu River gorge
Monkey Park Iwatayama
Wild Japanese macaques on the hillside — great views of Kyoto
Kyoto → Osaka (Day trip base)
Namba, Osaka
15-min train from Kyoto. Dotonbori canal, street food paradise.
Osaka food crawl
Takoyaki, okonomiyaki, kushikatsu — eat everything
Osaka Castle
Reconstructed castle with good museum and park
Kuromon Ichiba Market
"Osaka's Kitchen" — fresh seafood, wagyu, produce
Final day & departure prep
Last-minute shopping
Duty-free, Kit Kat flavors, gifts for home
Osaka → Kansai Airport
Haruka express to KIX, allow 90 min for check-in
Packing Checklist
- JR Pass (buy before leaving the US)
- IC Card loaded with ¥5,000
- Pocket wifi or SIM (book online for airport pickup)
- Comfortable walking shoes — you'll walk 15,000+ steps/day
- Slip-on shoes (easy removal at shrines/ryokan)
- Cash — many smaller restaurants are cash-only
- Power adapter (Japan uses Type A, same as US)
- Portable charger
- Small day bag (large bags hard in narrow markets)
- Layers — October weather varies from 15–25°C